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“Yet every local in Silver Peak knows you. You're practically a local, and Michael is a godsend who came at the right time. We don’t pick our soldiers. We just count on them to do a good job.”
“True. True. I guess we all have to play out parts.”
“Plus, he used to be a physiotherapist before he changed his practice, went back to school, and became a general surgeon. You don’t get those two things in one person, especially someone as young as Dr. Michael.
I told him we couldn’t afford his city salary, and he asked us not to bother. With a roof over his head—I’m giving him a room at my house and food, which I’m sure my wife will be delighted to contribute; he’s asked that we pay him whatever we can.”
My eyebrows crease momentarily as a thought passes through my mind. I’ve seen a lot of genuine people in my life… people who want to help others without asking for anything in return, but the doctor? The shoes? The coat? They give off the aura of someone who has seen wealth and is comfortable with it.
How does someone like that take a room, some homemade food, and a meager salary and call it a day?
Maybe I’m projecting—maybe it’s because I keep telling myself that I’m not as good as people think I am,so I don’t believe he’s as good as Owen thinks.
“Let me know how it goes with Lily. I’ll be at the nurses’ station.”
I head out of his office and down to the nurses’ station to find Madison happily eating a cream donut, or what looks like the last of the cream donuts in a box, with the cream staining her cheeks and hands.
All that sugar?
But she looks happy, and I know the nurses must have given them to her, so I simply grab some Kleenex and hand them to her.
“Here. If you’re going to eat that much,” I lean close to her ear, “then you’d better wipe up the evidence, or Doctor Owen will scold you for overeating sugar. You don’t want him to place you on adiet, do you?”
Her eyes widen, and the half donut drops from her hand while the other grabs the tissues from my hands. Madison quickly wipes her cheeks.
“I don’t want to be on a diet. You had to go on a diet last year, and you couldn’t eat many things. Many sweet things. I don’t want that happening to me.”
I chuckle. It was a food allergy, but if it keeps her from going on, then mission accomplished.
“And your teeth will fall out. You’ll have to put those fake teeth that fall out when you laugh too much. Which means you won’t be able to laugh with your friends.”
A look of horror crosses her face, and I try to stifle my laughter, but it leaves me choking and coughing.
Madison, with the half donut in the box, stands up and hands it over to one of the nurses.
“I think I’ve had enough. Thank you. I shouldn’t have eaten so much, either. I don’t want my teeth to fall out.”
The nurse shoots me a sideway glance, and I return a subtle wink. She chuckles softly.
“Well, that’s good. I’m happy you’re worried about your teeth and know how to take good care of them.”
“Why don’t we get something healthy to drink?” I ask my daughter. “I’m sure we can find some way to neutralize the sugar in your body.”
She takes my hand, and we go to the vending machine. Although I said we would get a healthy drink, we end up with sodas—which I tell Madison isn't as bad as all the donuts she had. She takes the explanation without any questions and skips off again, the cup in her hand dancing from side to side.
I shake my head with a smile on my face.
I’m proud. Everyday. That I get to call Madison my daughter. She’s undoubtedly the best gift I’ve ever received.
“You have a really smart daughter there.”
I turn to see Michael beside me, a smile on his face. For some reason, I don’t like the smile.
“Yeah, she is.” I take the compliment, though.
“Oh. Pardon my manners. I was in a hurry when I came to Doctor Owen’s office, that’s why I couldn’t introduce myself. My name is Michael.” He stretches out his hand.
I take it with skepticism.
