Emergency Engagement

“I wanted to speak with you about Carly’s treatment where she couldn’t overhear us.”

“That’s fine.”

“Can I get you some coffee or something? Water?”

He poured himself a cup, and for a moment Beth was tempted. But coffee was a luxury, and it was better to avoid what she couldn’t have again. “Water, please,” she said.

He set down his cup and poured her some water. He held the cup out for her, and their fingers connected as he transferred it to her hand. A gorgeous-man’s touch. Beth shivered slightly. His eyes narrowed and she could now see how gray they were.

“Cold?” he asked.

“Just worried,” Beth said.

“Don’t be. Carly is currently drinking what amounts, in layman’s terms, to liquid charcoal. The charcoal will act as a sponge and absorb the medicine. From there it will travel quickly through her system and be expelled as fecal matter.”

She must have frowned, for he said, “It’ll hit her hard and she’ll have several loose bowel movements. After she’s had the first, we’ll release her. Unless you notice any behavior—such as sluggishness or hyperactivity—that is out of the ordinary, we won’t need to see her again. However, you should consult with her pediatrician tomorrow morning, as well, just in case he wants you to follow up with a visit.”

“Okay.”

“That’s it.” He turned to leave.

An odd panic consumed Beth. Maybe his impersonal demeanor had gotten to her, or maybe it was just her overwhelming guilt—that she should have put her purse out of reach, that somehow she should have been more careful, more vigilant. She had to make him understand.

“I didn’t leave my purse out. I didn’t even know she had it, or that she was into it.”

He gave her an accepting smile, as if he heard such excuses all the time. If Beth wanted sympathy, she didn’t get it. Empathy came, instead.

“She’s a child. Children do things like this. She’ll probably be stronger for it after learning from her mistake. You can remind her of it when she’s a teenager.”

Beth followed him from the room. He quickly outdistanced her and she soon learned why. From down the hall she could hear Carly complaining, “I don’t want to drink any more. It’s yucky. I’m full.”

The doctor stepped inside her daughter’s room. “I hear you’re full.”

His voice rumbled over Beth and she heard the easy manner with which he handled Carly.

“Uh-huh. I’m full,” Carly repeated.

As Beth reached the doorway, Quinton took the cup from Elaine’s hand. He lifted the lid and checked the amount. He shook his head. “Carly, Carly. And you told me you’d drink it all.”

His voice was teasing, and pain filled Beth. With his sickness, Randy had been unable to reach Carly on her level. Yet Dr. Searle succeeded with masterful ease. Why couldn’t Beth have found a man like that?

“It’s yucky,” Carly said. “My belly hurts.”

He peered into the cup again. “How about a deal? You drink half of what’s left and I’ll throw the rest away.”

“Half?” Carly’s face had the hopefulness and skepticism of a child debating whether to eat liver.

“Half.” Dr. Searle took a pen from his pocket and drew a black line around the outside of the cup. “Right here. A few good sips should do it. In fact, I’ll wait. Do you think you can give me three good sips?”

Carly had brightened. “Yes.” She reached for the cup, and he held it as she sucked on the straw.

“One.” He counted. Carly stopped for a break. Quinton shook the cup. “Two more.”

Carly took another deep drag on the straw, and Beth’s heart wrenched as her daughter’s face scrunched up.

“That was great,” he said. “One more, Carly. You can do it.”

Carly must have caught some of his enthusiasm, for she said, “I can do it,” and went back for one more long pull on the straw. She made a face as she swallowed.

He didn’t even check the container, he simply handed it to Elaine, who removed it from the room. “All done! Way to go.”

“Yay!” Carly clapped her hands. But then she dropped them to her sides and winced. “My tummy hurts.”

“It’s going to hurt,” Dr. Searle said. “The special drink is taking all the green medicine out of your body. Pretty soon you’re going to have to poop.”

“Oh.” Carly stared at him as if she’d never heard the word poop before.

Beth suppressed a smile. In Carly’s world, doctors didn’t use that word. Dr. Searle had said it with a straight face.

“And then the bad medicine will go right down the toilet and you can go home,” he added.

“Hooray!” Carly said, then her face looked pained again. “My tummy hurts.”

“It’s going to hurt as the medicine works. Then you’ll be all better. Listen—I have to check on my other patients. You watch your movie and tell your mommy when you have to go to the bathroom.”

He looked at Beth for a moment and she felt herself flush under his brief appraisal.

“Press the call button when she needs the bathroom.”

“Okay,” Beth said.

His white coat snapped as he left the room.

“I’m sorry, Mommy,” Carly said.

Since the retaining rails were not raised, Beth sat down on the bed next to her daughter. She gathered Carly into her arms. “It’s okay,” she told her simply. “I love you, and I forgive you. I’m just happy you’re going to be okay.”

“I’ll never leave you. Not like Daddy,” Carly said. She looked close to tears. “It hurts, Mommy.”

“I know.” Beth wished she could speed up the process. She stroked Carly’s hair. “You’ll never take medicine again without asking, will you?”

“No,” Carly said. Under Beth’s soothing ministrations, her daughter shook her head.

“I love you.” Beth said as she drew Carly even closer. “I never want to lose you.”

“You won’t. I promise,” Carly told her.

Beth leaned her daughter onto her back and kissed her forehead. “Good.”