Free All I Want For Christmas by Julie Coffin

and spun round to pinch andy’s cheek as well. Mandy pinched him back, and all three children screamed, making the babies Lauren was cuddling burst into wails of fright. And through all the noise, Lauren heard an even louder scream.
    â€˜Lauren! Quickly!’
    Leaving the paint-streaked children, and with a baby still tucked under each arm, she wove her way through darting little bodies to the far side of the room. Eyes wide with horror, Sarah was holding one of the toddlers on her lap while blood dripped down the little face.
    For a second, the room wavered around Lauren.
    Then she rapped out, ‘Ice!’
    Tots were gathering round, staring silently at the sobbing two-year-old.
    â€˜I think Katy caught her head on the cupboard door. Someone had left it open,’ Sarah gabbled, dabbing at the blood with a tissue.
    â€˜Here you are.’ Helen thrust a saucer of ice cubes towards Lauren.
    â€˜Take these two,’ Lauren instructed, passing the babies to her. ‘Now, Sarah, let me have Katy.’
    With the ice pressed firmly to the sobbing toddler’s head, she ran out of the door and down to the lift, pushing her way through waiting people when it arrived.
    â€˜Ground floor!’ she ordered, and someone quickly pressed the button.
    Talking quietly to the little girl, her fingers numb from the ice she held close to the small head, water running down her arm and soaking into her sleeve, she waited until the lift stopped.
    Murmurs of sympathy floated behind her as she stepped into the corridor and began to run its length to Casualty.
    As she stood, legs shaking, breath tugging in her chest, the doors swinging behind her, a nurse came towards her.
    â€˜Someone phoned down to warn us,’ she said, taking the child. ‘Do you want to come in with her? What’s her name?’
    â€˜Katy,’ Lauren murmured, fighting off another wave of dizziness.
    â€˜Hullo, Katy. Now let’s see what’s happened to you?’
    Through a mist of rising darkness, Lauren heard Matthew’s voice. ‘A chair, nurse. Quickly! And get her head down.’
    â€˜I’m sorry, so sorry,’ Lauren murmured. ‘It’s just that blood . . . ’
    â€˜Really, Miss Mallory—you of all people, to be squeamish?’ His voice was teasing, but when Lauren slowly raised her head, she saw only concern in his eyes.
    â€˜All right now?’ Weakly, she nodded. ‘Sit there, then, while we get this young lady sorted out. A couple of paper stitches and she’ll be fine.’
    â€˜Oh no!’ Lauren cried.
    â€˜She’ll be as right as ninepence in a couple of minutes. Stay there and don’t move. I don’t want two of you to cope with. Come on, Katy, my love.’
    Once Katy’s mother had been found on one of the wards and taken the child home, Lauren’s anger kindled.
    A phone call later and she was in the hospital manager’s office.
    â€˜I need extra space,’ she demanded, pointing furiously to the stains of Katy’s blood on her blouse. ‘One accident like that is one too many. Something has to be done. Immediately.’
    â€˜And what do you suggest, Ms Mallory?’
    â€˜There’s a store room next to the crèche. Knocking down part of the adjoining wall would create an extension.’
    â€˜If it’s a store room, then it’s obviously already in use.’
    â€˜For old television sets and other damaged electrical equipment. All items that should be thrown away.’
    â€˜I can’t just sanction something like that, Ms Mallory. The items would need to be checked by a qualified person.’
    Lauren’s chin jutted. ‘So what’s of more importance—a damaged child or a damaged TV?’ she snapped, and slammed the door behind her.
    * * *
    The next morning, as the crèche staff were settling the babies down to sleep, there was a terrific clatter in the corridor outside. Lauren shot through the