Page 28 of A Treasure Worth Seeking

“Thank you,” she found the strength to whisper, and he patted her hand.

“Let’s get you well, then you can thank me.”

He took the package of pills out of Lance’s hand and pulled a pair of silver framed glasses out of his breast pocket. He read the information on the back of the box.

Erin looked at Lance. He had shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and was staring at her from his post at the foot of the bed. It never occurred to her to question his presence in the room while the doctor examined her. She was simply glad that he was there. Quite out of context, she noticed that the furrow between his brows was perfectly aligned with the cleft in his chin. He gave her a brief, reassuring half smile and the warmth from his eyes seemed to reach out and touch her. She wished she didn’t know how frightful she must look.

Melanie was still nowhere to be seen.

“Ah, penicillin,” Dr. Joshua said. “What are you taking it for?”

“A sore throat.”

“When did you get it?”

“Last week. Tuesday I think.”

“You’ve followed the directions exactly, taking three each day?”

“The day before yesterday I missed one at noon.” She slanted a look at Lance.

“Did you make it up or just skip it?” the doctor asked.

“I skipped it.”

“Well, do us all a favor and skip the rest of them, too. I think you’ve had an allergic reaction to the drug. It’s a very good drug, but as you know, to someone who is allergic to something, even a good thing can be deadly.”

“But I’ve taken penicillin all my life,” Erin protested.

“This is a new synthetic variety. Something in its makeup and yours is incompatible.”

“I had no idea,” Erin murmured.

“Well now you do. Be sure when you get home to notify your doctor of what happened. I’ll write up a report you can take back with you. How’s the throat now?”

“It hasn’t bothered me for the last couple of days.”

“Good. Now I’m going to give you a shot to help you sleep and keep those cramps at bay. I’ll also leave an antinausea medicine in case you have any more attacks, though I doubt you will or you would have had another by now. Eat light until you feel really hungry.” She was revolted by even the mention of food, and Dr. Joshua laughed at her expression. “I’m sure you won’t want anything for a while.”

He gave her the shot in her arm while chatting about the Houston Oilers last season. He tossed the disposable syringe back in his black bag and said, “Unless you want a bad case of pneumonia on top of everything else, you’d better get up and let us change this bed. Slip into another nightgown, too.”

She struggled to sit up, but her muscles felt like water and another cramp gripped her. “I’m sorry,” she gasped breathlessly and fell back against the pillows.

Lance was around the bed in a split second. He lifted her as he had before and carried her to the bathroom. Dr. Joshua was calling down the hall for Melanie to bring fresh linens when Lance set her down on the dressing table stool.

“I’ll get you another nightgown. Do you want me to send in Mrs. Lyman?”

She shook her head. “No. I think I can manage if you’ll toss a fresh one through the door. They are in the second drawer in the chest.” The speech, short as it was, exhausted her.

Lance disappeared and she slipped the straps of her gown down over her shoulders and managed to work it over her hips and step out of it without standing up.

“Here it is,” Lan

ce called from the other side of the door as the soft cotton nightshirt came sailing toward her. “Can you reach it?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said and wondered what he would have done had the garment been out of her reach. She flushed hotly, and it wasn’t from her illness. She knew what he would have done. She shrugged into the sleeves of the nightshirt and tried to button it down the front. For her weak, rubbery arms, it seemed like a Herculean task.

“Call me when you’re ready,” he said from beyond the door.

---