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A/N: 05.12.20
🌻🌻🌻
I made a greater effort to eat my fruits and vegetables, not only because I didn’t want Parker and Freddie to worry, but also because Parker came to my house once a week with bags of grocery.
He filled my cupboards with pasta and grains, and supplied my refrigerator with fruits, vegetables, and fish. Every time I asked him how much he spent so I could repay him, he told me he forgot the receipt. Although, I didn’t believe him.
He and Freddie would also take me out to eat on Saturday nights, showing me their favorite restaurants and riding the bus with me. I was happy to have met such great friends, and would always be thankful to the universe and fate. Everything was fine until Dr. George Philip sent me a message.
He sent me the address and hour that I had to meet my new doctor. As reluctant as I was, I knew I couldn’t disobey him, so I typed in the location into my GPS and headed out.
I arrived at a private clinic, checked in, and met with the doctor. He was a tall man with dark hair and eyes. His handsomeness struck me. Even at his age, which I assumed was in his late forties, he aged like fine wine: a clean shaven angular jaw, distinct cheekbones, thick groomed brows…
The only features that gave away his age were the few extra lines on his face. I walked into his office and we went through the usual medical protocol. When he took down notes, I couldn’t help but stare at him. He looked familiar, but I couldn’t put my finger on a name. Perhaps we had met in another life.
“Your heart seems to beat at a normal rate,” he said, removing the blood pressure cuff from my arm. “Have you had any other problems apart from the dizziness?”
“No, sir.”
I knew I should have addressed him as doctor, but I felt like ‘sir’ suited him just as well.
“Dr. Philip informed me you had problems eating. Have you been working on that?”
“I’ve been trying.”
“We’ll check the scale. You’ll need to take your clothes off.”
My eyes dropped from his merciless dark eyes, and I stared at my lap. My jeans looked bigger. Or perhaps I became smaller.
“Can I keep my clothes on?” I asked.
“I need to write down your exact weight.”
“I can weigh myself and tell you the number,” I suggested.
His voice remained indifferent.
“I have to assist you during this process. We have patients who lie about their weight.”
“I promise I won’t lie,” I frowned, feeling great discomfort.
“I believe you.” His husky voice softened, and I looked up at him. “But as a doctor, I need to follow the rules, or I wouldn’t be a doctor, would I?”
“You would, just not a good one.”
A smile grew on Dr. Anderson’s lips, and he looked even more handsome. I wondered if the women in this clinic ever got distracted working with him.
I tried to negotiate with Dr. Anderson, but he seemed to be a man who was firm on the rules. He was a good doctor, but I didn’t think it played in my favor.
We went to a room with lots of medical supplies. I took my clothes off but kept my briefs. Dr. Anderson showed no interest in my body and remained professional the entire time. I mounted on the scale, gulping air, hoping it would increase the number, and Dr. Anderson wrote the results.
“Thank you, Conan. I’ll wait for you in the other room while you dress.” He left and closed the door behind him. I put my clothes back on and joined him in his office.
I realized my hands were shaking and tried to squeeze them to make them stop, but the my legs trembled, and I frowned.
“How are the results?” I asked, my voice quiet.
“You’re underweight,” he said. “I’ve looked at your medical files Dr. Philip sent me, and you’ve lost two kilograms since your last medical checkup.”
“I walk a lot.”
“You don’t eat enough,” he corrected.
I squeezed my hands tighter.
“But I’m trying,” I tried to tell him. “A very good friend of mine has filled my cupboards with food, and he takes me out to eat whenever he’s not busy.”
“He sounds like a very good friend,” Dr. Anderson softly said.
“He’s a very good person, too,” I said. Thinking and speaking of Parker calmed me a bit, and my body seemed to tremble a little less. A warm feeling spread in my chest as I thought of Parker’s wonderful forehead and his infamous scowl.
“Make sure to thank that person,” he noted.
“I will,” I said, taking a mental note.
