Chapter 3 #2
To April’s surprise, when she got back to the exam room, the doctor was already there talking to Cal.
April showed Owen the cupcake she’d brought him and winked.
He grinned back. There was nothing quite so satisfying as meeting a scared kid and being able to put him at ease.
She moved closer to whisper to him. “You can have this right after your appointment, as soon as your dad and the doctor say it’s OK.
You got lucky because this was the last one. How was the game?”
Owen handed her back her phone. “It was kind of easy.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I should have found a more challenging one for you,” she said, pocketing her phone.
“It’s OK.” Owen’s little face was still flushed, but he looked happier.
In the background, April heard the doctor talking to Cal.
The doctor was explaining that she suspected a bacterial infection was to blame for Owen’s fever.
She was going to prescribe a broad-spectrum antibiotic to help him get through it.
“You’ll need to finish the course, even if he’s feeling better,” the doctor said. “That’s very important to remember.”
“I can make sure of that,” Cal assured her.
April’s attention was taken back by the boy sitting on the exam table. “Is it really your birthday?” he asked.
“Yep,” she said.
“And that’s the last cupcake?”
She could not predict where he was going with this, but that was part of the fun of conversations with kids. “Lucky you,” she said with a nod.
“Isn’t it supposed to be yours?” Owen asked. It was probably the most thoughtful question she’d ever heard from a kid. She wasn’t sure how to answer it, whether to lie or admit the truth. Something about the way Owen looked at her led her to believe the truth was better than a lie.
“Yes,” she answered. “But that’s OK. I want you to have it. That’s the best birthday present I could think of.”
The boy raised his eyebrows in disbelief. “That’s not a real birthday present,” he said.
April couldn’t really argue with that. One thing she knew about the sort of kid Owen appeared to be was that, when they knew the truth, there would be little chance of talking them out of it. “That’s true,” she admitted. “But I want to see you happy more than I want a cupcake. It’s my job.”
Owen eyed the cupcake one more time and gave in to his desire for frosting. “OK. I believe you. But you should have another cake later.”
“I’ll tell the baker that you said I should have a cake all to myself. I’m sure they’ll give me one.”
The boy laughed, and his laugh sounded like victory to April. He was a pretty smart kid for his age, she thought. How long had he been living in the wilderness?
The doctor was still talking to Cal, and April heard her say, “I’d like to see Owen again in a few days to check on his progress.”
April could see Cal’s entire body tense at the suggestion, and she remembered the way he’d looked in the waiting room. He frowned and asked, “Is that absolutely necessary?”
“I believe it is,” the doctor answered, “or I wouldn’t have recommended it.”
“We’re going to be busy over the next few days,” Cal explained.
The doctor didn’t look like she believed a word of Cal’s excuse. “I want to ensure the antibiotics are doing their job. If they aren’t, we’re going to need to try a new treatment. This is important. Surely you can make time for it.”
Cal’s cheeks reddened, but April could tell he was about to give in.
No doubt, he would do anything for his son, but coming to the clinic had clearly been a deeply uncomfortable experience for him.
She was about to suggest they come on a day she would be here so she could offer them the same favor she had given them today, by letting them wait in an exam room instead of the waiting room. Then she had a better idea.
“Would it be acceptable for me to make a house call instead?” she said, cutting into the conversation between Cal and the doctor.
Cal shook his head. “We don’t live in town.”
“I really don’t mind,” she said. “I like getting out of town once in a while. I mean, no pressure or anything. But if you’d rather we come to you… Would that be acceptable, doctor?”
She turned to the doctor, who responded with a quick nod. “As long as the child’s getting looked at, I don’t mind.”
“So there you go,” April said to Cal with a smile. “It’ll be up to you. I can come check on Owen if you prefer not to have to come back to the clinic.”
In an instant, all the tension seemed to leave Cal’s face.
So it really was the clinic itself that troubled him.
She assumed most people would be worried about someone coming to their home and invading their personal space.
But Cal seemed to be fine with the idea.
He just didn’t want to be here. Finally, the man answered.
“I think that would be best. Thank you.”
“Not a problem,” April said. She was barely able to suppress her excitement.
Something about both the boy and his father put her immediately at ease.
It didn’t seem to matter that she would be going to an isolated home outside of town with a single man who lived alone with a child.
Cal was all green flags, as far as she could tell.
She ruffled Owen’s hair and smiled down at him while he fixed it.
“I guess I’ll be seeing you in a few days,” she said.
Then, to Cal, she said, “Just let the front desk know which day and time works best for you, and I’ll be there. ”