Free Saving Dr. Ryan by Karen Templeton Page B

to it. “Get your toothbrushes out of the case and go brush your teeth,” she said, and to her immense relief, they did. She turned to Dr. Logan, who was now standing with a faded Barbie nightgown in one hand and a pair of worn Barney pajamas in the other. “They love those coats so much, I don’t have the heart to make them give them back.”
    â€œWell, that’s a good thing, Maddie Kincaid, because you’d for sure hurt Ivy’s feelings if you did that. And what do you think you’re doing?”
    â€œFixing up the bed,” she said, tugging the bedcovers up on one of the beds, then rearranging the pillow. Trying to convince herself that accepting Ivy’s generosity wasn’t anything to be ashamed of. “And no, before you ask, I’m not straining anything.” From the bathroom, she heard lots of giggling and spitting, followed by a shriek. Her belly protested some when she straightened up.
    â€œNoah James!” she hollered in the direction of the bathroom, “you better not be spitting toothpaste at your sister!”
    â€œI’m not, Mama!” More giggles. On a sigh, Maddie looked over at Dr. Logan. “I guess you have a point. About the coats, I mean. It’s just…”
    â€œTell me if the situation were reversed, you wouldn’t do the same thing.”
    The kids came barreling out of the bathroom, their chins a slobbery mess. Maddie grabbed a tissue from the box by one of the beds, then a child. “Well, I guess you’re right about that,” she said, swiping the goo off Katie Grace’s chin and sending her over to Dr. Logan. In the midst of cleaning off Noah, Maddie glanced over at the doctor, who was down on one bended knee in front of the tiny girl, patiently waiting while she unbuttoned her sweater herself. When the little girl got the last button undone and beamed up at him with a look that was equal parts triumph and adoration, something twistedaround Maddie’s heart. Something she didn’t need to be dealing with right now.
    Despite what she’d said about letting the doctor do this, Maddie snatched up Noah’s pajamas from where Dr. Ryan had left them on the foot of the bed. “C’mere, sugar. Let me help—”
    â€œNo!” Noah swiped the garments from her hand. “I can do it!” Maddie’s brows lifted: she’d been fighting for some time, without much success, to get Noah to do more things on his own. Suddenly now he’s Mr. Independent? At first, Maddie figured it was just because he didn’t want Katie Grace getting one up on him. But as she caught his furtive glances at Dr. Logan, she understood a little more what was going on. Thought she did, anyway. He might have let the doctor take care of him this morning, when he was too frightened and tired to do otherwise, but now that he was feeling more on top of things, caution had returned with a vengeance.
    Suddenly she heard herself say, “You think there’s any way I could go see Ned in a few days?”
    She had no idea why that had popped out of her mouth, especially right now, or why she saw that as some sort of solution, but it had and she did. Maybe it was just a sense of doing something. In any case, after a second or so, Dr. Logan shrugged and said, “I don’t see why not. We’ll find someone to watch the kids for a couple hours and I’ll take you over.”
    â€œI don’t need you to take me—”
    â€œI’m up to the hospital several times a week, anyway, checking up on my patients or doing rounds. No sense in both of us driving over there.”
    â€œOh. Well, yes, I suppose you have a point.” She licked her lips. “And if Ned says it’s okay with him, I want to see his house.”
    Ryan frowned. “I told you, that house isn’t fit for you and the kids.”
    He had, over supper. But she said anyway, “I know what you told me. But I think