Living with my greatest fear.

~ Chapter 39 ~

Ellie's POV:

I stay downstairs whilst Grant makes a start on tea, as it won't take long. We don't talk much - it feels pretty tense to me. After Grant said he wanted to check my teeth earlier, I've felt nervous.

I know it's stupid getting so scared about my brother, but honestly it's my worst fear. Somehow, whilst we eat tea, I'm going to have to eat carefully so I don't bother my tooth.

"Ellie, how does pasta salad sound?" Grant says, looking over at me.
"Ummm... I don't know, Grant... I think it'll be too hard and cold on my tooth... Is there anything else?" I say, immediately looking down and fiddling with my fingers.
"Ellie, is it really bothering you that much?" He says, a worried tone laced in his voice.
"It just kinda aches and I think pasta salad will make it worse..." I say, my voice trembling.
"Will you let me have a look at your teeth, princess? I didn't know it was bothering you that much, E.." Grant says, coming to sit by the side of me.
"I don't know, Grant... I think it'll be fine... It's probably just irritated, right? It'll go away, yeah?" I reply, still not making any eye contact with him.
"Baby, it'll be quick, I promise. It might just be irritated but it also may be the start of an infection or something worse. Why don't I have a quick look now, and then we can go from there, okay?" He says, rubbing his hand on my back.
"What do you mean 'go from there'? I don't want to go to your office, Grant.. It'll just be fine as it is.." I say, as I try to get up and go to my room.

I really don't want Grant to check my teeth again. It feels like that's all he's done over the past couple of weeks. Surely he's looked enough now? Plus, I think it's just sore from earlier when Grant was checking my teeth. I don't think it's just it's just one tooth either - not that I'm going to tell Grant that. I think all 4 of my wisdom teeth are sore from him checking them earlier.

As I try to get up, Grant takes hold of my wrist and looks at me with pleading eyes.
"Please, Ellie, just let me check your teeth. I don't know why your teeth are bothering you. I promise I'll be quick. And I said 'go from there' because as much as you don't like it, baby, if something is wrong, we will have to go down to my office to get it all fixed for you. I just want you out of pain, princess."
"...Grant..." I whisper, "It's not just one tooth..."
"How many, sweetheart?" He says, with a calm, soothing tone.
"I think all of my wisdom teeth..."
"Baby, I'm so sorry... They may be starting to get impacted... I really do want to have a look at them.. Can I have a look at them if I promise you that I won't do anything else tonight and it can be sorted in the morning if anything needs doing?"
"Ummm...okay..I guess. Just please be quick.."
"Thank you, princess. I'll be as quick as I can, sweetheart. Why don't you go and get yourself comfy on the sofa and I'll go and get my things?" He says, smiling at me.
I just nod.

Grant's POV:

We both get up and I make my way upstairs to my bathroom where I keep a box of gloves and masks and a separate bag for the tools.

I feel so bad making Ellie go through another check-up because I feel like this is all I do with her, but I don't want her in pain.

When she told me that it wasn't just one tooth that was bothering her but all 4 of her wisdom teeth, my first thought was that they are impacted. I really hope, for her sake, that they aren't and it's just that her mouth is just sore from me checking earlier. It's normally unusual for someone's mouth to hurt after just a checkup but I know Ellie's mouth is sensitive, especially her gums.

I make my way back downstairs to see Ellie sitting on the sofa curled up in a ball. I go over to her and set everything down on the table opposite the sofa.

"Hey, E. You okay?" I say, putting my hand on her knee.
"Mhmm.." She quietly sobs.
"Hey, hey, baby, look at me," I say, stroking her hair back.
Slowly, she lifts her head up and looks at me, tears in her eyes.
"Heyy, what's all this for, princess?"
I moved over to sit next to her on the sofa.
"I-i-i'm scared, G-G-Grant..." she sobs into my chest.
"E, I promise you, I'll do nothing without telling you, and I'm only looking tonight, okay? I'll tell you what I'm doing before I do it, yeah?"
"Mhmmm...okay," she nods.
"Okay, E. Can you just sit up for me just while I sort everything out?"

She sits up and I move to the end of the sofa and move the table closer to me. I sit cross legged and put a cushion on my lap.

a/n ~ heyyy! im so sorry for not updating!! i always say i'll start updating more and then i never do 😅 so sorry!! but hope you enjoy!!!

~jess :)