Page 57 of Guarding Glenda

Nodding, I moved my arms and lay there as he poked and prodded.

“Any tenderness here?” he asked a few times as he moved his hands around my chest down to my hips.

“Nope.”

“Sit up for me,” he said as he gripped one hand and pulled me up by my shoulder with the other. He put his stethoscope in his ears and pressed the cold disc to my chest. “Deep breath.”

After he listened from my chest and then my back, the room was quiet.

“Follow my finger, but don’t move your head.” He moved his index finger from side to side, then up and down. “Anything else you wanted to discuss or ask me?”

“How soon ‘til I can drive? Do chores? I’m starting to get antsy.”

The nurse laughed. “Honey, take advantage.”

Sam grinned. “How many episodes have you had?”

I shrugged.

“I’m not sure driving is a good idea just yet. Officially, you aren’t restricted, but until those are under control, probably best not to operate heavy machinery.”

I wanted to roll my eyes, but I understood. “What about a ride on the back of a bike?”

Sam leaned on the wall. “I’m not trying to punish you, but I have concerns. If you have an episode, who’s to say you don’t lose your balance?”

“Alright. I get it.”

“How was group?” he asked.

“Interesting. I think I’m gonna see her privately.”

He nodded. “She’s good. I think you’ll get along with her.”

“Hopefully.”

“Well,” he said, clapping his hands together. “IUD is still in place, but you should try to check for that regularly as well. Any sign of the string missing, bad cramping, sharp pains, come see me asap. I’ll send these off and Nancy here will get your blood drawn. If you need anything, you know how to find me.”

“Wait, what about chores and stuff?”

He stopped at the door. “As long as you’re feeling up to it, you're cleared for regular activity, just no driving or bikes for now. But like she said, why not milk it?” He grinned. “Have a good one. I gotta hustle.”

After Nancy drew some blood, she sent me back to the waiting room. I picked up a magazine to pass the time since Leigh wasn’t in there.

Three magazines later, and deep into one of those weird editorials that I was certain was all made up but passed off as a true experience, boots appeared under the bottom of the magazine.

“Everything all good?” Leigh asked.

Nodding, I put the magazine down. “Yeah. Everything’s great.”

Everything seemed to be, but what Sam said still lingered. But this wasn’t the place to bring it up. Or should I bring it up at all?

Chapter 22

Leigh

After getting violated by Sam, he gave me some ointment for my back. I couldn’t help but keep flinching and he yanked my shirt up.

“You can tell your cousin you liked his handy work,” I told him. When he found out it was Hammer, he kept his mouth shut and told me to use the ointment to take the sting out and heal the welts faster.