Be kind and respectful. I wanted to show how it would be if Charlotte and Drew were separated and Drew was left to care for Angelica. Through everything that goes on, Angelica needs him the most of all. He doesn't know how to deal with the soon to be preteen by himself. All the things Charlotte used to do with Angelica are going to be his responsibility now.

Angelica's sick days

Angelica woke up on a Monday morning, her throat still sore from the day before and as she coughed and sneezed, she remembered all about the test she had that day. Her head was hurting and she felt like she was running a fever.
"Are you up, Angelica" Drew asked from the door. It was always hard getting Angelica outta bed, especially on a Monday.
"yes, I'm up" Angelica said climbing outta bed.

As she went to her dresser, she choose a pair of jeans, a cami, another shirt and a hoodie. She was dressed in minutes and as she put her boots on, she felt her headache come back again.
"Ugh" she thought to herself.

In the kitchen, she took her blood sugar and had something to eat. As Drew came downstairs, he looked at Angelica.
"Morning" he said
"Morning" Angelica tried to smile.
Her dad noticed something different about Angelica today but couldn't put his finger on it.
"Are you feeling okay" he asked.
"I'm fine, dad" Angelica said, grabbing her bookbag and coat. "The bus will be here soon"
"Ok" said Drew "Have a good day at school today" he said

As Angelica stepped outside the cold February air hit her face. She didn't have to wait too long until the yellow bus showed up.
"Hi Angelica" said Susie as she got on the bus.
"Hi" Angelica said with a cough
"You look sick" said Susie
"Yeah, I know" Angelica coughed "But I couldn't stay home" she said
"Your dad made you come" Susie said
"Yep" Angelica said lying, she never even told her dad that she didn't feel good

As Angelica sat at her desk that morning, she put her hand down on her desk, her nose was running as she grabbed a tissue from her desk. She was supposed to be watching the video on the human body but soon fell asleep.
"Angelica" called the teacher during the movie but Angelica had fallen asleep.

"Angelica" said the teacher again
Angelica opened her eyes.
"You fell asleep" said the teacher
"Sorry" Angelica said
"Pay attention please" said the teacher
"I didn't get much sleep last night" Angelica said lying "And I have" Angelica sneezed "a cold"

Mrs, Hand put her hand on Angelica's forehead as Angelica still had her head down on her desk. "You should go down to the nurse" said the teacher
"I guess" coughed Angelica as she got up from her desk, she was a little off balance.

"Susie, can you walk Angelica down to the nurses office" said the teacher.
"Of course" smiled Susie from the back of the classroom.

"Feel better" said Susie when they got to the nurses office
"Thanks" Angelica said

"What seems to be the problem" said the nurse as Angelica walked in.
"I don't feel well" said Angelica "My throat is sore and my head hurts" she coughed.
"Have a seat and put this under your tongue" said the nurse, handing Angelica a thermometer

Angelica sat in a chair with a thermometer in her mouth.
"You have a fever" said the nurse removing the thermometer "I will call your dad to come and get you" said the nurse. "You can lay down on the cot until he comes"

"Mr. Pickles Angelica is running a fever of 102 degrees" said the nurse into phone as Angelica listened from the cot. She had fallen asleep before the nurse even finished talking to her dad.

A few noises in the nurses office happened while Angelica was asleep. A boy who threw up, a girl who injured herself on playground who must've been in kindergarten and who had been crying for her mom and a few kids who were sick.

The bright lights shined on Angelica as she woke up, a blanket over her now. She felt cold and then warm at the same time.. And then she heard something.
"Angelica"
"Daddy" coughed Angelica as she lifted her head off the pillow, feeling dizzy.
Drew hugged Angelica "Let's get you home" he said

That day Angelica didn't remember much. She didn't remember coming home and she didn't remember going to bed. All she remembered were bright lights.

To be continued

"My daughter has a high fever" Drew said as he carried Angelica into the hospital an hour later. "She passed out in the car and she is diabetic" he said. "Please, please help her" Drew said in tears. "I just want her to be okay"

A nurse carried Angelica into an examining room, while a few nurse and doctors ran in. "Sugar is down to 82" someone said "temp is 102.2" A doctor looked into Angelica's eyes and listened to her heart and lungs "Order a Chest X-ray" said the doctor as he went out the room..

