Read Online Christmas Miracle: A Family by Dianne Drake - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Dianne Drake
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mommy always brings me to you? ’Cause I’m sick, and you’re a doctor?”
It didn’t get easier for the child. Or for James. “No, you’re not sick. Except for your cuts and scrapes, you’re in very good health. And remember last time we were together, when I told you I was your dad?”
“Donnie was my dad, too. But not any more. I like doctors better than dads!”
It was so hard, not telling him he wanted full custody. But what happened if he told Tyler, and Tyler counted on that, then the courts didn’t comply? What happened if Shelly took him back yet again? “Look, Tyler, I’ve got to work now, but I’ll check on you later. And, Tyler…” He handed the boy a slip of paper with his cellphone number written on it. “If you need to talk to me, call. You do know how to use a phone, don’t you?”
Tyler didn’t answer, but he did put the paper under his pillow. Then he scooted back to the middle of the bed, resumed his cross-legged position, and totally blocked James out.
“I’ll be back when I can, Tyler,” James said on his way out the door. But as usual Tyler didn’t respond. All he did was turn up the volume of the game and click away on the control as fast as his little fingers would move.
Everything that could be made ready had been by the time the first patients began to be wheeled into the emergency department. Three burns cases went straight to James and a couple of smoke inhalations were assigned to Gabby, as well as a sprained ankle…someone falling down the stairs, trying to escape. “You OK?” Fallon asked, poking her head into the makeshift burn unit. James was busy with the worst of his patients, getting oxygen started on the man, a belligerent patient who was fighting James every step of the way. Dave Ellis was busy treating minor burns on the other two, who turned out to be kitchen workers at the lodge, while Catie, the volunteer, was setting up the supplies being called for by both Dave and James.
Immediately Fallon rushed into the room to help subdue the patient, who calmed down immediately when he saw who she was. She gave James a quick acknowledgment then pulled the IV set-up to the bedside. “You’ll be fine, Mr. Chambers. You’ve got some serious burns to your chest, but once I can get the IV in, we’ll get some pain medicine going and you’ll feel much better.”
“I’ve heard how bad burns can be, Miss O’Gara,” the man managed from behind his oxygen mask.
“They can be, and I won’t lie to you. Your chest and left shoulder look fairly involved, but it’s a relatively small area. We’re going to treat you here then send you to a burn unit in Salt Lake City, and you’re going to be fine.”
“Thank you,” he whispered, fighting back tears.
She glanced over at James, who was busy cooling down the burns with saline. “Mr. Chambers is the caretaker atthe lodge,” she explained, as she squeezed the frightened man’s hand. “His granddaughter is going to be a nurse.”
“Like Miss O’Gara,” the man said. “She helped Allison with her application to nursing school, let her work part time at the hospital after school, and even gave her a personal recommendation.”
“Because she deserved it.” Fallon deflected the direction of the conversation with a blush. “Look, I’ll check back in on you before you go,” she told him, then turned her attention on James. “Are you good here? I’d like to check in on Edith, if you don’t need me…”
“Go,” he said. “We’re good.”
Fallon was halfway to the hall when James caught up with her. “Are you OK?” he asked, taking hold of her arm to stop her. “You’re running circles around everybody here.”
“It’s what I do…”
“Maybe it’s what you do, but I’m concerned about you. It’s going to be a long night, and you haven’t done this for a while.”
She bristled immediately. “You think I can’t?”
“Oh, I’m sure you can. But you worry me.”
“Well, I’m not
It didn’t get easier for the child. Or for James. “No, you’re not sick. Except for your cuts and scrapes, you’re in very good health. And remember last time we were together, when I told you I was your dad?”
“Donnie was my dad, too. But not any more. I like doctors better than dads!”
It was so hard, not telling him he wanted full custody. But what happened if he told Tyler, and Tyler counted on that, then the courts didn’t comply? What happened if Shelly took him back yet again? “Look, Tyler, I’ve got to work now, but I’ll check on you later. And, Tyler…” He handed the boy a slip of paper with his cellphone number written on it. “If you need to talk to me, call. You do know how to use a phone, don’t you?”
Tyler didn’t answer, but he did put the paper under his pillow. Then he scooted back to the middle of the bed, resumed his cross-legged position, and totally blocked James out.
“I’ll be back when I can, Tyler,” James said on his way out the door. But as usual Tyler didn’t respond. All he did was turn up the volume of the game and click away on the control as fast as his little fingers would move.
Everything that could be made ready had been by the time the first patients began to be wheeled into the emergency department. Three burns cases went straight to James and a couple of smoke inhalations were assigned to Gabby, as well as a sprained ankle…someone falling down the stairs, trying to escape. “You OK?” Fallon asked, poking her head into the makeshift burn unit. James was busy with the worst of his patients, getting oxygen started on the man, a belligerent patient who was fighting James every step of the way. Dave Ellis was busy treating minor burns on the other two, who turned out to be kitchen workers at the lodge, while Catie, the volunteer, was setting up the supplies being called for by both Dave and James.
Immediately Fallon rushed into the room to help subdue the patient, who calmed down immediately when he saw who she was. She gave James a quick acknowledgment then pulled the IV set-up to the bedside. “You’ll be fine, Mr. Chambers. You’ve got some serious burns to your chest, but once I can get the IV in, we’ll get some pain medicine going and you’ll feel much better.”
“I’ve heard how bad burns can be, Miss O’Gara,” the man managed from behind his oxygen mask.
“They can be, and I won’t lie to you. Your chest and left shoulder look fairly involved, but it’s a relatively small area. We’re going to treat you here then send you to a burn unit in Salt Lake City, and you’re going to be fine.”
“Thank you,” he whispered, fighting back tears.
She glanced over at James, who was busy cooling down the burns with saline. “Mr. Chambers is the caretaker atthe lodge,” she explained, as she squeezed the frightened man’s hand. “His granddaughter is going to be a nurse.”
“Like Miss O’Gara,” the man said. “She helped Allison with her application to nursing school, let her work part time at the hospital after school, and even gave her a personal recommendation.”
“Because she deserved it.” Fallon deflected the direction of the conversation with a blush. “Look, I’ll check back in on you before you go,” she told him, then turned her attention on James. “Are you good here? I’d like to check in on Edith, if you don’t need me…”
“Go,” he said. “We’re good.”
Fallon was halfway to the hall when James caught up with her. “Are you OK?” he asked, taking hold of her arm to stop her. “You’re running circles around everybody here.”
“It’s what I do…”
“Maybe it’s what you do, but I’m concerned about you. It’s going to be a long night, and you haven’t done this for a while.”
She bristled immediately. “You think I can’t?”
“Oh, I’m sure you can. But you worry me.”
“Well, I’m not
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