Gru wasn't happy. He kept saying ''Oh Boy''. Hard times had fallen in his house. His oldest daughter Margo was not very well! Her nose wasn't running her body wasn't shaking uncontrollably like the time when she had hypothermia [Margo had left the house into the deep without telling anyone where she was going], but Margo was still unwell.
She always seemed to be having fevers and having to stay home from school, ever since she has started complaining that her legs were aching. Then one evening, Gru noticed Margo was covered in rashes. They were up her arms, down her legs, all over her stomach and back, everywhere!
Gru couldn't really understand what was happening with his daughter. Before she was ill she had been as well as her two younger sisters Edith and Agnes They would often ask Gru ''What's wrong with Margo?'' and Gru would say that he had no idea. It wasn't any easier for his wife Lucy either.
Nowadays Margo was no longer going to school and was spending all the time in bed. Gru had even lent the book "One Sick Unicron" which he had read when Agnes had the chickenpox. Margo could even read in her father's voice!. Agnes had a good laugh with this and even Edith couldn't help crack a smile.
Whenever Edith and Agnes went to school they would pick up 'get well cards' from Margo's friends and they would deliver them to her when they got home.
Sometimes Margo had to go to the hospital for all sorts of tests. Lucy would read her a story and Gru would pray ''Dear God please take care of my dear Margo''. Everyone often said ''I hope Margo gets better soon'' especially Edith and Agnes.
Then, on one hospital visit the doctors did some tests on Margo and one of them spoke to Gru and Lucy, ''Mr Gru and Mrs Wilde, I'm afraid your daughter has leukaemia, it's a type of cancer''. Gru and Lucy looked at each other grimly.
''Will she survive?'' Gru wanted to know. The doctor was silent for a minute before replying, ''We can't promise she will, but she's got a fighting chance, cancer is a very life threating matter and we've had many patients die from cancer before''.
One day while Margo stayed in bed as usual. Edith and Agnes went to a zoo with their friends. Agnes liked the horns on the rhinos because they were similar to the horns on unicorn. A friendly zoo keeper was showing them around the veterinary section and was taking different illnesses the animals could get and how they would stop it spreading to the animal's brothers or sisters.
Agnes [who was now on the subject of brothers sisters and illnesses] piped up ''Edith is my sister, but my other sister couldn't come, she isn't very well''. ''Oh dear sweetie ' the zoo keeper said softly 'Just like some of these animals here, We always work hard here at the zoo to keep our animals well''.
Soon it was time to go home , on the way Edith suddenly felt very hot. ''Are you alright Edith?'' her friend's mum asked. Edith couldn't really answer her feelings about
Margo so she nodded as if to say "I'm fine". When Edith and Agnes were dropped off home the ran to meet their parents.
While Agnes chatted to Lucy about her day, Gru noticed something was bothering Edith. ''Edith honey what's wrong?'' he asked feeling he knew what the problem might be.
Edith just took a deep breath and said ''I was thinking about Margo''. ''Yes I know it's hard Edith' Gru sighed 'But Agnes Lucy and myself find it hard too''.
''So what's wrong with Margo?'' Edith demanded chewing on the tassels of her knit cap. ''Well' Gru replied 'Lucy went with her to the hospital again today while you were out and it so happens that your sister is suffering from Leukemia''.
''What's Leukaemia?'' Agnes [who had just come in with Lucy] asked. ''Well ' Gru began quietly 'leukaemia is a form of Cancer!''
Lucy took one look at her husband then at her two younger daughters. ''Girls it's where cancer gets into the blood'' she finished.
''Daddy' Agnes asked 'Why does everyone say ''I hope Margo gets better soon'' and she never does why is she ill all the time?''.
Gru didn't answer for a few seconds then he said quietly ''Liston Agnes you too Edith' he said hugging them both, 'Margo is very sick and may not get better''. ''Never?'' Edith asked her lip wobbling. ''Looks like it I'm afriad'' Gru answered. There were tears welling up in his eyes.
''Is Margo going to die?'' Agnes quivered starting to shake. ''I hope not Agnes but I think she might!'' Gru said softly. ''That's not fair!' Agnes moaned 'I want Margo to get better!''. ''Me too'' Edith mumbled. Gru hugged them harder.
''I know it's not fair' Gru replied 'I want her to get better too, So does Lucy Dr Nefairo and even the minions and if she does die, you will become the oldest sister Edith, So I expert you to help look after your little sister''. ''Ok'' Edith muttered knowing her father was right.
Sometimes Edith and Agnes would take some toys to Margo's bedside and play with her. Of course one of Agnes's favourite games to play was 'One Sick Unicorn'.
Unfortunately this didn't last.
Margo was feeling so sick she didn't want to play with her sisters anymore. She was just too tired. One day when Edith and Agnes came home from school, they decided to check on their sister. But Gru and Lucy told them that Margo was asleep.
Gru was thinking of the time when he had first met the girls and
when they first came to live with him. Edith had walked into his iron maiden and been presumed dead.
Now he was regretting saying ''Well I suppose the plan will work with two''. Now he might really end up with only two children. Margo had been the one who was most wary of him when she first saw him. Now that she was ill and might die he would never hear the end of it.
One day however Margo did make a full recover. ''Well' Gru said 'I guess all that medicine and rest really did the trick''. ''Yes'' Margo smiled. It was good to still be alive.
The End