The Gift Of Life

[jessi]

Summary: On New Years day 1992 Jim and Liz lost their baby girl just hours after she was brought in to the world. But what if there had been a different fate for Baby Katie? What if she had been given the gift of life?

Chapter 1

Yes she had been scared for her daughter for awhile, but now at long last, Elizabeth McDonald found her
fears unfounded. Her little one had strength in her. Where she go it from, Liz was never going to know.
“I can’t wait to get you out of the hospital sweet heart. You, me and daddy are going to have such fun Katherine, “ she said as the door to the intensive care unit open end to revealed her husband Jim.
“Look who’s come to see us?” Elizabeth smiled down on her tiny new daughter.
Jim laughed. How wife was so happy. That was all he had ever wanted for his Lizzy deep down.
“How’s our princess?” he asked as he kissed her head and moved round to the other side of the crib so he was going to be able to access her more easily.
“Out of the danger at last. The doctors have said she may be a ‘special needs baby’, but we can handle that I think…”
“As long as my baby girl is breathing I don’t care how many needs she had. I’ll care for them all.” said the emotional Irishman.
“Who would have thought it? Me and you. A new baby at our age.” she said. “Its been eighteen year since I had the twins.” she remembered as she stroked Katie’s soft blonde hair.
“I know.” he said though he wasn’t really listening., “she’s a little miracle.”
“I am not going to argue with that.” said the exhausted mother. “Our little miracle.”
Seeing how tired she was Jim crossed the crib again and took her in his arms. “She’s not the only one who needs sleep you know.”
“I couldn’t, not when she was so - I don’t want to think about it.”
For a minute it had been so touch or go whether there little girl had survived and it had petrified her, and him, they had both been so scared.
“Well we don’t have to worry over that. She’s a fighter Lizzy and she is going to come home with us in just a few days,” he promised. “Go get some rest. Is there’s any change I’ll come wake yer.” he said to her pressing another kissed to her brow.
“Alright.” she said as she kissed Katie’s head and then Jim’s lips before yawning. “I guess I am a little tired.” she said as she headed up to her bed.. She needed sleep. He was right.
Stroking Katherine’s head he didn’t believe he had a daughter. After all the time… two sons, a girl, a beautiful wife. What more did any man need.
At her fathers touch the little girls blue eyes opened wide
“Hello lass.” he said and the pale baby looked around with curiosity though at the person above her.
“I’m your daddy. Yes I am.” he said to her
He could have sworn in that moment she smiled up at him as if to say ‘I know’.
“Your a right little bobby dazzler.” he said as he pulled her baby blanket over her. He wasn’t going to let any thing going to let any thing go wrong, or anyone hurt her, not ever and god help the boy who looked at her the wrong way…
No other man was ever going to be allowed to touch his little girl. Except maybe his sons. Maybe…
She was special…
“How’s she doing today then; shall we check you over little missy?” said a nurse as she came in to the care unit. “You must be Katherine’s father, I wasn’t there yesterday when she arrived but I sat with your wife for a bit this morning.” she introduced her self.
“Nice to meet you.” he said but his eyes didn’t stray from the wide eyed baby.
“You must be proud.” She said smiling. These were the moments that made the job worth while.
“Yer cant understand how much. We already have sons but - I cant remember feeling like this when they were born, but it were a while ago.” how ever Jim knew he was never going to forget a minute, not of his daughters day.
“Well, why don’t we see if you can hold her?” she asked.
“Liz would kill me. Let’s do it.” he said cheekily.
“Right then,” she said as she begun examining the McDonalds baby.
“Good strong heart beat today, its says she feed this morning in her notes. Looks like yesterday was a false alarm doesn’t it?” She said to him. “Now go on dad. Pick her up.” the nurse encouraged.
Jim did as she was told with out a second thought.
So far, Katherine had been by herself a lot except when the doctor’s had been seeing to her and this had unnerved her father.
When they had had the twins, Liz and Jim had held as soon as they had been born, but when they had takee Katie away from them yesterday, he had been so sure they had lost her.
Gurgerling and relaxing in to what would soon be the familiar arms of her father Katherine shut her eyes and fell back sleep.
“She is so perfect.” he said as he dropped kisses in to her thin layer of blonde hair.

--------

One week later

The residents of Coronation Street came out of their houses to welcome their friends and their new baby home.
“Welcome back, oh Liz!” said Deirdre.
“Thank you.” said the new mum as she got the car which she had been brought back in and gave her a hug.
“How are you all?”
“We’re great. Katie’s much better.” she said as she watched, proud as punch as her husband got their baby out.
“Oh she is beautiful Jim!” cooed Bet.
“So she is.” he said as he kissed her again.
The freezing January weather surrounded them and the concerned father was worried his daughter was going to get cold. He was never going to let her get cold. Not till she was a bit bigger at least. “I’m going to get her inside in to the warm.” he said as he gazed adoringly at his wife.
“I’m coming too, I need to get some sleep.” she said following him in, “catch up with you girls later.” she said as her husband escorted her in before he went back to get her bags. He was so glad to have his girls home.
“Ladies.” Jim said as he went in to no 11, passing by Bet and Deirdre.
Together, Steve and Andy raced down to met their mother, father and sister from hospital.
“Mum, how you doing,” said Andy as he gave her a hug.
“On top of the world.” she said to her.
“Mum she’s beautiful.” said Steve as he looked at the bundle in his fathers arms. As Steve reached out to take her from his dad Jim pulled back.
“Not yet.” said Jim. He wasn’t going to let her out of his arms yet. Except maybe to Elizabeth, if she wanted a cuddle but he wanted to hold the little ‘un close too.
Just for five more minutes…

