33. Jessica

I am sitting in the kitchen area, poring over the overwhelming stack of bills we have to pay when suddenly, a loud thud echoes through the house. Within moments, I hear a piercing scream, and Sophie rushes towards me, her eyes wide with panic.

"Something's happened!" She screams at me, pointing to the bathroom. "Emma has fainted and she won't wake up!"

Without waiting for her to finish her statement, I'm already up on my feet, running to the bathroom and flinging the door open. There she is, lying on the ground, her hands on her stomach, a small gash on her forehead, and her skin as pale as a ghost. The bathroom smells of the cereal we ate this morning, and I know she has already thrown it up.

I drop to my knees beside her, cradling her fragile head against my chest, my heart pounding in my ears. Emma. Sick, frail Emma. She's always been sick, but I've always put off her check-up for a later time, mostly because I'm afraid of what I will find if I take her to the hospital. Patting her