Slipping Through My Fingers

God-Parents

Amelia-Lily sat waiting patiently at the living room window, looking out to see if he had arrived yet...Charlie...her best friend...
Janette and Aljaz had offered to have Charlie for the weekend while Karen and Kevin went on a romantic weekend, similar to the 1 that Aljaz and Janette had been on when Janette was 5 months pregnant with Caleb, except the Cliftons were going abroad instead of to the other side of the country....
The Clifton car pulled into the driveway alongside Aljaz's. Amelia-Lily leapt up from her previous position at the window, running to the door to answer it, getting their before her parents, flinging the door open. She smiled at her God-Parents briefly, before grabbing her best friend's hand, pulling him upstairs to her room....partners in crime. Janette rolled her eyes, typical. "Do you have time for coffee before you go?" Janette asked, leaning against the open door. Karen and Kevin nodded as they entered the Skorjanec house. They walked through to the kitchen where Aljaz was sat with his 8 month old daughter at the kitchen table, the twins playing their version of Monopoly, trying to not let their baby sister grab hold of the game pieces. Karen smiled at her youngest God-Daughter, holding out her hands to take her. Aljaz passed her over to her Auntie Karen, Angel's head swivelling round to face her father, as if she were saying "Daddy! What do you think you're doing?" They heard a load of springs bouncing from upstairs...Janette walked to the bottom of the stairs, tilting her head back, "I'd appreciate it if you didn't jump on the bed! I don't want to be going to the hospital or have to buy a new bed!" She shouted up the stairs. The bouncing ceased. "My friend Dolly always jumps on her bed," Sasa said as she handed her brother £100 in Monopoly money. Janette sighed, "and Dolly's parents had to buy her a new bed."
Angel reached out to the edge of the kitchen table, making a grab for her big brother and sister's game, coming away with a hand full of crumpled Monopoly money....feeling quite proud of herself. "Angel!" The twins cried in frustration at their baby sister, they adored her and the whole family was super protective of her (which she used to her advantage sometimes), but she was rather annoying when they were trying to play a game. Karen prised the "money" out of the baby's tightly clenched fist. "It's all crumpled now," Sasa complained, gingerly picking up the crumpled "money" before dropping it back on the table top. "Well she didn't put it in her mouth so you can still use it...we just need to straighten it out a bit that's all," Aljaz said, pushing down on the pieces of paper to flatten them, partly succeeding. The twins sighed and continued with their game, keeping a watchful eye on Angel.

It was time for Karen and Kevin to be on their way. They made their way up to Amelia-Lily's bedroom, knocking on the door before daring to enter. Both of them tinted their heads towards the door as it opened, an expectant look on their faces for the grown-ups to say something. "We're going now," Kevin said. "Okay," Charlie replied. Karen sighed, "can I have a hug goodbye?" Charlie rolled his eyes at his friend before getting up off his position on the floor to give his parents a hug before hey went. "Be good...and do what Auntie Janette and Uncle Aljaz says...okay?" Karen said, looking at her 7 year old son. Charlie nodded, "yes Mum...see you on Sunday." Karen kissed his forehead, waved goodbye to Amelia-Lily and left to go on their romantic weekend away....

Amelia-Lily left the bedroom to go to the bathroom, leaving Charlie for no more than 5 minutes. He could feel his temperature slowly rising, the right side of his stomach felt itchy, he began to scratch it...only making it itch even more... Amelia-Lily came into find her best friend laying on her bedroom floor, scratching his side furiously, his colour had toned down, looking as white as the clouds out in the June sky. She looked at him puzzled, "Charlie? Are you okay?" Charlie shrugged, "my side is itchy...and I'm really hot." Amelia-Lily knelt down beside him and felt his forehead, similar to what her parents did if she was too hot....he did feel rather warm. She took his hands away from his side and gently pulled his t-shirt up, revealing what looked to be an angry red rash, spread around most of the right side of his stomach, making it's way into the middle. Amelia-Lily chewed her lip, she knew something was seriously wrong...this wasn't normal. He began to pant slightly, as if he were out of breath...Amelia-Lily got up from her current position and ran down the stairs to her parents. "Mummy! Daddy! Something's wrong with Charlie!" Janette followed her daughter up to the bedroom, to find her God-Son stretched out on the carpet, a pale ghost colour, panting like he's just ran in a marathon, and with a horrible looking rash across his stomach. Janette and Amelia-Lily knelt either side of him. "I think we'll take you to the doctors my darling so they can examine you....okay?" Janette said, Charlie nodded, slowly sitting up, hanging onto his God-Mother....scared...