"Daddy, my head is sore." Allison's voice was the first thing I heard and I smiled a little, rolling over to face her where she stood beside the bed.
"Come here for a snuggle, sweetheart. That might make it feel better." I offered, lifting part of the blanket for her to crawl in and cuddle up to me. She curled her little body into my side, sighing happily as I hugged her tightly.
"What's going on?" I heard Connor mumble, feeling him shift beside me.
"She's got a headache."
"Again? She had one yesterday too."
"Maybe it's a bit of dehydration. Can you get her some water?"
"Okay." He kissed my cheek before getting up and disappearing downstairs to the kitchen where I heard him getting a cup of water.
"Does it still hurt, baby?" I asked quietly, feeling Allison nod against my chest so I stroked her hair soothingly, hoping that it would ease the pain a little for her. I hated seeing my little girl in pain. Little did I know, this was just the start. That in just a few months, I would be wishing for her to only have a headache.
"Here." Connor had come back and sat on the edge of the bed beside us, holding Allison's favourite princess cup, filled with water. She sat up carefully and took it from him, taking a few sips before handing it back.
"Not better, daddy." She whined.
"It won't get better straight away. It will take a little bit. You make sure you tell us if it still hurts after breakfast, okay?"
"Okay daddy." She lay back down, curling into me again as I looked up at Connor who smirked a little.
"I guess I'm making breakfast today?"
"Please?"
"I'd make breakfast, lunch and dinner for you every day if I could." He promised, leaning over to kiss me properly. "Good morning."
"Good morning to you too."
"And a good morning to my little angel." He kissed the top of Allison's head and I felt her turn away a little, causing me to frown. She never usually shied away from affection.
"Are you feeling okay, baby girl?" I asked.
"No. My tummy hurts too, daddy."
"You feel like you're going to be sick?" When she nodded against me I sat up, holding her close as I carried her to the bathroom where I sat her on the floor and reached for the old ice-cream tub we'd stashed under the sink for times just like this.
Connor had followed us in and sat on the closed toilet, watching as I rubbed slow, gentle circles on Allison's back. She definitely did look a little pale and there were dark bruises starting to form under her eyes, as if she was extremely tired. I made eye-contact with Connor, frowning slightly to try and convey my thoughts to him.
"Maybe we should get her checked out at the doctors." I said quietly to him but he shook his head.
"Why don't we get my dad to have a look before we go and spend unnecessary money on a doctor."
"But your dad isn't..."
"He knows enough to be able to say whether it's worth going to a doctor." Connor cut me off and I nodded.
"Okay. Can you call him. I don't want to leave her."
"Sure." He gently patted Allison's shoulder before going back into the bedroom to call his dad, coming back a few moments later, the phone still clutched in his hand.
