Summary: Jodi takes her sons to the Pelican Town library. A few days later, she takes Vincent in for his first doctor’s appointment in Pelican Town.
“What did you just do?!”
Jodi loudly whispered to her sons. Vincent giggled madly in the library.
“Nooo-thiiiing…” Vincent drew the word out, and his smile said that it was so much more devious than just nothing. And Sam wasn’t helping either.
It had been nearly a year since Kent took off to fight in the war. To take their mind off the gradually more scary updates on the war against the Gotoro Empire (and thus more nerves about Kent), Jodi thought it would be a good idea to take her boys to the library that Saturday morning. She grabbed a bag with some snacks and they were off to spend the day in the library. When Sam disappeared around the corner, she had thought that he went to talk with Penny, Sam’s friend (maybe more?) and Vincent’s school teacher. To wind down and pass the time, Jodi picked a romance novel from the shelves and began to read.
A few minutes later, she heard the crunch of chips. Like the snacks she had in her bag. She checked the bag, and sure enough, the small stack of sour cream and onion Pringles had disappeared.
“Sam!” she asked again.
“Yeah, Mom?”
“Did you take any snacks out of my bag?”
“Of course not.”
Unfortunately for her, Sam had a lot more experience lying, and after she peeked through and around the shelves, she didn’t see any evidence of the missing tin of chips.
Disappointed, she slunk back into her seat, held the bag at what was left of the snacks in her lap, and returned to reading.
“A reminder, boys: dinner tonight is lentil soup.”
“Aw…” Both boys whined, but they said nothing more. They knew what crime they were guilty of, and this was Jodi’s easiest way to punish them without telling them it’s a punishment. If they were innocent, they were more likely to put up a fight about dinner plans. But as they didn’t fight, she knew they had indeed taken the chips. She smirked at her little victory.
After she finished the chapter of her book, content with its premise, she told her boys to quickly finish choosing their books and the three went over to Gunther to check their books out.
She thought nothing else of the day’s incident.
~
A few days later, Jodi walked her son Vincent to the clinic. Vincent had a 1 PM appointment for his next round of vaccines.
Jodi winced. More than anything, Vincent hates going to the doctor. She warned him of the visit a few days ago, of course, but if it wasn’t for Sam helping to take him mind off of the visit and it being Vincent’s birthday yesterday, she would have heard so much more pleading and begging than she already has. She was already beginning to feel a little crazy. But he’ll just have to deal with it, just as she deals with him.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. It was the reminder she set to remind her of the time to leave. Also, a text from Caroline: Good luck with Vincent today!
Jodi smiled. Her friend remembered the conversation they shared two days ago and her concern with how well Vincent will take to visiting a new doctor. She quickly texted her friend and fellow parent back: Thanks!
“Vincent!” She shouted from the kitchen. “It’s time to go!”
Vincent sniffed. He had been crying on his bed since she told him they were going to the doctor ten minutes ago. “Do I have to get my shots?”
“Yes, dear. They will help you become big and strong.” Speaking of big, was Vincent a little short for his age? Another question she would have to ask Doctor Harvey.
“Like Daddy?”
A pain shot through Jodi’s heart. “Yes, Vincent, like Daddy.”
Thankfully, this comparison helped him find the resolve to make the brief walk to the clinic. Jodi held his hand as they slowly walked to the clinic. Maru, Robin’s daughter, smiled at them and checked them in for the appointment. Jodi hoped Vincent’s bit of courage and inspiration would last long enough to make it through their wait in the lobby, but to no avail.
Vincent shifted in his seat, and a little tear streamed down his cheek. “Mommy, don’t make me do it.” His wide, glistening eyes begged. The poor boy was so nervous!
Jodi sat him onto her lap and gave him a big hug. He squeezed back. “Be brave, Vincent. Think of your father.”
Vincent nodded, but still clung to her like a monkey. Her little monkey. Gently she rubbed his back to console him.
Finally, she heard the door open, and in came Doctor Harvey, a tall man ten, maybe fifteen, years her junior. He smiled when he looked over to them. “Vincent, is it?” he asked in a pleasant voice.
