The Surgeon's New-Year Wedding Wish Read Online Free Page B

silently down his ruddy cheeks.
    “No, Danny can’t tell you where it hurts,” Quinn said in a low, rough voice full of parental concern. “He doesn’t talk, but he does know sign language. I’ll translate for him.”

CHAPTER THREE
    “D ANNY doesn’t talk?” Leila said with a frown. That didn’t make sense, since Danny seemed to hear her just fine. Unless he was extremely skilled at lip-reading? “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize he was deaf.”
    “He’s not deaf,” Quinn said in a clipped, irritated tone. “He just doesn’t talk.” Quinn’s jaw was tense as if he didn’t like having to explain his son’s situation. He turned toward the boy and his voice became gentle. “Danny, Dr. Ross wants to know where you hurt. Tell us exactly what hurts you, okay?”
    Danny pointed to his left leg and his forehead. He had the same jet-black hair as his father, and the same dark compelling eyes. The resemblance between father and son was striking.
    “What about your stomach, Danny?” Leila persisted. “Does your stomach hurt? Or maybe your ribs?”
    Danny shook his head, big, fat tears trickling down his cheeks. For some reason, those silent tears bothered her more than if he’d been wailing loudly. Kylie had stabilized his left lower leg, containing his possible fracture within an inflatable boot, but for the moment she wasmore concerned about the extent of his head injury. “Okay, Danny, I’m going to examine you for a minute here. I’m going to flash a small light into your eyes, okay? Can you look over my shoulder at the wall behind me?”
    Danny nodded and complied with her request. His pupils were unequal but did react to light. “Any blurred vision, Danny? Or ringing in your ears? Do you feel sick to your stomach?”
    Quinn’s son shook his head to all her questions.
    She could feel Quinn’s intense gaze and couldn’t help wondering if he didn’t trust her judgment. At least, not when it came to his son.
    “Danny, can you tell me where you are?” To this point, she’d given him all yes or no questions, but now she needed to really assess his brain function. “What is this place?”
    “Hospital,” Quinn said when Danny made a few graceful gestures with his small hands. “The hospital where my dad works.”
    “Good. Now, tell me which holiday we just had?”
    For a moment the boy’s forehead furrowed, as if he had to think about her question.
    She glanced at Quinn. “Do you celebrate the holiday?”
    Quinn nodded. “Which holiday did we just have, Danny?” he asked, signing the question at the same time.
    “Christmas,” Quinn said when Danny responded by signing again. “He says he received a games console for Christmas.”
    “Ah, I bet that’s fun. I heard Ben Germaine got one,too. Do you let your dad play with it or is it only for kids?” she asked.
    For the first time, a smile broke through on Danny’s young face. He nodded, his fingers flew again and she found herself wishing she knew sign language herself, so she could communicate better with the boy directly, without needing Quinn.
    “Yes, he lets me play so that he can win,” Quinn translated.
    She laughed. “Good for you, Danny. I’d love to watch you beat your dad. Now, is it okay if I listen to your heart and lungs?”
    Danny nodded, and she quickly auscultated his heart, lungs and stomach before straightening to glance at Quinn.
    “He certainly seems stable, but with his pupils being slightly unequal in size, I’d like to get a CT scan of his head, just to make sure we’re not missing anything more serious. We can also get the X-rays of his leg at the same time. I’d like to have the films ready before I call the orthopedic surgeon on call to take a look at his leg.”
    “All right,” Quinn said, giving his consent. “I’d like to go with him to the radiology department.”
    “Of course. And we’ll give him something for pain, too, since I’m sure his leg will be hurting once they take that boot off.” For