Shadows of Recovery (Everhart Family #3)

Chapter 33

Thirty-Three

K ay showered and dressed. Determined to get a handle on her new environment, she quickly walked to the clinic and stepped inside. The interior was clean and organized, a stark contrast to the frenzy she felt inside.

A woman greeted her with a warm smile. "Hello, Dr. Kay. I'm Eleanor, your nurse."

Kay returned the smile, feeling a small sense of relief. "Nice to meet you, Eleanor."

Eleanor gestured for Kay to follow her. "The Whitlocks paid for me to go to school," she explained as they walked down the hall. "I’m a licensed practical nurse. I’ve been here for a few years now."

Eleanor showed Kay her office. On the desk sat a desktop computer. "We’re setting up electronic medical records and supplies. Caleb is in charge of the internet. You can use it for medical information."

Kay nodded, appreciating the foresight. "What about supplies or personal items that aren’t available in your supermarket or trading post?"

"You’ll need to put together a list," Eleanor explained. "It has to be approved by the family."

Kay made a mental note of the process and then turned to Eleanor. "I’d like to take a look around before I start seeing patients."

"Of course," Eleanor said. "Take your time. If you need anything, I’ll be here."

Kay began her tour, inspecting the various rooms and equipment. So far, they held only basic items. She entered one exam room and paused, her attention caught by a sonogram machine. As she looked closer, she noted the Waverly County Hospital ID tag on it. The same tag was on a monitor and an IV pump.

Her stomach churned as the realization hit her: these were stolen items from the hospital. Why she didn’t think about the hospital robbery, she didn’t know. Legally, she should report this, but she knew doing so could put her at risk and, more importantly, her generous salary. And that mattered to her more. As she stood there, wrestling with her thoughts, the door suddenly opened.

A tall man stood in the doorway, his presence imposing. Kay's pulse quickened, and she felt a surge of unease. She had no exit.

The man smiled, a sinister expression that sent a shiver down her spine. "My, my, another pretty lady doctor, but not as pretty as my Sophie. You must be Dr. Kay. I'm Damon."

His voice was smooth, but his eyes held a malevolent gleam. Kay's instincts screamed at her to be cautious. She forced herself to remain calm and professional.

"Yes, I’m Dr. Birdham," she replied, keeping her tone steady. "It’s… nice to meet you, Damon."

Damon’s smile widened, and he stepped closer, his presence filling the room. "I’ve heard so much about you. It’s not every day we get someone with your credentials."

Kay swallowed hard, her mind racing. "I’m here to help the community in any way I can."

Damon tilted his head, studying her. "You know, you remind me a bit of Sophie. Strong, determined… but she has a certain softness to her. A vulnerability."

Kay felt a surge of anger mixed with fear. "I’m here to do my job. I hope we can work together professionally." She was forty-five and had been a psychiatrist for a long time, but she’d never met a man who creeped her out as much as Damon did.

Damon chuckled, a sound that made her skin crawl. "Oh, I’m sure we will. But let me make something clear, Dr. Kay. This is our world. You play by our rules, and you’ll do just fine."

Kay forced a nod, her heart pounding. "Understood."

Damon’s smile faded, his eyes boring into hers. "Good. I’ll be watching you, Dr. Kay. Make sure you don’t disappoint us."

With that, he turned and stepped out, leaving Kay trembling. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to steady herself. She had to stay focused and cautious. This place was more dangerous than she had anticipated, and she needed to be careful about whom she trusted.

As she continued her tour of the clinic, the situation set heavily on her shoulders. She was in deep now, and there was no turning back. She had to find a way to navigate this treacherous environment while keeping herself safe and doing her job. Damn Tristan, this was all his and Sophie Everhart’s fault.

Returning to her office, she found Eleanor waiting. "Everything okay, Dr. Kay?" she asked, her concern evident.

Kay forced a smile. "Yes, everything's fine. Just getting familiar with the place."

Eleanor nodded. "If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask."

"Thank you, Eleanor." Kay felt nauseated by that constant remark. It was sounding like a recording.

As she sat at her desk, Kay knew she had to tread carefully. Damon’s presence was a constant threat, and the stolen equipment was a ticking time bomb. She needed to find a way to survive here while protecting herself. For now, she had to play the role they expected, biding her time and gathering her strength for any future battles.

Damon returned, now with Emma, and stood at the door, the sinister smile on his face only heightening her anxiety. She knew he was the one who infected Sophie with syphilis. Now, with Emma expecting a baby, the stakes were even higher. Syphilis could have devastating effects on an unborn child, and she had to find a way to treat them both without arousing suspicion, as well as finding the source.

Thinking quickly, Kay forced a calm expression onto her face. “Damon, before you leave, I actually wanted to ask you and Emma a few questions,” she said, her voice steady. “It’s important for me to get a complete picture of your health history, especially with a baby on the way.”

Damon raised an eyebrow, intrigued but still suspicious. “What kind of questions?”

Kay took a deep breath, choosing her words carefully. “In medicine today, we’ve come light-years ahead from the past. It’s important I know family health history on both sides. I’d like to run bloodwork on you and Emma. It’s crucial to ensure that both parents are in optimal health to prevent any complications for the baby. Have either of you had prenatal—before birth— bloodwork?”

Emma, who had been quietly watching from the side, stepped forward. “We’re healthy, Dr. Kay. But if you think it’s important, we’re willing to do whatever it takes.”

Kay nodded, her mind working rapidly. “That’s great to hear, Emma. I’ll ask Eleanor what lab you send the bloodwork to.” She smiled tightly. “Eleanor,” she called.

Eleanor came into her office. “Yes, Doctor?”

