Disclaimer: It' s not mine...
Flu Epidemic!
The Brown's house:
At seven o'clock in the morning a telephone rang and Andy Brown slowly woke up. He stretched out is hand to pick up the phone.
"Andy Brown here?", he couldn't stifle a huge yawn, "Who-who is it? Edna, it's..." he looked at the timer "exactly two minutes past seven in the morning AND it's Saturday, so why on earth are you calling me?"
"Well, Andy," Edna said, "We have 'a few' people here with a nasty bout of flu. And since you are a doctor, you'd better come out of your bed and help me handing out medicines."
"How many is 'a few'?"
"About fifteen have squeezed themselves in the waiting room, the rest is waiting outside. Not to mention that the telephone-network is overloaded with people calling."
"Sounds like an epidemic."
"You're kiddin'...", Edna grunted.
"Ok, ok, I'll be there in a minute!" Andy soothed her quickly.
Putting down the phone, Andy jumped out of bed, grabbed some clothes and started dressing. Almost giving in to a reflex, he nearly roared "Ephram!", but just in time he realised it was still five past seven on Saturdaymorning. So instead of calling, he tiptoed to his son's room and opened the door as quietly as possible.
"Ephram," he whispered, and when his son didn't respond, he walked over to the bed and gently shook Ephram's shoulder. "Ephram, please wake up a second and listen."
Moaning softly, Ephram first tried to roll over and go back to sleep. Then his father's face came into focus and he started waking up.
"Dad, its Saturday for god's sake! Besides it's...", he shot a quick glance at the timer on his nightstand. "What the fck! It's five past seven in the morning! What do you think..."
"Be quiet!", Andy told his son. "Your sister's still sleeping. And you can go back to that state in a minute, if you just listen to me first. A flu epidemic broke out in town, so I have to go into the practice. Behave yourself and make sure your sister does. I promised her I would take her on a trip to the lake today, but this is really an emergency so... can you explain the situation and apologise from me?"
"Sure, I'll clean up your mess. I'll spend my free Saturday babysitting while I could go out with my friends and have fun!"
"I didn't know you had plans to go out today?", Andy asked in surprise.
"Well, actually, I haven't", Ephram gave in, then getting angry: "But I could have had! But hey, why would you think about me?"
"Oh, come on Ephram, it really is an emergency. The whole town is sick!"
"It's ok, you go and save those people, Delia and I will be fine." Ephram said and wanted to turn back to sleep.
"Thanks, Ephram, I mean it." said Andy. "So please tell Delia I'm sorry. You know what, I'll leave some money on the kitchentable so you two can go out and have some fun. Maybe you can take her to a movie or something."
"Don't worry, dad.", Ephram yawned, "She'll get over it. Since its not the first time your work got in the way when you promised her something."
Standing up from the bed, Andy let out a sigh. "I know. I'll try to be home for dinner but it might be..., never mind. Have fun you two." With a last look on Ephram, who was back to sleep already, he left the bedroom.
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Around the same time, in the Abbott's house:
Rose Abbott was already fully clothed when she entered the bedroom where her husband was still sleeping in bed. Sitting down on the edge she called him to wake, until Harold Abbott finally opened his eyes.
"Really Rose," he moaned, "I wish you to have a great day with your woman-back-to-nature-landscape-painting-club, but I thought we agreed that you wouldn't wake me up to say goodbye. Because it's my day off, after a week of hard working, and if it's your decision to wake up early and wander around in a forest, that's fine, but..."
"Stop moaning Harold!", his wife told him sternly. "Louise just called, your practice is loaded with patients which all seem to have the flu. You need to get in there as soon as possible, they need all the help they can get."
Harold Abbott raised his hands to heaven. "Why God, does Everwood need to come down with a flu epidemic, exactly on my day off?"
"Harold!", Rose shot him an angry look. "I told Louise you'd be there in fifteen minutes."
"Well, I'd better get dressed then.", sighed dr. Abbott, as he climbed out of bed. "Could you wake up my lovely sister Linda? You can tell her that she needs to abandon her Chinese morning meditation because the western medical world needs all the hands they can get."
"She's already gone to the practice", answered Rose. And at a surprised look from her husband: "She was already up by six this morning. We had breakfast and tea together, and then Louise called. Linda left immediately."
