Diagnosis: Daddy (Doctors in Training 1)

The child’s palms were also worse for the impact with the rough concrete. Mia winced. “Ow. I’m so sorry.”

Alexis looked as though she was making an effort not to cry, although tears leaked pitifully from the corners of her eyes. “I dropped my candy.”

“It’s okay, princess, I’m getting it,” Connor assured her, scooping the treats back in the bag. “It’s all individually wrapped, so it will be okay. You didn’t lose more than a couple of pieces.”

Alexis reached out to Mia, burrowing into her arms. “It hurt,” she whispered.

“I know, sweetie. We’ll take you home and put some medicine on the scrapes so they won’t hurt so badly, okay? And then we’ll have hot chocolate and you can rest your knees while we watch your DVD.”

Nodding into Mia’s shoulder, Alexis drew a sobbing breath. “O-okay.”

“You’re being very brave. I’m sure I would be blubbering if I’d taken a fall like that.”

Sniffling again, Alexis murmured, “I’m not crying.”

“It’s okay to cry if you need to,” Mia reminded her.

“I don’t need to.”

“Can you walk or do you need me to carry you back to the house?” Connor asked, hovering close by as if he didn’t quite know what to do to help.

Alexis looked up at Mia. “Can you carry me?”

Mia could almost sense Connor’s instinctive withdrawal. She wanted to assure him that it wasn’t a rebuff, that he shouldn’t take the child’s words personally. That children naturally turned to their mother, or in this case, mother figure, when they were hurt—but this wasn’t the time. And she wasn’t sure he would believe her, anyway.

“It would be much easier for your daddy to carry you,” she said gently. “I’ll bring the candy and your wings, okay?”

Alexis nodded and drew somewhat reluctantly out of Mia’s arms. Mia helped her out of the strapped-on wings, then took the candy bag from Connor as he bent to gather Alexis into his arms. After only a moment, she relaxed against him, her head tucked beneath his chin.

As soon as they were inside, Mia left Connor to make hot chocolate and popcorn while she tended to Alexis’s scrapes and helped her into her pajamas. Although painful, the wounds weren’t really bad. A thin coat of ointment and a couple of adhesive bandages printed with cartoon characters were all the treatment they needed. Mia was glad she’d thought to assemble a first aid kit because she’d figured most children suffered cuts and bruises at some point.

Leaving Alexis settled on the couch in front of the television, Mia said she would go help Connor with their refreshments and would be right back. Alexis clung to her beloved stuffed cat and snuggled into the couch cushions, seeming to enjoy the attention she was getting now that the stinging from her scrapes had lessened.

Connor was just dropping marshmallows into three mugs of cocoa when she joined him in the kitchen. “How is she?”

“She’s fine. She’s on the couch watching the cartoon channel until we join her for the movie.”

Pulling out a bowl for the popcorn he’d popped in the microwave, he said, “Scared the crap out of me when she fell. I was afraid she’d broken something.”

“I know. I was looking away and I didn’t see her fall. But I heard her hit the sidewalk.”

“You know what my first thought was? That if she had broken anything, I didn’t know what I’d do for her. I’ve spent the past almost three months cramming my head with more information that I can possibly ever remember, and yet I wouldn’t have a clue what to do if someone actually gets hurt in front of me.”

Smiling, she rested a hand on his arm. “You’re only in your first semester of med school. You have to get a solid background before you actually start treating patients. Don’t start questioning yourself now, Connor. You’ll be a wonderful doctor.”

“Maybe,” he muttered. “Not so confident about this parenting thing, though. I’ve got to admit, Mia, half the time I don’t have a clue what I’m supposed to do with her. It seems to come so naturally to you, while I’m just floundering here.”

She shook her head, her fingers tightening on his arm. “You’re doing fine. Remember, I have a niece and a nephew that I’ve spent a lot of time with. And I’ve spent more time with Alexis than you have, by necessity. Going out with us tonight was a very positive step for you. I know you feel like you need to be studying, but Alexis needs to spend time with you, too, and you realized that. Considering you’ve only been at this for a couple of weeks, I think you’re a very good father.”

He covered her hand with his, drawing a somewhat unsteady breath. “Thanks. It still terrifies me when I stop to think about it too much.”

“So don’t think about it so much,” she advised him lightly. “Just do what comes naturally.”

“That sounds dangerous,” he murmured.

Suddenly aware of how close they stood, how near his mouth was to hers, how intense his eyes had become as they gazed into hers, she swallowed. “I meant with Alexis.”

“I know,” he said, but he didn’t move away.