On the Run

Chapter 6
On the Run

Chapter 6

Early in the morning about 6am John was awakened by a whimpering coming from Emily

He got up and put a robe on and went over to her

“What’s wrong honey “as he sat on the edge of her bed, her eyes bleary, and her doggy hugged against her cheek

“My mouth hurts, I have toothache John”

“Oh no, I will get you some aspirin, and it’s not John remember ,but its ok this time”

He went and got two aspirin, and some ice cold water in one of her cups for her.

“Here take these” handing them to her and seeing her wince as the ice cold water made her mouth hurt more

“Oh I am sorry, is the cold water making it worse?”

“Yes daddy”

John hugged her carefully

“Yes hot or cold will make it worse I would think”

She lay with her head against my chest

“I never had toothache before, I always brush and floss carefully as the Doctor told me my teeth are particularly fragile, as really baby teeth”

He thought a while, “Well I have something for mouth ulcers that may help, why don’t you get up, we will get you dressed and try that, I would not clean your teeth when you are in bathroom though, that could really hurt”

While she was in bathroom he got her some clothes out, another of the panty and vest sets ,some pink frilly edged cotton socks and a pink and blue polka dot long top and leggings set. She could wear her new runners with it

When she came out the bathroom he helped her get dressed then sat her on her booster seat, and looked in her mouth, looking to see anything, all he could see was some reddening of the gums, where he had applied the Zolmitriptan gel, this would do no damage, but make her gums and the teeth in them very sore and tender for some hours.

Pretending it was a deadening gel for mouth ulcers he applied a little more but just on one spot.

“I don’t suppose you want anything to eat, or drink other than tepid juice?”

She shook her head

John lifted her down and took her over to the sofa, and sat with her on my lap, her head on his shoulder.

He gently rubbed her back to soothe her,

After a few minutes she hesitantly said “Can I ask you a question. Not as my daddy, but as John or Joe?

“Of course you can, you know I only keep it up so we don’t slip, when in public, but I admit I sort of like it”

She almost whispered as she said ”When you came up with this, I hated the idea, it is the opposite of everything I have fought for since I first found I was different and it still makes me feel I am betraying myself. But the more it went on, the more I sort of liked it deep down I even at times think it’s true, if that makes sense?”

John paused and then replied “yes, I sort of feel the same way”

Emily/Amber then asked “So why do you think I feel that way, and not rebel as I would have?”

He considered this for awhile

“Well while I did not study psychology at the medical college I did read some, and you would have to ask a trained shrink for a definitive answer, but I would say this I don’t know the details,and you don’t have to tell me, but you had a bad childhood, no don’t say anything just listen”

“I think you may have had a little mental crisis, a combination of the sudden danger you were in, the guilt over causing it in your mind, also and I like to think even before the robbery, you began to trust me, something you had probably not done for a long time, if ever”

John put his finger on her lips,,

”Let me finish, I want to give you something to think about, and I don’t want you to give me an answer, in fact its better you don’t, just mull it over and don’t reject it out of hand”

“Maybe with all that has happened to you not just recently, but most of your life, that this is your chance to start over, be the happy little girl, you deserved to be long ago. To be loved, cared for and when it’s right go to Czechoslovakia and get that treatment and grow to be the woman you deserve to be, not a sad woman who has a horrific past burdening her”

He hugged her and continued “I am not asking you to commit forever, but as long as we need to keep the charade, why not enjoy it, and don’t feel conflicted about it”

John then thought about the deceptions he had, and was doing and realized he was just giving her excuses ,that’s why everything was so easy, the thumb sucking taken on so quickly, her almost perfect behavior as a little girl, the drugs just triggering something already very powerful in her.

“So don’t say anything, just enjoy it as long as it lasts, and I will do my best to give you a childhood”

Emily looked up at him and said

“Yes daddy”

“Now Emily, I think we could try going into town, and seeing if we can find a dentist, I am sure they will not have contacted dentists, doctors, hospitals, even pharmacies but I am sure not dentists.”

