~ CHAPTER 26~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Scarlett drives frantically and we call my mum in surgery. She also tells us not to worry and that she will meet us in the emergency bay for children, as will Jane. I haven't heard anything from Jax. Violet is still fussing at this point, and I feel panic filling my chest.

I have never felt this panic before, I have no idea what this could be. She hasn't been anywhere, no one has touched her. I am so careful with her hygiene, what I eat, what I bathe her in, what creams I use- she has never reacted like this before.

If I had come home last night I could have seen something like this. If I was more careful and not so caught up in my own life, I could have seen something like this. If I had put aside my troubles, and been more careful, I could have seen something like this.

I should have never gone to this party. I should have stayed home with my baby as a mother should. I have turned out like everyone has said- careless. I see Scarlett and her cheeks are red and splotchy, which indicates that she is stressed too. I know she is panicking but trying not to worry me more

"I should have never gone to that party" I mutter

"We should never have gone," Scarlett says and I look at her and she is looking at me in the rearview mirror, I smile weakly and she does to

"I don't know what has happened to her?" I say

"We haven't used anything new on her, we haven't done anything- there is no reason for this" Scarlett rambles "She should be fine, she-"

"Scarlett," I say and she stops talking and looks at me

"What if something is seriously wrong"

"It's not, it's fine- she's going to be fine," I say "We're here and they are going to fix her" she replies and she parks in a free parking spot

"Yes, okay," I say and take a deep breathe

We walk into the children's emergency room and there is no one in the line so we go straight up to the reception desk and the reception lady looks up at us

"Hi, how can we help you?" she says

"Um hi, my daughter has a fever, she's got red splotches all over her body," I say and the lady nods

"Okay, what are her other symptoms?" she asks

I list her other symptoms, I give the lady all of her details, my details and all 3 of us get wristbands, my mum and Jane arrive shortly and join us in the waiting bay.

We get called back into a room, and Jane and my mum stay behind waiting for Jax since he has not replied to the message or answered any of the calls. The doctor comes in, takes some of her vitals and grabs some information before leaving again. This just leaves Scarlett and me in the room and we have turned the tv on and are watching some random kid program.

The door opens 10 minutes after we arrive in the room and it is Jax. He walks in with a red face

"What's going on," he says and we explain, he nods and thanks us for informing him

"Um Jax, I need to talk to you, I had a phone call from Ellie earlier-"

"Can this wait?" he asks and I nod 

He then leaves the room and tells us he will be back, he comes back not even a minute later and he is with Ellie. She fake smiles at Scarlett and I

"What are you doing here?" Scarlett says, and we both look at each other, after the last phone call I got, I'm surprised she is even in the room with me.

"Well I am Sheppies girlfriend, you called when we were at an appointment- she is also my daughter" she replies and I shut my eyes in anger. I look at Jax and he won't meet my eyes. The room goes silent, and no one goes to break it. I keep my eyes on the ground until the door opens a second time, and her doctor is back

"Hi Ms Bell," Dr Tran says walking into the room "Ms Hayes" she then says to Scarlett who is hiding in the corner, with Violet in her arms

"Is this her father?" she asks gesturing to Jax

"Yes, this is Jax," I say and he stands up

"Jackson Shepherd" they shake hands "This is my girlfriend Ellie" he adds and Ellie smiles

"Eleanora," she says and I almost cringe

"Now, we have run some tests on Violet here and everything has come back clear, from your family history, and your home and work environment we don't think those could cause this," she says "We do need a history from you, Mr Shepherd"

"Ah no worries," he says

"Before I go- has she been vaccinated in the past couple of days?" she asks and my brain lights up she got her needles today and there were numerous side effects

"Yes, today," I say "Oh my god" I add

"Ahh!" Dr Tran says "I'm going to have a chat with her pediatrician and confirm some things and then I should have a diagnosis for you"

"Perfect! Thank you" I say

As soon as Dr Tran leaves the room, I sit in the rocking chair and Scarlett hand Violet over to me, and I stare at her little face. Jax and Ellie return to their little corner and are quietly chatting

"God I want to punch her," Scarlett says and I laugh

"I'm serious" she adds

"If she wasn't with him, I would have smacked her ages ago," I say and Scarlett laughs

We just sit in silence, the two of us, and Scarlett answers the phone when her boyfriend calls to check on Violet- her face instantly lit up when he called, even more, when he asked about the baby. 

He truly is treating her well and she is so happy. After a while, Jax walks over to us and Ellie follows behind, and I can feel her glare on me.

"How is she doing?"

"She's okay" I reply and he smiles, Violet opens her eyes slightly and I can see her bright green orbs staring up at him

"She has your eyes, Jax," I say and he smiles

"I want to see," Ellie says and I look over to her, and Jax moves over

"She has lots of your features Sheppie," she says "I love that, like our little baby" she says and both Scarlett and I look at each other funny, and I see Jax twitch slightly

"She's so little," he says

"She was even smaller when she was born" I reply

"I would have loved to have been there," he says and I feel my face fall. Jax sees it and the room goes cold. I glance up and Ellie is staring daggers at me again. She goes to say something but the door opens and Violet's doctor is back in.

"How are we feeling?" she says

"Good" Ellie replies, and I frown. Scarlett gets off the phone and sits down next to me

"I'm glad- I was asking about Ms Violet though," she says and I feel Scarlett laugh

"She's going okay" I reply and the doctor nods

"I've had a chance to speak to her doctor, and we both agree that these are side-effects from her vaccinations today- she is going to be fine," I say and we all sigh

"Now, her rash will go down, it is important to keep her hydrated and cool- if anything else happens please come back, otherwise you are free to go," she says and it is music to my ears.

We thank her and she leaves and says she will be back with release forms. I smile and I feel all the tension in my chest leave, and I see Scarlett smile. I look at Jax and he seems relieved too. I don't however notice Ellie until she is in my face

"Are you serious Vicky!?" Ellie says and I turn to her "You had us come down here- you ruined date night because you didn't read a manual"

"I didn't know Ellie- I wasn't thinking straight," I say

"Oh yes, is that how it was, when you got pregnant and didn't tell Sheppie- were you not thinking straight then?" she says

"No, you have no-"

"Oh please, Vic, you are just a jealous and narcissistic bitch" she says

"Ellie, enough" Jax says turning to her, and my mouth drops "You heard what the doctor said, stay calm" he replies and again I'm confused, what appointment did they go ro 

"No Sheppie, she needs to hear it"

"Shep contain her," Scarlett says standing up and I feel tears well in my eyes

"No, shut up Scarlett- you are just as bad as this ugly slut-"

"El, let's go," he says and he looks at me "I will call you after if you need anything call me," he says and I nod.

He drags Ellie out of the room and I will never forget the smug look plastered on her face. Scarlett looks at me, and she leans in to hug me as I start to sob.

I look down at Violet.

Am I really a jealous and narcissistic bitch?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~