Preface-Promise

I heard their hushed voices from the hall, even before I reached the room. I knew I'd get in trouble for this, not that I cared. I wanted to see her.
I pushed the door open to see Daddy and the Doctor talking quietly, heads together. When they saw me, the Doctor's face filled with sadness, but Daddy looked angry.
"Shouldn't you be in bed?" he asked me gruffly, sounding as angry as he looked.
"But Daddy, I want to…"
He cut me off with two short words. "Out. Now."
"No," croaked a tiny, weak voice, not far from where I was. "I want to see her, too."
Daddy looked unhappy, but he led me towards her all the same.
"Mummy!" I exclaimed, jumping up onto the bed and giving her a big hug. "Oh, Mummy, I missed you!"
"I missed you too," she replied. I heard the strain in her voice, like it was hard for her to talk.
"Mummy I heard people say the worst things," I said, crying now. "They say that you're going to die."
She didn't answer, maybe because she didn’t want to, although I figured it probably had more to do with the massive coughing fit she was overcome with now.
"Come on. Time to go," Daddy said. He still sounded mad.
Mum looked at me, and said, "Look after her. Your baby sister…look after her."
I remembered the tiny little human Mummy and Daddy had come home from the hospital with, only a few weeks ago. That must be who she meant.
"OK. But Mummy…?" my tears came harder now.
"Promise me," she whispered, cutting off what I was going to say.
"I promise," I replied in an equally hushed voice.
"I love you," she told me.
"I love you, too," I echoed.
Daddy picked me up then, and carried me from the room, despite my protests. "No! Mummy! Mu-ow-Mummy! MUMMY, NO! MUMMY…"
I never saw her again after that.




As I said, not sure why I wrote this, but if I can refine it and make it better, maybe I can make something good out of it, who knows?