Silent Fear, a Medical Mystery

by Barbara Ebel

  Danny poked by Bruce’s office and then looked for him in the kitchen. Bruce waved him in while eating half a sandwich.

  “Did you get a hold of Jeffrey Foord?” Danny asked.

  Bruce shook his head. He finished swallowing and said, “I did. He’s accepted the offer. He can start as soon as the paperwork, malpractice insurance, and other matters are in place. It could take a week or a month, but he’s on board.” Bruce faintly smiled, pleased with himself.

  “Phew, glad to hear it.” Danny selected a croissant ham and cheese sandwich from the platter on the table, slobbered it with mayonnaise, and took a bite. He had performed two surgeries at the hospital and had come straight over without lunch.

  Cheryl walked in with a wide grin and stopped short upon seeing Danny. “You sneaked right by me.” She slapped a thin pile of file folders on the counter, wanting to join the docs. She used Danny’s knife and cut a sliver off a sandwich she put on a plate. “Did you get your messages?”

  “I did. And why are you beaming today?”

  “It’s Friday and I can’t wait to have the next two days off. And isn’t this your big baby weekend?” She sampled what she’d cut, appreciative of the lunch platter left by a visiting drug rep.

  Danny chuckled. “It’s going to be interesting. I haven’t held a baby in years.”

  Bruce wiped his hands on a napkin and rose. “You have to support their top heavy heads, that’s all there is to it.”

  “She’s not that little any more. I understand she’s crawling around and sitting up.”

  Bruce looked over his bifocals. “I bet on Monday you’ll feel like you worked all weekend.” He threw his sandwich wrapper away, slipped out the door, and didn’t envy his colleague at all.

  ----------

  At five o’clock Danny left the office, darted to his car, and called Casey and Mary to let them know he’d arrive soon. He mumbled against the non-synchronized traffic lights on the way home. Why were they set up so that at every intersection you waited at a red light? He wanted to be on his way to pick up Julia.

  “Hi anyone,” he shouted while opening the front door. Female voices emanated from the back of the house. “Who’s coming with me?” Danny found them huddled over the coriander counter in discussion over a bag of baby items.

  “Hey Dad,” Annabel said.

  “We’re staying here,” Nancy said. “And so is Mary.”

  “Well thanks for getting these things,” he said, noticing a bag of disposable diapers, powder, packaged toys and a yellow outfit on a hanger.

  “You’re welcome,” Mary said. Untying her headband, she let her dark red hair spill onto her shoulders.

  “I just don’t know how cooperative Julia’s mother is going to be,” Danny said, “and what she’s going to send with her for the weekend.”

  Joining the group from the adjacent room, Casey exchanged glances with Mary. “Probably not much,” he said. “I don’t know what you can trust her for, besides the fact that she’s crooked as a dog’s hind leg.”

  “Ha. That’s pretty funny,” Annabel said. “That’s why I don’t want to go. I don’t want to see that awful lady.”

  “Speaking of dogs …” Danny said while opening the patio door for Dakota to come in. The wavy-haired dog bumped and pranced into all of them, giving extra nudges to Danny. “We forgot you, didn’t we? I’ll make it up to you and you can come for a car ride.”

  The word car made Dakota spin around and speed to the door.

  “I’m coming with you,” Casey said. “Somebody’s got to do it.”

  Danny eyed him. No gym clothes. “Did you go to the gym after work?”

  “No. I’ve been waiting on you.”

  “Two men, a rambunctious Chesapeake Bay Retriever, and a baby,” Mary said. “Who would have thought? Needless to say, we’ll be waiting on you all when you get back.”

  ----------

  For the first twenty minutes, Dakota stayed restless. He stalked between the back windows monitoring the adjacent cars on I-40. Danny looked into his rearview window. “Dakota, spare me the window cleaning when I get home.”

  Casey spun around. “Dakota, there are no other dogs right now spilling out of pick-up trucks. Consider it a boring ride and chill.”

  Dakota whimpered and disappeared from view behind the back seat.

  “So what’s the latest with the PAM outbreak?” Casey asked. “Or do I have to turn on national news to watch you?”

