I don't know

25

'Si, what's wrong with your arm?' Anthony asked, noticing the horrible red rash on her arms. He instantly put his laptop aside, worried. He couldn't tell if it was a rash from an allergy or a bruise. She was wearing a t-shirt and shorts so she turned around shrugging, shielding her arm from her dad.

'Sierra Leigh.' Anthony said his tone firm. Sierra stared at her father,innocently and Anthony stared right back at her but scary.

She hung her head before walking over to Anthony. Anthony took hold of her hand, examining her arm. It was a bright red and if Anthony actually listened to Biology as a child it looked a lot like eczema.

'How long has it been red for?' he asked, taking both of her hands in his palms and looking at Sierra.

'A week.' Sierra mumbled, looking down at the floor.

Anthony didn't know whether he should be mad at her or to be worried. So this was why she had refused to where short sleeves for the past week. And when Anthony would help her to get dressed, she'd always try hide her arms. He couldn't believe he had just noticed. He was a horrible father.

'Sierra Leigh James! What on earth came over you so you don't tell me or mummy what happened?' Anthony said, his voice raised. 'This could be really bad.'

Sierra stared at Anthony, tears rapidly making their way down her cheeks. Anthony ignores them and takes out his phone and rings the NHS.

'Hello, NHS walk-in centre.'

'Hi, I'm calling because I need an appointment with a dermatologist for my daughter.' Anthony said, walking over to the kitchen island, resting his elbows on it. He put the phone down and put it on speaker. Sierra had walked over and put a finger in her mouth, chewing on it gently.

'What happens to be the problem?' 

'She has red rashes on both of her arms. I think it is eczema I don't know though.' Anthony replied.

'Well, I'm going to need your name and your daughter's full name. I can book you an appointment today at 4.'

'Oh yeah. My name is Anthony James and her name is Sierra James. She's 6.'

'Thank you. When you get here at 4, please come up to the reception and we will be able to answer any of your questions. Thank you.'

Anthony disconnected the call and checked the time. He had 2 hours. Plenty  of time to lecture Sierra.

'Why didn't you tell me or mummy?' he asked, turning around and crouching beside Sierra. 'Were you embarrassed?'

Sierra nodded looking up at Anthony, sadly. 

'Why?'

She murmured something inaudible that Anthony couldn't hear .

'Louder.' he said, causing her to flinch and look into Anthony's eyes.

'Cuz Sydney doesn't have it.' she said, now sobbing. Anthony took her into his arms and let her cry in his shoulder. She shouldn't feel so different to her sister. They were identical the only thing putting them apart were their eye colours and the fact Sierra had frizzy hair. She shouldn't feel so inferior to her sister.

'Sierra James, you listen to me.' Anthony said pulling away. 'Sydney is a different person and you are a different person. Different people have different things that set them apart.'

Si nods, not convinced. Anthony at this stage doesn't know what to do. He closes his eyes and lets out a sigh. He tells Sierra to sit on the couch while he could text Lucia quickly to pick up Sydney and Cam up.

'Hey. Could you go pick up Sydney from Gymnastics and Cam from football? I need to take Sierra to the GP.'

He typed it and sent it as he walked back over to Sierra. He needed to get through to her somehow.

~~~

Hospital waiting rooms were meant to be dreary. But the children's section at the GP was so colourful, that Anthony was jealous. There was a corner with books -meant to keep the kids entertained but Sierra just held onto Anthony's hand. She hated hospitals and doctors as much as her siblings, she just wouldn't throw tantrums.  

'Sierra James?' a kind lady asked as she walked out into the waiting room. Anthony got up and Sierra clambered off her seat and followed her dad, clutching onto his hand for dear life.

'Hi! You must be Anthony James?' the doctor asked, getting up to shake Anthony's hand. 'I'm Dr. Paine, but I prefer Kathy.' she said, smiling. Anthony nodded as he shook her hand.

She then waved at Sierra, 'Hey! You must be Sierra?'

Sierra nodded smiling softly. Kathy gestures for Anthony to take the seat in front of her desk and Sierra in the chair closest to her. Sierra looked as if though she didn't want to leave her dad but it was obvious she kind of liked Kathy. 

'So, your name is Sierra? I have a sister called Sienna, sounds kinda similar?' Kathy asked, turning to Sierra, trying to ease her in. The girl nodded, her lips pursed.

'When were you born?' she asked, turning to her monitor and typing some things up. 'Just need a bit of general information,' she added, to Anthony.

'8th of February.' Sierra said, so quietly even the ground couldn't hear her but Kathy had obviously heard her as she typed it up. She then turned around in her swivel chair, holding a clipboard.

'What's the problem, dad?' Kathy asked.

Anthony wondered why doctors said that. Weird. 

'She's had red, dry skin for the past week apparently. I think its eczema. She didn't tell me so here we are.' Anthony said, now standing up. Kathy nodded, before putting on a new pair of gloves.

'Sierra, I just want to check your arms, can I do that?' she asked, gently as Sierra looked over at Anthony and nodded.

Kathy smiled and took her arms and examined it slowly, rotating her hand gently. She nodded as she smiled at Sierra and turned back to Anthony.

'She has dry skin. It's nothing to worry about. I am however, going to prescribe you moisturizer.' she smiled, writing down for a prescription. 'Bring her back in if it gets worse after the cream.'

'Thank you.' Anthony nodded as he took the slip from her gently. Sierra got down from her chair and mumbled a thank you to Kathy and smiled at her.

'You are welcome Sierra. Don't feel bad about it. I have dry skin too.' Kathy smiled as she waved at the two.

Sierra followed Anthony as they bought the moisturizer and got into the car. Hee buckled her in and as he got into the front seat, he turned around.

'Nana has Sydney and Cam. What if we go do something?' Anthony asked as Sierra shrugged.

'Park?' she asked.

'Sure.' Anthony nodded as he started the car and began to pull it out of parking. Then the car's bluetooth told him his phone was ringing. It was Ally.

'How. dare. you. not. tell. me. that you took my daughter to the hospital!' she shouted making Anthony flinch and Sierra cover her ears. Anthony put the sound down on the speaker and talked to Ally.

'Not now. I'm going to take Sierra out and then you can scream at me all you want. She's fine and the doctor prescribed her something.' Anthony said as he declined the call. He was in trouble. Well, at least he got an ice cream and a visit to the park before his early demise.