Count to Three, Jonah
Jonah's checkup was going very well. Nurse Amy had measured how tall he was, and Jonah had stood so straight his neck got stretchy. Dinosaur stood tall beside him too, tail high. Nurse Amy wrote down a big number and smiled.
Then she listened to his heart, and it went thump, thump, strong as a drum. Jonah giggled. The cold circle tickled his chest. Dad sat nearby with a hand on Jonah's shoulder. Everything was easy so far, and Jonah liked it.
"One last thing," Nurse Amy said. "A shot. I'll get ready and be right back." Jonah's face scrunched up. His lip wobbled, big and plain for everyone to see. "I don't want it," he said, and Dinosaur pressed close against his side.
Dad crouched down so they were eye to eye. "I'll tell you the truth, buddy," he said. "It pinches for a moment. Then it is done." Jonah thought about that. A pinch was small. A pinch he knew. He sniffed and nodded slowly.
"Let's wait in the waiting room until she's ready," Dad said. Jonah hopped down and walked out with Dad's hand in his. Dinosaur's tail swished behind them. The waiting room was bright and quiet, with a rug and a low table.
Jonah chose the blocks from the basket by the table. He stacked a wide base first, because a tower needs a strong bottom. Then up it went, blue block on blue block. Dinosaur held the tall part steady with a careful nose.
The tower reached Jonah's chin and stayed there, straight and proud. "Strong bottom," Jonah told Dad. Dad nodded. "Strong like you." Jonah's shoulders came down from his ears, and his breathing slowed.
"Jonah?" Nurse Amy called from the door. Jonah took a breath and walked back with Dad and Dinosaur. In her hand she held a sheet of bandages. "Want to see which one you get?"
They were green, and every one was covered in smiling dinosaurs. Jonah's eyes went wide. "Dinosaurs!" He looked at Dinosaur, and Dinosaur looked at him. "After the pinch, you get one," said Nurse Amy. Jonah almost smiled.
"Which arm do you pick?" Nurse Amy asked. Jonah looked at his left. He looked at his right. He wiggled each one to check. "This one," he said, and held out his left arm, the one farthest from his heart-drum.
"And I want to squeeze Dad's hand," Jonah said. "And count to three. Out loud. Me." Dad grinned. "Those are great choices." Dad held out his big hand, and Jonah wrapped both of his around it.
Now it was time. Nurse Amy wiped his arm with a cool cotton ball, and Jonah felt his tummy flutter. He decided how to sit, because that was his choice too.
Jonah climbed up on the paper-covered table and sat tall, holding Dad's hand. He looked away at the blue curtain and breathed out slowly, like blowing on soup. "One," he said. "Two." His grip got tight. "Three!"
It pinched, just like Dad said. And then it was over. Nurse Amy pressed the dinosaur bandage on his arm, smoothing it flat. "All done, Jonah." Jonah stared at his arm. He had done it, and he had counted all by himself.
Dad lifted Jonah down and gave him the biggest hug, the kind that lifts your feet. "You were brave," he said. Jonah's grin burst out. Dinosaur bumped his head against them both. Then they walked to pick a sticker.