A nurse changed Angelica out of her clothes and into a gown, a bear was placed in Angelica's arm. A white blanket covering her. "Mommy" Angelica opened her eyes. She closed them. A doctor shined a light into her eyes again.
"Angelica" said the doctor
"Daddy" she asked
"You're in the hospital" said the doctor "you're dad brought you in"
"Where is he" asked Angelica
Just then Drew comes in. "Daddy" Angelica said
"I'm so glad you're okay" said Drew hugging Angelica.

The doctor left and it was quite a while before he returned. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was sick" said Angelica with a cough.
"It is okay" said Drew "I'm just happy you're okay"

A hour later, a doctor came back in as Drew sat by Angelica's side. "Everything is fine" he said "But, we'll like her to stay over night"
"I don't want to stay overnight" said Angelica
"You can go home tomorrow" said the doctor
"Really" Angelica said all exited
"Yes" said the doctor "Everything came back fine with the x-ray"
"But what is wrong with her" asked Drew

The doctor didn't give an answer and just like last time, Drew was left clueless.
"I'm okay" Angelica said with a sniffle "It is only a cold"

They wheeled Angelica out of the room, a blanket covering her. She had her eyes to her dad.
"Don't leave" she said still holding the bear.

Drew stayed with Angelica all night and the next morning Angelica had a smile on her face. "I'm feeling better" she said putting a piece of cut up pancake in her mouth.

That morning Angelica was taken for another x-ray.

"We just got the x-ray report back" said a new doctor coming in two hours later, she closed the door, Angelica and Drew feared the worst. "Everything is fine" said the doctor. "Can I take a peak into you're mouth" she asked Angelica.
"Ok" coughed Angelica

The doctor exam every part of Angelica and after a while it became clear what was wrong. "I believe she was strep throat" said the doctor after she looked into Angelica's mouth "I will do a strep test just to make sure" said the doctor and a "double ear infection" she said after looked into Angelica's ears. "

An hour later it became clear that it was strep throat all along that Angelica had with a double ear infection.

"I will order her a prescription for some medicine for the strep throat and some drops for the double ear infection" said the doctor."Angelica is 11, right" asked the doctor
"yes" said Angelica
"Ok" said the doctor.

That night when Angelica got home from the hospital, she climbed into bed and fell asleep within minutes

"I love you" Angelica said to her dad who was standing at the door.
"I love you too" said Drew "And I always will"

So I tired writing another chapter. Please tell me what you think. Sorry this is added late but been pretty busy. Will try to update it soon. Thanks for all your comments.

The next afternoon Angelica wasn't feeling much better, as she lied on the couch with a tray of soup and cracker and she had a box of tissues, a book and her ipod beside her, when all of a sudden she heard something outside. A car door slamming and then another door slammed.
She was just about to put a spoonful of soup into her mouth when the doorbell rang.

And then Angelica heard a familiar voice in the hallway, a voice she hadn't heard in awhile.
"Mommy" she said as soon as she saw Charlotte. It had been 3 months since Angelica had seen her mother. Charlotte came in, followered by Jonathan. "I just stopped by to see you" she said as she hugged Angelica,

"How have you been?" Charlotte asked Angelica
"I have an ear infection" said Angelica
"Double ear infection" said Drew
"And Step throat" coughed Angelica "But daddy has been taking good care of me" Angelica smiled at her dad.
"Is she okay" Charlotte asked Drew
"Yes, she is fine" said Drew "I am taking good care of her"

Charlotte was trying to hide back the tears, she missed Angelica more now more than ever now and she missed Drew. But, her life was with Jonathan now, he sat beside her holding her hand. "Angelica" said Charlotte. "We have something to tell you" she said pointed to Jonathan. "We are getting married" she said as she showed Angelica the ring.
"But you love daddy" said Angelica in tears as she coughed "And you told me when I was little that you always would"
"Sometimes things change" said Charlotte.
"But why" asked Angelica in tears "I want you to live here with Daddy and me":
"I can't" said Charlotte
"Yes, you can you can live downstairs" Angelica pointed to the basement
"I can't live in the basement" said Charlotte as she shook her head.
"We will be in the area" said Jonathan
"Really" asked Angelica
"Of Course" said Charlotte
"I love you" said Angelica
"I love you too" said Charlotte "And I always will" she gave Angelica a hug.

