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had shown. What else would they face before her daughter was the same cheerful little girl she’d been only days before?

Chapter Four
     
    James was nearly on Ella’s heels as they raced toward Abbi’s room. The cry might have been enough to start Ella dashing to the child’s bedroom but it was the coughing fit that sped his pulse. He suspected it might have been pneumonia or at the very least a nasty lung infection, but now that she was awake he was seeing evidence of the cough.
    “Mommy.” The little girl cried out as Ella came through the entryway.
    “It’s all right, sweetie. Mommy is right here.”
    At the bedside, James stood just behind Ella. “I need to check her vitals.”
    “Sweetie, this is Doctor Macis, he came to help you feel better.” She moved back, giving him access to Ella.
    “Abbi, I’m just going to listen to your lungs, okay?” He moved the girl’s shirt aside to press his stethoscope to her chest. He had just started to listen to what he needed to hear when Ella interrupted him.
    “Listen.”
    “That’s what I was trying to do.” He glanced up to see she was looking toward the doorway. He quickly pulled the stethoscope from his ears when he heard the sheriff’s radio that he left next to the sofa crackle to life. “I got it. Stay with her and don’t let her get out of this bed. She needs to rest.” He shot off the mattress and nearly ran back to the living room. Hopefully this was good news. He’d made progress with Ella but he didn’t think she was ready to be thrown into the Clearwater social scene…and that would most certainly happen if they had to take Abbi to the hospital.
    “James, come in, James.” The radio crackled to life, filling the small space with Ryan’s voice.
    He snatched the radio off the coffee table and brought it closer to his mouth. “I’m here. What the hell has taken you so long?”
    “There was a car accident at Main Street and Crawford Lane. A visitor to Winterbloom took the curve too quickly and nearly ended up part of the church.” The static had Ryan’s voice fading in and out.
    “What news do you have for me about Abbi?”
    “Results are back. It’s pneumonia. There were a few other questions raised about the blood work, but Michael’s on his way up. I’m still at the scene dealing with the clean-up, but Michael knows the way, he was there after Abbi was born. He’ll honk his horn when he arrives, meet him outside.”
    “Got it. He better be bringing supplies.”
    “He is and I’ll be up once I get this mess cleared up. Any change with the child?” In the background there was a man hollering at someone but James couldn’t make out the words.
    “We broke her fever and she’s awake.”
    “Good. I’ll be there when I can.” Ryan ended the conversation and was back to work as the town’s Sheriff.
    James stood there for a moment, radio in hand, his thoughts scattered. The knowledge Abbi had pneumonia and not something worse made the muscles in his shoulders relax a bit.
    “Is Ryan on his way back?”
    He turned to find Ella in the doorway, her arms crossed over her midriff. “No, my brother-in-law is going to bring medication that should help her.”
    “Brother-in-law?”
    He could see the fear rising in her eyes. He wanted to go to her, wrap his arms around her. Everything in him wanted to tell Ella he’d protect her, but he barely knew the woman and couldn’t go making promises he couldn’t keep. She deserved better than that and didn’t need her first encounter with people, after so much isolation, to be one that was uncomfortable. He took a step forward before stopping himself. “Doctor Michael Johnson. Ryan said he’s been here before.”
    She nodded, but the fear didn’t leave her eyes. “He was here after I gave birth to Abbi.”
    “There’s no need to worry, he’s only bringing the medication I need. Abbi has pneumonia, she needs things I don’t have with me.” He crossed the space until he was standing