"That was really good. Thank you Ms. Emma," Roland said as he finished his waffles, "I'm sure mom was in too much of a rush to tell you that she doesn't allow me to have that much sugar in a day much less a meal," he laughed.
"Are you trying to get me in trouble with your mom?" she smirked as she tried to wipe the whipped cream off her face.
He giggled as he leapt off his seat to put his dishes in the sink, "Don't worry. Mama Gina could never hate you."
"Oh," she said kind of dumbfounded but with a smile, "That's good to know."
"I should take my medicine now," he blurted out almost as if it hurt him to say.
She took her last bite of food and turned to him confused, "Medicine? Are you sick?"
"Kind of. Mama. Gina says the medicine helps keep the nothing away. I just- I don't like the medicine. It taste terrible and makes me want to sleep all the time."
"Well maybe I'm out of experience on this being a kid thing," she said as she got up o rinse her dishes off in the sink, "But usually if I didn't like something than I wouldn't tell the adult in charge if they didn't know. So what's really up," she asked as she knelt down to his eye level.
He looked down at his feet and played with his hands, avoiding eye contact, "It's true. I just- I like you so if I didn't tell you and the nothing came than Mama would be mad, and it'll be as close to hating you as she possibly could get. So I told you, so that wouldn't happen and we can have a friend. You're nice."
She gave herself a mental awwwwww moment before she raised her eyebrow in curiosity, "What's the nothing Roland?"
He shrugged, "I don't really know. Sometimes I'll be playing or eating, and then there's nothing for a little bit. Then I'm in mama's arms and she looks scared until I speak up. It doesn't come around as much with the medicine. Mama Gina said its something called epi-epilly-episode-epigraduary-elephant?! Something like that."
"Epilepsy?" she questioned.
"Ye-yeah! Yeah that's it!"
"You have epilepsy Roland? Why wouldn't she tell me this. It's pretty important?"
He shrugged, "I think she forget because of the kiss and all. She's always had a hard time staying focused when she talks about you. But she always has me carry my medicine in my backpack with instructions, just in case I got lost and the police could help," he pauses for a second to get his bag and hand it to Emma, "You're a cop right."
"Yeah, sort of," she said as she took the bag as rummaged inside.
She pulled out a bag of meds and a packet of paper before her cell phone started to ring.
"That's probably her," he said as he pulled a toy from his bag.
And sure enough, as she pulled out her phone, the caller I.D flashed Regina Mills
"Regina?"
"Emma! Emma, oh my God I forgot to tell you about Roland's condition," she whisper yelled, trying not to draw too much attention.
Emma could tell from the echo in the background that she was in the bathroom.
"It's fine Gina. Your son here told me everything, I've got the instructions in my hand and the meds at the ready. I promise I won't let anything happen to him."
Regina sighed in relief, "Oh thank goodness. Usually he doesn't tell anyone about his medication. So it's all in the packet. He's got 3 different medications to take: brivaracetam, carbatrol, and valproate. There's also a rather alarming syringe in there that looks like a shot. It's rectal diazepam that is only to be used in emergencies. If his seizure ever lasts more than 5 minutes than it needs to be administered."
"A rectal injection? Really? He's 6."
"Again, it's only for emergencies. I've never had to use it. Now he doesn't like his meds all tha-"
"Regina?"
"Huh?"
"Is this all in the packet?"
"Mhm."
"Than you should get back to your meeting and let me take care of your kid. I'm competent enough to read."
"Are you sure," she asked, "Naturally, I worry."
"As long as you included everything in here, and by the looks of this thickness, you did. So do your job and he'll be here happy and healthy when you return. Now didn't you say this meeting was with the mayor or something. It's not wise to keep him waiting."
"Thank you Emma."
"No problem. See you later."
As they hung up, Roland sulked over and stuck his hand out for the pills, "Ok, lets get this over with."
Emma laughed as she took the doses described in the packet and handed it to Roland, "You're a smart boy Roland. Do you usually swallow them whole or?" She questioned as she flipped through the packet.
"Depends, right now I'll be fine. Can I have juice tho to help?"
She ruffled his hair and smirked, "Sure, anything you want."