Charlotte was not just there to see Angelica, she was there to take her with her.
"Can I talk to you, Drew?" said Charlotte getting off the couch, From the kitchen Angelica could hear the conversation.
"She is my daughter, Charlotte." said Drew "And she is staying with me"
'I want her, Drew" said Charlotte
"You can't have her" said Drew again "You're not going to hurt her again"
"I didn't" said Charlotte
"You're all about your job" said Drew "And you are not meant to have her, I am" he said walking out of the room.

The door slammed as Charlotte walked out followered by Jonathan, "I hate her" Drew said under his breathe. It happened a two months before when they were having dinner, it was almost summer, after Angelica was diagnosed with diabetes. Charlotte hadn't been feeling well and went to the doctor and found out she was two weeks pregnant but not with Drew's baby. She suddenly remembered the night in the hotel room, she was on a business trip and then remembered waking up in the same bed as Jonathan after a night of a glass of wine too many. She hadn't started to show and didn't want to tell Angelica yet.

Later that night, Susie stopped by with get well cards and Angelica's homework,
"I still have to do this even thou I'm sick" coughed Angelica
"Yep" said Susie
The stack of homework wasn't too big but it didn't make Angelica feel any better than she was.
"When will you be back to school" asked Susie
"Hopefully next week" Angelica coughed

The next day afternoon, Kimi, Chuckie, Phil, Lil and Dill stopped by. "We have missed you at school" they said to Angelica
"I've missed you too" Angelica coughed to them
"Here" said Tommy handing Angelica a plate of cookies.
"I remember when we had to hide these from you when you were little" said Chuckie
"Ha" said Angelica "I always knew where they were" she coughed
Angelica unwrapped the plastic from the plate and took a bite of a chocolate chip cookie, first solid food she had eaten in a few days. As she swallowed, she could feel how her threat burned more. She placed the plate on her nightstand. It hopes that she will feel better tomorrow to have another. "My throat is really sore" Angelica coughed
Kimi looked at Angelica "Yeah, I've had those" said Kimi "But the doctor took my tonsils out last year so I don't get them often anymore"
"I don't want to have my tonsils out" said Angelica
"It wasn't bad" said Kimi "I didn't feel a thing"
Angelica was scared that night. She didn't want to have to go to the doctor. And she didn't want her tonsils out.

"Under the tongue" Drew said as her put a thermometer under Angelica's tongue that night. As he took it out, he read it 101.6 it read. Angelica was still on antibiotics and it had been only two days, he was hoping that by Friday she was start feeling better. He hated seeing her sick.

A few days came and Angelica still wasn't feeling any better. Her throat was still sore and when Drew took her temperature it had gotten as high as 102.1. It still wasn't going down to normal.
"I've going to take you to the doctors" he said to Angelica
"But mommy usually does" said Angelica
"Mommy can't" said Drew
"Yes, she can" said Angelica "Mommy gave me her cell phone number" she gave Drew the piece of paper that had a number written on it. 555-545-5567.

Drew dialed the number. "Tony's pizza" the person said "Julie" speaking.
"I have the wrong number" said Drew as he hung the phone up. From that, he learned that maybe he was right from the start, Charlotte didn't want Angelica in her at all, he had to be the one to care for Angelica and that is what he was going to do.

