Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The week passed in a haze.
And the next.
And another.
Then another.
David had messed up, and he knew it. Claire had been right, she was leaving and there wasn’t any point in dragging out the inevitable. But boy, he wished it didn’t hurt so much.
David went to reception where Sarah was typing on the computer. “Sarah, do you know how many more appointments I have today?” He usually didn’t feel this anxious for the workday to end, but his body was dragging.
Sarah stopped typing and moved her mouse, bringing up the schedule for the day. Swiveling in her chair to face him, she said, “It looks like only three more appointments for the day. I did squeeze Alexis in for one more adjustment before she heads out of town. It’s a week earlier than normal, but I figured you wouldn’t mind.”
David froze. “Alexis is coming in today?” He hadn’t been prepared to see Alexis, or Claire.
He missed Claire more than he ever thought possible. But like an idiot he did nothing.
“Yes.” Sarah leaned back in her chair, folding her arms. “She’s the last appointment of the day.” She raised an eyebrow. “Everything okay? You usually don’t care or worry about when people are coming in.”
Grabbing a client’s file off the corner of the reception desk, David flipped it open. “Everything is fine.” His hands shook. He forced himself to turn to the next page and appear put together. Though he was far from it, instead he was slowly unraveling. Eyes glued to the file, he continued, “Let’s make sure we find a time for them to return to do a follow up appointment. It might not be the exact timing of the normal adjustments but let’s make it work for them.”
Sitting up, Sarah replied, “You’ve got it boss.”
The door chimed, entering the lobby was his next client. David smiled, pushing away the ball of nerves in his gut. “Hunter, it’s great to see you. Today’s the day,” he said brightly.
Hunter beamed. “I can’t wait to get my braces off and see what my teeth look like.”
“I can’t either. It’s the best part of my job.” David closed the file folder still in his hands, motioning for Hunter to follow him back to the exam room. “In thirty minutes, you’re going to have a beautiful, straight teeth smile.”
“Yippee!” replied Hunter.
After taking Hunter into the exam room, David’s dental assistant helped Hunter get settled into his chair while he checked on the adjustments of two other waiting patients. The remaining hours flew by. Next thing he knew, David glanced over to see Alexis waiting in one of the many exam chairs.
His shoulders stiffened. Peering around the room, he didn’t spot Claire. He wondered if she was in the waiting room or opted to avoid him all together. David walked over and sat down on the swivel chair next to Alexis.
Alexis glanced up at him from her reclined position and rolled her eyes. “You don’t need to worry, Claire isn’t here. She dropped me off and is grabbing us some dinner. If you want, you can completely avoid her when she comes back to pick me up.”
“I don’t need to avoid her,” said David a little too quickly. “Claire is the one who ended things, not me.” Each word punctured the air, sounding off-putting even to him. David grabbed Alexis’s chart off the corner of the table next to the exam chair, opening it up. He fisted his shaky hand and tried his best to regain his exposure.
“Uh huh…” Alexis muttered under her breath. She turned back, settling her head against the head rest. “You keep telling yourself that.”
David controlled his desire to argue and explain he wanted to spend the last month with them in Pismo, but he knew it was fruitless. He didn’t have any way to rectify the situation, and now the month was over, and they were leaving for good.
Lowering the back of her chair to a flatter position, David replied, “Let’s see how your teeth are looking.”
Alexis complied, opening her mouth. With a gloved hand, David poked and prodded her mouth, trying to gauge how many more adjustments were needed to complete Alexis’s treatment. He tightened the necessary braces, then removed and replaced the position of a few brackets.
After stripping off his gloves and making some notes on Alexis’s chart, Alexis asked, “How many more visits do you think it will take before I get my braces off? Claire wanted me to ask.”
Scribbling down the last notes, David shifted to the computer, pulling up x-rays of Alexis’s teeth. He leaned forward double checking the current position of her two back molars. Finally, he peered at Alexis, “I think you will have to come two more times. You’re close. You can get them off before summer ends. How does that sound?”
