The Only One

O n e

"So instead of just a checkup today, I think I have a couple cavities..."

"Alright. I can check those out and fill them. Plus, Dr. Samuels may have already told me."

I showed him a look of shock and a little bit of neglect as I can't believe that my great uncle ratted me out to my dentist.

Well technically, if you look in my medical records Dr. Collin Samuels, my great uncle, is my dentist, but behind closed doors my great uncle lets Dr. Anthony Perez do all my dental procedures, since I trust him more. And he's not family, so he's not like my mom or my dad that's always checking my teeth.

I'm sure what we're doing might be illegal, but my great uncle comes in and checks on us and sometimes helps, and Dr. Perez is his student so technically he's just letting his student have practice.

But my parents don't know anything about Dr. Perez, other than that he's the dentist who works with Uncle Collin. My parents would lose their mind if they knew that Dr. Perez was my dentist and not my great uncle. But I just trust Dr. Perez and he's not family, so he doesn't treat me like family, he treats me like a patient.

I've actually built a relationship with a dentist that isn't a family member and I value it so much more.

It's actually a very well thought out plan because every time my parents want to give me a checkup and a cleaning there's nothing wrong, because I always go to Dr. Perez at my uncle's office first.

Plus Dr. Perez might be a little hot, and he has so much personality.

"You know what I'm craving." He says as he situates the bib over me.

"What're you craving?"

This can never be good.

"A nice big hoagie with Turkey and all the toppings. Lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, banana peppers, olives, spinach, and onions."

"Wait, wait, wait. You're telling me that you put tomatoes on your sandwich. Don't tomatoes stain your teeth?"

"Hey, you're the one with four cavities. Shut up and let me fix them."

"I have four?!"

"That's what your uncle said."

I leaned back in the chair and started fidgeting with my phone and pop socket, but gave up and put my hands under my bottom to hold them still.

I see Dr. Perez's gloved hands position the light over my mouth and he fixes the mirror right to where I can watch whatever he's doing in my mouth.

I usually enjoy watching his eyes concentrate since his face is covered by his mask, rather than watching the mirror on whatever weird dental stuff he is doing in my mouth.

I take a deep breath as he comes closer ready to start, he won't start until I open my mouth, which is a weird thing he does because he wants to let the patient decide when to start and not to be commanded to open their mouth.

I cautiously open my mouth, hoping that this wouldn't hurt.

I feel his tools and gloved fingers enter my mouth.

I let out a shaky breath as I try to relax while he looks in my mouth.

I've never felt so vulnerable.

I'm usually not so nervous around Dr. Perez. He's done my cleanings, pulled some of my baby teeth that needed to be removed, and I always talk to him when he doesn't have a patient and I'm at the office, but today was different because I know it involves needles and the drill.