A Perfect Christmas Night by Lori Wilde

Author:Lori Wilde
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lori Wilde

Miles knocked on exam room two and found Tyler Kleinhopper wearing a paper gown, his Santa suit on the counter, pillow included, looking like he wanted to melt through the floor. Tyler was twenty-two, home from college at UNT for winter break. Miles had treated him since he was twelve. Responsible kid, for the most part.

“Morning, Tyler. What brings you in?”

“I have this rash.” Tyler stared at the floor.

“Where?”

Tyler’s face went scarlet. He gestured downward. “Private places.”

“Can you describe the symptoms?”

“Itchy. Burns. There are blisters and—It’s bad, Doc.”

“When did it start?”

“Last night. I noticed it when I got to my house around eleven.”

“Any idea what caused it? New soaps? Outdoor activities?”

Tyler stared at the ceiling. “I was hiking.”

“When?”

“Last night. After work.” He shrugged, and the paper gown crinkled. “I like winter hiking. It’s peaceful.”

Miles pulled on gloves. “Let’s take a peek.”

The examination told a clear story. Poison ivy. Extensive. Classic presentation with blisters, redness, and linear streaks. This wasn’t from a casual brushing against a plant while hiking. This was prolonged horizontal contact. Repeated friction. Naked.

Miles pulled off his gloves. “You have poison ivy. The distribution pattern suggests you were lying down for an extended period.”

Tyler’s face went slack. “I sat down to rest and laid back to stargaze.”

“Were you wearing clothes?”

“Of course. I was hiking.”

“The rash pattern suggests otherwise.”

“It was hot. I took off my shirt.”

“Tyler. It was forty-two degrees last night.”

“I run warm. My mom always says⁠—”

“I need to know where this happened. If there’s poison ivy near a public area, people need to be warned.”

“It’s not near the public.”

“The Christmas Workshop backs up to woods.”

“I don’t know what woods you’re talking about.” Tyler’s phone buzzed. He grabbed it, glanced at the screen, and paled.

Miles made notes. “I’ll prescribe calamine lotion, an antihistamine, and a steroid cream. Two weeks and it should clear up.”

“Two weeks? I work every night until Christmas.”

“Avoid poison ivy in the future. You can go ahead and get dressed.”

Miles stepped into the hallway and went to exam room one, then knocked.

The door opened, and Lili stepped out, closing it behind her. It was the first time they’d been face-to-face all day. The awkwardness rushed back, but Miles pushed through it.

“Can I talk to you a sec?”

“Sure. What’s up?” She fiddled with the stethoscope around her neck.

Miles kept his voice to a murmur. “Your patient, what’s she here for?”

“Poison ivy. Extensive. Started last night.” Lili glanced at the closed door. “She claims she was gathering firewood, but the story makes no sense. The pattern suggests she was rolling in the stuff, and she’s evasive about where she was.”

“Same here. Tyler Kleinhopper. My patient. Also poison ivy. Last night. Claims he was hiking alone and stargazing.”

“Stargazing?”

“Says he runs warm. Took his clothes off.”

They stared at each other.

“And they’re both employed at Santa’s Workshop for the holidays.” Lili pressed a thumb to her bottom lip and appeared contemplative.

“Brenda says they hate each other. Fighting nonstop in front of the kids.”

“They came in at the same time.”

“Sat on opposite sides of the waiting room.

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