Clementine Rose and the Birthday Emergency (7 page)

‘Move back, everyone. Let's give Clemmie some space,' Miss Critchley said, ushering the onlookers away.

As soon as she noticed the huddle, Mrs Bottomley rushed over from the microphone. ‘Go on, it's none of your worry,' she said, waving her hand at the crowd of curious children. ‘Go back to your parents.'

‘That's gross!' Joshua Tribble pulled a face and gagged. ‘It's everywhere.'

Mrs Bottomley glared at the lad. His mother, who had followed him over, yanked at his shirt and hurried him from sight.

‘Are you all right, sweetheart?' Miss Critchley asked Clementine. The woman pulled a wad of tissues from her pocket and wiped the girl's mouth and chin.

Beads of perspiration dripped down Clementine's temples as she clutched at her side. ‘My tummy hurts,' she whimpered. Tears sprang to her eyes and she fell to her knees.

Lady Clarissa raced down from the hill, with Uncle Digby and Aunt Violet close behind. ‘Clemmie, I'm here darling,' her mother said, putting an arm around her daughter's shoulders.

‘We need to get her to the doctor,' Aunt Violet said, her voice full of concern.

‘I'll call Dr Everingham,' Miss Critchley offered, whipping out her phone. ‘He's just around the corner.'

Mrs Bottomley produced a packet of wet wipes from her pocket and handed them to
Lady Clarissa, while Uncle Digby went to find some water and a blanket.

‘Is Clementine all right?' Sophie asked her father. Everyone was watching with concern from their places on the hill.

‘Perhaps she has a bug,' Pierre said. ‘You children are such good sharers – toys, colouring pencils, germs.'

A few minutes later, Dr Everingham hurried onto the oval with his little black bag in hand. He nodded hello to everyone as he made his way to Clementine. ‘Now what's happened here, Clemmie?' he asked.

He laid the child down on the blanket Uncle Digby had fetched and began to examine her. When he touched the lower-right side of Clementine's belly, the child screamed.

‘Sorry, Clemmie, I just had to be sure,' the doctor said.

‘Sure of what?' Aunt Violet said in alarm. ‘What's wrong with her?'

Dr Everingham stood up and pulled out his phone. The conversation didn't last
more than a minute, after which he moved away to speak quietly with Lady Clarissa. Aunt Violet and Mrs Bottomley followed them while Uncle Digby stayed to hold Clementine's hand.

‘I am fairly certain that Clemmie has appendicitis,' the man said in a low voice. ‘I've just called for an ambulance and we'll get her into surgery within the hour.'

‘Oh dear,' Lady Clarissa said. She made an effort not to appear worried, conscious that Clementine was looking at her.

‘Surgery!' Mrs Bottomley exhaled, shaking her head. ‘Poor little poppet.'

‘I'd rather you didn't say a word to Clementine at the moment. She'll be fine, but we want to keep her as calm as possible,' the doctor instructed. He turned to Lady Clarissa. ‘Has she eaten much today?'

‘No, she's been off her food for the last few days,' Lady Clarissa said with a sigh. ‘I thought it was just because she was worried about Lavender being sick.'

‘Of course! She had that pain in her tummy a few days ago.' Aunt Violet sniffed. ‘I should have been watching her more carefully.'

‘These things can happen very quickly,' Dr Everingham assured them. ‘Clemmie has probably had a sore tummy for a while but she must have been very determined to run today.'

Her mother nodded. ‘Yes, she didn't want to let the team down.'

In the distance the wailing of a siren was getting louder and louder. Mr Pickles and Miss Critchley ran to open the gates onto the oval for the approaching ambulance.

‘Do I have to go to hospital, Uncle Digby?' Clementine asked. She wiped her eyes and looked up at the old man.

‘Don't worry, Clemmie. I'm sure that Dr Everingham has everything under control,' Uncle Digby said, giving Clementine's hand a squeeze.

‘But what about my party? Will I still be able to have my party?' Clementine began to cry softly.