Vincent pulled himself from Jodi and nodded to the doctor.
“I’m Doctor Harvey.” The kind doctor said. “Let’s go to the examination room.”
Jodi and Vincent followed him down the hall. Harvey had Vincent weighed and his height measured, and recorded the numbers on his clipboard. Then they walked into the exam room. The room looked just like any other exam room in Zuzu City, except that it was a little bit small, and an out-of-place tin of Pringles sat on the countertop.
Vincent leaned into Jodi’s side, as if to shrink away. But she didn’t understand why he was staring at the tin of Pringles, until a closer inspection, that is. This tin had rounded rectangular glasses drawn on Mr. Pringle, and a shirt and jacket drawn around his tie. She glanced at Doctor Harvey and recognized the resemblance. The green tin even almost matched Harvey’s signature sport coat.
“Oh, that?” Harvey chuckled. “I found it in the library a few days ago. I thought nothing of it at first as it was empty and near a trash can, but then I spotted the drawing on it. I liked it so much I decided to keep it.” He then looked at Vincent. “Do you happen to know who drew it? I’d like to ask for his autograph.”
“It was me!” Vincent laughed. “I drew the glasses.”
So that’s what he was snickering about in the library, Jodi realized. She found herself smiling and stifling a laugh.
Harvey grabbed the tin, and carried it and a marker over to Vincent for him to sign. Next to the can, she realized, were a tray with Vincent’s shots all ready to go.
Harvey let Vincent write his name on the tin in big fat letters that looked more like squiggles than letters as they wrapped around the container.
“Hmm…” Doctor Harvey thought aloud, “this looks like my own signature.”
Jodi and Vincent cackled as Harvey placed the Pringles tin back on the countertop, Mr. Pringle’s face and the V in Vincent’s signature pointed out to them.
“So Vincent, why did you go to the library on Saturday?”
“Mom wanted to go!” Vincent replied merrily. “She wanted us to look for a few new books to read. But I don’t read books as big as hers. I like to play with my toys!”
And in the middle of the sentence, Doctor Harvey managed to put a sanitizing wipe on Vincent’s arm and put one shot into it. Vincent’s eyes grew wide in surprise. Jodi feared he was going to cry.
“I– I didn’t feel anything!” Vincent exclaimed.
“Good.” Doctor Harvey smiled. “I was just about to ask if you did. Now, how about you tell me more about your toys?”
Vincent babbled on about some of his favorite toys: a train, a funky green creature called Foroguemon (not FrogMan, Foroguemon) that acted as both a superhero and a bad guy. In the meanwhile, Doctor Harvey managed to give him his other shots, all while Vincent was distracted from talking.
And, most importantly, Vincent allowed it to happen.
“Alright, Vincent,” concluded Doctor Harvey, “you’re finished with your shots!”
Vincent nearly stood up in his seat. “Hooray!” He cheered.
Jodi couldn’t help but to smile as well. The day she feared would go so wrong went so well. To her relief, Pelican Town’s doctor could make her child feel at ease. No other had been able to accomplish that before.
“Doctor, do I get a lollipop for being so brave?”
“Vincent–”
“It is fine, Jodi.” Harvey reassured her. He knew perfectly well of the Zuzu City doctor custom of rewarding children with lollipops after their doctor’s appointment. “As a matter of fact, Maru has a bowl of sugar-free candies at the front counter for brave patients such as yourself, Vincent. You may pick one, but you might have to wait until after dinner before you can enjoy it.” He glanced back at Jodi.
Jodi released a sigh of relief. “Yes, you can pick your candy now, and eat it for dessert after dinner.”
“Yay!”
The three walked down the halls and back to the main lobby where, sure enough, Maru had a bowl of candy waiting. As Vincent sorted through the bowl, trying to pick the best and biggest piece of candy, Jodi whispered her thanks to the good doctor and he cleared up some of the questions she had.
She’ll have to order pizza and bring out the ginger ale for dinner tonight.
