Just a warning guys, I've had a horrible headache all day and this chapter is not my best by faaaaaaaaaaar.
NORA
"Are you afraid of doctors, Nora?" Mouse asked as they drove. He was still looking at her in the rearview mirror.
"Well...no not really. But I'm not a particular fan of needles," Nora responded.
Mouse looked relieved. He turned a corner, pulling into a white brick building with painted blue lettering that said Sydney Pediatrics.
"You're taking me to the doctor's?" Nora asked in confusion. That hadn't been in the manual for the foreign exchange host to do. But then again, Mouse had already proved over and over that he was willing to go above and beyond for her.
"Yes. I sent an email to your orphanage, and I thought you were long overdue for a check-up. Your appointment is for 9, so we kind of have to hurry," Mouse stepped out of the car and Nora unbuckled her seatbelt, following suit quickly.
As they walked across the lot, Nora watched several different kids walk in and out of the building. Some of them looked healthy, like her, and were probably just going for physicals, but others were definitely sick.
The sliding glass doors opened as Mouse and Nora stepped on the pressure plates. They walked through both sets and Nora was instantly looking around. She marvelled at the amazing design of the lobby.
Two walls were painted bright pink and the other two were a dark blue. There was a long row of cushioned chairs to wait on as well. A small children's table with red chairs sat in the corner, piled high with coloring books and crayons. Several young kids occupied it already. There was also a fish tank, and Nora spotted a remora, as well as several lionfish and other stuff.
Mouse led Nora to the front of the room and stepped up to the check-in desk. "Hi," He said, "I'm Michael Jenkinson, here for Nora Kane."
The lady began to click some stuff on her computer, and then she glanced at Nora and smiled, "Alright then. Doctor Garrison will be out shortly."
"Sounds good," Mouse led Nora to the chairs and plopped down in one, Nora taking a seat beside him.
"Are you nervous?" Mouse asked Nora in a low whisper.
"Less than you are," She retorted. Sure, her nerves were tingling, but Mouse looked like he was about to puke.
"Sorry," Mouse leaned back in his chair and pulled out his phone, Nora copying him. She really needed a new phone.
Her knee began to bounce harshly as she sat in the chair waiting, even though her toes were just barely touching the ground when she reached as far as she could.
Mouse was quick to put a hand over her knee and stop its shaking.
"Nora Kane?" A female nurse called out Nora's name and she stood from her spot next to Mouse.
Mouse and her walked up to the nurse, who smiled at them, "I'm Anna," She said, "How are you all doing today?"
"We're doing well, thank you," Nora answered for Mouse because she could see that he was struggling to rein himself in. As Anna turned and led them to the back, Nora hit Mouse's leg with her hip sharply and gave him a look that clearly said, pull yourself together.
Mouse heeded her advice and squared his shoulders, taking a deep breath and letting his body relax. Calm, cool, and collected.
She and Mouse made their way into an examination room. Anna closed the door behind them, set the chart down, and smiled. "Okay, Nora," She said, "I just need to take your blood pressure and your height and weight, alright?"
Nora nodded, "Sounds good."
"We'll start with height and then do weight and blood pressure. Why don't you slip your shoes off and step underneath the measuring stick?"
Nora slid her KEENS off and winced as the cold floor made her toes tingle. She stepped up underneath the height stick and waited for Anna to do her thing. It didn't take the nurse long.
"Just over four feet four inches. One hundred thirty two centimeters," The nurse announced. Nora glowed with pride. She'd grown an inch!
"Let's go and take you height, hmm?"
Nora nodded once again and followed the nurse, barefoot now, out of the room to a scale. "Twenty seven kilos. Sixty pounds."
They walked back into the exam room and Anna took her blood pressure. "80 over 40. That's very low, Nora, are you alright?" The nurse asked in concern when she'd finished taking Nora's blood pressure.
"Uh, I think so?" Nora responded. She felt fine.
The nurse frowned slightly, but nodded. "I'd like to talk to your guardian out in the hall for a moment," She said.
"Okay."
Nora watched as Anna led Mouse outside.