"Well, well...", dr. Abbott said, looking slightly impressed. "I'd better go and help her then."
Ten minutes later, Rose and Harold Abbott were both ready to leave. While Rose packed a last bag of sandwiches for her husband, dr. Abbott was calling up the staircase.
"Bright, Amy! We're leaving!"
A crumpled looking Bright, wearing green boxers and a T-shirt for pyjamas, appeared on the landing. "What's up?", he said sleepily.
"Your mother is going on her painting-trip, and I myself have some very important emergency work to do at the practice.", dr. Abbott explained energetically. "Besides where is your sister?"
"Asleep I guess..." mumbled Bright, looking puzzled at so much information in such a short time, at such an early hour.
"Well, that's good." said dr. Abbott. "Your mom and I won't be home until tonight, so you have to get by all by yourself."
"Ahh, that's a shame", Bright muttered under his breath.
"Anyway,", dr. Abbott threw him a stern look and went on, "Behave yourself, and look after Amy. I want this place to be tidy and peaceful, as it should be on a Saturday noon, so no parties! Is that clear?"
"Sure dad, Amy and I will spend the day like two little angels, sipping tea together and reading a book."
"Good.", dr. Abbott smiled. "We'll see you tonight then. Have a good day!"
And with that, Rose and Harold Abbott left both for their own business, and Bright went back to bed.
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Around ten o'clock, at dr. Brown's practice:
"So, Mrs. Dudley, make sure you drink enough, than you wouldn't get dehydrated. And further is my advice: stay in bed, eventually take some aspirin and just wait till this flu-bug is over. If you keep throwing up for two days in a row, or if you can't keep water down, you need to call me." Andy was giving this advice to what might be the 30th patient this morning.
He accompanied Mrs. Dudley to the door and waved her goodbye. Then called to Edna, "Edna, how many patients left?".
"Still seven in the waiting room, and about twenty-five telephone calls per hour."
"Tell them, I'll see the next one in five minutes. First I need some fluids myself.", he said, walking over to Edna's desk. "Can you believe how many patients we've had in the last three hours? It seems like every single person in Everwood comes down with this flu."
"Yeah,", Edna said, "I think it might be because of the carnival-dance-evening last night. Many people together in a crowd, the perfect opportunity for an influenza virus to spread itself. Are you all giving them the same advice?"
"Mostly," Andy responded, "It seems to be a nasty stomach flu, which causes fever, dizziness and throwing up. You feel like crap, but it's nothing threateningly. Except, of course, for young children, old people, pregnant women, people suffering from some disease or those with an already fragile health. And that's why I have to check on all people. For most of them, the flu is harmless, but not for all. I can't take the risk of sending a person home without checking, and he or she may have a dangerous complication."
Edna let out a sigh, "That's right....Oh, and speaking of throwing up: Mr. Wallace keeps the bathroom steadily occupied and Mrs. Devrey is slowly turning green. Don't worry, I already offered her a bucket, but I thought you might check on them first."
"Good idea," Andy said, "You can send Mrs. Devrey in immediately, and tell Mr. Wallace he'll be next as soon as he reappears." Walking over to enter his room, Andy picked up a cup of coffee to take it with him.
"I'd leave those coffee here, if I were you!" Edna called after him. "At least if you want Mrs. Devrey to keep your desk clean!"
Andy let out a sigh and putted his coffee down, instead grabbed a glass of water and entered his office.
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Meanwhile at the Brown's house:
Delia slowly opened up her eyes and watched her timer: a quarter past ten in the morning. That seemed to be in order, since it was Saturday, when she usually slept in. On the other hand there was this feeling that she should have been awake early today, that there was something important to do. Then her mind cleared and she remembered. Her dad had promised to take her on a trip to the lake today! He had promised that they would rent a boat and row across the lake, he would teach her fishing, and when they came back, they would have dinner in the restaurant at the lakeside. Last night she had agreed that he would wake her up around half past eight, so they would prepare a picnic and leave early for the lake.
But now it was ten o'clock and her father hadn't woken her. Assuming his timer was broken and her dad was still asleep, Delia jumped out of bed and ran to his bedroom.
She found his bed empty and ran to Ephram's room. As her brother was still asleep, she tugged on his arm to wake him up.
