Shots, Shots, Shots

JC was Cadence’s toughest client to work with. Not because he cheated on his diet, not because he tried to get out of a workout, not because he gave up too soon and crumbled into a crying mess of blisters and aching muscles. No, that wasn’t why he was the toughest client to work with. It was because he didn't do any of those things. As a matter of fact, he was the one that took things seriously; to the point she was convinced he was part robot.

That is, until she had to take the boys to the doctor and she found that JC wasn’t as perfect as he tried to pretend to be. Not as perfect as someone who held onto the seat belt and head rests as tightly as he could while Joey, Justin, Chris, and Lance all grabbed onto his legs, trying to drag him from the van. Cadence stood next to the van, using one hand to shield her eyes, the other to continue twirling the car keys around her finger. She certainly was not going to let Chris drive them back to the house, over her dead body. And as far as the day was going, he may as well have killed her.

She as was in hell for sure; first with Chris’s driving and now with a 24 year old man who was refusing to get out of a van.

“JC, you need to let go of the car,” Cadence said, lowering her hand from her face.

“I’m not going inside,” JC shot back. He kicked as hard as he could, knocking his friends off his legs and curled back up in the backseat of the van. “You can’t make me. I’m not going.”

“Do you want to have your pictures slapped all over news headlines? Do you really think Lou wants that plastered everywhere? JC hates doctors, afraid of needles?” She asked.

Justin snickered, crossing his arms. “Lou might not, but I want it to happen. That’d be funny.” He started laughing once more, only cutting off when Cadence glared at him. He lowered his head and fixated his gaze to the ground. “Oh look, a penny!”

“Okay, JC, let me ask you this?” Cadence ducked her head into the van and looked at the tall boybander. “Would you prefer to cancel shows because you’re sick because you didn’t get your shots? Or would you rather suck it up and get a shot.”

JC thought for a moment. “I’d rather not get the shot.”

“Joey, grab him!” Cadence declared. Rubbing his hands together, Joey reached into the back of the van and grabbed JC’s arm. He dragged the young man out of the back of the van and hoisted him up over his shoulders, walking him inside the doctor’s office with the rest of the boys following them. After a few minutes of filling out forms for each of the boys and at least ten minutes of wanting to bang her head against the wall, Cadence finally got time to relax as she read through an entertainment magazine, the boys going in and out of the office one by one.

Beside her, JC continued to fidget as the minutes passed. He ran his hands through his hair, bounced his knees up and down, rubbed his arms, crossed his legs and shook his foot, and yet he couldn’t sit still. Finally, he let out a long breath and pushed himself upwards.

“I’m going to—“

“—Nope.” Cadence reached out and grabbed the back of his jeans, forcing him back down into the chair.

“I was just—“

“—Not you’re not,” Cadence interrupted him once more. “Not until you see the doctor.” She closed her magazine and tossed it onto the table in front of her. “Jace, I get that you’re afraid of needles. I totally get that. Everyone’s afraid of something.”

“Oh yeah?” JC looked at her, eyebrows lowered. “What’re you afraid of?”

“Thunderstorms,” she replied. She took in a deep breath and let it out through her nose. “I absolutely hate thunderstorms. To the point that I turn into a quivering mess whenever there’s a hint of a rumble of thunder.”

JC snorted. He reached up a hand and scratched his forehead with his thumb. “Um, you do realize there are a lot of storms out here, right?”

Cadence’s smile froze on her face. “Yes, I am dealing with that very unfortunate fact.” Pushing her hair back with one hand, she reached out and patted JC’s knee with her other hand. “My point, Jace, is that this is going to be only a few seconds. You’re going to go in, answer a few questions, and get the shot, and then we’re done and we can go back to the house and you can sleep for the rest of the day. God knows I’m going to.”

JC laughed as Cadence slumped in her seat as if absolutely exhausted. She only looked up as the door to the offices opened and the nurse stepped out, calling JC’s name. He stared at the nurse, opening his mouth to respond but found he couldn’t do it. His blue eyes widened and he turned to his friends and band mates, who all of a sudden made a show of licking the lollipops they had received after getting their shots, looking JC right in the eye.

