Topic: House Call

Luna Eva

Date: 2008-08-26 00:56 EST
A portable ultrasound wasn't exactly the lightest piece of equipment ever designed, but Eva angled it into her medical bag anyhow, then lifted the strap to test the weight. The bag was damn heavy, but she wouldn't have to carry it too far. Just over to Expressions of Hope to see Johnny, and more importantly, to see Sianna.

When Johnny told Eva that Sianna was pregnant, he seemed more worried than excited. She was tired he'd said. Nauseous. Refusing to see one of the doctors in Star's End. What he described wasn't that unusual. A lot of women experienced discomfort in the early part of their pregnancies. But refusing to see a doctor - that was a problem.

Eva had a whole slew of reasons to refuse Johnny when he asked if she would take Sianna as a patient, not the least of which was the simple fact that she wasn't practicing anymore, but once she'd taken a moment to think about it she'd realized that all of those reasons were selfish, and Johnny had been kind to her when she most needed kindness and didn't know how to ask for it. So she agreed.

Tucker's locket was settled beneath her top, hidden the way she usually wore it, and then Eva zipped up the medical bag. It was easier to focus on work, and for a brief moment she was grateful for it. Eva went through her checklist as she took the stairs, locked up, and then headed in the direction of Expressions of Hope.

There would be a lot to talk about, a lot to do, but it was all routine. It had been a long time since Eva had been the primary physician on a pregnancy. She paused in front of the doors and shifted the bag on her shoulder. She had to remember to be sensitive. That was the most important thing. Sensitive and confident. Eva exhaled, smiled, and then pushed through the door, calling out in an almost sing-song voice, "Hello?"

Johnny Smith

Date: 2008-08-27 07:07 EST
They?d finally put in the connecting door between the house itself and the attached store, which was fortunate on this day. It meant that when Sianna was having a particularly difficult day, Johnny could leave the connecting door open, help tend to Sianna, and still hear when a customer entered the store. In this case, the near sing-song tone was unfamiliar, but the voice itself was one he recognized. Eva.

?There, an? ya can? go complainin? tha? nobody ever visits anymore. Soun?s like Eva?s here an? stoppin? in.? Johnny was teasing, gently, while he offered Sianna a damp cloth. Considering the amount of visits from family at least, there had been no reason for complaint ? Sianna?s mouth rounded in an ?O? of protest, and Johnny grinned. Emerald eyes picked up a bit of laughter before he leaned forward to steal away the words with a gentle kiss. Whistling ? off-key ? to himself while in earshot, he took the stairs down two at a time. As soon as his work-boots hit the ground floor, though, the whistling died away and the cheerful smile faded.

Five months along, and even Johnny had been able to tell it was twins when there were two distinct sets of kicks fluttering on either side of Sianna?s rounding belly. It didn?t ease his concern; the pregnancy was still much too rough on Sianna and even this late into the second trimester she was having trouble keeping down food. Eva?s visit would, hopefully, help bring some reassurance; if nothing else, if there was something more seriously wrong, at least her doctor?s perspective should help in persuading Sianna to see one of the higher-tech and more equipped doctors in Star?s End.

So it was with a look of relief on his face that Johnny crossed the sales floor to offer to take the bag of equipment from Eva?s shoulder. Metal mesh on his extended hand caught the light for a moment. A welcoming smile spread for the doctor, then. ?Eva! Gla? ta see ya ? was startin? ta think ya?d changed yer min?. Don? know wha? I?d go abou? doin? then.? Whether she surrendered the bag or no, he was already starting to lead her back through the shop towards the residence. ?Si?s no? havin? one?a her bes? days, bu? she?s doin? well enough fer th? momen?, so ya have good timin?.?

Luna Eva

Date: 2008-08-28 20:09 EST
Eva didn't fight Johnny for the bag, releasing it to him gratefully. She rubbed her shoulder where the strap had been wearing a groove and offered Johnny a smile she hoped would be a little reassuring.

"I'm sorry about the delay. The timing was a little off, what with me starting a new job." A twinge of guilt hummed through her. Had she been putting off visiting Sianna? Because of her own history? Eva wasn't sure what the answer was, but it was moot anyhow.

She followed Johnny towards their residence, noting the concern plainly etched in his face, and lowering her voice. "I take it there's been no easing up on Sianna since we last spoke?"

Eva's own pregnancy had been easy up until the very end. A little bit of a nausea, sure, but nothing serious. Nothing to raise alarms. Nothing that foretold of what was to come.

In a way, it was better that Sianna was struggling. With Johnny watching over her the way he did, making sure she got the care she needed, they wouldn't have any surprises. Eva could make sure that Sianna and her baby were healthy. And if she couldn't, she could find them a doctor who could. No, the Smith family didn't need any surprises.

"I'm going to need to chat with Sianna for a few moments alone before I get started." Eva didn't ask for Johnny's permission, and though she smiled kindly as she said it, there was a firmness behind the statement that made it pretty clear that he couldn't argue.