When They Weren't Looking: Wardham Book #3 (18 page)

He picked up on the third ring. “Yes?”

“I’m calling about Max.”

“Yeah, Evie, I got your text message.”

“Well, the thing is…”
Be brave. Be strong. Be a mama bear.
“I’ve decided to take him to a doctor this afternoon, so you’ll just be picking up Connor, most likely.”

“Do you really think you should pull him out of school?”

“Yes.”

His silence spoke volumes.

“I’m not asking you…”

“Yeah, I know, you don’t need to do that. My weekend with them doesn’t start until the end of the school day.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Whatever. You’ll keep me posted?” He didn’t wait for an answer. Apparently that was catching.

Her next call was to the Wardham medical building, to see if the family medicine clinic there could fit him in. They couldn’t, and after she explained her reason for calling, the receptionist put her on hold, and after a minute, Dr. Wickens came on the line. “Evie, I’m sorry we can’t fit Max in, but honestly, urgent care in the city might be your best bet anyway. Take him in before the evening rush, okay?”

A quick call back to Laney reassured her she didn’t need to cancel her morning classes, but she did prepare a sign that she would be closed for the afternoon. One of the many nice things about living and working in a small town—no one was coming very far for her classes, and there wasn’t any competition. No one would be upset about not getting sweaty this Friday afternoon. The only damage was to her pocketbook, but there were more important things to worry about right now.

After she half-assed her way through her second lunch-hour group class, she closed up and swung past the school, stopping in at the office to sign Max out. As he wasn’t expecting her, she walked down to his classroom, and took a minute to watch him through the small glass window. He sat at a desk on the far side of the room, close to the teacher’s desk.
Oh, Max
. He looked tired, and she wasn’t sure if it was whatever was ravaging his body right now, or the tiresome nature of sitting at a desk for most of the day.

His teacher glanced up when Evie tapped tentatively on the glass. She waved the dismissal slip in her hand, and the teacher nodded and gestured for Max’s attention. He grinned, and waved goodbye to his classmates, but he didn’t run to the door, just walked somewhat carefully.

“Mom!” Not Mommy, not at school. Her heart ached just a little bit at the bittersweet realization. “What are you doing here?”

She waved goodbye to his teacher and directed him to his cubby to collect his backpack. “I spoke with your aunt Laney after dropping you off this morning, and she thinks you need to see a doctor.”

“Why?”

“Well, we’re a bit worried that you’re not well and maybe don’t realize it.”

“I told you, I don’t have a sore throat.”

“I know, sweetie.” They navigated their way around a few errant rain boots that had tumbled into the center of the corridor, and out the main doors. “But I don’t think you have as much energy as you usually do, either.”

“Do I have to go back to school later?”

“Nope.” She winked.

“Okay, then we can go to the doctor.”

She laughed. As long as he thought he was in control of the decision, it was all good.

“Can we get a snack on the way?”

“Didn’t you just have lunch?”

Max shrugged. “I’m still hungry.”

“I probably have a Larabar in my bag, I’ll look once we get in the car, okay?”

Even though he’d asked for it, Max hadn’t opened the wrapper on the nut and fruit bar by the time they hit the highway, and a pang of worry shot through Evie’s gut. She asked him if he needed help, and he shook his head. At some point before they arrived at the hospital, he’d quietly scarfed it down.

After navigating the parking garage, they found their way to the urgent care centre and announced themselves at the triage desk. Luck was upon them, because they weren’t in the waiting room for more than a few minutes before the receptionist quietly called out Max’s name and they were ushered into a nook where a nurse took his vitals and pricked his finger for a rapid blood sugar reading. Evie didn’t see the number, not that it would have meant much to her, but after entering some information in the computer, the nurse turned and told them to follow her. An itch of panic crawled up the back of her neck. They’d only been to emergency a few times, but each time they’d had to wait again after being triaged. The swell of fear rose inside her again. So this was what it was like to be triaged as more urgent than others. It didn’t feel great.

Through a swinging door, they were directed to a private room. Max climbed onto the gurney, then started fiddling with the opthalmoscope on the wall. Evie quietly climbed up next to him and stilled his hand, eager for the sweet contact with her little boy. He snuggled against her, and she swallowed hard to keep the worry at bay.

It didn’t take long for a quick knock to come at the door and a young resident joined them. “I’m Dr. Gupta. Let me just wash my hands, then you can tell me what brings you in today…”

Evie explained her conversation with Laney, and flushed as she admitted that she really hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary, but in hindsight, there had been some recent changes, but she couldn’t pinpoint when they started. “I’ve been distracted lately, and Max doesn’t feel sick…”

The young doctor smiled. “Okay, let’s just take a quick look at you, and I’ll ask some questions as we go. You mentioned increased thirst. How about your appetite, bubs?”

Max wrinkled his brow. “It’s okay?”

“Mom? What do you think…has Max changed how much he’s been eating lately?”

“Maybe…he asked for a snack on the way here. I thought he was maybe having a growth spurt.” Evie thought back over the last few weeks. “Actually, he’s been eating a fair bit more at every meal.”

“And what was it that he ate on the way here?”

“A fruit and nut bar.”

Dr. Gupta nodded. “Has he put on any weight with this increased consumption?”

Evie’s heart pounded in her chest. “No. If anything, I was just noticing that he’s losing that baby fat—”

“Mommy, I’m not a baby!”

“Nope, you’re growing up fast.” Evie turned to the doctor. “He’s still really healthy looking, it didn’t occur to me…”

“He does look healthy.” The other woman pressed her hand to Evie’s arm. “And we’re going to do our best to keep him that way.”

Evie nodded.

