kind.
“ I was stung when I was
pregnant,” Jill said. “I . . . I’m allergic to
bees . . . I didn’t have
insurance . . . I mean for the
baby . . . what the state gives
you . . . but not for an allergic reaction. I got
really sick.”
“ What about Katherine? Has
she ever been stung?” Dr. Drayson asked.
“ About a year ago,” Jill
said. “We were at the Botanic Gardens. Trevor wanted to take a
family break. He was . . . studying for finals. She
likes to run out ahead and just ran into the bee. Trevor wouldn’t
let me take her to the Emergency room because
he . . . he didn’t want the disruption
or . . . the expense, I guess. I was horrified that
she would die . . . but Trevor said it was my fault
for not watching her. I’m not a very good mother. I took her to
Walgreens. It’s across the street from Pete’s and I know some of
the pharmacists . . . from working at
Pete’s . . .. It was the only thing I could think
of . . . The pharmacist was very kind. He told me to
give her Benadryl. He made a place for us by the pharmacy so he
could make sure she was all right. It took a while, but the
Benadryl eventually worked. He told me she might die the next time
she was stung.”
“ Her reaction makes more
sense. Without treatment, any allergic reaction can get stronger
with each event,” Dr. Drayson said. “This is the Trevor from the
engagement party?”
Jill’s head jerked up to
look at the doctor.
“ My wife and I were there
as Jacob’s guests. You put on quite a show. My best friend is the
lawyer who kept shouting from the back. You’ve traded up, my dear.”
Dr. Drayson nodded his head toward Jacob. “Is there anything else
you can tell me?”
Jill shook her head.
Biting her lip, she whispered, “Trevor said . . .
I . . . Is Katy going to die?”
Dr. Drayson smiled. “She’s
very sick. The allergic reaction went through her body. They’re
working to keep her body from getting too hot — kind of like a bad
fever. She’s responding well and seems very healthy. They gave her
steroids to fight the allergic reaction. It will be a while before
we know for sure. For now, they’re cautious but very
hopeful.”
Jill nodded her head. “Is
she in pain?”
“ The doctor put her to
sleep in her car seat. She won’t remember any of this,” Dr. Drayson
said. “She’s well-loved and strong, the kind of strong that comes
from great mothering. You got her here quickly. These doctors are
the very best. She has every chance.”
“ John?” A doctor stuck his
head in the waiting room. “I heard you were here. Do you
mind . . .?”
“ One minute,” John said to
the doctor. Returning to Jill, he said, “If it’s all right with
you, I’ll remain as your liaison. At this point, there isn’t
anything for you to do. You can stay here with your family. I’ll
let you know when I know anything.”
Jill nodded.
“Thanks.”
“ It’s my pleasure. Jacob
has helped us with a number of quandaries. I’m delighted to have
the opportunity to return a favor,” Dr. Drayson said. He and the
other doctor walked from the room.
At the same moment, Jill’s
sister Candy came into the room. Candy hugged Jill. The two sisters
joined Mike and Megan near the back of the waiting room.
Jacob stood near the door
watching the siblings all talk at once. Overwhelmed by the sound of
everyone talking, he was grateful when a hospital staff clerk came
to the door. He tried to flag Jill, but she was absorbed in her
family. Slipping out of the waiting room, Jacob followed the clerk
to a cubical where he began filling out Katy’s admission
forms.
Yes, he would be
responsible. No, Katy didn’t have insurance. Of course, he
understood that the bill might be thousands of dollars. The woman
sneered at him when he said he would pay cash. Of course, feel free
to run my credit.
The clerk ran his social
security number, and then it was “Thank you, Mr. Marlowe. Credit
card is fine.
“ I was stung when I was
pregnant,” Jill said. “I . . . I’m allergic to
bees . . . I didn’t have
insurance . . . I mean for the
baby . . . what the state gives
you . . . but not for an allergic reaction. I got
really sick.”
“ What about Katherine? Has
she ever been stung?” Dr. Drayson asked.
“ About a year ago,” Jill
said. “We were at the Botanic Gardens. Trevor wanted to take a
family break. He was . . . studying for finals. She
likes to run out ahead and just ran into the bee. Trevor wouldn’t
let me take her to the Emergency room because
he . . . he didn’t want the disruption
or . . . the expense, I guess. I was horrified that
she would die . . . but Trevor said it was my fault
for not watching her. I’m not a very good mother. I took her to
Walgreens. It’s across the street from Pete’s and I know some of
the pharmacists . . . from working at
Pete’s . . .. It was the only thing I could think
of . . . The pharmacist was very kind. He told me to
give her Benadryl. He made a place for us by the pharmacy so he
could make sure she was all right. It took a while, but the
Benadryl eventually worked. He told me she might die the next time
she was stung.”
“ Her reaction makes more
sense. Without treatment, any allergic reaction can get stronger
with each event,” Dr. Drayson said. “This is the Trevor from the
engagement party?”
Jill’s head jerked up to
look at the doctor.
“ My wife and I were there
as Jacob’s guests. You put on quite a show. My best friend is the
lawyer who kept shouting from the back. You’ve traded up, my dear.”
Dr. Drayson nodded his head toward Jacob. “Is there anything else
you can tell me?”
Jill shook her head.
Biting her lip, she whispered, “Trevor said . . .
I . . . Is Katy going to die?”
Dr. Drayson smiled. “She’s
very sick. The allergic reaction went through her body. They’re
working to keep her body from getting too hot — kind of like a bad
fever. She’s responding well and seems very healthy. They gave her
steroids to fight the allergic reaction. It will be a while before
we know for sure. For now, they’re cautious but very
hopeful.”
Jill nodded her head. “Is
she in pain?”
“ The doctor put her to
sleep in her car seat. She won’t remember any of this,” Dr. Drayson
said. “She’s well-loved and strong, the kind of strong that comes
from great mothering. You got her here quickly. These doctors are
the very best. She has every chance.”
“ John?” A doctor stuck his
head in the waiting room. “I heard you were here. Do you
mind . . .?”
“ One minute,” John said to
the doctor. Returning to Jill, he said, “If it’s all right with
you, I’ll remain as your liaison. At this point, there isn’t
anything for you to do. You can stay here with your family. I’ll
let you know when I know anything.”
Jill nodded.
“Thanks.”
“ It’s my pleasure. Jacob
has helped us with a number of quandaries. I’m delighted to have
the opportunity to return a favor,” Dr. Drayson said. He and the
other doctor walked from the room.
At the same moment, Jill’s
sister Candy came into the room. Candy hugged Jill. The two sisters
joined Mike and Megan near the back of the waiting room.
Jacob stood near the door
watching the siblings all talk at once. Overwhelmed by the sound of
everyone talking, he was grateful when a hospital staff clerk came
to the door. He tried to flag Jill, but she was absorbed in her
family. Slipping out of the waiting room, Jacob followed the clerk
to a cubical where he began filling out Katy’s admission
forms.
Yes, he would be
responsible. No, Katy didn’t have insurance. Of course, he
understood that the bill might be thousands of dollars. The woman
sneered at him when he said he would pay cash. Of course, feel free
to run my credit.
The clerk ran his social
security number, and then it was “Thank you, Mr. Marlowe. Credit
card is fine.
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