The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike) Part 1041 by Angharad Copyright © 2010 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

Simon galloped into the room followed by Julie, while I sat and wailed on the bed holding the lifeless child.

“What’s the matter?” he asked.

“I think she’s OD’d.” I pointed at the packet on the floor and he bent to pick it up.

It was a pack of Stella’s barbiturate tablets. Oh shit–these are really dangerous, I didn’t even know they were being used these days.

Stella finally came into the room, “What’s all the fuss about?” she asked calmly.

“These,” I flung the packet at her; “How many were left in here?”

“I have no idea–I thought I’d thrown them out.”

“Was it half full or more?”

“I can’t remember, why?” she looked at the unconscious figure lying in my arms. “Oh bugger–get an ambulance and tell them it’s barbiturate poisoning–a nine year old. NOW.” She pushed Julie out of the room, who fled down the stairs to make the call.

“Are we going to embarrass her as well?” Stella asked me.

“What–she’s dying, and you’re worried about embarrassment?”

“Hopefully, she’ll be okay–when did she take them?”

“She was awake when I found her, she’s been out for five minutes at most.”

“Okay, let’s strip her, and redress her in her pyjamas, so at least she won’t be asked too many awkward questions.” I could see her point and between us we took off the dress and panties and replaced them with her previous pyjamas.

Within minutes the ambulance sirens were heard, Simon picked up the unconscious child and carried him downstairs. Julie let in the paramedics, Stella handed them the empty packet.

They wired up the unconscious child to the various monitors and then dashed out to the ambulance. Simon and I got ready to run to his car to follow. “If we’re not back, collect the girls.” Stella nodded to say she understood the message.

The ambulance screamed off with sirens blaring and blue lights flashing, Simon hammered along behind in the Jaguar. I jumped out and rushed in to Accident and Emergency while he went to park the car.

“Yes, madam?” said the receptionist.

“My child has just come in by ambulance, we suspect a barbiturate overdose.”

“Okay, can we take some details–?”

I suppose they were necessary but the whole bloody planet seems to run on forms of one sort or another. I filled them in and then went to sit in the waiting area where Simon joined me a few minutes later.

I was called and a nurse took me off to a small office. “It’s very unusual for children to take an overdose, we’ll have to report this to the appropriate authorities. How did your son acquire the tablets?”

The inquisition went on for some time. At the end I asked if Dr Rose was on duty. The nurse went off to find out. “Does he know your son?”

“I think so, he certainly knows me.”

She disappeared again and returned saying, “He’s on his way over.”

“Thank you.”

Sam Rose appeared a few minutes later and when he did, he saw me engulfed in a hug by Simon.

“Well, well–to what do I owe this pleasure?”

“It isn’t a pleasure, Sam, one of my foster kids took an overdose of barbiturate.”

His face dropped. “Which one?”

“Billy, the nine year old boy.”

“Any reason?”

“He’s been a bit different for a couple of days, then decided he’d like to be a girl.”

“Nothing new there then?” Sam replied shaking his head.

“It was for him, but Trish and Livvie encouraged him. I let him dress up over the weekend and he came with the other girls when I took them to school. The next thing I know he’s sitting in with the other girls his age and before I could rescue him, he’s halfway through a history class, working in a small group with some of the other girls.

“He said he really enjoyed himself and when we got back he was full of it the way he was talking with Simon. I went to start making lunch and wondered where he was. I went to look and found him sobbing on the bed. he went unconscious while I was trying to talk with him. It was then I saw the tablets and we called for help. They were barbiturates, which Stella thought she had disposed of.”

He shook his head, “Nasty little drug, barbiturate.”

“They use it for putting animals to sleep, don’t they?”

He nodded. “I’m surprised Stella was using it. Has the child been seen by a shrink of any sort?”

“Yes, Stephanie saw him on Sunday.”

“Yesterday, and she didn’t pick up a suicidal ideation? She’s slipping.”

“Sam, we don’t know it’s a suicide attempt, do we.”

“Taking a pile of pills? Whatever else could it be?”

“We don’t know until we can talk to her,” I held on to Simon’s arm as I spoke.

“I’ll go and see how he is.” He left and I looked at Simon and my eyes filled with tears.

“She’ll be okay,” Simon whispered and hugged me.

“Have you noticed we’re talking about her as if she was a girl?” I observed.

“Yeah, I suppose we are, but then apart from Tom and I, and little Danny, it felt as if everyone else was.”

“Should we let Stephanie know?”

Simon shrugged, “Better see what Sam says.”

“I just don’t know how it happened.” I cuddled into him.

“Perhaps she thought they were sweets?”

“Come off it, she’s not the brightest bulb in the box, but she’s not stupid.”

“Right, this is how you’re going to play it,” said Sam re-entering the office; “I suggested it’s an accident, he thought they were sweets. Stick to the party line and I’ll do what I can to hush it up.”

“We will, is she going to be alright?”

“She? There’s a little boy in there–and yes, he’ll be fine. Very sleepy for a few hours, but he’s going to be fine.”

“Should we tell Stephanie?”

“I’ll give her a ring and ask her to phone you.”

“When can we take Billy home?”

“Hopefully in an hour or two–so if you want some lunch, I’d get it now.”

“I’m not hungry,” I said but it didn’t stop Simon dragging me off to the hospital cafeteria, and judging by the amount he ate, his appetite was unaffected.

I sipped a cup of tea and pushed the sandwich he’d bought me around the plate. “How can you eat at a time like this?”

“A chap’s got to keep his strength up, missus. I mean, I have to support you as well as all the others.”

“I have my own job, Simon, I contribute too.”

“Yeah, I know you think you do, babes.”

I decided that it was hardly the right time or place for an argument, so I said nothing.

My mobile rang and vibrated in my bag, and I answered it: “Hello?”

“Hello, ma’am, it’s Maureen.”

“Hi, Maureen, can I call you back we’re rather busy at the moment.”

“Of course, ma’am–I was just calling to say the doc says he thought I could start back to work in a week or two.”

“Can we talk about it later, Maureen, I’ll call you later.” I rang off and put the phone back in my bag. It was the last thing I was going to think about for the moment.