The Unlikely Daddy

• 31 •

The car ride to the hospital was about 15 minutes, so Alfie had some time to calm himself down and reflect on his behaviour. He understood that Mr Bentley and Mr Dylan were both just looking out for him, but he still didn't appreciate how forceful they were both being with him.

He had stopped kicking the back of Mr Dylan's seat now. He felt bad for how he had treated him, but he couldn't bring himself to say sorry just yet. He sat in silence, buckled into the car seat, staring out of the window as he was driven to the doctors office.

Mr Bentley and Mr Dylan spoke amongst themselves, but what they were saying was too quiet for Alfie to hear. He knew it would've been about him, but he couldn't make out what either of them were saying. They were probably talking about how they were going to punish him for being so rude anyways.

After the 15 minute drive was over, Mr Dylan looked at Alfie through the rear view mirror.

"Do you feel calm enough for me to let you out?" Mr Dylan asked softly.

Alfie nodded back, looking forward to being out of the car seat. He only liked it when Logan treated him like a baby, not when his teachers were doing it. He hoped if he behaved himself that on the trip back he would be allowed to sit in the normal seat next to him.

"Good boy for composing yourself" Mr Bentley added from the passenger seat.

Mr Dylan then got out of the front seat and opened Alfie's door. He quickly unbuckled Alfie, then stepped back to allow Alfie to take himself out of the seat.

Alfie hopped out of the car then stood shyly next to the teachers, waiting to be told where to go next.

"Come on, buddy" Mr Bentley said, gesturing Alfie to follow him inside the hospital.

Once inside, Mr Bentley headed for the receptionist's desk, leaving Alfie with just Mr Dylan.

"You do understand why we've had to take you here, right?" Mr Dylan asked.

"I know" Alfie said sadly. He understood completely, but that didn't make it any less daunting.

"How's your tummy feeling?" Mr Dylan continued to question.

"It's hurting bad" Alfie admitted, rubbing his hand over his tummy for dramatic effect.

Mr Bentley then came back over.

"They've said you're a priority patient with you being so young and the nature of your problem being so complex so we're being sent straight in" Mr Bentley said, striding in the direction of the room he had been told to go into.

Alfie and Mr Dylan followed behind him. Alfie was terrified. He hated being at the doctors, especially when it involved him having wees, or for the moment, him not having wees. He found himself wishing that Blake had beaten him up again rather than him having to go in to discuss his bladder.

"This is Alfie" Mr Bentley introduced Alfie to a doctor he had not seen before.

"Hi, Alfie. I'm Dr Newman. I know you saw Dr Crew last time you were here but he's not in today, so you've got me. Is that okay?" The doctor asked.

"Uh-hu" Alfie nodded before sitting down in front of his desk.

"Great. Let me just pull up your file so I know what's going on" Dr Newman said, typing on his computer.

After reading Alfie's file Dr Newman then turned away from his computer so he was looking directly at Alfie.

"So, what brings you back in so soon?" Dr Newman asked.

"My tummy hurts" Alfie answered vaguely.

"Okay. Was that not explained to you that your tummy is going to hurt for a little while until everything is all healed?" Dr Newman questioned.