‘Let's talk about that later, shall we?' Uncle Digby smiled reassuringly.

Dr Everingham appeared beside Uncle Digby and began to explain what was happening. ‘Clemmie, I am fairly certain that we'll have to take your appendix out, and you'll feel much better when we do,' the man said. ‘Now, I'm going to come in the ambulance with you and your mother.'

Clementine nodded, trying to be brave. ‘Will it hurt?' she asked.

The man shook his head. ‘You won't feel a thing, and once that grumbly thing is gone, you'll be back to your old self in no time.'

On the hill, the children and parents watched as two paramedics placed Clementine on a stretcher and loaded her into the back of the ambulance. Lady Clarissa and Dr Everingham climbed in and the doors were shut. Minutes later, the ambulance sped towards the edge of town.

‘Hurry up, Pertwhistle, we have to follow them to the hospital,' Aunt Violet declared.

‘All right, I'll just collect our things,' he said as he charged towards the hill.

‘Don't worry about that, Uncle Digby,' Ana Hobbs said. ‘We'll take it and drop it off to you later.'

‘Thank you, dear,' he said, patting the young woman's arm.

Ana smiled and gave him a peck on the cheek. ‘Don't worry. Clemmie will be fine.'

 Not long afterwards, Lady Clarissa bent down and kissed Clementine's forehead as she was wheeled towards the operating theatre.

‘I love you, darling,' her mother said.

‘I love you too, Mummy,' Clemmie replied hazily, and drifted off to sleep.

Clementine's eyes fluttered as she slowly began to wake up. Her body felt warm and dreamy, as though she'd just had the best sleep of her life.

Her mother stood up and reached for the child's hand. ‘Hello Clemmie.'

‘Where am I?' Clementine croaked. She frowned and tried to open her eyes properly but they kept closing. She felt so tired.

‘You're in the hospital and you've just
had your appendix taken out,' her mother explained, stroking Clementine's hair.

‘Oh.' Clementine opened her eyes, then closed them again. Within seconds she was fast asleep.

‘How is she?' Uncle Digby asked as he walked into the room with two cups of tea.

‘I think she might be a little while waking up,' Lady Clarissa said, gratefully taking a cup from him. ‘Thank you, Uncle Digby.'

Aunt Violet appeared holding another cup of tea and balancing a plate of sandwiches. ‘Has she woken up at all?' the woman asked. She placed the sandwiches on the tray at the end of Clementine's bed.

‘Just for a few seconds and then she drifted back to sleep,' Clarissa answered.

‘Well, what are we going to do about her party?' Aunt Violet said.

Clarissa sighed. ‘I guess we'll just have to postpone it until she's better.'

‘We can't do that. She's been so excited,' Aunt Violet said, shaking her head.

‘I suspect Clemmie will still be in hospital on Sunday, and I'm afraid we have a wedding at the house next weekend and that huge family reunion the weekend after,' Clarissa explained. ‘I can't cancel either of those. I'm sure Clemmie will understand.'

Aunt Violet pursed her lips. ‘I suppose you can't cancel them, but if I was turning six I doubt I'd understand.'

Clementine yawned. ‘Hello,' she said, opening her eyes.

‘Oh, Clementine, are you feeling all right?' Aunt Violet rushed to the child's side and kissed her forehead.

Clementine nodded. ‘What's that in my arm?' she asked. A tube was poking out of it, which was connected to a bag of liquid hanging on the tall stand beside the bed.

‘It's a drip, darling. It's so that you can get all the fluid and medicine you need,' Lady Clarissa explained.

‘Like Lavender,' Clementine said.

Lady Clarissa nodded. ‘It won't be there for too long, sweetheart.'

Dr Everingham appeared at the door and smiled. ‘Good evening, sleepyhead. How are you feeling?'

‘My tummy doesn't hurt anymore,' Clementine said.

‘That's good news.' The man looked at the chart at the end of the bed, then checked Clementine's pulse and took her temperature.

‘Can I go home now?' Clementine asked.

