Chapter 19
Saylor changed her mind a million times on the way over to Zale’s house. She still waffled back and forth as Max pulled the truck into Zale’s driveway. Max’s powerful hand wrapped around her knee. She met his gaze as she hugged Tapper tight.
“You’re going to be fine, baby.”
“You’re going to stay with me?” she triple-checked.
“Of course. And Zale wouldn’t let me step away if I wanted to. He feels daddies and Littles benefit from knowing how to take care of each Little. He’ll have questions to ask both of us,” Max said.
She could trust her daddy. He’d never lied to her. “Okay, Daddy.”
“Good girl. Let’s go. I’ll come let you out of the truck.”
In a few minutes, Zale led them to his home office. He patted the paper-lined exam table. “Come sit, Saylor.”
Max picked her up and sat her on the end.
Her feet dangled freely as she looked around the room.
She could have been sitting in any doctor’s office she’d ever visited.
Medical equipment hung on the wall near the exam table.
Cabinetry filled one corner with a counter and a sink.
She swallowed hard when she noticed a covered tray sitting on a rolling cart. Was that for her?
Zale grabbed a white coat from behind the door and pulled it on before sitting on a rolling stool. “Okay, Saylor. Let’s talk. Tell me why you and your daddy are here.”
“You said you could help me with birth control,” she forced out of her mouth, trying to sound casual and hearing the betraying quiver in her own voice. “Sorry. I always get nervous at the doctor’s office.”
“Thank you for letting me know. Your daddy will be here to reassure you and I will answer any questions you have. On the topic of birth control, I can absolutely help you with that. I suggest we test both of you to make sure you don’t have anything that you could share with the other.
Max is frequently tested as a regular part of his military screening. ”
“I’ve been tested,” Saylor said quickly.
“All my patients have routine bloodwork every year at least, so I can keep an eye on their health. Do you have an objection to me including this test as a safeguard?” Zale asked, looking at her intently.
“No,” Saylor answered, shrugging. Did he not believe her, or was he really that concerned about his patients?
“How are you on immunizations? Tetanus? Measles?”
“I think I’m fine.” She didn’t want a bunch of shots.
“Do you have them listed somewhere?” Zale asked.
“I think so. I can look the next time I’m at my place.”
“Max will help you remember,” Zale said, looking meaningfully at her daddy.
“On it.” Max pulled out his phone and made a note.
I’m going to get shots soon. Saylor couldn’t be angry. Having someone actually coordinating her health hadn’t happened for a long time. She usually didn’t go to the doctor unless she got sick. In the back of her mind, she appreciated Zale including her in the group he cared for.
“Pap smear?”
Her gaze jerked up to meet his. “Oh, I’m good on that.”
“How long?” Zale didn’t play around. How did he know?
“Probably two years,” she admitted.
“So that means four years ago?” Zale asked.
“Maybe. I’ve been busy.”
“Your daddy and I will get you on a regular schedule. Okay, what else? Do you take any medicine?”
“Vitamins when I remember them. Nothing else. Well, except for ibuprofen for headaches.”
“Do you get headaches often?”
“If I do a lot of artwork.”
“Gotcha. Allergies?” Zale asked.
“Whatever blooms in the spring. I take over-the-counter tablets to keep from blowing my nose off.” With each question, she relaxed a bit more. Zale took his job seriously and seemed to care.
“Do you have any trouble moving your bowels?”
Immediately, she shook her head as her cheeks heated.
“Never?”
“Tell Zale the truth, baby,” Max said in the stern tone she’d learned to pay attention to.
“Sometimes before my period.”
“That’s pretty normal. Fiber gummies help, Max. I’ll give you a list. Saylor will probably need a custom vitamin to address any deficiencies I find in her bloodwork.”
She looked back and forth between the two men. Swallowing hard, she realized daddies didn’t play around. They were going to make sure she was as healthy as possible.
“Anything else I should know about you? Family history of heart disease, stroke, diabetes?”
“No. My family is pretty healthy,” she answered truthfully.
“That’s good. Okay, let your daddy help you take off your clothes and step up on the scale when you’re ready,” Zale instructed.
“Is there a gown somewhere?” she asked, looking around.
“I’ll get you a blanket in a bit if you’re cold, Saylor. For now, your weight needs to be as accurate as possible for me to prescribe birth control.”
“Really?” she squeaked.
“You’ll be fine. Let me help you, baby,” Max told her as he held out a hand to help her off the table, as Zale opened a file and started making notes for himself.