Alexis smiled for the first time, melting away the permanent scowl on her face since arriving. “I think it will work if Claire can get the time off. She starts back at her physical therapy job on Monday.”
“If you need to come up on a weekend, I can come in on a Saturday to do the adjustments,” replied David.
“Okay, I’ll tell her.” Alexis swung her legs over the side then stood. “See you later, Dr. Clark.”
Her calling him Dr. Clark made his shoulders tense. “Alexis…”
Alexis twisted around, facing him. She raised an eyebrow, waiting.
His shoulders drooped. “Tell Claire I’m sorry, for everything.”
“You tell her.” Alexis moved to leave. “Don’t make me do your dirty work.” She left the exam room, walking through to the waiting room.
David knew Claire was in there, because he’d heard her greet Sarah at reception a few minutes ago. He grabbed Alexis’s chart. With weak knees, David found his balance and forced himself to walk into the waiting room. He went to the reception desk without glancing around.
Sarah glanced up from her desk. “Dr. Clark, they’re completely set. I scheduled Alexis’s next appointment for four weeks from today.”
Clearing his throat, David held out Alexis’s chart to Sarah. “Thanks for scheduling her appointment. Here’s her chart for you to enter the information into the computer.” Sarah took the chart from him.
Finally, David shifted, gazing out at the waiting room. It contained only Claire and Alexis. When David locked eyes with Claire, she shuffled her feet and adjusted her purse on her shoulder. Gripping the strap tightly with one hand, it made her knuckles turn white.
Pushing up her chin, Claire said, “Thanks. We’ll see you in a month.” She moved toward the door, waving for Alexis to follow. “Come on, Alexis. It’s time to go.”
“Bye, Dr. Clark,” Alexis mumbled.
David couldn’t find the words to explain the emotions bottled up in him, but he hated things being this strained between them. They exited, making the chime from the door ring in his ears.
Move. Now. David strode to the lobby door, swinging it open. Alexis and Claire were already halfway to their car.
“Wait!” David called out. In tandem, they both stopped. Rotating to face him, Claire and Alexis exchanged a quick look before staring blankly back at David. “Wait,” he repeated, jogging toward them, “please.”
Alexis folded her arms. David half expected her to make an excuse and go wait in the car, but she didn’t move. Alexis stood her ground, gripping Claire’s forearm.
Scratching his chin, before shoving both shaking hands into his pockets, David cleared his throat, “I’m sorry for how things ended.”
Claire blinked. “Okay,” she said dismissively, looking down at her red painted nails. “We’re good.”
“Okay?” David questioned.
“Okay. Dr. Clark.” Claire half pivoted toward her car. Alexis mirrored her movements. “We’ll see you in a month.” Taking a step away from him, the gap widened between them. “Thank you for generously agreeing not to charge us the remaining balance.”
So, Claire called him Dr. Clark too. Boy, he was in it deep. “Can I call you sometime?” David sputtered out.
David liked being around Claire. He’d missed having her in his life this past month.
Claire glanced over at Alexis. The two exchanged a look David couldn’t quite figure out, but Alexis turned and walked the remaining few yards to the car and climbed in. Claire confirmed Alexis was out of ear shot.
Raising an eyebrow, Claire asked, “And why would you want to call me?”
“Because I like talking to you.” David rubbed the back of his neck. He wished knew how to express himself better. Honestly, he didn’t know if he’d ever be ready to move on, but things with Claire were the closest he ever came to opening his heart again after Lauren. “And I’m going to miss seeing you.”
Shaking her head, Claire cast her gaze back toward Alexis in the car. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to call me.”
“Why not?” David pressed.
Claire gnawed on her bottom lip. “Because I liked you.” She wrung her hands together. “And I realize now it was one sided. I won’t do that to myself again.” She walked the rest of the way to her car. After opening her car door, she glanced over her shoulder and said, “We’ll see you in a month. Bye, David.”
Then she climbed in and drove away.