𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

81

"Listen, Tommy" Lizzie urged, "he said we shouldn't come close to her in case,"

"In case of what?" he asked. "When she coughs, there's blood." Tommy pushed past her and toward the office. He walked into the room, looking at the drawings and picking up the phone. "Madonna, put me through to the number i gave you for Esme Shelby-Lee"

-

"Dad, dad!" Delilah shouted, "somethings wrong with Ruby" she said, panic filling her. Tommy rushed up the stairs, looking at the girl on the bed.

"Lizzie get in the car,"

-

Tommy held Ruby as they rushed through the halls of the hospital. "Move away" he shouted as the nurses tried to take her. "No where's the doctors"

"Can you get the doctor?" Lizzie asked. "I need to speak to a doctor" Tommy said.

"Mr Shelby, Mr Shelby" the man approached. "Your daughter has consumption. It is very infectious, there are procedures that must be followed. Please hand over the child"

"Okay, it's all right" Lizzie whispered. "Lizzie" Tommy said. "Right you take her, be gentle" he handed over Ruby.

"That's my daughter, do you hear me?" he shouted. "I need to be with her" he whispered. The doctors pushed him back. "I need to be with her" he shouted. " I need to be with my daughter."

"Tom" Lizzie grabbed him. "They are X-raying her they need to X-ray us. We might have it as well"

"Fuck us, Lizzie. Fuck us! Fuck you and me"  he shouted. "Who brought this on?We've brought on this curse!" He shouted. The nurses stood, watching as he acted out. "Stop, Tommy! Fucking stop!" Lizzie grabbed him.

"They wouldnt let me pass. They wouldnt let me pass. They did it on purpose. To punish me."

"Tommy stop it, please" She begged.

"All right," he sighed. Lizzie turned away. "My husband is very sorry. My husband is very sorry and he is calm now. Hes recovering from addiction, Sometimes,-"

Tommy stepped forward. "Sometimes, hes a horse in a crate, kicking the crate. Its just the crate im kicking. Im sorry. Lizzie," he whispered.

"Yeah.."

Tommy looked back toward the nurses. "Tell me what i have to do."

"This way sir,"

Tommy apologised to Lizzie once more.

-

Tommy sat on the steps outside, looking as Lizzie joined him. He passed her his cigarette.  "She has a tubercular infection in her left lung. They've caught it quite early, They'll do more tests. They do this thing. "Pulmonary" something, where they collapse the lung, let it rest. Sometimes the lung cures itself. If that doesnt work, they use gold"

"What?" Tommy frowned. "Gold?"

"Yeah, gold salts. Doctor said he explained the methods to you when you cut the ribbon to open the institution"

"Cant remember, i wasnt listening"

"Yeah, well, gold salts. Salt with 37% gold. They say it helps, but it will make her more sick at first."