Page 94 of Family Bonds- Gabriela & Luca

“Now,” Cassie said, “that might just make it easier for you to find the one.”

She grinned.

She might have already found him, but she couldn’t very well say that.

Not without having another one of those serious conversations with Luca first.

Considering the last one they had about Zoe wasn’t horrible, and ended up with them naked, maybe he was more ready than he thought.

Or it could be wishful thinking on her end.

28

AHEAD OF OURSELVES

“Hi,” Luca said, moving into the exam room with his next patient. A sixteen-year-old with abdominal pains. “I’m Dr. Luca Brewer, but you can call me Dr. Luca if you prefer.”

The younger kids did, the older ones not always.

“Hi,” Taylor said.

“I’m Cora, Taylor’s aunt. She’s been complaining about her stomach not feeling right for weeks.”

“First, are you Taylor’s guardian? I don’t see a release in the file.”

“I am,” Cora said. “It’s a long story, but I’ve got the paperwork right here.”

Cora pulled out some documents, he looked them over and handed them back.

“Okay, we’ll get that updated. Make sure you give a copy to the front desk when you check out. What exactly isn’t right, Taylor?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” Taylor said. “I can’t explain it.”

“Try to,” he said gently. “I’ll work around it the best I can or ask more questions.”

“She’s eating a lot of Tums,” Cora said. “She’s clearing her throat and I know that feeling. Like acid reflux. I’ve got it.”

“Do you notice it more at the same time of the day or different times? After meals?”

Taylor shrugged. “I don’t really pay attention, but it’s worse at the end of the day and at night.”

He noted that in the computer. “Anything else?”

“I get these pains in my stomach at times. Like a muscle cramp, but not really. Almost like my skin is pulling but inside of me.”

“Show me where,” he said. “Lie back on the table.”

Taylor climbed on the table and pointed where she felt the pain.

He lifted her shirt some. “Can you unbutton your jeans and just open them a little? I’m only going to press around and you can tell me if it hurts.”

He moved his hands around, pressed down, then stilled. She wasn’t flinching or saying there was pain, but he was feeling something he didn’t want to be feeling.

“Nothing,” she said. “But that is the area when I do feel something.”

“Where?”

He moved his hands back. “Right there.” He nodded and moved his hands away. “Anything else?”