Waiting Room

Waiting Room

Claire walked nervously into the cream coloured waiting room. It was a small, square room with a door to the right which had a closed hatch beside it. Along the left-hand wall was a row of three chairs. Another patient sat on the farthest one reading a magazine which she'd chosen from others scattered on a low coffee table in the middle of the room.
Claire went over to the hatch. There was a white button to the left with a 'ring for attention' sign beside it. She pressed it and waited.
After a moment the hatch slid back and she was confronted with the smiling face of a receptionist, small dimples in her cheeks.
'Hi, I'm a new patient,' said Claire tentatively. 'I've got a two o'clock appointment with Doctor Stanley.' She tried to force a smile.
'And your name, please?' asked the nurse as she opened an appointments book on the wooden counter before her and flicked to the relevant page.
'Claire Sawtry,' she replied.
'If you'd just like to take a seat, I'll call you when the Doctor is ready.'
Claire nodded and turned away as the hatch slid shut once more. She stepped over to the chairs, wiping her clammy palms on her black skirt.
'Hi,' greeted the other woman with a polite smile as she looked up from her magazine. She was wearing navy trousers and a white blouse, and had short brown hair. She seemed very calm and Claire wished she could feel the same way.
'Hello,' replied Claire as she took the left-hand seat, an empty place remaining between her and the other woman.
She crossed her legs and clasped her hands together on her lap as she took a few deep breaths to try and calm herself.
'First time?' asked the other woman.
Claire turned to her and nodded. 'Yes.'
'There's nothing to worry about. Psychologists aren't that different from normal doctors.' She smiled, grey eyes sparkling. 'I'm Sarah, by the way,' added the woman, holding her right hand out over the empty chair.
'Claire,' she replied as they shook hands.
'What are you in for?' Sarah rested the magazine on her lap.
'Nightmares,' replied Claire with a frown, running her right hand through her long, dark hair.
'Really?' Sarah raised her right eyebrow. 'What about?'
'Spiders.' A shiver ran down Claire's spine. 'I've got arachnophobia, but lately it's got worse. I keep dreaming about big, black, hairy beasts crawling in my hair and on my face. I can hardly sleep.'
Sarah looked at the dark circles around Claire's eyes. 'Sounds bad. Have you tried treatment before?'
Claire shook her head. 'No. To be honest, I feel a bit foolish.'
'You shouldn't do. Lots of people have phobias, and a great deal of them are to do with spiders. I can't stand the things myself.' Sarah smiled reassuringly.
'I suppose you're right,' conceded Claire, smiling weakly and sighing. 'I hope the doctor isn't going to make me hold a tarantula or something terrible like that.' Her smile vanished and was replaced by a deep frown as the hairs on the back of her neck tingled.
Sarah couldn't help but chuckle. 'I doubt it. You need to be cured, not scared out of your wits.'
'But I thought that's how they cured these things, by making you come face-to-face with your fear.'
'Only sometimes. There's other ways I'm sure.' Sarah paused for thought a moment. 'Have you tried reading before going to bed or starting a new hobby you can do in the evenings?'
'No.' Claire looked confused. 'How would that help?'
'It would turn your attention to other things, stop you thinking about the nightmares. Once you stop dwelling on them they'll be less likely to reoccur.'
'You really think so.' Claire's tone was hopeful.
'Yes I do,' nodded Sarah. 'Buy yourself a good book and you'll be going to bed wondering what's going to happen next rather than worrying about having bad dreams again.' She smiled warmly.
The hatch slid back to reveal the receptionist's rounded and friendly face. 'Miss Sawtry,' she called.
'Thanks for that. I feel much better now,' said Claire happily, feeling much more confident than when she'd first entered.
'No problem. Glad to have met you, Claire,' replied Sarah.
'And you.' Claire rose and walked over to the door opposite her, just to the right of the hatch.
Turning and briefly smiling at Sarah, she held up her right hand, her fingers crossed. Claire then went through the door and found herself in a hallway. At the far end was a door with 'exit' written above it and there was another doorway to her left, the receptionist standing there with a small piece of card in her hands.
'There you go,' said the receptionist as she handed Claire the card. 'Your next appointment will be in a week's time, that's if you still need it,' she grinned.
'What?' Claire looked down at the card in confusion, her brow creased.
'The doctor will see you again next week,' reiterated the receptionist.
'But¦' Claire stopped, suddenly realising what had happened. She glanced over her shoulder at the door she'd just come through.
'Doctor Stanley always likes to meet new patients that way, it makes things more informal,' smiled the woman, her dimples deepening.
Claire chuckled, her nightmares completely forgotten as she turned and headed for the exit.