Patrick grumbled at agreeing to spend the holiday season in the city. He loved Eliza, but a family-focused Winterfest should be that. He imagined cooking an oversized turkey, stuffing himself and watching his daughter’s squabble. Leticia would curl next to him on the sofa to watch a movie hoping the snow would fall. If it did, they would all be outside building snow pals and getting chilled to the bone with winter fun. Daciana snuggled deeper into her bed, where warmth and cosiness resided. Her depleted energy levels meant she began sleeping through alarm clocks and classes. The struggle with food grew evermore concerning, and the doctors considered sectioning her. The idea she would be force-fed or put on a high-calorie drip scared Daciana and Patrick.
Worse was to come as Patrick faced the reality of declaring his sister deceased. A bizarre concept when she was eight months pregnant at a family picnic a month earlier. The involvement of Child services brought into question how his guardianship occurred. Before receiving the death certificate, they wanted to raise charges, sighting child neglect. The Ministry of Magic took secretive measures to prevent this and further action. Patrick struggled to hide his surprise at a recent phone call. Child Services apologised for misplacing the death certificate. Patrick received additional guidance to support and manage Daciana’s aversion to eating. Daciana refused counselling, despite it being a condition of staying at home.
These events overshadowed Winterfest celebrations with his sister. The Ministry advised Charlotte and Caleb to limit their presence in the human world. A decision which should have pleased Patrick. Having official adoption certificates should ease the worries. Except for Patrick, it was not enough to shake the bad feeling.
Scarlett prepared a faux Turkey dinner, stuffed with nuts, berries, mushrooms and rice. The table, adorned with vegetables, lacked the hearty meat staples Patrick enjoyed. He refrained from complaints as Scarlett carved. Daciana, her stomach growling, yawned her way through dinner. She pushed carrots into the mash and hid the pretend meat under her napkin. Since morning, her head ached, body shivered. Daciana pulled her cardigan tighter around her. Beads of sweat shimmered on her forehead. Excusing herself, moving into the lounge. Daciana bent double in pain, clutching both her stomach, she collapsed on the floor.
Patrick paced the corridor, ignoring Leticia as she pleaded with him to sit. The hospital ran a skeleton crew on Winterfest. It seemed making Daciana comfortable was all they could do. They scheduled several tests and took blood samples. Preliminary findings failed to show signs of infection.
When they were able to see her, Daciana was groggy. She had enough consciousness to request Luliana restrain herself from opening her presents. Patrick laughed, tears breaking through. Underneath his concerns, anger bubbled. The blame needed to rest with her parents. He knew little of supernatural affairs, but there were bound to be consequences. When something dead reproduces with someone living, a child suffers. His love for Daciana stopped him from rushing off to confront Caleb. Patrick’s bad feelings made sense; all he could do was watch his daughter.
Daciana hospital pose https://www.patreon.com/posts/kid-in-hospital-65520912
By the Grace of Sim Gods 