Page 97 of Tasting Fire
He held out his hand to shake. “Dr. Haverson.”
Emmy shook and assessed him. “Are you a good doctor?”
“I like to think so.”
They’d see about that. “Where’s my mother? Jennifer McKay.”
Dr. Haverson poked at his tablet. “Room 209.”
“How is she?”
“She and your sister—cousin, I think?—will be fine. Ms. Kingston, too. A little smoke inhalation for everyone. But the firefighters got you out in time.”
Emmy looked up at Cash. “You were there?”
“Yeah,” he said gruffly.
Dr. Haverson smiled and gestured for Emmy to use the bed as it was intended. “Dr. McKay, if you’ll lie back for a minute, I’d like to check a few things.”
Emmy did as she was asked, but kept her attention on Cash as he circled the room several times. Finally, he stopped to stare blankly out the window. Dr. Haverson listened to Emmy’s lungs and for any stridor in her neck. He looked up her nose and down her throat. “Vitals are good with the supplemental oxygen you received earlier and everything sounds and looks as I would expect. You were all very lucky. Everyone should be released in the morning, assuming everything stays on this trajectory.”
“I can see them?”
“Don’t see why not, if Mr. Kingston will serve as your wheelchair driver.”
She nodded her agreement, because that little edge of the bed venture earlier had swiped her breath and her energy.
“The nursing staff will interrupt you all night long,” the doctor said cheerfully. “It’s a perk we offer to all our valued patients. I’ll sign release papers in the morning.”
He and Cash shook hands and the doctor left, but Cash turned back to the window and stared at the metal blinds.
“Cash, what aren’t you telling me?” She didn’t think the doctor would lie to her about her mom and the others, but something more was going on here.
When Cash turned back to face her, his brown eyes were dark with something she’d never seen in them before. Straight-up fear.
“Don’t lie to me. I want to see my mom and Kris now. Get me a stethoscope from the nurse’s desk and—”
“Dr. Haverson was telling you the truth. They’re in good shape. You’re the one with the worst smoke inhalation.”
“Then what?”
“It’s unconfirmed. But at preliminary investigation, it looks like the fire was arson.”
The next morning, Cash was so sweet to help Emmy’s mom and Kris get settled at her mom’s house. His mom and dad had bundled Riley into his dad’s farm truck and taken her back to their house.
Emmy hugged her mom at the front door of her childhood home. “I’ll be at Cash’s for a little while.”
Her mom pinned Cash with a stare loaded with meaning. “You took care of her—and us—last night. Thank you for that, but I’m still nervous about letting her out of my sight.”
“I will watch out for her. I promise.” He put his arm around Emmy and drew her away. Rather than making Emmy feel weak, his action encouraged her to straighten her spine a little more. “Maybe I’d like to say that I’ll completely take care of her, but I’m hoping she and I have learned a little about taking care of one another. Try not to worry, Mrs. McKay.”
Her mom’s eyes flooded with unshed tears. “Doesn’t matter how old your babies are. A mom always worries. It’s part of the job description.” She kissed Emmy on the cheek. “I expect to hear from you no less than once a day. I figure you owe me that for a good three months.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
In the truck, Emmy found a bag filled with clothes, toiletries, and a pay-as-you-go phone. “When did you… How did you get all this?”
“Mom rounded it up for you with a little help from Brynne Whitfield and her boutique.”
