CHAPTER 63

Geneveive Tessa Robert

I rubbed my temple as it throbbed. Hope was driving me crazy with her cries. I didn’t know what was wrong with her. Mom wasn’t here to help out. She had travelled to Arizona for a meeting and had left me in the hands of the nanny. A Mexican woman with an amazing British accent. I checked her temperature again. She was okay, so why was she crying?

‘Probably, she’s growing a new tooth. You know, she just clocked four days ago,’ the nanny said, placing a bowl of mashed potatoes on the table.

I nodded. That could be it. She was probably growing a new tooth and couldn’t endure it. But she was four years old! A four-year-old didn’t cry because of a new tooth. I rubbed my temple again and sent an emergency text to mom. I was out of options on what to do with my daughter. Nicholas was quiet, watching his sister. He merely stared and then returned his food. He didn’t understand what was going on. 

‘I don't know if it’s a new tooth. She was perfectly fine this morning, and now? I can’t even recognise my daughter. She keeps crying like she’s in pain, but I can’t help her.’ I replied, holding my tears. I almost cried. 

The nanny, Mae Estella, took my hands and said, ‘I don’t think it’s something serious, ma'am, but I suggest we take her to the children’s hospital since what we have tried hasn’t stopped her tears.’

I glanced at my phone. Mom had replied. She said it could be a reaction or her tooth, but I should take her to the hospital to be on the safer side. I stared at her again. I didn’t want to think about what the doctor would say, so I blocked that thought from my mind. I was stronger than this. I rushed into my room and picked up the car keys and my bag. 

Mae Estella was ready. Nicholas was lost in his world. He had become addicted to the Superman toy that James gifted him. He slept with it, woke up with it, and would have been bathing with it if I hadn’t stopped him. I was going to deal with the tool issue because it was making him withdraw. I didn’t want that kind of lifestyle for my son. 

I picked Hope up from the chair. She had stopped crying, but surprisingly, the temperature that wasn't rising was rising. Her body was extremely hot. I placed the thermometer in her mouth, but it was giving me the same thing. I checked it again, and that was when I noticed that it was broken. Gosh! My daughter was sick, and I didn’t know because she was broken! I groaned, showing the thermometer to Mae Estella.

 

‘Hope isn’t feeling well. I feel that’s what she has been trying to tell us. Her refusal to eat and vomiting make sense. I am really a bad mother!’ I sighed, stepping out of the car.

Mae Estella smiled. You aren’t a bad mother, ma’am. You are making an effort to take her to the hospital, and that’s fine with me.’

‘Mummy, my head hurts,’ Hope said, crying again. ‘Mummy, my head hurts,’ 

I paced with her for a minute before she stopped crying. ‘It’s okay, darling. We are going to the hospital now.’ 

I helped Mae Estella put Nicholas in the children's seat and gave her hope. I cast one last glance at my daughter before I jumped into the car and drove off.

 

Luckily, there was little traffic on the road, so we arrived at the hospital earlier than what I had calculated. We quickly got out of the car, and I rushed into the hospital emergency room. Hope was burning like fire and crying hysterically. The nurses took her from me and led me to wait in the reception. I couldn’t sit, but Mae Estella took charge of the situation and explained what happened to Hope. She also called James, and my dad then attended to Nicholas, who was crying. She gave him a box of cookies and led him to the children’s playroom.

'You've got to calm down. Tessa. I'm sure it’s nothing serious. Stop pacing, or you will make me nervous, dear.’ Dad cautioned, standing up. ‘You haven’t touched the food that Estella bought for you, and she said you haven't eaten all day. Do you want to hurt yourself?’

I sniffed, falling into my father’s hands. ‘They have been there for close to forty minutes! I can’t eat while my daughter is going through something painful! You should have seen how she was crying, Dad. She was in so much pain.’

He rubbed my back, consoling me: ‘You need to stop worrying. I am sure the doctors are trying to give her the best treatment and ensure she’s okay. So, please, you need to stop worrying. It’s not doing you any good at the moment.’

‘Okay, daddy. I will stop, but I won’t eat anything until I know how she’s doing.’

He sighed, ‘What about Nicholas? Where is he?’

‘I told Vera to take him home. He slept off here, and I don’t want him sleeping in an unfamiliar environment. You know how he is, and once he starts his shrieks, the hospital will be forced to throw us out.’ I chuckled a bit, sniffing.

‘My grandson knows his environment, and that tells you how smart he is. He’s just like his grandfather. Smart, witty, and kind.’ Dad flashed his teeth, winking at me.

‘Of course, sir. You never get tired of this, do you? Anyway, thank you for cheering me up a bit. I feel so much better,’ I replied, focusing on the emergency room.

The door creaked, then opened, and the doctor in charge of Hope walked towards us. I breathed. Held Dad tightly. Breathed again. My head was blank. 

 ‘Your daughter is responding to treatment, ma’am. She has a serious sore throat, and that explains why she hasn’t been eating. We gave her an injection for the sore throat and her temperature. She’s stable now, but asleep. You can take her home once she wakes up. I will also recommend some tablets for her. Ensure she takes them according to the prescribed hour.’ 

I nodded, taking everything as if my life depended on it. I also swore inwardly for causing worry for my family. A sore throat? I thought she had an infection or some kind of heart disease.

The doctor had a few talks with my dad and left.

‘I told you it was nothing serious, but you wouldn’t listen. I hope you feel better now.

 

I nodded. I was too tired to respond.