The Bluebird Bet

“Here’s the file for the next patient, Miss Hailey Dawson, age nine,” Nina said as she slid over the folder. “Room two. Sneezing, cough, low fever. Looks like a cold to me—”

A loud commotion followed by the unmistakable sounds of someone vomiting in the waiting room interrupted whatever Nina was about to add to her diagnosis. Elaine had to take a deep, calming breath.

“No worries, boss. I’ll take care of it.” Nina patted her hand, picked up the trash can and hurried around the desk. “Oh, and your mother’s already called three times this morning. The messages are on your desk.” Nina paused and met her gaze. “Sorry, boss.”

Elaine smiled. “No problem, Nina. I did warn you. The third divorce is almost final. Expect it to go on like this until there’s a new man.”

Nina saluted and disappeared into the waiting room.

For half a second, she considered checking the messages. Just because it had never been an emergency before didn’t mean today was the same. Except Nina would have correctly assessed the situation just as she’d diagnosed the next patient.

Her mother could wait. Work could not.

Elaine scooped up the file and quickly entered the next exam room.

“Hailey, it’s been a while since we’ve seen you. How’s the rabbit?” Elaine shook hands with Hailey’s mother, whose name she could not remember.

“He’s good. Fat!” Hailey said with a delighted sparkle in her eyes just before she sneezed.

“She’s got a terrible sneeze, coughs all night and I’m afraid her temperature’s up,” her mother said. “It’s probably a cold, but I wanted to make sure.”

Elaine nodded as she listened to Hailey’s lungs, checked her temperature and took a look at her throat and ears. “Well, it looks to me like she’s the latest to catch the cold tearing through town. Something for the cough and congestion will ease the symptoms.” Elaine made some notes then ripped off the top page of her notepad and handed it to Hailey’s mother. “These over-the-counter meds should help.”

“So...no shot?” Hailey asked and then clapped her hands. “Yes!”

“I can tell you’re disappointed. I could round up a shot for you,” Elaine said. She might not have kids, but she liked them. They didn’t usually return the favor, at least not while she was wearing a stethoscope around her neck.

“No, thank you,” Hailey said and rolled her eyes. She straightened the bow in her curls and then carefully folded the pleats in her skirt. Hailey had a unique style. This was a girl who loved color. All of them. And all at once.

“I really like your tights, Hailey. Did you wear those to impress me?” They were striped with all the colors of the rainbow. Elaine looked at her pale green scrubs and wished for more color of her own.

“I like rainbows. Did you know you can only see a rainbow if you’re standing with your back to the sun?” Hailey nodded her head to add extra weight to her delivery. “It’s true.”

“Of course. Did you know that rainbows are made from light bouncing off raindrops?” Elaine answered.

Hailey rolled her eyes again, and Elaine knew she had to up her game.

“Uh, yeah. Did you know double rainbows are caused when light is reflected twice? And you can have even three or four rainbows together, although I’ve never seen one of those.” Hailey looked a little brokenhearted at the confession.

Elaine glanced at her mother and then back to Hailey. Obviously, the girl loved science. Hailey might be Elaine a couple of decades ago.

Her mother waved a hand, a slightly rueful smile on her face. “Unless you want to do this all day, I’d move on, Dr. Watson. I keep hoping she’ll grow out of it, start asking for makeup and pop music.” That was another reminder of the young Elaine—a mother who wanted her to be something she wasn’t.

“Maybe she’ll be a doctor someday,” Elaine said.

Hailey straightened her shoulders and smoothed down her skirt again. “I’m going to be the president someday.”

Elaine studied her face. “Maybe you could be both.”

Hailey brightened as if the idea of choosing had been a real problem. Then she sneezed, and Elaine handed her a tissue. “If you could come up with a cure for colds before you become leader of the free world, we’d all be in your debt.”

Hailey held up her hand for a high five. Elaine answered Hailey’s high five and watched her blow her nose. After washing her hands, Elaine opened the door. “Come in next week if the symptoms aren’t significantly improved.”

Hailey’s mother smiled. Hailey hopped off the exam table in a blur of rainbow colors. Elaine watched them leave and then walked over to Nina. “Looks like you’re right.”

Elaine added a note to the file and slid it across to her.

Nina saluted and handed her the next folder. “One of the Shady Ladies is waiting. Just a follow-up for Sue Jackson.”

Elaine grinned at Nina’s affectionate nickname for the ladies who lived at Shady Pines, the assisted-living facility in town. If they ever heard her use it, they’d have T-shirts made up and start a bowling team to have somewhere to wear them.

“Everything okay in the waiting room?” Elaine asked as she glanced at the doorway. She did not want to check for herself.

Nina’s lips twitched. “We handled it without you.”

Elaine blushed and then laughed. “Of course you did. That’s why I can’t do this by myself.”

Nina brushed that off. “Best doctor in town. Everyone says so, and you know it. Vomit being your kryptonite doesn’t change that fact.” She glared at the ringing phone. “Don’t forget we’re all headed to the Smokehouse for dinner. Wendy’s birthday.”

“Sorry, but I’ve got a shift at the clinic. You guys party without me.” Elaine straightened the stack of forms on the counter in front of her and then shoved her hands into her pockets. “I’ll tell Wendy happy birthday.” Now that Nina had reminded her.

“Sure thing.” Nina’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Hope you’ll get a day off soon, though. It would be good for you.”

Nina might be right. Elaine had been wondering if she’d know what to do with a full weekend off. She might remember to buy a birthday card for the woman who kept the lights on and the office running.

But as long as her patients needed her, she couldn’t slow down.

That was what she told her mother every time the subject came up.

It wasn’t entirely a lie. After a lifetime of hitting goals and pushing herself, she felt guilty if she sometimes wished for a few hours to drive to Lawrence to buy new shoes.

“Thanks for all your hard work, Nina. I couldn’t manage without you.” Elaine fought the urge to scurry away because a patient was waiting. She wanted to be sure Nina understood how important she was. Normally, Elaine did the job and let the emotions settle where they would, but something about today made it important to say exactly what she meant.

“You aren’t dying, are you?” Nina raised both eyebrows. “You don’t do the touchy-feely.”

“Definitely not dying. I’m a doctor. I would know.” Elaine waved her file. “And on that note, I’ll get back to work.”

“These sick people won’t cure themselves.” Nina zoomed around her to find the next patient to fill up the currently empty exam room.

Elaine tapped the file on her hand and considered that. Nina was exactly right. She was the best doctor in town. She’d worked hard to get here, and she was doing what she was meant to do. That should be satisfying. And it was. She was proud of herself and what she’d accomplished, but lately she’d been wondering if there was supposed to be more. Or at least a bit of breathing room.

The thought of slowing down scared her. What if her practice slipped? What if she disappointed her patients?

Who would she be if she wasn’t the number one doctor in town?

Elaine rubbed her forehead to ease the nagging headache that came from second-guessing her life and not getting enough sleep. Learning to relax wouldn’t be the worst idea. Maybe she should take the advice she’d given Robert Collins. A new hobby could improve her whole outlook.

And if that hobby was restoring an old inn, the site of her favorite family getaways, she could also make another dream come true.