Chapter Eleven
Angel was helping Daisy clean the family room when the first cramp hit her.
Oh, no. She couldn’t get her period now.
She had run out of pads since her last menstrual cycle the month before.
She glanced at Daisy but was afraid to ask her because the woman was in her sixties, and Angel guessed she was too old to have her period.
She’d look around in the bathroom upstairs, and she could always use toilet paper, she had before many times. It wasn’t the most practical, and she usually bled through the wad of paper within an hour. At least the first day of her period.
“Are you feeling okay, dear?” Daisy asked.
Angel tried to smile brightly, but the cramping was getting worse.
It always happened. Every time she had her period, the first few days were always extremely painful.
She’d been able to get her hands on some Advil, which helped, but that rarely happened.
She usually ended up curled into a fetal position, trying to relax as much as possible, praying for relief.
“Yes. Just a little tummy ache.”
“Oh, my. Go up and rest, dear,” Daisy said.
“I don’t want to leave you.”
“You’re not. You’ve helped me more than you know. We’re already done with this room, and the dinner is in the crockpot, so while you lie down, I’ll rest and catch up on some of my soap operas.”
“Call if you need me, then.”
“I will. Go rest.”
Angel made it up to Thomas’s bathroom and closed the door. She grimaced after she pulled her jeans and panties down when she saw the blood that had already saturated them.
She quickly stripped off her things, keeping her bra and shirt on, before cleaning herself up.
She grabbed another pair of panties and rolled a bunch of toilet paper into a long triangle and slipped that into her panties.
She washed out the bloodstained clothing and draped it over the shower to dry.
Another cramp hit her, doubling her over because of the intense pain. She grabbed a towel and flattened it on top of the comforter before she crawled up, pulled the blanket at the end of the mattress over her, curling into a ball and trying to breathe through the pain.
She hadn’t realized she’d fallen asleep until Thomas woke her. She opened her eyes to see him sitting on the side of the bed with a worried expression on his face.
“Hi, babe. Are you sick?”
She felt the scalding heat from a blush as she shook her head.
His brows pinched together. “Then why are you in bed looking pale?”
God, there was no way she could tell him the truth. She’d die of mortification.
“I ... I’m tired,” she said.
“I understand that, but being tired doesn’t make you look like this.”
She opened her mouth to answer when a vicious cramp made her gasp and curl tighter.
His hand landed on her forehead. “You’re scaring me. Please tell me what’s going on, or I’m taking you to the hospital.”
That would be worse than anything.
“It’s personal,” she whispered through gritted teeth.
The look of confusion gave way to a look of understanding on his face. “Do you have your period, baby?”
She tilted her head, pressing her face into the pillow.
She heard him sigh, and then he turned her head to face him.
“Baby, there will be no secrets between us, ever. Having a menstrual cycle is a very natural process. There is absolutely no reason to be embarrassed.”
She nodded, unsure of what to say. She did think with time, she would get used to telling him everything, but at the moment, it was nearly impossible.
“Now, tell me about the cramps you’re having and if you have the things you need?”
“I don’t have anything.”
“Then I’ll make sure you get the things. I’ll ask Daisy if she has any until they come.”
“I’m using toilet paper. I rarely have the money or a way to get the things.”
“From now on, you’ll have them,” he said.
Another cramp began to build, causing her to whimper.
“What can I do to help with the pain?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I usually just curl into a ball and try to breathe,” Angel said. The pain hadn’t receded enough for her to reach up and wipe the tears streaming from her eyes.
“Hold on,” Thomas said, and walked out of the room.
Angel didn’t care where he went because all her energy was focused on getting through the next cramp. She was lightly dozing when he came back with his arms full of things.
“I talked to Daisy,” Thomas said. “She wants you to know you can go to her for anything.”
“I didn’t want to bother her.”
“Neither of us wants to see you in pain, especially if there is anything we can do to help. First, we need to get some medicine in you. Can you sit up?”
She nodded and struggled to sit upright.
He set everything on the nightstand and lifted her against the headboard. When she was settled, he sat on the mattress, facing her, and reached for the bottled water and pill bottle. He shook out two and handed them to her. “Here, take these.”
He opened the bottle of water.
She got the pills down and then sat back and sighed.
“Daisy found some pads that should get you through the next couple of days, but I’ll make sure you have more. Or would you rather have tampons?”
“I ... no. I’ve never used them. I’m scared to.”
“Why, baby?”
“The nuns forbid them. They didn’t believe in putting anything up my ... women’s secret place.”
“Well, if you ever want to try them, I’ll find someone to help you.”
“I’d rather have pads for now. I’ve never touched myself down there, you know, inside.”
God, this whole talk was embarrassing. The feeling of another cramp building flushed every thought from her mind.