‘I'm afraid that you're going to have to stay here for a couple of days, Clemmie. You can probably go home on Monday morning.'

Clementine remained silent for a while as her eyes filled with tears. ‘Monday … but that's too late,' she whispered.

‘For what?' Dr Everingham asked.

Clementine's lip trembled. ‘My party.'

Uncle Digby felt a heavy pang in his chest and for a moment wondered if he was having another turn. Aunt Violet sniffed loudly.

‘I feel much better now, and everything's
ready and everyone in my class is coming and Will and Drew said they'd come too,' Clementine said to the doctor.

The man smiled gently. ‘We need to keep an eye on you and make sure there's no infection. Perhaps you can have your party next week.'

Clementine shook her head. She knew there was no way her mother could fit a party in with all the other work she had to do. She swallowed hard and tried to stop the tears.

‘It's all right, sweetheart,' Lady Clarissa said. ‘We can have our own special celebration right here with just the four of us.'

Aunt Violet huffed in the background. ‘Stupid appendicitis,' she mumbled.

‘What did you say, Aunt Violet?' Lady Clarissa asked.

‘Never mind,' the woman muttered. ‘Leave it to me, Clarissa. I'll let everyone know.'

She gave Clementine a peck on the cheek, then turned on her heel and headed out the door.

‘What's got into her?' Uncle Digby said.

Lady Clarissa shook her head. ‘Who knows?'

‘I'll come and see you again tomorrow, Clementine,' Dr Everingham said. ‘You're welcome to stay overnight, Clarissa. I'll ask Matron to make you up a bed in the next room. The hospital's very quiet at the moment.'

‘Why don't I go home and get you some things?' Uncle Digby suggested.

‘That sounds perfect,' Clarissa replied. ‘Could you bring some of Clemmie's books? A story would be nice. Wouldn't it, darling?'

Clementine gave a little nod, brushing the tears away angrily. ‘Stupid appendicitis,' she muttered.

Lady Clarissa had just dozed off when she woke with a start. ‘What's that, Clemmie? Are you all right?'

‘I'm thirsty,' Clementine replied, ‘and starving.'

Lady Clarissa leapt from her chair and quickly poured her daughter some water.

Clementine smiled. ‘Be careful, Mummy. You'll get the dizzies.'

Clarissa helped Clementine to sit up and handed her the cup.

A man wearing what looked like a shower cap poked his head around the door. ‘Good morning,' he said cheerfully. ‘Would our patient like something to eat?'

Clementine nodded. ‘Yes, please.'

The man walked in with a tray. On it was a small box of cereal and a jug of milk, two pieces of white toast and a dish of butter and jam.

‘Would you like a cup of tea, Lady Clarissa?' the man asked.

‘That would be lovely. Thank you, Ernie,' Clarissa said with a smile. She poured the cereal and milk into the bowl and placed it in front of Clementine, who dug in and ate a large spoonful.

‘I'm full,' the child declared after swallowing the bite. ‘You should have the toast, Mummy. I don't feel like it. My tummy hurts but it's different to before.'

‘Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll see if the nurse can give you something to help it settle down,' her mother replied.

‘Good morning.' An older woman in a nurse's uniform walked into the room. Clementine had met her the day before and knew her as Sister Vivien. ‘How's our patient today?'

Clementine looked up at the woman's kindly blue eyes. ‘My tummy feels funny, like someone is playing the drum on the inside where my 'pendix was,' she explained.

‘Aha.' Sister Vivien nodded. ‘That's because you're getting better. It means that the blood is flowing all around there, but sometimes that causes discomfort. I'll get you something for the pain and I can take that drip out now too.'

‘Will it hurt?' Clementine asked. She looked at the tube, remembering that there must be a little needle under her skin.

‘It might be uncomfortable for just a minute, but it will feel a lot better afterwards,' the woman said. The nurse looked at Clarissa. ‘Did you get any sleep last night, dear?

‘No, not much, but I'm fine,' Lady Clarissa smiled.

