My sister a dentist my brother a doctor

At the doctor

AMELIA'S POV

A week had passed since the girls' appointments with my siblings, and now, it was finally my turn. I had been dreading this day, knowing exactly what was coming. The girls had already been through their appointments, but now it was my turn to face the inevitable and I wasn't looking forward to it one bit. At least I could take comfort in the fact that I'd already gotten my shots during my physical last week, so the needles were taken care of for now. That didn't make me feel any less uneasy, though. The one bright spot was that I wouldn't have to face the horrors of multiple injections aside from maybe one or two small things. But there was a lingering dread I couldn't shake: the thought of my big brother, Austin, being the one to examine me. It was awkward enough just thinking about it. But what really had me on edge was what awaited me at Taylor's office. I was scheduled for a full cleaning, along with two fillings. I was already dreading the idea of it, especially because I'd never been able to handle fillings very well. My tolerance for pain was low, and the thought of going through that again brought up all the old fears I had as a kid. The last time I had a filling, it was like torture, and that was just one. Two? It felt like an impossible task to face. Still, I couldn't back out. I had to do it. So, I kissed the girls goodbye and left them with my husband, not wanting to worry them with how anxious I was. I really wished I didn't have to go at all, but there was no avoiding it. I drove to the plaza, parking right between both offices to keep things even, but it felt like a cruel reminder of what was ahead. I stepped out of the car, my heart already racing. With every step I took toward Austin's office, the dread built up. I entered and walked up to the front desk, where Selena was waiting. She greeted me with a sympathetic smile, though I could tell she knew exactly how I felt.

"Hey, Amelia," she said kindly, her eyes filled with understanding.

"Hey, Sel," I replied, offering her a nervous smile.

"Austin's ready for you in room 2," she said, trying to sound reassuring. "Go on back when you're ready."

"Okay, thanks," I replied, my voice quieter than I intended as I forced myself to walk toward the exam rooms.

The closer I got to room 2, the heavier my feet felt. Every part of me screamed to turn around, to run out the door and avoid this nightmare, but I knew I couldn't. I couldn't leave until it was over. So, I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself as I reached for the door.

"Hey, Amelia," Austin greeted me when I stepped in, his voice soft but warm. "Welcome back. Ready to get this over with?"

"I guess," I muttered, my stomach doing flips.

Austin smiled at me reassuringly, but it did little to ease the tension in my chest.

"This will be nice and easy," he said, trying to sound encouraging. "We're going to do your physical, take some blood, and then you'll be all done."

I froze at the mention of blood.

"Blood?" I echoed, my voice a little shaky.

He nodded, his face kind but serious.

"Yep, just a routine blood test. I promise it won't be anything you can't handle."

I couldn't stop the rising anxiety in my chest.

"Doesn't sound easy to me," I admitted, my voice coming out quieter than I wanted it to.

Austin laughed softly, clearly trying to lighten the mood.

"It will be, I promise. You've got nothing to worry about. Just come take a seat, and let's get this over with, alright?"

I knew he was right, at least in the sense that it had to be done. I couldn't avoid it forever. But there was a huge part of me that desperately wanted to walk out, to not come back until it was time for the girls' next appointment. The thought of enduring this, especially with Austin as my examiner, made my skin crawl. But, I couldn't chicken out. Not now. I hesitated before finally walking over to the exam table. The sterile scent of the room hit me, making me feel even more anxious. The thought of my brother seeing me like this, getting up close, examining me—was it strange that it felt more uncomfortable than the actual procedure itself? I forced myself to sit on the table, my legs trembling slightly as I avoided Austin's eyes.

"Okay," Austin said, his voice soft but firm as he patted the table. "We'll go ahead and start and get this over with as quickly as we can."

I nodded, trying to calm myself down. But the fear was still there, gnawing at me. I watched as he grabbed the thermometer from the desk, the sound of his hands brushing over the tools only adding to my unease. I knew there was no turning back. It was time to face this, no matter how uncomfortable it made me feel.