The Royal Contract

“I think it will be better if you hold her hands.” Sebastian looked at Marcus, instructing him to stand closer to the patient. “Now, you just have to be brave and trust me.” The doctor then turned to Jacky, who was sitting on the bed.

He could already see the anxiousness on her face as the nurse entered the cubicle, carrying the tray that he would use for the mild procedure.

“Hey, come on, relax. I am here. I am not leaving your side.” Marcus finally took that as his cue to take control of the situation. He was not standing by and allowing the doctor to believe he knew his girlfriend more than he did.

However, he was surprised to see her face suddenly turn pale as she stared at the tray on the other side of the bed. Finally, he understood that her fear was not superficial but authentic.

He quickly stood by her side and grabbed her hand, holding it firmly against his. He figured it was his opportunity to show her that she could also depend on him.

“Well, are you ready?” Sebastian asked after he had prepared everything he would need for the stitches.

.....

“No.” She sarcastically answered, but her voice was slightly trembling.

“You can close your eyes if you do not wish to see the procedure. I will try to be gentle as possible.” He tried to assure her, putting his hand over her other hand.

He noticed that her hands were also too pale as she held tightly to the edge of the bed. He decided to avoid showing her the injection that he would use to anesthetize the affected area, hoping to lessen her fear.

It was not the first time he encountered patients who never liked needles. A lot of them were not kids either, just like her. But he could not blame them. Trauma and phobia were illnesses that could not be easily fixed, while many remained uncured.

“Come on. I know you can handle this.” Marcus whispered in her ears as he pulled her gently closer to his body, wrapping her shoulders in his arm.

He wanted to assure her that she would be alright, hoping that this simple act would be enough to show her that she could always count on him.

However, his eyes sharpened at the way the doctor was holding her other hand. He knew that he should not feel threatened by another man, but he could not help it.

“Thanks, both of you.” She looked at Marcus and then Sebastian for comforting her. She never liked feeling vulnerable. But at the moment, she could not control it. “I am sorry about this.”

As much as possible, she never showed anyone her fear. Always putting her brave front in everything she did. It was the only way she had survived on the street and during her stay in those foster homes.

But, just like the rest of the human race, she was not perfect. She finally showed one of her weaknesses, and it was not something she was comfortable with.

“No need to say sorry. We all have our weak moments.” Marcus finally found the right words to say. At least, he thought that was what boyfriends should say in a time like this.

He admitted that jumping into this committed relationship was not easy for him. He had never been in one and had no prior knowledge of handling a situation such as this.

“Are we ready?” Sebastian asked, squeezing her hand again for confirmation.

When he saw her nod her head and close her eyes, he gently positioned her on the movable table on the side of the bed and checked her wound.

It was a relatively simple procedure, so he had nothing to worry about. Carefully, he started with the numbing injection before closing the wound.

“Tell me if you feel any kind of pain.” He reminded her as he continued to sew the wound.

He could see that she was struggling to fight her fear. He could not help but be proud of her. She was still the Jacky he had met not a long time ago.

“Just hold on to me. Squeeze my hand if you have to.” Marcus also told her, slightly competing for her attention. He felt like he should do more to show her that his presence was also relevant in this situation.

He assumed that she would use his arms for support as she waited for the procedure to finish. But he did not expect she would wrap her fingers around it and grasp it tightly.

Her grip was forceful but not enough to make him wince. He could see a tinge of pinkish marks caused by her fingers burying on his skin. He did not mind that at all.

But the nails digging into his flesh was another matter. He could expect punctured wounds later on when this was all over. But those sorts of things were not something he would be concerned about.

“That was not that bad.” Sebastian finally said after putting his metallic tools back on the tray. “I am almost done.”

He made a final check on his handiwork and felt satisfied. One thing he was getting good at was his surgical skills. Soon, he was hoping that he could finish his fellowship and be a specialized surgeon.

“Can I open my eyes?” She asked, still a bit shaken by her recent experience.

She still could not figure out what made her fear injections or anything with needles. That was why she never tried sewing any of her ripped clothes.

She had no prior memories of being in a situation where she had a traumatic experience with it. Anyway, she was glad it was over, and she could finally breathe easily.

“Yes, it is done.” Sebastian patted her hand to confirm that the ordeal was over and she could relax.

He was glad that it was the only problem he had to fix. If it had been something worse, then Jacky might have an early heart attack, he thought with a smile, shaking his head with his internal joke.

He was not about to share that with her. He did not want her to take it the wrong way. Besides, he was still her doctor, and he should practice proper decorum inside his workspace.

Another thing he had noticed, Marcus was looking at him in not such a friendly way. He could only presume that the boyfriend was not particularly keen on his presence.

“You did great, Jacky.” Marcus pulled her again in a tender hug, kissing the top of her head but avoiding the newly stitched-up wound. “Can I now take her home?”

He could not wait to take her home and leave the place. He did not like hospitals, but who in their right minds would, except for doctors and hospital staff, of course.

At the same time, he was not comfortable watching how the two were communicating. The only thing missing was for the two to finish each other’s sentences.

“Of course.” Sebastian could see his eagerness to leave. It was written all over his face and could be heard from his tone.

He hoped that his friendship with Jacky would not cause any problem because he would like to keep in touch with her. He already had decided not to pursue her, but he realized that he still enjoyed her company.

However, if Marcus kept seeing him as a threat to their relationship, then maybe, it would not be wise for him to check on her once in a while. Although it would be a shame if that was the case. He hated to lose a good friend.