Little Maxie

Chapter 20

Max was looking nervously at the smiley face band-aid in his arm that the doctor had given to him after she gotten his blood. Unlike the big smile on it, he couldn't muster up one, and instead gave a sigh, letting himself slouch down a little on his chair, hoping that Christian and Bradley were going to come soon.

Bored, he stared at the doctor, who was typing something on the laptop in front of her, but when she noticed him, she smiled reassuringly at him. A weak smile from him back, and both of them looked in another direction.

Swallowing nervously, Max was feeling so anxious that when the knock sounded on the door, he nearly fell from the chair and he didn't know if he was relieved or not that he would finally hear what exactly the doctor was going to say.

The doctor got up from her chair, and went to open the door, gesturing the two man inside, and suddenly Max was flanked by them. Bradley patting his back when he passed to sit next to him, and Max wouldn't admit it, but the little touch did make him feel a little better.

"So, doc, what can we expect?" Christian asked seriously once the doctor had taken place behind her laptop again.

Everyone looked at her, and Max couldn't help but stare intently at her. Even though he knew he was functioning quite well, and none of her questions had uncovered underlying problems according to him, he couldn't be sure how much she wanted to change his schedule.

"Well," the woman said, leaning forward a little, "I think we are starting to see signs of Deprivation,"

"What?" Max asked in shock, making all three other occupants look at him. He flushed a little, but that didn't stop him from talking, "I'm not getting Deprived,"

Max couldn't believe his ears. The doctor really thought that he lacked headspace and caregivers so badly his whole mind would crash.

"Let's hear what the doctor has to say for now," Bradley said, putting his hand on Max's shoulder, and the little felt himself relax a little, automatically nodding at the suggestion, but the frown stayed visible on his face.

"Like I said, there ARE signs of deprivation. One of them is not able to get out of headspace when caregivers are near, and you stated that it happened. Then there is the lack of knowledge about your age. You say you act it's a toddler, but your body clearly indicate it's a baby headspace," the doctor said, making Max feel uncomfortable.

"But I do go in headspace. Deprivation only happens when you don't go in headspace at all," Max said, looking seriously at the woman.

"Deprivation happens when little's have no caregivers, and caregivers go in deprivation if they have no little's near them for too long," the doctor said, "and even if you go into headspace, you never really let go of your big headspace, right?"

Max folded his face in stubbornness, clearly not wanting to admit to her that she was right.

"Well, it's still reversable," the doctor continued when she saw that Max wasn't going to answer, not perturbed in the slightest, "and it's important to make sure it doesn't get any worse."

"So, what do you advise," Max said snidely, almost sarcastically, making Bradley frown.

"Going in headspace, WITH a caregiver near," the woman said, "daily. It's important for littles to be reassured that someone is looking out for them,"

"But we can't do daily," Max said, a slight whine to his voice, feeling too much of his old world crumbling around him and resisting it, "I'm doing fine,"

"No, you're not, frankly," the doctor said looking at Max with an intense look, wanting to make it clear to the little that he was in dangerous territory.