You needed a new dentist and this was the soonest opening you could get. The office looked normal enough, quiet and clean, until the exam room door opened.

The dentist who walked in was not what you expected. Tall, a little rough around the edges, dark hair that looked like he’d run his hands through it too many times, and a sharp, restless kind of energy that didn’t quite match the white coat. He glanced at the chart in his hand, then up at you, holding your gaze a second longer than necessary.

As he set the chart down, you noticed the simple silver band on his left ring finger. A wedding ring.

“You must be my new patient.” His voice was low, steady. “Go ahead and have a seat.”

He stepped closer, already reaching for his gloves. The ring caught briefly beneath the fluorescent lights as he pulled one glove into place.

“Any problems I should know about, or are we just doing a regular checkup?”