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“Well, Teddy here wants to stay with you in case you need him.” I pulled the teddy from behind my back.
“Wow, that’s really nice Sophie. He can be friends with Benjamin.” Chloe walked over to look at the bear.
“Benjamin gets a little bit scared of hospitals.” Sophie hugged the new teddy.
“You need to give him a name,” Chloe said. “Maybe you should introduce him to Benjamin.”
“Mr. Trey, does he have a name already?” Sophie turned the teddy around looking for a tag. “I can give him a name if he doesn’t have one yet.”
“Well, you let me know what his name is when you decide,” I said, still squatting down next to her. “Benjamin is really going to like him.”
“You’re a doctor?” Sophie asked in amazement. “Are you a kid doctor or a grownup doctor? ‘Cause I need a kid doctor. I have a fever.”
“I’m a kid doctor, and now I’m your doctor. So, let’s go get you back in bed. Ah, Betty, right on time.”
“Sophie, this nice nurse is Miss Betty, and she’s going to come back in a little while to get you for a test, but don’t be scared. This test doesn’t hurt,” I said, noticing how hard she squeezed her new bear when I said “test”. “It’s just some pictures of your heart.”
“Okay, I like that, ‘cause last time I was in the hospital it hurt.” Sophie looked at her new teddy and hugged it to her chest. “Dr Trey, can Mummy come see me get heart pictures?”
“Of course she can.” I winked at Chloe. “When we get done, I‘ll come and play a game with you. How’s that?”
Chloe mouthed a ‘thank you’ to me, then followed her daughter across the room to the bed. Parker came to visit Sophie fifteen minutes later, followed by a man pushing a big machine. Sophie was having a make-believe conversation with Benjamin and the new bear. I heard her telling her new teddy all about hospitals.
“Guess what, Sophie,” I asked, but when on without her response. “You get to be super special and have your test right here in your room with all of us here with you. How great is that?”
“Can my new teddy and Benjamin stay with me?” Sophie asked. “New teddy isn’t scared ‘cause he’s a doctor teddy, but Benjamin is a little bit scared.”
“Of course, they can stay with you, but they have to be very still.” Parker gestured to the tech to prep the machine.
Chloe lifted the blankets on Sophie and both teddies, then lay down next to her to watch the screen.
“I have no idea what I’m looking at.” Chloe looked to the screen as they started the echo test. “Trey, can you show me?”
Mia walked in as they were beginning, so she quietly stood next to the bed, holding Chloe’s hand.
“Sophie, you’re so brave for such a tiny little girl. I’m very proud of you,” Mia said, looking to me, then Parker.
“Miss Sophie, I very much like these pictures of your heart,” Parker announced to the darkened room. “If you look right here where my pen is pointing, you can see your brand new heart valve, and it is very happy to be there.”
“I like my new valve. Does it have a name?” Sophie asked. “Can I name it?”
“It’s called HHV125, but I bet you have a better name for it, don’t you?” Parker asked, flipping on the light switch and writing some notes on her chart. “I have to leave for a little while, but when I get back, you can let me know what name you thought of.”
Parker kissed Mia, “I’ll be back later, girls,” then turned to wave to Chloe and Sophie with his cell phone already buzzing.
“Bye.” Sophie snuggled her teddies closer and pulled the covers up to her neck. “I’m tired, Mummy.” She soon drifted off to sleep.
“I’m going to let her sleep for a little bit, but then we need to get some bloodwork and get an IV going,” I said. “Like Parker said, the heart valve looked good, but we still need to see what’s causing this high fever.”
Chapter 36
Chloe
Sophie was laying in the bed resting with cartoons on.
“Why is this happening?” I turned to ask Mia, not really needing an answer, just a sounding board. “I thought we’d made it through the hard part.”
“I don’t know, but Parker thought the heart valve looked good.” Mia walked over to hug me. “I’m here with you this time.”
