The Greatest Gift by Felice Stevens

Author:Felice Stevens [Stevens, Felice]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance
Publisher: Felice Stevens
Published: 2015-12-09T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

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To say Alex was shocked at Rafe’s atypical behavior was an understatement. What had happened to his formerly shy and quiet husband? Rafe had come so far from the first time he’d met him; the stutter he’d suffered from rarely surfaced except if he became overly tired or flustered. The fact that Rafe was able to stand up to Dr. Harris, a man who made Alex nervous, made him think perhaps he was the one who needed to work on changing himself for the better.

“Dr. Harris, I was on my break and he was only here for a few moments. Rafe’s visit didn’t compromise any of the patients under my care.”

The disdainful, sharp look Dr. Harris sent Alex over his glasses dried his mouth. He could work a hundred hours until he dropped in his tracks, yet Alex knew he would never measure up in Dr. Harris’ mind. He wondered if his father had tainted the man’s opinion of him, yet he’d never received anything less than a good evaluation from him. Nothing better than good, but it could be much worse.

“I have to finish evening rounds and then check on patient orders, Dr. Harris, so if there’s nothing further?” He raised a brow and to his surprise, the older man faltered for a moment.

“How is the Carson woman today? Has she been able to keep anything in her stomach? Has she requested increased pain medication?”

Alex didn’t think of Jude as ‘the Carson woman.’ She was Dylan’s mother, Mommy or, simply, Jude. He didn’t like to think of her as another patient file, a statistic in this anonymous hospital machine.

“Her chart indicates pain medication hasn’t been increased and her fluid intake is low but steady.” In his mind he pictured the chart he looked at less than an hour ago. “Her weight dropped another pound this week for a total weight loss of eight pounds since she was admitted three weeks ago.”

Dr. Harris eyes his speculatively. “Good, Dr. Stern. Excellent recall.”

He should’ve been basking in the praise but instead it made him sick to his stomach. He knew what was happening. There was no joy in his diagnosis. Suddenly, he needed to get away from Dr. Harris and everyone else here.

“I’m sorry, Dr. I have to go.”

His hurried steps took him to the break room where he sat down at the large table, choosing to remain in the dark. How many hours had he spent here already and how many more did he have to go? Was it all worth it, when nothing he did seemed to staunch the tide?

Am I doing the right thing, Seth? Is any of it going to make a damn bit of difference?

Alex often called upon his brother in his head when he needed to work out issues he couldn’t speak out loud. Maybe that made him crazy, but Seth hadn’t let him down yet.

Like always, his brother’s face rose before him, forever youthful at seventeen. His wisdom however seemed from a man much more learned and wise.

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