Hi, guys! I'm back!
I really want to do a chapter based on different time periods of Lefou with these guys. If you have some ideas for that, please tell me. I need inspiration!
I promise that I am trying to update my many other stories! Ideas are coming to me, but getting them all ironed out is what is stalling me.
I know I write a lot of medical drama chapters in my fics, but they are my favorite kind to write. So, how good is Gaston at playing house doctor? Hmm? Honestly, at this age, I don't see him as having the most patient bedside manner, but we shall see.
Little Lissa gets sick. Her mother is called away during a storm to help a neighbor giving birth. Gaston is left to comfort and nurse his sick little sister back to health.
14-year-old Gaston quietly tip-toed into the parlor, aiming to saunter passed his mother without her noticing. It was Saturday! Which meant no school with that horrid headmaster, and Gaston was determined not to get stuck with chores before he had the chance to have some fun with his pals before breakfast. His mother was sitting at the dining table, folding clothes. Gaston was in his stocking feet, and had nearly made it to the front door when…
"Where do you think you're going?" Mrs. Alice Legume asked without facing him.
"Me? I wasn't going anywhere." Gaston chuckled innocently.
"Mmm-hmm." His mother grunted, trying not to laugh. "Thought you could manage to skip out on your chores, did you?"
"No." Gaston said nonchalantly. "Never entered my mind."
"No chores, no breakfast."
"That's okay. I don't need breakfast!" Gaston spoke cheerily, quickly slipping on his boots.
"No chores, no gallivanting off with your friends." Alice reminded him.
"Aww, Mother." Gaston whined. "It's Saturday! Can't I have the day off?" Alice narrowed her eyes at him.
"You're nearly a man now, Gaston. You're too old to be sneaking out of the house, evading responsibilities. Now, you go do your duties, and then I'll fix you something you may take with you to meet your companions."
"Yes, ma'am." Gaston grumbled. He trudged out the door with a huff. Mrs. Legume laughed after he ventured outside. Gaston begrudgingly milked the cow, changed the horses' feed, brought them fresh water, and collected the eggs from the chickens. He burst into the house with a bucket full of eggs. "All done. Can I go now?" He asked breathlessly.
"Wait a moment."
"Aww, Mother…"
"Don't 'aww, Mother' me." Alice scolded lightly. "Here." She shoved a napkin full of hot cakes into his hand. "Now try not to get into trouble!" She begged.
"Thanks!" Gaston cheered and raced out of the house, slamming the front door as he went.
"Ohh, that boy." Alice shook her head.
Alice walked into Lissa's room with some clean clothes she was going to put away. Lissa was still in bed. "Morning, darling!" Alice greeted. A small groan came from the bed. "Wake up, Lissie. It's Saturday! Belle will be expecting you in a couple hours." Lissa moaned. Alice put the clothes away in the drawers then sat on the bed. "Come on, sleepyhead." She teased.
"Can Belle come here, Mother?" Lissa asked pitifully.
"I suppose. But why? I thought you enjoyed visiting her house." Alice said. Lissa grimaced. "Now no long faces." She stood up and opened the drapes.
"Ahh!" Lissa gasped, shielding her eyes. "Mother, close them! Please." She clutched her head. Alice closed the drapes and came back to the bed.
"Are you unwell, love?" She asked, feeling Lissa's head.
"I hope Belle can come here. I don't want to get up. My head aches really bad."
"Oh, my dear, you're ill with fever!" Alice gasped. "You stay in bed, Lissa. I'm afraid you won't be able to play with Belle today."
"Not at all?"
"I do not know if your are contagious, dearest. You wouldn't want your best friend to become ill too, would you?"
"Noo." Lissa mumbled, grimacing.
"Where does your head hurt?" Alice asked.
"All over, especially when I move."
"You take it easy, dear. Mother is going to get you something for that." Alice said sweetly. As she left the room, she felt dread envelope her. Henry, her husband, had just left last night on another business trip, and now Lissa was sick! "It's only a small fever." Alice told herself, to try to calm her racing heart. "Focus, Alice!" She forced herself down to the kitchen.
"Mother! Mother!" Lissa called from upstairs.
"I'm coming, Lissa!" Alice answered, racing back up. "What is wrong, my love?"
"You were gone for a long time." Lissa moaned.
"I know, but I was fixing you something to drink. It should help with your headache."
"Will you stay here, Mother?" Lissa begged. She felt rotten, and wanted Alice to comfort her like she always did.
"I will, as soon as I'm finished. I won't be long, child." Alice stroked her hair.
