My knee bounced as I waited, my mum and sister already in another room. I always ended up alone, but at least it was always the same people.
Michael came out the door, grabbing a key from reception.
"Do you want to pop through? Calum's just typing a couple of bits up,"
Not wanting to be in the waiting room any longer, I walked through to our usual room. Either the smell, or my fear made my eyes water, and I quickly sat down on the chair in the corner.
"Hey Kate," Calum smiled, "usually I see you out and about but I haven't,"
"School work is stressful,"
"But you still need to have a rest. How are you feeling today?"
I'd known him as my dentist for about 10 years, and sometimes I was ok, others I was really anxious.
Today was one of those days.
"Scared,"
"Any reason? You know I don't want you in pain,"
I looked down at my feet, hearing the chair roll closer and Michael enter.
"Kate, I'm not mad. I've never been mad at a patient chic,"
"I have this wobbly tooth and it's really annoying but it's gone all discoloured and stuff," I said quietly, wiping a tear that fell.
"That's ok," he chuckled softly, "that's your last one anyway. You must really be clinging onto your baby teeth,"
I smiled, watching as he washed his hands and put gloves on.
"Why don't you come and sit down? I'll just look with my mirror and explorer like I always have,"
"Can Michael hold my hand?"
"I've gotta type up what Calum tells me, but if we need to then I can after,"
Calum lightly patted the chair while opening a mirror and explorer, watching as I sat down. He warned that the chair was going down, then put a mask on.
This was when panic tended to settle in because he didn't look like himself anymore.
I closed my eyes and took deep breaths, not managing to keep a few sobs inside.
"Kate, hunny, we have limited time. Close your eyes if it helps, I don't really care as long as I can check your teeth and you're comfortable,"
Michael turned the radio on, and Calum the light so I just opened my mouth before I stopped myself.
"Good job," he soothed, pulling my cheek back.
He called out numbers, shushing me everytime I started to stress. Afterwards, he rested his mask on his chin.
"You're really anxious today, aren't you hun?" he mumbled, "instead of focusing on what I'm doing, focus on your breathing,"
"It's hard,"
"I appreciate that, Michael is gonna hold your hand now anyway,"
"You have to do something?" I whined, starting to cry. I hated crying in front of people, but I was so overwhelmed at this point that I didn't know what to do.
"Hey, it's ok, it's not gonna hurt at all," Michael said, nudging my chin, "let me have a look,"
I opened my mouth and waited as he looked, pulling his mask down.
"There's nothing to worry about, it'll take two minutes tops,"
"I don't want you to," I whispered, "please Calum,"
"I'm gonna have to take that baby tooth out because it needs to come out, but I won't even use a needle. Just some numbing gel,"
"If you need to stop at any time, squeeze my hand twice," Michael grinned, holding mine while he got the suction.
"Let it just fall out," I said, turning my head as Calum came near me.
"No, sweetheart, deep breaths for me. It's not gonna fall out because it's been left so long and basically healed, so I have to do this okay? Nothing scary. Do you remember when I took your baby tooth out that was really hurting?"
I nodded, wiping some of the tears.
"Well it's nothing different. A bit of wiggling and pressure,"
"Promise?"
"I promise, let me put some numbing gel on love,"
He put some numbing gel on, which worked immediately, then got me to open really wide.
"A little bit of pressure,"
I cringed and could feel everything, it just didn't hurt.
"You're doing so well,"
Suddenly, he switched tools and much more pressure built up, I squeezed Michael's hand twice.
"Half a second, you've got this," he encouraged, Calum slipping something into my mouth. I moved my leg, taking a shaky breath.
"All done,"
Michael took his gloves and mask off, gently dabbing the tears away with a tissue and brushing the hair out my face.
"I'm so impressed, you did that all on your own,"
"I'm sorry,"
"Don't be, we're here to help, and to make it easier,"