Grace

Chapter 11

I had been allowed to walk to the in school doctors surgery, but Dame Clarke insisted on coming with me. I would have protested if I knew which building it was in. It was half nine, I felt fresh as a daisy and I wanted to go to class. I'd even come down from my room in uniform but had been sent straight back up to change into normal clothes. I wasn't happy about it, but she'd threatened to get my mother on the phone.

The sanatorium was in an old building and occupied a whole corridor. The inside was as modern as the outside was old. The walls were all white, the floors tiled and the lights fluorescents. It wasn't like a miniature hospital, but the doctors were capable of stitching, looking after burns and putting people in splints as well as doing day to day diagnoses. There was also a dentistry area. Thank god I didn't have to go there today.

I was let into Doctor Gray's room immediately. He smiled as soon as he saw me and told me to hop onto the examination bed. The room was scarily like any regular doctors. Even down to the picture of a ladybird on the wall. Dame Clarke sat on one of the chairs that was in there.

"Been a good patient?" the doctor asked.

Dame Clarke snorted. "Came down in uniform this morning."

"I'm fine!"

"I think I will be the judge of that," the doctor said. "Since you're here I'll update your records as well once I've done the check up."

"If you utter a word about BMI," I warned.

"You don't like BMI tests?" he asked.

"One told me I was underweight and my dad is apparently obese. There's not an ounce of fat on him and I eat enough for two sometimes. It doest take into account your body shape either. It's stupid. If you want the rest of my mother's rant please let me continue."

"I think I get the picture," he said. "Now, follow my finger."

We went though the same exam as yesterday when I first did it, only it didn't hurt this time. He prodded my bruise a little, checked my reflexes and then told me I was fine, but still to have the day off. I scowled at that but remembered my promise to my mother. Then my height was taken, then my weight and then I was sent to the dentist. I groused even more about that, but went, endured some woman asking me questions whilst she had her fingers in my mouth and then I was free to go. Dame Clarke was still out there in the waiting room probably to make sure I didn't run off to class.

"Back home with you," she said cheerfully.

I sighed and tried to slump my shoulders but they protested against movement in a painful reminder of what sporting activity I did yesterday. "I'm going for a long, hot bath."

And what a glorious bath it was. Bubbles, hot water, a couple of top ups and absolute languid pleasure. I got out when I heard people get back from classes and joined everyone for dinner.

"Good day?" Clara asked me.

"If you take out my trip to the dentist, yeah."

"You broke a tooth too?" Chi asked.

"They just wanted to look at my teeth. I swear I can still taste latex!"

She made a face and focused on her lunch.

After that I had lots of work to catch up with. In literature I had to read the next three chapters for tomorrow, music I had to learn a new piece for tomorrow and a note had been passed over to Clara in literature which had been given to someone in my art class so that she could give it to me saying that I needed to have my artist research done for Saturday's lesson. Chi said that our dance masters wanted me to go in tomorrow straight after dinner so they could see me do more technique stuff.