To Lissa, it felt very long before Alice returned with a cup and saucer of herbal tea and a bowl of cool water. She sat down on a chair beside the bed. "Here, darling. Drink this, slowly." Alice told her. "Do you hurt anywhere else? Does your tummy feel upset?"
"No. I just don't want to move." Lissa shook her head, wincing.
"Well, that is good, I suppose. Drink that." Alice told her. She put cool, wet cloths on Lissa's face as she drank the tea. "Better?" Alice asked hopefully.
"I don't know." Lissa grunted.
"Try to sleep, Lissie. That is the best medicine for you." Alice smiled. Lissa slouched down flat onto her back. "That can't possibly feel restful." Alice scolded mildly. "Here." She fluffed her daughter's pillows and set her up comfortably in a reclining position. "Now sleep, my sweet girl." Lissa lay on her side, closing her eyes.
"Mother?" She gulped timidly.
"Yes?"
"You're not going to send for Dr. Haggard, a-are you?" Lissa asked with trepidation. Alice frowned. Dr. Haggard was the only physician in Villenueve. Nobody liked Dr. Haggard, and most often tried to avoid sending for him unless their physical condition was destitute. Dr. Haggard was stern, and very cold to his patients, and more often than not treated them as nuisances, like he had nothing better to do with his time. The children were frightened of him and the women of the village didn't trust his judgement. But, he was the only doctor in the vicinity.
"I promise, I won't send for him unless I feel I must, Lissie." Alice assured her.
"I'll get well, Mother! Please don't send for him!"
"Shh. Go to sleep." Alice shushed her. She turned on the music box their good friend Maurice had made for her. As the music played, Alice read to Lissa from a storybook that Belle had lent to her. Lissa soon drifted off to sleep.
Belle came to call a couple hours later. She hoped Gaston wasn't home. He was annoying, and extremely cocky. She knocked on the door again. Alice opened the door. "Oh! Belle!" She gasped.
"Mrs. Legume," Belle curtsied politely. "Lissa and I were supposed to play together today. She's an hour later than she promised. Is anything wrong?"
"Ahh, Belle. I am sorry, child. I should've came to you myself. I'm afraid Lissa cannot play today. She's sick." Alice shook her head.
"Sick? Ohh." Belle's eyes widened. "I'm sorry. She's not terribly ill, is she?"
"I do not know yet. Until then, I think you'd best run along. I don't want you falling ill too, Belle."
"No, indeed." Belle sighed. "Well, will you tell Lissa I miss her, and that I hope she feels better soon?"
"I will. Give your father my best." Alice smiled.
"Aye. Good day, Mrs. Legume." Belle nodded and slowly walked away.
It was passed noon, and Gaston had not returned from hanging out with his friends. Alice had hardly noticed. Lissa's fever had risen since this morning and she was going into convulsions. Alice was doing her best to cool her down but she was afraid for her baby girl, especially with her husband absent. And the fever had come so fast! She checked Lissa's limbs for rashes but to her relief, found none. Nevertheless, the fever seemed to be climbing. "Lissa, darling? I will be right back, I promise." Alice told her.
"M-Mother! Where are you going?" Lissa cried.
"I'm sorry, my love. I must find Dr. Haggard." Alice said sympathetically. Lissa paled.
"NO! Mother, n-no! Please no!" She pleaded, trembling.
"I have to, dear. You're not getting better."
"N-no! I'll get well, Mother. You can n-n-nurse me. I'll do w-w-whatever you say, just...please...please d-d-don't send for Dr. Haggard!" Lissa began to weep.
"I'm sorry." Alice bit her lip. She kissed Lissa's head. "I will return in five minutes, I promise." Then she hurried out the door.
"Mother!" Lissa called. Her stomach began to roil and she suddenly felt very queasy.
Gaston tromped inside the house just as Alice reached the bottom of the stairs. "Hullo, Mother." Gaston smiled proudly. "I'm starving! What's for lunch?"
"Gaston! Thank goodness you're back. I'm afraid I have to fetch the doctor." Alice said.
"The doctor? What for?"
"Lissa is ill. I want you to stay here with her until I come back."
"Okay." Gaston gaped. "Wait! Mother, you're not sending for…"
"I don't want to, Gaston, but I have to!" Alice wailed, rushing out the door.
"I can't believe Mother is going to allow that shady charlatan in the house." Gaston growled. "He's no more fit to treat a disease than a drunkard is to preach a Sunday sermon! Lissa can't be that sick. Mother must be exaggerating." Gaston assured himself, and trotted upstairs, hoping to prove his point.
Lissa was curled up under the covers, weeping and moaning. "Mother…" She whimpered.
"Sis, what are you doing in there?" Gaston asked casually. "It's Saturday, for goodness's sake! Are you going to waste this day of leisure before we become stuck at church tomorrow?"
