The Doctor And The Soldier: Chapter 2
“Oh, Lucy! That costume was brand new!”
“It’s not my fault! I thought I had at least another few days before it started. It’s not like I did this deliberately!”
Roy poked his head around the corner of the corridor, intrigued by the dismayed wails coming from the girls’ dressing rooms. He was greeted with the sight of his sister Christine, resplendent in her sparkling white showgirl costume. It was one of the new ones Madame had ordered in the week before for the Friday night dance routine, not that Roy had being paying attention, of course. Girly things were boring. Standing next to her was Lucy, looking rather less glamorous in a fluffy blue dressing gown, her face pale and a hot water bottle cradled to her stomach. Roy frowned, suddenly concerned. Was Lucy sick? Then he saw what Christine was holding and realised just how serious the situation was.
Lucy’s costume was clutched in Christine’s hand, the clean white fabric marred with spots of blood. In fact... Roy swallowed, embarrassment and mild horror battling for attention within him. All the blood was focussed on the... lower part of the costume, the... private bits. What could that mean? Was Lucy going to be alright? Roy hoped it wasn’t catching, whatever it was.
“I feel awful...” Lucy moaned. She looked slightly nauseous, Roy realised. The mysterious illness was clearly dangerous on a number of levels.
Christine sighed, her tone softening. “Look, don’t worry about it. I’ll take this to the wash, it’ll be fine. I’ll ask Leah to fill in for you tonight; she knows the routine really well. Just make sure you pay a bit more attention next time to when your period’s due.”
Roy could no longer contain his curiosity. He knew he’d be in trouble if the girls told his aunt that he was up past his bed time, but they never normally did that and his concern couldn’t wait until morning.
“What’s wrong with Lucy? Is she ill?” The two girls started as he came running out from around the corner but he thought he saw Christine struggling to hide a smile. Roy didn’t understand what was so funny. Lucy was bleeding!
“Don’t worry, Roy,” Christine began, trying to ruffle his hair. Roy stepped out of her reach, scowling. He hated when people did that. “She’s just got her period, that’s all. She’ll be fine in a day or so.”
“What’s a period, Christine? I’m not going to catch it, am I?” Now he was definitely sure that Christine was hiding something. He saw the two girls exchange a look, Lucy bringing a hand up to her mouth to stifle laughter. What exactly was going on?
“I wouldn’t worry about that, Roy-boy.” Christine said, smiling down at him. “It only happens when you’re older, about twelve or thirteen. You’re still a few years off yet.” Lucy giggled and Christine shot her a glance containing a message Roy couldn’t decipher. He’d been living with girls for as long as he could remember but sometimes it seemed like he’d never understand them.
“Does it hurt?”
“Hell yes, it does...” Lucy groaned, doubling over suddenly. She really didn’t look at all well. “But don’t worry,” She continued after a moment. “It’s rarely fatal.”
Roy’s eyes widened. How could he have never heard of this terrible affliction before now? And how long until it claimed him too? Hearing the sound of heavy footsteps getting closer he ran away from the girls, back towards his bedroom. He didn’t want his aunt to catch him up.
*
Knox sighed, swirling the ice around in his glass. Sarah was away visiting her mother, taking their son Danny with her, and the house had just felt far too large and empty without them. He’d walked down to Madame Christmas’, risking the raucous crowds in the hope of catching up with Chris for a while, but she was nowhere to be seen. Still, it was only early evening; she was probably busy.
He felt a light tap on his shoulder and turned around to see Roy standing behind him, still dressed in his school uniform from earlier in the day. He looked nervous. His eyes were downcast and when he spoke his voice was a mumble.
“Dr Knox... can I ask you something?”
“Of course, Roy, anything. What is it?” Roy seemed serious, upset even, so the doctor tried to match his tone. The boy blushed, muttering something inaudible above the murmur of voices in the bar.
“Why don’t we go somewhere a bit less noisy? Then you can tell me what’s bothering you.” Knox finished off the rest of his drink, letting Roy lead him out of the crowded bar and into one of the more private drawing rooms. As they walked, he wondered just what the problem could be. Chris had made it clear that, as a long-standing family friend and a medical professional, she was expecting him to be the one to give ‘the talk’ to Roy, something that Knox was dreading, but surely that couldn’t be it? Roy was still only nine, and small even for his age. But still, stranger things had happened...
Knox pulled up two armchairs, setting them close together so that they could talk privately. “Okay, Roy, what’s the matter?”
“What will happen to me when I get a period?”
The doctor blinked, momentarily stunned. He certainly hadn’t expected that question. He was glad he’d finished his drink otherwise he was sure he’d have choked on it. What on earth had the girls been saying to him?
“Where... where did you hear about that, Roy?” he stammered out.
“Christine and Lucy... they said that it happens to people when they get older, about twelve or thirteen. They said it could be fatal.” The boy narrowed his eyes, indignation entering his voice. “Were they lying?”
“Well, yes and no...” Knox replied, struggling to regain his calm. Even as a doctor, informed and objective about all aspects of human physiology, there were some things he just didn’t like talking about. “It does happen about that age, but only to girls. Boys’ bodies are different so they don’t have periods. And they were definitely lying about it being fatal, although, apparently, it can be quite uncomfortable. But it’s very normal. It’s just one of the ways that girls’ bodies change as they become women.” Knox shifted in his seat, wishing the conversation was over. He was the one who was uncomfortable here. He was glad he could put Roy’s mind at ease, of course, but it seemed he just wasn’t cut out for these kinds of frank talks that father figures were supposed to give.
Roy nodded, pondering his new information. He seemed remarkably happy to accept that his sisters had lied to him, all things considered. Perhaps this wasn’t the first time they’d wound him up like this. Knox could see Roy getting that curious look in his eye, the one that meant he still had questions to ask. Thankfully, Chris chose that moment to poke her head through the doorway, a cloud of expensive perfume wafting in with her.
“Alright, what are you two partners in crime doing holed up in here? What exciting secrets are you keeping from me, eh?”
“Oh, nothing,” Roy replied, his usual, cocky composure restored. He shot Knox a glance, grinning cheekily. “Just... manly things.”