Baby May

Exam Results

August 2006

This is not how Alyssia planned her exam results day to go. She woke up feeling awful but pushed through it excited to get her results. After going to the bathroom, she looks in the mirror and gasps.

Her face is littered with red insect bite-like spots and on further inspection, so is the rest of her body.

"Alyssia! Can you come down here please?" Brian calls up the stairs for her, unaware of Alyssia's problem.

She leaves her room and finds her Dad at the bottom of the stairs waiting for her on the phone, he looks up upon hearing her descend the stairs and his face drops, "Oh no, she has it."

"What?" She frowns, wondering who he's talking to.

"Lola has come down with chickenpox," That answers who he's on the phone to, "and it would appear you have too."

Alyssia took Tigerlily and Lola ice skating yesterday as the youngest blonde has been begging to go since February.

After talking with Roger for a few more moments, Brian hangs up, "What did I do now? I'm meant to collect my exam results today."

"I know and I know how excited you are, but you're not going anywhere for the next week at least. I'll have to go and collect them for you... don't scratch," He stops her fingers from scratching her arms.

"But I'm itchy," It's frustrating because it's everywhere.

"I know, but it will scar if you scratch too much. Have some breakfast, take paracetamol then go take a bath in cool water, while I'm out I'll get you some cooling cream."

"Loose clothing will help, love," Anita comes out of the kitchen dressed and getting ready to leave, "And plenty of water. No visitors either, not until the spots clear up."

Huffing, she goes into the kitchen to grab a cereal bar, some paracetamol and fills her water bottle to the top. She then storms upstairs to take a bath, muttering irritatedly as she goes.

They can't blame her, itching all over with no release, stuck in the house and plans for the next week cancelled. They're all going to be walking on eggshells around her for the next week.

Alyssia filled the bath as much as possible then climbs in, the water instantly soothes her itchy skin. She heard both her parents leave then she must have fallen asleep in the bath because the sound of her dad returning woke her up.

"Lissy! You in your room?" He has her exam results envelope and he's finding it hard to resist opening it for her. At her last parents evening in March, her teachers told him and Anita that Alyssia is in with the chances of some high grades.

"I'm just getting out of the bath," She calls back, pulling the plug to let the water drain away then climbing out to wrap a towel around her.

"The cooling cream is on your bedside table," The water will have provided some relief from the itching but it won't last long, the cream should provide better relief, "Come down and get your exam results when your dressed, do you want a sandwich for lunch?"

"Yes please," She couldn't get changed quick enough, covering herself in the cream, she throws on a loose nightdress and her dressing gown.

"Where is it?" She rounds the door frame into the kitchen, looking for her dad.

Brian is standing at the counter buttering some bread, "On there," He points to the table with the butter knife smiling.

Swiping the envelope from the table, she rips open the seal, pulling out the paper inside. Taking a moment to read the page of her jaw drops.