[valda]

great one Jessi more please

[jessi]

There will be

[valda]

Great I can`t wait ,your a wonderfull writer

[jessi]

Here we are:

Two days later and Liz felt better than she had when she had got home/. There was something about your own how that nothing else could beat.
Waking up next to Jim, she heard her daughter stir at the bottom of their bed in her basinet.
“Good morning,, my darling Katie.” she said as she got up and took her downstairs. She had only had her nine days ago and yet she had taken over both her parents life.
“Are you going to have a feed before your brothers and daddy come down, are you?” Elizabeth said as she begun nursing her child.
So far her daughter had proved to be a very relaxed baby. She went with the flow and only really cried when she needed something. And even then it wasn’t too loud. No she had slotted in to there lives well. Liz thought perfectly.
Cradling her baby felt so good. Liz had begun to give up hope she and her husband were ever going to have another child. How wrong she had been.
“You two are up early.” she heard as Andy came in to the room.
“Yeah she was stirring and if I hadn’t got up with her she would have only work your father and he did the night feed, well he got up with us any way. He’s been so good with you, hasn’t he?” Liz said to her daughter.
“Maybe he needed a daughter. He wasn’t too good with his sons when we were young, was he?” Andy said in a bitter manor.
“He was young, in the army. He’s so much more settled now.” said Elizabeth proudly. It was twenty years in two since they had met and fell in love.
“Doesn’t make him good with me and Steve now either.” Andy shrugged. He loved his dad, and he wanted to do Jim proud but… his father was not the easiest man to get along with.
“He does try.” said Liz.
“Perhaps,” said Andy as he kissed both the McDonald girls. “Have a good day!” he said as he went off to college.
Going out in to the hall, he saw Steve had got up too.
“Going to look for a job today?” he said to the less responsible of the two twins.
“No I’m going to go see Vicky,” he said .
“Oh no your not.” a voice said from upstairs.
“Git.” Steve said as he realized older of the to twins had seen there father coming down and had set him right up, yet he guessed he had just walked straight in to it blindly, and if it had been the other way round he wouldn’t have done it any different. Fair play was fair play.
“Bye guys.” said Andy as the door shut on the living room which Steve and Jim both walked in too.
“And how are the ladies of the house hold this morning?” asked Jim as he looked as proudly at him wife and new born child.
“hungry.” she said as she looked down on the still feeding baby.
“Mum can’t you two go do that else where, I’m trying to have my breakie here.” said Steve.
“You go else where, me and Katie were here first and I am not going to disturb your sister.” she said.
“Cup of tea love?” Jim asked.
“yes please darlin’,” Elizabeth said .
“Me two dad.”
“Son when you get yourself a job, then I will make you cup of tea.” Jim said as he walked in to the relatively small kitchen.
Laughing softly at her son and husband antics Liz looked down at her baby.
“Aren’t they stupid, that daddy and brother of yours.” she said speaking to Katie as if she understood every word she was saying to her.
It was presently that Katie stopped drinking and laid back in to yet another of her peaceful, sleepy dozes.
Steve couldn’t see the attractions of having a sister, well not yet. When he was older maybe he would but as far as he could see all Katie did was burp, fart, eat and sleep.
God how he envied her.
Winding Katie, Liz walked to the kitchen to her husband who had just got the tea bag out her cup.
“Now I remember the true meaning of tiredness.” She said as he she yawned.
“So do I, so do I.” he said matching her with his own and laughing as he did so.
“I can’t wait till she goes through the night then things really were going to be good.” From what she was able to remember the boys had begun to go through that when they had when they were five or so months.
“What are we going to do today then?” she asked.
“Kev Rang this morning.” he said almost mournfully. “Sweet heart his paying time and a half and we need the cash now we have a little one to feed again especially now you’ve left work for a bit to look after our wee lass.” he said to her.
“I know but - Jim not today please! We only just got her home two nights ago…”
“You’ll be ok!” he promised her as he watched his wife wind his baby. She was a natural at it.
“But I want the next few days to be about us so badly. Me, you and the kids.” she said.
“And they will be. I am going to make sure of it. I’ll tell Kevin I’ll only work till lunch ok. He’s got a little girl. He’ll understand.” he said and kissed both his girls. “You two and the twins are the only ones who matter to me in this world, you so are.” He said to her. “And I need ter look after all of yer.”
She nodded understanding. Both of them had had affairs in the past. Both of them had hurt one another. But maybe now that was going to change because as they held their girl between them she couldn’t imagine wanting any other man. Any other love. She just hoped he felt the same about her, because if not then he was going to break her heart.
---

Bet and Deirdre could stay away no longer.
“We had to come and see you both check how you both were doing.” said bet to Liz.
“I don’t mind I think I am quite glad of the company. Jim had to go do some over time though he said he is going to be home by lunch time.” she told her best friend as she led them in to the living room.
“How is Katherine?” asked Deirdre.
“She’s wonderful,” she said and as her friend mentioned her girls name, she went over to the Moses basket where her daughter was.
“Katherine, you going to wake up for your aunties.” said Liz as she stroked her daughters check.
Nothing. It was freezing cold.
Not even a stir.
“Katie?” said Liz panicking as she picked her daughter up.
Still nothing.
“Bet, go get Jim. Please, get Jim.” she said to her, he would know what to do surely.