That day Angelica, dressed in a pair of sweats and a hoodie as she sat in the doctors office, Her teddy bear sat on her lap. "I'm scared" she coughed to her dad
"I will be with you the whole time" said Drew as he kissed the top of Angelica's head.
"I love you daddy" Angelica said with a snuffle
"I love you too" said Drew

It was a few minutes before Angelica was called, as she sat reading a preteen magazine, she learned what it was going to be like in another year. She was turning 12, in less then a three months" Her body wasn't like others her age, she had not been able to wear a bra like Susie or even gotten her period.
A tear rolled down Angelica's eye when she saw a girl her age with her mother as they walked in, Angelica missed Charlotte more than ever.

"Angelica Pickles" said a nurse at the door. She was brunette with long hair, she had in her left hand clipboard in her hand, follow me. She said to Drew and Angelica when they got to the door.
"Let's see" said the nurse "I need to check you're height and weight" said the nurse as they got to the scale.
"87 pounds, 4.10 inches" said the nurse
"I'm getting tall" Angelica said with a cough
"You sure are" smiled Drew.

The room they were taken to was a white room, "Have a seat" said the nurse with a smile as she took seat.
"So Angelica is here because of a sore throat" asked the nurse
"Yea" said Drew "It has been a week and it still isn't going away"
"Every time I swallow it hurts" said Angelica
"Okay" said the nurse

The nurse placed a thermometer in Angelica's right ear "Just taking you're temperature" said the nurse
"Okay" said Angelica

101.5 degrees the thermometer read as the nurse took it out and wrote the number the number down on Angelica's chart.

"Any other pain" asked the nurse
"Not really" said Angelica
"Ok" said the nurse as she opened a drawer and handed Angelica a gown "The doctor should be in soon" said the nurse.

Angelica wasn't liking this. "Do I have too" she said after the nurse left.
"I won't be long" said the Drew
"Ok" said Angelica as she hopped off the exam table. She slowly removed her hoodie and her shirt from her body then her sweats, she placed them in a neat pile then she placed the gown around her as she climbed back on the exam table

"So Angelica I haven't seen you in awhile" said the doctor
"yeah" Angelica said
"So I hear that you're not feeling well" said the doctor
"Not really" said Angelica
"What seems to be bothering you" asked the doctor
"My throat hurts" Angelica said
"She has been home for the past few days" said Drew
"Ok" said the doctor"

Dr. Rachel had been Angelica's doctor for the past few years and Angelica had grown to like her, at first changing from the doctor she went to when she was little to changing to a new one was hard but now Angelica liked going to the doctor.

The doctor began to check Angelica's ears, eyes and nose. "Angelica did have a double ear infection" said Drew
"Well it looks like it is cleared up just fine" just the doctor "But contiue with those antibiotics" she said
A few minutes after the doctor said "Say ahhh" as she placed the tongue depressor on Angelica's tongue.
After a few minutes, it became clear what was really wrong. "Angelica has tonsillitis" said the doctor
"But the hospital said she had strep throat" said Drew "and the strep test came back positive"
"It happens sometimes when people can get both" said the doctor "how long as Angelica been on antibiotics for strep" asked the doctor
"for about a week" said Drew
"I would do strep test on her"

The doctor listened to Angelica's heart and lungs "You have a good heartbeat" said the doctor
"Really" Angelica coughed. And then the doctor let her listen.

Within a few minutes Angelica was holding on to her dad's hand as the doctor stuck a cotton swab down her throat which made Angelica gag.
"That hurt" coughed Angelica almost in tears
"You were very brave" said the doctor
"Yes, you were" said Drew

As Angelica waited she continued to read the magazine,

"The strep infection still hasn't cleared" said the doctor 10 minutes later "We're going to try another round of antibiotics"
"And if that doesn't help" asked Angelica
"It should" said the doctor.

The doctor gave Drew 2 prescriptions, one for the strep infection and another for tonsillitis. "I will like to see Angelica back next week" said the doctor
"Ok" said Drew

Angelica untied the gown and slipped her shirt and sweats back on followered by her hoodie. "I can go home now" she said
"yes" said the doctor

It wasn't long until Angelica had fallen asleep, her throat and body needed rest and it hopes of feeling better that is what she did when she went home, she went up to her bedroom changed into her pj's and fell asleep within a few minutes..

