She pushed through the Legal Aid office doors into the late afternoon sunlight, her mind already shifting to Emma's needs and how to make the girl feel better about her first period experience. The parking lot felt different, too quiet and too exposed, and Sandra found herself scanning the area as she hurried toward her rental car.
As she pulled into the school visitor parking space, her phone rang as she turned off the engine. Patricia's name appeared on the screen.
"Hi, Patricia," Sandra answered, surprised by the unexpected call.
"Sandra, Terry told me what happened with Emma and that you're picking her up." Patricia's voice carried unusual hesitation. "I wanted to call and... well, I'm not sure what I wanted to say, actually."
Sandra could hear genuine concern mixed with uncertainty in Patricia's tone. "She's going to be fine. It's just her first period, and she's embarrassed because she had some spotting on her clothes."
"That's what Terry said." Patricia was quiet for a moment. "Should I call and talk to her? Or would you prefer I wait and have Emma call me when she gets home?"
The question hung between them, and Sandra could sense Patricia struggling with something deeper than logistics. "What would you prefer?" Sandra asked gently.
Another pause, longer this time, before Patricia's voice came back smaller, more vulnerable than Sandra had ever heard it. "Honestly? I have no idea what to say to her about this. I know that makes me sound terrible, but I've never been good atemotional, nurturing conversations. Would you mind talking to Emma about it?"
Sandra felt her heart clench with sympathy for both Patricia and Emma. "Of course. I'd be happy to talk with her."
"I'd prefer for you to handle it," Patricia said, her voice carrying relief and something that might have been gratitude. "You're better at this kind of thing than I am. Emma needs someone who can make her feel normal and supported, not awkward and clinical."
"Patricia, I’ve said this before… you're not a terrible mother," Sandra said softly. "We all have different strengths. Emma knows you love her."
"Thank you," Patricia said quietly. "For saying that, and for being there for her when I can't be. I mean that."
After they hung up, Sandra sat in the car for a moment, feeling a strange mix of sadness and gratitude. Patricia's honesty about her limitations was both heartbreaking and refreshing, but it also highlighted how much Emma and Toby needed the kind of everyday emotional support Terry had always given them.
Sandra walked through the front doors into the familiar chaos of a school office near dismissal time. Her attention immediately zeroed in on Emma sitting in one of the plastic chairs near the nurses' station.
The girl's eyes were slightly red-rimmed, and when she looked up to see Sandra, her cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment. Sandra recognized the expression of universal mortification in a young girl who felt everyone in the entire school knew about her personal business.
Sandra approached with a gentle smile, keeping her voice low and matter-of-fact. "Ready to go home?"
Emma nodded quickly, clearly wanting to escape before anyone else noticed her sitting there. Sandra signed her out atthe front desk while Emma gathered her backpack, both moving with the efficient silence of people trying to avoid unwanted attention. “We’ll wait in the car for Toby to get out since there’s only about ten minutes until the bell rings.”
They walked to the small sedan without speaking, but once outside, Sandra gently placed her arm around Emma's shoulders. The girl immediately leaned into her, some of the tension leaving her rigid posture.
"You okay?" Sandra asked softly as they settled into the car.
Emma's voice was small when she replied. "It's so embarrassing. I felt crampy during math class, and I was afraid to get up because what if everyone saw? Then I had to ask to go to the nurse, and Mrs. Henderson gave me this look like she knew exactly what was wrong."
Sandra started the car but didn't put it in drive yet, sensing Emma needed a moment to talk. "You know that getting your period is completely natural, and there's absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about."
"Yeah, but it doesn't feel natural. It feels awful and messy and like my body is betraying me."
Sandra turned to face Emma fully, her voice warm with understanding. "I know it feels that way right now, but here's the thing… society has taught us to be ashamed of something that's actually pretty amazing. Your body is showing you that it's healthy and working exactly like it's supposed to."
Emma's expression remained skeptical, so Sandra continued. "But you're also right that it can be painful and inconvenient. And society makes it worse by treating periods like they're something to be laughed at or mocked. People make jokes about women being moody or act disgusted if someone bleeds through a pad. It's all pretty misogynistic when you think about it."
"Misogynistic?" Emma asked, perking up slightly at the word.
"It means prejudiced against women. Like when people say women can't be leaders because they might make emotional decisions during their periods, or when they treat natural bodily functions like dirty secrets." Sandra shrugged. "The reality is that getting your period means your body is healthy and functioning normally even though it can be kind of sucky sometimes."
Emma giggled at Sandra's casual use of "sucky," and some of the tension finally left her face. "The nurse gave me supplies. Mom had already talked to me about it a few years ago, so I knew what to expect. But she's never around when I actually need her."
The last words came out with a trace of irritation that made Sandra's heart ache.
"Growing up is messy and complicated and sometimes uncomfortable," Sandra said. "But it's also pretty wonderful. You're becoming the person you're meant to be, and that includes all the awkward parts."
"Thanks for coming to get me," Emma said quietly. "I really didn't want to ride the bus home feeling like this. And I didn’t want to call dad.”