“I need to talk to the consultant on call, but I think we’re going to admit Max for at least the night, it’ll be more comfortable for him to be on the paediatric floor than here while we run some tests.” Her eyes dropped to Evie’s belly. “Will you be staying with him, or is there someone else that you want to call?”

Evie’s breath caught in her throat. “The night?”

“Depending on what the test results are, it might be longer than that, but let’s take it one day at a time.”

“So you’re thinking…”

“I think your sister is smart, and so are you.”

They turned together to look at Max. With his big, scared eyes and brave firm chin, he looked extra little. Evie wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. “Wow, honey, I wasn’t expecting that we’d have to stay in the hospital tonight, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, Mommy.” One little arm wrapped around her waist from behind, gripping her hip hard enough to bely his brave words. But the other patted her belly in a sweet gesture that made her heart trip a beat.

Dr. Gupta excused herself for a moment, then returned with an older doctor, who repeated in a rapid fire instruction what the resident had already told her. Evie didn’t catch his name. She knew from Laney’s training that Dr. Gupta was more than capable, and really, what more was there to say? They’d tumbled down the rabbit hole. This was just the first bump.

Liam unhitched the fertilizer spreader from the back of the tractor and took a minute to stretch his aching muscles before parking the large farm vehicle in the implement shed. He chuckled as he thought of what his mother would say if she could see him covered in field dust, wearing a baseball cap. He wondered if his hair was starting to curl around the edges. Probably not. You can take the man out of the city, but it was harder to take the city routines out of the man. He wasn’t really a farmer, and he’d be glad when this season was over, but man…this was honest work. Good, hard work, and he was happy to be doing it.

He’d be happier to be in town, though. Even though it was a short two minute drive in, there was something about being a long sprint from Evie that made him more comfortable. He’d like to be in the same house even more, but there was time still for that.

Glancing at his watch, he was relieved to see there was time for a shower. She hadn’t invited him over, not exactly, but she texted him the night before, letting him know that the boys would be with their dad this weekend. So he’d drop by. See what might happen. Hopefully some talking, they had a lot of that still to do. Maybe some kissing.
Wishful thinking
.

But as he trotted toward the house, Claire Calhoun stepped out onto the porch, Ted’s arm around her. A friendly, comforting gesture. Her face was pale, and Liam’s stomach turned over.

“Claire!” He shouted her name and dashed the last few yards.

She shook her head. “Evie’s fine, Liam, but she’s at the hospital in Windsor. It’s Max…he’s being admitted for testing.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Evie said that they suspect juvenile diabetes.”

Liam cast his mind back to grade one, when his friend Sarah was away from school for a week, and came back with a special kit she pulled out a few times a day. “He hasn’t been sick?”

“Evie said if this is diabetes, they’ve caught it early. I asked her about symptoms and in hindsight there were some clues, but how were we to know? He wet the bed here a few weeks ago, but at home he’s been waking up and going to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Evie didn’t know. She feels terrible.” Claire glanced up at him, and Liam felt it, too. The guilt of how distracted they’d both been. Can’t be helped, but there’d be no telling Evie that.

“What do you need?”

“She needs an overnight bag packed for Max. Dale’s going to meet me at her house after he picks up Connor, and take it with him to the city. I’ll bring Connor back to my place for the night.”

“Do you want me to stay with him so you can go to the hospital?”

She shook her head. “I heard about your run-in with Dale last week. You can’t do that again, but…I need you to go to her. Dale’s a good father, and this is about Max, but he’s not good to her, and someone needs to protect her and the baby right now.”

“She might not want me there.”

Claire lifted her brow in reflection. “Maybe not, but she needs you.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

By Sunday, Max had settled into a decent routine in the hospital. As his mood improved, that of the three adults around him grew more tense. Evie and Dale were taking turns being with their son, but Liam made sure he was there, silent and polite, but always keeping watch as the two ships passed in the night. And Dale didn’t like that, it was clear.

Liam didn’t care. The man had crossed a line, and Liam wasn’t sure he wouldn’t do it again. Wasn’t going to give him a chance to test that theory, though.

Evie didn’t argue his presence, but she didn’t say much either. It wasn’t that she was upset, just…she didn’t have any time for him. She was pulling away from whatever they had been flirting around the edges of. This week wouldn’t be the time to argue with her on that point, but he didn’t like it. So he did what he could—he went back to Wardham to pick up Connor for a shorter visit, he found a vegan restaurant that made a variation of Evie’s beloved protein bowl, and he fetched umpteen cups of tea and water for both mother and son.

Sunday night, Max told his parents he didn’t need one of them to sleep with him. As they were both coming in the next day for their diabetes education session, they reluctantly agreed to leave, but not before Dale tucked a new Power Rangers action figure into bed with him and Evie peppered him with a dozen kisses. Liam stepped into the hall, letting them have their moment together. One of the paediatric ward nurses stopped and asked him if he needed anything.

“Just waiting, thanks.” He flashed her a quick smile.

“Your nephew is a great little guy, he’s being very brave about all the needles.”

“He’s not…” Wow, that was a hard one to explain.
My future child’s brother? My I-wish-she-was-my-woman’s son?
“I’m just a family friend, but thanks.”

She smiled back, and then it hit him. She was flirting. Oh boy, was she barking up the wrong tree.

Right on cue, Evie joined him. Her eyes flashed at the cozy conversation she’d interrupted. He took a chance and reached out to rub her arm. “Ready to go?”

“Sure.” She drifted past him, and he waved goodbye to the nurse.

At the elevator, Evie crossed her arms. “Sorry to drag you away.”

He grinned. “You didn’t.”

“Is something funny?”