Page 4 of The Do-Over

“Todd, it’s Sheila.”

There was a pause like Todd might have been trying to figure out who Sheila was. “Yeah?”

“Here it comes.” Dr. Kelly’s hands paused. “Turn it up a bit more.”

“I’m breaking up with you. You never pay any attention to me, and I think I can do better,” Sheila said.

The radio hosts snorted in glee and then silence reigned as they waited for Todd’s reply.

“All right.”

Sheila gasped. “Th-that’s it?”

“Yeah. That’s it. I’m going back to bed now.” There was a click and the radio exploded in laughter.

Sheila sniffled. “He didn’t even try to change my mind.”

“Our phone lines are still open. We’ve got one more pair of tickets for a lucky guy or gal who wants to break up with their significant other right here, right now. Don’t go away, we’ll be back after this.”

Dr. Kelly chuckled as she pulled the drill out and picked up a pointy silver instrument. “Let’s make sure I got it all.”

I winced as she poked and prodded.

Callie patted my shoulder. “You doing okay?”

“Uh aum finn.”

“Try not to talk, please.” Dr. Kelly shot me a glare. “A bit more with the drill and we’ll get the filling in and you’ll be all set.”

My eyes squeezed tight, and I tried to ignore the strange, pungent smell that accompanied the whir of the drill on enamel. I vowed I would never have another cavity, even if I had to floss five times a day and never eat jelly beans again.

“And we’re back with Friday Cry Day. We have time for one more call and we have someone on the line. Can you tell us your name?”

“Brent.”

My eyes snapped open.

Dr. Kelly set down the drill and poked at my tooth. “That did it.”

“Good morning, Brent. Tell us whose heart you’re breaking today?”

Callie passed the filler material to Dr. Kelly without a word, both listening to the drama unfold on the radio.

The man coughed. “I’m breaking up with my girlfriend.”

That voice. Surely there were other men named Brent who sounded like that and made that stupid little cough before they spoke.

“You’ve come to the right place. So, what’s the deal?”

Cough, cough. “We’ve been together almost a year and I think she expects me to propose soon, but I just can’t do it. She’s a nice girl and all but maybe she needs to be with someone more… I don’t know, boring. Like she is. She’s not adventurous. She doesn’t argue with me. She’s always worried about making everyone happy and—”

“A people pleaser,” Callie said with a sage nod.

“—I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life with her.”

The bottom dropped from my stomach because I knew that voice. I’d heard it order extra onions on his cheeseburger. I’d heard it say my name at midnight when its owner had heartburn and needed an antacid because of those extra onions. It was his voice. Brent. My Brent.

Dr. Kelly stuffed the filling into my tooth, jamming it in with a sharp instrument and a bit too much enthusiasm. “He sounds like a jerk,” she muttered.