“I’d like someone to tell me the name that’s written in my heart someday,” declared Emma.
This made us all smile. As silence fell over the table, a bell rang.
“The gate!” cried Emma.
“That must be Merrow’s doctor.” Rosalie stood and folded her napkin. “I’ll get him.”
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. It was difficult to see Doctor Clark and not be brought back in time to my father’s death. Amir offered my foot a gentle nudge under the table. I gave him a grateful look. It wasn’t easy for either of us.
“Children,” the doctor said as he walked into the room at Rosalie’s side. It had been years since he’d last seen us, and Isuspected he had no recollection of our names. “What trouble have you gotten yourselves into?”
“I’m afraid it’s our dog that has caused the trouble,” Will said, standing to introduce himself. “Tiger didn’t offer our guests the finest of greetings.”
“Your guests, eh?” Doctor Clark cast a doubtful glance in our direction. Then he shrugged. “I won’t ask. Let me see that leg.”
I turned in my seat and tried to keep my expression neutral as the doctor peeled off the bandage around my calf. He prodded at the wound and didn’t stop until I released an agonized gasp. That seemed to satisfy him enough to turn toward Rosalie.
“Is your dog up to date on his rabies vaccine?”
“Of course.”
Doctor Clark turned back to me. “You don’t need stitches, but there’s a high chance of infection with dog bites so I’m going to clean the wound and redress it. But first, your tetanus shot.”
Emma and Will and Rosalie looked away in unison as Doctor Clark readied the needle, but neither Amir nor I could tear our eyes from the sight. We were as impressed as we were curious. I yelped in surprise when the needle sunk into my arm. Emma was at my side in an instant, grasping my hand.
“Poor Merrow!” she cried.
“Emma,” said Rosalie sharply. I thought I heard revulsion in Rosalie’s voice when she saw Emma’s hand in mine. I shook my hand loose from the girl’s, my cheeks warm.
“I’m fine,” I told her, though I felt mortified. I managed to smile.
After the doctor spent a few minutes cleaning and redressing my leg, he straightened. “That’s that,” he said. “It’s fine to wash it, just remember to reapply the ointment and a fresh bandage after you bathe.” He looked me up and down and seemed to be on the cusp of saying something more. Instead, he asked Rosalie if he could have a word with her in the hall.
“Let’s see if Doctor Clark can give us a ride home,” Amir whispered once they’d left the room. I thought I sensed Will, on my other side, listening. I murmured agreement.
When the doctor and Rosalie returned, it became clear they had other plans.
“It’s critical that you keep that wound clean,” Doctor Clark said. “Dog bite infections are nasty business, and I’d like to see you avoid one. I’ve spoken with Mrs. Langford and we both agree...” He trailed off for a moment. “Well,Ifeel—quite strongly—that Horseshoe Cliff isn’t the ideal spot to heal from an injury like this one. The risk of infection is simply too great.”
“We’d like you to stay here, Merrow,” Rosalie said. I stared at her. “At least for the night. It’s already dark out and you must be exhausted. Give the wound a day to mend. Doctor Clark can swing by again tomorrow to check on you and drive you home. We’ll take good care of you. It’s... well, it’s the least we can do, isn’t it?”
I could not believe our luck. To stay in a place like this for a whole night? I wondered if we would be offered more to eat. Surely there would be breakfast!
“Thank you. We really appreciate it.” I looked over at Amir, expecting to find him as excited as I was, but his expression was dark.“Amir,”I said. “We really appreciate it, don’t we?”
When Rosalie leveled her eyes on Amir, something cool flickered within them. She cleared her throat. “Doctor Clark thought that he could give Amir a ride home so that Amir could let your brother know you’re okay. Bear, wasn’t it? Bear must be worried.”
“No,” I said. “Bear is not worried.”
Doctor Clark peered at me. “Maybe not yet, but surely if you didn’t return home...”
“I won’t stay without Amir.”
“Oh, please stay!” Emma said. Her blue eyes were bright with excitement.
Will put his hand on Emma’s shoulder. “The point is for Merrow to be comfortable. If she’s not comfortable here without Amir—”
“Actually,” Rosalie interrupted, “the point is that Merrow should stay somewhere that is sanitary for the night while her leg heals.”