[RitaLittlewood]

Oh no!

Patsy

[valda]

ohh no ,not now please Jessi they were all so happy :,(

[jessi]

Chapter 3

Jim had been having a nice day till he had seen none of his wife’s best friends run over to the garage looking for him.
Bet seemed to have had a terrible shock.
“You alright?” he asked.
“Jim, its Katherine, you have to come quick.” for the caring and warm father that was all he had to hear. If she was in trouble her had to be there. Not even bothering to look for Kevins permission he tore off over the road to his house.
“Where’s Jim going?” asked Kevin as he came out from round the back.
“It’s Katherine. I think something happen to her. Liz asked me to get him for her.”
“Fair enough.” he said to her. If something had happened to Rosie he would want to be with her. He hoped she was ok.

-----

Having taken off his work overalls outside the door, so he was just in his clean jeans and t-shirt as quick as he had been able to, Jim got in to number eleven in record time. Please… he thought. Don’t take her now…not when she had made it home. She had to live.
As he run in to there living room, the first thing he saw was his wife crying over their baby girl’s seemingly lifeless body.
Taking the infant from Liz as quick as he could he knew he had to do some thing. He would not just let his wee girl go, not when she had been fighting for life for so long.
“Katherine?” he asked. “Come on Katie, it’s your daddy. Sweetheart wake up.” he said as his hand moved to her tiny chest. Never before had he felt such fear. He wouldn’t let her go, if he lost her she was never going to forgive himself. Pressing gently down on her chest, not so much to hurt her, never to hurt her, just to get the air moving through her, he prayed to god it worked.
Wake up baby.
The next thing he heard was music to his ears, Katherine was crying. He had got her back.
“Thank you baby, thank yer.” he said as he held her close. Liz who had been convinced she had lost her child, let out a shriek of joy.
“Jim.” she cried as she walked over to join her husband and daughter in their tears, and he more than willingly held her close to him.
“We have to get her back to Weathy general I think love, just for a check up yes?“ he said to her and she nodded.
“why don’t I take her one my own?” suggested Jim. Liz was exhausted and an emotional wreck already. The last thing she needed was to go back in to the hospital they had brought their baby back from just two days ago.
“If you thinks its best.” she nodded, as she leant gently in to him, looking at Katie’s tiny screwed up grace. As long as the girl was with her father then she was going to be ok, wasn’t she? So far he had kept true to his promise, about being a more hands on parent and she had to say he was doing great from some one who had found it so hard when they had had the twins first time around.. She remembered when they had been talking when she had been pregnant and he had told her how much he had wanted to be their for her so much more when the twins had been young and yet with his job there had just been no time. This time he had plenty.
“Just rest, I’ll come back for you later if you want, I will.” he said as he moved to get his daughter’s pink blanket and Liz helped him wrapped her up.
“Come on then my wee lass.” he said to her, but before he and Katie left he turned to his wife’s friends and simply said to them “Look after her,” god knows some one had too.
“We’ll stay as long as se needs us, don’t worry Jim. Go.” said Deirdre as she put her arm round a shaken Elizabeth. Why had that happened? She had been fine when Liz had put her down. It had just been five minutes so she had been able to get going on the house work that had been building up whilst she had been in hospital and she had to get it done then because Jim wouldn’t let her do anything but rest when he was home.
Thank god he had been so close. If he had been further away god knows what would have happened to there little daughter.

----
Jim had hoped to never have to see his infant girl in a incubator again but just two days after she had been let out of one, she was back in and this time she was not laying quiet, but screaming out for her father or mother to come and comfort her.
Ever since they had got her home, it had been very rare even when she had been sleeping for Katie to be put down. Every one had been making such a fuss of her, wanting to give her comfort and smoother her with love and affection but now he had been told he was not aloud to hold her, only touch her through the little hand holes. It wasn’t enough, not for either of them. For the past two nights, she had slept in his arms, he had held her…now that had been taken from them both. It hurt…
“Come on Katherine.” he begged her. He couldn’t stand seeing the child so distressed. “Shh sweet heart, I am here.” he promised her.
“Please, let me give her a hug, just for a minute. Let me settle her.” he said to one of the nurses tending his daughter’s illness, what ever she had. “She needs me.”
“I am sorry sir, but she is wired up to the machine now and we can’t risk it being knocked out of place just yet.” she said pitying the father who obviously just wanted his little one in his arms so much.
He was glad he had not brought Elizabeth; in the state she had been in when she had got to the house it would have just served to upset his wife further. She had just given birth. She needed rest.
“Mr McDonald.” he heard a deep male voice come in to the room. This was the part of the job he hated. telling parents there new born were so severely ill. “It would seem after analysis’s of Katherine’s results, that she has meningitis. “
Jim felt as if he might collapse. Meningitis? His little girl… no…..it couldn’t be true. It just couldn’t be.

