Doc sat behind the desk and picked up a pen. Linc led her to one of the two chairs sitting in front of the desk. She bit her lip nervously, her leg moving up and down.
Doc didn’t look up. “You can sit on Linc’s lap if that makes you less nervous. Although I promise not to bite.”
“Oh, umm.”
“Most Littles prefer to sit on their Daddy’s lap when they come to see me,” he told her conversationally. As though they were making small talk about the weather.
She felt herself going bright red. “Is it that obvious?”
This time, he did look up. “What?”
“That I’m a . . . Little?”
Suddenly, his face softened with a smile. “No, sweetie. Well, maybe if you’re looking for it. But I asked Linc when he made the appointment and he said you were.”
She glanced at Linc, not sure that she wanted people to know. Then again, didn’t she know about the other Littles on the ranch? That Caley had two daddies?
“He only told me in case you wanted to slip into Little space while you’re here,” Doc told her in an almost gentle voice. “Some Littles prefer to come to the doctor in that headspace. Some don’t. It’s up to you.”
“Doc, how come you’re never this nice when I come to see you?” Linc grumbled.
“Because you’re late,” Doc snapped.
“This is the only time I’ve ever been late.”
“No, you were late for your very first appointment with me.”
Linc sighed. “Eight years ago. Jesus, Doc, you have to let things go.”
“Why?”
She knew they were bantering back and forth to give her time to figure things out. Doc turned to her.
“Um, I think I’m too nervous to be in, uhh, Little headspace.”
Doc just nodded. Then he started asking her a series of questions. Linc reached over and took her hand in his. She gave it a grateful squeeze, pleased she didn’t have to do this all on her own. The questions were all straightforward, though.
Then he started asking her questions about her diabetes.
“So you don?
?t use a continuous glucose monitor?” he asked.
“No, my aunt’s insurance wouldn’t fully cover the costs. Or at least that’s what she told me.” Who knew if it was really the truth? Maybe the insurance would cover the monitor and her aunt lied to her out of spite.
“So if I order a monitor along with a supply of sensors, you’ll use it? And would you use an insulin pump?”
“Oh.” She looked at Linc. “Well, yes. If that’s okay?”
“Why wouldn’t it be okay?” Doc gave her a bewildered look.
“She’s worried about the cost, Doc,” Linc told him.
“Why the hell would you worry about that? It’s under Linc’s insurance. Not your job to worry about it. Got me?”
“All right.”
“Sounds like you’re doing good with managing it. But this will make your life easier and ensure that we are taking good care of you. You can now get some that are incorporated with insulin pumps. You can personalize them to your lifestyle and can get your blood glucose levels sent to your phone and to Linc’s and mine if you agree to that. It will better help us monitor your health.”