Sister Vivien was right. Uncle Digby and
Aunt Violet arrived a little while later to find Clementine feeling much better. They both kissed her good morning and Aunt Violet asked Clementine lots of questions about how she was feeling before heading off again, saying that she had lots of work to do and promising she'd be back later.

‘Do you think anyone will come and visit me today?' Clementine asked Uncle Digby.

The man shook his head. ‘I'm afraid that Aunt Violet has put everyone off. She said that she wants you to have time to rest, so it looks like it's going to be a quiet day, Clemmie.'

Clementine's face fell.

‘I think that's probably a good idea, sweetheart,' her mother said. ‘You need to get your strength back.'

‘What for?' Clementine thought about her birthday party. ‘Can Lavender come and visit?' she asked, perking up at the thought.

Lady Clarissa shook her head. ‘I don't think the hospital would approve of having a pig in the ward,' she said. ‘But I'm sure that she and
Pharaoh will be looking after each other at home and missing you like crazy.'

‘I hate my birthday week,' Clemmie said. ‘First Lavender was sick, then me, and now my party is kapoops.'

‘I think you mean “kaput”, Clementine,' Uncle Digby said.

‘I think kapoops is better,' Clementine said stubbornly.

Uncle Digby sighed. ‘I think you're probably right, Clemmie.'

‘We'll still have your party, darling,' Lady Clarissa said. ‘It will just have to be a little bit late, that's all.'

‘It's not the same,' Clementine insisted. ‘This was my first proper big-girl party and it was supposed to be on my real birthday.'

‘I know, but nobody knew that you were going to get sick.' Clarissa tried her best to think of a way to cheer up her daughter.

‘We should just forget about pirates and princesses,' Clementine said miserably. She lay back down on the bed. Even though her
grumbly appendix was gone, she didn't feel much better at all.

Aunt Violet had been noticeably absent all afternoon, and when she finally showed up she was more mysterious than ever about what she'd been up to.

‘Have you been modelling again?' Clementine asked. ‘They didn't do your hair and make you all beautiful this time.'

‘No,' the old woman said, ‘and I'm glad you think I'm looking so dreadful today.'

‘I didn't say that,' Clementine sniffed.

‘Those are pretty.' Aunt Violet pointed at a huge arrangement of irises and a giant card that had arrived earlier.

‘They're from school,' Clementine said.

‘All the children in Clemmie's class wrote lovely messages in the card too,' Lady Clarissa added.

‘And the teachers,' Clementine said.

‘How sweet,' Aunt Violet replied. ‘Now, why don't I read you a story while your mother runs some errands?'

‘Thank you, Aunt Violet. I won't be long,' Clarissa promised as she gathered up her handbag. She planted a kiss on Clementine's forehead and hurried out the door.

‘My book's just there,' Clementine said, pointing to the side table.

‘I don't fancy that one,' Aunt Violet said. ‘It's not my sort of thing with all those bottom jokes. What about this one?' The old woman reached into her handbag and retrieved a hardcover book. It looked a bit tatty and was missing its jacket.

‘What is it?' Clementine asked.

‘I found it in the library at home this morning. It was one of my favourites as a girl.' Violet Appleby settled herself in beside Clementine, who snuggled into her great-aunt and waited for her to begin. Aunt Violet opened the front cover. ‘
A Little Princess
by Frances Hodgson Burnett.'

‘I don't want a princess story.' Clementine turned away to face the other wall.

‘But this is rather lovely,' Aunt Violet insisted, and began to read it aloud. ‘
She was such a little girl that one did not expect to see such a look on her small face. It would have been an old look for a child of twelve, and Sara Crewe was only seven. The fact was, however, that she was always dreaming and thinking odd things and could not herself remember any time when she had not been thinking things about grown-up people and the world they belonged to. She felt as if she had lived a long, long time
.'

Clementine closed her eyes, but after a couple of pages, she rolled back to face her great-aunt. ‘What happens to her, Aunt Violet?' she whispered.