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Zach's expression was tortured. 'We need to get a line in—damn, I don't think I can do it to her.'
He gritted his teeth and Nicky put a hand on his arm.
'It's OK,' she told him. 'Keely's already done it with no problem. She was brilliant.'
'I need to take some blood for U and Es and FBCs and I think we should try and get an MSU.' Keely hesitated, knowing that she was increasing his anxiety. 'And maybe a lumbar puncture. We've bleeped Paeds but we need to find out what's causing the temperature. Was she ill this morning?'
'I didn't see her this morning. I was working here last night.' Zach took a deep breath and then bent over the trolley, his powerful body in stark contrast to the tiny toddler. 'Daddy's here, sweetheart.'
The rough, protective tone of his voice made Keely's heart melt.
'Who was with her last night, Zach? We need to know if she's been unwell.'
Zach straightened, his expression grim. 'Her nanny. Speaking of which, where is she?'
Nicky licked her lips. 'It wasn't the nanny that brought her in...'
Zach went totally still, his voice lethally soft. 'So who brought her in?'
'An ambulance crew, and they were called by the staff of the crèche.'
'Crèche?' Zach's voice was like a pistol crack. 'What crèche?'
Even Nicky flinched under his biting tone. 'The crèche at the leisure centre. One of the staff came in with her. They're in Reception.'
'What the hell was she doing in a crèche?' Zach took a juddering breath, checked that his daughter was stable and then looked at Keely. 'Look after her.' With that he strode out of the room towards Reception.
'Ouch.' Nicky pulled a face. 'I think the nanny's in trouble.'
'Her temperature's coming down.' Keely checked the reading and nodded with relief, turning back to the little girl with a gentle expression on her face. 'Good girl. Hello, sweetheart.'
She stroked the blonde head gently and felt her heart twist. The child was gorgeous. Long, feathery lashes drifted against her smooth cheeks and her skin was baby perfect.
Right on cue the eyes opened—two blue replicas of Zach's—and Phoebe started to grizzle.
'Want Daddy.'
'I know you do. Daddy's coming in a minute.' Keely examined her quickly, looking in her ears and her throat. 'Hello—what have we here? One very red throat and a pair of very red ears.'
She put the auriscope back on the trolley. 'That's probably what's causing it.'
Nicky looked anxious. 'You don't think its meningitis, do you?'
Keely shook her head. 'I don't think so but they'll take a look at her in Paeds and do a lumbar puncture if they're in doubt. In my opinion she's got an ear and throat infection. Come and have a cuddle with your Aunty Keely.'
She swept the fractious toddler into her arms and cuddled her close, walking across Resus towards a little mobile that they had hanging from the ceiling.
'Here—look at this...' She was spinning the mobile when Zach strode back into the room, the strain showing on his handsome face.
'How is she?'
'Want Daddy.' Phoebe held out her arms and he took her instantly, holding her tightly against him, his eyes on Keely. 'Temperature?'
'It's come down a bit. Thirty-nine degrees,' she told him. 'We've given her some ibuprofen as well as the paracetamol.'
'Good.' He nodded. 'So what do you think?'
Keely was touched that he was asking her opinion on his daughter.
