Dad Brings Daughter to the Dentist

Dad Brings Daughter to the Dentist

She was shifting in her seat. Sighing deeply. Biting on her nails for a moment then determined to stop biting her nails she hid her hand underneath her thighs. Once she’d been my little girl, but now she was all grown-up now. A grown-up twenty two year old college student and I couldn’t be more proud of her. She was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, and her hair was wrapped in a messy bun on top of her head.

‘We’re almost there.’ I said directing the car onto the exit of the highway.

‘Let’s just turn around.’ She said. ‘I don’t need a check-up.’

I shook my head and quickly put my hand on her knee. ‘You’re going to be fine, sweetheart. This dentist is an old friend of me. If you tell him you’re scared he’ll let you breath in some of that calming gas I told you about.’

She leaned backwards in her seat.

‘I just don’t like dentists.’ She said putting on a pouty face. When she was smaller she could always wrap me around her little finger with that face.

‘Don’t worry, I will be right next to you.’ I said. ‘It’s important to get your teeth checked regularly, and if you’re really really scared you can always hold your daddy’s hand.’

‘Dad.’ She said rolling her eyes at me, I’m not a little girl anymore. ‘I just don’t want to go.’

I managed to talk her out of the car and together we walked into the dentist’s office. It was a bright clinic with a pile of magazines. I flicked through a women’s magazine.

‘Look,’ I said. Hoping the sight of make-up and clothes would distract her somewhat from her own fears, but she didn’t even lift her head. She was dangling her feet back and forth staring at the linoleum.

When Arno entered the waiting area she poked me in the upper arm. ‘I want to go home.’ She said. ‘I really want to go home.’

Arno gave me a friendly nod and shook my hand. ‘Hi there Finn, everything alright?’

‘I’m fine.’ I said. ‘This is my daughter. She’s afraid of dentists, she hasn’t been to the dentist since she started college. So when she came home for the holidays I thought to bring her here.’

Arno gave her a hand. ‘What’s your name?’ He asked.

‘Melissa.’ She said.

‘Well, Melissa.’ The dentist said. ‘I’m glad you could make it, please follow me.’

He stepped into the office and I was right behind him. Melissa hesitated in the doorway.

‘Please come in.’ Arno urged. ‘There’s really nothing to be afraid of. I’m going to give you a little gas and you won’t notice a thing. And you know what, you’ll be groggy for the entire day, so when you get back home you probably can’t do any chores. So you’ll have to ask your dad to do your laundry and take on the dishes.’

‘Well sometimes I wonder if that’s the only reason she comes home, just because she needs us to do her laundry.’ I said.

Melissa giggled. ‘Fine,’ she said. ‘No chores sounds good, but don’t you dare hurt my teeth.’ She lifted a finger and gave Arno a stern look.

‘I couldn’t even hurt you if I tried, because the gas is an analgesic too.’

‘What does that mean?’ She asked.

‘It works like a painkiller.’ I said. ‘Only stronger.’

Arno smiled. ‘You’re dad is right. So ready to climb in my chair?’

Melissa nodded and I sat down on a stool next to her. After Arno placed the nose mask on her face, I felt her fingers looking for mine, so I held her hand.

‘It’s going to be okay.’ I said, gently squeezing.

‘Take a deep breath, inhale through your nose.’ Arno said.

She did what he asked her to do and Arno gave me a reassuring smile. ‘You’re doing great Melissa.’ He said, he brushed a few hairs out of her face.

‘How are you feeling now?’ He asked.

‘The same.’ Melissa said.

Arno turned to the machine and adjusted one of the valves.