“Mum, has he been doing a good job?” Keren looked at his mother who was heavily pregnant, continually rubbing her protruding belly.
“He’s been trying really hard. We have the timer set and although he finds it hard near the end when he gets a little bored, he’s trying.”
“That’s good. So all I want to do today is have a little look at your good cleaning. And if there’s a tooth that needs a little more attention, I can tell you where it is and you know that when you get bored, to go and give that tooth some special treatment.” She had squatted down so she was on eye level with him. There had been no chance yet of getting him in the dentist’s chair, his previous dentist clearly having no idea how to make a child feel at ease.
The dentist’s chair. She hadn’t managed to look at it the same since she and Scott had spent some time in it together, doing a completely different examination than it was used to holding.
Their date had been different from what she’d been expecting. Scott had picked her up from home with a bunch of flowers. He’d been dressed in smart black jeans and a fitted shirt that showed off his broad shoulders and tapered waist and then he’d been the perfect gentleman and interested partner for the evening, talking about music, cinema, politics, books – he held a conversation just like she remembered from when they were younger and nothing was forced.
And then he’d taken her home and fucked her brains out, something he was exceptionally good at.
Severton knew about them, but now, four weeks later, the interested stares had stopped, as had the curious questions. The coven had pointed out that they always suspected that she and Scott would get together and she did wonder whether they’d cast some form of spell that had put love potion in their eyes like in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
“You’re not going to pull any of my teeth out?” There were no more tears in his eyes, but he still looked very pale.
Keren shook her head. “All I’m going to do today is have a look, I promise.” And that was a promise she would definitely keep. “I need to check your molars at the back and your incisors and canines at the front. Do you know which is which?”
They went through the name for every tooth, pointing to it. She told him the use for each tooth and got the models out. He was too young to have covered much about teeth at school, other than basic mouth hygiene, but knowledge and understanding often reassured children.
And today she definitely wouldn’t be taking any teeth out. If he needed any work doing, she’d have a chat with his mum and figure out the best way to reassure him.
“Do I have to sit in the chair?” he said.
“It’s easier for me and I can see better if you do. And it’s fun. I’ll show you.” She started to press the buttons to make the chair move up and down and to a prone position. “Want to go for a ride on it?”
He looked again at the chair, his little face serious, and then nodded.
“Come on then! Let’s give it a go.”
Five minutes later and she’d managed to check his teeth and had praised him for doing a much better job.
“No teeth out?” He sat up, still looking pale.
“No teeth out and no fillings. You’re doing well keeping them clean.”
“Can I go and play now?”
Keren laughed and nodded, following him out of the room with his mum and her bump. “How long until you’re due?”
“Another three weeks but I’m hoping I’m early. This is the last one.”
“You have more?” Keren didn’t know the little boy’s mum. She was a new resident to Severton and this was the first time they’d really met.
“Two more. This one was a surprise. My own fault – I was using the contraceptive injection and I forgot it had run out. When should we come back?”
Keren sorted out the dates and left them with her receptionist, heading back into her room where Kiefer was tidying up. She felt unnerved and could feel panic starting to nudge at her like a dog with sharp teeth.
Something was about to bite.
“You okay?” Kiefer said. “You look flustered.”
“Just need to check something.”
She pulled her phone out and went into the calendar app, searching for doctor’s appointments. The implant lasted three years. It had been more than three years since her last boyfriend. She was convinced that it was less than three years since she’d last had it replaced. Surely, surely she was still covered.
She searched her diary, trying to find the last date. Four years and three months ago. Which meant she was due fifteen months before.
Which meant she and Scott had been having unprotected sex for the past six weeks.
