Sighing, William turned to look at Arnold Barrett who seemed just as helpless as he was and raised his eyebrows in silent questioning - his eyes pleading for help.
" Alright girls!" The older man chuckled and intervened. "A big but careful hug, but if you're not....."
" Yeeeeeeyyyyyyyy!!"
He wasn't even done when the excited cries filled the room and a bundle of three happy girls clas-ped tightly around each other joyfully rolled arou-nd on the narrow hospital bed, frightening the on-lookers into cautioning anxiously ;
" Careful.... Stella!" - Leona's frightened cry.
" Hey....Little Star....be careful!" - William's cautio-ning words.
" Stella.....you guys should stop rolling." Leo's causion.
" Girls....you'll fall...."Arnold Barrett has barely fini- shed his words of caution when the girls bundled up girls on the bed suddenly rolled right off it!
Standing on alert the entire time close to the bed, William was able to react in time and hold them up - his heart beating faster it's normal rate. Ca-tching them a few centimetres off the door, Willi-am unconsciously stayed still for a brief moment before laying the still bundled up girls on the bed again.
It was strangely quiet and tensed for that short moment before the anxious questions began pouring forth. But the still bundled up girls on the bed remained silent, looking a bit dazed.
" Call the doctor." Arnold Barrett said urgently, wheeling his wheelchair closer. " Stella? Ava? Eva? Are you girls alright?" He asked as he got closer, ignoring the similar anxious questions around him being being directed at the dazed girls on the bed.
But just as his hands touched them, it seemed like a spell was broken - they looked at him and everyone with wide bright eyes, then finally at themselves. The next moment, they burst into laughter ;
" That was awesome!"
" What the heck.... Stella?!" Leo exclaimed, feeling his heart beating so loudly that he felt it might jump out at any given moment. " You think that's funny? You scared us all so much!"
" Sorry.... Sorry...." Stella replied in between laugh-ter, trying her possible best not to anger anyone further. But....seriously, she found it so funny.
"It's funny right?" William asked between his clen-ched teeth, glaring at the girls his hands were still holding on the hospital bed. How scared he got just now, and these girls find it funny! " Stella...do you realize what could have happened if you girls had fallen down? "
" We're fine William...look. Don't worry." Stella assured him, more serious this this time. But her face still had a smile on."We're are all fine thanks to you. Thank you."
" Thank you....Willi!!" Ava and Eva simply echoed Stella's gratitude, looking lively and so adorable as they looked at him with wide smiles.
"I'm more concerned about you here Stella.You're still recovering. Ava and Eva may just be four, but they're strong and healthy. Do you know what could have happened to you if you had fallen? We were all very scared here Stella."
" I'm sorry everyone." Stella said with a sigh, really noticing everyone 's worried and upset looks af-ter the amusement died down." I really didn't me- an to get everyone worried. I just missed these li-ttle cuties so very much. "
" Bending her head, she gently kissed the girls se-verally on their cheeks, causing them to giggle.
" Wow... Leona." Leo began seriously, turning to look at his sister beside him with a surprised look his eyes slightly wide. " We left home so early to get here to see her before leaving for school and she's not even noticing us. She only misses Ava and Eva. "
"I'm so....hurt right now." Leonard said with a feig- ned hurt look, playing along with her brother.Loo-king at William and Arnold Barrett's slightly worri-ed and amused faces, she continued; " William and Uncle Arnold were all gone with Ava Eva, but she Only missed the girls. I'm so disappointed..."
" Oh... I forgot!" Arnold Barrett suddenly said ur- gently, turning his wheelchair to face Leo and Leona who had suddenly gone completely silent and stiff, looking like they were barely breathing with a know expression on their faces. Behind their backs, they had the fingers of both their hands crossed in earnest prayer or wishing. " You kids will be late for school! Hurry along now!"
" Bet they were praying we wouldn't remember and it worked." William said with a knowing look and and laughed. " But fortunately for us and unfortunately for you....little lazy students...." He pointed mockingly at Leo and Leona who now looked so down and slightly irritated."...you broke your own spell. "
Stella, Ava and Eva's laughter filled the room whil-st Arnold Barrett chuckled. Leo looked at Leona with a blaming look, his look silently asking her why she had to mention school. Guilty and a little offended, Leona replied him with a 'how was I to know' look.
" Come on, you kids should get going now. Stella will be fine." William said gently, urshuring them out the room.
" Take care kids!" Arnold Barrett said after them, waving his right hand with a fond smile. " Your driver might have waited for so long. I'm sure he will soon be here to get you....."
He hadn't ended his sentence when the trimmed haired forty - one years old male personal assis-tant of their adopted parents showed up at the door. Looking simple but professional in a long sleeved peach coloured shirt and a pair of black pants with dark - brown shiny shoes.
" Uncle the seer." Leo mumbled, shuffling her feet as William gently but unyieldly pushed them to - wards the door. Everyone couldn't help but laugh, except Leona who had a frown on her face and Leo who looked so hesitant.
" Leo..... Leona, let's go. You're getting late." Their driver said whilst opening the door a bit wider for them. Seeing William and Arnold Barrett, he wa-ved at them with a smile.
" Sorry Mr. Barret, William. I have to send the kids to their school. They're running late. " He said.
" No worries here. But you really have to fly these lazy students to their school right away before they skip." Arnold said with a serious face.
