Page 38 of Tortured Tones

Just as Hannah took off out the door, Charlotte shivered. Her little teeth chattered together. “I’m cold. I need a blanky.”

“Okay.” I reached for a throw to place over her.

But Ava cleared her throat.

I glanced over my shoulder. She stood hovering by the bar, shaking her head. “No blanket. It’s just the fever passing. She’ll be okay.”

“But she’s shivering.”

“She’s not cold. Trust me.”

It went against every bone in my body not to put the blanket over Charlotte’s shivering body. “So what do I do?”

Ava sucked in a deep breath, then sighed. “Get a fresh cool cloth. Put it on her forehead.”

I rushed over to the kitchen and rinsed the facecloth under the cold water. “You should be doing this. You have experience with a kid; I don’t.”

“You have to learn how to take care of her at some point in time. Now is just as good as any. I’ll wait until the doctor’s been in case we have to take her to the hospital.”

“So you’re just going to stand there?” I didn’t mind the view, but my attention had to be on Charlotte, not Ava.

“No.” She waved toward the office down the hall. “I need to check in with the surveillance team.”

“Is there an issue?”

“I hope not. I’ll let you know if there is.”

“Thank you.” I jutted my chin toward the kitchen. “You’re welcome to grab a coffee or a drink out of the fridge. Help yourself to food if you’re hungry.”

“Thank you.” She dipped her chin. “But I’m okay.”

Ten minutes later, my doctor arrived. Ava let him in via the security intercom in the office and met him at the door so I didn’t have to leave Charlotte’s side.

In long loping strides, Dr. Morley walked over to me and placed his bag on the ottoman. Dressed in a navy polo T-shirt, tan dress pants and loafers, he was one of the most casual, cruisy doctors I’d ever met. He shook my hand. “Hey, Cole. Good to see you.”

“Hi Donovan. This time it’s not me or one of my friends who needs your help.” He’d been to a few of our house calls over the years for parties gone too wild, cuts that needed stitches, and general illnesses that needed attending to. “Um...this is my kid, Charlotte. She’s burning up.”

“Your daughter?” Donovan’s bushy eyebrows shot skyward. “The lady on the phone didn’t provide that information.” Shit. That was another thing I had to add to my list. I had to meet with April and send out a press release about Charlotte being mine. It’d save the onslaught of speculation and gossip. “You guys always surprise me. I never know what to expect when I walk through one of your doors, but I hadn’t anticipated this.”

“We like keeping you on your toes.”

“That you do.” He chuckled as he squatted beside the sofa. “Hi Charlotte.” Her big green eyes fluttered open. “I’m Dr. Morley. Is it okay if I check your temperature and listen to your chest?”

She nodded and closed her eyes.

As Dr. Morley examined her, checking her ears, throat, and glands, and listening to her breathing, I filled him in on the story of how Charlotte had landed in my life. Every time I’d retold it over the past two week or so to my parents, to my entourage, and to my band’s road crew, nausea had swayed through my stomach. Nothing eased the guilt from what I’d done all those years ago. The only thing that made it bearable was how adorable my kid was. It was wrong to be glad that Shelby had died, but I would’ve never met or known I had a daughter otherwise. How fucked up was that?

“Has she been anywhere different or eaten anything unusual?” Donovan pressed her tummy, then scanned her skin, I assumed for rashes and unusual blotches.

“Um. No. I’d have to check with her grandmother who has been with her. On Friday, Charlotte did try to eat a dozen coloring markers.”

Donovan shook his head. “No, they might cause a tummy ache or maybe diarrhea. Not this.”

He asked more questions. I hated that I couldn’t give him definitive answers. I’d only known her for six days, and for most of them I’d been at work.

Donovan took off his stethoscope and put it back in his bag. “Cole, I don’t think it’s anything more than a fever. Her temperature is still a touch high but not extreme. If it goes over 103°, and she gets delirious or unresponsive, take her to the hospital. But if she’s had this for a few hours, let’s hope the worst has passed. The best thing to do is to let her rest and sleep it off. Give her children’s acetaminophen or ibuprofen every four hours if her temperature is still high, and make sure you keep her cool.”

“Is that it?” Sounded easy enough.

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