"I don't feel good." Lissa croaked.
"Aww, come on. You can't fool me." Gaston teased and began tickling her sides.
"Ooo. Stop it." Lissa groaned miserably, shoving his hands away. She didn't even laugh.
"Oh. You are sick, aren't you?" Gaston sputtered. Lissa hid her face in her pillow. "But, Lissie, you need to feel better, and quickly! Mother's bringing Dr. Haggard here!"
"Noo!" Lissa shrieked. Then her stomach churned and she leaned over the side of the bed, just as Gaston kicked the chamber pot underneath her. She vomited then curled up in a fetal position. "Gaston, w-w-will you tell Dr. Haggard to g-g-go away?" She shivered. "I'm afraid of him! Please m-m-make him go away!"
"Don't worry, Lissie. I won't let that buzzard hurt you." Gaston told her.
"Y-you promise?" Lissa asked frightfully.
"If he pokes you too hard, I swear I will personally toss him down the stairs." Gaston said. He wasn't bluffing. He hated Dr. Haggard as much as everyone else, but especially since that one time that Alice had badly sprained her ankle and the doctor had forced her to walk on it. Gaston remembered all too well the pain in Alice's face as she'd tried to obey the physician, only to nearly pass out and she'd fallen, looking pale and horribly sick. It had shaken Gaston his core, seeing her like that. She could've become crippled, for crying out loud! Thankfully, his father had arrived at that moment and carried Alice safely to bed. But Gaston would not forget the doctor's treatment of his mother, and he hadn't trusted the man since.
"I'm afraid." Lissa hid under the covers. Just then, they heard the front door close. "G-Gaston…"
"Stop fretting, Sis." Gaston said. Dr. Haggard barged into the room without knocking, with Alice trailing behind him. Gaston was still angry at his mother for even allowing the man in the house, but she looked very worried and Gaston didn't like seeing her that way. "She just threw up." Gaston whispered to Alice, hoping the doctor wouldn't here. "Small wonder." Alice sighed helplessly.
Lissa tried to make herself as small as she could in the bed. Dr. Haggard stood over her, looking bored. "Well, what's the problem?" He asked gruffly. Gaston curled his fists. "Look at me when I speak to you, child." Dr. Haggard ordered Lissa. She frightfully met his gaze, gripping her blanket. "What bothers you that your mother had to bring me here?"
"I...I...don't feel good." Lissa answered shakily.
"Tell me where." Dr. Haggard said firmly.
"I...I…"
"Are you incapable of speaking clearly?" The old man hissed. Lissa began to cry again. Gaston started to march toward him, but Alice held him back and he looked up at her incredulously.
"Lissa? Darling, the doctor can't help you if you don't tell him." Alice told Lissa softly. "Answer him, dear."
"I doubt she wants his help." Gaston muttered under his breath.
"What did you say, young man?" Dr. Haggard whipped his head around, glaring at Gaston. Alice gave Gaston's ear a slight pinch.
"Nothing. I was talking to myself." Gaston scowled. Lissa shivered as another bout of convulsions hit her. Dr. Haggard felt her forehead, and checked her pulse. His sour frown deepened.
"Do you feel queasy, little one?" He asked.
"N-no. Y...yes." Lissa gulped.
"It appears your daughter has contracted some kind of infection." Dr. Haggard sighed.
"Infection?" Alice drew in a breath. "What kind of infection?"
"Hard to say." Dr. Haggard shook his head. He reached into his kit and pulled out a tin cup. Then he ground some powder into it, threw some seeds in it, and poured an ugly brown liquid in. Gaston watched suspiciously as the doctor mixed his concoction. Whatever it was, it smelled terrible. Lissa looked like she was getting ready to throw up again.
On his precious lapels, I hope! Gaston thought.
"M-Mother…" Lissa whimpered. "I...I…" Alice stroked her face.
"Shh. It's alright, Lissa." Alice said.
"This will draw out the fever. Drink it." Dr. Haggard said, bringing the cup to Lissa's face.
"I...I can't!" She cried, doubling over and clutching her stomach. Gaston could see that she was about to vomit.
"Doctor, I think perhaps…" Alice started to say, reaching down for the chamber pot.
"Don't tell me what to do, woman!" Dr. Haggard yelled at Alice. "Drink this, you stubborn child, before I force it down your throat!" He started to pinch Lissa's nose to open her mouth.
That did it for Gaston! He lept across the room and swiped the cup from Dr. Haggard's hand, sending it on the floor and spilling the skunky mixture. He tightly gripped the older man's wrist, strengthening his hold, making Dr. Haggard groan and wince. "Get out!" Gaston barked at him.