Dr. Anderson asked me a couple more questions and took down notes as he did. I wondered if he’d tell Dr. George Philip everything. I hope he didn’t.
“I’m going to write lists of food that you should eat every day. If you want to get better, you’ll follow the regimen dutifully. Doctors can only do so much, the rest is up to their patient’s own will. You want to get better, don’t you?” He stared at me with his piercing eyes, and I gulped. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
He began typing into his computer and printed out a paper, handing it to me. It was a schedule with snacks and meals I had to eat every day. It looked more like a challenge than a cure.
“This is a lot of food,” I murmured.
“Humans need to eat to live. Don’t you ever get hungry?”
“No, not anymore.” I paused. “Does that mean I’m not human?”
Dr. Anderson chuckled. His laugh was deep and soft, like gentle ripples in a calm lake. It could be someone’s ring tone.
“Rest assure, you are very much human.”
That didn’t reassure me, but I nodded.
“Thank you.”
“Your lack of hunger is most likely due to what happened to you in the past,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean you aren’t human, Conan. Never forget that.”
“I’ll try not to.”
“I know it won’t be easy, but you have to keep trying. You’re a smart boy, Conan, and you’re better than what you give yourself credit for.”
“That’s very kind of you, but you don’t know me.”
“I know you were mistreated,” he said. His voice was firm, and his gaze was cold. But I preferred Dr. Anderson much more than Dr. Philip George. He didn’t pretend to be nice or optimistic and didn’t put on a fake smile. Instead, he spoke to me with facts and the truth. Doctors like him were rare.
“Thank you for your help, Dr. Anderson,” I said. He nodded.
“Come again soon, okay? I’ll schedule our next appointment,” he said. Dr. Anderson asked me which day I could come, and I told him in two weeks.
I smiled and gathered my papers. I left his office, but my eyes widened when I saw Parker standing at the door. He was just about to knock.
“Dandelion?” he asked, his brows pulling together. “What are you doing here?”
My heart thumped against my chest, and the blood from my neck drained down my neck. I felt like he had caught me committing a crime. His eyes darted from me to Dr. Anderson before they narrowed back at me.
Before I could say anything, Dr. Anderson spoke first.
“Son, you’re here early. I told you to come at three,” he sighed.
And then everything made sense. The dark hair and eyes, the height, the similar jawline… Dr. Anderson and I hadn’t met in a previous lifetime. He was Parker’s father.
🌻🌻🌻
Dear,
Parker is mad.
It’s been a week since he had found me at his father’s clinic. He had pulled me aside and bombarded me with questions: Are you okay? Why are you here? Are you sick? Why didn’t you tell me? Did you lie to me? I remained silent, not knowing how to respond. He raised his voice, frustrated, confused, and worried. He had every right to be upset. Yet, I couldn’t answer a single one of his questions.
Dr. Anderson, his father, stepped in and told me to go home. This upset Parker. As I left, I could hear Parker arguing with his father from behind. He then shouted my name, but I didn’t stop or look back, and left as quickly as I could.
Would Dr. Anderson tell Parker about my problems? I hope he didn’t. He was a doctor; it was against the law to give out confidential information. I was ashamed that I was more worried about Parker finding out the truth than Parker being upset about my secret. After that day, I avoided Parker at all costs, and eventually, he avoided me.
Whenever I saw Parker at school, he was often with a girl. He’d invite them to his place, and I’d hear them laughing and pleasure fight. Most of the time, he sounded drunk, and that saddened me deeply. He was returning to his bad habits, but so was I. It’s been three days since I haven’t had a full meal.
The Dark Thoughts have returned. I try to busy myself with books and philosophy, but nothing works. I wish I could apologize to Parker, but I don’t know if he’ll forgive me.
I’m a terrible friend.
It hurts.
Yours truly
🌻🌻🌻
A/N: Which one of my books would you like to see as a paperback next? I would love to know 🥰
Please don’t forget to leave a vote if you enjoyed the chapters 💕
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