“Yes, for the past three years.”
The woman slipped papers onto a clipboard and handed it through the cutout in the clear plastic shield to Shania. Justin’s nose leaked. Shania held the silver clamp and tucked the board under her arm. Juggling Justin and the bag, she took a seat on one of the blue metal chairs in the waiting room. She grabbed a tissue hanging from the outside pocket of the carry-all, then swiped the soft paper under his nostrils. The forms slid off the satin of the robe and onto the floor with a clatter.
She picked it up, drawing in the antiseptic scent of the room. “Justin, I’m going to place your foot on this paper. Okay?”
He nodded. His tiny red nose and sad blotchy face pulled at her heartstrings.
She placed his sneaker on the clipboard and proceeded to fill in the squares. Finished, she moved his foot from the holder and set the completed forms on the next seat. His shoe came loose and fell to the chair. She removed the other one and stuffed both in the bag. She kissed the top of his head, inhaling the baby shampoo mixed with sweat, and snuggled him closer to her. His head rested on her shoulder, the rounded collar of the gown clutched in his fist.
“Scott,” the receptionist shouted.
The only other person in the room–Ms. Scott, she assumed–was a short thin woman with gray hair. Worry lines, which were quickly becoming deeply embedded wrinkles, made up the map of a difficult life. Skirt hitting her ankles, she meandered toward the hallway in scuffed penny loafer shoes. She stopped in front of Shania and Justin and smiled, a sad ‘I’m sorry you’re here’ smile. “I’ll take your forms to Nurse Ratchet if you wish.”
Shania glanced at the glowering nurse standing in the doorway and handed the clipboard to Ms. Scott. “Thank you.”
Justin released the robe and rubbed his eyes. He plopped his head onto her shoulder and clasped the material again as if to never let go.
Shania stroked his tiny back and finger-combed his bright blond hair, the exact shade of Beck’s. Justin pouted, exhibiting Beck’s perfectly shaped lips and stubborn jaw line. Justin’s eyes were a green with a starburst of blue shooting from the center, granted to him from her side of the family. A replica of her smaller nose and high cheekbones finished off his precious face.
Having sex with Beck was a violent and painful life changing event, but she’d never regretted conceiving Justin. Her baby was the center of her universe. She’d never let him down like her family had her.
“Dr. Raimo will see you now, Miss Miller,” Nurse Ratchet announced in her haughty tone.
Shania placed her chin on top of Justin’s head to keep him from bouncing forward and stood. She snagged the handle of the bag and walked down the hallway. The nurse stood in front of an open door. Shania slipped through, placed her sack beside the navy metal visitor’s chair, and sat down. The medicinal scent from the sterilized metal equipment made her want to sneeze. She turned her head and sneezed into the loose material of the gown.
Dr. Adam Raimo stood in the doorway a few minutes later, flipping through Justin’s chart. He snapped the pages down and a smile appeared on his round face. His teeth were bright, perfectly straight. Dark brown hair curled slightly around his ears. He’d been their doctor since her first pregnancy visit. An obstetrician delivered Justin, but Dr. Raimo examined her baby. They had been partners in Justin’s health ever since. “Hi, Dr. Raimo.” She shifted Justin around, placing him face out.
“Hi, Miss Miller.” His long fingers touched the side of Justin’s face, then his forehead. “Buddy, you have a bit of a fever. What else is bothering you?”
“I’m sick,” Justin whined and turned his face into her chest again.
“Let’s take a look.” He patted the cot, paper crinkling as he did.
Shania stood and placed Justin on the white covered examination bed and lifted his shirt. “He has a red rash. I thought it was from the heat, but now there are tiny white dots.”
“Sleeping much?” He turned Justin’s head side to side.
“No, and he’s had a fever for the past two days. This is the third day”
“Does his urine smell?” He continued to search, thumping this and that and looking inside Justin’s ears with a rubber funnel.
“Just a little stronger than usual. He’s good at drinking water and juice. Liquids generally aren’t an issue.” She helped Justin to lie on the cot, positioning him for the doctor’s examination. “Could it be measles?”
Dr. Raimo lifted an eyebrow. “Has he been around anyone with measles?”
“Yes, a child at the playground had measles a week or so ago.” She clenched her fist.
“Unlikely, because his MMR shots are up to date. Justin, we’re going to remove your pants and look at your legs, okay?” Dr. Raimo asked.
“No,” Justin hooted.
“Don’t ask a three-year-old a question and expect yes as the answer, unless it involves toys, play or food.” She smiled.
Dr. Raimo grinned and slid the elastic-banded pants off Justin. Justin twisted and turned, trying to avoid contact, but his socks followed. No rash was visible on Justin’s legs. The primary points of the red welts were under his arms, neck and back.
When the doctor tickled Justin’s feet, they reacted as normal, curling into tight balls. Dr. Raimo replaced the pants and the socks. “Now, Justin, I’m going to sit you up so I can listen to your heart and lungs.”
Dr. Raimo caught her glance and nodded. Shania set Justin upright on the padded bench and spoke nonsense words into his ear. Justin closed his eyes, until the stethoscope touched skin, then he jerked backward.
“Sorry, let me warm it.” Dr. Raimo blew on the round dial. His breath flowed across the table. Spearmint surrounded them. He unbuttoned his white jacket and rubbed the metal against the linen of his black shirt. The material made his brown eyes darken to a solid walnut color.
He touched the stethoscope to Justin’s chest. “Better?”
Justin nodded.
Dr. Raimo moved the device around to Justin’s sides, and then to his upper and lower back.
“Well?” she asked, impatient to find out what was wrong with her son.
“You can put his shirt on.” He held Justin’s tiny hand in his large one. “Good job, Justin.”
Dressed, Justin latched onto her, like a chimp holding onto his cage. His heels dug into her sides.
“From the examination, he appears to have roseola, but I want to check for anemia.”
Shania dropped onto the visitors’ chair, crushed Justin to her chest, feeling his heart beat against hers. Her throat closed off.
“Shoot.” Dr. Raimo sat on his wheeled stool and slid it closer to her. “I should have explained what roseola is before I mentioned a blood test.”
He placed his hand on Justin’s back. “Roseola is similar to measles. The virus lasts two to four days. His temperature can be treated with acetaminophen or cool water and you’ll want to take a fever seriously. The symptoms are a pain for the patient and the caretaker.”
“So, he’ll be all right by tomorrow then?” Her breath hitched.
“As long as he’s kept in a comfortable, quiet environment and you watch his fever, he’ll be fine. If his temperature keeps rising, you’ll need to take him to the ER.”
“Quiet?” She closed her eyes and opened them again.
“Yes, will that be a problem?” He dropped his hand, pressed a button on the wall, then picked up the documents.
“No. Yes. It’s just we’re moving