“Could you take Mrs. Emma,” she adopted their style of dropping the last name, “into a room and draw some blood?” She handed her a list of tests, including orders to test for syphilis and other blood-carried sexually transmitted diseases.

Damon grabbed the list, read it and handed it back to Eleanor. He looked at Emma. “I’ll be there in a few minutes; I need to speak with Dr. Kay.” He kissed her cheek and rubbed her belly.

Kay swallowed the bile rising in her throat. What was I thinking?

When Emma was safely out of earshot, Damon’s expression darkened. “Are you suggesting we might have syphilis?”

She had written VDRL . Damon knew what it meant.

Kay shook her head quickly, trying to defuse his rising anger. “Not at all, Damon. But testing is standard practice to ensure both parents are screened. It’s a simple precaution that can make a huge difference. Also, if either of you have any symptoms—like sores, rashes, or unusual discharge—it’s best to get tested.”

Damon closed the door behind him. “Well, baby girl, you can see for yourself—no sores.” He dropped his pants and pulled his penis free.

Kay met Damon’s eyes. “Put your penis away and zip your fly.”

He cocked his head. “I’d rather put it away inside you.”

Kay decided to try a buzz kill. “If syphilis is detected early, it can be treated effectively with antibiotics, which will prevent any harm to the baby. The standard treatment is penicillin, which is safe for both you, Emma and the baby. Damon, I need to know your other sexual contacts to test and treat them.”

Damon tucked his penis in his pants and zipped his fly. His eyes narrowed, and he closed space on Kay, grabbing her throat. “Dr. Kay, no one tells me what to do. But for my baby, I’ll let you test me and treat me if necessary. And if Emma needs the shot, you’ll make up something and give it to her.” He let go of her but put his hand on her bottom. “Mmm, after the treatment, we’ll see how putting things away feels, baby girl.” He pulled her close and rubbed his erection against her.

Catching her breath, Kay gritted her teeth. “Please, Damon. Everything will be handled with the utmost discretion.”

He raised his brows and shook his head. With that, he turned and left the room.

Kay followed Damon out of the room. She could hear Eleanor talking to Emma in one of the nearby exam rooms. Through the gap in the curtain, she watched Eleanor draw blood from Emma and then from Damon.

Kay's determination to protect Emma and her unborn child solidified as she stepped into the room. She needed to ensure they were both healthy, and she had to do it without arousing suspicion.

“Once Eleanor is done here, Emma, I’d like to examine you,” Kay said, her voice calm and professional. “How far along are you? And when were you examined last?”

Emma looked up, her expression a mix of concern and trust. “Old Doc Jensen looked at me a few months ago. I’ve got another four or five weeks to go.”

Kay did her best to hide her shock and maintain a composed demeanor. “Okay, that’s good to know. I’ll take a look at you now, and then we can go to my office so I can ask you some questions.”

Eleanor finished drawing the blood and stepped back, giving Kay a nod. “All done here, Dr. Kay.”

“Thank you, Eleanor,” Kay replied, appreciating the support.

Damon helped Emma lie back on the exam table, her hands resting on her belly. Kay moved to her side, putting on a pair of gloves. She gently palpated Emma’s abdomen, feeling for the position of the baby.

“How have you been feeling, Emma?” Kay asked, her tone gentle. “Any pain or discomfort?”

“Just the usual, I think,” Emma said, her voice a little shaky. “Some back pain, and I get tired a lot. But nothing too bad.”

Kay nodded, continuing her examination. She hadn’t done a pap smear since her residency. “That’s pretty normal, especially in the later stages of pregnancy. Have you noticed any swelling, headaches, or vision changes?”

“No, nothing like that,” Emma replied, watching Kay’s movements closely.

Kay finished her examination and helped Emma sit up. “Everything seems fine from what I can see. We will know more when we get the cultures back. I’d like to do a more thorough questionnaire in my office.”

Emma nodded, clearly reassured by Kay’s calm and professional demeanor. “Okay, whatever you think is best.”

Kay smiled, trying to ease Emma’s worries. “Let’s head to my office.”

As they walked to her office, Kay’s mind was already working on a plan. She needed to get the test results back as soon as possible and start any necessary treatment. Once they reached her office, Kay motioned for Emma and Damon to sit down. Damon stayed standing.

“Emma, I want to ask you some questions about your medical history, your current pregnancy and your previous births.” Kay sat down across from her. “It’s important for me to get a complete picture so I can provide the best care for you and your baby.”

Damon placed a hand on Emma’s shoulder. She nodded, looking a little nervous but willing to cooperate. “Okay, what do you need to know?”

“First, do you have any chronic health conditions? Diabetes, hypertension, anything like that?” Kay asked, her pen poised over a notepad.

“No, I’ve always been pretty healthy,” Emma replied.

“And how has this pregnancy been compared to your previous ones?” Kay continued. “Any complications or concerns?”

“It’s been about the same.” Emma’s hand rested protectively on her belly. “No major issues.”

Kay nodded, making notes. “That’s good to hear. And what about your diet and activity level? Are you able to get enough rest and nutrition?”

Emma shrugged slightly. “I try to eat well and rest when I can, but it’s hard sometimes with everything going on.”

“Going on?” Kay saw Damon squeeze her shoulder.

“The two other kids,” she mumbled.

Kay gave her a reassuring smile. “That’s understandable. Just do your best, and we’ll keep an eye on things.” She knew not to ask her if she felt safe at home. She disregarded the question on the list.

Kay inhaled deeply through her nose. “Now, about the testing we did today. If there’s anything that comes up, we’ll address it right away. My goal is to ensure a healthy delivery for you and your baby.”

Emma nodded, visibly more relaxed. “Thank you, Dr. Kay. I appreciate it.”

“Yes, we appreciate it,” Damon said before walking out the door with his wife.