  “Speaking of news, I have a whole stack of phone messages from reporters and news channels that want me to call them. Why don’t we trade places, and while you drive I’ll make phone calls?”

  “Sounds fine,” Casey said. Danny put the blinker on and started moving over for the next exit.

  “Yesterday Joelle and Ralph asked me about my recent health history. They wonder why I haven’t been a meningoencephalitis patient.”

  “Being the astute ambulance driver that I am, you know I’ve thought the same thing.”

  “You know, we joke about that,” Danny said as he drove down the exit ramp and made a right on red, “or I kid around at your expense. But you give top notch first responder treatment to folks whose lives sometimes depend on your quick judgment and care. That’s all I have to say about that, including thank you for your involvement with Melissa. I mean that.”

  Danny didn’t glance at Casey. It felt good to get that off his chest. He’d wanted to do it for awhile. He pulled to the drive-in window while Dakota bounced up from the back.

  Casey pulled out his wallet. “I know you respect EMT’s, especially me. And Melissa, well, I still think about what happened and feel so bad about it. I miss her, too.”

  Danny felt a sadness sweep over him while his eyes got moist. Dakota let out a bark.

  “We’re not forgetting you, you spoiled thing,” Danny said quietly. He pulled up to a fast-food window, asked for a small burger, two chicken sandwiches, fries, and drinks. He handed the hurried cashier Casey’s twenty-five dollars. After placing the heavy calories on the floor, Danny parked in a spot, pulled out the burger, and walked to the back end of the car. He opened the door and asked Dakota to wait patiently while he split it in half. “Take them politely,” he said. “Good dog.”

  Danny and Casey changed seats. Danny wiped the burger and Dakota’s slob off his hand. “So getting back to the PAM,” he said, “we didn’t do anything extra to my hand injury when you put the Steri-Strips on, did we?”

  Casey rubbed his mouth with his hand. “No. I didn’t even put any Neosporin on it, which we probably should have.”

  ----------

  Casey dealt with the building traffic of a Friday night while Danny managed one telephone interview with The New York Times. Since the epidemic had reached the Empire State, he gave them his time. An enthusiastic female reporter tailored her questions into two areas. What was Danny’s personal background and to what extent do neurosurgeons deal with intracranial infections? She also wanted to delve into another spin on the story - the source of contamination; and prodded him about preventive measures. What do swimmers need to be aware of? Where would an organism like this likely be found?” Danny welcomed the questions and ended the call when Casey approached the half-way point between Nashville and Knoxville where Danny had arranged to meet Rachel.

  “I’m escorting a celebrity,” Casey said as he parked in the rest area close to the information building. He popped out of the car as if he’d been tied down for a week, threw their trash in a can, and leashed Dakota. He walked the dog along the pet walk as a weary traveler walked by with two miniature poodles, who barked with spirit, but Dakota ignored.

  Leaning on the front of the vehicle, Danny scoured the area for Rachel. The descending sun and accumulation of billowy clouds made it harder to see people from a distance. However, the majority of folks coming and going seemed to be elderly vacationers or male truck drivers. Rachel would shine like a diamond in a pile of rocks.
<
br />   “Let’s go in,” Casey said, letting Dakota jump back into the car and making sure all the windows were adequately cracked. The two men entered the building where the picture of motherhood sat on a bench.

  ----------

  Rachel’s stunning eyes locked on Danny and made him catch his breath. When she opened her mouth and her seductive voice filled his ears, he was doubly sure why he’d been enamored with her. On the end of her crossed legs, she wore summer sandals and Julia sat on her lap facing them. He would not have recognized his own child who’d grown out of the small infant stage. How could a baby be so pretty already? She looked like the mother, but Danny felt bad because she didn’t smile. Didn’t babies smile at almost anyone? It had been a long time since he knew what babies did and when.

  “Danny, I said hello,” Rachel said. She nodded at Casey.

  “Hello as well,” Danny said. “I’m sorry last weekend didn’t materialize, but I’m looking forward to having Julia the next two days.”