"How dare you speak to me that way, you little b-!" Dr. Haggard cursed, making Alice gasp.
"You won't holler at my mother or lay a hand on my sick sister with me around!" Gaston seethed. "You fool! She's about to become ill! And I have a good mind to let her do it all over you lap."
"Gaston!" Alice scolded. Dr. Haggard's face turned crimson.
"You-" He began to yell but at that moment, Lissa did throw up, and right in Dr. Haggard's lap! Alice had been so taken aback by the turn of events, that she'd neglected to give her daughter the chamber pot when she needed it. "Stupid child!" Dr. Haggard foamed and nearly slapped Lissa, but Gaston was quicker. He knocked the man out of his chair.
"Serves you right." Gaston smirked darkly. "Take your filthy potions and get out!"
"Madame Legume, you haven't heard the last of this!" Dr. Haggard howled, snatching his bag. "May God have mercy on your little brat, which is more than I will!" Gaston shoved him against the wall then tossed him out onto the stairs. The doctor stumbled but found his footing. Unfortunately for him, Gaston was on his heels. He grabbed him by the back of the collar and shoved him forward again. The doctor scrambled to his feet and fled the house.
"Curse you, you swine!" Gaston hollered after him, earning the stunned attention of many passersby. He slammed the door and went back to his sister's room.
"I'm sorry, Mother!" Lissa sobbed. "I didn't mean to! I couldn't help it!"
"Shh. There now, darling. It wasn't your fault." Alice murmured soothingly, wiping her off with a rag.
"It's alright, Lissie. He's gone." Gaston huffed with satisfaction. "He won't be back."
"He...he won't?" Lissa swallowed.
"No. Not unless he wants a kick in the posterior."
"Gaston, enough!" Alice spoke sharply.
"Th-th-thank you, Gaston." Lissa trembled.
Pere Robert arrived a short while later, asking Alice what had happened as many of the villagers had found Dr. Haggard in an outrageous mood. Alice explained what happened, and the priest offered to ask the doctor from the next village-one he just happened to be visiting later that day- if he would come check Lissa. Alice was too horrified from earlier to object.
Gaston ate his lunch by himself as Alice tried to calm Lissa and get her fever under control. He knew his mother was shocked at his behavior, but he didn't care. He'd done what he'd had to do. And it had gotten rid of horrible Dr. Haggard, which Gaston congratulated himself on. Alice came into the dining room. "She's finally calmer." She said wearily.
"Is she any better, Mother?" Gaston asked.
"I doubt it. She's worn out." Alice whispered. "Gaston, ordinarily I do not condone your temperamental behavior. But...this once...thank you, son." Gaston's eyes nearly bulged out. His mom was thanking him for bodily removing the charlatan? "Lissa was miserable and afraid, I didn't know what to do, and...and that despicable man only made things worse. He wouldn't listen to reason. Just this once, thank you for obeying your impulse."
"You're quite welcome, Mother." Gaston smirked. "I did give him a whopper, didn't I?"
"Yes, you did." Alice smiled sadly, too frazzled to discourage his boasting. "I hope the doctor arrives quickly!"
"Lissa will be alright, Mother." Gaston said confidently. "And I wouldn't put much store in what Dr. Haggard said. What does he know about it? I bet you any amount of money that even he doesn't know what ails her."
"Ohh, I do hope you're right." Alice ruffled his black hair. "Oh, Gaston, my strong boy. What would I do without you?"
"Worry." Gaston teased.
The visiting doctor arrived shortly afterward. He was very kind and patient, especially since Lissa was very afraid to have him in the room. But he didn't yell and wasn't rough with her, which helped ease her timidity. Her fever had receded some since he arrived, but he told Alice to watch her and prescribed some medicine to be given every four hours, then he departed.
Lissa's fever rose and lowered off and on throughout the rest of the day and night. Alice was religiously tending her, while Gaston was permitted to go play with his friends. Alice reluctantly left the sick room to fix supper, just in time for Gaston to return to eat. Lissa had fitful sleep that night with chills, but by early morning, she and Alice were both exhausted.
Alice stayed at home instead of going to church though she insisted that Gaston go. Maurice and Belle called after church. with flowers for Lissa. Alice was relieved to see them. But, so that Belle would not contract Lissa's illness, she wasn't allowed to go up and see her. The rest of the day passed by in a drag.
I promise you that Lissa isn't seriously sick. She just has a virus. But back then, they didn't have all the sanitizer we do, or medicine, and in those days even light sicknesses could turn serious. So, yes, her mother is very worried.
Well, onto Part 2!