DISCLAIMER: I only own the plot (of the fanfic).
Chapter 6
January 4th, 2011
|| January 4th, 2011 ||
It was the first time Willow ever got sick. She was barely 2 months old when the abominable cold from the weather hit her. She was rested in her crib, my hand rubbing over her little belly from where I laid on the bed next to it. Most nights she slept in the bed with me, her body rested on some pillows as I'd stroke her hair and sing her to sleep. But tonight I opted to use the crib to teach her that she has a bed as well.
As I ran my fingers up her little tummy and towards her neck I could feel the warmer than usual heat. She then sneezed as if to make a point and that's when I knew she was sick. I rose in my bed, picked up the little child and nuzzled her close to my chest as I sat against the headboard of my bed. And I cried.
I cried because I had no one to call at 10pm about what I should do when my newborn caught her first cold. No mother, or father, or aunt. Add the fact that her dad was out of the picture, and I was the definition of alone. So with a shaky hand I grab my phone and search for a name I had long almost forgotten. Elizabeth Forbes had left town a mere three months ago with her new fiancé for a long trip to the most secluded places on earth. I crossed my fingers that she was at least somewhere with available phone connection.
I grabbed a tissue and wiped Willow's nose, hearing the phone hum as she receives my call.
"Hello?" A voice asks amongst a crowd of many in the background.
"Ms. Forbes." I say, whimpering slightly but suppressing my tears before speaking again. "It's Elena." I managed to say a little clearer.
"Elena, hello dear. Is everything all right?" She asks gently, puffing slightly as she walked away from the loud people.
"Umm- no not really. I'm sorry to call you like this but Willow's sick and I don't have anyone with experience to call who'd know what to do. I understand if you can't help but it's kind of hard to figure this out, especially when I can't call my parents or my aunt or even her dad." I say whimpering again as I look to my pale daughter.
"I understand Elena, it's perfectly fine that you called me. So what's wrong with Willow?" She asks me, a motherly pitch taking over her tone.
"She's really warm and is sneezing and coughing." I explain.
"What's her temperature?" I rush to get the sealed package with the phone pressed between my ear and shoulder.
"It's a rectal thermometer. Oh no, I don't know how to do this." I say, panicking slightly as I sit on the edge of the bed.
"Take a deep breath and read the instructions. Trust me I used those on Caroline and she hardly cried. It's just a little uncomfortable for them." She tells me, I nod slightly to myself and pull the phone from my ear, putting it on speaker and laying it next to my leg. I open the package and pull out the thermometer, reading what to do and then proceeding.
I clean the thermometer end with disinfectant and add some petroleum jelly as instructed and laid Willow over my lap once again, this time diaper free.
"Okay, just hold her down lightly and carefully insert the thermometer." She instructs through the phone. I breathe out and do as told. Willow wails at the discomfort and I freeze.
"It's okay baby." I coo gently, holding her down a little harder and waiting for the results. They came up quickly and I removed the thermometer, lifting Willow up and pressing her head into my shoulder.
"103." I say out loud, rinsing off the end and disinfecting it while rocking Willow.
"Okay give her some cough syrup for babies and let her sleep in a diaper. Also rub her tummy because it soothes any ache that the medicine can give."
"Thanks Ms. Forbes." I sigh out, turning off the bathroom lights and heading for the changing table.
"Anytime Elena, I'll always be a mother figure to you whenever you need me too. Now get some rest. She should be fine in a few days."
"Thanks." I say again, hanging up and adding a new diaper to my daughter. "I am never going to stick anything in your butt again. Tomorrow we're buying a new thermometer." I inform the infant, kissing her nose and carrying her back to bed. I guess a new habit is going to develop at the rate she sleeps in my bed. But I don't care, because I love her and want to make sure she feels good all the time.
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-Valentina