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Which was why we weren’t taking the Mustang. That car was a little too easy to spot.
It took us a half hour to get to the closest hospital. Travis took the long way, cutting back once or twice, running red lights, pausing at yellows and then gunning it, basically using every trick in the book. I could practically sense the worry rolling from the back seat, but I couldn’t do anything about it.
Finally, we pulled up out front of the hospital. “Good luck,” Travis said. “I hear our medical system isn’t the best.”
I smirked at him. “I’ll call when we’re done.”
“Later, cap.”
“Bye, Travis,” Tara said, holding Mason. “Thanks again.”
He waved and then pulled off.
Tara didn’t wait. She stormed right into the emergency room, a woman on a warpath. She marched right up to the lady at the reception desk and stared at her, Mason crying loudly the whole time.
“Fill this out and take a seat,” the woman said.
“Do you hear my son?” Tara asked her. “He’s in pain and has a fever. We need to see someone now.”
The woman was in her mid-fifties, with short hair, and looked like she hadn’t gone for a jog in several years.
“Fill out that form and take a seat,” she repeated.
I could tell Tara was about to explode on her, so I stepped in. “Excuse me,” I said, flashing her my best smile. “Do you have any specials for veterans?”
She raised an eyebrow. “You’re a veteran?”
“I sure am, ma’am,” I said. “I’m a Navy SEAL.”
“Wow,” she said. “Very impressive.”
“Thanks. I’m just hoping we can see someone about my son.”
She chewed on a pencil, looking at her computer screen. “Doctors are all busy with patients,” she said, “but I can squeeze you in maybe ten minutes from now.”
“That would be amazing.” I smiled big at her again. “Thanks so much.”
“Fill out that form and bring it back to me.”
“Of course.”
I ushered Tara over to a seat before she could flip shit on that woman. We sat down and I started filling out the paperwork using a false name.
“Thanks,” Tara said eventually.
“No problem. Women like that usually respond to the military thing.”
She just looked away.
I couldn’t help but smile to myself. Tara was so pissed at me that she couldn’t see the lengths I was going to to make this right. That was fine though. I couldn’t blame her. Mason was sick and she was worried as hell.
One form and ten minutes later and we were in a back room with a nice older doctor, his hair white as snow.
“Well now,” he said, holding Mason, “let’s take a look at this little guy.”
The doc went over Mason, checking his heart, his chest, his back, and finally taking out a little instrument to look inside his ears.
“Ah,” he said as he looked away.
“What is it?” Tara asked, worry all over her face.
“Ear infection.”
“Ear infection?”
The doctor nodded, smiling. “Yep. Just an ear infection. His right ear is a little infected. Not too bad. I know the poor little guy is in pain, but the best thing for you to do is just to wait it out. Keep him cool and do your best to distract him.”
Tara stared at him. “You’re telling me that there’s nothing you can do? He has an infection.”
“I’m sorry, miss. We just don’t prescribe antibiotics for infant ear infections anymore.”
“But you can,” Tara pressed.
“Nine times out of ten, these pass on their own. It’s uncomfortable for the poor little ones, but in the long run this is better for them, helps their immune system.”
“No,” Tara said, shaking her head. “I don’t think so.”
“I’m sorry,” he said again. “Just keep him calm and wait. If his fever goes up past one hundred and one, come back and we’ll write a prescription.”
I clenched my jaw.
All this way, all this danger, and some fucking doctor was telling us that he wasn’t going to help?
Fuck that. I’d tried fucking hard to make this right. I’d taken a big fucking risk bringing us to this hospital. I was getting this kid some medicine.
“Doc,” I said, stepping closer to him, “I think you should write him that prescription.”
“Why’s that?” he asked.
“For two reasons. One, because I’m going to put two hundred dollars in your hands. Two, because if you don’t, I’m going to break every one of your fingers until you change your mind. Make this easy, doc. Write the script.”
