“Knock, knock.”
Maya straightened up from bending over the exam table, cracking the knots in her back by turning right to left as Ramy’s face appeared at the door.
“Dad, why do you say knock knock when your knock already makes the sound of a knock?” Eylo was standing next to his dad. Maya’s sharp eyes softened with a smile.
“Weebill, do you want to pet Sam while I talk to Doctor Lotus?” Ramy asked Eylo, prompting him to happily run over to Sameera. “ Is this day 5 you’re spending here this week Maya, on top of your other practice? I can take over Sam, go get some rest. I’m in a good mood,” Ramy smiled.
“Because you are never so generous unless you’re in a good mood,” Maya mocked, “but to what do we owe your extra happy mood tonight?”
“We got a cat adopted just now, I finalized the paperwork, very sweet mother and daughter duo,” said Ramy. “So don’t ruin my mood, Maya, when you tell me what the verdict is on Sam? Will she be okay, or should I start making calls to our donors about a possible surgery fund?” He said it with his hand already on his phone looking at contacts.
“Happy to report to you that she will be okay… without surgery. It’s a moderate sprain. I just have to use my imagination on how to help her as we did with the glasses,” said Maya, standing tall.
“Aren’t cats supposed to fall on their feet?” Eylo asked. Sameera liked Eylo a lot, he was very delicate with how he petted her and he always found that spot between her eyes. She purred in contentment.
“Well, yes. But not Sam. Although she’s only 8 years old, she has cataracts in both eyes that make it hard for her to perceive depth and have good balance. The glasses I've fixed for her aid her sight but they are not a cure. And,” Maya paused, sweeping her long braid to one side and listening to Sameera’s heart using a stethoscope before looking back up, “her cataract has been there I’m guessing since her early days as a stray, her diet on the streets probably didn’t help.”
Ramy interjected, “I need to get back down, Patrick’s here for his interview. But I’m glad to hear Sam will be fine.”
“I forgot that was today! Tell that beatnik to come up and say hi to me before he leaves.”
“Oh no—” Ramy had opened the door, “I think Val and Hal are at the door,” he said as loud noises of arguing people filled the exam room, jolting Sameera out of her happy place, “and Gemma must have answered the door. Weebill, are you okay staying here with Doctor Lotus a bit longer while I finish up downstairs?”
Eylo nodded with a smile, “I’ll be Sam’s emotional support human!” he said revealing his missing two front teeth.
“How do you know Sam’s okay Doctor Lotus?” Eylo asked. Jackson was nodding in agreement to want to know.
“Here, I’ll show you..”
Maya helped Eylo up onto the rolling stool, “Look at her leg—she doesn’t have swelling or bruising, and she isn’t reacting badly to my touch, right? That’s why I think it’s only a sprain. That and because I’m brilliant,” she flipped her hair like on a theatre stage as both Eylo and Jackson giggled, “..bu-ut this is what some would call a best-educated guess because we haven’t X-rayed the leg which would be more definitive. So, it’s good if we continue to keep a close eye on Sam while she heals.”
“For now, we need to find a way to stop her from putting weight on her leg for the next couple of weeks…” Maya’s voice trailed off.
Eylo held Sam’s head up and put his arm under it like a pillow while Maya looked around in search.
“Ok. I have an idea—we’ll need bandages and, we’ll need lots of colored markers,” Maya gave the group a mischievous smile.
“Who’s going to help me?”
Eylo started jumping up and down in excitement as Jackon shot his hand up into the air.
Sameera's concerned face said it all: The other cats would never let her live this down.
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