[valda]

good one Jessi oh no poor Jim and Liz Meningitus oh god the poor kid :,(

[jessi]

Yup.

Katies going to be based on some one I know very well. Due to the premiture birth, unless i changed the date of it, I thought it would be hard for her to be born that early (Liz was only 6 months gone I think), so thinking on it now she did come home to quick any way. Back to my point, I trhought it'd be hard for her to recover with out some problem. Don't worry, for the most part, Katie is going to have a normal life, just like the one I've based her on, but there are going to be a few things that give away her problems at birth.

[RitaLittlewood]

They always say you should write about what you know so well done. Pity the same can't be said for the actual writers.

Patsy

[jessi]

Well I know the person like the back of my hand. Hopefully I'll potray them well.

Chapter 4

At two in the morning, Jim got back. He had to change, tell the others what was going on and then get up the hospital again. He didn’t want to lose her., not for a minute. When she had been at home it had seemed to him Katherine had begun to grow in size in to a healthy baby but when she had gone back in early that day. she looked so tiny all over again and it had really unnerved him.
Opening the door to his home, Jim went in to find the twins, their mother and Bet, as well as Deirdre were all up, though probably only cause they had been so dosed up on caffeine.
As she saw her husband return, Liz jumped up a nd run in to his arms. “How is she?” asked the scared mother.
“Hanging on in there as ever.” he promised and he looked at his sons who looked as pale as their mother, it must have been a shock for the lads to find there sister so ill, because when they both gone out she had been fine. Jim reminded himself in those moments he had two sons who needed him there for them, not just a daughter. No matter what they said…
“What have the doctors said dad.” asked Andy as he looked at him. Bet and Deirdre were listening to him as closely as the members of his own family were. They were true friends.
”I want your mother to sit down first.” he said as he guided Liz to the sofa where she sat down as she had been told too. Any thing to find out what was going on with her baby sooner.
“Now it sounds worst than it is.” he said to her, “I want you to understand that. They’ve caught t in the early stages so there is only a tiny chance she won’t recover, and a ninety percent chance she will.”
“Jim, stop with the sugar coating. What’s wrong with our child?” asked Liz bluntly.
“She’s got meningitis.” he sighed and she begun shaking her head in denial and he heard the other two women in the room bit back gaps. ”but listen to me love. They have caught it in the very first stages, she will get better.” he said reminding her of what he had just said.
But Elizabeth was distraught.
“Jim, why her? Why us? Why can’t she just be ok?” she asked and wrapping his arms round her and laying back against the sofa he shook his head and felt tears come to his eyes. That was a question he didn’t have an answer too.
“I wish I knew love.” he said. He really did.
He knew it was cruel, but he didn’t know if he could bear to go back to his daughter, it wasn’t her fault she had got so sick and she shouldn’t bee left alone. But her crying was going to aught him forever. All she had wanted was to be picked up and given a cuddle. She needed him to be strong for her, but he didn’t know if he could be.
“When aware you going back in dad?” asked Steve..
“After I get a bite to eat and shower.” he told them. Or just showered. How could he eat right now?
“Want me and Andy to come in with you?” he asked knowing his father was struggling to keep it together. He had never seen him so distraught before.
“Not unless you want too.” he said to the boys as he looked back to Liz. “Do you want to come?”
“Yeah.” She said to him. “I’m going to get ready. Why don’t you two get off?” she turned to her friends. “The boys don’t need sitters and Deirdre, don’t you need to get back to Tracy.”
“She’s with ken tonight, but I guess I might if your sure.” She said and Liz nodded, before seeing her and Bet out.
With in half an hour the twins and their parents were backoff up the hospital to be with Katie.
As the got to the intensive care unit Katie seemed to have clamed herself down from her crying at last, and as her father familiar touch reached out for her she shut her eyes sleepily. It had been a very trying day for all of them, her included.
Putting his other hand over her tiny one, Jim try too lull his daughter to a complete slumber. If she was in any pain god forbid that way she was not going to fell it if she was asleep. Wrapping her finger weakly round his Steven saw her hand was so tiny it didn’t even stretch all the way round. Till now he had not really looked at her. He felt bad about that now.
“Go to sleep Katherine.” whispered Jim as Liz leant in to him praying that they were going to be strong enough to pull her through this.
The next week were going to be hard.
“She’s so tiny.” Liz said. It was as if she had never seen her before. So she had noticed it too, thought Jim remembering what he had thought when she had gone in there too.
“What treatment is she going to have to have dad?” asked Andy. Just like the rest of them he just wanted her home.
“Well, they said they were going to have to put her on a set of drugs and then if they don’t work another … I didn’t follow it all but I don’t like the amount of drugs they had to use. What if her body can’t take it?” he worried for her.
“They’re doctors Jim.” said Liz. “They have to do what’s best for her.” she said.
“I know, I know. I just want to make it better for her and I would if I could.” rather him than her, he had lived his life. She was so young. She was a baby. She was his baby.
Please don’t take her god…
“I know you would.” said Liz as she looked at her husband proudly. He had done all he could and yet he was so eager to do more. What she would do with out him, she some times wondered. Then she shut the thoughts away. She didn’t want to think on what she would do without him. They were together, and they always would be. He was so important to her.
They had a few long weeks ahead of them, and they’d get through them together as they always did.

