The Original Taylor Daughter

Unplanned Christmas

All Roger wanted was for Alice's first Christmas with him to be fun-filled. For the most part, it had been but he didn't expect to be sat in A&E on Boxing day.

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Going back three days earlier when Roger finally decided what he wants to get Alice for Christmas. He had seriously considered getting her a dog but at the moment it's just not practical.

The pair are going down to Cornwall for Christmas to spend it with his mum and sister, because of how big the present is, if he has to take it down with them Alice will know what her present is so Roger rang his mum asking her to buy the present in Truro and he'd pay her back.

Roger has finally scraped together enough money for a car so bringing it back won't be a problem. Christmas Eve morning they spend a few hours exchanging presents with Freddie, John, Brian and Mary.

The boys are still competing to be the favourite uncle and so far John is still winning, maybe it's because they're both quiet but the two share a stronger connection.

They each spoil her, Brian with lots of new books, a soft blanket for her bed and a kids bowl, plate and cutlery set for her to use in the flat.

Freddie and Mary spoil her with clothes, shoe, hair accessories and some dressing up clothes including a set of fairy wings which seem to be glued to her back now.

But as Roger predicted John extends his lead spoiling her with a huge pack of play-doh and a wooden train set, "Tank you," She squeals hugging him then hug the others too, "Dada, play?"

"No, we've got to get going if we want to make it to Truro before Santa comes."

"Oh," She pouts train set box firmly in her hold, "Wanna play."

"I know and when we come back you can but we're going to see Grandma and Pippin," That makes her drop the box. Chuckling Roger puts her shoes on grabbing what they need, Alice says goodbye to her uncles.

"Are you keeping the wings on?" Freddie muses accepting her hug.

Alice looks to her dad, "Can I?"

He knows he'll get a full temper tantrum if he turns to get her to leave them too, "You'll have to take them off to sit in the car seat but you can take them with you, okay?" She nods and Roger carries her down to the car.

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Christmas morning Alice barrels into Roger's room Pippin hot on her heels, "It's Christmas daddy!" She clambers on top of his sleeping form, lifting his eyelid to wake him up.

Batting her hand away Roger buries his face in the pillow willing himself to go back to sleep but Alice sets Pippin on him. The westie lick at the side of Roger's face, "Eww, get off," He chuckles rolling over.

Face inches from his, Alice puts her hands on his cheeks, "Daddy, I think Santa's been." Kissing her nose he sits up.

"Alright, go wake Grandma and Auntie Clare then I'll follow you down. Take Pippin with..." He didn't need to finish that sentence because Pippin jumps off the bed following her.

As promised, he meets them downstairs moments later and they start working their way through the presents under the tree.

His mum and Clare completely spoiled Alice with more clothes and toys but being the first grandchild he can't really tell them off. He, of course, brought her some other presents but she has to search for her mean one.

Following a piece of string from the tree to the dining room, Alice finds a purple and blue bike, "Will you teach me?" She hugs his legs.

"Happily. Come on, let's go get changed while Grandma does the dinner," He carries her upstairs getting her into some leggings and her Christmas jumper.

Outside, he clips her helmet in place, "Right, sit on the seat." He checks to see if her feet are touching the ground then continues.

"So I'll keep you upright and you're going to learn to pedal first," He shows her the pedals and what to do, then she tries a test run.

Roger goes along with her as she pedals, "That's it, good girl, now brakes," He points to the brake handle and she squeezes it stopping gently, "Brilliant work, monkey. You're a fast learner, now let's work on balancing..."

"How did she get on?" Winifred asks when they come back in.

"She's a fast learner. She'll be riding on her own in no time," He ruffles Alice's hair and she grins.

"In fifteen years you'll be doing those lessons in a car," Clare chuckles setting the table. Roger rather looks forward to that day but he'd gladly keep Alice this small in exchange.

When dinner is ready Roger makes Alice a small plate and she ate everything but the sprouts.

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Boxing Day morning, they were taking Pippin for a walk with Alice on her new bike. Roger kept his hand on the seat until they got to the quiet of the park and he let go to see how she gets on.

It was going well but then she got to a hill in the path and sped up, Roger saw it coming and ran after her shouting, "Alice brake!"

She did as she was told but brakes too hard, flying headfirst over the handlebars. The scream she let out is heart-wrenching.

Catching up to her, Roger pulling the bike off her and turns her over. She cries clutching her shoulder, "Ally is it your shoulder?"

Alice just cries and he tries to comfort her, Winifred kneels beside them gently checking her over, lightly pressing at the area. Alice cries out when her Grandma touches her collarbone, "I think it might be broken," She mutters to her son.

That's how Roger ended up sat in A&E waiting for the doctor to come back with the X-Ray results, they've been at the hospital for three hours and Alice dosing on the bed, the painkillers kicking in to help the pain.

He stands to greet the doctor when he comes into the cubical, "So the bad news is that your daughter has broken her collar bone but the good news is it's a clean break."

"So it will heal quicker?" Though quiet, Alice is an active little girl, she can't sit still for long.

"Yes, it will heal quicker and won't require any surgery to realign it. Her arm will be put in a sling to help realign the bone, it should take 3-6 weeks to heal and no strenuous activities for at least 12 weeks. I understand you don't live in Truro and are only here for the holidays, she will require a follow-up appointment a week from today with outpatients. On her discharge, I'll give you a letter to give to them with the information."

"And what about pain relief?" She might be asleep now but Roger knows his daughter is in pain and it will get worse when the current painkillers wear off.

"Again upon her discharge, I will give you a three-day course of co-codamol and then stick to ibuprofen for at least a week after. After the week reduce the painkillers daily and see how she gets on, but outpatients should give you some more advice on that. A nurse will be along to apply her sling shortly," He leaves them alone again which is when Alice wakes up.

"Daddy, I'm hungry," She whispers.

"Me too, Monkey. Once you're discharged, will go back to Grandma's and get some food. You frighten me today," Her earlier scream scared him, this is the first time she's been properly ill or injured in his care and he doesn't like it.

The way she flew over the handlebars hitting the floor and didn't move right away was a stab to the gut, "I think you need a bit more practice on that bike once your shoulder has healed." Alice is discharged an hour later, arm in a sling and dosed up on painkillers.

Thank you guys for answering my questions in the last chapter. I've given it much thought and listened to what you have said, I'm going to be adding an extra day to my updating schedule, Sunday afternoons.