"Ephram, wake up! Dad is gone!"
Alarmed by Delia's screaming, Ephram sat up sleepily, rubbing his eyes. "What's wrong Delia?", he asked groggily.
"Dad is gone!" she repeated. Ephram now was totally awake and could see his little sister standing in front of him with the threat of tears in her eyes. Then he remembered his dad leaving this morning, and the promise he made.
"He had to go to the practice, Delia, there was a lot of work this morning, and..." he had outstretched his hand in order to pat her shoulder and calm her down, but she shook him off and leapt out of his reach.
"He can't!", she cried angrily, tears now spreading on her cheeks, "We would go to the lake today!".
"I know", Ephram began, "but he,-".
"He forgot.", Delia interrupted quietly.
"No, he didn't!", Ephram said, "He really looked forward to this trip, Delia! He didn't want to go to work!".
"Sure." she replied in a flat tone. It was obvious that she didn't believe him, and Ephram couldn't blame her, since his father had forgotten many occasions like this in the past.
"It's weird that I'm now actually defending the guy..." Ephram thought to himself. But nonetheless he grabbed his sister's wrists and pulled her towards him.
"Listen Delia, I know dad has forgotten a lot of these things. But this time it really wasn't his fault. He had no choice but going to work, because the whole town is sick with the flu. I'm sure you can go with him on a lake-trip next week."
"Are you sure he didn't wanted to go?" Delia asked hopefully.
"Absolutely sure." Ephram answered. Delia still looked a bit disappointed, although not angry anymore.
"So I guess, maybe we should make some plans for today?" Ephram asked lightly.
A big grin spread on Delia's face. "Move over.", she said, and climbed next to Ephram on his bed. Jumping up and down she started to question her brother: "What are we going to do? Can we go mini-golfing? Or, wait, can we go to a movie?"
"We can do whatever you want.", Ephram laughed. He liked it much more to see his sister happy. "But I thought, maybe we should start to make ourselves a breakfast of my famous, New-York-style, pancakes?"
As an answer came a cheer from Delia and she jumped from his bed. "Can I help and bake them?" Ephram nodded. "I'll go ahead and find some pans!", she shouted and ran down the stairs. Ephram couldn't help but smiling when he climbed out of bed.
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At the Abbott's practice:
"No need to worry, Mrs. Willkins, I'll prescribe you some painkillers, they will reduce the nausea and the fever. Besides you have to make sure you get enough fluids, to avoid dehydration. Further I would say: take a rest and wait till this flu-bug starts wearing off. In case of constant throwing up for two days in a row, or the disability to keep water down, you need to call me." Harold Abbott escorted his thirtieth patient of this morning to the door of his office. "The nurse will give you a prescription-form. Good morning, Mrs. Willkins!".
Dr. Abbot glanced at his wristwatch and let out a sigh. It was now three hours, thirty patients and dozens of phone-call's later and the day had only just begun.
"Louise! Coffee please!" he shouted in the direction of Louise's desk in the waiting room. Just when he wondered how many patients were still in there, a door on his left opened and a patient came out, followed by Dr. Linda Abbott.
"Alright Mr. Baker, take one of those pills three times a day and keep drinking enough water. You will be fine in a few days. Good morning, Mr. Baker!"
Mr. Baker left the corridor and Linda Abbott turned around to find her brother smiling at her.
"Ah, I see you've finally given up your voodoo-practice and started giving this people 'normal' medication! You just make sure that they don't mix up Teynol with some other pill's."
Linda put her hands on her hips and smiled back at Harold: "Well, for your information, I did not gave him Teynol. These are vitamin pills based on ginseng, aloë and some more herbs. It helps your body to overcome the flu quicker, and a hint of camomile eases the nausea a bit."
In her outstretched hand she held some pills and Harold looked at them with a look of disgust on his face.
"Can't you ever do something just normal, western style!", he moaned, " At least treat an ordinary stomach flu the normal, medical way! This is Everwood, not the bush-bush! We have here normal, synthetic made, scientific tested medicines! We don't need plants and we don't need those...drugs, those...mushrooms!"
Linda's smile had turned in an icy cold glare. "They are not drugs and they are not mushrooms! And I'm not going to waste my time on explaining you the countless benefits of natural weeds and herbs to improve your immune system. My patients are waiting, and so are yours." With that, Linda turned around towards the door of her office.
