Hi, I'm Alice. Alice Taylor, not heard of me?
Well, I'm not surprised but I'm the original daughter of Roger Taylor, pretty cool right? There is a reason why you don't know who I am but you're going to have to read this book to find out.
I warn you...
10 weeks into Alice's chemo sessions and she's struggling, Christmas is a week away and she is miserable.
She had her tenth chemo session yesterday and because of that, she can't take part in the school nativity play, for which she was meant to be the main star.
She can't go to the school Christmas party tomorrow and she can't see any of her friends. They all knew that Alice's cancer battle would have its ups and downs and she would hit an all-time low at some point. They thought she hit it the week after surgery but they were wrong.
The third night after the session, Alice is staying at Brian's for the night to give Roger a break. Roger tried to convince him that he's fine but Brian insisted that he have one night to get a good nights sleep and just a night to himself.
It wasn't till she was curled up on the sofa with him and Chrissie that he wondered whether this was a good idea, changing Alice's environment when her immune system is so low.
She's barely said a word since she got there and she can hardly keep her eyes open.
But Roger needed this a break, yes it's Alice going through this but he has been up with her the past three nights and is exhausted.
Alice went to bed without complaint but just after midnight Brian stares at the ceiling almost waiting for something to happen. Chrissie is fast asleep next to him, he envies her and then it happens. Alice's small voice calling his name.
Climbing out of bed, he yawns hurrying down the hall. Pushing the door open he finds Alice leaning over the side of the bed being sick into the bucket, "It won't stop, Uncle Bri," She cries, holding her stomach.
He's quickly beside her, rubbing her back, concern escalating as she continues to be sick. It's not just a little bit coming up, it's quite violent and he wonders where it's all coming from.
When she gets a small break from vomiting, he feels her forehead, "Your burning up, Ally." Not only that but she's shaking, her pyjamas are covered in sweat and her breathing is rapid.
"I'm scared," She whimpers.
"Hey, I'm here," He grabs a tissue and wipes her mouth, giving her a reassuring smile, "I need you to slow your breathing. Your safe, I promise, I'm going to call your doctor and then your dad."
"No," She protests.
"He has to know Ally."
"But he's meant to be getting some sleep."
"I know but he'd never forgive me if didn't tell him," As he finishes his sentence she starts vomiting again, "Keep hold of the bucket, I'll be back I promise."
He ran for the phone almost crushing into Chrissie as she leaves their room, "I'll sit with her."
Chrissie doesn't have much of a connection with Alice but she cares for the little girl, she kneels beside the girl rubbing her back, "I want my daddy," Alice cries, tears rolling down her cheeks
"He'll be here in a flash once Brian calls him," Chrissie tries to soothe her.
"Doctor Melrose say to get her to the hospital," Brian rushes back in shoes on and car keys in hand, "Roger will meet us there."
"Come on sweety," Chrissie helps her out of bed, putting her shoes on for her.
Brian carries her to the car and bringing a spare bucket, "I'm sorry I woke you up," Alice mumbles into his shoulder.
"There's no need to be sorry," Chrissie assures her sitting in the back with her, Alice's head in her lap. She's sick a few more times during the journey though not as forcefully.
Roger looks on anxiously as Brian pulls up into a parking space nearest the hospital, he almost pulls the door off its hinges, lifting Alice out of the car. He notes the sick bucket, "You weren't joking about the vomiting, were you?"
"That is less than what she brought up at home," Brian and Chrissie follow Roger up to the children's ward where Doctor Melrose is waiting with two nurses. He settles her on the bed and they get to work examining her.
"Fever is 39.9 degrees C, she's cooking, let's get these pyjamas off. You said she's been sick?" Melrose looks to the adults for an answer.
"Yes," Brian nods, "She woke me up about 20 minutes ago and was continuously vomiting until we got in the car, she vomited a few times in the car during the journey and she was covered in sweat too."
"Daddy!" Alice whimpers.
Roger is by her side in a heartbeat holding her hand, "I'm here monkey."
"I don't want to be ill anymore," Fresh tears continue to roll down her face but all he can do is wipe them away and squeeze her hand because he can't help her. His own daughter is looking to him for help and he can't do anything.
It took the team a while to get Alice's fever under control, they attached an IV drip to stop her dehydrating.
"Alice is suffering from the flu because her immune system is low, her body basically had a meltdown. We've got it under control now but we'll keep her in for a few days to keep an eye on her," Melrose informs them.
"So it wasn't because she came to our house?" It's all Brian's been thinking about since getting in the car.
"No, the flu was already in her system, it's nothing to do with the environment," Melrose takes her leave.
------
The days following the flu scare, Roger stayed with Alice constantly and on the day she's being discharged, they sit waiting for the nurse to finish filling out the form, "Daddy?"
"Yeah?"
"The hospital is having a Christmas party for all the cancer children from this year on the 23rd, can I go?"
"We'll have to see about that. You've just been really poorly..."
"Sorry to interrupt," The nurse comes back through overhearing the question, "The Christmas party is held in the hospital. You wouldn't need to worry about infection risk, it's something we do every year and the children love it."
"I'll say yes for now but if you're still not well on the 23rd then it's a no, deal?" Roger gives in she hasn't been able to do anything else and the hospital is the safest place for her to be.
Alice nods grinning, "Deal."
By the time the morning of the 23rd came around, Alice is full of beans again so of course, Roger kept his promise to let her go and Veronica helps her get into her party dress.
"How do I look?" Alice bounces down the stairs to show her dad and uncle Deaky.
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"Like a princess," John grins, "What do you think Robert?"
"Pincess," Robert repeats his dad's words.
"You look beautiful," Roger backs them up, smiling. He grabs the camera to take a photo, "Come on, let's get you to the ball Cinderella."
