held a minimalist approach when it came to risk of traumatization.
As she cleaned Jonah’s wound and soothed him and chatted with him about her big cat named Monster, and his dog named Bo, and her sister who was a bully, and his little brother who still wet his pants, she began to enjoy herself. Kids were so much easier to talk to than adults.
A couple of years ago, when Karah Lee was nearing the end of her first year in residency, one of the third year residents casually remarked that she shouldn’t go into pediatric medicine because her size might scare the kids. Instead of giving in to her knee-jerk desire to punch the dolt in the stomach, she’d challenged him to a duel to see who could finish up the year with the fewest crying kids. According to the nurses, Karah Lee had won by a huge margin.
“Are you done yet?” Jonah asked as Karah Lee held the skin together for the bonding agent to set.
“Can you count to a hundred?”
“Yes,” he said, as if the question were an insult.
“Let’s hear it.”
Though aware Cheyenne was watching her, Karah Lee didn’t feel uncomfortable about being observed. She’d had plenty of that in the past few years.
The staff here seemed friendly, in spite of the disparaging remark Jill had made about reckless drivers. Karah Lee had made a few comments like that, herself, from time to time. Today she was learning a valuable lesson about prejudging patients.
Cheyenne left to take a telephone call before Jonah finished counting, and the treatment ended without mishap, or more tears. As Karah Lee walked the relieved family to the waiting room, Blaze stepped to the reception window and handed Jonah a bright red balloon animal in the approximate shape of a poodle. Jonah laughed and played with the poodle while Jill talked to the uninsured parents about the fee for treatment.
Blaze tapped Karah Lee on the shoulder from behind. “Chey wants to see you in her office as soon as you’re finished.”
“I’m done.”
“Okay, but tell her to make it quick. We’ve got incoming.”
“Tell her yourself. This is my first day on the job, and I have to make a good impression on the boss.”
She found Chey sitting in her office at the desk, reading a medical chart. “You wanted to see me?”
Setting the chart aside, Cheyenne glanced up at her thoughtfully. “Close the door and have a seat.”
“I guess you have paperwork for me to fill out.” The red tape could be daunting for doctors on a new job. Licenses, permits, clearing for insurance—both professional liability and various types of coverage for patients—took up a lot of a doc’s time, and it never seemed to end.
For a moment, Cheyenne remained silent. She didn’t smile as she glanced out the front window that overlooked the broad lawn and the lake.
The silence grew uncomfortable. “Did you have a problem with the treatment I gave Jonah?” Karah Lee asked.
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