MOUSE
Mouse stood next to Anna in the hall. She closed the door quietly behind her and turned to him, her eyes wide with concern. "Nora is behind and below the normal growth rate, as well as the normal weight range for an eleven year old," She warned Mouse, "And her blood pressure is dangerously low. Have you noticed her acting odd or anything as of late?"
"No, I haven't," Mouse responded. He hadn't known she was so behind. Of course, he know she was small. Anyone could look at her and realize that she was small, especially when she was next to the other students in her grade.
"I'll send the doctor in," Anna turned and walked back into the room with Nora. She pulled a gown out of a cabinet and handed it to Nora, "Put this on, sweetheart. Doctor Garrison will be here soon."
Mouse left the room again as Nora changed into the gown, and then when she was done she knocked on the door for him to come back.
"Are you nervous?" Mouse asked as Nora sat down on the examination bed.
She shrugged, "I don't think I have any reason to be. Why?"
"I just-" Mouse was cut off by a knock at the door.
"Come in!" Nora called.
The door opened, and a man whom Mouse could only assume was Dr. Garrison stepped inside. He was tall and well built with a strong beach tan and blonde hair. Mouse remembered seeing him around Bondi maybe once or twice.
Dr. Garrison was dressed in dark, forest green scrubs and a white doctor's coat. He had a pink stethoscope around his neck as well.
"Hi there," He said, breaking the silence.
"Hi," Mouse stood and held out his hand, "Michael Jenkinson."
"Mouse!" The doctor exclaimed with a laugh, "I know you from Bondi Rescue. Pleasure to make your acquaintance," He turned to Nora, "And you must be Nora Kane."
"Yep," Nora agreed.
"Have you ever been to the doctor's before, Nora? I've heard that we can't find any past medical records from you," Dr. Garrison asked.
"Oh," Nora blushed, "Well, they're probably under Eleanora since that's my full name."
Mouse stared at her.
He blinked.
And then he blinked again.
"Your real name isn't Nora?" He asked in confusion.
"No one calls me Eleanora," Nora told him quickly, "Sorry, I should've mentioned that sooner."
"Uh, no," Mouse recovered from his shock, "That's fine."
Dr. Garrison watched the two interact for a moment, before he turned and took the attention of the room. "I'm just going to start by listening to your heart and lungs, Nora," He told her.
Nora nodded and let him press the stethoscope to her chest, inhaling and exhaling when he told her to.
Eventually, he moved the instrument to her back and checked her lungs. Mouse watched as the doctor frowned ever so slightly, but hid his thoughts behind a pearly white smile whenever Nora looked at him.
"Okay Nora," Dr. Garrison slung his stethoscope over his neck and smiled at her kindly, "I'm gonna have you lie down so that I can feel your stomach, alright? While I'm doing that, are there any already diagnosed medical conditions that I should know about?"
"Uh," Nora slid onto her back and waited for Dr. Garrison to start, "I have this thing where sometimes when I run I pass out or have seizures. I've passed out four times and had two seizures, but I haven't had either of them happen in several months, so..."
"Alright," Dr. Garrison pushed gently on her stomach while Mouse watched from the corner.
"The nurse tells me that you have very low blood pressure, Nora, so I'm going to feel your thyroid, alright?" The doctor asked.
"Okay," Nora agreed.
But the moment that the doctor's hands touched her throat area, her whole expression flooded with pain.
--
So I don't usually have an author's note at the end of my chapters because I am three chapters ahead of the rest of you guys, so I usually just click back and push the publish button, but I have some announcements to make.
First of all, thanks to everyone who's read this story! This is my first story to reach 1k reads, and I'm so grateful to everyone and anyone who's been reading this!
Second of all, thank you so much for the votes! I never thought I'd really get any attention at all for this story, so every time you vote it makes me so excited! I can't wait to see where the storyline for this book is going to take me, and thanks for sticking through the journey with me!
Anyway, I'll shut up after I say that I really, really appreciate the votes and comments. Thanks so much guys!
Shutting up :)
- That_Fanfic_Kid