sobbed. His gut twisted. Why was she upset? His protective instincts were overwhelming, and he quickly knocked on the door. When she answered, he could see the tears glistening in her eyes.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Patrick is sick. I can’t get his fever down, and Doc Wheeler isn’t answering. I left him a message, but I don’t know if he’ll even get it.” She took in a stuttering breath. “I’ve given him acetaminophen, but it’s not helping.”
“Can we take him into town and find the doc?”
“I don’t want to risk it. If Doc is on call somewhere else, I’ll have had Patrick out in the cold air for nothing. The only option left is to take him to the hospital, but it’s over an hour away.”
“Can I see him?”
Myka nodded.
Galen’s heart sank when he saw the listless boy lying in bed. He was drenched in sweat and shivering. His cheeks were dark pink and his face flushed.
“Has this ever happened before?”
“Not since he’s come to live with me, but Travis used to talk about Patrick getting horrible fevers.”
Galen laid his palm across Patrick’s forehead. Damn. The kid was burning up. He’d been around long enough to have witnessed fevers like this taking down grown men. It was urgent that they get Patrick’s temperature down as soon as possible.
“Myka.” When she didn’t answer, he said it louder. “Myka!”
She jumped. “What?”
“Get him undressed. We need to get him in a tepid bath. Okay?”
She nodded.
“I’ll be right back.”
She still hadn’t moved when he went to leave, and he gently took her by the shoulders.
“Hey,” he said softly.
She looked up at him, and his chest hurt when her pain-filled eyes centered on him. She was pale, and most likely scared out of her mind.
“It’ll be all right. We’ll get Patrick’s fever down. Get him undressed. I’ll be back in a minute.”
He made sure she was following his instructions before making his way back to the kitchen, where he started searching through the cabinets. After being connected with nature for most of his life, he’d picked up a few tricks. But when he’d gotten to the last cabinet without finding anything useful, his hope began to die. Finally, on the back of the last shelf, he found a bottle of peppermint oil.
He grabbed the bottle and started back down the hall. Myka had finished undressing Patrick, but the boy still seemed out of it. Myka picked him up, and Galen followed her to the bathroom, where he filled the bath and helped her set him inside. Patrick protested the cool water, but they managed to get him immersed up to his neck.
“Let him soak in it for five minutes. Then we’ll get him back to bed.”
“He has to be okay,” she whispered.
“It’s a fever. He’s a healthy kid. He’ll be all right. We’ll get through this, okay?”
She nodded, but her worried expression told him she didn’t really believe him.
Five minutes later, they had Patrick out of the tub and wrapped in a towel. Galen offered to carry him back to his room, but Myka refused. He wasn’t surprised. She’d expressed doubts about her mothering abilities, but she was a wonderful mother as far as he was concerned.
“Leave him nude, and pull the covers up to his waist.”
After she did as he’d instructed, he knelt beside the bed and pulled the bottle of peppermint oil from his jeans pocket.
“Is he due for another dose of acetaminophen yet?”
“Close.”
Galen nodded. He held up the bottle so she could see.
“This is peppermint oil. I found it in your cabinet. It helps to reduce fevers. I’m going to rub some on his chest.”
By the time he finished, Patrick had stirred. He felt a bit cooler—probably from the bath—but Galen knew it wouldn’t last long without help from the peppermint.
“Can you go make him a strong cup of tea while I sit with him?” Galen asked.
She nodded and left. Within a couple minutes, she was back with the tea and another dose of medicine.
Galen was
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Patrick is sick. I can’t get his fever down, and Doc Wheeler isn’t answering. I left him a message, but I don’t know if he’ll even get it.” She took in a stuttering breath. “I’ve given him acetaminophen, but it’s not helping.”
“Can we take him into town and find the doc?”
“I don’t want to risk it. If Doc is on call somewhere else, I’ll have had Patrick out in the cold air for nothing. The only option left is to take him to the hospital, but it’s over an hour away.”
“Can I see him?”
Myka nodded.
Galen’s heart sank when he saw the listless boy lying in bed. He was drenched in sweat and shivering. His cheeks were dark pink and his face flushed.
“Has this ever happened before?”
“Not since he’s come to live with me, but Travis used to talk about Patrick getting horrible fevers.”
Galen laid his palm across Patrick’s forehead. Damn. The kid was burning up. He’d been around long enough to have witnessed fevers like this taking down grown men. It was urgent that they get Patrick’s temperature down as soon as possible.
“Myka.” When she didn’t answer, he said it louder. “Myka!”
She jumped. “What?”
“Get him undressed. We need to get him in a tepid bath. Okay?”
She nodded.
“I’ll be right back.”
She still hadn’t moved when he went to leave, and he gently took her by the shoulders.
“Hey,” he said softly.
She looked up at him, and his chest hurt when her pain-filled eyes centered on him. She was pale, and most likely scared out of her mind.
“It’ll be all right. We’ll get Patrick’s fever down. Get him undressed. I’ll be back in a minute.”
He made sure she was following his instructions before making his way back to the kitchen, where he started searching through the cabinets. After being connected with nature for most of his life, he’d picked up a few tricks. But when he’d gotten to the last cabinet without finding anything useful, his hope began to die. Finally, on the back of the last shelf, he found a bottle of peppermint oil.
He grabbed the bottle and started back down the hall. Myka had finished undressing Patrick, but the boy still seemed out of it. Myka picked him up, and Galen followed her to the bathroom, where he filled the bath and helped her set him inside. Patrick protested the cool water, but they managed to get him immersed up to his neck.
“Let him soak in it for five minutes. Then we’ll get him back to bed.”
“He has to be okay,” she whispered.
“It’s a fever. He’s a healthy kid. He’ll be all right. We’ll get through this, okay?”
She nodded, but her worried expression told him she didn’t really believe him.
Five minutes later, they had Patrick out of the tub and wrapped in a towel. Galen offered to carry him back to his room, but Myka refused. He wasn’t surprised. She’d expressed doubts about her mothering abilities, but she was a wonderful mother as far as he was concerned.
“Leave him nude, and pull the covers up to his waist.”
After she did as he’d instructed, he knelt beside the bed and pulled the bottle of peppermint oil from his jeans pocket.
“Is he due for another dose of acetaminophen yet?”
“Close.”
Galen nodded. He held up the bottle so she could see.
“This is peppermint oil. I found it in your cabinet. It helps to reduce fevers. I’m going to rub some on his chest.”
By the time he finished, Patrick had stirred. He felt a bit cooler—probably from the bath—but Galen knew it wouldn’t last long without help from the peppermint.
“Can you go make him a strong cup of tea while I sit with him?” Galen asked.
She nodded and left. Within a couple minutes, she was back with the tea and another dose of medicine.
Galen was
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