Skinny

Chapter Thirteen

"Can you tell me when the swelling started Ms. Peterson? Where and when," I aks my first patient. It saddens me that she's only fifteen and there is no parent or gaurdian. It looks like even the possible father didn't show up. She looks at me with terror in her eyes. "I- I uh- I don't know. Maybe six weeks ago? I thought it was nothing, that maybe I had just been gaining weight because I know that can cause our breasts to swell too but then I started noticing little things. Like I was getting sick at night. Whenever I tried to lay down and sleep I was vomiting. Is that normal," she whispers. I look through her paperwork, trying to find signs of any kind of intestinal problems that may be causing the nasuea and notice that there was nothing. This child was either very very sick or very very pregnant and either way I didn't want to be the person delivering the bad news. As of three years ago, legally anyone could come in and get help with pregnancy, STDs, anything without parental consent but I need felt comfortable with it. There's a knock on the door and I reach over to open it. The nurse hands me the test results and my heart falls. I knew it. I sit down on the chair next to Amber and take her hand in mine. "Ms. Peterson, I know this might not be what you want to hear, but you are thirteen weeks pregnant. My guess is that's where the swelling and nasuea is coming from. Now I don't want to upset you or press my boundaries but I really do recommend you let us test you for any and all STDs and STIs as they could cause serious and fatal issues with you and the child. For now I'm going to write you a prescription for the nasuea. It isn't anything risky that harm you or the baby and I'm going to give you a package. It has all the information you may need including clinics and ours in case you decide to go full term along with several prenatal samples. When you decide which one out would like to take, I recommend calling us immediately so we can get your a prescription," I calmly tell her. I know this is a lot for her to take in and my heart breaks for the little girl sitting in front of me. All the girl can do is nod at me, tears filling her eyes. "I'd like to have the test done, please and the package and everything else. I couldn't possibly murder an innocent baby just because I made a mistake." A smile spreads across my face. This is why I took this job. This is why I wanted to become what I am today. I wanted to help the lost, the hurt, the broken because I know how it is. After my best friend since third grade got pregnant as a sophomore in college, her family and boyfriend pressured her into giving the baby up, and when I say give it up, I mean get an abortion. To this day, our relationship is strained because of it. I blamed myself for years after till I finally had to cut myself off completely. If I had just been there instead of locked up in this fantasy with Liam, Brianna would be a mother right now. I had never forgiven myself for not being there for her and the more I thought about it, the sicker it made me. I remember on the anniversary of the abortion, Brianna had locked herself in the bathroom to our apartment and tried to hang herself. I spent days in the hospital with her while she recovered and finally told me everything. It was so hard seeing her like that. The normally happy, eccentric, girl I'd known almost my whole life being broken down to almost nothing in as little as a year. I snapped myself out of it and squeezed Amber's hand. "Okay miss. Let's get you an appointment set up for sometime next week so we can get those test done. I'll walk you out." Amber reached for a hug as we both stood up from our seats and embraced me. "Thank you Dr. Hall. I don't think I'd be able to do this without you."