[valda]

I think your doing a great Job Jessi keep it up

[jessi]

Chapter 5

“Kevin.” said Jim as he went to the garage.
“How you doing mate?” he asked, not as an employer, but as a friend and a fellow father.
How was he? He was hurting for his daughter and he had never been more deeply upset.
“Surviving.” he said simply. It wasn’t a lie, but he had nothing more optimistic to say in these dark days. “Kevin, I think I am going to have to put my notice in. I have to be there for Lizzy unconditionally right now and Katherine too.”
“How is she bearing up, Katherine?” he asked solemnly.
“Hanging on,” sighed the father who felt such grief at what she was going through, the medicine was working but slowly. It might take three or four weeks till she was well enough to return to the street with her mum and her dad.
“Good.” said Kevin. “Well it’d be a shame to lose you, you’re a good mechanic. I can hold the job if yuu like and just get cover till you think you can return.” sauid Kevin. He would much rather do it than let him go completely. Workers like him didn’t come along often.
Jim smiled. Yes he wanted that. “Could yer?”
“Course.” he said to him.
“Thank you.” he said simply.
“Your going through a rough patch and I am not one to kick a man when he’s down on his luck..” Kevin stated.
“Well maybe it might just turn around for us soon.” suggested Jim. Such an act of kindness from his boss had touched him when he had been so down.
“I hope so mate, your deserve a bit of it, as does your little ‘un.” he said, ”Don’t worry about coming back too soon. Just worry about getting that baby of yours well again.”
Smiling gratefully Jim did as he said and went off home to get Liz so that they could head up the hospital.
How couldn’t he want to get his little girl out of there? His life at the moment consisted of comforting his wife, visiting his daughter and trying and failing to keep up with both of his son’s antics. It was so much easier with Andy cause he was at school but he never knew what Steven was up to because he had no energy left a lot of the time to find out.
Katherine in time got a lot more used to her father than any other member of her family, even her mother. Liz was still so tired from the birth as it felt to her she had had no time to recover from it and she was just so emotionally drained all of the time. Some times she was just in no fit state to see the little girl.
Jim though as much as he had wanted to at times had not yet lost control once since the baby had been born and he had kept his wild temper in check. This was no time to go off in a rage. He had to think of the others.
He had no other choice.
A week slowly passed since she had gone back in and Liz was sick of the glances as she went down the road. Sick of people asking how she was. Sick of people wondering if her child was going or live or die. She didn’t want or need sympathy. Surely if she was going to she would have given up by now. Katherine wanted to live.
And as slowly as it was Katherine was improving, the drugs were working.
“She’s doing better than we hoped and she is reacting well to the treatment,” said the nurse. “If she keeps it up, only two more weeks till she can go home for good hopefully. though her progress will have to be monitored very carefully.” she said.
“Why?” asked Liz as she sat with her child.
“Well it is a very rare thing for one so small as Katie to get meningitis and then not have side affects. Her hearing could be affected, or her sight. Possible her hand eye coordination skills. How ever many of these things an be dealt with and for the most part she should be able to lead a very normal life.” she said hopefully.
“Good, after what she put up with in just these past seventeen days has been enough suffering for any baby. I’ve hated it.” she said and then he realized she was talking as if they were out of the woods but she knew they were not yet.
“No, she shouldn’t be as affected too much and I am sure she is going got be just fine. She has a very loving family round her too from what I have seen.” she said.
Liz nodded. But did she really? Just before she had found out she had been pregnant she and her husband had been on the verge off separation. It hadn’t always been as strong as it was right now, their marriage.
“For the most part.” muttered the loving mother as she looked at her,
“How long till me and Jim can give her a cuddle?” she asked. She hadn’t held her daughter in so long and it was beginning to really hurt her. She was worried the bond they’d built up when she had been home was going to break.
“Not too long at all now. I’d say maybe two days. Her progress is good. She is a damn good fighter. She has some inner strength in her.” she said as the door to the intensive care unit opened to show the three men of Liz’s family.
“Two days till we can hold her again.” was the first thing she said to her husband and sons.
It was then Katie stirred.
“I swear that girl has radar for when we come to see her.” said Andy as he went round the other side of the crib with his brother to their mum and dad.
“Hey sis,” he said to her smiling as she looked up curiously at him.
Steve matched her curiosity of him with his own of her. As the one who had spent leas with hert, and there fore had bonded least with his sister was still nervous about the baby as if she was going to turn in to a monster at any minute, but she wasn’t. She was just a baby.
“There doesn’t even really look as if there is any thing wrong with her any more.” he said pensively. It was true. On the outside she was looking much better than she had the day her father had saved her life.
“I know, maybe she’s just faking.” teased Andy at his brothers remark who let out a small sigh… he wished she was. Then they could take her home.
He may not be easy around her, but Steve did love his sister and it was as hard on him as the other three members of the family to have her in that incubator.
There was some thing in her eyes as she looked at him, and it made him feel warm, tenderness for her. Love…

[valda]

Excellent to read Jessi, it`s strange for Andy to show his feeling`s , and Steve is normally loveing but I had a lump in my throat when I read how they felt for Katie their sister, and Jim and Liz are doing well too

[RitaLittlewood]

Awww. That's written so well, Jessi. It really pulls the heartstrings. Does the person you're basing this on know you're doing it?

