Let It Snow (Sue Thomas FBEye)

Chapter Three

Jack drove slower than a snail.

Treacherous roads? No kidding.

He stole a sideways glance. Buckled up in the passenger seat, Sue held the baby firmly against her chest.

A car seat. They needed a car seat. That ride wasn't safe, as the many cars off the roads would testify to in the early dawn.

St. Vincent Hospital was within view, but Jack only let out a sigh of relief once he was parked. With Abigail warmly wrapped in a few blankets, they quickly made their way inside.

The hospital was packed with injured and sick patients.

"She was born in a washroom." In order to expedite the process, Jack fed the short story to a sceptical triage nurse. "We'd like for a doctor to examine her, so we can go home and feed her."

The nurse rolled exasperated eyes at him before addressing Sue. "When was the baby born, Hun?"

"Yesterday afternoon." Sue and he had figured the mother had given birth prior to the closure of the building, but not long before they found her. "Around three, I guess."

"And what's your name?"

"Susan Thomas."

"Address?" Sue provided all the information the nurse required without showing any sign of the exasperation gnawing at him. "Does the baby have a name?"

"Abigail." Sue had answered without hesitation.

"Pretty name." A weak smile made its way across the nurse's tired face. "You're in luck. It's quiet at the moment for a change. Follow me." She led them into an examination room. "The doctor will be there shortly."

Jack hated waiting and he hated hospital. That made waiting in a hospital one of his least favourite activities. As his patience grew thinner and thinner, a man in scrubs entered.

"I'm Doctor Brent, would you lower the baby on the examination table, please?"

As soon as Sue put her down, Abigail protested loudly.

The doctor approached the table. "Quite a set of lungs she has."

Sue stroked Abigail's little hand. "She prefers to be in someone's arms."

"Personally, I see nothing wrong with that. She's simply bonding. Enjoy it while it lasts, soon enough she'll be crawling all over and won't appreciate being held in one place for very long." He placed the stethoscope over her skin. "Let's see how you're doing."

Jack held Sue close to him as they watched and listened to the doctor while he examined her thoroughly.

"Lace. Very ingenious." The doctor pinched the cord shorter, and before Jack could stop him, he discarded the white shoelace in the hazardous container. "She's healthy. 6 pounds 2 ounces. That's a little below average, but not overly so. Was she premature? By a week or two, maybe?"

"Not sure..."

When Sue looked at him in search of an answer, Jack continued. "This is a bit complicated, doctor. We don't really know when—"

The infant screamed at the top of her lungs, drowning Jack's explanation, when the doctor took a blood sample.

"Was that really necessary?" Hoping it would stop the doctor from doing any more upsetting tests, Jack picked Abigail up and handed her to Sue.

"Standard procedure." The doctor openly sized them up. "We test for nutrients, diseases, drugs, though I don't anticipate any problem there. Your little girl is fine. You have nothing to worry about."