Page 97 of Cause and Effect

I knew something was off with Sara this morning. She didn’t eat and looked very tired. When I reached the school and walked into the office, I saw her lying across the chairs lined against the window.

“Julian,” she said.

“Hey, sweetheart. I hear you’re not feeling good.”

“She has a fever of 103, sore throat, and a bad headache,” the secretary spoke.

“Thank you.” I scooped Sara in my arms and carried her to the Escalade. “You need to see a doctor.”

“I want my mom,” she whined.

“I know you do, but she’s in court.” After climbing in next to her, I called Emilia’s office.

“Hi, this is Julian Hamilton from The Hamilton Group. Is Dr. Kind available to speak to?”

“Let me check, Mr. Hamilton.” She placed me on hold.

“Hey, Julian,” Emilia answered.

“Emilia, thank God. I have a sick kid. Is there any way I can bring her in now to see you?”

“Now I know for a fact that you don’t have kids, Julian. What did you do? Kidnap one?”

“Hilarious, Emilia. She’s a friend’s daughter, and her mother is in court all day. I just picked her up from school with a 103 temperature, bad sore throat, and headache.”

“Bring her in now. What’s her name?”

“Sara Evans.”

“Okay. I’ll let my staff know. See you soon.”

“Thanks, Emilia. Sam, we’re going to the Kind Medical Center.”

When we arrived, I took Sara from the back seat and carried her up to the second floor and into Emilia’s practice.

“We have a room all ready for her.” The receptionist smiled. “Follow me.”

I lay Sara on the table, and we waited for Emilia.

“Her throat swab is positive for strep throat,” Emilia said. “I’m going to prescribe an antibiotic, and she’s to get children’s Tylenol every four hours until her fever breaks.”

“Thank you, Emilia. I appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome, Julian.” She smiled. “It’s good you brought her in. I hope you feel better, sweetie,” she said to Sara.

“Thank you, Dr. Kind.”

As we climbed into the Escalade, my phone rang, and Laurel was calling.

“Hi.”

“Julian, what’s going on? Sara is sick, and you picked her up?”

“I did. She has strep throat, Laurel.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because I took her to the doctor.”

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