My sister a dentist my brother a doctor

Numbing

AMELIA'S POV

"You'll be fine, hun," Joe said softly, trying to reassure me as he grabbed a Q-tip and dipped it into the numbing gel.

I felt a wave of dread wash over me as I watched him prepare. My heart was pounding in my chest, and my stomach felt like it was tied in knots.

"I don't want to do this, please," I whimpered, my voice barely audible, but the fear was so overwhelming that it made my throat tighten.

"Amelia, you need to trust us," Taylor said gently, her hand still holding mine, offering what little comfort she could. "It's not going to be as bad as you think. You're going to be okay, I promise." She sounded so sure of herself, but I couldn't shake the cold, sickening feeling in my stomach.

"It's gonna hurt, though," I replied, my voice trembling, tears welling up again. "That's bad enough, right?"

Joe's expression softened with understanding, but there was still a sense of firmness in his tone.

"It may hurt a bit, hun," he said. "But we really need to save this tooth. You've been putting it off for a while now, and if we don't fix it, it could get worse. We want to keep it from getting any more damaged."

I squeezed Taylor's hand tighter, trying not to lose control of the overwhelming panic that was bubbling up inside me. It felt like my body was on the verge of shutting down. My heart was racing, my palms were sweaty, and my breath was coming too quickly.

"I'm scared," I whispered, barely able to get the words out.

"You'll be okay, honey," Joe replied gently, giving me a sympathetic look. "Open up, and let's get you numbed up. It'll be over before you know it." His voice was calm, but the steady tone didn't help to ease the knot of fear in my chest.

I hesitated for a moment, my mouth dry, but finally, I opened my mouth, feeling like I was about to do something I couldn't take back. Joe carefully rubbed the numbing gel around the tooth, and as he did, I squeezed Taylor's hand harder, my knuckles turning white from the pressure.

"Just a quick pinch, Amelia. Keep your mouth open for me," Joe said as he readied the needle. My eyes shot over to Taylor, who gave me the softest, most encouraging smile she could muster, trying to keep me calm.

I winced as Joe inserted the needle, and a sharp, cold pinch shot through my gums. My eyes squeezed shut as I whimpered, looking back at Taylor for any sign that this would end soon.

"You're doing so good, hun," Taylor said, her voice full of encouragement, though I could hear the worry in it.

She gave my hand another reassuring squeeze, her thumb gently rubbing over my knuckles. Joe quickly removed the needle, allowing me to close my mouth, but the anxiety didn't leave. It felt like there was no way back now, and my body was in full panic mode.

"Alright, now that you're numbed up, we're going to start," Joe said, his tone soft but focused. "This will be just like a normal filling. I'll drill out all the decay, but since the infection has reached the root, I'm going to go deeper and clean it all out from there. Then, we'll refill the space, and you'll be done."

The way he said it made it sound almost casual, like it was just another routine procedure. But inside, all I could think was that this was *not* a routine procedure for me.

"You make it sound so simple," I whispered, trying to steady my breathing as I turned my gaze back to Taylor.

"Well, that's pretty much what it is, hun," Joe replied, his voice calm and professional as he grabbed the drill, the sound of it whirring to life making my stomach flip.

"That's terrifying," I muttered, barely able to get the words out.

I was fighting every instinct in my body that screamed at me to run away, to get out of that chair, but I couldn't. I couldn't escape, not now, not after everything they had already done to help me. Joe paused for a moment, giving me a small, reassuring smile, though I could see the understanding in his eyes.

"I know it's scary, Amelia, but we're here with you. I'll take it slow, and I'll make sure you're comfortable. You're not alone in this."

Despite his words, the noise of the drill felt deafening in my ears, and I couldn't stop my body from shaking. The thought of the drill going into my tooth, scraping away all the infection, made me feel nauseous, but I tried to focus on Taylor's hand in mine. I couldn't let go of it. It was the only thing that was grounding me right now, even though the rest of me felt like it was floating in a sea of panic. Taylor gave me a soft smile, though I could see how worried she was for me. She was doing her best to hide it, but I could tell.

"Just remember, you're doing so well, Amelia. It'll be over soon. I promise."

I nodded, but the anxiety still swirled in my chest. There was no turning back now. All I could do was hold on, keep breathing, and hope that somehow, someway, this would all be over soon.