The Original Taylor Daughter

So It Begins

Wide awake, Roger stares at the ceiling. It's seven o'clock they need to leave for the hospital in two hours but all he can think is Alice, she's been so quiet over the last two days. He's tried getting her to talk to him but she doesn't want to.

His thought bubble pops by the welcome interruption of Alice coming into the room, she silently climbs onto the bed and lays in the crook of his arm, head on his chest. Biscuit makes himself comfy at the end of the bed.

Roger runs his fingers through her hair, kissing the top of her head, "I can hear that brain turning. What's on your mind, monkey?"

"What if it doesn't work?" She mutters, looking up at him with glassy eyes.

That look could pull at anyone's heartstrings but the words Mary said to him seem to ping into action, his daughter is scared and she needs him. It's her that has cancer not him and he's spent the last few days angry when he should be comforting her, "Then we try something else."

"Promise?"

"Promise. My job is to keep you safe and look after you, the doctor's job is to heal you so with us two on the job, we'll make sure you get better. I know you're scared but I know you're a fighter, we'll beat this together."

"Wove you."

"Love you too, Monkey," They cuddle for a little longer before getting up, after taking Biscuit for a quick walk and a little breakfast for Alice, they get in the car and head for the hospital.

Doctor Melrose meets them on the ward and shows them through to Alice's room, "So any child that is battling cancer and going to be in and out of the hospital a lot, gets a private space like this."

The space is a cubicle with curtains to section her space off if Alice just wants some alone time, there's a bed and a reclining armchair and Alice's cubicle is by the window. There are three other cubicles in the room, but only the one to her right is occupied.

"The chemo session can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 8 hours to complete, it changes from person to person. Will you be staying with her, Mr Taylor?"

"Yes, to begin with, I do need to nip out around 11am I have a meeting with the school."

"Understood. I'll go and get the chemo drugs needs in just a moment and your treatment is going to be done via an IV line in your arm, Alice. A saline solution will go through first and that will give us a rough idea on how long the session will take, make yourself comfortable Alice and I'll be right back."

Once she's left the room, Alice hops onto the bed kicking her shoes off and removing her coat, Roger makes himself comfortable in the chair for now.

Doctor Melrose comes back with three IV bags, one with the saline solution and the others containing the two chemo drugs. Roger keeps Alice distracted while she inserts the IV needle but she takes it like a champ.

"Right, I have to go but the nurses will be in to check on Alice every so often. I'll be back when your first treatment is over," Melrose makes sure the saline solution is working before leaving.

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The saline solution took 45 minutes to feed through the IV and then the nurse came in to start the chemo drugs.

It's not long after, that Roger has to leave for the meeting with the school, "I'll be back as soon as the meeting is finished but if something happens you shout for the nurse and get them to ring the school."

"Okay, don't forget to go home and feed Biscuit."

"Got it. See you in a bit Monkey, I'll try not to be too long," He pushes the curtain all the way back before he goes. He has a feeling she'll want to make friends with the other girl in the room.