Itches Aren’t Dangerous #amwriting

Sylvia’s story continues with a prompt from Studio30-Plus. This weeks word is:  Pernicious and/or Dangerous:[adj] having a harmful effect

To catch up with Sylvia, you can find the previous installments of her story here, here, and here.

++++++++

The examination room was freezing, the matching paper gown and blanket ensemble weren’t a match for the cool air that blasted into the tiny room. She knew she’d have to wait at least a half hour before her doctor even poked her face through  the door, hopefully she wouldn’t die of hypothermia first. Or maybe it was a better alternative than finding out what evil lurked down below her underwear line.

Thankfully, she remembered to bring her iPad with her, she could try to beat level 134 on Candy Crush’s new adventure, Soda Crush. She’d been stuck there for like two months and she was getting close to deleting the stupid game altogether. She refused to spend a single cent on a free game, despite the fact that if she had, she would have crushed this level. Because the doctors office didn’t believe in sharing the WiFi password, she had to have her phone resting on her bare belly so she could also check in on what was going on in the world of Facebook. Whose kids were perfect little angels, how everyone’s New Year diets were going and what they were having for lunch. Because, that was real life. Right.

Just as Sylvia had predicted, Dr. Moss knocked on the door and walked in without waiting for a response exactly 30 minutes after she had been led to the room. Sylvia tossed the iPad and her phone onto the chair next to the examination table, where her clothes had been neatly folded and her underwear hidden beneath the pile. She didn’t know why she didn’t like her doctor to see what type of bra and underwear she wore, usually she picked out a matching set when she went to the gyno. It wasn’t as though she were being judged in a competition of any kind. Besides, she had her razor burn to show off to Dr. Moss. That was probably more impressive than her Victoria’s Secret bra and matching panties. Not.

With her nose buried in Sylvia’s chart, Dr. Moss came in and sat down on the little swivel seat propped at the end of the table, “So, you are having some discomfort?” She looked up over the edge of the folder and met Sylvia’s gaze.

Sylvia nodded uncomfortably, “It’s just a bad itch. A really bad itch.”

Her doctor made a ‘tsk’ noise and glared a little, “What type of protection are you using?”

Sylvia shifted and the paper underneath her tore a little, “Well, to be honest, we don’t always use anything. I mean, he is my husband.”

Dr. Moss ‘tsked’ again and gave what Sylvia could have sworn was a knowing look,  “Dear, just because he’s your husband doesn’t mean a thing.”

“Okay. We aren’t practicing safe sex. We’re hoping to get pregnant and condoms would defeat the purpose.” Sylvia wasn’t going to admit that hoping and actively trying were two different things. And, she wasn’t sure she entirely liked what Dr. Moss was insinuating when it came to her husband. Sylvia was already perfectly aware of the risk she was taking, every single time she let him make love to her. She just couldn’t help it, she was completely and utterly attracted to the man she married.

Dr. Moss placed the folder on the counter and washed her hands, “Well, let’s take a look. Itching doesn’t usually indicate anything too dangerous but we shall see.”

Dr. Moss went to work inspecting and taking samples while she stared up at the ceiling and thought about finding another doctor, one with a better bedside manner. Maybe she’d find one in another town who wasn’t so close to the pulse of the people.

“Well, my dear. It appears that you have a raging case of Candidiasis. I’ll prescribe you a suppository and cream, it should clear it up within a week.” Dr. Moss scribbled on her notepad and handed Sylvia the scrip. “We’ll call you in a few days with the results from your Pap but everything looks good. Get that yeast infection cleared up. And, I highly recommend considering using condoms, my dear. See you in a year.” And with that, Dr. Moss walked out of the room, leaving Sylvia to put back on her clothes in private.

As Sylvia headed toward the Walgreens where she usually had her prescriptions filled, she wondered if Dr. Moss was trying to tell her something. Maybe she was fully aware of what Jim was doing. And, if Dr. Moss knew, that meant everyone knew. Because, Dr. Moss was the ‘in’ doctor, everyone went to her. While she was obligated to keep her vagina a secret under HIPA thing, she probably still participated in the whole community gossip pool. And, Sylvia knew she was a hot topic. Which was why she didn’t like to go out much anymore.

She was dreading tonight, she had a scheduled GNO with her best girlfriends; Hailey, Jess and Franki. She had already been informed by all three that she was forbidden to cancel on them, they had something to discuss with her. They wouldn’t even hint at what it was which made Sylvia dread the evening get together even more. She hated that they were ‘in the know’ and it was about her and she was completely oblivious to what it was they thought they knew. Unless, they knew something she didn’t want to completely know. Now she was really considering just not showing up for dinner at all. Their wrath might just be better than the ‘little talk’ they were going to throw on her.

It was just another something for Sylvia to obsess about. Between her bread making vagina and her cheating husband, she really didn’t need anything to add to that list. It was already all-consuming and taking up way more brain power than she felt she could afford, at the moment.

As she turned into her driveway, she realized she had been so preoccupied that she had completely forgotten to run her errands which included the dry-cleaner and groceries, not to mention her yoga class, “Fuck it.”  She whispered, throwing her car into park. “Fuck it all.”

She went upstairs, climbed into bed and took a nap. It was the only thing she could think to do that would keep all the voices in her head at bay.

Comments

comments