Patsy

[valda]

if they don`t they should as your really doing it well Jessi

[jessi]

Yeah they do.

Thanks guys! I shall be poosting no 6 today or tommorrow, which is more likely.

[RitaLittlewood]

Look forward to it.

Patsy

[jessi]

Chapter 6

At long last, Katherine just as the nurses and doctors had predicted, was home.
Looking round the setting she had been taken so mercilessly, she was enjoying the new colors, where the hospital had been so dull.
Liz felt as if she could breath again or now at least. Things were going to be ok.
“Kevin said I can still take all the time I need, so its up to you when I go back.” said Jim as he came out of the kitchen with a cup if tea for both he and his wife.
“Good, because I don’t think I like the idea of being left alone with her. Not just yet.” she admitted. “Do you think -” she said before breaking off in a sigh.
”What?” he asked as she put her head on his shoulder.
“Well that her being ill was my fault. maybe I did some thing wrong. “ she sighed. She didn’t see how her daughter could of got it. All she had down was put her down for five minutes. She wasn’t cold. She had been wrapped in her blanket, Liz had made sure. She had changed her and she had feed that morning. Not too well, but babies had off mornings didn’t they? She hadn’t thought a lot of it, though thinking back she had been a bit floppy, even Steve had said it that morning. Liz had thought she was just tired and needed sleep.
“No!” said Jim. “You heard whatthe doctors said. It could have been any where she had got it. But it was not your fault. You could not have neither prevented, nor brought this on. Just one of those things that happen,” he shrugged.
“I know, but -”
“No. No buts. Relax Liz. The five off us are going to be fine now.” Jim said to her and she nodded. She was going to be ok.
At ten, for they had got home early, so they could just settle, Liz realized they were out of milk.
“I’m just going to pop down to the shop.” she said as she picked up her daughter, whilst speaking to Jim. “I’m going to take the little one with me.” she said releasing she was going to be ok to take her out by herself, it was just staying home alone with her daughter she was nervous about.
“Ok love.” he shouted down the stairs to her and Liz went out.

Getting in to the Kabin shop Liz was glad to see all her friends were there as she thought they would be, as usual gossiping.
Rita, Emily, Deirdre, Bet and Blanche all turned we when they heard the door open just to see who it as and broke in to smiles as they saw the infant and her mother.
“You never said she was coming home today!” said Rita.
“Yeah well I think we wanted it to be quiet till wee settled, but I couldn’t resist bringing her down to met all her new aunties “ she said to the girls.
“Aww, so she’s ok now?” asked Rita.
“Yup, we’re in the clear.” she said as she cradled her baby tightly. She had been waiting for the day when she had been able to say that for so long. Now it had come she was not sure she was quite able to believe it.
“Jim must be ecstatic,” commented Bet,
“Oh he is. We all are. The twins couldn’t believe it when we brought her in this morning. We hadn’t even told them she was coming home so I think it was a nice surprise for them both. Andy wanted to take the day off.” she said as she got the bottle of milk she had needed for her tea.
“I’m so pleased for you. For all of you.” said Deirdre.
“Not as pleased as we are.” she said. “I’m so cuffed.” she said as she looked on her daughters face. How could she have ever thought about abortion some thing so precious? The nurse when she had had the twins had been right. Nature’s way of giving you nine months to grow to love the child really did work.

-----------

“Come on Elizabeth. Come to bed.” said Jim as he got in to his side of the bed and waited for her to join him. Liz who had just settled their youngest in to the crib at the end of the bed. She didn’t feel comfortable leaving her there. What if something happen and she didn’t hear. No, she wasn’t going to sleep if the girl was on her own
Jim watched as his wife smoothly re-lifted there daughter and placed her in the middle of there own bed gently.
“I can’t stand the thought off her being in the crib, not to night.” she said as she laid down next to her child and husband sleepily.
Jim smiled. He had been feeling just the same, but he had tried to hid it cause he was a man and every thing, but maybe he was more weak because he had been unable to speak out.
“I think that is a very good idea.” he said as he leant over there daughter who was sleeping to kiss his wife before kissing his little girl.
“Night, night lass,” he said and the turning off the bedside lamp the three of them feel in to deep sleeps reassured by the other two presence.
Days pasted and every thing went as smooth as had been hoped when Katie had left the hospital for the second time. The days turned to weeks, and then to months and soon Katie was hitting the three months stage.
By this time she had changed a lot since when she had been born.
She was a healthy little girl with rosy cheeks, and bright blue eyes. Having taken on a lot more of her fathers coloring than her mothers, which had been the opposite to her elder brothers, she had dark hair, which was just beginning to go curly at the end like her mums. Of course her parents thought she was the most beautiful child ever born as all mums and dads did.
The twins begun to get better with her as the days passed, and sharing there mum and dad wasn’t so bad. It meant they had more time to sneak around and not get caught as they so would have been before they had had a sister.
Life had changed a lot for all the members of the house hold, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
In spirit and personality, Katie was a pretty well behaved baby who just liked to look round a lot and take every thing in as much as she could. The world was a big and new exciting place. It was rare she cried unless she was on her own for a long amount off time but that not often if ever at all happened.
Liz had gotten used to not going to work quickly, and it had been a month after that Katie had been let out that she finally got her confidence up enough to let her husband return to work. But all in all, after that first month things were starting to look up.

