Housecalls.

[teachyouwhoiam]

Edward is coming with Carlisle on housecalls today, after only a minor amount of cajoling on Carlisle's part and some half-assed speech about how observations are a vital part of practical application of learning medical theory

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[iwouldfollowyou]

He likes getting to drive far more than being driven.

Even chagrin, he supposes this is at least quieter than the hospital classes. There are no plethora of hundreds of people in multifaceted differing states of anguish making up more space than the doctors, nurses and teachers combined.

Just a house, and a woman.

(If surrounded by the normal world of sounds still.)

[teachyouwhoiam]

Carlisle shuts the car off, gives the steering wheel an unconscious little pat and steps out after grabbing his black leather bag.

The front door opens before Carlisle and Edward reach the stoop, and the patient herself greets them, a toddler peeking out behind blonde curls and her mother's skirts.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen. I'm Rosemary."

[iwouldfollowyou]

Completely different scents, and if there's a wariness in being alone with people, it's not as much as it once was.

A sharp reminder of at eternal thirst -- while staring down into the peerless bright blue-gray eyes of what he should only consider the parallel of innocence born and untainted compared to the evil it tempted of him -- that at least was not as unbearable as it once had been.

Edward bowed his head, respectful and gracefully precise, grateful for the second to close his eyes. "Ma'am."

[teachyouwhoiam]

This part is easy; second-nature. Counting heartbeats and suggesting in a softly reprimanding tone that Rosemary should be staying abed until she is better regardless of how impractical Carlisle knows that to be for her.

"What's your daughter's name, Rosemary?"

"Stella. My husband's Italian; the name means -- "

"Star. I recognize it," Carlisle smiles, holding his hand out to the young girl. She doesn't respond without prompting from Rosemary, but Stella steps out from behind her mother's skirts and waves instead of taking Carlisle's hand.

Carlisle finds it to be almost the prettiest thing he'll get to see all day.

"Now, off to bed, Rosemary - time to see what we can do, hmm?"

[iwouldfollowyou]

Edward is trying to perceive her through Carlisle's view. The momentary adoration does not transfer, but he can admit that for a child it is rather pretty. Not that he's very aware of children in most given times.

He still follows the image of her toddling off through a door, if not on his own, barely, then through her mother who nods that it's okay and tells her she'll be in after the nice men leave.

Edward made sure to stay a bit behind and off to the side of Carlisle.

[teachyouwhoiam]

The main question that Rosemary can't answer to Carlisle's satisfaction is when he asks her the last time she got a decent night's sleep, Rosemary simply quirks her mouth to the side and looks downward somewhat penitently.

Edward - listen to her breathing. Carefully. Hear the hollowness?

A leading question for Carlisle's own edification, "How's the weather for you here? It's been so dry lately..."

[iwouldfollowyou]

It's been a lot longer than her face even lets on. Edward can tell that in the flicker of images that blur, tossing and turning and sitting up for ease, little details of weather and clips of radio broadcasts.

He tilted his head slightly, glancing over at Carlisle.

[teachyouwhoiam]

Sleep apnea. Theory --

"The dust has been kicking up again around here, I know. I'm worried you have dust pneumonia - it's moving farther north lately, but it doesn't sound so bad just yet."

Carlisle keeps a smile pasted on his face even though he is completely serious about the 'yet'.

"I'd like to give you something to help you breathe a little better, but it is also a sedative. It will help you sleep for about six hours. Is there anyone who can watch Stella?"

[iwouldfollowyou]

Edward isn't exactly paying attention to her answer. He's thinking about books and symptoms from the diagnoses Carlisle is juggling in his head, when a tiny cough comes from the other side of the house.

[teachyouwhoiam]

Carlisle hears it too, adding a note as though it had been part of his original thought:

"After we check out the little one as well, of course."

[iwouldfollowyou]

Her worry spiked, noticeably at the addition, but she had nodded offering a humble yet still stiff-upper-lipped. "Thank you."

[teachyouwhoiam]

Still no real help to watch Stella if Carlisle were going to give Rosemary the medication now.

"If you'll excuse me a moment? We'll go examine Stella now, if that's alright."

Once they're in the hallway, Carlisle looks up at Edward with the first glimmer of worry. There is supposed to be another storm this weekend.

[iwouldfollowyou]

"Yes, of course." She's very proper and something about it leaves Edward studying the woman's face, and the way she's composing her thoughts (about wanting to get up, about wanting to go to her daughter, about having to wait to do either until The Doctor leaves).

He followed a few seconds later, nodding at Carlisle, barely.

It's already in the air. Not a lot but it's enough. They come and go in this region. But most people don't realize it's coming very quickly, except in the expectation of their always being another on.

"Her husband won't return for a while yet."

[teachyouwhoiam]

"Damn." She needs to sleep restfully - I can practically smell the acid buildup in her musculature --

Carlisle leans in and gives Edward a quick peck on the cheek, habit and simple want. Pivoting to move towards Stella's room.

To find Stella already in the doorway.

Uh.

[iwouldfollowyou]

He cares greatly about things that matter to Carlisle. Or at least he notices with great focus about the things which Carlisle care greatly about. Even if this happens to be ailing people.

It's part of what makes him such a great man.

Part of why Edward ducked his head down at the kiss.
Because someone like that...chose him, keeps choosing him.
No matter what he thinks or what faults don't match up to his goodness.

Even if he stutters well, too, thoughts and mouth. Edward, expression turned rueful, simply glanced over and stared at the child, while she in turn was only watching them with a them peerlessly, confused interest. A wash of tiny hazy thoughts about her mother and her sore throat.

[teachyouwhoiam]

"Hello, Stella."

Carlisle has no other talents if not the talent of a quick recovery.

"I'd like to look you over if I can, see what I can't do to make that cough go away."