"I'm sick" Angelica said the next morning. She couldn't breathe through her nose and it hurt her to talk, her voice had gone hoarse. She sounded congested.
That day Drew put vicks on Angelica's chest. "This sound help" he said
Angelica slept most of the day, she didn't even hear it when there was a thunderstorm or the garbage truck that went up the street.

Author Note: Angelica is 11 years old and the babies are 9, except for Chuckle who is 10.

"Hi Drew" said Didi that same day. "Is Angelica any better" she asked.
"Not really" said Drew as he was washing dishes. "but the doctor said it could take a few days."
"I hope she gets better" said Didi
"Me too" said Drew "I just wish there was something more I could do for her" he said

The next few days there wasn't any let up. Angelica hadn't improved, her throat was still sore, her head still hurt and she was coughing.
"I think I should take you back to the hospital" Drew said
"I don't want to" said Angelica "I am fine here" she coughed
"No, you aren't getting any better, Angelica" said Drew
"But I am better, Daddy" Angelica said with a small smile

Later that night Angelica had to be taken to the hospital, nurses and doctors surrounded Angelica, "her temp is 104.2, bp is 100/88 and pulse 80" said one of the nurses.
"Start an IV with fluids" said the doctor as she listened to Angelica's lungs "breathe in and out" she said
"I don't feel good" coughed Angelica "and this IV hurts" she wiped away a tear "When can we go home, daddy?" said Angelica
"Not until we fine out what is wrong with you" said the doctor
"But, I want to go home now" Angelica started crying.

After a full examination and chest x-ray it was clear what it was that was wrong with Angelica.

"Angelica has pneumonia" said the doctor an hour later "I will like to admit for her a couple days and run an antibiotic" said the doctor
"Do what you can" said Drew
"Make me feel better' coughed Angelica

That night, Angelica slept through the night, she hadn't done that in over a week. The next morning she got a surprised visitor.

Jonathan came in, followered by Charlotte. He bought in a few get well balloons. As Angelica's eyes opened up she saw Charlotte.
"Mommy" Angelica coughed
"I'm here" said Charlotte and "And I'm not going anywhere" she gave Angelica a hug
"You're coming back home" asked Angelica
"I can't, Angelica" said Charlotte "I just can't"
"But why mom" Angelica coughed "You said we were always going to be a family, don't you remember. I was 3 and you said you would never leave us"

After Charlotte left. Angelica cried. "Mommy doesn't love me anymore" she cried "I want her to move back home."
"Mommy loves you Angelica" said Drew "No matter what"

That made Angelica feel a little better.

"Look what mommy left for me" said Angelica holding up a new teddy bear. "She must've left it here before she left and we didn't see it"
The teddy bear was pink and it had the words I love you written on it.

"Tommy, Dil, Chuckie, Kimi, Lil and Phil" said Angelica the next day. She had her eyes open when they came. "
We just came to see you" they said
"How are you feeling?" asked Tommy.
"Feeling a tiny bit better" said Angelica
"Here" said Kimi and Chuckie as they handed Angelica a gift. Saw this in the gift shop and I thought of you.
As Angelica opened the gift she smiled. It was a Cynthia doll, almost like the one she had when she was little, minus the bite barks on it from Spike and the teeth barks on it from Dil. "Thank you" Angelica said with a cough "I hope this one Dil won't bite the head off now"
Dil laughed "I will try not too"
"Here" said Tommy as he hands Angelica a card.
"Best Cousin forever" on it.
"Thanks Tommy" Angelica coughed
Dill handed Angelica flowers "Now" said Dill "I am sure my mom won't be happy with me that I picked these from her garden. He gave her a smile.
"Thank you Dill. I am sure your Mom won't be mad at you"
Angelica was so now! After a week and a half Angelica was free to leave the hospital but still had to be on antibiotics for a couple more weeks.
It wasn't until 5 weeks prior to when it all started that Angelica finally felt better. As she came down the stairs on a Saturday morning, she had a smile on her face.
"Morning Daddy" said Angelica as she hugged him.
"Morning Angelica" Drew sneezed.
The look on Angelica's face said everything. "Don't you get sick to Daddy"