They moved to the sitting area and she waited silently, not quite sure what would happen here.
“Did you bring it?” Lucian asked.
“I did.” Dr. Sheffield gracefully sat on the edge of the club chair, her one long leg crossing delicately over the other. She lifted her briefcase and removed a folder.
“Here are all your most recent test results.” She passed the file to Lucian who in turn passed it to Scout. “You’re in perfect health, Lucian, but you already knew that.”
She smiled charmingly at him, her deep red lips curling softly over her pearly teeth.
Lucian looked at Scout. “Go ahead and see for yourself.”
Opening the blue folder, Scout found a typed list of sorts and pretended to read it. Turning page after page at what she hoped was an appropriate reading pace. Somewhere around the fifth page, Dr. Sheffield gazed over at her, her long neck extended gracefully, and her sophisticated diamond stud earrings winked in the light.
“Oh, you don’t need to read that, Ms. Keats. That’s just the HIPAA contract.”
Scout blushed and shut the folder, handing it back to Lucian. He grinned and tucked the folder away on the seat next to him. “Ready?” he asked, looking at her.
Scout felt incredibly stupid. “For?”
“Dr. Sheffield came to take your blood work and give you an exam,” he said as if it were obvious.
“Here?” No hospital?
The doctor smiled empathetically. “I assure you it’ll be quick. And don’t worry. I’m excellent at drawing blood if needles bother you. It’ll be quick and painless.”
Growing up the way she had, needles were the least of her worries. She had gotten over any squeamishness years ago.
Scout turned to Lucian. “Where will you go?”
He frowned. “I’m not going anywhere.”
The doctor hesitated a moment then gently said, “Lucian, perhaps Ms. Keats would be more comfortable if she had a little privacy.”
“That’s ridiculous. I’ll be reading all her results anyway—”
“But I’m sure you can understand this must be a bit awkward for her. I’ll take her to your spare room and we’ll return in a few moments.”
The way Dr. Sheffield handled him amazed Scout. The next thing she knew they were sitting alone in the spare bedroom of the suite and Lucian was waiting, alone, in the common area of the suite, sulking.
They sat on the edge of the bed and Dr. Sheffield softly said, “Do you mind if I call you Evelyn?”
Scout shook her head and the doctor’s kind eyes softened.
“Okay, Evelyn, let’s start with a few questions. Be as honest as you can and I want you to know that if at any time you change your mind about sharing this information with Lucian I’ll respect that. You’re my patient and as such, how much information I share is completely up to you. However, I won’t lie. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” The doctor opened up a new folder and picked up a pen, quickly jotting down some words.
“How long since your last physical?” She waited with her pen poised just above the paper, eyes on the folder.
“I’ve never had a physical.”
Dr. Sheffield moved to write then stilled. “Excuse me?”
“I’ve never had a physical. When I was eleven I was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia, but that was it.”
“Surely, you had physicals when you were younger in order to get your vaccines.”
“If I did I don’t remember.”
Dr. Sheffield blew a deep breath past her red lips. “Okay, let’s start with some general background information.”
Dr. Sheffield asked her about her family’s medical history. Scout didn’t want to tell her about Pearl and other than that she didn’t have many answers. For almost everything the doctor asked, Scout said she didn’t know, and she could see her frustration mounting, but the doctor never became short with her.
After she’d asked Scout a long line of questions, she listened to her heart, looked in her nose, mouth, and ears, examined portions of her skin and pressed her fingers along her spine. It was odd being touched in so many places by a stranger.
Dr. Sheffield wrapped a cuff around Scout’s arm and pumped it full of air until it hurt. After making some notes she asked, “How much do you weigh, Evelyn?”
“I don’t know.”
Her brow puckered. “Okay, let’s have a look at your legs and stomach. Do you mind lying down for a moment?”
Scout scooted onto the soft bed and eased onto her back. It was the most comfortable place she’d ever rested her head. Shutting her eyes and going to sleep was tempting.
The doctor gently lifted her legs and bent her knees, checking her range of motion. “I’m just going to feel around your organs for a moment. My hands may be a little cold.”
Scout’s back pressed into the mattress as if she could somehow save herself from being touched in such intimate places. Dr. Sheffield’s contact was clinical and quick. She pressed into her stomach at various places, asked if anything hurt.