LITMIR.BIZ

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      She’d never been one for hospital gossip and actively stayed away from it when she could, but her office-mate’s chatter had caught her interest. The more she knew about Dr. O’Doherty the better off she’d be.

      She slipped into a vacant chair behind the nurses’ station desk. Facing the state-of-the-art computer screen, she typed in her password and queried Dr. O’Doherty’s in-house patients. A list containing five names came up. One by one she reviewed the patients’ charts and made notes. She’d just finished scanning the last chart when a deep-throated laugh followed by the high-pitched giggle of a child came from down the hall.

      “Dr. O’Doherty is at it again,” the nurse standing beside her said with a smile.

      Seconds later, he slow-galloped into view with a young girl on his back. His white lab coat had been discarded. The light blue knit shirt he wore stretched tautly across his broad chest. The man either had good genes or he worked out regularly. The child had a happy smile on her face and her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck. Her head was bound in white gauze.

      He stopped at the nurses’ station where Lucy and the nurse stood watching. “Ms. Edwards, I’d like you to meet Princess Michelle.”

      The girl giggled.

      “She buttoned her shirt all by herself today and got to make a wish.” He glanced back at the girl. “Princess Michelle,” he said.

      The girl giggled again.

      “Can you tell Ms. Edwards what your wish was?” Ryan asked.

      “I want a horsy ride,” the girl said with a shy grin.

      “Well, that sounds like a fine wish.” Lucy smiled up at the child. “So how far are you going on this ride? Over the mountain? Across the river?”

      The girl snickered and pointed. “End of hall.”

      “I see.”

      “This horse can’t go too far away from the barn.” He winked at the young nurse and she blinked and grinned.

      The sting of pain Lucy experienced when she’d not been included in the flirtatious action surprised her. It was a visual reminder he didn’t consider her part of his circle. She was once again an outsider.

      An easy lilt in his Brooklyn accent became more prominent as he continued to speak. “I’d better finish this princess’s ride and get her home. It’s almost supper time.” He turned his head toward the girl, “What do you say to get the horse to go?”

      “Giddy up,” Michelle said with another round of giggles and off they went.

      A smile covered her lips.

      “Why, Ms. Edwards, is that a smile I see?” Dr. O’Doherty asked with a brow raised. “I wondered if it was possible.”

      To her amazement, she was smiling. Something that had happened rarely in the last few months. How had that exasperating man managed to make her smile? Maybe there was more to him than she had originally given him credit for. His bedside manner might not extend to her but apparently he cared about his patients.

      The horse and rider set off down the passage then returned, and she waved. Her chest constricted. It wouldn’t be long until Emily would be the same age as Michelle. Sadly, Lucy would never hear the sounds of Emily’s childhood delight.

      Half an hour later, Lucy asked one of the nurses which end of the hall Dr. O’Doherty usually started his rounds on. The nurse pointed to the right and Lucy headed in that direction. A group of six led by Dr. O’Doherty exited a patient’s room as she approached. The crowd circled around him. Lucy stopped just outside the ring.

      He looked over the head of a female intern wearing a lab coat, with her head elevated in a worshipful manner, to glower at Lucy. “Everyone, this is Ms. Edwards.”

      The assemblage turned to inspect her. She shifted uneasily under the scrutiny.

      “She’s our newest family counselor. Please introduce yourself later. We have patients to see.” His mouth tightened briefly but his words didn’t falter. “Please see that she stays in the loop on all cases.” His intense blue gaze pinned her again. “I’ll have to get you up to speed later on the patient you missed.”

      She looked away.

      Dr. O’Doherty made a few more comments as they moved down the hallway to the next patient, then the next, stopping in front of another door. He paused. His attention focused on her again. “This is Brian Banasiak. I removed a blood clot three days ago. This is one case I believe that it might be beneficial to have you involved in.”

      Might? Lucy wasn’t sure she needed his seal of approval but she didn’t say so. Neither was she certain how she felt about the left-handed compliment. In her last position she’d been considered the “go to” person when a family was having a difficult time coping with their child’s illness or injury. Her role was seen as important in overall patient care.

      Apparently Dr. O’Doherty viewed her work as a sideline to his godly power. She’d do her job effectively then maybe she could change the narrow-minded man’s opinion.

      “I understand his head trauma occurred during an auto accident,” she said quietly. “I’m going to discuss the benefits of therapy at home with the parents. Also assistance with home schooling. These parents have a long road ahead of them. The adjustment of having gone from a perfectly normal child to one who needs help eating and dressing will be difficult at best to accept.”

      Dr. O’Doherty’s look of surprise along with similar ones from the others made her want to pump her fist in elation. She’d managed to wow the man. Why it should matter she didn’t know, but it felt good.

      He pursed his lips and nodded as if he might be impressed. “Thank you, Ms. Edwards. You’ve obviously done your homework.”

      “The family clearly cares about their child and I gather are willing to do what it takes for Brian to recover. I’ll be speaking with them first thing in the morning to determine any additional needs.”

      Dr. O’Doherty gave her a quick nod and with a rap of his knuckles on the door entered the room. Along with the rest of their group, Lucy moved to stand next to the boy’s bed.

      The parents of the boy came to stand across the bed from the group. Dr. O’Doherty paid them no attention.

      “Brian, how’re you feeling today?” Dr. O’Doherty asked.

      The eight-year-old boy offered a weak smile. His entire head was swathed in white gauze. His eyes had dark circles under them and there was puffiness about his face that lingered from having surgery.

      “Okay, I guess,” the boy said with little enthusiasm.

      “Well, from all I hear from your nurse, you’re my star patient,” Dr. O’Doherty stated. “So give me a high five.”

      That managed to get a slight smile out of the boy. He raised his small hand and met the doctor’s larger one with a smack.

      Dr. O’Doherty pulled his hand back. “Ow! See, you’re already getting stronger.”

      Brian’s smile broadened.

      The doctor did have a way with kids.

      “I’m going to take a look at your head. Maybe we can give you a smaller bandage.”

      “It’s itchy.” The boy wrinkled his nose.

      “Yes. That means you’re getting better. I’ll see if we can’t help with that problem.”

      As he removed the gauze, Lucy watched the parents’ faces to gage their reactions. Death wasn’t the only time people experienced grief. A major life trauma could bring on the emotion. Lucy knew that all too well. She’d run to get away from hers.

      “Will he be able to ride a bike?” the boy’s mother asked. “Do we have to worry about him falling?”

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