Risk Factors. Calisa Rhose

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СКАЧАТЬ Alone and very far from here.

      “But she won’t eat. I gave her her favorite cereal, Strawberries-n-Oatmeal, but she won’t eat it.”

      “Well…maybe she would rather find her own food today.” How in the world had this tiny girl managed to pick up, never mind carry around, a half-grown skunk without smelling like Eau de Stinkee?

      “I don’t think so,” the mournful voice disagreed. “She always eats Strawberries-n-Oatmeal or Cheerios. Last night she didn’t eat. Ask Daddy, he’s talking to Grampa in the car.”

      “Last night?” Obviously Skittles was a pet. How long had the little girl homed a skunk? The child spoke as though she expected Vivian to go outside and talk to the man in question, which she would not do. “I’d like very much to speak to your daddy.”

      Viv turned to move behind the desk and stepped on her shoelace–the too-long one she meant to fix, but kept forgetting–and then she went down.

      Strong hands unexpectedly caught and steadied her, preventing a nasty plummet to the floor, and only seconds after the frog should have alerted her to another presence.

      “She’s de-scented.”

      “De-scented?”

      Warm caramel drizzled over her with the voice. Viv looked up. Sexy Eyes.

      Those eyes probed hers for a long moment, effectively whisking her breath away, before they shifted down to the little girl. Right. Daddy. If he recognized Viv from the accident three days before, he didn’t let on. Maybe he didn’t identify her as the panicked buffoon who’d practically thrown the baby into his arms. A wave of relief soothed her racing pulse. A fresh start would be good. Especially since he was the owner of a patient.

      He nodded his dark head once. “Yes, de-scented.”

      If only he were. The woodsy aroma coming off him messed with Viv’s senses in a crazy way.

      “Last night Janna noticed Skittles hadn’t eaten or drank while we were out all day. She’s listless, her abdomen is distended. She whimpers…squeaks. I don’t know how to describe the sound a skunk makes, but whatever you call it, that's what she does.”

      Shaking herself back to reality, Viv stepped away and pointed to an exam room. Medical school didn’t exactly cover skunks, but they were members of the feline family, something she could use as a guide. “What–how often does Skittles eat? What does she eat besides cereal?”

      “Cat food. It’s what Doc Dane said she’d eat, Doctor…”

      “Vivian. Max is my uncle.” She gently probed the belly and nodded to herself. “So cereal isn’t a regular staple. Good, Mr.…” She’d never gotten his name, but he was right about Skittles’s belly swelling. Possible indigestion, possibly many things, but she liked to eliminate the simplest causes first.

      “McKay, Connor. This is Janna, and not usually. If Skittles and Giggles have been good girls, Janna treats them to a tablespoonful as a special mix.”

      McKay Connor. For some reason the name sounded familiar. Which was his last name, and first? The one he’d responded with when she’d prompted with mister, maybe. “Well, Mr. McKay and Janna, it’s very nice to meet you both. I think all that’s wrong with your…skunk is she has, as Janna diagnosed, a tummy bug.” Vivian knelt to the child’s level to speak. “Would it be all right if Skittles spends the night here? I can tell better what’s wrong if I can watch her myself.”

      Janna gazed up at her father with adoration. Viv felt a pang of remorse for something she vaguely recalled from her own childhood, before she became the huge disappointment her father now saw her as. There had been a time when Vivian looked up to her father for advice and comfort. A time when he’d gazed down on her with love and pride. Not anymore. If he noticed her now, it was to scrutinize her actions, condemn her.

      “Dr. Dane?”

      Viv blinked and glanced around as heat suffused her neck when she realized her mind had wandered shamelessly in front of clients. “I’m sorry, I… Where’s Janna?”

      “She went to the truck to get Skittles’ blanket. Where would you like me to put her?” With care, Connor McKay lifted the black animal gently to his chest.

      Viv led him from the exam room to a row of small cages and opened a lower one that would allow Janna to see her pet easily. “This will be fine. I’ll call you tomorrow, if that’s all right.” They walked back into the reception area as Janna returned.

      Once Janna was directed to her pet, Viv consulted the computer with an extended glance at Connor. “Do I have a file on Skittles?”

      “Check under Jelly Bean.”

      Questions arose, but Viv squashed them down and typed in the suggested name. Surprisingly, the file opened, and she grinned up at Connor. “Scary how everyone in town seems to know Uncle Max’s filing system so well.”

      “Scary? Because you don’t?”

      “Well, yes. He had an unusual way to keep track.” She refocused on the computer. “I’ll skip the general office charge since it absorbs into the overall cost when treatment is involved. You don’t need to pay until you pick Skittles up, though. I’ll have your total then.”

      “Fine. Wouldn’t it be the same with a conventional filing system? I mean the ABC system only works if everyone uses it the same exact way. Max may have filed by patient names, or nicknames like Jelly Bean, where you might use actual owner names.”

      Viv raised her gaze at his words. He was right, again. She smiled. “If only I’d been a filing clerk in a previous life. But here, I never know what I might find a patient under by his system. He seemed rather fond of nicknames rather than a pet’s actual name.”

      “I’m sure you’ll figure out your uncle’s compulsory system soon.”

      “I hope so.” But her uncle was a bit eccentric. She needed to give Uncle Max a call. “If I kept files the way he did, I’d be more confused than the patients. Not to mention the owners’ confusion.” The huh? expression on Connor’s face dimmed her enthusiasm instantly. She talked too much, and now said owner displayed obvious confusion, as she’d predicted. She should have known her mouth would trip her up eventually. Didn’t it always? “Will you or Mrs. McKay be picking Skittles up? I prefer to keep confusion to a minimum when possible.” In business at least, since she seemed incapable of doing so in other aspects of her life.

      Connor registered relief at the change of subject, only to frown hard. Her tongue stung from the pain her teeth inflicted on it.

      “There is no Mrs. McKay, so I suppose it will be myself or my father, Levi.”

      “Of course! Levi, Benny.” The older McKay had recently brought in his Golden Retriever for annual vaccinations. Viv laughed at the solved puzzle of familiarity. Unfortunately, Connor was watching her again as if she’d lost her noodles. Note to self: Viv stared hard at the computer monitor, silently blaming the machine for her communication failure, Mood swings are dangerous if handled improperly, or left in the wrong hands.

      “Yeah. Thank you, Dr. Dane.” He started for the door, but paused.

      His СКАЧАТЬ