  “If it doesn’t interfere with your stardom appearances. Just make sure my daughter doesn’t get anywhere near that disease.” She rubbed her hand on Julia’s forehead and hair.

  “Rachel, she won’t be going to the hospital.”

  “Okay, I have her things in my car. I couldn’t carry them. I also wrote down her feeding schedule and have some jars in a bag to get you started. She already ate dinner and probably only needs a bottle before going to bed.” She turned Julia around and stood.

  “I’ll take her if you want,” Danny said.

  “Okay,” she said, and put Julia into Danny’s arms. Julia’s right arm shot out for her mother and stayed that way during the walk to Rachel’s car. Rachel’s thin, airy blouse caught a breeze and fluttered against her chest while she grasped her keys from her pocket.

  “Casey, her car seat is on this side,” she said, opening the door. “And those two bags go with her.”

  Casey unstrapped the car seat and transported the three items to Danny’s car where Rachel made sure he buckled the infant seat in properly. Dakota made circles of excitement behind them.

  “Well, well, Dakota, look at you,” Rachel said at the same time. She put her hand over the back seat and rubbed his head.

  “Are you working yet?” Casey asked.

  “I’m not doing that Monday through Friday thing right now,” Rachel said. “I have Julia to take care of.”

  Danny placed Julia in the car seat and fastened the strap.

  “So, same place on Sunday at 6 p.m.?” Rachel asked.

  “I’ll be here,” Danny said.

  “Bye, Dakota,” Rachel said into the car. “Bye, Julia.” She threw her baby a kiss as Julia’s arm again begged for her mother.

  Chapter 16

  Danny settled comfortably again in the driver’s seat for the easy trip west without fighting traffic heading out of Nashville. They drove in silence for the first few miles.

  “She seems to be a good mother,” Danny finally said. “I’ll at least say that about her.”

  Although Casey realized there were many years yet to come, he nodded. He turned around and noticed Julia’s eyes immediately dart to him. What was it about her? She seemed like a frightened animal watching his every move. She put part of her fist into her mouth. Her hand was wet and juicy when she took it away. Dakota edged his head over the seat trying to give her a lick.

  Casey narrowed his eyes and turned towards Danny. “I just thought of something that happened after you sliced yourself with the saw. When Mary and I first saw you, Dakota was licking the dickens out of your hand.”

  Danny raised his eyebrows. His pulse quickened in his wrist while he tightened his grip on the steering wheel. He shot a glance at Casey.

  “And who knows how long you let that happen before Mary admonished you,” Casey added, having clearly gotten his friend’s attention.

  “Jeez, do you really think?” Danny asked. He didn’t wait for Casey’s reply, but forged ahead. “I’ve heard the possibility of dog’s saliva having antimicrobial effects, but we never heard anything about that in medical school or residency. What about paramedic training?”

  “No, me neither. Maybe it’s a myth that circulates around without substantive documentation.”

  “However, we make drugs from all sorts of mammals and organisms. Come to think of it, a new anticoagulant just came on the market that’s made from leech saliva.”

  “And we’re looking for possibilities. You are an exception to the patient population getting PAM.”

  Danny spied the image of his dog and baby in the rearview mirror and then looked wide-eyed at Casey. “I may have something to tell Joelle after all.”

  ----------

  At home, Danny cuddled Julia closely as he entered the kitchen with Dakota and Casey close behind. The girls were at his side in a moment looking wide-eyed at their half-sister.

  “Who would like to hold her?” Danny asked.

  Annabel and Nancy exchanged glances and both nodded.

  “Wow, you both agree on something.”

  “She’s really cute,” Nancy said.

  “Which doesn’t make sense that she’s related to you,” Annabel said.

  Nancy shot her arms beneath Danny’s and eased Julia into her arms. She stuck her tongue out at Annabel and walked gingerly into the big room where Mary got up from a chair to see them.

  “I think she wants to get down,” Nancy said as Julia looked around at her new surroundings. After Nancy placed her on the rug, Dakota fetched his fringed pillow, dropped it and settled face-to-face in front of Julia, gently sniffing and nuzzling her. Julia’s serious facial expression melted away. Fascinated, she stared at Dakota while her hand patted up and down at his face.

