Chapter 45 The Clinic

Chapter 45 The Clinic
Aellorah

I resisted the urge to fidget as Max drove us to the clinic. We’d picked one of those quiet places—the ones that did anonymous abortions and didn’t require an ID—to ensure my father would never learn about the appointment.

The clinic had that sterile smell that only medical facilities have, one of sanitizer and metal. Max sat in one of those uncomfortable vinyl chairs while I checked in.

“Miss… Doe…er?” Okay, so I wasn’t very creative with my fake name. Jane Doer. Couldn’t get more basic than that. She looked over the paperwork, her eyebrow rising slightly at the crisp fifty tucked between the papers. That’s the way the places worked; people paid for anonymity.

“Right… Please take a seat, Miss Doer. We’ll call you back in a few minutes.” I crossed the room and sat beside Max, fidgeting anxiously and praying no one we recognized came into the clinic.

Minutes felt like hours as I watched the hand on the wall tick with every passing second. Every time the door opened and a patient’s name was called, I tensed, anxious for my turn.

“Jane?” Finally…

I followed the nurse through the doorway, where she took down my height and weight, before leading us to a room. “If you’d like to wait—”

“He’s my fiancé; I would like him to stay,” I insisted with a polite smile.

“Very well, I’m just going to add some things to your chart,” she replied, logging into the computer. For the next few minutes, she went over standard questions, asking me the reason for my visit and when my last menstrual cycle was. “Any chance you may be pregnant?”

“I doubt it, but we are sexually active, so…” She nodded, typing something in.

“In order to provide birth control, we have to run a pregnancy test,” she informed us.

“That’s fine. I’d like to run a standard STI screening, as well,” I replied. She paused, looking at me with an edge of concern. “I don’t have any symptoms, we’re just trying to cover everything,” I explained with a tense smile.

“I’m going to have you provide a urine sample,” she explained, handing me a plastic cup.

She took down a few more notes and then explained that she would be back in a few minutes with the doctor. “Please, use the bathroom in the hall, then undress and put the drape on.”

In the bathroom, I peed and left the sample in the little window she’d told me about. When I came back, I took off my jeans. “I’ve always hated this,” I told Max. “Sitting in a cold room with a piece of tissue paper covering my bits.”

“Did your father use to come with you?” Max asked, a look flashing in his eyes that told me he immediately regretted the question.

“Naturally,” I replied with a grimace. “After the first time, at least. I told my doctor about what Daddy did with me. Well… That doctor moved,” I flexed my fingers in air quotes, “a few weeks later, and I got a new one.”

“I’m so sorry, baby,” Max sighed, wrapping the paper around me like a blanket and lifting my chin. “I know apologizing doesn’t do anything to erase what’s been done, but I want you to know that I’m here for you now. You’re mine, and I’m going to protect you from anyone that might hurt you.”

“I know…” I whispered, giving him a wobbly smile. “I love you, Max.”

Max

My chest felt tight as she whispered those sweet words again. I hated the fact that I couldn’t help her forget what her family put her through. Still, I could make her future happy and easy, and I was determined to do that for her.

I held her until a knock sounded on the door. Stepping back, I leaned against the wall and tucked my hands into my pockets. The doctor entered with a nurse at his side, looking serious and clinical.

“Good evening, I’m Dr. Martin; how are we doing today?”

“Fine, thank you,” Aellorah replied stiffly, glancing at me and back at the doctor.

“So, we’re here to run some tests and get you on birth control?” he asked, looking over her chart.

“Yes…”

“Have you been on birth control before?”

“No, my—” Aellorah paused, considering her words. “My parents weren’t fond of hormonal contraceptives. But I’m in a relationship and sexually active, and we just want to be safe.”

I smiled at her, pride swelling in my chest—a reasonable answer that didn’t reveal anything about our situation—or her home life.

“Have you had sexual partners before?” the doctor asked as he pulled on gloves and took a seat.

“Yes, only a few,” Aellorah answered carefully.

“Any chance of pregnancy?” the doctor asked, lifting the stirrups and asking her to slide down.

“It’s possible, but I just had a period,” Aellorah replied. Despite being intimate with her multiple times, I still flushed and averted my gaze as the doctor lifted the drape and began to work between her legs.

I wasn’t an idiot; I’d taken health courses and knew about the reproductive systems, but watching him reach for the speculum made my stomach turn slightly. Aellorah winced and continued to stare at the ceiling anxiously.

“Have you had any history of STIs, Jane?” the doctor asked as he worked, his gaze focused.

“I had gonorrhea a few years ago.” My gaze whipped up to her face, eyebrows rising in surprise. She’d never mentioned that.

“How long ago?”

“Four years.”

“And how long did you have it?” the doctor asked.

“I’m not sure. I was asymptomatic for a long time,” Aellorah replied, still staring at the ceiling.

“You have scarring on your cervix,” the doctor told her bluntly. “It happens for various reasons, but untreated infections are one of the main causes. It can cause fertility problems, so I recommend you keep getting your yearly checkups.”

“I’ll be sure to do that,” Aellorah replied. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Dr. Martin allowed Aellorah to put her feet down, and the nurse helped her sit up.

“Alright, we’re done with the exam. Go ahead and dress, and the nurse will be back to go over birth control options with you. We’ll give you a call in a few days with the results of your tests.”

The silence between us was thick as Aellorah dressed, refusing to look at me. I didn’t want to pressure her, so I remained silent for the time being.

“Alrighty,” the nurse said brightly when she returned, carrying a pamphlet. “We have quite a few options—”

“I need to see a list of side effects for every option,” I stated firmly. The nurse glanced at me with a pointed look, and then back at Aellorah.

“He’s right. We need to know all the risks before we settle on a course of action,” Aellorah told her with a tense smile.

“Let me get you a full list comparison,” the nurse replied with a nod.