Deliver Me Read Online Free PDF Page B

headed out of the lounge.
    “I’ll keep my ears open and let you know if I hear anything else about
our new doc.”
    Eli gave Otis a nod then shouldered his way out the door.
    The Daniels were waiting outside his office when Elijah turned the
corner. He’d been dreading this appointment all day. Since Katrina, he’d
inherited a number of patients from doctors who had yet—or had no
plans—to return to the city.
    In all his years of practicing medicine, he had never encountered a case
like Amanda and Jeffrey Daniels’. Eli still wasn’t convinced they were really
married. The way the couple interacted, you’d think they were two
strangers—strangers who didn’t necessarily like the person either had
just met. To add to the bizarreness, Amanda Daniels was being treated for
Bipolar disorder, but refused to inform her husband of her condition. Eli felt
it was morally wrong to keep such an important fact from her spouse, but
patient confidentially forced him to observe Amanda’s wishes.
    He shook Jeffrey Daniels proffered hand, and smiled at the man’s wife as
he held the door open for her.
    Eli guided the couple into the office and motioned for them to take a
seat in the two wingback chairs in front of his desk. Amanda Daniels nudged her
chair to the right, shoving it a few inches away from the one her husband
occupied.
    Here we go again .
    “Okay, Mr. and Mrs. Daniels, let’s see where we are.” Eli opened the
manila folder and splayed it flat on his desk. “This marks the twenty-eighth
week, Amanda, putting you in your last trimester. How are you feeling in
general?”
    “Okay, I guess. I had a little dizziness yesterday, but nothing like that
last episode.”
    “After you complained of the second dizzy spell, you know I had the lab
to run a few more tests. Your anemia has gotten worse.”
    Amanda Daniels took a deep, solemn breath. “What does this mean?”
    “I think you already know,” Eli said apologetically. “I know you didn’t
want this, but I have to recommend putting you on bed rest.”
    Her face revealed nothing. “Is that really necessary, doctor?”
    “She can’t leave the bed at all?” Jeffrey asked. Eli noticed Amanda’s
disgusted eye roll. The tension between these two was as thick as seven A.M.
fog in San Francisco. And it was uncomfortable to witness.
    “No, it’s not that restrictive,” Eli clarified. “She can move around
some, but nothing strenuous. You’re going to have to pamper her,” he said,
interested in the response that statement would provoke.
    Amanda’s face became hard as stone. Jeffrey glanced at his wife and took
a deep breath. Eli wasn’t sure about the expression on the man’s face, but it
looked a hell of a lot like hurt. Homeboy was definitely in the doghouse. And
he had been there for a while.
    Since their first meeting over four months ago, Amanda had never treated
her husband with anything other than cold distaste. Eli wondered how the guy had
managed to get her pregnant in the first place.
    “Exactly how restrictive are we talking?” Amanda asked.
    Eli walked over to the file cabinet behind his desk. He opened the second
drawer and retrieved a set of stapled instructions. “Here are a few guidelines
some of the doctors, myself included, came up with for the various stages of
bed rest.”
    Eli stopped short, not sure whom to hand the packet to. Both husband and
wife reached for it, and he was willing to bet this month’s paycheck Amanda
Daniels wouldn’t invite her husband to share. Eli turned back to the file
cabinet and pulled out another set. It seemed the easiest course of action to
prevent the inevitable battle between these two. He didn’t need bloodstains on
the carpet. He had enough problems to deal with today.
    “As you can see, the restrictions aren’t all that inhibiting, but you’ll
need to take it easy. I don’t want to see you back here any sooner then I’m
supposed to,” he finished with a smile.
    Amanda returned the smile