Read Online From Doctor...to Daddy by Karen Rose Smith - Free Book Online

hesitated for a moment, then asked, “Why are you worried about this?”
    â€œI watch the news. Dad has the cable channel on a lot. If people lose their jobs, they could lose their houses, too. And their kids won’t have a place to live!”
    He was upset and now she suspected why. Jeff was a good kid and what she saw in his eyes was…guilt. “Your dad said you had a salad and that’s what caused your allergic reaction. If the chef wasn’t careful…” She let her voice trail off, giving Jeff an opening to tell her what really happened.
    Tears came to Jeff’s eyes as he glanced toward his dad, then back at her.
    She said gently, “Your dad loves you. All he cares about is that you’re well again.”
    â€œHe tells me over and over again not to eat anything someone else gives me. I have to eat stuff different from everyone else. It’s no fun.”
    â€œI imagine it’s not.”
    â€œI made a friend here. We went fishing together and skipped rocks and just walked.”
    â€œWho’s your friend?”
    â€œHis name’s Ken.”
    â€œDid you and Ken share something?” she guessed.
    Jeff wiped his palms on his jeans. “He had this candy bar. He said it was just chocolate, no nuts. He gave me half of it and I stuck it in my pocket. That day at lunch when I saw that salad—” He sighed. “I just get so tired of salads. But Dad says they’re good for me. He got a phone call and left the table and I just…I just ate that half of the chocolate bar. It wasn’t supposed to have any nuts in it!”
    Erika knew all that chocolate had to do was touch part of a conveyor belt where a nut product had lain. That was all it took for someone with food allergies to have a reaction.
    She wasn’t exactly sure what she was going to do with the information. She didn’t want to put Jeff and his father at odds in a public place, or interfere in the proceedings if there was a lawsuit. So she simply asked, “It wouldn’t be fair if your father sued the resort, would it?”
    Jeff morosely shook his head.
    â€œI do think it would probably be better if you told your dad instead of someone else telling him, though, don’t you?”
    â€œHe’s going to be so mad. I told you because…”
    â€œBecause you had to tell someone,” she guessed. “What does your dad do when he gets mad?”
    â€œHe yells and his face turns a little red. But afterward he usually says he’s sorry. He’ll probably take away my computer privileges.”
    â€œYou’re a smart kid. I think you can find something else to do. I also think your dad will be proud of you for telling the truth.”
    â€œYou think so?”
    She’d seen firsthand the love that Dave Lindstrom felt for his son. She nodded. “I’m sure of it.”
    Opening her purse, she took a slip of paper from it. She wrote down her cell-phone number and handed it to Jeff. “If you get into too much trouble and you want somebody to talk to, just give me a call, okay?”
    â€œI don’t know when I’m gonna tell him.”
    â€œI know. I just want you to know you have a friend if you need one.”
    His father had finished his conversation and was walking toward them.
    Erika asked Jeff, “Are you going to be okay?”
    The boy nodded.
    As Lindstrom beckoned his son to come with him, Jeff stuffed the paper she’d given him with her number into his pocket and crossed to his dad.
    After a few minutes of considering her conversation with the boy, Erika decided what she was going to do. Following the hall back to the infirmary, she found Dillon in his office. He was filling in information on a patient’s online chart.
    His door was open but she rapped anyway.
    When he looked up, he saw her, but his expression was unreadable as he said, “Come in.” She realized he’d had a busy morning. Two