Page 125 of Love Me Steadfast
Though the pain has dialed back to a steady throb, I’m not fooled, and my body knows it.
At the end of the row is a spacious room with a giant window that looks out to the trees. The assistant who led us back is talking to William about the paperwork while moving about the room. On any other day, her cheerful voice and bubbly confidence would be reassuring, but right now it’s only adding to the anticipation building and building inside me.
One note at a time.
I help answer the questions on the form, but my voice sounds dull and foreign.
“Go ahead and hop up here,” the assistant says, tapping the big chair. “Dr. Wilson will be right in.”
“She’s in a lot of pain,” William says.
“We’ll make her as comfortable as we can,” the assistant says before breezing out of the room with the clipboard in hand. I take a full breath in and hold it, then let it out. The room is sterile and bright, with a sink set into a counter and a panoramic print of the Bitterroots at sunset hanging above it.
“I wish they could give you something now,” he says, bringing our clasped hands to his lips.
“It’s okay,” I say but my teeth are chattering again.
I’m just lowering into the chair when a man in a white coat strides into the room. He’s tall and broad like Denny, with a thick head of dark hair and a warm smile.
“Hi there,” he says, extending his hand. “I’m Joe.”
His voice is too loud for this small space, but I offer my hand. His grip is gentle as he clasps his other hand on top of mine for an instant. “I understand you’ve got an achy tooth.” His brows rumple in concern. “Let’s have a look, okay?”
He glances at Will. “You’re welcome to stay, son. You mind stepping to the other side for now?”
Will rounds my feet and takes my left hand.
While Joe slips on gloves, I lock on William’s dark blue eyes. My shaky breaths swallow the rising thump of my heart beating into my throat. A shiver vibrates down my thighs.
Joe tilts the chair back. I grip Will’s hand.
Don’t let him hurt me.
Will caresses my knuckles with his thumb, like he’s tuned to my racing thoughts.
“Go ahead and open,” Joe says, leaning over my face. He’s pulled on a mask and some sort of lens contraption affixed to a set of clear glasses.
My breaths quicken, my gaze flicking from Joe’s to William’s.
This is all completely normal, yet the unease is overpowering.
“I’m only going to look, not touch,” Joe says.
I force my lips to part. The added discomfort of the cool air on my teeth makes me whimper.
Joe slides his gloved finger along my gumline. Tears leak from my eyes as I stare up at the ceiling tiles, past Joe’s forehead, and try to focus on the pattern of black speckles.
Joe barely peeks inside before he rolls back, the wheels on his stool growling over the linoleum. “I need to use a little bit of air to dry the surface.”
Forcing down a swallow, I open again, my jaw muscles quivering.
When the puff of cold air hits my tooth, I cry out. The room darkens as I try to get a breath, but they’re coming too fast. The pain is in my face, my eardrum.
William and Joe are both talking but I can’t make out their words.
I know what this is but it makes no sense. “Oh god,” I gasp, my breaths now out of control and a cold buzz tingling my skin.
Strong arms reach around me, rolling me from the chair. “It’s okay,” Will says in a steady voice, cradling me against him. “I’m here, baby. Take a nice deep breath for me, okay?”
