She led us to a small room and gave the medical table a pat. "Take a seat, Jake. Jake's dad, you can sit over there." She pointed towards a regular chair in the corner.
I got up on the table and started to get nervous.
The nurse started to go through the basics, taking my vitals like temperature, blood pressure, and pulse. She typed the numbers on a computer at the desk, sitting in a small rolling chair. She glanced at me when she was done. "And what is the main reason for your visit today?"
I looked to Dad. He gave me a nod. I took a deep breath and told the nurse. "I want...to get some scars removed."
"Can I take a look?" She asked, scooting closer to me.
I froze, gripping the edges of my shirt.
"Jake's a little shy." Dad spoke up. "We'll wait for Dr. Griffiths to take a look first."
"Alrighty then." She stood up. "He'll be in with you shortly." She left the room, closing the door behind her.
I sighed with relief.
"I think it would be good if you saw Dr. Moore again. Maybe start going back once a week." Dad suggested.
I looked to him, surprised. "But, I'm better."
He gave a small smile, looking a little sad. "I know you are, kiddo. But, he can still help you. You're making progress. Significant progress. I just want what's best for you." His smile drop from his face. "The nurse is a professional, yet you were still scared and insecure to show her what's wrong. You're not letting others do their job. It's not a big deal, but I'm afraid for what that will look like in the future. Will you be afraid of all women nurses and doctors? Will you refuse treatment even though it could be a dangerous situation. I'm worried about you."
"Okay." I swallowed the lump in my throat.
We waited a couple of minutes in silence before there was a knock at the door. Then an older gentleman came in, wearing glasses and a friendly smile. "Good morning everyone. I'm Dr. Griffiths. I understand that Jake is here for scar removal?" He closed the door and sat on the small chair that the nurse vacated. He rolled closed to the examination table and looked me in the eyes.
I nodded.
"Alright. I'll need to take a look." He said calmly.
I took off my shirt and showed him the worst of it.
His expression didn't change in the slightest. He just nodded a little, squinted, and got up to look at my backside. He made eye contact with me. "Do you mind if I touch a few of them?"
"Okay." I sat up and tried to stay calm.
He ran his fingers across a few of the bigger ones, especially around my rib cage. "Do any of them hurt?"
I shook my head. "Not really. Sometimes I'll think that it's hurting, but then I'll remember that it's all healed."
He nodded. "That might be something psychological. Do any of them itch?"
I nodded once. "Some of them, but not all the time."
"Part of the healing process." He closely examined every scar then went to the desk. He grabbed a clipboard and wrote down some notes. After he finished he sat down and looked at both me and Dad. "Now let me tell you what I think we should do: laser treatments."
Dad was surprised. "Treatments? As in, more than one?"
Dr. Griffiths nodded. "Correct. Laser treatment isn't just a one-and-done procedure. You'll be able to see some improvement in the scars appearance after one treatment, but for the best results, I always suggest multiple treatments. Especially for a case like Jake's. It's also important to note that the scars won't disappear. They'll always be there, but won't stand out as much. Laser treatment have also been known to reduce pain and itch even though that's not one of your main reasons for removal."
"Is it only a minuscule improvement?" Dad asked, frowning.
Dr. Griffiths shook his head. "It varies. The type of scar and the skin play a role in the treatment." He looked at me. "The redness will go down on those few scars. We'll be able to smooth out the more bumpy ones. Nothing is a 100% guarantee, but if it's just the appearance you're concerned about, I can definitely help you."
"That's great to hear." Dad answered for me. "Jake is insecure about his scars so any improvement at all should help. What's the next step?"
"Schedule a laser treatment with our nurse. We can start as soon as next month. It's nothing too painful, but I would recommend having some Tylenol on hand for the next few days. And then every other month we can revisit and do our best to help the scars fade and heal."
"Sounds like a plan." Dad agreed.
Dr. Griffiths stood up. "Great. I'll send in the nurse to schedule your next appointment." He went over to shake Dad's hand and then came over to me. I gave my hand and he gave it a single shake before heading for the door. "I'll see you next month."
He left, leaving me alone with Dad. I turned to him. "So...it'll get better? Even though it won't disappear?"
Dad nodded. "Yes."
The nurse came in, cutting off any other questions I had. "Hi, I heard we're scheduling a first-time laser treatment in here?"
We nodded.
"Alright, here's some information to have before you show up for that appointment." She started handing Dad some sheets of paper, explaining what each one is. Then with his instructions, she schedule me an appointment for the middle of July. We spent more time with her than the doctor, but Dad didn't seem upset by that fact.
We finished up with the nurse and were out of the office by 11am. We walked to the car and got in. Dad already had a spot picked out for lunch, and I didn't mind. It was a cafe on the beach, so we ate lunch with a view.
I liked spending time with Dad. He didn't force a conversation, yet was still easy to get along with. Kind of like a mix of Zeke and Noah.
At one point, I brought up the fact that Jeremy doesn't call Uncle Jack dad. I explained his reasoning and how I felt a little sad about it on his behalf.
He nodded. "Makes sense. He loved his dad and probably grew up idolizing him. I was the same way. Even though my dad failed to live up to expectations, no one has ever replaced him. I've had father figures that I looked up to, but I couldn't call someone 'dad'."
This made me more uncomfortable. "So I shouldn't call Mom 'mom' anymore?"
"Do what makes you happy." Dad told me. "I couldn't be happy with a dad. I know 'mom' is a sensitive topic for you, but the way you are with Mary, I think you'll be happy with it."
I nodded. "I am happy. I like your family."
"Our family." He smiled.
I nodded again. "Right. Our family."