Have a seat. A new contest entry by Stefanie Allison

Literati

Long-time friend of our writer’s community (Since 2009!) offers us her take for our contest, First Love. Second Chance.

Tex

By Stefanie  Allison

“It’ll only hurt for a second.”

I winced when the dentist lowered the chair. I told him the arthritis in my back was bad.

“We’ll let your granddaughter know when it’s all over,” the dentist said.

He walked to the sink before I had a chance to tell him she was just my next-door neighbor.

I could barely hear the door open between the hygienists chattering and the clinking of sterilized scrapers.

“Ok,” a new voice said. “Let’s get this young lady to dreamland!”

I squinted at the bright light above as he spoke.

“I’m your anesthesiologist, Sophia,” he said, the faux leather creaking when he put his hand on my chair. “I’m just going to administer the anesthesia, and it’ll be all over before you know it, ok?”

“You have the best bedside manner, Dr. Smith,” the younger hygienist said.

“I told you to call me Tex!”

The heart monitor began beeping faster when he took my hand, but all I could hear was the sound of Timothy “Tex” Smith’s laughter as we ran through a grassy field outside his papa’s farm. The August sun crawled towards the horizon, crowning him in a halo of gold. He held my hand and twirled me just the way he did at our senior prom. Yes, it was breezy and his mama was calling for us to come inside but the world narrowed down to his lips as he spoke.

“Promise me,” he said. “Promise me that you’ll—”

I gasped and watched as the long needle penetrated my vein, sliding under my skin.

“I wai—”

I blinked and the room was empty. I tried to open my mouth. I gagged when the cotton blocked my throat.

The older hygienist ran to my side.

“Are you alright?”

I started to open my mouth again. Then I rotated my hand around the empty room.

“It’s done,” she said. “The surgery is over.”

I swiped my eyes around the room.

“He already left.”

I was so proud when he said he got into the University of Texas. I couldn’t believe I fell in love with a man who was handsome and intelligent.

My eyes began to ache.

“It’s ok if you feel emotional,” the hygienist said, rubbing my back. “It’s very common after having anesthesia.”

Wait for me, Sophie.

I will, I thought, the hygienist leaning me forward to help me out of the chair.