Event 6C:  Claribel's Sick Day

	"Claribel, are you okay?!?!"  Kerwin asked.  "You look 
terrible!!!"

	"Papa, I don't feel good," I groaned.

	"Claribel, hang on a moment," Kerwin said as he rushes upstairs.  
"Aww, man!!!"  Kerwin comes back down and looks at the thermometer in 
his hand sighing, "Claribel, you're probably going to find this a 
major insult to your dignity."  I look at the thermometer and 
recognize it as a rectal thermometer like that used on sick babies and 
toddlers.  I am indeed insulted.  You all know that I don't like 
things touching me, hitting me, pushing against me, poking me, or 
stimulating me in or on the bottom in any way.  I normally would have 
put up a fight, but I'm so weak that I allow Kerwin to undress me and 
insert the thermometer in my rear end without objecting.  "76.33 
degrees Celsius," Kerwin reads from the thermometer.  "I'm calling the 
doctor."

	"Papa, are you sure that's necessary?"  I asked Kerwin as I'm 
getting dressed.  "It's just a little stomach bug.  I'll get over it 
like it's nothing."

	"You're probably right, but we have to make certain that there's 
nothing else at play inside of you," Kerwin told me as he continues 
dialing.  "Hello, this is President Kerwin Del Trabajador.  I wish to 
schedule an appointment for my daughter Claribel."

	"Papa, that's not necessary; I'll be fine," I objected.  "I 
don't want to see a doctor!!"

	"So you can see my daughter at 7 am?"  Kerwin wanted to confirm, 
giving me an irate glare for interrupting him when he's on the phone.  
"Okay, we'll be there.  Bye bye."  Kerwin hangs up the phone and looks 
at me for a few minutes.  "Claribel Mei'ou, when I am making a phone 
call, I do not want to be interrupted for any reason.  Do you 
understand me?"

	"But, Papa . . ." I began before being interrupted by Kerwin 
pounding his fist on his desk.

	"I asked you if you understood me, young lady," Kerwin barked 
brusquely.  "Until you answer that question, I want to hear nothing 
else from you."

	"Yes, Papa," I whispered.

	"Good," Kerwin said as he gets up from his desk.  "Now, 
Claribel, I think it's time we retired for the night.  You have a 
doctor's appointment in a few hours that you're going to keep whether 
you think you need it or not.  Good night."  Kerwin then picks up the 
phone and dials in a number.

	"Papa, what are you doing?"  I asked Kerwin.

	"Calling your mother," Kerwin replied.  "Now go to bed; I'll 
join you in a little while after I close up shop."  I head up the 
stairs to Kerwin's hideaway.  I find a cot in a room and move it near 
the entrance to Kerwin's room.  I then lay down and try to go to 
sleep.  I could still feel the thermometer in my rear end even though 
Kerwin had been gentle in its insertion and removal.  My stomach 
muscles are cramping up again, causing me to let out a groan.  Kerwin 
comes up and, seeing that I'm suffering, picks me up and rubs my back.

	"Papa, it hurts," I whispered into Kerwin's ear.  "It hurts so 
much."

	"I know, Claribel," Kerwin replied.  "I'm sorry about having to 
use a rectal thermometer to take your temperature; that was what I had 
handy."

	"I'm too sick to be angry with you about that, Daddy," I told 
Kerwin.  "Is it serious?"  I only call my parents Mommy and Daddy if 
I'm really scared or worried about something which isn't often, so you 
can tell that I'm starting to think that there is something more at 
play here than a simple stomach bug.  Kerwin sits down on his bed and 
we look at each other.  This is the first time I have ever seen Kerwin 
cry.

	"I hope that it's not serious, Claribel," Kerwin said.  "Well, 
there's no use worrying about it or losing sleep over it."  Kerwin 
then sets me down on the cot and kisses me good night before heading 
to bed himself.