I chuckled, making it clear I understood. "I actually meant your belly. Any cramps? Pain in your sides or back? Maybe right about here?" And I pressed a hand over my own uterus.
She shrugged, refusing to meet my eyes. "Maybe a little."
"Well, I got the guys getting everything you'll need. And if it gets worse, or you need more medicine tomorrow, just ask me, ok? We've got options. Now, do you know about the difference between pads and tampons?"
She jiggled her head in the weakest nod I'd ever seen from her. "Yeah. Tampons go like, inside?"
"Right. They spread and soak it all up before it can leak out. They also feel a little more comfortable than a pad. Less bulk down there. But, putting one in can be a little tricky."
"Will it mean I'm not a virgin?" she asked. "Mom said I can't use them if I am."
Oh, I wanted to wring that woman's neck. "No, Faith. See, girls have a little skin around that opening. It can break or tear or even stretch for so many reasons. Things like riding horses, or a doctor's exam. None of those count as having sex. You can also have sex without putting anything inside you. It's all about when you feel like you've reached that point, because if you have sex with a woman, it's very different than a man, and two men are different again. Sex is more mental than physical, and our bodies are ours, meant to be used as we want, ok? A tampon is just to keep blood from leaking onto your pants. Nothing sexual about it at all."
"There are some under the sink. I read the directions, but..." She glanced up, and her cheeks were getting very pink. "I just shove it in?"
So I talked her through how to use a tampon, and how to make sure it was secure. She nodded, still huddled into herself, but that was ok. Slowly, I'd make sure she knew not to be ashamed of being a woman. This was just one step out of many. Just as she decided that she'd try one tomorrow evening, someone knocked at the door.
"Vi?" Ash called from the other side. "I have emergency supplies."
I gestured for Faith to stay, and went to answer it. I also didn't open it more than a crack. "She's a little embarrassed."
"So, you're saying I shouldn't make her ice cream and congratulate her on being a woman now?" he teased as he passed over the bottle of Midol. "Cy went with Luke to get chocolate. Got some laundry that needs cleaning?"
"Yeah, I was going to teach her how to handle that herself," I admitted.
He gave me a look that said I was being silly. "Give me. I'll get the stains out, and if she has another accident, I'm her go-to guy. Promise I know how this works."
Behind me, I heard Faith get off the bed and head into the bathroom. A moment later, she was back with her jeans and the washcloth all bundled up.
"Don't look, ok, Ash?" she begged.
I opened the door all the way so she could pass it over. Ash just took the whole bundle and smiled at her. "I'll handle it. That's what friends are for, right?" Then he shifted the load and cupped the back of her head. "We guys might not go through the same thing, but Violet taught us well. Periods are normal, they're nothing to be ashamed of, and it means my girl is growing up, nothing more." Then he leaned in and kissed the top of her head. "I promise that it's not weird to talk to us about it, and that all three of us - even your dad - understand. Kinda goes with having a best friend that's a girl. Or two of them."
She finally smiled. "Ok. So it's ok that everyone knows?"
"Perfectly fine," he promised. "And if you need something, like pads, or medicine, or another pair of pants, it's ok to tell us. If you feel bad and don't think you can do something, it's ok to tell us." He caressed her hair again. "If you have mood swings, it's ok to tell us that too."
"Mom said not to say anything," she admitted. "That it's not polite to talk about in public."
"You mom didn't live with guys like us," Ash countered. "And I suggest baggy clothes tomorrow. You'll feel a little bloated." Then he winked and headed back up the hall.
Which meant I got to explain to her all about hormones, mood swings, and period bloating. I also didn't mind. The longer we talked, the easier it was for her to accept. I also showed her how to mark on her calendar when it started, when it might end, and when to expect the next one. I may have warned her that she'd be irregular for a while, but that was ok too.
By the time the guys got back with chocolate, Faith was willing to go downstairs and even talk about it. She also blushed, the guys pampered her a bit, and she figured out that being a woman was completely and totally normal. Eventually, Luke told her it was time for bed so she could be rested for school. I promised that if she needed help again, I was willing, and she headed upstairs.
Immediately, Luke turned to me and hugged me so hard. "Thank you," he breathed. "I heard her screaming for me, ran into her bedroom, but she'd locked herself in the bathroom. When I asked what was wrong, she told me she couldn't tell me. Said it was a girl thing, and all I thought was that you'd help, and you did."
I rubbed his back. "Well, I think she'll talk to you from now on. I made it clear that it's ok, and Ash..." I looked over at him. "He made sure she knew he wasn't horrified. Just grabbed her bloody pants like it was perfectly normal."
"It is," he pointed out. "I've been your tampon guy since you were like seventeen."
"Sixteen," I corrected. "Soon as my period came back."
"Cameback?" Luke asked.
I groaned. "Yeah, side effect of starving myself. It stopped for almost a year. When it came back, it was with a vengeance."
"Like a murder scene," Ash teased. "And there was Violet, sitting in the shower, bawling her eyes out and claiming it was the water."
