Page 69 of Homewrecker

The hormones from birth control hadn’t been helping. I suffered from mood swings and headaches. I told myself I was detoxing from the medicine, Caleb, all men, fucking, and every decision that had made my body feel like evidence. I didn’t need contraception anyway. The possibility of another man touching me was nonexistent.

Two years later, I was at the doctor considering a little beige patch because Nash had kissed me once.

“Okay,” Talynn said. “Let’s get through your exam and we’ll get everything sent over.”

There was nothing dignified about scooting your ass toward another person’s face.

“You can come down a little farther.”

I moved down.

“A little more.”

The exam itself was quick. Talynn talked me through what she was doing, which I appreciated, and within a few minutes I was allowed to reclaim what little dignity remained and close my knees.

“Perfect. You can sit up.”

“That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day.”

She laughed and removed her gloves. “Let me make sure we’re updated on everything.”

Click.

Click.

Click.

“Last menstrual cycle…”

I answered.

“Any abnormal bleeding?”

“No.”

“Any new family history since your last visit?”

“No.”

More clicking and then she paused. I knew before she even asked. Her eyes moved across my chart.

“Pregnancy history—”

“One.”

She looked up and my fingers tightened around the paper beneath me.

“One pregnancy.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“Termination,”I said quickly.

Talynn looked at me and whatever she saw on my face made her stop. “Okay.”

She entered something into the chart and moved on. “Any breast tenderness recently?”

“No.”