Family Ties

Chapter 18


"I don't care what the doctors say, Bob!" Jane Carter fumed placing the icing on top of her freshly baked cookies. "Leslie has been sick as a dog on and off since this summer and they tell us nothing is wrong!"

Her husband massaged her shoulders. "Jane, they ran blood test after blood test. Everything has come back negative. They tested for mono numerous times, but they all came back negative. Yet, her monolites are still high...They tested for.."

His wife interjected shouting through tears. "They tested for mono, lupus, thyriod problems, leukemia!" She threw her silverware down in anger. "How can they test for lupus and leukemia and then say NOTHING is wrong?"

"I don't know."

"It's Valentine's Day...and my daughter is in bed with a sore throat and fever. They felt her swollen glands and accounted the fevers. She is not fine."

Her husband sighed. "Do you want me to take her some soup?"

"Sure, if you can get her to eat it." She rubbed her forehead. "And her record label is down my throat for her to open for Aaron next week and I just don't think she can do it."

"Well, if she can't, then, she won't."

"You tell that to the president of Dreamworks, Bob."

"Well, which way do they want it? A sick kid on tour that ends up in a hospital or a cancellation?"

She shook her head waving her blonde curls. "Trust me you don't want to know."

"Mom," Angel sighed entering the kitchen.

"Yes, Angel?" Mrs.Carter asked facing her.

"My throat is killing me."

"Oh, Lord not you too?"

Angel winced. "Sorry, Mom."

"No, no, baby. It's not your fault." She pressed her hand to her daughter's forehead. "No fever, honey."

"I really feel horrible."

She glanced into the teen's eyes noticing a slight red tint. "I know, I can tell by your eyes. Just go rest in the living room and I'll see if we have anything that might ease your throat, okay?

"Thank you."

Jane turned to her husband as Angel exited. "Leslie's not sick, huh? Then, I'd like to know how in the hell Angel caught something from her?"

"I just don't know," Mr.Carter sighed grabbing the phone book.

The woman glanced up from the tray she was preparing for her middle child. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to call every damn doctor in this book until I get a hold of one that wants answers not excuses!"

Chapter 19