I admire her persistence.

I am lying down,

She is sitting beside me.

This arrangement is her idea.

She’s cheerful and chatty

And full of information.

She has been studying me for days now.

But it’s her persistence that amazes me the most:

She keeps putting her fingers in my mouth.

Something that not many would do

Out of fear of being bitten.

Which I have thought about doing,

Or maybe even licking her fingers.

But I try not to react and she seems okay with this.

She pulls her seat closer

And I can feel her body

Pressing against my face.

Again I try to be casual about it.

She’s full of compliments,

As if whispered in my ear,

Telling me that I’m doing a beautiful job.

And the moment her fingers leave my mouth

I say “thank you”—even in awkward situations

You should be polite.

In they come again,

And I can only stare at the ceiling.

I try not to look directly into her eyes

No matter how close she gets.

I feel as if I’d go blind.

I have another moment to say “thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she says. “You can get up now.

And let’s make an appointment for that filling.”