by Eva Morian
Margaret placed both hands on her hips and appeared in the living room, “No. You’ve both been cooped up in this house since the funeral. You can’t keep this up and you both need this. Now go, we’ll find a way to manage without you.” She stated.
Simon shrugged slightly, “She has a point. Some fresh air and time without the kids sounds good.” He replied. Though he loved his kids, he felt suffocated and needed a break.
Rounding the counter, Margaret waved them along, “Then it’s agreed. Go on, shoo…get out of here!”
Grabbing the keys, Simon opened the door and stepped out. He knew exactly where he wanted to eat; honestly, he’d craved the food for a while. Being rushed out of the house, Cherish turned to fight Margaret but was beaten to the punch, “And don’t come back for at least four hours! That way you’ve had a good, relaxing time! Alright, goodbye! Be safe, you two!” she exclaimed.
The door then swung shut with a slam before the lock followed.
Cherish blinked a few times and glanced back at Simon. He was halfway to the garage and she quickly wet her lips hurrying after him. She went to the backseat, paused, and retracted her hand, “This is going to take some getting used to.” She said. Backing away, she rounded the vehicle and slid into the passenger seat. Pulling the seatbelt into place, she looked at Simon and pushed another curl from her face, “You did get that low budget gynecologist I found, right? I called them, and they said an uninsured visit is fifty dollars.”.
In the back of Simon’s mind, he wondered how Cherish would react when they pulled up to a different gynecologist than she expected. He couldn’t lie to her and his silence spoke volumes. He took a quick look in her direction, “Uh, that one? No.” he said shaking his head and explaining before she could complain, “The one you picked had a two-star rating in a bad part of town. This is your cookie and health at stake. I found somewhere better, it’s almost five stars.” He said.
Cherish stared at him in disbelief. As he turned the ignition and the car roared to life, he began to back out and she sighed, “And how much is this one? That sounds like money and you know how uncomfortable I am with it.” She stated. Placing a hand to her forehead, she leaned back and rolled her head against the seat.
Not wanting to argue, Simon tried to clear the air, “So…are you hungry?” he questioned.
Not answering, She rested a palm on her cheek with both eyebrows tucked together, “Wait. Did you just call my vagina a cookie?” she questioned with a laugh.
The atmosphere in the car lightened quickly as he joined in her laughter, “Cookie seemed like the tamest word I could think of.” He replied.
Once the smile and laughs died down, Simon felt as though he wasn’t clear enough. With what happened to Emily, he couldn’t be more serious about the risks of a hospital, “When it comes to health, nothing it too much. You should never compromise. Clothes are one thing, but your body is another. Anything could happen.” He expressed.
Cherish listened to him and understood why he felt paranoid. She rubbed along his shoulder and gave in quickly, “Alright, I’ll do it your way. Though…” She looked down at her loose t-shirt and cheap jeans. She then cut her eyes in his direction as her hand slid away, “What do you mean clothes are one thing? Do you have something to say about my wardrobe, Simon?”
Simon smirked and gave her a side glance as they pulled into the gynecologist parking lot, “Yes, one word. Ross.” He implied.
Over the last few weeks Cherish was overly keen on buying whatever was cheapest despite the low quality when they took her shopping. He, himself, wasn’t about the name brands, but he appreciated the fact that his clothes didn’t fall apart, “Two of your shirts and a pair of panties ripped since you got them three weeks ago.” He stated. Making his point, he knew she couldn’t deny what he claimed because she was the one who showed him when it happened and laughed when he chided her.
Cherish’s eyes lowered while the car came to a stop, “I don’t feel guilty of it in the slightest. You wouldn’t let me go to the Goodwill.” She pointed out.
Simon laughed, “I told you, they’re shifty.” He retorted getting out of the car.
Opening the door, she stepped out and took a look at a long building filled with suites. At first impression Cherish felt better than she did with the kids’ pediatrician. Simon walked with her towards the entrance and held the door open. She should have known that looks could be deceiving because as soon as she stepped in, she realized the suites was singular.
