🌻Sunflower🌻

🌻4🌻

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Christmas eve...

It was usual now for the ladies and their boys to have a party when it was one of their birthdays.

Today was Louis' 2nd birthday.

"Thank you so much everyone. The presents are lovely." Jay said as she handed a Teddy bear from Anne to Louis.  He smiled wide and hugged it.

The boys were all sat on the floor in Jay's living room, except for Harry who was on Anne's lap. He was being clingy today, and had a bit of a cough, so Anne didn't want him passing any germs on to the other boys.

"Honestly girls, thank you so much. You shouldn't have spent money just before Christmas." Jay said, pulling a book from Louis' mouth.

"Don't worry. You know we all save up for the boys birthdays." Karen said.

Anne felt guilty as she only spent £5 on the Teddy, whereas the others obviously spent more.

Harry coughed on Anne's lap.

"He's no better today?" Maura asked.

"No. He's taking the medicine but can't seem to shift it." Anne replied, patting Harry's back gently.

"Shame he can't see a doctor now. Might need some antibiotics. Sounds very chesty, poor love." Tricia added.

Anne loved the fact that all her new friends were so caring towards each other.

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An hour later and the party was over. It was nap time for most of the boys.

"Thanks for coming over and for all the presents. You all have a good Christmas and we'll see you soon." Jay said as the women got their boys into pushchairs.

They all lived close to each other, which was good.

They said their goodbyes and left.

"You're such a lucky little Lou aren't you?" Jay said, giving him a big cuddle.

Louis yawned and closed his eyes, tired from his big day.

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Back at Anne's flat...

"Medicine time Harry. " Anne said as she put the syringe to Harry's mouth. He frowned and pouted not liking the taste at all. But he was a good boy and opened his mouth. Anne gave him the nasty tasting liquid making Harry cough again.

She sat back on the sofa and cuddled her poorly boy. She looked around her tiny living room, feeling sad at the sight of the small Christmas tree propped up in the corner. A sparse amount of thin tinsel wrapped around it, and a pathetic cheap angel on the top. She had 4 Christmas cards on the mantel, one from each of her friends.

She felt sad and tried not to cry.

But...she had Harry and that's what mattered most.

Harry fell asleep against his mother's chest, drooling as his nose was now blocked up as well.

All Anne wanted was for him to feel better.

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Anne and Harry shared a bedroom, there was only one after all.

Mould grew up the walls. She kept removing it, but it always grew back quickly.

Harry had a small cot next to Anne's bed.

Harry was coughing in the night, which woke Anne up.

"Hey baby. Come here. " she said, bending down to pick up him up.

He was hot and sweaty. Anne brushed his thin curly blonde hair off of his forehead and felt how hot he was.

"Let's get some more medicine." She said as they walked to the kitchen.

Harry was very grizzly as he coughed and sniffed. He was getting a full on cold now.

Anne gave him the medicine, Harry coughed again, as he usually does.

Anne sat down on the sofa and rocked him trying to get him to sleep again.

She looked at the clock on the wall. 3:35.

It was at times like these that Anne wishes she had someone to help. Not that she wished for Harry's Dad.  Definitely not.

Harry coughed again. It was sounding worse.

Harry cried. It was a weak and tired cry. Heartbreaking.

At 4:40 Harry's cough was worse, so bad that Anne was starting to panic.

She picked up her phone and dialled 999.

"Which service do you require?" A woman asked.

"Ambulance please." Anne replied, her voice shaky.

"Ambulance...is the patient breathing?"

"Yes...but he's struggling. Please help us." Anne cried. Panic was setting in now as Harry kept coughing.

Anne gave her address to the operator who said an ambulance was on the way.

When the paramedics took Harry into the ambulance, Anne felt like her world was crashing down around her.

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