In a super short time, she stood naked under the bright white lights. Saylor shielded her breasts and pelvis from Zale’s sight as he turned back to her. Max quickly drew her hands away and pulled them down to her sides.
“No hiding, little girl. Up on the scale,” Max urged. He put a large hand at the small of her back and guided Saylor to the scale.
She hesitated before stepping up. She wasn’t a petite hundred pounds. Would it matter to Max? He had already guessed her approximate weight.
“Baby girl, I don’t give a rat’s ass what you weigh. I promise I weigh more.”
She smiled at that. Max was the largest man on his team. Gathering her courage, she trusted he wouldn’t make fun of her and stepped onto the scale. Zale appeared beside her, making her jump in surprise.
Max chuckled as Zale adjusted the sliding scale without saying a word.
When he had it balanced, he slid the controls back to the right.
“Turn around for me, Saylor,” Zale requested as he lifted the level and adjusted it to determine her height, as Saylor struggled not to cover herself in front of the two men.
“Max, help Saylor stretch out on her tummy on the table,” Zale requested as he stepped away to record her measurements.
“He’s light on his feet, isn’t he?” Max asked her as he guided her back to the table.
“Warn me next time,” she requested quietly.
He winked at her as he helped her climb onto the table. As she settled into position, Saylor realized what had to be coming next. She tried to turn over, but Max firmly pressed between her shoulders, settling her into place.
“Daddy! I don’t want…”
“Warning,” Max said.
Saylor didn’t have time to ask what he was alerting her about before Zale spoke.
“Temperature time. Max, consider taking Saylor’s temperature every day to help her acclimate,” Zale said. “Stay still, little girl.”
Saylor froze as she heard a rattling behind her. The tray of supplies. She peeked over as Zale pulled off the thin paper covering the tray. Lubricant, a thick thermometer, a speculum, and so many gloves. Saylor closed her eyes and pressed her forehead to the paper covering the table.
Max stroked her back. She heard the snap of the gloves Zale pulled on and the squelch of lubricant coming out of the tube.
“Relax, baby. You’re fine. Some practice will make this less scary,” he promised.
Zale parted her buttocks without a word about how much she tried to clench her bottom. His slick finger rubbed cool gel around her small entrance before pressing firmly inside. He slowly rotated his hand to spread the slick mixture.
Saylor wanted to hate every moment of his touch, but she was so sensitive there. She thought of anything else other than the sizzling exploration. When his finger slid from her body, she relaxed slightly, only to stiffen once again as the cold thermometer invaded her.
“Ten minutes, little girl,” Zale told her as he covered the tip with his hand to trap the instrument deep inside her.
She heard them talking over her about caring for a Little and how to help her feel her best. Unable to concentrate on what they discussed, Saylor’s mind went to her happy place. She imagined herself swinging in Max’s yard with her new friends.
Finally, the thick tube slid from her bottom. Saylor melted onto the table in relief.
“Good girl, baby. Let’s sit up,” Max said, helping her turn over.
The melty lube between her buttocks made the skin slide slickly as she shifted, reminding her of how intimately Zale cared for her. Now sitting on the edge of the exam table, she remembered how exposed she was. “Could I have a blanket now?”
“Soon. Max, share your body heat.”
Max moved closer and wrapped an arm around her waist. Warmth radiated toward her. Zale quickly checked her eyes, ears, nose, heart, and throat. He paused for a minute before pointing to an eye chart on the wall. “Read the smallest line you can, Saylor.”
She easily recited the lowest line, but hesitated when he gave her a small card and repeated his instructions. The letters blurred in front of her when she looked at the bottom two lines. Finally, she told them the letters on the next one up.
“Can you see anything in tinier print?” Max asked. His eyebrows pulled together in concern.
Saylor studied it again. Maybe that was a B, but it could be an E. She rubbed her fingers over her forehead. “Hey!” she protested as Zale plucked the laminated page from her hand.
“I don’t want you to give yourself a headache, Saylor. You did exactly what I asked you to do. Good job. Have you worn glasses before?”
“When I was a kid. But I stopped wearing them in high school.”
“Got it,” Max said, adding another note to his phone. “To the eye doctor for you, baby. That’s why you’re getting headaches.”
“Oh! I should have thought of that,” Saylor whispered.
“You’re going to feel so much better,” Max said.
Zale placed a pillow on the exam table and patted it. “Stretch out, Saylor.”
Slowly she lay down on her back. Max laced his fingers with hers, giving her hand a squeeze. She stared up at him. Her mind whirled with the realization that she had neglected herself and that her daddy wouldn’t allow that to continue.