[valda]

fantastic Jessi

[jessi]

Thanks. Here Ch. 7

Chapter 7

Liz looked at her husband. She didn’t know. she really didn’t. It might be a good idea. But she had never left Katie since she had been home unless she had been with Jim.
“It is just a meal with some friends Elizabeth” he said as she held Katie. “She is going to be ok for a few hours.”
“But - she is so young.” she said as she kissed her baby on the head.
“She is four months old now. We haven’t been out since she had been born,” he said. “We need a bit of time out, just you and me, come on.” He said encouraging her to go with him for the night.
“But what if she needs me?”
“She will have her brothers, I’ve cleared it with them,.” He said. She didn’t know.
“I’ll think on it.”
Deep down she sighed. He was right. It would be nice to have a bit of time out with out the kids there constantly. Even though they were together some times it didn’t feel like it cos they were fussing over Katie, or talking to the boys.
She hadn’t really paid her marriage a lot of attention. He might be feeling neglected she thought to herself.
And Jim had been great. He had been there for her and there daughter so much. A bit of time with here friends would do them good. And it’d be for just a few hours.
A few drinks, some adult conversation. She might even enjoy it, she smiled to herself.
He was right. They deserved a night out.
-

“Will you stop worrying for once in your life women?” Jim asked his wife. “We are going out for a meal with our friends and our son s are going to baby sit. Andy and Steve love their sister and she is going to be fine with them. Relax.” he said as he kissed her shoulder from behind as she looked in her mirror.
Nodding, Liz tried to see it like that but it was still upsetting her , leaving her daughter in the care of her sons.,.
What was she on about? They were eighteen,. They were going to be able to take good care of her. They would die than rather lose there sister after all they had been through over the past four months.
Going down she nodded, and the lads looked to there parents..
”Ok well I feed her and she should be down for the night.” said Liz. “If not there is a bottle in the fridge. Heat it slightly and give it to her, that it should send her straight back off. If not then I have got changing stuff out on my bed. Any thing else goes wrong you have my mobile number, its on the fridge -”
“Mum I think me and Steve can just about look after Katie on our own for a night with out doing her too much harm.” said Andy as he and his brother tired of there mothers worrying. “Your are going to be gone four hours max.”
“They are going to be fine now come on Elizabeth.” said Jim he said as he passed her her coat. He had faith in his sons and they had got their daughter to sleep. There was nothing to be worrying over from where he stood.
Sighing at the men’s determination that they all knew best, she went over to the baby monitor and switch it on just and followed him out of the room where her daughters crib still was, for she and her husband had not yet moved it out in to the nursery. They didn’t want to yet, whilst she was so unsettled at night some times.
“Don’t turn it off.” she said to the boys and let her husband lead her out off the door.
“I don’t know why she is such a worrier. The baby’s been fine for months.” Steve said to Andy.
“It was still horrid wasn’t it? That stuff that happened when she was born. Took its tool on mum.” said Andy to Steve.
“On all of us.” he said as he turned on the television.
“Yeah.”

------------

Jim and Liz went in to the Rovers together for the first time since they had had there baby daughter.
“Hey!” said Bet. “First night out since Katherine came home?”
“Apparently.” sighed Liz wishing she could turn and go back to her daughter, but her husband was behind her.
“Come and join us you two!” she heard a voice and turned to see the other two couples (also who had young children) who they were going to be going to a restaurant with. The Webster’s and the Platts.
”Sorry we’re late.” Said Jim. “I had to push this one out the door in then end.” he teased his wife.
“Darling there is nothing wrong with being a concerned mother.” Liz said to him still unnerved by not being able to see or hear her daughter.
“I never said there was.”
She was actually surprised her husband was taking this in his stride so much. He had been so protective off their little girl from day one that she had though he would have been less eager to leave her with their sons, one of them who was extremely way ward.
“We have all been there Liz.” Sally promised. She had with Rosie, and Gail had with her Sarah Louise, as well as baby David.
It was always hard. They were just going to have to get through it.
“Right.” sad Kevin. “Shall we get off?”

------

“Oh no sis, what’s the matter?” asked Andy as he went in to his mum and dads room. Not twenty minutes had passed since he and Steve had told their mother the three of them were going to be ok than she had woken up screaming.
Taking a bottle of milk up for the four month old he picked her gently out the crib and crossed where he could sit on the bed and fed her comfortably.
It was a rare thing either of the brothers had fed there sister, preferring to leave that sort of thing to their mum and dad where ever they could, and Andy found it a slight bit awkward. This was about the third time he had had to give her bottle since she had been born.
“Ok,” he said trying to hush her but it was evident how much she was upset as she didn’t take to the bottle.
Pulling her close, Andy tiered to comfort her, but after ten minutes with no change he heard the younger of the twins come upstairs.
“Is she ok? “ asked Steve,.
“I don’t know, she isn’t feeding, and she doesn’t need changing/. I think she is just missing mum and dad.” said Andy.
“They have only been gone half an hour .” he sighed.
“Yes but she is a baby, and she spends most of her time with one or the other of them. “ he reminded him.
“You don’t think that she is ill again?” asked Steve panicking with out his mum and dad there to reassure them that there sister was ok.
“No remember mum said she was really quiet just before. She was floppy too. She’s probably just got herself in to a state and needs a hug for a bit.” Sighed Andy as he held her tight.
To be honest he wasn’t sure if he was doing more harm than good to her. They said babies knew when people were feeling uncomfortable with them.
“And when did you become and expert on babies?” asked Steve..

