Maggie opened her eyes. She was in the hospital still. But something felt different.
"Good morning, Bug," Mama said, looking a little sad. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay, Mama," Maggie said, quietly. Mama, who was lying on the bed beside her held Maggie in her arms and kissed her head. Maggie was still tired, because it had been so long since she ate anything.
"Mama?" Maggie said.
"Yes, my sweet girl?" Debby was trying to keep the tears from falling from her eyes. She didn't want Maggie to know how scared and sad she was that Maggie was doing so poorly.
"I'm hungry," Maggie said.
Debby sat up and looked at Maggie.
"You're what?"
"I'm hungry," Maggie said.
Debby pulled Maggie into the tightest hug she ever had given Maggie.
"You're hungry? You have no idea how happy I am to hear that, Maggie May!" Mama cheered. She picked up her phone and pressed a button.
"Josh?" She said into the phone. Tears were streaming down her face, but she was smiling. "Maggie's hungry!"
Maggie could hear Papa talking fast and loud over her phone.
"What do you want to eat my dear sweet girl?" Debby asked.
"I dunno," Maggie said.
"Maybe we should ask the nurse what you can have? Maybe we should make sure your tummy doesn't get upset by something?"
"Okay," Maggie said.
Debby looked at her small daughter, still so painfully thin, her skin still a slight grey. Nothing they'd done had worked. And just last night, she'd thrown up the feed they'd given her by tube. But this morning, she was hungry.
Debby pressed the call button for a nurse. The nurse was in the room within moments. The staff knew the little girl in room 435 wasn't doing well. They worried when that call button rang. They worried that the little girl in room 435 was going to starve to death. No-one could figure out why she wasn't able to eat. And she'd been here a week so far without eating a bite.
The nurse assigned to the room, Andrea, walked toward the room at a quick pace, worried that she was about to be faced with a parents' worst nightmare. Maggie had been having some trouble breathing and the staff were certain her little heart was going to give out soon. No one could go so long without food of some sort.
"Hi there," she said as she entered the room. Maggie was in her mom's arms, resting her head on her shoulder. She was awake.
"Hi," Debby said, tears in her eyes, but a smile on her face. "Maggie says she's hungry."
"She... what?" Andrea asked. She wasn't sure she'd heard her correctly.
Debby smiled.
"Maggie says she's hungry. We were wondering what she could have that might not upset her stomach, considering she hasn't eaten for a while.
"Oh! Maggie, really? You're hungry?"
Maggie nodded and smiled shyly at the Andrea.
"Okay! Okay! That's fantastic! The doctor is going to be so happy to hear that! Okay! Um, I can bring you a Pediasure, like Boost, but for kids. And, Maggie would you like ice cream?"
"For breakfast?" Maggie asked.
"Sure! Why not?" Andrea asked. Debby nodded. She didn't care. Whatever Maggie would eat, Maggie would get.
YOU ARE READING
Magnolia Blooms
FanfictionMagnolia (known to family and friends as Maggie) is seven years old. Two years ago, her life was changed when she was tossed out of her parents car, in a garbage bag. She was found by none other than Josh Dun of the band twentyone pilots. She was a...