In the center there was a large, custom built, dark brown secretary desk. There were two waiting rooms, one on either side of the desk through large, double archways. Cherish paused at the door and slowly turned her head to Simon. Immediately, Simon knew she wasn’t going to like the look of this place. He didn’t care because the ratings were good and that’s what mattered to him. Aesthetics were an afterthought.
The nurses, dressed in a different arrangement of pressed scrubs, grinned from ear to ear as they waited for them to approach, “Hello and welcome! Do you have an appointment?” the woman questioned.
Cherish clutched her wallet close to her stomach as she nodded, “Yes. I think so. Cherish Montgomery.” She answered.
The woman took a moment and looked her up on the computer before she nodded, “Alright, right here for 12:30. You’re a new patient so I have a little bit of paperwork to fill out and Dr. Cohen will be with you shortly.” She said. The nurse handed all Cherish needed on a clipboard and pointed to the right, “Dr. Cohen’s waiting room is through that archway. Thank you!” she said returning to work.
Simon nodded and gave a single, appreciative wave, “Thank you.” He said.
Cherish gave Simon an expression telling him she was not expecting this over-the-top office. Stepping into the waiting room, she inhaled a deep breath and laughed to herself. There they were, surrounded by a different group of people dressed up from head to toe in their designer clothes. All she could think of was how each of these women were going to have their cookies invaded like the next. Sitting down, she pulled against her tan t-shirt before she filled out what she knew and handed it to Simon to look over.
He helped her fill in the blanks that had to do with him. They’d received a couple of looks from the other women who waited. Maybe it was how they looked together side by side, or perhaps it was the way Cherish was dressed. Simon didn’t notice, but it was hard to miss in the silent and tense atmosphere. Which was a complete change from the pediatrician’s office.
Cherish nervously played with her fingers while she stared up at the news playing on the screen. She zoned out and before she knew it, her name had been called. She looked back at Simon as though asking if he was going with her. Turning away, the nurse smiled at her, "Hi! Miss Montgomery? Welcome. Please step right in!" She stated.
Cherish followed the woman down a long corridor. Floral murals stretched along the right wall, as nurses and practitioners passed. The woman stopped at the last room on the left and waited for them to enter before shutting the door, "If you don't mind I'd like to get your weight and height. So, if you'd step up on the scale we can do all of that for you with your vitals." She encouraged. Cherish handed Simon her wallet and did as she was asked. "One eighty...and you're five feet, ten inches. Model height, lucky you! Sit down on the exam table please." The nurse took her heartbeat, blood pressure, and temperature and wrote the results down.
Cherish flicked her gaze across the warmed room to Simon and back to the nurse. Each time she looked to him, he gave her a comforting smile and a nod of encouragement. Personally, he didn’t like being inspected at the doctors. The atmosphere always placed him on edge, especially needles, so he empathized with her.
Turning to face Cherish, the nurse leaned against the counter and rubbed her chin, "So can you tell me everything that's concerning you other than bleeding?"
Cherish shifted in on the table and clasped her fingers together, "Well I thought by now I'd be done. It's really light, but I have this ten
der, engorged spot right beneath the...uh...entrance and it’s starting to hurt." She answered.
The nurse nodded as she flipped through her paperwork and took notes, "And you just had a baby. Congratulations to you both. Uh Mr. Gabot...have you seen the spot she's talking about or touched it?" She asked turning to him.
Cherish's eyes widened and her stomach clenched as the unsuspecting nurse asked him an intimate question and assumed what would naturally be obvious to outsiders. Simon quickly caught onto the misunderstanding because it was one they’d received often. Now he just ignored it. Cherish shook her head several times, but alas when would she learn? Simon cleared his throat, “Uh…no, no I haven’t. I’ve been good in not touching her there.” He replied. Having his fun fooling the nurse, he met Cherish’s wide stare and winked at her with a grin. He had to find amusement in everything now to feel normal.
