“Daddy!” As soon as I hear her tiny distressed voice my entire body is on alert.
“Charlotte, what’s wrong sweetheart?” She’s crying and I can hardly understand her. “Slow down princess, what’s the matter, where’s mummy?” I hear her staggered breathing as she attempts to explain it to me.
“Mummy fell down in the kitchen and she won’t get up. Daddy I’m scared.” Fuck, Alannah! What the hell has happened? Has she just fainted or is it something else. Now I’m afraid too.
“Okay, don’t be scared, you’re my brave girl. Where’s Nana, did you try calling her?”
“Grandma’s not here she went away for a holiday. Daddy…” She continues to sob over the phone. I’m freaking out and so far away. FUCK!
What do I do? This is why I should be there or better yet they should be here, at home where they belong. Who the hell do I know out there? Alannah’s boss. Charlotte knows him. I’ll have to call him, I have no other choice.
“Listen to daddy, can you see mummy’s chest moving up and down?” I hear a whole heap of shuffling before she comes back.
“Yes.” I let out the breath I didn’t realise I was holding.
“I’m going to call an ambulance so the doctors can come and take mummy to the hospital to help her. You know mummy’s boss Mr John?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, I’m going to call him as well to come over to the house to get you and take you to his house with his girls and then the hospital to be with mummy. He’ll take care of you until I get there. I’m on my way sweetheart. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Is mummy bleeding anywhere?”
“No, she’s just not moving. What if she doesn’t wake up?”
“She’ll wake up, don’t you worry about that, Mummy is strong and would never leave you. Can you sing me a song while we wait for the ambulance? Please. I want to hear your beautiful voice, sing me your favourite song at the moment.”
I pick up my landline while I have Charlie on the mobile calling an ambulance to go over to their house. I give them the address and as much detail as I can about Alannah and tell them that my five year old daughter is there alone with her. Next I call her boss.
“Hello?”
“Mr O’Donnell, this is Nicholas Moore.”
“Mr Moore. This is a surprise, what can I do for you?”
“Listen, I don’t have a lot of time to explain but I need you to go over to Alannah’s house. Something’s happened and Charlotte called me all in a panic. She said Alannah has fallen in the kitchen and I think she’s unconscious, I’ve called an ambulance but she’s alone and afraid. She knows you, can you please go over there and take care of her until I arrive.”
“Of course. I’ll be there as soon as I can. But if you don’t mind me asking, why exactly did Charlotte call you?” I take a deep breath and tell him the truth.
“I’m Charlotte’s father. It’s a long story but there you have it.”
“I see. Well then, Mr Moore, we’ll be waiting for you. Don’t worry, I’ll look after her.”
“Thank you.”
I hang up and get back to Charlotte singing along with her as I run out of my office to Wade who is sitting in the security room. He sees me in a panic and stands up, I gesture for him to follow me which he does without question.
“Charlotte I’m on my way, I’m going to go get on a plane right now and I will be there before you know it. Mr O’Donnell is on his way so open the door for him when he gets there okay.”
“Okay, Daddy. Please hurry.”
“I love you, Charlotte, so much, everything is going to be just fine. I need to hang up now so I can go get on the plane.”
“Okay, Daddy.” She hiccups. Fuck, fuck, fuck! I feel like punching something.
“Get to the airport as fast as you can, Wade I don’t care how many cameras catch us speeding.” I explain the situation to him and he begins weaving in and out of traffic as quick as he can safely manage.
There is no way I can get the company plane ready to leave in a matter of minutes so my best bet will be a commercial flight. I only hope there’s one leaving soon.
I jump out of the car and run through the airport to the counter. Luck is on my side with a flight due to leave in forty minutes time. I beg them to let me on, I have no luggage and it won’t delay the flight. They can see the worry and panic on my face and kindly give me the ticket telling me to hurry to the gate. I’m recognisable to most people in the city and pose no security risk.
The entire flight over all I can picture is Alannah lying on the kitchen floor and Charlotte crying over her, not knowing what’s going on or what to do. What caused her to collapse? All I have are questions. The only thing I know for certain is that they belong with me. I’m bringing them home somehow after this.
Landing in Perth I grab the first taxi I see and rush over to the hospital. I call O’Donnell to find out which hospital she was taken to and to let him know I’ve landed and am on my way there.
I run inside and spy O’Donnell and Charlotte seated in a couple of those uncomfortable blue plastic seats along the wall.
“DADDY!” She shouts when she sees me and runs full force into my arms.
I gather her up to me, tightly holding onto her, my heart beginning to calm down now that I’m here and she’s in my arms. Her little body is wracked with sobs as she cries into my shoulder.
“I’m here baby girl, I’m here. Let’s go find mummy.” I whisper in her ear while rubbing her back.
I walk up to John and shake his hand.
“Thank you. I don’t know how I can repay you for helping me out.”
“Don’t mention it, there’s no need. I’m glad you called me. We’ve just had some lunch so she shouldn’t be hungry. My wife and our girls did their best to try and distract her for a while. She’s been upset but very brave.” I nod at him in understanding.
“Where’s Alannah?”
He directs me to the floor she’s on and Charlie and I take the elevator up and to the nurse’s station asking about her. I’m given her room number and speed walk over. I need to see her with my own eyes. I need to know she’s okay. I step into her room. She’s asleep or at least I think she’s asleep. I walk closer to her bed. She’s laying on her right side looking so pale with a drip attached to her arm. I take her hand in mine feeling its warmth.
“See, Charlie. Mummy is fine just sleeping.” I don’t know which of the two of us I’m trying to reassure more.
I feel Charlotte grow heavy on me meaning she has fallen asleep. Poor thing must have crashed from all the stress and fear of the situation. I make my way over to the small couch in the room and lay her down covering her with a blanket. I kiss the brown curls on her head and go back over to Alannah’s side, sitting on the chair beside her bed I take her hand again and cry, letting out all the emotions of the past few hours. I had no idea what I was going to find when I got here.
Damn it Alannah.
I hear a doctor walk in so I quickly wipe my face and stand up.
“How is she? What’s wrong with her?” I begin questioning him.