Work Text:
Hospital, children’s floor
Peyton holds her mom’s hand tight as they enter the hospital, heading straight to Brooke’s room. The little girl is currently hospitalized, having been diagnosed with bronchitis. It had taken over four days for someone to realize that Brooke’s illness was something very serious.
Peyton looks up at her mom. “Brooke is gonna be ok, right, Mama?”
Anna has noticed that she needs constant reassurance that her best friend is not going to suddenly die. She has been terrified after what happened. Anna smooths back her curls and leans down to kiss her forehead.
“Yes, sweetie. She will be ok. The doctors will help her get better, I promise.” The elevators dings and they step out. They head to Brooke’s room and find her already crying.
She sits on the bed, dressed in a pair of pajamas. She has her left hand wrapped in tape and gaze, which holds the IV needle in place. A pulse-ox is on her finger. The monitor behind her shows her heart rate is a bit elevated, which makes sense; she seems to have been crying for a while now.
She sniffles and coughs, rubbing her face. Anna frowns. So does Peyton. She looks at the nurse, who is at the sink getting the nebulizer ready, and glares at her.
“This is why I didn’t wanna leave her, Mama,” Peyton states, walking directly to the bed and climbing onto it. She wraps her arms around her friend.
Anna shares a look with the nurse. Josie smiles at her, a calm, friendly motion. She measures the medicine, Albuterol, and pours the liquid into the machine. She has a tube with a mask, the easiest way for it to work for children Brooke’s age.
“She got a little upset,” Josie explains. “I think she is just ready to go home.” She lowers her voice as she continues, “And I believe she had some bad dreams last night… woke up crying for her mom several times.”
Anna closes her eyes. She hates that Brooke is aware her parents don’t give a damn but still has the childlike urge to want the comfort of her mom or dad during a scary time like this. She can't think of a pair of more undeserving parents.
Anna walks toward the bed knowing that Josie is about to make Brooke all the more upset – when she gets like this, Brooke is not up for new experiences.
“Hey, bug! How are you doing today, huh?”
Brooke looks up at her, head on Peyton’s shoulder. “I wanna go home, Miss Anna,” she bites out, green eyes rimmed red, and cheeks flushed from both crying and her rubbing it.
Anna smiles sadly. “Oh, sweetie, I know. But we need to stay and let the doctors help get you better.” She looks at Nurse Josie as she grabs the nebulizer and begins walker over. Brooke hasn’t noticed her.
”You remember how Peyton sometimes has a special mask that helps her get her medicine?”
“Yeah…” Brooke looks confused until she notices Josie. Her expression crumples. “I don’t want that!” She tries to scoot away, but Peyton is in the way. Anna sighs. Well… she can't say this was unexpected.
Peyton, frowning as she looks at her mom, suggests that she do it first. Josie looks at Anna. She is aware the little girl also receives these treatments. Anna nods, not even trying to convince Brooke.
So Josie changes course and leans over to Peyton, who had scooted forward. “Alright, Brooke. I’m going to put the mask on Peyton… See here? It goes over her nose and mouth.” She stretches the rubber band over the top of her head, making sure it does not pull on her curls.
“See, Brookie. Look-” her voice is slightly muffled. “It doesn’t even hurt! And all you gotta do is breathe in, like this-” she inhales deeply. “-and the medicine goes inside you and helps you get better!”
“Now, Peyton has to sit here and be still… and the medicine will go in her body and help her fight the cold she has,” Anna explains while Josie goes to ask for another machine and child-size mask.
Brooke eyes her warily. Peyton looks ok… She isn’t crying, and her eyebrows aren't scrunched together like when she is mad or upset or scared. She just settles in the chair next to the bed, and takes a sketchbook and a big bag of colored pencils from her mom.
“See, bug? All okay. How about you do it too, huh? The medicine will help you breathe better… and it will get rid of that nasty cough. It’ll probably make your chest and muscles feel better too.” She tries not to oversell it. Brooke is young, but not dumb.
Brooke eyes them with suspicion, but when Nurse Josie makes up the second one and comes over, she is more cooperative. Nurse Josie had braided her hair earlier, after helping her take a quick bath. She french braided two parts so the rubber band would not get tangled or pull on it painfully.
“Okay, sweetie… I’m going to stretch this behind you and you can hold the mask right here… There! All done. Now, you can sit here and read a book or color, or I can find some cartoons for you to watch.” Josie offers, grabbing the remote attached to the bed and turning on the small television.
The two girls sit there, drawing and watching Tom & Jerry. Peyton is used to the treatment, but Brooke tries to take the mask off, not enjoying the feeling of it on her face. Anna stops her multiple times, and eventually she relents. The treatments last about twenty-five minutes and then it’s done.
However, Brooke is not happy when she discovers she has to do it again several times throughout the day… but as she smiles about getting a sticker and a toy from the treasure chest, Anna knows this went much better than she had expected.