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‘Oh, Dr McKinley—come on in.’ The woman stood to one side and almost tripped over the dog which was bouncing in the hallway. As his tail hit the umbrella stand flying, the woman winced. ‘Whatever possessed me to say yes to a dog? Not only does he make Hope’s asthma worse, he knocks everything over.’
‘He’s beautiful.’ Jenna bent down and made a fuss of the dog, and the animal leaped up and tried to lick her face, sensing an ally.
‘Sorry—we’ve failed to teach him any manners.’
‘I don’t mind.’ Giggling, Jenna pushed the dog down. ‘What’s his name?’
‘We haven’t decided—at the moment he’s just called Black.’
Jenna tried to look stern. ‘Sit!’
Black sat, and Ryan lifted an eyebrow. ‘That’s the first time I’ve seen that animal do as it’s told.’
Elaine was astonished. ‘You’re so good with dogs! Do you have your own?’
‘No.’ Jenna stared at the black Labrador, who stared back, tongue lolling, tail wagging over the floor. It was a long time since anyone had looked at her with such adoration and unquestioning trust. ‘I don’t have a dog of my own.’
A family, she thought, didn’t have to be a mother, a father and two children.
‘You should think about getting one—you’re obviously good with animals.’ Elaine ushered them into the living room. ‘Hope’s on the sofa. She’s had a much better night. We kept Black locked in the garden shed, and I vacuumed all the dog hairs this morning, but I haven’t quite got my head round taking him back to the home.’
Jenna followed Ryan into the sitting room and noticed that the little girl’s face brightened when she saw him.
‘Dr Mac—I’ve been eating ice cream and jelly.’
‘For breakfast?’ Ryan pulled a face and sat down next to the child. He admired her doll, had a solemn conversation about which outfit she ought to wear for the day, and then pulled out his stethoscope. ‘Can I listen to your chest?’
‘It’s all better.’
‘So I hear. That’s good. Can I listen?’
‘OK.’ With a wide smile, the little girl lay back on the sofa and waited.
His hands infinitely gentle, Ryan listened to her breathing, and watching him with the child made Jenna’s breath catch. He focused entirely on the little girl, listening to every word she said as if she were the most important person in the room. ‘I’ve been thinking about the attack she had, Elaine.’ He folded the stethoscope and slid it back into his bag. ‘You say she’s using a normal inhaler, is that right?’
‘Yes.’
‘I think that might be the problem. I want to try her with a spacer—it’s a device that relies less on technique, which is very useful for younger children. It makes sure they inhale the complete dose. To see you’re taught to use it properly I’ve brought Nurse Jenna along with me.’ Ryan gave a self-deprecating smile. ‘I’m the first to admit that training children in inhaler technique probably isn’t my forte, so I’ve called in the experts. Jenna used to do it all the time in her last job.’
Jenna removed the spacer from her bag and showed Hope’s mother how it worked, explaining exactly what she had to do. ‘It’s really that simple.’
‘She’s due a dose now,’ Elaine said. ‘Could you check we do it right?’
Jenna watched, made a few suggestions, and explained to Hope exactly why it was important for her to take the drug.
‘I breathe in that space thing every time?’
‘Every time.’
‘If I do that can I keep Black?’
Elaine sighed. ‘No, sweetie. Black has to go.’
Hope’s eyes filled with tears. ‘But I love him. I can’t send him back to that horrid place. I made him a promise. I promi
sed him he had a home now.’
Feeling tears in her own eyes, Jenna blinked rapidly, feeling every bit of Elaine’s anguish as a mother.
