Chapter 8

The next day, Vera visited a clinic. Her mind was troubled through the night. She was convinced she had a problem. She went to their college clinic.

That last doctor wasn't competent. She might be the one on call today if I go there. I'd better go to another clinic in order to diminish my chances of dealing with her again.

Initially, she registered to see the general doctor. On narrating her ordeal, the doctor referred her to the gynecologist. There was a distinctive section, in the clinic, for gynecology patients — only people who needed to see the gynecologist wandered there. Vera was worried her colleagues might bump into her while waiting for her turn at the gynecologist's. She was lucky. College was on holiday, hence, campus was scanty. Several people in the clinic were the college workers, not fellow students that would recognize her. She couldn't imagine how she would respond if an acquaintance asked her "what could you possibly want with the gyne?" Even she didn't know if the gynecologist would have a solution for her, or even detect her problem at all.

She sat in the reception — a stream of thoughts following through her head.

What is wrong with me? - the resounding question in her head. I just want to be sexually active, I don't comprehend why that is causing chaos.

Vera heard a door sound. She raised her chin, it was the patient in the consulting room coming out. She employed that opportunity and strained her eyes to see the doctor's appearance. The doctor was bald, slim and quite old.

Not again. This doctor doesn't seem free-spirited. I can't be helped if every doctor I come across is like that discriminatory woman. I'm here now, can't turn back at this last minute. This gyne is better than he appears, I pray.

After a while, it was Vera's turn.

She stepped into the consulting room and shut the door behind her.

"Good afternoon, sir."

"Good afternoon. Please sit."

The conversation began. Vera narrated from the first ordeal of excessive bleeding to her second situation of unbearable pain — ended with the confusion that all those didn't yield to successful penetration, still.

"What could the problem be, sir?"

"There is no problem anywhere."

"Sir?"

"There's nothing wrong with you."

"How?"

"Good question. All these problems are solely the guy's fault. Not a sliver of blame is yours to claim. He did the damage."

Vera expressed a face of disbelief. The doctor smiled. He was better than Vera profiled him.

"You see, talking about a woman's first time — it is the easiest act but the most fragile. A mistake from the man might annihilate the woman's pleasure. Go home and rest. You do not have a problem. Find a different — patient—guy to carry out the task."

"I really do not agree that it's his fault, sir. He was gentle."

"Let me ask you. That guy — it wasn't his first time, was it?"

"It wasn't."

"He's never disvirgined a girl before you, had he?"

"He hadn't."

The doctor grinned. "This is my profession. I know the perks. That guy is used to diving his penis into ladies because he deals with ladies that are not virgins, like him. He has never been charged with arousing a woman… He's accustomed to meeting aroused women. His mistake with you is poor foreplay, he didn't turn you on. Do you feel the foreplay was sufficient?"

Vera's mind raised back. Jake didn't even touch her bra, talk more of fondling her breasts. He didn't give her head. He didn't kiss her passionately. Just thrusted fingers in her outrightly. The doctor confirms Rhoda's and Aleesha's allegations. Wow. It's all been Jake's fault this whole time. To think that Jake castigated me for the blame, meanwhile it was a comma from his end.

"I don't think it was sufficient, sir." Vera said in a low tone. She was hurt. Jake guilt-tripped her for an entirety of his blame. "But even at that, what brought about that preposterous gush of blood?"

"That's subjective. It could have been the penis followed a wrong path or your hymen was too thick."

"The blood was massive. My mum accused that it was a pregnancy termination."

"Discarding virginity is a form of termination, don't you agree?" The doctor chuckled.

Vera chuckled too. "Sir, I'm serious."

"I know you are not convinced so I will examine your genitalia. Lay on the bed over there. But I promise you — this is all the guy's fault."

Vera laid on her back.

"Legs open." The doctor commanded.

The doctor mercilessly dived in two fingers in her vagina.

"Ouch! Sir, it hurts." Vera lifted her waist in discomfort. She twirled in pain.

"Be still… If you want me to discover the error." The doctor was highly professional. He wasn't meeting Vera's gaze. He didn't care how she felt. He stared blankly into the wall, rotating his fingers in Vera's vagina — unbothered about her groans. After twirling his fingers to his satisfaction, he withdrew his fingers. How relieved Vera felt.

"I will tell you for free — that boy did not treat you properly. Considering that he's attempted twice, you were not supposed to feel hurt by my fingers. I barely penetrated my fingers through, yet you were in anguish. I'd advise you stay away from him, until you have been properly laid out. That's the best help you can offer yourself right now."

"Sir, is there like a numbing cream or pill that I can use to eradicate the pain when next I want to try? The pain scares me too much."

"Barry, I've told you — you are ultimately covered. Just find another person to do the work."

"Sir, are you very sure it's his fault — one hundred percent?"

"The only other deterrent factor that can come into light here is if his copulative organ is massive. If that is another barrier howbeit, it doesn't negate the affirmation that he didn't caress you extensively. Better still, get someone else with a smaller penis." The doctor giggled.

"Sir, I'm serious." Vera couldn't help but giggle. "What about the drug I requested?"

I'm so grateful for this accommodating doctor. His aura, on its own, has relieved me greatly.

"You need no drug. Follow my advice — find someone else. If you insist on a prescription to help you, you can go for a dilator."

"A vibrator?"

"A dilator. It's smaller and more beneficial than a vibrator. You will use it on yourself to separate the walls of your vagina. It requires consistency but it works. It is not mandatory. I'm just recommending it to make you feel fulfilled."

"That's all?"

"You really do not believe me when I say you are hale."

"The immense pain and magnanimous bleeding can not be easily neglected, sir."

"If it makes you feel better, you can bring the guy here with you."

"Ah. No." Jake would never go anywhere with her. He always reminded her that he wasn't her boyfriend and hanging out together is a relationship activity in his books.

"I knew you would decline. In that case, you have no choice than to admit the problem is with him."

"Thank you, sir. So you won't conduct any tests?"

"You are stubborn."

"I just feel something is not right." Vera sulked.

"I can prescribe an ultrasound scan in the laboratory."

"Ultrasound? Isn't that for pregnant people?"

"It can be used to overhaul a woman's reproductive system."

"That's overboard. I don't expect something that elaborate."

"Exactly. Believe me, you are okay biologically. You need no drug. What you need is a cautious man."

"I'm even glad that I didn't bleed this second time, at least."

"It's not likely that you ever bleed again. Your hymen is still there but bleed upon penetration — you might never again."

"You have been so helpful. Thank you very much, sir."

"That's my profession." The doctor grinned again as Vera exited his office.

Vera couldn't hold her shock. She texted Aleesha and Rhoda instantaneously : "Y'all won't believe this. The doctor affirmed that the fault is from Jake, not me in any way."

"I said it! I knew it! You know I accused him the first time. When you narrated your ordeal again yesterday, I suspected it was him again. But I didn't want to come off as his antagonist." Rhoda responded.

"I can't even believe he made me undergo self-abasement."

"He's very stupid. I agreed with Rhoda that day. But when you defended him, I didn't want to deflect from the main issue so I let it slide. Look at the bright side, girl. You know the next mission — seek a worthy guy." Aleesha added.

"That's on period. Good riddance to bad rubbish." Rhoda supported.