“Did it come on suddenly?”

“Sort of, yeah. Like food poisoning—I had that once. It’s like one minute you’re fine, and all of a sudden you’re dying....”

She smiled at him and ran a hand over his sweaty brow. “Stay down for me, Kevin. I’ll be right back.”

She stuck her head in Scott’s office. “I’ve got a hot appy. Hundred and one temp, extreme tenderness, vomiting. Want to weigh in and decide where to send him?”

Scott was on his feet instantly. When a practitioner made that call so fast, it could be real hot. He already knew after just a couple of weeks of working with Peyton that she wasn’t indecisive—when she was sure, she was right. She certainly didn’t lack confidence. He walked in to the exam room. “Hey, Kev,” he said, right before starting to torture him, pressing, poking. Kevin winced and moaned. Scott felt his hot, damp brow. “So, Al, we think this is appendicitis. I want you to take Kevin up to Pacific Hospital in North Bend. I’ll call ahead and make sure there’s a surgeon available.”

“Is this an emergency?” Al asked.

“It certainly could be. That’s not my call, that’s the surgeon’s call, but we don’t mess around with appendicitis. That’s why I want him to see Kevin right away. I have a feeling this is going straight to the operating room.”

“I should go scoop up the boys,” Al said. “They don’t like to be separated, especially when something big is going down. You can understand.”

“I’ll go see to the boys. I’ll tell them what’s going on and make sure they get up to North Bend if there’s going to be an operation. There could be some waiting around while someone decides. They’re going to want some blood work to confirm. Or, it could move fast. Want me to explain to Eric you’re not going in to work?”

“Well, when it rains, it pours. Eric and Laine left town for a few days, and I’m in charge. I have the station and the tow business. Norm is my backup—could you let him know he’ll have to stay late? He can call Manny if necessary. We’ll just hope no one needs a tow. Justin is at the station, and Danny’s at home right now. I told them I wanted to make a quick trip to your office to make sure Kevin just had a bug.”

“Al, I don’t want an operation,” Kevin said, a little tremor in the twelve-year-old’s voice.

“Don’t be nervous,” Peyton said. “It’s an easy operation, as long as they get to it quickly. Once they get that appendix out, you’re going to feel so much better. But you have to get to the ER right away. No time to waste.”

“Everything is going to be fine, Al,” Scott said. “I’ll make a couple of calls, all right? I’ll make sure they’re expecting you. No screwing around, no stopping for any reason. Get going.”

“Thanks, Doc. Tell Justin I’ll call him as soon as I get to the hospital, as soon as I know something.” Al worked Kevin’s shoes back on while Kevin fastened his jeans. Then Al pulled the boy to a sitting position, and rather than helping him down from the exam table, he lifted him in his arms. “Let’s not jiggle it around,” he said with a nervous smile. “Hang on to that bowl.”

Al was out the door quickly. Scott pulled out his phone and called the hospital ER They had a surgeon there on another case, and they would keep him another thirty minutes to meet Al and Kevin. Scott requested a call-back from the doctor. Then he slid the phone into his pocket and looked at Peyton. “I have a feeling that was a good call.”

“That one was easy. His symptoms aren’t vague. If we’re wrong, they’re going to take out a healthy appendix. But I guarantee his white count is going to cooperate with the diagnosis.”

“I’m sure you’re right.” He walked out to Devon’s desk. “Do I have anything now?”

“Mrs. Bledsoe’s check—the usual.”

“I can take that, Scott,” Peyton said.

“Then I’m going to walk down to Lucky’s and talk to Norm and Justin, fill them in on what’s happening with Kevin. I won’t be long.”

“Everyone has your cell phone number, you deliver messages and even offer transportation to family members,” Peyton said. “An all-service physician.”

He just smiled at her. “All-service,” he said. “Here’s the thing. If the doctor was a long way from here, like in another town instead of down the street, a person might want to wait to see if they started to feel better. When people feel sick or hurt, not only do they not want to be any trouble, they don’t want to go to any trouble. And while they’re giving it another hour, the appendix can blow or that numb left arm can turn into a myocardial infarction. But if their doctor is around the corner...” He paused and gave a meaningful shrug.

“I’ve never looked at it that way,” she said.

“Why would you? The cities you’ve worked in had urgent care facilities or ERs on every corner. There wasn’t a doctor here for years. When 911 responded, they had to take the patient to Bandon or North Bend. Now there’s someone they can call. I’m not the salvation of the town, by any means. I’m just willing, that’s all. I’ll be back in fifteen minutes. And thanks, Peyton. That was great work!”

He went out the door, and Peyton watched his departure. She leaned a hip against Devon’s desk.

“He is, too, the salvation of the town,” Devon said. “Have you ever known a guy like that? That responsive? That genuine?”

“Yeah,” Peyton said. “Hank on Royal Pains.” When Devon shot her a questioning look, she said, “It’s a TV show. In other words, fiction.” She thought for a minute. “The doctors I worked with have all been excellent physicians and good men and women, but they protected their time and God forbid give a patient a cell phone number. It’s too invasive.”

“Well, you won’t be expected to do that, Peyton. Scott will handle that.”

“Be sure to warn his next wife, Devon. Tell her what she’s getting into. Being married to a doctor is hard enough.”

“I’ll do that,” she said with a laugh. “Want to walk across the beach with me when we’re done here? Have something to drink at Cooper’s?”

“I’d like that,” she said. “Know what I’d love? A little peek at your new house.”