Time: 23:Years Prior

Location: Sydney, Australia.

The parents drove all day. They arrived at the house around seven pm. Tony was waiting outside. He stopped them.

"You can't go in Monique, sorry, it's a crime scene."

She broke into tears.

"Where's my daughter?" she asked.

Amanda was beside herself, "Where's Amelia? What's going on? s

Somebody tell me what's going on . . . pleeease!"

Tony looked at them all rather speechless. He looked over to Jean, finally he said, "She's at the hospital. It's not good I'm afraid. They don't know what's wrong with her. I can take you in the squad car. Not all of you though.

Amanda said, "I'm going!"

Peter's dad said, "You two go I'll bring Amanda and Christoph with us. We'll follow you. Where's Peter?

"He's at the hospital too, under arrest," Tony spat back, not containing his contempt.

Peter's dad, Don, was a surgeon at the hospital. He knew the way, even knew a short cut. Tony was amazed when they were already in the Emergency ward when he pulled up the police car and parked it in the "Police Only" zone.

They were taken to the IC cubicle where Amelia was. She was very ill. Don asked the nurse what tests had been done and ordered more blood tests.

While that was going on Tony brought Monique, Christoph and Amanda up to speed on what he had told Jean-Claude in the police car about what he had stumbled into when he had come to put their bins out, as arranged, on the Sunday morning and what he suspected had happened to Amelia.

Don had finished speaking with the nurse when he overheard the last bit of Tony's summation. He quickly came to his son's defence. Saying, "No, no, you're wrong, my Peter would never do such a thing. He adores Amelia. He would never hurt her, not in a million years. He couldn't hurt anyone, he was thinking of becoming a priest for God's sake!

"Maybe that's the problem," interjected Tony, "he changed his mind and tried it on with Amelia and she rejected him. I've seen it so often. What men are capable of when sex raises its ugly head, especially with young, pretty things like Amelia. He did it alright. I'll stake my life on it."

"At the moment it's Amelia's life that's at stake!" Don said, "Monique, where the hell is Monique?"

"She's in with her daughter, leave her alone, will you, hasn't your family done enough damage already?" Tony was beyond angry he was helpless, he felt useless, he was unable to save Amelia, Someone has to pay he thought, and it has to be a Margate.

"I have to speak with her urgently! Now get out of my way!" ordered Don.

Tony stepped aside with, "There's nothing you can say to fix this Don!"

Don had already pushed through the swinging doors into intensive care.

"Monique! We need to talk!"

"Not now. Please Don. Look at her, she's getting worse isn't she? Oh my God she's dying! Do something!" Monique screamed at him.

"Listen Monique, this is important!" stressed Don, "did Amelia take any aspirin while she had Glandular Fever?"

Monique nodded. "Yes, she would have if she did what I told her to. Why?"

"Would she have taken anything else, illicit drugs. I'm sorry to have to ask this, but is she a drug user?"

"No, no, I'm sure she wouldn't . . . unless Peter, no, surely not," Monique said incredulously.

"So she's just had aspirin?" Don asked.

"Oh, she probably put some bonjelo on her mouth. I suggested that she treat that rash, but that couldn't . . . " She didn't get to finish.

"Shit, I think I know what's wrong with her. It's Reyes, she's got Reyes Syndrome. I've seen it before. Fuck! if I'm right we haven't got much time." Don raced off to get the latest bloods results.

When he got back he looked devastated. "Monique, Jean-Claude. I need you two over here!" They ran.

"Look, I'm pretty sure I'm right. She looks a bit jaundiced. I think her liver is failing. I think it's Reyes. It was the aspirin, the Bonjelo too maybe. It can cause this especially in kids and teenagers with viral infections, like Chicken Pox or . . . Glandular Fever!"

Monique was horrified,"Are you saying I caused this by giving her aspirin?"

"If I'm right, yes, but you weren't to know, not many people are aware of the risks unfortunately." Don said.

"Will she be alright?" Monique pleaded.

"I won't lie to you, it'll be touch and go. We'll have to put her into an induced coma." Don called out to the duty intern. "Where's Mr. Wilson ?" Don asked.

"He's away for the weekend, long weekend you know," he replied, "if it's brain surgery your after you'll have to wait till tomorrow. He should be back tomorrow."

"Fuck! That'll be too late. I'll have to do it myself, get the theatre ready now! I lost a seven year old boy to Reyes a few years ago, we took too long to diagnose and then waited too long to operate. It's not happening again, not to Amelia! Monique, you and Jean have to sign a consent form, now! Please. There's no time. We have to release the pressure on her brain, she might have already suffered brain damage. You, nurse, get the forms, and why aren't you getting the operating theatre ready? Go!" Don yelled and slammed his hand on the desk.

Monique collapsed into her husband's arms saying to herself, "It's my fault not Peter's. I've caused this, all of it. God forgive me . . . give me the form!"

]

Chapter 14 - Home James.

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