  “Dad,” Annabel said, “did Dakota know Julia from before?”

  Danny moved a pile of Mary and Casey’s wedding invitations to the side of the coffee table and sat on the edge. “They met one day in Knoxville’s downtown Market district. This may be rejuvenated love on their second visit.”

  “This may end up being a special time for her,” Casey added, sitting on the floor after Mary sat back down. “Maybe she’s never had so many people around that care about her.”

  “Or a dog,” Annabel said, patting Dakota’s rump.

  “I wish grandma and grandpa were still here,” Nancy said.

  “They probably are, sweetheart,” Mary said. “They’re probably smiling at all of us and proud of such a close knit family. We should count our blessings. The only thing we have to worry about right now is your dad, who is precariously close to a major health scare.”

  ----------

  An hour later, Danny eyed his watch and the half-sleeping group before him. Dakota lay on his side and didn’t move a muscle. Julia had fallen fast asleep, tucked in between his front and back legs.

  “I’ll help with Julia,” Annabel said, as Danny rose and they all grabbed something to carry up the stairs. Danny placed Julia’s things in the set-up spare bedroom and left her with Annabel and Nancy. He went back downstairs to let Dakota out one more time.

  Annabel placed Julia on the nursery table as the baby began to fuss. Nancy opened the bigger of the two navy carry bags and pulled out a bag of diapers. She pulled one out and handed it to Annabel. “I really don’t mind if you do this part,” she said. Next she put diaper wipes on the changing pad.

  Julia squirmed like a wiggly worm. “Guess she’s overtired,” Annabel said. “It’s like past a baby’s bedtime.”

  Nancy unpacked the sets of clothes Rachel had sent and put them away while Annabel unsnapped Julia’s playsuit and slid out her arms. Julia scrunched up her face and began a low cry.

  “Like me, she doesn’t like you messing with her,” Nancy said.

  “Shut up.” Annabel pulled Julia’s outfit off and then the diaper tabs. She slid the diaper off and Julia stopped crying, almost holding her breath. “Here’s a present for you,” Annabel said
, dropping the wet diaper Nancy’s way as she had sat cross-legged on the floor.

  “You idiot, just wait,” Nancy said.

  Annabel grabbed a diaper wipe from the container then pulled up Julia’s legs. “Oh my God. What is that, a birthmark or something?”

  Nancy jumped up alongside her sister. “Beats me, but it doesn’t look too good.” Julia flailed her arms up while they studied her. “There’s another one,” Nancy said, “on the back of her arm.”

  Dakota bounded into the room, Danny close behind. Annabel and Nancy’s earlier light-hearted expressions had soured. Also gone was the usual teenage look of confidence that they had mastered the world and needed no adult advice. Annabel’s slack jaw and Nancy’s wide eyes alerted Danny that something was amiss.

  “What? What’s wrong?”

  “I’m not sure, Dad,” Annabel said.

  Julia continued to look warily at them as Annabel pointed to Julia’s buttocks and arm. Danny took the center position as the girls moved over.

  As if someone punched him in his gut, Danny felt winded. His heart sped and his mouth clenched as anger welled up inside. He wanted to punch the wall, hug his baby close, and never let her go.

  “Will one of you go rap on Mary and Casey’s door and ask them to come here?” he asked.

  Nancy disappeared out the door without a word. Danny carefully examined Julia’s arms, legs and torso as well as her head and then turned her over for another critical look. He again laid her supine as Mary, Casey and Nancy entered. Although Casey was shirtless, Mary and Casey wore sleepwear. Danny figured he must have disturbed them because his sister’s neat hair had changed to looking unkempt.

  Danny stared into Casey’s eyes. “You two take a look at this,” Danny said. “Girls, we’ll talk tomorrow. Please go to bed now.”

  “Dad …” Annabel pleaded.

  “Really,” Danny said. “We’ll talk about this tomorrow.”

  Mary patted Annabel and Nancy on the shoulders and they reluctantly left. They positioned themselves down the hallway as close to possible eavesdropping as they could.