I've Been There Too

Writers: Leigh M-F., Paula
Date Posted: 18th April 2015

Characters: Uetia, Lokkun
Description: Love and loss are universal. Healing can be, too.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 12, day 3 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Sabonus

Lokkun stepped into the waiting room with a clipboard in hand. Today he was escorting patients to available examination rooms, asking some standard questions and writing them down, and then stepping aside so journeymen or masters could treat the patients. So far, there had been nothing out of the ordinary; just some joint pains, a couple of mild allergic reactions, and a migraine headache. Hopefully the trend would continue. "Uetia?" he called to the patients in the room.

"Yes, that's me," Uetia got up from the bench, bit slowly for her lower back ached and towered over the apprentice. Her pregnancy was so far along that it couldn't be hidden any more. Not that she ever tried to.

Lokkun was used to having to look up at people, being just five-seven, but he had never needed to look that far. Goodness gracious. "You could use my head as an armrest," he noted with some awe, and then realized that could be seen as rude. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be flip," he apologized. "If you'll please come with me?"

"Very funny," Uetia scowled at him. Being big had been a bit of sore spot to her and the pregnancy made her even more sensitive. And prickly.

"It wasn't, and I'm still sorry," Lokkun said, unaffected by the scowl, and lead the greenrider to an empty room. "If you'll please have a seat on the bed there, I'll just ask some questions and let a journeyman take over. Is there one in particular you've been seeing?"

"No, no one particular," Uetia replied. She groaned when she looked at the bed. "Up and down, up and down, can't I stand for awhile?"

"If you're more comfortable that way," Lokkun agreed. "Now, I'm guessing you're here for a standard natal checkup. Can you tell me how you've been feeling physically lately? Have you noticed any unusual symptoms?"

"Except growing ever bigger? My back aches," Uetia replied.

That was a common complaint with pregnant women, but Lokkun took it seriously anyway. "Could you describe the pain, please?" he asked, holding his charcoal stick over the paper. "Is it pulsing, twinging, shooting, anything like that?"

"No, it's a steady ache. Like being stretched too tight," Uetia tried her best to explain it.

"That sounds fairly normal, but I'd like to recommend you bring it up to the journeyman anyway," Lokkun said, writing the description down. "They'll be able to prescribe a painkiller that's safe to use while pregnant. I only have a couple more questions, so thank you for your patience. Have you been keeping active somehow, like having a swim when you feel comfortable enough to do it?"

Uetia snorted loudly. "Darling, sea is only place I feel comfortable these days so I've been swimming as much as I can. I had to give up running up and down the stairs, otherwise I've been as active as before."

"Good!" Lokkun smiled. "Be sure to ask the journeyman how much longer you can safely do that. My last question is, is there any unusual stress in your life that you feel needs to be addressed?"

Uetia rolled her eyes. "People give birth in water," she said. The last question hit a sore spot. "You mean besides losing my weyrmate, not being sure if he's the baby's father and not being able to sleep because of nightmares?" she looked like she could bite the apprentice's head off.

Lokkun paused. He could have said something sarcastic. Not that there was much of a chance he would have, but he could have. He could have reacted purely as a healer. He could have warned Uetia to watch her attitude, since he was only trying to help. Instead, he put away the charcoal stick, set the clipboard aside, and reacted as simply Lokkun. "I'm sorry. I didn't know," he said quietly and with compassion rather than sympathy.

For a moment, Uetia's face was frozen in her "I'm angry at the whole Pern" - expression, then it softened and her eyes watered. Sympathy from friends and relatives was one thing, you kind of expected it, but from a stranger? It got her off guard.

"I'm not weyrmated," the slim blond said, "but there were two dragonriders who were my friends, and I loved them deeply. I never told them I wanted to be theirs because I thought I couldn't compete with their dragons. It was the most foolish thing I've ever done. They died on their first firestone carry. I wouldn't wish that kind of loss on anyone, and I'm sorry it happened to you."

"Thanks," Uetia wiped her eyes. "My weyrmate was a seacrafter...his ship..." her throat felt constrained and she just couldn't get the words out. Even after almost two months since receiving the news, the sorrow felt as fresh and raw as the day Tamah told her.

"It's okay, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Lokkun said soothingly. "Would you like some water before your exam, or just a little time to collect yourself?"

"I'll take the water," Uetia said. "It's been few months but I still turn into sobbing idiot if someone as much as mentions him. Or I'm just so angry with everything." She should had been happy and enjoying her pregnancy.

"Those are completely normal feelings to have right now," Lokkun said. "And they need to be felt, at least for a while. Excuse me a moment." He nodded to Uetia and stepped out, coming back shortly with a small pitcher of water and a goblet. He poured some of the cool liquid into the goblet and handed it over. "Here you go."

"Thanks," Uetia took the water and drank it out in one gulp. No wonder the boy was healer, she thought, he had natural compassion.

"You're welcome." Lokkun set down the pitcher in case Uetia would like more, picked up the clipboard, and wrote down a few things about the emotional distress he thought were relevant. "That's everything I need to take care of on my end," he said after some moments, nodding to the greenrider. "Before I bring in the journeyman, is there anything else I can help you with?" he asked kindly.

"No, thanks, you already helped, by listening," Uetia replied.

Lokkun half smiled. "It's what I'm here for," he said simply. "And I'll be here if you need to have a good rant or cry, too."

"You're going to be a great healer one day."

The apprentice blushed.

Last updated on the May 5th 2015

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I've Been There Too