Cadence couldn’t help but laugh then immediately stopped when JC turned and glared at her, much like she had done to Justin earlier that day. “Okay, let’s go.” Cadence grabbed onto JC’s hand and forced him to his feet before moving behind him and placing her hands on his lower back, pushing him towards the nurse as she waited for them. “Here’s JC. Lead the way.”

JC continued to try putting his feet down on the carpet but Cadence continued to push him harder, forcing him to go along. He was fine through getting his height and weight checked and continued to take deep breaths as he sat on the examining table. “Is there anything you want to bring up to the doctor today?” The nurse asked as she checked his blood pressure.

“No,” JC replied. “Not that I can think of.”

“Nothing that concerns you?”

“No.”

“Does your family have a history of high blood pressure?”

At this, JC paused. He thought for a moment then shook his head. “No,” he replied hesitantly. “I’m not sure,” he said honestly. “I’m adopted.”

Cadence’s head perked up and she turned to him, curiously. “You’re adopted?” She asked. JC nodded. “I didn’t know that. I’m adopted too.” She reached out a hand and rubbed his shoulder as the nurse left. JC hummed quietly to himself, tapping his hand against the edge of the examining table. His humming got louder when the doctor came into the room and he caught sight of the needles that were going to be used.

“Good to see you,” Dr. Richards said with a bright smile. “It says here that you’re going to get some shots for the flu here, is that right?” A choking sound escaped JC’s throat, eyes trained on the shots as Dr. Richards set them up, and nodded. “That’s good. It’s been a while since your last one.”

“Yeah,” JC finally managed to say. “It’s been a while.”

“Okay.” Dr. Richards flicked the end of the first shot and turned towards him. “Could you roll up your sleeve please?”

JC reached out and immediately grabbed onto Cadence’s arm, causing her to squeak in pain. Cadence tried to pry his hand off but found she was stuck in a death grip. This guy can sleep through literally anything and he’s afraid of a tiny needle. “Jace, he needs to give you the shot.”

“No, no, I think I’m fine,” JC protested, leaning away from the doctor.

“You’re fine, now, but when you get sick, you’ll be beating yourself up for it later,” Dr. Richards pointed out calmly. He moved closer to JC, reaching out to take his arm. “Trust me, son, you don’t want to get sick with the flu.”

“I’ll take my chances,” JC insisted.

“And you’re taking the chance of breaking my arm, Jace,” Cadence started to whine. “Please just take the shot. It’s only going to hurt for a second.”

“You said it wasn’t going to hurt,” JC accused her.

“I’ve never told you that.” She widened her eyes at Dr. Richards and tilted her head down, signaling for him to go ahead and get the shot in. Dr. Richards nodded back and stealthily moved forward, getting the first shot done in JC’s arm. “None of you guys listen. This was like when Justin said I said he was going to die because of his appendicitis and he didn’t.”

“Well, Cade, it gets hard to listen when you’re barking at us all the time,” JC pointed out.

Now Cadence’s expression screwed up in offense. “I do not bark.”

“Right, your voice gets really high-pitched, so it’s more like you’re screeching.”

“I don’t screech, either!”

“So what do you call it when your voice reaches the same frequency sound barrier?”

Cadence rolled her eyes and looked over at Dr. Richards, who started to put his instruments away, chuckling in amusement. “Well, Mr. Chasez you are free to go. Now, because you were such a good boy what kind of lollipop do you want?” He turned with a handful of the colorful sweets. JC blinked at him, then at Cadence, then down at his arm, then back to Dr. Richards once more.

“Wow, that didn’t hurt at all,” he said. He rubbed his arm. “Like, not at all.”

“Lucky you,” Cadence grimaced, rubbing her arm. “And that was all for today, right?” Please say, yes.

“Right,” Dr. Richards agreed. “Please come in within the next six months for your physical.”

“But no shots then right?” JC asked, to be sure.

“No shots.”

“Okay. Thank you.” JC hopped off of the examining table and left the room. Cadence sighed heavily and sat down in the spot he had just occupied and held out her arm towards Dr. Richards.

“Is there any way you can give me a sedative?” She asked. “Dealing with these boys is starting to kill me.”