Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 49530 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 248(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49530 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 248(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
Doc looped his stethoscope around his neck and told her, “Elizabeth, I’ve seen a lot of men and women naked over the years. Everyone comes in different shapes and sizes. I don’t care what your body looks like. I only care that you are healthy.”
Studying his face, she could see he was telling the truth. “I’m scared,” she confessed.
“I understand that. Your Daddy is by your side, but I think you need backup. Is your bear here? Wasn’t his name Vichyssoise?”
A giggle escaped her at the thought of a stuffie with a name that fancy. “No, his name is Borscht.”
“That might be easier to spell?” Doc asked, looking quizzically at her as if he wasn’t sure about that fact.
“I’ll get Borscht,” Talon assured her. “Stay right there.”
He ran down the hall and was back in a flash. Elizabeth used the time to look around and noticed Doc had several things on the counter to use. She was scooting toward the edge of the table when Talon returned and looped an arm around her waist to haul her backwards.
“Let’s not have you fall off the table, Buttercup,” he said as he handed her bear to her.
Elizabeth hid her face in his soft pink fur. He did make her feel better. “Thank you.”
“Alright. You hug Borscht and I’ll check a few things,” Doc said as he grabbed a handheld device from the counter.
After checking her eyes and ears, he asked her to open her mouth and say, “Ah.”
“Ahhhhhh!” Elizabeth followed directions, pulling out the word as he looked at her throat.
“Everything looks pretty good. I’m a bit worried that your eyes are slightly bloodshot. Have you had your eyes tested lately?” Doc asked.
Elizabeth nodded ruefully. “I’m supposed to wear glasses when I read a lot of documents. I forget to put them on sometimes.”
“I can tell. That’s a good thing for you and your Daddy to work on,” Doc suggested.
“Oh, I’ll do better at remembering,” Elizabeth rushed to assure them both.
“Daddy will help. That’s my job, right? To take care of you,” Talon told her firmly.
“Pulse next,” Doc warned.
She appreciated him telling her what he was doing. It made her less anxious. Elizabeth held out one hand so he could feel her pulse at her wrist.
“A bit elevated but I seem to worry people sometimes,” Doc said. “I do want to check your blood pressure.”
Sitting still as he wrapped a cuff around her upper arm, Elizabeth hugged Borscht with the other hand. She tried to think calm thoughts.
“High, Little girl. Has your regular doctor talked to you about some medicine?” Doc asked, pinning her in place with his observant gaze.
“Well, yes. We’ve talked about it. I promised to work out more and watch my salt intake.”
“And did you do that?” Doc probed.
She shifted uncomfortably on the table. “No.”
Talon pulled out his phone and opened a new note. “I better make a list. Glasses, exercise, salt.”
“We’ll recheck this every month to see if it comes down. If it doesn’t in a couple months, you’re going back to the doctor for a prescription. There’s no shame in taking medicine. There is harm in damaging your heart when you can prevent it. I have a feeling the stress of your job and the long hours take a toll on you. Exercise and sufficient rest is probably going to help the most. There’s a walking trail through the land behind the complex. A stroll after work would help you relax. I bet a bunch of Littles would like to go with you. Then, it’s not really exercise, it’s ‘let’s go look at the tadpoles in the creek’ or ‘there’s a fawn in the woods’.”
“There’s a baby fawn in the woods?” she asked, instantly intrigued.
“Maybe?” Doc suggested. “Let me listen to your chest and lungs.”
Talon reached forward to unfasten the towel wrapped around her.
“Daddy! No!” Elizabeth clutched his hands, holding the material in place.
“This is going to come off, Little girl. Do you want to cooperate now or with a red bottom?” Talon asked.
Not liking the stern look on his face, Elizabeth whispered, “Don’t make me.”
“Doc can’t listen to your lungs through the thick material, Little girl. I’ve already learned you aren’t doing everything you should to take care of yourself. He’s here to help,” Talon assured her.
She stared at him for several long seconds, expecting him to back down, but Talon looked steadily back at her with a resolute expression. With a sigh, Elizabeth closed her eyes and let go of his hands. She felt the material slide down her body to puddle around her waist.
“This may be cold, Little girl,” Doc warned and pressed the stethoscope to her chest. He listened in several places, even under her breasts, but his touch remained professional. When he switched to her back, Elizabeth pulled the towel up to cover her chest.