Dr. Harman's relationship with his fiancée, Jackie, was not doing so well. More than once, I could hear them bickering. For Dr. Harman and his fiancée, the honeymoon was over long before the wedding. Prolonged stress, loss of freedom, and lack of privacy can be incredibly hard on even the best of relationships. Uncle Peter could testify to that.
One day, Uncle Peter's sixteen-year-old daughter, Sarah, started to complain about a toothache. Uncle Peter and I went to the houseboat to speak with Jackie who was a dentist. We asked her to make a house call to help Sarah. Jackie was reluctant; she knew the move would be an agoraphobic nightmare.
"The Main House DESPERATELY needs a dentist," I insisted. "We have forty-five people who haven't had a dental checkup in five years. I'm surprised it took this long before we had a major problem. I'm sure poor Sarah is just the beginning. If you agree to move to the main building, we'll see to it you're provided with a fully equipped dental office."
"Where would I sleep? I don't think I'd like sharing a room with strangers."
"We can put a bed in your office."
Uncle Peter cleared his throat loudly. I had hijacked the conversation, and I'm certain he wanted back in the loop. "Where would we put the office?" he asked me.
"The top floor storage space, across from Great-Uncle Ellis's room. We would just need to lay down a floor and install a door."
"Sounds like a lot of work. We have a farm to run."
"We wouldn't do the actual construction. We'll give the raw materials to the agoraphobics, and THEY would do the real work."
"Wait, what about my fiancé?"
"Dr. Harman? What about him?"
"Can he come to the Main House too?"
Uncle Peter opened his mouth to answer, but I beat him to it. "No," I burst in. "As nice as it would be to have a medical doctor in the Main House, we need him here on the boat, fishing."
Jackie looked a little sad.
"Perhaps it's for the best," admitted Dr. Harman. "I think we need some time apart."
"Alright. I'll do it," agreed Jackie.
She was moved into the Main House that same day, so she could take care of Sarah's tooth. Construction on her office started soon after.
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Agoraphobia
General FictionA heroic eleven-year-old girl struggles to survive in a dying world plagued by a contagious form of agoraphobia (fear of being outside).