The nurse chuckled, "Well that's good! Most fathers can't wait to get back into the bedroom with their significant other. Now, we know about how hard of a birth you had so if you would take your bottoms off Miss Montgomery." She stated.
Simon leaned back in the chair, “Why, is her area bad?” he questioned.
The nurse looked at him for a moment before she picked up the clipboard again, “The doctor will tell you about it during Miss Montgomery’s assessment. I’m sure everything is fine though.” She answered. The nurse grabbed a thin, paper sheet from the cupboard beneath the sink and handed it to Cherish, "The doctor will be in shortly!" She stated leaving the room with her chart in the clear bin by the door.
Cherish held the paper in her lap before she looked to Simon, "Well that's three people that have been mistaken." She said. Standing, she unbuttoned the top of her jeans and paused, "...Uh, Simon."
He looked at her and answered without thinking, “What?” he asked before he clued in, “Oh! Right, right I’m sorry.” He said. Standing, he turned around and faced the door before he proceeded to read the chart in front of him, “Sometimes I think that’s easier than having to explain. Especially after that last guy freaked out.” He referred back to her earlier comment.
A couple of weeks ago, in said Ross, an old man was particularly offended by their situation and made it his business to tell everyone around him, “What they don’t know won’t hurt them. Unless it bothers you, of course.” He said distractedly.
Cherish shook her head as she lifted her shirt, unzipped her pants, and paused while she poked her shrinking stomach. Thanks to Jr.’s constant feeds, her stomach was the flattest it had been and all she had to do was work out once she was cleared. She rolled both her pants and panties down before folding them together and setting them on the floor by her feet, “No, it doesn’t bother me, really. It’s just I don’t know what to do when I’m put on the spot like that. It makes me nervous and uncomfortable.” She wrapped the sheet around her bare torso and sat back down with a sigh, “Thank you for doing this. You can turn around now. I think my cookie is covered.” She stated with a straight face.
Simon laughed and turned around. Thankfully, her sense of humor had returned along the same time as his, “Sorry then, I won’t put you on the spot anymore.” He said.
As she sat there, she came off as a little helpless and unsure of what to expect. He knew whatever went on with her worried her more than she wanted to admit; it certainly did him. Approaching Cherish, he pressed a hand to her forehead and pat over her curls; ignoring she was completely naked under the thin sheet.
Cherish inhaled a deep breath and smiled at Simon. Seeing her relax caused him to drop his guard as well. She was still getting used to the vast treatment change she received between Todd and him. She and Simon were far from intimate, yet he instilled an odd sense of hope that care wasn’t dead in the world.
A knock sounded at the door and Dr. Cohen walked in with Cherish’s chart in his arm. He looked at the two of them and paused for a moment, looked down at the paper, and blinked, “You aren’t…the father are you?” he asked looking between them. He’d already looked over her hospital record and knew she was considered a battered victim of abuse. There was no way he’d speak to Cherish about her health with a man who posed as a risk in the room. The last thing he would give Todd was ammo to use against her.
“Ah, no. I’m not, but I’m here to support Cherish.” Simon confessed, “Do I need to leave?” he asked.
Doctor Cohen looked to Cherish over his wire rimmed glasses stared at her, "Only if Miss Montgomery wants you too." He answered.
Cherish looked to Simon before she rubbed her thighs, "No its fine. If there is anyone I want here, it'd be Simon." She answered.
The doctor nodded before he set the clipboard down and held his hand out to shake, "Alright then. I am Doctor Cohen. How are you feeling, Cherish? Any mood swings or sad feelings, or differences in your mindset?" Even though he asked her the questions, he looked to Simon for an answer. Women with Post-Partum Depression and battery were always ones to deny the truth.
Cherish shook his hand before she peered upward and pushed her lips to the side, "Not that I know of. The only thing that's really different is...the area down there." She answered.
