Ruled by her Daddies (Harem of Daddies)
“Why? What’s wrong?” Caleb asked.
Ethan flicked him a gaze but then looked at her again. “Vivi, do you know what height you are?”
“Umm, I’m five foot eight.”
“And your weight?”
She hesitated.
“I can have some scales brought in if you don’t know.”
“I’m not sure but I think maybe a hundred and twenty?”
“My guess is that’s it’s closer to one-ten,” Ethan told her. “Have you been on some sort of diet and restricting your food intake?”
She licked her dry lips then grimaced. “I haven’t been on a diet.”
Ethan frowned. “You’re underweight. We took some blood when you came in and your blood results are worrying. You’re anemic. You’re deficient in a number of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin A and zinc. Any anxiety? Negative feelings about yourself?”
“A little bit,” she whispered, feeling ashamed.
“There’s no need to feel shame over this,” the doctor told her in a gentle voice. “Are you sure you’re happy having everyone in here for this conversation?”
“Careful, doctor,” Wolfe warned.
She saw Ethan swallow heavily. Wolfe could be pretty intimidating.
“What about hair loss? Weakness? Problems with sleeping?”
“Um, over the last few weeks, I’ve had some hair loss. And yeah, I’ve had problems with sleeping for a while.”
“Vivi? What’s going on?” Aleki asked. “Have you been trying to lose weight?”
“No. Not on purpose. I just . . . you know my stomach is tied to my mood. I haven’t had much of an appetite lately.”
“How long has this been happening for?” Ethan asked.
“Few years. Maybe longer.”
Ethan scowled. “I’ll be frank, Vivi.”
Because he’s been so shy and reticent up until now?
“I’d like to admit you to the hospital. I want you to speak with a therapist and a nutritionist.”
She shook her head. She didn’t have an eating disorder. She wanted to eat. It was just that her body wouldn’t let her.
“I can’t do that,” she told him.
“Somehow I figured you were going to say that.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, hating that she might have upset him.
“I’m not comfortable releasing you yet, not until your temperature comes down more. I also want to see you eating and drinking. I’ll leave the IV in for at least another day. I would prefer that you were in the hospital, but if you had someone willing to take care of you, ensure that you did little more than rest, eat and drink then I could let you leave in a few days.”
Great. Someone to take care of her?
That wasn’t happening.