"Alright, calm down..." Harold sighed, but Linda didn't look at him and walked into her office.
"Maybe you should get some more sleep," Harold called after her, "...or take one of those pills yourself, you look a bit peaky!". As an answer Linda merely slammed the door shut in his face.
Dr. Abbott sighed again and went to the reception where Louise was taking some pills with a sip of water.
Harold watched her in surprise and looked around. "Louise, where is my coffee and what are you doing?".
"Dr. Linda gave me them," she beamed at him, "...she said they are to built up my immune system. Oh, and your coffee will be ready in a minute. Linda said she had some of these pills for you too, we are all supposed to build up some immunity, you see, as we are very frequently in contact with..."
"I don't need this stuff! It's rubbish, and besides: I have an iron system myself, like my father had before me and his father before him! A real Abbott never gets sick!".
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At the Abbott's house:
Bright woke up at half past ten that morning. After a few moment he remembered his earlier awakening, and the fact that his parents wouldn't be home today. He climbed out of bed and walked, still wearing his green boxers and a T-shirt, to the bathroom. Seeing the light was already on, he assumed that Amy would be in there brushing her teeth or something. He didn't felt like waiting for her to finish (knowing that in his sisters case brushing your teeth could take hours) so he stepped inside.
"Amy, don't you think your teeth are alrea-..." he stopped in mid-sentence as he saw his sister sat on her knees on the cold bathroomfloor, in front of the toilet. Her upperbody was bent over the bowl so that her hair was hanging for her face like a curtain.
"Amy...are you alright?"
"Do I look alright?" As she spoke she kept looking down, as if she was afraid that every single movement could make her throw up.
Bright shifted his weight uncomfortably. "Er...no. Actually, you...er...you look like hell..."
"Thanks.", came Amy's dry reply, followed by a hoarse whisper, "That's by the way exactly how I feel..."
Bright now started to get pity with Amy. She looked so pale and clammy that he could tell that she indeed must feel awful. He walked over to her side and knelt down. With one hand he took a strand of Amy's hair and put it back behind her ear. She suddenly looked a lot more like the little sister he used to know, then she had done for years.
"How long have you been in here?"
"Don't know...what time is it?"
"It's half past ten."
"Two hours."
"What!?", Bright stared at his sister who kept staring down the toilet.
"I woke up at half past eight this morning. The moment I got out of bed my stomach churned and all I could do was run for the bathroom. Since then I've been in here puking my guts out, and just when I think I'm finished and try to stand up, it starts all over again. So I thought I'd better sit down here..." Amy had said all this very quickly while she still kept staring down.
It took Bright a while to realise what she had said, but when he did a feeling of intense pity rushed over him. He knew he had been teasing Amy a lot, and not all of it had been fair, although she could be a real prat sometimes. But right now she looked incredibly sick and helpless, so he gently laid a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it a little. "Why don't you go back to bed? I guess you'll feel better after some sleep."
Amy didn't move and Bright took a look at her now slightly green face. "Come on, I'll bring you some tea, and you'll feel better." Amy still didn't move, so Bright gently started to pull her up. "Come on. I mean, your stomach should be pretty empty by now?".
"Yeah, maybe...", Amy said while she carefully stood up. In fact she was clinging to Bright who had a firm grip on her arms and was supporting most of her weight.
Bright was surprised to feel his sisters skin cold and clammy, instead of burning from fever as he suspected. He could feel she was barely able to stand on her feet and he was just wondering how long it would take them to get into her bedroom, when he suddenly saw her blanche. Wrenching her arms from his grip she doubled up and puked into the toilet.
"...or not." Bright sighed and held her hair back, while she vomited. When she was done he gave her a glass of water and a towel to wipe her mouth. While Amy leaned back against the tub, Bright grabbed a night-gown from her room, as she was now shivering violently. When she had put it on, swaying on her feet, Bright more or less dragged her to her room.
to be continued....
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Alright, what do you think about it? Please let me know.
BTW, it's my first story AND the first story I wrote in english (I'm Dutch, so english is not my first language), so help me a bit and tell me if I made some grammar mistakes! (I'm sure I did...)
thanks, zimra