She smiled

Early Days

   An evening during study time, Chloe felt a sharp pain around her abdomen. She rushed to the toilet and urinating was right; so painful. She started feeling a burning sensation in her vagina, which compounded her sudden nightmare. The smell of the discharge was awful. Chloe flashed back through the history files in her memory.

"Could this have anything to do with what I did with John when I was barely six-years-old?"

She was so afraid of telling any of her friends about the pain. It wasn't long before her dorm-mate asked her about her constant discomfort. Three days after her pain started, Chloe was looking pale and tired, so the matron called her to her quarters.

It took her breath away to see Papa Joe, sitting opposite the matron with a very downcast face. She faced his usual disposition when she entered the room. It was his, 'You are in trouble' face.

The matron, clearing her throat with a chewing stick between her teeth, said, "Come in. I got a report that you have been reacting funny, and the girls are not comfortable. I called your father. He would take you home. Once we get to the bottom of the observed concerns, you can return."

She's horror-struck and embarrassed to find out the matron knew. Chloe suspected one of her dorm-mates had reported her. Papa Joe rose from the seat, thanked the matron and walked out without saying a word.

"Ma," Chloe replied the matron, "Can I take some of my belongings home?"

"No!" said matron, interrupting with a somewhat angry tone.

"Your father is waiting for you outside. Go, go, go join your father! I always thought you were one of the few good ones. I am disappointed!"

Chloe joined Papa Joe and the driver in the car. She was about to get into the back seat with Papa Joe when he spoke in a bit for the first time.

"Ehn... sit in the passenger seat with the driver. Stupid girl!" He turned to the driver and instructed him, "Take me to the University Hospital."

Chloe had never been this confused in her life.

"I am sixteen. I love the Saviour. I have not been close to the opposite sex. Even though I see my mates in the hostel, sneaking out at night to have fun. Saviour, I know you forgave me for my past sins. Do I have to still pay for them?" Still, in pain, Chloe cried with tears flooding her adoring eyes. "Saviour, please, I plead with you take this pain away. Bring healing please..."

The driver distracted her from her reflections by his soft touch, covering his hands over hers.

"Small madam, you would be fine," the driver said with his lovely reassuring smile.

The nurses exchanged greetings with Papa Joe and led them to the waiting room. A few minutes later, Chief Gynaecologist walked into the room. After exchanging pleasantries, Chloe eavesdropping heard Papa Joe saying to the doctor.

"The matron called me to her school to discuss her symptoms. She suspects teenage pregnancy."

The doctor replied, "I would deal with Chloe as soon as possible. But I would not suspect pregnancy immediately. I would run all the tests. I have a patient in the office, so one nurse would take care of her."

Papa Joe, with pleasure, replied, "Try to make it as discreet as possible. I would leave Chloe in your care. My driver would be back to pick her. I would call later to discuss the results."

Chloe was, to the highest degree, disappointed in her father.

"How could he believe I would get pregnant? Does Papa Joe not trust me? Is that why he called me stupid and refused to say a word to me? I supposed Mama Joe trained me well? I am not surprised as a Papa Joe thinketh, so he is."