Chapter 7
SEVEN
LONDON
The Sexual Health Clinic
The next day Victoria Sharpe found herself knickers off, lying on a hard black plastic-coated bed in the sexual health clinic that Orla had directed her to.
‘BV?’ Vic repeated as she lay looking up at the grey-haired sexual health nurse, her voice hollow.
‘Yes. Bacterial vaginosis.’ The efficient woman took off her gloves and binned them. ‘But a course of antibiotics will get you sorted in no time.’
As she sat herself up on the bed, Vic felt herself reddening. ‘How mortifying.’
‘Don’t be silly. It’s quite common and it’s not sexually transmitted, but having it can increase your risk of getting other sexually transmitted infections.’
‘Ah, OK.’ Vic smiled, her relief palpable.
‘So, how about whilst you’re here we give you a full service down there? You can go into the new year fresh and ready for action. ’
‘OK, let’s do it. I’ve never been to a clinic like this before.’ She’d always thought of them as taboo places. Vic laughed at her own naivety. ‘I’m glad it’s been so easy.’
‘Why wouldn’t it be?’ The nurse looked slightly peeved. ‘Sexual health is as important as any other kind of health. We all do it. Have sex, I mean. And it’s confidential here, of course.’ The nurse smiled as she washed her hands in the corner sink. ‘Are you on the pill?’
Vic nodded.
‘Do you use condoms too?’
‘Umm. I’ve been with my partner for six years, so I haven’t been.’ What was it about doctors and nurses that made you feel safe enough to blurt your life story? ‘I did have sex with someone else recently, but we used a condom.’
‘Good. That’s what I like to hear. About the condom, I mean.’ The nurse busied herself getting items ready for testing.
‘Saying that, I found out my boyfriend cheated, too.’
‘Did he use a condom?’
‘Funnily enough, it wasn’t the first thing on my mind to ask.’ Vic sighed deeply. Somehow saying it aloud brought all the mess of the situation back. She tutted. ‘Jesus. The way I’m talking, anyone would think I was a teenager.’
‘So, this is a really sensible idea to get fully checked out.’ The nurse headed over to a unit to start placing some further swabs and tubes on a tray. ‘And there’s no judgement here.’ She relayed, with her back to Victoria, ‘I’ve heard about more affairs than a Relate counsellor, and you’ve done the right thing seeing us today. I’ll need to take some more swabs, and how about we get you tested for HIV whilst we are at it, if that’s OK with you? A full minge-monty, I call it.’
‘Er… sure. OK.’ Victoria laughed at this slip in professionalism.
‘And is it OK to text you the results to the mobile you gave us on the form? ’
‘Yes, no problem. That’s fine.’
And as the nurse pulled on a fresh pair of disposable gloves, Victoria lay back on the bed and, in line with the Victorian saying, thought of England.