“There is nothing for you to be sorry for,” Mom said, acting as if she hadn’t just scared the crap out of another adult.

A hard tap on the exam room door was quickly followed by its opening. This time, a man in a sweat-stained green shirt and matching pants came into the room. “Mrs. Vitucci,” he greeted before nodding to Jet and Felicity. “What brings you in tonight?”

I stepped forward and started explaining before anyone else could. “She has a fever. Her ear is red and draining. The fluid is clear, but there was a lot of it. And she keeps tugging on her earlobe.”

The doctor blinked down at me then gave a firm nod. “Well then, let’s have a look.” He crouched down beside me and touched Nova’s back. “Hey there, little lady. Can I have a peek at your ears?”

She lifted her head, but after only a moment, she buried her face in my neck once again. I glared at the man. “Will it hurt her?”

“No, sir.” He straightened and grabbed something that was attached to the wall with a cord. I recognized it as what doctors used to look inside my ears as he placed a fresh disposable cap on the end. “This won’t take a minute, little lady.” He tried to get her to cooperate again.

“I don’t wanna,” she whispered.

“Nova, the doctor has to look at your ears,” her mom tried to argue.

“Let the doctor do his job, princess. And then we can go home and have ice cream,” her dad bribed.

“I don’t wanna.”

“It won’t hurt, Nova,” I promised. “See? The doctor is going to look in my ears first.”

Slowly, she lifted her head, and immediately, the doctor stuck the light in my ear. I stood very still as he looked in one ear and then the other. While she was still sitting upright, he quickly checked her good ear, but before he could even get it fully into the affected ear, she whimpered in pain. I tightened my hold on her, hating that I’d broken my promise to her that it wouldn’t hurt.

“Ah, yes, little lady,” he murmured sympathetically. “That is one mean ear infection you have.” He pulled the light free and glanced at the adults. “When did this start?”

“She was fine all day,” her mom explained. “But they tend to come on rather quickly.”

“I’ll write her a prescription for an antibiotic as well as ear drops.” He pulled out his phone and started typing away on it. “I take it she gets them often?”

“Yes,” her mom confirmed.

“I recommend seeing an ENT as quickly as possible,” he told her. “Since you know the drill, alternate acetaminophen and ibuprofen for the fever or pain. If she gets worse, or there is no improvement in the next few days, bring her back, and we can change up the medication.”

His gaze went back to Nova, then to me. “You take good care of her, young man. She’s got herself a brave hero to watch out for her.”