“Let him have a look, we will pay in cash and if he seems in any way puzzled or suspicious, say the pain has gone, and we will get out”

He carries her out to the car, put her in her seat, and they drive into the town.

On the way John thinks about what he had done, and considers telling her that the toothache was not real ,but he decides to just play this one out and then stop such ploys.

In town they pass a dental clinic and John parks in the lot next door.

He turns and says” Ok lets just walk by, and if it seems safe, go in and see if he can see you”

A few minutes later they are in the clinic and John is explaining to the dentist the how they were on a trip, and his daughter had got toothache. That her usual dentist was in Canada. That Johns wife has dealt with it.

Within ten minutes Emily is in the chair being examined.

As the dentist does his examination he winks at John, this is John’s old friend from college, who John has bribed to help out.

The dentist says that the problem is not hard to cure, but if left will get worse, some of her teeth are impacting. Also the roof of her mouth is sore and asks Emily if she sometimes sucks her thumb or her fingers.

Emily shyly nods her head as her daddy squeezes her hand.

John tells the dentist “I have noticed that lately, since my wife died….”

The dentist says that to alleviate and prevent further pain from the impaction her will need to sedate her for a short while and keep the teeth apart and that he will go get ready, and let Emily and her daddy talk

When he is out of the room, John whispers to Emily “ Well ,it’s up to you, but as far as our cover is concerned it’s not a problem unless you say something when you come round”

Emily whispers back “well as long as you are here when I come to, just in case……. But also because I would want you there anyway’

The dentist returns and as he gives Emily a shot in the arm, John is holding her hand and saying he loves her very much.

When she comes round she is on a bed in a recovery room and the first thing she sees is Johns face

“Welcome back sweetie, now don’t try to talk for now, it’s all over, all done. The dentist says you will feel a little sore still but that will pass”

She sits up on the bed

Her mouth does feel sore and weird but no longer ached

John says “You look even cuter now, he had to put braces on, and they will need to stay on for at least 3 months”

He holds a mirror in front of her

“So what do you think?” John said nervously

Emily tries to talk, and says a bit awkwardly “I so feelth sore, and it seems odd, but the pain is gone”

John seems relieved as he says” I am so glad ,now the dentist is going to come back in a moment and check on you then we can go home”

Thirty minutes later after the dentist has checked her, cleared her to leave, given her daddy a list of stuff to avoid such as certain nuts and very acidic foods. Also a special toothbrush for braces with a bunny head, they leave.

As they head to the car her daddy says “You may have trouble talking for a few hours, but I suggest when we get back to the motel, you have a nap and rest”

Emily nods, and thinks she feels still sleepy anyway

He carries from the car and into the room once they get back then undresses her to just her vest and panties and lays her in bed.

He puts some cranberry juice from a bottle in cupboard so it not cold, just tepid and mixes a few grains of Temazepam so she will sleep deeply for several hours.

He gives her the sippy cup, and holds her as she drinks it.

“My thirsty girl “rubbing her back

When she is done he says

“Now sweetie.. There is something else we need to talk about , I have noticed lately when you are very tired, or sleeping, you suck your thumb”

“It’s ok baby, it’s not anything to be ashamed of, but it has contributed to the problem the dentist said, and also now with the braces, it could do further damage”

Emily says “I have only been doing it again for a while, I sthopped years ago” her mouth cottony and still numb.” Her voice a bit slurry

“Well for now, till you can stop again, the dentist gave me these “orthodontic appliances” ,and yes it is like a pacifier”

He takes a clear plastic plain looking pacifier from the packet, and gently pops it in her mouth

“Now when you are sleeping, very tired or when you need to, you can use these, and also you won’t get wet red thumbs”

She sucks it and sees how it feels.

“Well sugar, you have a nap with it and then when you wake up, we will see “

He tucks her up and kisses her head, then closes all the curtains to dim the room

“Have a nice nap, and I love you so much”

Emily was so woozy she did not think about how she had not been to the washroom before naptime.