LITMIR.BIZ

       CHAPTER ONE

      ‘HELLO, BEAUTIFUL!’

      Victoria’s smile was friendly as she walked into the lounge ahead of Glen, to where little Penelope Craig, or Penny, as she liked to be known, lay on the sofa. Victoria had already had a conversation with Julia, Penny’s mother, in the hallway.

      Usually, two paramedics dressed in green overalls entering a home would be a somewhat nerve-racking sight for a six-year-old, but little Penny was more than used to it.

      ‘Victoria!’

      Even though she was unwell, little Penny sat up a touch on the sofa where she lay, and her huge grey eyes widened in delight. She was clearly pleased that it was her favourite paramedic who was here to take her to Paddington Children’s Hospital, or the Castle as it was more generally known.

      ‘She hoped that it would be you coming to take her,’ Julia said.

      Victoria gave a friendly smile to Julia and then went to sit on the edge of the sofa to chat to her patient. ‘Yes, I was just thinking the other day that I haven’t seen you in a while.’

      ‘She’s been doing really well,’ Julia said.

      There was a three-way conversation going on as Victoria gleaned some history from Julia and also checked Penny.

      Penelope Craig had been born with a rare congenital heart condition and had spent a lot of her life as a patient at the Castle, but for a while she had been doing well. Her dark hair was tied in braids and she was wearing pyjamas. Over the top of them was a little pink tutu that she wore all the time.

      Penny was going to be a ballet dancer one day.

      She told that to everyone.

      ‘Your mum said that you’ve not been feeling very well today?’ Victoria said as she checked Penny’s pulse.

      ‘I’m nauseous

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