- 15.
Our phone call ended with both of us in tears.
His parting words were, “You’ll regret this.”
Then he hung up. I blocked his number. I
couldn’t bear any further contact. There was
no going back.
<
A young girl rushed in, pale and clutching her
stomach. “Miss, I heard you’re a doctor. My
stomach really hurts.”
I helped her sit and examined her. She was
experiencing menstrual cramps. Thankfully, I
had some brown sugar. I made her a warm
drink and applied a heat pack to her
abdomen. Her color returned gradually.
“Miss, I’m bleeding down there. Am I seriously
ill?” She looked young, probably experiencing
her first period. Sex education wasn’t a
priority in this remote town.
An idea sparked. I had to educate these girls
about their bodies. “No, this isn’t an illness. It
means you’re growing up. It’s a good thing.” I
showed her how to use sanitary pads. She
understood quickly and thanked me, telling
<
me her name was Lily.
Someone called her name from outside. “My
brother’s here to get me!”
