Miss Mercury

Positive

November 2020

October saw a rise in covid cases for the UK and a second lockdown from the 5th of November to the 5th of December has been announced. Amelia and Gwilym knew that covid cases in the family were going to happen, earlier in the year Rory had tested positive but they never expected it to hit so close to home.

A few days before lockdown beginnings, Gwilym got back from his month away filming for series two of The Great, he'd formed a film bubble with the cast. The morning after he got back, he started with a really bad cough and had very little energy.

With Amelia pregnant, he immediately went for a test. The day before the second lockdown, the test results come back positive.

"What you going to do?" Amelia worries, attempting to move forward to comfort her husband but he backs away, putting his hands out to stop her, "What...?"

"I tested positive, Milly. I shouldn't even be in the same room, especially with you 22 weeks pregnant. I'm just going to grab a glass of water, some paracetamol and something to eat then I'll isolate for ten days in the spare room." Gwilym goes around her when she stands out of the way, grabbing what he needs from the kitchen cupboards.

She knows he's right but it doesn't make her feel any better about it, "But we've slept in the same bed the past few nights when you already had symptoms. If..."

"Yes, I did and I shouldn't have. I knew I had symptoms I should have isolated earlier and got a test sooner. I'm not risking you getting it, if you've already got it and something happens to you or the baby, I'll never forgive myself. Please, just let me isolate."

"Just keep your phone with you. If you need anything text me and I'll leave it outside the door." Gwilym is a generally fit and healthy man so he shouldn't be too ill with it but you hear all these stories of people losing loved ones to covid so Amelia can't help worrying. "I'll book a test in a bit, for me and the kids. I need to ring the school too."

------

Amelia would check on her husband a few times a day, leaving food outside the door. Three days into his isolation, she could hear him coughing badly but he insisted he's alright. The paracetamol does seem to be working.

At night her bed felt empty and she struggles to sleep out of worry, missing him and feeling their baby move and kick.

Keeping the kids away from the spare room was a challenge, Freddie understood that he couldn't see his dad because he's isolating, Taylor doesn't get it.

Every chance she got she'd attempt to go a find her dad, Freddie and Amelia have been watching her like a hawk.

On day six of Gwilym's isolation, Amelia had been sorting some washing while Taylor plays on the floor. When she turned her back, Taylor quickly got up and run out of the room.

When Amelia turned back she cursed herself, heading straight for the stairs. Somehow the 18-month-old has mastered climbing up the stairs.

She reaches the top and rounds the corner, going down the hall seeing Taylor reaching up to turn the handle of the spare room door.

Luckily Amelia got to her in time, scooping her daughter up, "Noo, daddy," Taylor moans wriggling in her mums grasp. She starts to cry getting more upset the further they get from the room.

Getting back downstairs she sits her daughter on the sofa, kneeling in front of her, "You can't go and see daddy."

"Why?" The girl sniffles wiping her eyes with the back of her sleeve.

"Because he's poorly, sweety and I don't want you to get it. Taylor, I need you to stay away from that room until I say so," Amelia holds Taylor's chin between fingers tilting her head up to see her eyes. Those beautiful blue eyes, Gwilym's eyes, "Do you understand me? I don't want to see you do that again, am I clear?"