one really knows what causes it. It could be that the baby is rubbing at his mouth an extra amount and spreading saliva across his cheeks. That would definitely cause a rash. But it’s harmless enough.”
He turned just as Eva looked up, her face pale and creased with relief.
“Well, that’s good, isn’t it?” She blinked, sending a large teardrop scurrying down her cheek. She turned away, wiping at her eyes.
Tyler’s heart gave a powerful squeeze. He stepped close and touched her arm. She glanced at him, looking embarrassed and worried at the same time.
“Eva, don’t cry. The baby’s fine.” He placed a finger beneath her chin and lifted gently, forcing her to meet his eyes. “Were you really that worried about Cody?”
Her lips trembled and she nodded. “I thought...I thought I’d done something wrong. I don’t know anything about babies. What if something bad happens and I don’t know what to do?”
Her voice cracked and so did his heart. She’d always been tenderhearted, even when they were little kids. She’d yell at the boys when they’d try to chase a cat. Or make them get down from a tree so they wouldn’t disturb a nest of sparrows. Her gentle kindness was one reason Tyler had always liked her so much. Maybe Eva couldn’t cook, but she was awfully sweet.
“No, Eva. You’ll be okay. You’ve done nothing wrong. Babies get rashes all the time. But you did the right thing by bringing him to me. I can rule out a lot of problems.” He withdrew his hand, still feeling the warmth of her skin against his fingertip.
“Like what kinds of problems?” she asked.
“Oh, roseola and scarlet fever. Those are more serious problems that can cause a rash, which I don’t believe Cody has. I think he’s just teething early.”
She bowed her head over the baby and wrapped him in his blanket. “How can I know if he’s got something seriously wrong?”
Tyler leaned his hip against the table and folded his arms. “Fever is a good warning sign. If Cody feels hotter than normal, if he’s extra fussy. Things like that are good indicators that something’s wrong.”
“Well, now that you mention it, he does spit up an awful lot. I worry that he’s not getting enough formula. I don’t know why they made me his nanny. I don’t know the first thing about taking care of him.”
He laughed, trying to ease her mind. Trying to soothe her nerves. “Yeah, babies are hard to read sometimes. But I guarantee this little guy is getting plenty to eat. He’s strong and healthy. You’re doing fine with him.”
Obviously he’d been right in thinking Eva didn’t want to take care of the baby. Now he realized it was probably due to her lack of knowledge about caring for a young child. So maybe he could help ease her mind. It was what he loved doing, after all. Helping children. But it was even more than that for him. It was his life mission to help save kids’ lives. The whole reason he’d become a pediatrician in the first place. Because he’d lost his baby sister when she was only ten years old.
“But why is he spitting up so much?” Eva asked.
He shrugged. “Babies spit up. It takes their little bodies time to adjust to the acid reflux. They burp and it comes up their esophagus. They aren’t good at controlling it yet. By about nine months, Cody will stop spitting up all the time.”
She released a deep exhalation. “Oh, good. I had no idea.” She pointed at Cody’s nose and chin. “But what about these tiny white bumps? Is that a different kind of rash?”
He barely had to glance at the baby’s face to know what she was talking about. “That’s called milia, and it’s normal, too. It’ll disappear within a few weeks. In the meantime, just wash Cody’s face with mild soap and water, and the rash should clear up soon.”
Another exhalation of relief rushed past Eva’s lips. She seemed much more relaxed now that she was no longer worried about the baby.
“Be aware that he may get diaper rash, too,” Tyler said.
Eva looked horrified. “I’ve heard about that. What can I do?”
Tyler quickly explained and discussed what she should do. He even gave her a tube of ointment with zinc oxide to use in case she needed it. And seeing her fearful eyes, he discussed bath time, immunizations and feeding schedules. Everything he could think of that might help ease her mind. And when they finished their in-depth discussion, she looked a little less worried.
“How’s Miss Mamie doing?” he finally asked.
Eva smiled. “Fine, I think. She loves this little guy.”
“She’s not getting too tired out, is she?”
A new baby could be exciting, but Mamie wasn’t a young woman anymore. And Tyler knew she also was worried about Ben being in a coma and Grady stationed in a war zone in Afghanistan. As a doctor, Tyler was concerned that the elderly lady might be overdoing things.
Eva flashed a half smile, which made her brown eyes gleam. Wow, she sure was pretty. A natural, earthy beauty that didn’t require the enhancement of makeup.
“I think she feels better now that I’m Cody’s nanny. She should have gotten a good night’s sleep at least,” Eva said.
“Good. I’m glad to hear that.”
“I understand you’re returning to Austin right after Thanksgiving,” she said.
He nodded. “Yeah, that’s right.”
“Are you going to be practicing medicine there?”
Another nod. “I’ve kept my condominium there and plan to practice with a co-op of other pediatricians. I’ll be a junior partner for a few years, but I hope to move up eventually.”
She shuddered. “I don’t know how you can stand to live in such a large city. I’d be lost there.”
Yeah, he could see how a sweet, gentle woman such as Eva would feel lost without the wide-open country around her. And he liked that about her, too.
“Living in the city has its perks,” he said.
“Like what?”
He shrugged. “There’s a lot to do there. I enjoy the action of city life. You can’t get any of that here in Little Horn.”
“True. But we’ve got the most beautiful sunsets you ever saw.” Her voice sounded impassioned.
He hadn’t thought about that. In fact, maybe he’d taken the beauty of the rolling hills and open fields for granted. But when he’d left for college he’d fallen in love with the arts, culture and the many conveniences city life provided. He was eager to return.
“I’ve also got my work,” he said. “My partners and I have been approved for a grant from the Food and Drug Administration. We’ll be doing research on children’s immunizations. I’m excited to be a part of that.”
“Well, we’ll miss you,” she said. “People need a pediatric doctor
