Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 119764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 599(@200wpm)___ 479(@250wpm)___ 399(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 599(@200wpm)___ 479(@250wpm)___ 399(@300wpm)
“No time to read,” Samir says in an easy voice. He touches Aggie’s neck, presumably checking her lymph nodes, and then has her breathe in and out while he listens with a stethoscope. Once he’s done, he beams at her. “Very healthy for a twenty-nine-year-old woman.”
Aggie titters at him. “You flirt. Now I see why Thess is obsessed with you.”
Thess beams. I could swear Samir blushes.
The doctor turns and glances at our group. His gaze lingers on Dottie, the one he’s really here to look over. “Who’s next? You?”
Dottie shakes her head. “Nah, I’m good.”
Uh oh. That wasn’t in the plans. “Why not have him look you over while we’re here?” I ask, trying to keep my tone light. “I’ll go after you. It can’t hurt for all of us to get checked out.”
“I’m fine,” Dottie says.
“Don’t be stubborn.” Aggie frowns at her, hauling herself off the cot where the doctor’s doing his check-ups. “Everyone should get checked out.”
Dottie just shakes her head as if it’s decided. She pointedly ignores the doctor and eyes her fingernails, waiting for someone else to speak up and take the attention off of her.
I’m not sure what to do now. I knew Dottie would be resistant, but I didn’t think we’d have to hold her down to get her looked at. “Can you please do it for me, Dottie?” I ask. “It’ll make all of us feel better.”
“I said no.” She gets to her feet, glaring at all of us. “Leave me alone about it.”
I stand up, too, but it’s not like I can stop her if she wants to leave. “But you haven’t been well…”
“Maybe I’m depressed? Maybe I like naps? Maybe I like it best when you mind your own business?” She declares and takes a step forward.
Her knees buckle and she sinks to the floor.
CHAPTER 95
DAKOTA
Dottie is a terrible patient.
She glares up at us from the bed she’s currently lying in, an IV saline drip in her arm. The others have cleared out to give Samir space to tend to Dottie. Rabbit sits on the edge of Dottie’s bed, Aggie in the chair on the other side. I stand at the far end of the freight container with Murr at my side, and Samir moves about the room like a restless butterfly. Jonah left with Thess to get dinner, and probably to give us a bit of space.
“I said I’m fine,” Dottie declares again, her teeth practically gritted. She shoots me an angry look from her spot in the bed, as if this is all my fault that she’s collapsed and now needs medical attention.
“People that are fine don’t collapse,” I point out, earning another glare.
Samir listens to her heart again, then presses on her lower abdomen. When she winces, he nods to himself. “I don’t think it’s too serious. Most likely that it’s a urinary tract infection. I’d have to take a look at your urine, unless you want to describe it to me?”
Dottie purses her lips and doesn’t speak up.
“Red urine? Brown?” he prompts. “Cloudy?”
“Maybe a little brown,” she finally says, shooting us all scathing looks as if it’s our fault. “It’ll go away on its own.”
Samir shakes his head. “Not with the severity you have. It could spread to your kidneys and you’d really be in danger. I recommend a round of antibiotics to get it out of your system.”
He makes it sound so easy. Just take a round of antibiotics. “We don’t have any. Does the fort?”
The doctor puts his hand on Dottie’s brow, feeling her temperature. “The fort has a small supply of antibiotics, but most of the more general-use medications are kept for the citizens of the fort. I’m afraid they won’t allow me to give them to an outsider, no matter how dire the situation is. A fort looks after its own first.” He shakes his head. “It’s not my decision. I could tell them Dottie is dying and they still wouldn’t allow it.”
Aggie clutches her wig. “Is she dying?”
Samir remains relaxed as he moves around Dottie, tucking the blankets in against her side and checking the IV line again. “No, but it’s not something that will go away on its own either. You can’t just ignore it and hope for the best.”
“You hear that, Dottie?” Aggie says, scowling at her friend. “You can’t just hide under the blankets and hope it’ll go away.”
“Oh, quiet, you. I’m here, aren’t I?” Dottie gestures at the IV in her arm.
“Yeah, against your will,” Aggie says.
Rabbit has been silent through the exchange, my daughter’s eyes wide. She reaches for Dottie’s hand and holds it carefully, and it makes me wonder if she’s the one that needs reassurance or if she’s reassuring Dottie. She looks up at Samir. “Could we trade for the medication?”
Murr speaks up, agreeing. “We bring meat. Much meat.”