The Choice - Nicholas Sparks [16]
Despite a job offer in cardiology at a hospital in her hometown, she’d taken a job with Drs. Furman and Melton in Beaufort, North Carolina. Dr. Furman struck her as oblivious, Dr. Melton struck her as a flirt, but it was an opportunity to be nearer to Kevin. And on some level, she’d believed that Dr. Bender just might be right. He’d been right about the infants. For the most part, she loved working with them, even when she had to give them shots and their screams made her wince. Toddlers were okay, too. Most of them had darling personalities, and she loved to watch as they cuddled their blankets or teddy bears and stared at her with guileless expressions. It was the parents who drove her crazy. Dr. Bender had failed to mention one critical point: In cardiology, you dealt with a patient who came to the office because he or she wanted or needed to; in pediatrics, you dealt with a patient who was often under the care of neurotic, know-it-all parents. Eva Bronson was a case in point.
Eva, who was holding George on her lap in the exam room, seemed to be looking down her nose at Gabby. The fact that she wasn’t technically a physician and was relatively young made many parents believe she was little more than an overpaid nurse.
“Are you sure Dr. Furman can’t squeeze us in?” She emphasized the word doctor.
“He’s at the hospital,” Gabby replied. “He won’t be in until later. Besides, I’m pretty sure he’d agree with me. Your son seems fine.”
“But he’s still coughing.”
“Like I said before, toddlers can cough for up to six weeks after a cold. Their lungs take longer to heal, but it’s perfectly normal at this age.”
“So you’re not going to give him an antibiotic?”
“No. He doesn’t need one. His ears were clear, his sinuses were clear, and I didn’t hear any evidence of bronchitis in his lungs. His temperature is normal, and he looks healthy.”
George, who’d just turned two, was squirming in Eva’s lap, trying to get free, a bundle of happy energy. Eva tightened her grip.
“Since Dr. Furman’s not here, maybe Dr. Melton should see him. I’m pretty sure he needs an antibiotic. Half the kids in his day care are on antibiotics right now. Something’s going around.”
Gabby pretended to write something in the chart. Eva Bronson always wanted an antibiotic for George. Eva Bronson was an antibiotic junkie, if there was such a thing.
“If he spikes a fever, you can bring him back and I’ll examine him again.”
“I don’t want to bring him back. That’s why I brought him in today. I think he should see a doctor.”
Gabby did her best to keep her tone steady. “Okay, I’ll see if Dr. Melton can squeeze in a couple of minutes for you.”
As she left the room, Gabby paused in the hallway, knowing she needed to prepare herself. She didn’t want to talk to Dr. Melton again; she’d been doing her best to avoid him all morning. As soon as Dr. Furman had left for the hospital to be present at an emergency C-section at Carteret General Hospital in Morehead City, Dr. Melton had sidled up next to her, close enough for her to notice that he’d recently gargled with mouthwash.
“I guess we’ll be on our own this morning,” he’d said.
“Maybe it won’t be too busy,” she’d said neutrally. She wasn’t ready to confront him, not without Dr. Furman around.
“Mondays are always busy. Hopefully we won’t have to work through lunch.”
“Hopefully,” she’d echoed.
Dr. Melton had reached for the file on the door of the exam room across the hall. He’d scanned it quickly, and just as Gabby was about to leave, she’d heard his voice again. “Speaking of lunch, have you ever had a fish taco?”
Gabby blinked. “Huh?’
“I know this great place in Morehead near the beach. Maybe we could swing by. We could bring some back for the staff,