Yes.

The Doctor’s questions had been exactly what I expected. Did I smoke? Did I ever drink? Would I consider myself to be an active person? I’d got a bit embarrassed when he had asked if I was sexually active, but I’d been honest with him, no, never, I was a virgin.

With the questions over he had given me the same warm smile that had initially put me at ease and called through the door into the waiting room that I had been in before speaking to him.

“Nurse Roberts, could you please come in here?” the Doctor beckoned to a slim blonde woman that, at a guess, was not much older than me. The white nurse’s uniform clung to her body, showing off her petite figure as she entered the room. Platinum blonde hair, held in place by a high ponytail, cascaded down behind her back. Her bright blue eyes crinkled as she smiled at me.

“Hi Jake, I’m Sarah,” her smile brightened as I rose to my feet.

“H-h-hey,” I managed, an obvious blush had begun colouring my cheeks.

We left the Doctor’s office, taking a left and heading into a room dominated by a reclining chair with arm rests on either side that reminded me of a dentist’s chair.

“No need to be nervous now,” Sarah beamed, “it’ll be over before you know it.”

I sat down on the seat, fidgeting slightly with my hands as Sarah prepared the injection. I could not keep myself from glancing over and admiring her beauty as she bustled around the room collecting the syringe and other things she needed. When she bent over to open the fridge that presumably held the vitamins for the shot I nearly choked on my own drool. The sheer white fabric of her uniform clung to her like it was painted on, and, for a split second, I had completely forgotten about the ensuing jab.

I hastily turned my gaze to the tray that she had placed on a trolley next to my seat, my eyes locked on the needle and my anxiety returned. I hated, and I mean hated, needles. I think it came from a bad experience I had had with a dentist when I was a child, I’d needed a filling and he had been anything other than gentle when administering pain relief. It was that, or as the Doctor had suggested, I may have feared little pricks.

“Sarah returned to the trolley, apparently satisfied with what she had collected, and took a seat on a wheeled stool next to me.

“I can tell you’re a little nervous about the injection Jake,” she began, ‘but don’t worry, I’ll be gentle.”

She began taking things out of their sealed wrappers and arranging them on the tray. I chose to look away and towards the door, expecting, at any moment, a sharp sting in my upper arm as she administered the injection.

My arm was laying on the arm rest, tensed in apprehension of the pain.

I felt a light tickle on my upper arm and then Sarah’s soft hands caressing my skin.

“All done,” said Sarah in her bubbly voice.

“You’re kidding?” I stuttered in disbelief, “I didn’t feel a thing.”

“I’m a pro Jake,” Sarah giggled, her bright eyes creasing with her laughter, “now just sit here for a few minutes, some people can get a bit woozy after their jabs.”

“Thanks Sarah,” I smiled, absolutely relieved that it was over, “I’ll just sit back and take a breather.”

My arm felt completely normal. That was the easiest $500 I’d ever made.

“I’m just going to go and talk with the Doctor,” said Sarah, getting up from the stool and heading towards the door. “If he’s happy with everything you can come and get your money and we’ll schedule your follow up appointments.”

I smiled at her as she left, giving her a brief thumbs up before watching her leave the room.

I sat there for what seemed like only a few seconds before the Doctor entered the room.

“Hi Jake,” he began, sitting on the stool that had been previously used by Sarah.

“Hey Doc.”

“So, everything has gone well, and it looks like you’ve had no adverse reactions,” he grinned, looking at the paperwork he held in his hands. “We’re going to need to see you again a few times though, just to make sure the jab is doing what it’s supposed to, so I want you to come back in about two weeks, and again another two weeks after that. We’ll pay you each time, $100 for each follow up, and I’m sorry to say that we will have to take a blood sample on both occasions.”

I returned his grin, “As long as it’s Sarah taking the blood, I doubt that that will be a problem Doc.”

“She’s an excellent clinician, isn’t she,” the Doctor gave me a knowing look, “and luckily she’s my dedicated nurse so that will not be a problem.”

I smiled dumbly, getting to see Sarah again would have been payment enough in my eyes, but the talk about extra cash really didn’t hurt either.

I took a note of the dates the Doctor gave for my next appointment, and, with a smile, I left the surgery with $500 and a song in my heart.