" A few minutes with them still here, and they will make up a tank full of excuses to stay with Stella here. Throw them from here to their school if you have to."William said half jokingly , half seriously and flicked their foreheads lightly when they tur-ned and glared at him with wronged expressions. " Hurry up! "
"Uncle Lemuel,can we skip school just for today?" Leona asked, looking innocently and charmingly at their driver - Lemuel." It's Saturday and if not for the school's project, we wouldn't have to go. Besides, we'll be closing before noon anyway. It's not a big deal. " She smiled broadly at the end. Looking at him expectantly.
" See?" Anorld Barrett and William both said in synchronisation and burst into laughter with Stella and the girls, shaking their heads.
" Sorry kids, but you need to go to school. " Le-muel said gently, a smile tugging at his lips.
" Please...? I don't want to go. I want to stay with Stella." Leona whined.
" I'm fine Leona, you guys should go. You will be closing soon anyway." Stella said, trying to convince them. Looking at Leo, she continued, knowing there was hope at his side. " Leo, you understand me right? "
" Yes...we're going. " Leo replied with a resigned sigh."Take care Stella....and everyone. Leona, let's go. " He took his sister's hands and began dragg-ing her still hesitant self to the entry.
" Thanks, Leo." Stella said with a grateful smile. Leo merely looked back at him with a light smile and continued out the door.
" Come on kids, " Lemuel said helplessly, looking at the twins looking so disspirited infront of him. Eventhough they were outside the hospital room, they still looked hesitant. " Don't look like that. You'll soon be back and can stay the entire day with Stella here. No one will stop you. Come on... I'll get you two your favourite ice cream from Ste-llas work place....."
" Lemuel!" William suddenly called urgently.
" Yes?" Lemuel responded, looking back at him in the room.Meeting William and Arnold Barrett's ur-gent gazes, he saw them signal him to take Leo and Leona away quickly.
Meanwhile Stella had suddenly turned stiff and more pale upon the mention of ice-cream and her workplace.
" My...my...money....my payment..." She began mumbling a cent mindedly, looking like she just remembered something important. She then tur-ned frantic and started getting out of bed, winc-ing at the sudden bolt of pain and dizziness that hit her. Causing her to stagger backwards with her hands with her hand moving to her head, her face turning pallor.
" Stella!" Ava and Eva cried, reaching out their little hands to steady her.
" Lemuel, get them away! " Anorld Barrett said aloud this time, whilst William rushed to Stella's side and supported her. But not before pushing the door shut.
" Stella? What's happening to..." Leo began but was immediately ushered away with Leona to-wards the entrance of the hospital and out of it into the car with made up stories from Lemuel. Eventhough they weren't convinced, they decided to just finish up whatever was needed at the sch-ool and hurry right back.
At that moment in the hospital room, Stella was getting more frantic and serious about leaving ; ignoring William's proposal of paying her the amount the restaurant owed her for for making the ice-creams and going for it later with her when she gets better;
"You don't understand.....William." Stella said des-perately whilst trying to get William's firm but gentle hold of her hands, her eyes beginning to water. " I worked for the money....and I was supposed to go it yesterday....."
"Calm down Stella....hey listen to me dear.... ." Arnold Barrett coaxed, trying to calm down the frantic girl whilst pulling Ava and Eva who had been pulled away from Stella by William to his side. " You get better first and we will personally accompany you to get your payment okay? "
" No...no...you don't understand. They now know I've been lying about age.....they...they thought I.. I was almost eighteen. But...but Mrs. Klaus and Alex went there for my....my payment and told them my age when they caused a scene there. I... I was going to back for my money when I ended up.....up here...." She looked around carefully for the first time.
" They took your money and still threw you out?! " William asked in disbelief and irritation." When we learnt you were living with them after arriving today, we went there and they told us they've thrown you out because you were owing rent and refused to pay. We were actually on our way to Leo and Leona's house to ask of you when we met them and we all came her. "
" So...they have your money? " Arnold Barrett asked, wanting to be sure.
"Yes....yes..."Stella replied, a rear rolling down her face." MissLinda told me they gave them my pay- ment because they were causing a scene and were asking for it. Then fired me..... I need to get my money back! They will spend it! "
"Stella... Calm down..... " William said calmly. But Stella seemed more determined.Pushing William away unexpectedly, she jumped down from the bed.
"Stella!" William and Arnold Barrett cried in alarm. But before William could get to her she had gone scarily pale, then staggered weakly and dizzily to-wards the door.
"Doctor!"Anorld Barrett shouted, wheeling himself towards Stella who was being lifted off the cold floor by William. Ava and Eva hovering around, looking anxious but remained silent.
" No...don't call the doctor....don't call...the doc- tor.....don't call...him..." Stella's weak but firm continued, her body shaking slowly at first, then got violent. Her hand held her head firmly.
" Arnold, she's turning feverish!"
Just then the door opened and the male doctor and two new female nurses rushed in. However the moment William let go of Stella for them to take over, yer struggles and cries intensified and turned more frantic.
" No...no.....let me.... go! Don't touch me! No! No!" Whilst the chaos went went on, the anxious four in the living room were asked to go out as the professionals held Stella down and got to work to sedate her. Her cries turned more desperate and heartbreaking.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps from the corridor were heard coming towards their direction were heard. A short moment later, the almost closed door was violent pushed further open and a mas-culine voice sounded loudly and authoritatively, anger evident in it;
" Let her go!"