Rose and Flame

eleven

"No! No doctors." Florence shook her head. "Mum." She panted. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." Polly squeezed her hand. "I don't feel well." She put her head back. "What way don't you feel well Flo?" Ada asked concerned about her cousin.

"I feel sick... and I can't see properly." She said breathlessly. "Anna ring an ambulance!" Polly told her. Anna ran out the room and ran for an ambulance. Isiah heard her and rushed out the living room.

"What's wrong with her?" He asked with worry in his face. "She's not well. The doctors will make her better though." Anna comforted him. "She's still young and she's healthy. Is it the baby?" He asked. "I don't know. No one knows. She's need the hospital. It's the best place for her." Anna squeezed his shoulder. Anna knew she should go back upstairs to her sister but Isiah was by himself so she waited until the paramedics came.

Not long after they arrived and went upstairs into the bedroom. "It's best we take her to the hospital." One of them said. They put her onto a gurney and took her into the back of the ambulance. "Polly you go with her. I'll get there." Isiah told Polly.

They arrived at the hospital and Polly held Flo's hand all the way. "I'm scared Mum." Flo cried. "Your going to be fine. I promise. I'll be here." Polly kissed her hand. Polly had tears in her eyes too. She hated seeing Flo in such pain.

"Who's the father?" One of the nurses asked. "I am." Isiah spoke up. "We need to take her into surgery. Remove the baby that way. She is in no fit state to give birth naturally." The nurse explained.

"She will be okay. She'll live won't she? They both will?" Isiah questioned. "They should do the quicker we get them into surgery." The nurse said. "Take her. Look after her." Isiah rubbed his hand over his fiancées head. "I promise your going to be okay. I'm waiting right here for you when you wake up." Isiah kissed her head. "I love you." Flo smiled and kissed him back. The doctors and nurses took her into theatre and made the family wait.

A few hours later a doctor came in the room with a baby in his arms. "Congratulations you have a baby girl." He said as he passed her to Isiah. "Where's Florence?" Anna asked. "She's doing fine. She's in recovery and shouldn't be took long before you can see her. There's no need to worry." The doctor explained.

"Polly can you hold her?" Isiah asked. Polly nodded and took her granddaughter in her arms. Both Polly and Anna fussed over her as Isiah walked out the room. He went outside for some fresh air. The Shelby boys were walking towards the hospital to see Flo and the baby.

"Isiah what you doing out here? You should be with Flo. Is she alright?" John asked. "She's not met our daughter yet. Polly and Anna have the baby." He explained. "What's wrong with Floss then?" Arthur asked. "She's had to have the baby surgically removed." Isiah said. "Yous go in i just need some air." He told Flo's cousins. They walked in apart from Tommy.

"A girl aye." Tommy chuckled. "She'll be like Florrie, I'm telling you now. Little troublemaker." Tommy laughed trying to get Isiah to open up. "Look she will be fine. She's Florence Gray." Tommy patted him on the back and walked into the hospital.

Florence woke up and way laying in a room with her family surrounding her. As soon as Isiah saw her awake he jumped to her side and kissed her. "Where's the baby?" Flo asked groggily. "Here, you have a little girl." Polly passed her granddaughter to her daughter. Flo had the biggest smile on her face anyone had ever seen since she was little.

"We will give you some space." Polly said and followed the rest of the family out the door. "She's gorgeous. She's got your nose. A little button nose." Flo smiled. "She needs a name." Isiah stroked his daughters head. "Have you got any in mind?" Florence asked. "Ellie." He whispered looking at his fiancé in the eyes. "It's beautiful." Flo's eye filled with tears as she smiled.