Growing Up |TAYVIN (Sequel To AWRFT) *discontinued*

39. A Split Second

*Ellie's POV*

"What's your biggest fear, Ellie?", Dr. Smith asks me, as I sit alone at the opposite side of her big scary desk.

I was at the doctors like Mommy had planned last night, and Dr. Smith said that she wanted to talk to me without Mommy and Daddy in the room.

"Ellie, did you hear me? What's your biggest fear, honey?", she repeats, smiling reassuringly at me.

"I don't know", I mumble, looking into her eyes.

"What's the thing that worries you the most? What are you most afraid of?", she asks, leaning back in her chair and crossing her legs.

"Um."

"Okay, how about we start off with an easier question?", she whispers, and I nod my head quickly.

"What's your full name?"

"My name is Ellie-Rose Andrea Wiles", I say, trying my hardest to speak clearly and not to stumble on my words.

"How old are you, Ellie?", she asks.

"I'm seven years old, but I'm going to be eight in November, and that's really soon", I say, this time a little more confidently.

"What grade are you in, Ellie?"

"I started 2nd grade this year", I utter.

"Do you have any hobbies?", Dr Smith asks, narrowing her eyes and studying my expression.

"When we lived in New York I did soccer, ballet and gymnastics, and since we moved to Nashville, I do soccer, gymnastics, Girl Scouts and athletics", I mumble.

"So you're a busy little girl?", Dr. Smith asks, and I nod my head cautiously, not really sure if I was supposed to.

"Do you have siblings?", she asks.

I frown a little, because Dr. Smith already knows that I have two brothers, but I decide to answer the question anyway, just in case she had forgotten.

"I have two baby brothers. Noah is three years old but he'll be four after Christmas and he keeps talking about it, and Luke is two. Mommy is having a new baby soon, and that's going to be a girl", I say.

"That's exciting! A new sibling. Are you looking forward to having a sister?", she asks.

"Yes"

"Do you like hanging out with your brothers?", Dr Smith asks, once again.

"I love my brothers a lot, but I don't like playing with trucks and cars", I say.

"So do you feel a little left out when your brothers play together?"

"Sometimes, but if I feel left out, Mommy will do a jigsaw puzzle with me or watch a movie", I say.

"Ellie, what's your biggest fear?", she asks.

"My biggest fear is being alone", I say, gasping and covering my mouth when I realise that I had told her. She had tricked me into telling her by asking me all of those easy questions first.

"You don't want to be alone?", she asks, and I shake my head.

"Why not?", she asks.

"I want my Mommy", I whisper, shaking my head again, not wanting to answer any more of Dr. Smith's questions.

"Your Mommy and Daddy are just outside the door, honey, but you have to finish your little chat with me, first", she says, winking.

"No, I want my Mommy and Daddy with me", I say, trying not to cry.

"Come on Ellie, you're seven years old, that's old enough to do this by yourself", she persists.

My chest starts to tighten and I squeeze my eyes shut.

"I need M-Mommy", I stutter, clutching onto my neck, desperately trying to breathe.

I start to feel dizzy, and Dr. Smith doesn't even move from her chair.

"Ellie, Mommy and Daddy are right outside the door, and you can see them afterwards, but we have to finish our questions first, okay?", she says.

"N-No, p-please get my M-Mommy", I whimper.

"Come on Ellie, you're really brave. You can do this without your Mommy", she says.

"No! Mommy! Daddy!", I scream, not realising how loud I was being or how much I was sobbing.

Dr. Smith sighs, getting off her chair and walking towards the door.

She opens it and Daddy comes rushing in, scooping me off the chair and into his arms.

Mommy follows him in and walks towards us.

"What happened?", she asks, looking at Dr. Smith, as Daddy helps me to keep my breathing under control.

"It's a technique I use with clients, which involves persistent questioning to get them to reveal things", Dr. Smith says, leaning against her desk and staring at me, as if I were fascinating.

"Well I don't think it worked very well", Daddy snaps, glaring at the doctor.

"Mommy", I whimper, getting down on my feet and running towards her.

She bends over slightly and wraps her arms around me, kissing the top of my head.

"You're alright, baby. Dr. Smith wasn't trying to hurt your feelings, she was just doing her job", Mommy says, rubbing my back.

"Are you going to come back and see me soon, Ellie?", Dr. Smith asks, looking at me.

I shrug my shoulders, and grip Mommy's hand tightly.

"I think we should call it quits for today", Daddy says, making eye contact with Mommy and then shaking Dr. Smith's hand.

"I think that's a good idea", Mommy mutters.

*Taylor's POV*

"Hey, El?", I say, turning around to look at Ellie in the backseat, as Adam starts the car.

"What?", she mumbles, looking out the window.

"We're gonna go and get the boys from Grandma's house now, and afterwards we're going to go and do something as a family. Would you like that?", I ask, hoping to get a response from the absent minded seven year old, who seemed to be extremely engrossed in whatever she was looking at outside.

"Sure", Ellie says, staying in the same position.

"What do you want to go and do?", I ask.

"Dunno", she whispers.

"Well, do you want to go and eat, or see a movie, or go to the toy store, or-", Adam begins.

"It doesn't matter, Daddy. You can choose", Ellie mutters.

"Are you okay, El?", I ask, frowning.

"Yes", she whispers. "Pebbles needs a bath, so maybe we could do that instead", Ellie says quietly.

"Sounds like a plan!", Adam says, smiling and taking one hand off the wheel, reaching for one of mine.

He grips my hand tightly, and rubs circular motions with his thumb, out of habit, more than anything else.

He glances at me for a second, before turning his eyes back on the road and gasping.

There's a truck in our lane, and it's heading straight towards us.

Everything had happened in a split second.

"Daddy!", Ellie screams, as Adam slams down on the brakes.

______________________________

Silence....