Color Blind(6)

Nevaeh is so sweet. My daughter was suffering, but she was worried about me getting into trouble at work. Pouring myself a cup of coffee, I dialed the doctor’s practice.



“Dr. Herber’s office, this is Janice, how may I help you?”



“Hi, this is Kimberly Harris again. I called yesterday about Nevaeh?”



“Oh yes, did you still need your appointment or were you calling to reschedule?”



“Well, I was trying find out if there’s any way you could get her in today instead of tomorrow. She ran a high fever last night, 101.6, and she’s in more pain.”



“Let me see,” Janice looked, scanning the daily schedule. “I don’t have any open slots. Let me put you on hold while I go talk to the doctor and we’ll figure out how we can work you in somehow.”



“Okay, thank you.” I uttered as I listened to the hideous elevator music that crackled over the phone line.



After a few moments, the assistant came back on the phone. “Okay, Miss Harris?”



“Yes?”



“Dr. Herber confirmed that we have nothing available today, but it sounds urgent. He asked if you will bring her in at 5 PM when the office closes and he’ll stay after to examine her. Is that okay with you?”



I thought about it for a moment; I hated making her wait so long, but it was better than waiting a whole extra day. “I’ll take it. We’ll be there early.”



“Okay, we’ll fit her in at five o’clock,” Janice said as they hung up the phone.



I walked back into the living room, “All right Nevaeh, momma’s working her magic and the doctor will see you, but we have to wait until the office closes. He can’t take you in until he’s seen everyone else. Do you think you’ll brave it out until then?”



She shook her head yes. “Momma, would you turn on Daniel Tiger? He’s my favorite cartoon. I don’t like these kid cartoons.” She commented as she watched Dora.



I chuckled at my daughter and her way with words. “We wouldn’t want you looking at childish shows! What was I thinking?” I changed the television channel and said, “Okay, one more call to my boss and then I’ll come hang out with you.”



I took the phone into my bedroom and called my work. “Kevin, it’s me again.”



“And what did they say?”



“The doctor indicated they’re all booked up today and he can’t examine her until the practice closes because they have no empty slots.”



“When does his office close?” he quizzed me.



“They said to bring her in at five.”



“Good, you can make it in after all.”



“Kevin, my shift started almost an hour ago. What do you suppose I do? Just leave my sick kid?” I challenged, angry at what he was suggesting.



“We need you. If you come in, I’ll waive the point and just put you down for six hours on the schedule this afternoon so it looks like you were here for your scheduled time.”



I thought about it for a moment. “And what do you suggest for my baby who can hardly walk because she can’t bend her legs?”



“Can’t your friend babysit her at your house? She does have a babysitter, right?”



I sighed, “I’ll call her and ask if she will drive over here.”



My heart broke when I hung up with my boss. I wanted to stay home with my daughter so bad, but I didn’t wish to get into trouble either. I felt like I was ditching my baby for work, but I needed this job if I planned on paying bills and having insurance.



“Lorraine?”



“Yes? Where are you? Weren’t you supposed to be working almost an hour ago?”



“Yeah, I was, but Nevaeh woke up last night. She was running a fever and was unable to bend her legs at all. Her knees appear more like knobs.”



“Aww, poor thing. Is she okay now or is she still sick?”



“Well, I have her on the couch with her blanket, watching cartoons. I called the doctor, and they said they will see her today, but it would be after office hours because they didn’t have any open slots this afternoon. I tried calling in to work, but Kevin is being a complete ass. He said I’ll receive an occurrence if I take the whole day off, or he’ll let me come in as soon as I can, change the schedule and not give me a point.”



“What are you going to do?” Lorraine asked.



“Well, as much as I hate to abandon Nevaeh, I will go in late. I was wondering if you would drive over here to babysit her though since she’s having trouble walking, plus it would buy me a little extra time while I get ready for work.”