Simon knew firsthand on how Cherish would minimalize and understate her struggles and issues. She always opted to lie about how she was before she’d ever admit it. Hesitating, he spoke up, “There have been times where you switch from happy to sad. I mean…” He tried to reword himself, “You’re happy in front of me, but I watch you when you think I’m not there and you look really sad.” He stated full of concern. That was just one of the problems troubling him lately with her. He knew what it felt like to be depressed and how she felt the need to put on a brave face. It didn’t feel right. He was on the road to recovery and he wanted to same for her.
Cherish’s stomach fell as her head snapped up towards Simon. This caught her entirely off guard because she didn’t notice it herself, “I-I do?” she questioned.
Doctor Cohen pulled the stirrups from the sides of the table and began to lean the examining table back, “A bit of sadness and mood swings are normal as your hormones stabilize themselves. Sit back please.” He said. Cherish pushed herself back and laid against the angled surface before placing her legs up. He reached over and pulled a couple of gloves from the wall and slipped them on, “Have you had any contact with the father?” he questioned.
Cherish shook her head several times and clenched her hands into loose fists, “N-no. Not at all. He wouldn’t know where to find me.” She answered.
Dr. Cohen grabbed the overhead light and pulled it down before he clicked the button. The light flashed down and illuminated Cherish’s genetalia and he peered down and touched where the bulge appeared. Her entire body tightened and he pulled away slightly, “You’re healing nicely from the injuries you sustained in birth. But, you have a cyst filled with blood and that’s what’s causing you to feel tender. It’s only going to get worse and bigger, but it’s nothing detrimental to your health.
Cherish stared down at the top of his head and bit on her bottom lip, “So what does that mean?” she asked.
Doctor Cohen pulled away and tugged the gloves off before he tossed them into the bin, “We will have to lance it and let it drain. Afterwards, you shouldn’t have any more issues. Everything else seems fine.” He answered.
Simon had mixed signals. Even though the doctor said she was okay, the fact that this thing grew bigger and she didn’t say anything caused him to feel distraught. The imagery came to mind and Simon lost any appetite he had, “What about the aftercare? Will there be anything we have to do at home?” he asked.
Doctor Cohen shook his head, “The topical I’ll put on afterwards will be enough to disinfect. Just keep the area clean and dry and she will heal just fine.” He answered. Cherish didn’t say much but the look on her face told that she was beyond frightened. Standing, the doctor clicked the light off and rubbed his chin, “I’ll be back with the nurse and we will begin.” He stated.
Leaving them
behind in the room, Cherish inhaled a deep breath and pressed her palms against her forehead, “Oh God.” She whispered leaning her head back, “I thought all this would be behind me.” She whispered to herself.
Simon took one of her hands and ran the other over her head. He stared down at her, “Don’t worry. He’ll just do a quick procedure and it’ll be over with. I’m right here. Things will be alright. I promise.” He whispered. Simon felt Déjà vu. He’d told Emily the same thing before she began her last, brave minutes to bring their son into the world.
Cherish rolled her eyes shut and wet her lips. She nodded several times and pressed both hands to her stomach, “I just feel sick. It’s just the last time I felt something cut down there, I was in so much pain.” She admitted. Nodding to Simon, she stared up at him and huffed out nervously. Tears began to sting the corners of her eyes and she fanned them dry, “I’m sorry, I’m just freaking out.” She whispered.
Simon wiped her eyes, “It’s fine. You’re alright.” He tried to comfort her, “It’s not going to hurt like before.” He stated. He didn’t know for sure, but he at least had to try and calm her before they stabbed her privates.
A minute later, the doctor returned, and the procedure was underway. Simon held her hand through the entire, ten-minute ordeal. It was over before they knew it, “Is that all?” he asked.
Dabbing antiseptic on her wound, the nurse cleaned up the bloody gauze in the pan, and the doctor nodded, “She’s done. You’ll be a little sore Miss Montgomery, but after a couple of days, everything should return to normal. Good job.” He said pulling the gloves off. Finally, a small smile broke through his features as he patted against her knee, “I want to have a follow-up appointment next week to make sure she’s healing. We’ll also do her six-week follow-up. I don’t think I have to tell you, no sex until you’re cleared.” He expressed.