Raelyn's POV
I was sprawled out on the couch, scrolling through my phone, when Carson walked in holding his planner. The look on his face immediately made me suspicious.
"Rae," he started, sitting on the armrest of the couch, "you know how I said you’ve been overdue for a dentist appointment?"
I froze, narrowing my eyes at him. "No. No way."
"Yes way," he said with a grin that only made me more annoyed. "You’re my sister, and I’m your dentist. It’s not negotiable."
"I’m fine," I said quickly, sitting up. "I brush twice a day, I floss... sometimes. My teeth are fine!"
Carson raised an eyebrow. "Rae, you know better. You’ve been avoiding this for months. Now, it’s happening. Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" My voice shot up an octave.
"Yup," he said, standing up. "And you’re going to be fine. I’ll explain everything, and I’ll take care of you."
I groaned, flopping back onto the couch. "You’re the worst brother ever."
"You’ll thank me later," he called as he left the room.
---
The Next Day – Raelyn's POV
I didn’t sleep much the night before. My anxiety only grew as we drove to Carson’s clinic. By the time we walked in, my palms were sweaty, and my heart was racing.
"You’re okay," Carson said, guiding me past the receptionist. "You’re with me the whole time."
"That’s the problem," I muttered under my breath.
He laughed softly and led me to the exam room. I hesitated before sitting in the chair, the smell of antiseptic making me queasy.
"Rae," Carson said gently, kneeling beside me. "Look at me. You’re safe. It’s just me. We’re going to take this one step at a time, okay?"
I nodded reluctantly, gripping the armrests like my life depended on it.
---
Carson's POV
I could see how nervous Raelyn was, but I wasn’t going to let her back out. "We’ll start with a quick checkup," I said, smiling reassuringly. "No surprises."
She nodded, closing her eyes as I started the examination. Everything seemed fine until I spotted a small cavity on one of her back molars.
"Rae," I said gently, sitting back. "There’s a tiny cavity on one of your teeth. It’s not serious, but we need to take care of it today."
Her eyes snapped open, wide with panic. "Today? No way, Carson. I can’t—"
"Rae, listen to me," I interrupted. "It’s a simple procedure. I’ll numb the area, and you won’t feel a thing. If we leave it, it could get worse."
Her breathing quickened, and I knew her white coat syndrome was kicking in. "I can’t, Carson. I can’t."
"Yes, you can," I said firmly, kneeling again to meet her gaze. "You’ve already done the hardest part by coming here. I promise I’ll go slow, and I’ll stop if you need me to. Trust me, Rae."
---
Raelyn's POV
It wasn’t fair how calm he was. His voice and steady gaze made it hard to argue, even though my chest felt tight and my stomach was in knots.
"Okay," I whispered, my voice trembling.
Carson smiled, squeezing my hand. "You’re going to be fine. Let’s get started."