---

They had been gone an hour and Liz was beginning to relax.
“I am enjoying this.” she whispered in her husbands ear.
“Me too,” he said to her smiling. “It had been a while since we had had time out like this, and it good to be out, so it is love.” he said.
He didn’t feel a bit guilty about leaving the kids. They were going to be ok.
-
Andy looked hopelessly at his brother, the tired baby in his arms.
“Maybe we should just let her cry.” said Steve not meaning it horribly. “That’s what mum and dad did with us right?” he said and Andy nodded.
“We’ll let her wear herself out, she’ll be altright.” he said and Andy nodded, though he felt a bit reluctant to putting her down.
Yet he had studies to do and he knew what Steve was like. He was not going to sit with her.
“Yeah, I’ll just put her back. She has to wear herself out soon right?” he said.
“Right.”
Going back down stairs though Andy couldn’t feel worse, as he heard his sister yell at the top of her lungs. Maybe some shooing was wrong but he had looked her over and she had no rashes or any thing. she was probably just over tired and needed to get to sleep which she would.
But he couldn’t be more wrong it turned out.
Katie in her upset had twisted and turned and some how got her leg caught between the wall and the bars of her railings where it was sticking out, thus giving her some thing knew to cry about.
Downs stairs as Andy heard the crying, which was getting heavy on his heart and he turned the monitor off. He knew he wasn’t meant to but it was doing his head in. He’d check on her in a bit. She’d be ok.
-
Jim and Liz got in at eleven thirty.
“Hey boys, are you ok?” she said to them happily. She had had such a good time.
“Yeah.” said Andy as she kissed is fore head.
“How’s your sister been lads?” asked there father as he headed upstairs.
“She got upset.” said Steve. “But she calmed down a bit, we haven’t had a pep out of her.” he said unaware of what his brother had done.
That was all Jim needed to hear.
Running up to his bed room, he put the light on dimly. His daughters screaming had ceased a while ago.
-
Katie stirred when a caring hand ran down her back.
Moaning out, her leg now soar and aching.
“Baby?” said Jim as he saw where her leg was. No… surely…
Gently his set her free, at last.
Looking at her face he was sadden to see she had silent tears on her face. His four month old had been crying silently. And he hadn’t been there to look after her.
“Oh sweet heart, what’s happened here?” he muttered as he picked her out the crib and laid her on his shoulder, rubbing her back soothingly
He had had no idea his sons could have left her like this.
Going down his wife saw the look on his faze was dangerous. She knew how anger he was getting.
“What is it?” she said but he was set.
Going over to the side he looked at the monitor.
Steve’s eyes grew wide as he released it was off. He knew it had been too quite.
“How did that happened?” he said to his brother. It had to be him. Hey had been the only ones in.
“You idiot Andy!” said his father though his voice wasn’t raised for once as he comforted his daughter,
Though awake the baby had fallen utterly silent since he had got her out the crib and she was just looking at him desperately.
“Did either of you give her a bottle?” he demanded to know.
“I tried but she didn’t want to know.” sisal Andy annoying his father further.
“I knew we shouldn’t have left,” said Liz as she went in to the kitchen to get her daughter a bottle. For gods sake…couldn’t they trust them to do any thing,.

The McDonald house hold was still hostile in the morning.
The twins found their parents cold as they tried to talk to them.
“Don’t look for me,.” said Liz who was usually a source of comfort from there fathers rage. “She is a four month old baby, she needs your attention when she is crying.” Liz said to her son.
“I had work to do.” protested Andy who had usually been so good with her.
“Well it is good to see you have your priorities right son.” she said to him.
“It wasn’t like that.” he said to her pleadingly.
“Your going to be late. Get to collage please Andrew.” she said to him.
“Yes mum.”
Slowly but surely the incident was forgotten but it did take a while. Jim didn’t think he was ever going to forget that night. When he had picked her up she had just been so quiet. She had stirred really till Liz had got her to take her bottle, which had taken a while to get her to latch on to.
The feeling of loneliness the baby must of felt had to be too much for someone her mother ages, let alone the little one. He swore she was never going to go through that again.

[valda]

this is Fantastic Jessi:) how could Andy do that :,(,no wonder it took them awhile to get over that, I`m afraid I`m like Liz I tend to worry like that too .

[jessi]

Well that bit wsas inspired, by a story i was told about what happen to my sister when she was young. I think she was a bit older then Katie, though about a year, and my gran was round. s3e was a servre women god rest her soul and when my sister started crying on the baby monitor she told my poarents to ignore it and she would cry herself back off but when they checked on her, her leg had got caught. my mum and dad weren't best pleased, as you can imagine.

[valda]

yes I can imagine,your gran should have known better as it ,s hard and cruel thing to do to ignore a baby like that