My sister a dentist my brother a doctor

Fillings

AMELIA'S POV

My heart was pounding in my chest as I sat there, feeling the cold sterile air of the dental office pressing in on me. The nerves were almost unbearable. I had been putting this off for so long, and now I was finally here, and it was time to face it—getting numbed, drilled, and filled. The thought alone was enough to send a wave of dread coursing through me. I didn't know how I was going to get through this. Taylor reached for a Q-tip, and I felt the anxiety surge higher. The thought of what was about to happen made my stomach turn. I swallowed hard, trying to steady my breath, but it wasn't working.

"It'll be alright, little sis. You've got this," Taylor said softly, her voice calm, trying to reassure me.

I could see the numbing shot in her hand, but she carefully kept it out of my direct line of sight. I knew exactly what was coming, but hearing her say that didn't make me feel any better. The dread was heavy in my chest as I tried to focus on anything but the fear gnawing at me. I forced my mouth open when she asked, the muscles in my jaw stiff and unwilling. I knew if I didn't, she'd just keep asking, pushing me, and I didn't want to drag this out. Taylor quickly slipped her mirror into my mouth, holding it there as she spoke.

"Just a quick pinch, okay?" she said, her words soft and steady as she positioned the needle near my gums.

Before I could prepare myself, she injected the numbing medicine, and the sharp sting shot through my mouth. I winced involuntarily, but there was no turning back now. The needle pressed deeper, and I felt my body tighten up against it.

"I know, I'm sorry," Taylor whispered, her voice soothing but not enough to ease the sharp discomfort as she administered the full dose.

It wasn't the worst pain I'd ever felt, but the anticipation made it feel far worse than it probably was. When she finally removed the needle, I quickly closed my mouth and exhaled slowly, trying to calm the overwhelming wave of panic that had crept up on me. I could feel my heart racing in my chest. I just wanted it to be over. I could already tell the numbing medicine was beginning to work, but I was still on edge.

"So, Taylor," I said, trying to distract myself, "where's Joe? I haven't seen him in a while." I felt awkward, trying to make conversation, but it was better than sitting in silence, counting down the seconds until the next part of this torture.

"Oh," she hesitated for a second, "he doesn't work here anymore. We're not together anymore... honestly, it's probably for the best."

I felt bad for bringing it up. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know..." My voice trailed off awkwardly.

"It's fine," she said quickly. "It's honestly for the best. Now, let's focus on you, okay?" She gave me a soft smile, but I could tell she was already turning her attention to the tools she was about to use.

I watched her twist the handpiece onto the drill, the sound of the metal bur clicking into place making my stomach churn. I felt a wave of panic rise again, my breath catching in my throat.

"That's a lot smaller than I remember," I muttered, unable to take my eyes off the drill.

The sharp, metallic tip gleamed under the light, and my pulse quickened. I didn't want to do this. I couldn't.

"Really? It's the same burs," Taylor replied, her voice distracted as she made sure the drill was working.

I felt my heart skip a beat when she flicked it on. The whirring sound made my stomach drop.

"And a lot faster," I added, my voice tight with fear.

I knew she was trying to be reassuring, but it only made me more nervous.

"Oh, sorry," Taylor said, glancing at me quickly. "I just had to make sure it worked. It's okay, I promise. It's the same process, same tools. You've done this before. It's nothing new." She gave me a small, almost apologetic smile.

"Open wide, and we'll get started," she said gently, but I could hear the underlying urgency in her voice.

I hesitated but opened my mouth again, though every fiber of my being was screaming to back out. I wanted to leave. I wanted to run away from this whole thing, but I knew I couldn't. The moment the drill touched my tooth, I flinched. The pressure, the noise—it was all so overwhelming. It felt worse than I remembered. Maybe it was because I was older now, more aware of how much this *actually* hurt. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying not to think about what was happening. It wasn't a sharp pain, but the sensation of the drill scraping away at my tooth was enough to make me feel lightheaded.

"You're doing great, sis," Taylor said, her voice calm but it did little to soothe the anxiety building in my chest.

When the drilling finally stopped, I felt a brief moment of relief, only to realize she was grabbing the filling material. She began packing it into the cavity, smoothing it out, and my mouth felt thick with the foreign substance. But before I could even process it, she was reaching for the next numbing shot. My heart dropped.

"No, no, no, please," I muttered, fighting the urge to pull away.

"Amelia, you're doing great. Just one more, okay? It won't take long. Just open for me," Taylor said gently, though there was a firmness in her voice.

I opened my mouth again, my chest tightening. I didn't want to do this. The second shot felt worse. The pain of the needle pressing into my already sore gums made me gasp, and I winced harder than I had the first time. My body jerked involuntarily, and I had to remind myself to breathe.

"It's almost done, Amelia. Just a little longer," Taylor said, her voice softer this time.

I could tell she was trying to calm me down, but it was hard to relax when every part of me was screaming for this to end. As the numbing shot took effect, I just wanted to curl up and disappear. I couldn't shake the fear that if I didn't stay still, everything would go wrong. I had no choice but to endure it. I didn't want to disappoint her, but mostly, I didn't want to disappoint myself. I had to get through this.

"Alright, open wide again," Taylor said, moving in with the drill.

The sound of it turning on again made my breath catch in my throat. I felt trapped. I couldn't escape it. I forced myself to open my mouth. The drilling started again, and this time I couldn't keep still. My hands gripped the chair beneath me, and my feet dug into the floor as I fought to stay calm. It hurt, but the worst part was the feeling of being so out of control. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Taylor finished the second filling. I felt a brief sense of relief wash over me, but it wasn't over yet. She cleaned up the room, and I forced myself to sit up, the weight of the numbness making my face feel heavy.

"Okay, Amelia, you did really well," Taylor said, smiling as she finished. "Your mouth might hurt after the numbing wears off, but just take some pain meds, and you'll be fine."

"Yeah, thanks," I muttered, standing up.

I was so done with all of this. It felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest, but I was exhausted. I was relieved to leave the office, even though the nagging thought of the pain to come lingered in the back of my mind. At least the hardest part was over. For now, anyway. Walking out of the office and back into the world felt surreal. I couldn't wait to be done with all of it, but I also knew this was a lesson I wouldn't forget anytime soon.