“Hey pumpkin, how are you doing?”
“I’m great. I’m at the bakery passing time. What’s up?”
“Allison and I have a charity event we need to attend today, and I was wondering if you could take Samuel to his dentist appointment this afternoon. I completely forgot it was today and we can’t miss this event.”
“Sure, I can take him,” I answered. “It’ll be fun. I’ll just finish up here and pick him up.”
“Thanks, pumpkin.”
He ended the call, and I went into the kitchen to tell the other girl working with me that I was leaving so she could take over the register. I took off my apron, grabbed my purse from the small room Allison used as an office, then headed out.
Samuel was dressed and ready to leave when I arrived, and my dad joined me with the keys to his black sedan. “You can find your way to the clinic? I’ll give you the address. His appointment is at two pm.”
“Sounds good, I can punch it into the maps app on my phone.”
Allison joined us in the kitchen a few moments later, in a pink, satin midi dress that I wish was in my closet. “You look great, Ally.”
“Thanks, Bree,” she answered just before my dad kissed her on the cheek and put his hand on the small curve of her back.
“We’re leaving, Ally, bye kids.”
“Bye dad … Bye mom,” Samuel answered in his cheery tone then jumped off the chair he sat on and hurried to go give them a goodbye hug.
Seconds later, I heard my dad’s car pull out of the driveway, then I turned to Samuel and ruffled his hair. “It’s just you and me now buddy,” I said with a wide smile.
Samuel grinned at me, and his smile flashed his set of pearly white teeth. “Let’s go get ice cream,” he said and took my hand.
“We’re going to the dentist. No ice cream until you get your teeth checked, bud,” I answered him before pulling out a chair to sit. “But we can have something else.”
“What?”
Samuel pouted a little, but it didn’t last long after I mentioned the alternative. “How does Mcdonald's sound?”
“YES! Samuel screamed with a fist in the air. His little legs took him out of the kitchen then returned a minute later with his shoes and jacket.
“It’s hot outside, you don’t need a jacket,” I said while giggling and took the jacket from him. I texted Josh to re-schedule our dinner plans because I had to take Samuel to the dentist and we ended up texting for some time.
Samuel bounced around the house excitedly for the next hour while I waited for time to pass before we began the drive to the dental clinic. He was exhausted by the time we arrived, and fast asleep in his car seat snuggling his favorite stuffed dinosaur.
I pulled into a parking spot, killed the engine, then got out and walked around to get Samuel out of the back seat. He nestled closer in my arms when I carried him out, and I rocked him into my chest as I made my way into the clinic.
When I reached the receptionist, I walked up to the desk and smiled at the the girl working. “Hi, I have an appointment at two, Samuel Dell” I said to the lady on the other side.
“Please hold on a second ma’am.” The lady keyed in the name into her computer, then she looked back at me and waved her hand to the right. “Please wait in the lobby, Dr. Davies will be out soon.”
“Thank you.” I walked over to the row of chairs arranged by a corner of the reception hall, sat, then began rocking Samuel in my arms so he could sleep a little longer.
It was a little after two when the receptionist called our name and led us to the room.
Inside the consultation room, Samuel finally stirred awake. He raised his head from where it rested on the croon of my shoulder, then began rubbing his eyes.
“Hey buddy,” I said to him in a hushed tone. “We’re at the dentist.”
Samuel groaned and opened his eyes fully. As he looked around, the door opened, and the doctor came in. “Hello,” she said with a brilliant smile. “Samuel Dell?”
“Yes.”
I set Samuel on the chair beside me so he could sit on his own, and the doctor picked a glove from the tray to her side, slipped it on, then pulled her chair closer to us. “How are you doing today, Samuel?” she began in a sweet tone I knew made all children relax.