Raegan Gallagher-Milkovich

9-Bloody Mary

     It was a Saturday morning, Raegan was asleep in bed still while her dads were out working. Her hair was sprawled all over her pillow once again and the sun was shining through the window onto her bed. It was silent.

     Raegan slowly woke up, stretching and trying to open her eyes. She slowly blinked them open, and sighed, wiping drool from her mouth.

     She felt nauseous though, she lay and grimaced at the sick feeling she had, not knowing why she felt sick, and her stomach hurt.

     She sat up and sat at the side of her bed leaning over her stomach that had sharp pains.
She decided to get up and go to the bathroom, still feeling nauseous. She walked groggily to the bathroom, the floor cold on her bare feet.

     She sat on the toilet, but to her horror realised that there was blood all over the toilet paper after she wiped. "Holy fuck," she said to herself. She had gotten her first ever period. She grabbed loads of tissue and stuffed it into her underwear, panicking and not knowing what else to do.

     She quickly pulled up her underwear and shorts and ran to her room and got her phone. She quickly dialed her big cousin, Frannys, number.

"Hey, Franny?" She said.

"Hey Rae, what's up?" Franny answered.

"I need you to come over now! Are you at work?"

"Uh yea, but I get off in just 10 minutes, what happened are you ok?"

"I just got my first fucking period. Dads are at work but they won't want to hear about vaginas bleeding anyway."

"Okay don't worry, I'll be there in 20 just hang in there until I get there."

"Okay but hurry your ass up, it's bloody fucking Mary here."

Almost a half hour later there was a knock on the door. Raegan ran to open it and there was Franny. She was nineteen now, her bright red hair was still the same, and she resembled Debbie a lot with similar facial features and body types.

"About time," said Raegan as Franny walked past her into her living room.

"I stopped at the store fuck you very much," said Franny. "I got you pads, tampons, painkillers and candy so your welcome."

Suddenly Reagan's eyes filled with tears. She wasn't even sure why.

"Awh Rae," said Franny hugging Raegan. "It's ok, being a girl sucks. It's just the hormones, it'll be ok. Here," she said handing her a painkiller. "Take this, for the cramps. I'll show you how to put a pad on, then I'll set up a movie with blankets and we can eat your feelings away."

Raegan took the painkiller and the pad from her. She was so lucky to have her as she didn't actually have a mother. Of course she had Debbie, Fiona, Sandy and Tami but Franny was closest to her.

Franny showed her how to put her pad on in the bathroom, and then the two Gallaghers cuddled together under the blanket and started their movie, binging on chocolate and chips.

Later that evening

Mickey and Ian walked in the front door. "Hey Franny," said Ian. "Hey Ian, uncle Mick," she said. "What're you doing here?" Asked Ian.

Franny looked at Raegan, she shook her head. "Just came over to visit Raegan after work, wanted a girls night," she said, knowing that her head shake meant she didn't want to tell her dads about her period.

"Great, well we're thinking about getting Chinese take out, sound good?" Said Ian.
"Sure," said Franny.

"What's up with you buddy, why so quiet?" Asked Mickey, nudging Reagan's shoulder who was snuggled into Franny. She said nothing, just kept watching the movie.

Mickey looked confused at Franny, but Franny gave him a look that said "don't ask." "Okay, well, I'll order your usual Rae," said Mickey, but he was concerned for his daughter, knowing something was wrong.

The two men walked into the kitchen. "Rae I'm just gonna go to the bathroom real quick ok?" Said Franny and she walked into the kitchen to her uncles.

"Franny, what the fuck is up with Rae, what happened?" Asked Mickey.
"Okay you can't tell her I told you guys, but she got her first period this morning," said Franny.

Ian's eyes went wide. He could handle blood when it came from anywhere but a vagina. He had no experience with female genitalia... well except once, but as he put it, it gave him PTSD.

Mickey on the other hand remembered his sister Mandy getting her first period, he was the only one to help her. Mandy had no mother, no sisters and lived in a house full of dickhead brothers and a piece of shit father, Mickey was the only one who stepped up to help just a little bit. Still, he wasn't thrilled with the idea of his daughter getting her period.

"Uh, does she have all that... y'know, tampons and shit," said Ian.
"Yea I got it for her, I'm gonna write down what you need to get for her and you get it, put it in the bathroom," said Franny.

"Yea I know, got it," said Mickey, still only worried about his daughter.

Later that night, after the four watched more TV and are their Chinese food, it came time for Franny to go.

     Raegan hugged her, feeling emotional with hormones bouncing off the walls inside of her. "You'll be okay Rae, call me if you need anything, love you," said Franny to her. "Love you too," said Raegan, still not wanting her to go.

     Raegan was sitting on the couch wrapped in a blanket. Mickey and Ian walked in, deciding to talk to her.

     "Hey Rae, Franny told us what happened with you today," said Mickey.
"Fuck, I told her not to tell you guys," said Raegan.
"We kinda need to know Rae," said Ian.
"Hey, it's okay. It's normal. You just let us know if you need anything," Said Mickey.

     "Thanks, And Franny helped me with all the rest anyway. I just don't really want to talk about it right now." Said Raegan, trying to smile.

     "Good, well, we'll try help you with this shit, if you need a girl we'll call Franny, Fiona, Debbie or Sandy," said Ian.

     Raegan gave her dads the best smile she could.

     "You guys are so fucking sappy," said Raegan.

     "Shut the fuck up you," said Mickey ruffling her hair.

     "Little brat," said Ian walking over and kissing her temple.

     This was another one of those things that they'd have to get through with raising a daughter. And this was still only the beginning.

     "Wanna joint to make you feel better?" Asked Mickey. Raegan smiled at that idea. "Sure," she said.