Page 19 of Storm's Embrace

Eli sobered as well. “So, Jesse’s in good shape. If it weren’t for the bruises on the mom—”

LaDonna took in a sharp breath and her expression turned grim.

Eli nodded. “I noticed some on her neck and wrist. Anyhow, if it weren’t for those, I might let her explain them away to me. But…” He grimaced, knowing he was more than likely looking at the results of an abusive husband and father. “It’s why I need the extra time with her,” he said, motioning over LaDonna’s head to Sallie who had been watching them from beside the nurses’ station.

LaDonna shook her head as Sallie hurried toward them. “Poor things.”

“Yes, Dr. Storm,” Sallie said, stopping beside them, her concerned gaze bouncing between him and LaDonna to the closed exam room door.

He handed her Jesse’s chart. “Just shots and blood work.” Her brows drew down as she took the chart. “LaDonna’s going in with you and then she’s bringing Ms. Garrison and Jesse to my office.

Sallie’s expression cleared as she nodded, and then she and LaDonna went into the exam room as Eli quickly went up the hall to his office. Sallie would be finished in less than ten minutes and he needed to get his thoughts together.

This was the only thing about his job he hated—suspecting a child had been abused. He didn’t come across it often, but when he did he took action—and not only because it was mandatory.

He’d wait until he spoke to her to make the call. Help was out there—resources. He just prayed she decided to take the assistance.

Miriam looked up when he walked into her office, her gaze sympathetic. “Are you okay?”

“No.” His office door stood open. “I’m assuming Deidre left.”

Miriam took in a deep breath before frowning and wrinkling her nose, and then cleared her throat and nodded. “She left your office about fifteen minutes after I got back.”

She certainly had taken a long time to pull herself together.

“Good.” He didn’t have time to broach the subject with Miriam, but he felt the strong need to clear the air about what she had seen and what had really happened. He opened his mouth to say something but then thought better of it. There wasn’t time. He needed to gather literature and contact information on a safe place for the Garrison’s to go before LaDonna brought them to his office. So it would have to wait. “Thank you for getting Serena to come in on such short notice.”

Miriam smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes—another something he wasn’t used to seeing. “She was glad to do it. I just don’t know how happy Ms. Sawyer ended up being seeing her instead of you.”

Eli frowned. “Why?”

Miriam shook her head and grinned, her eyes finally filling with more of a spark. “Eli, surely you can see…” She shook her head again.

“See what?” He knew exactly what Miriam meant. Some of the moms—and he had suspected a few dads—took more of an interest in him than they should while he examined their children. He ignored the attention, but he wanted the pleasure of watching her try and explain it to him, knowing she’d blush—hoping he could make her laugh.

“Never mind,” she told him with a true smile, her gaze going down the hallway through her open door. Her expression sobered as she looked back at him. “She’s coming.”

Eli waited while a visibly nervous Mrs. Garrison was led into Miriam’s office by LaDonna, with a snuffling Jesse passed out on his mom’s shoulder.

He smiled at her. Hopefully she wouldn’t bolt. “Let’s talk in here,” he said and motioned for her to precede him into his office. He followed close behind and shut the door before going to his desk.

A pale Brittany Garrison hesitated by the closed door, so he gave her what he hoped was an encouraging smile.

“Please, have a seat.”

5

How old was Brittany Garrison?Twenty-two—maybe twenty-three? And she’d looked scared to death—her face pale and hands trembling where she’d held her child. And it wasn’t Eli who’d left that terrified look on her face.

Miriam frowned at the closed door. This was the best thing for the young mother and her child. Eli was involved in a network of doctors who referred women in these kinds of situations to safe houses. If she allowed him to, he would give her the assistance she needed.

He would also let her know he had no other choice but to report his suspicions.

Miriam didn’t envy him at all.

Rare situations like this were the toughest part of Eli’s job. But he took each case seriously and had managed to do a lot of good when it came to helping these children—and sometimes even a parent or two—when it came to being abused. His level of dedication to his patients was one of the things she admired most about him.

But each time an incident came to light, it would eat at him for several days. She just hoped Mrs. Garrison would allow him to help her.

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