149 149. The Pills
Doctor Evans could only stare at her young patient who was sleeping weakly. She knew Clara since childhood as a passionate child. A child who thought her life was perfect like a princess in a fairy tale.
Not long after, the patient who had been asleep woke up with a pale face. “Doctor Andrea?” asked Clara, calling Doctor Evans by her first name.
“Clara, are you awake?” asked Doctor Evans nervously. “I’m grateful! You’ve been unconscious for four hours. Patrick and Linda were really worried about how you were doing.”
Clara smiled weakly. “Is it true that my dad is worried about my condition?” Clara asked curiously.
Doctor Evans smiled and nodded. “Sure. He’s your father, right?”
“I think it’s good to be sick,” Clara joked lightly. “My dad is concerned about me,” Clara added with a sincere smile.
Doctor Evans forced a smile. If Clara knew what she was going through, surely she would hate Patrick mercilessly.
However, Clara’s situation was not easy. She was still very young to be a mom. Not necessarily, continuing the pregnancy would not be easy for her without family support. Maybe she would lose confidence or even worse.
“Where’s mom and dad?” Clara asked then. “I would love to meet them.”
.....
“They were waiting for you to wake up. Patrick is picking up Linda. Your mother looked very tired. So, Patrick had told her to rest at home. I will immediately notify them so that they come soon,” explained Doctor Evans so that Clara would not think negatively about their parents.
Patrick didn’t want to know. He only wanted to come after Doctor Evans confirmed that Clara had secretly performed an abortion.
“Hmm, I’ll give you some medicine. I hope you get better soon after taking it,” said doctor Evans while handing Clara two pills. It was the abortion pill. Once Clara consumed it, she would terminate her pregnancy in less than twenty-four hours. She would not experience morning sickness anymore.
Clara then swallowed the medicine given by doctor Evans according to the directions. Doctor Evans’ eyes filled with tears as Clara swallowed the medicine. She looked away from her patient.
“Rest well,” said the doctor when Clara had finished swallowing her medicine. “You can ring the bell for help. Maybe, if you are getting your period or need some other help, let me know immediately.”
“Okay!” Clara replied, nodding slowly. “This month I’m a bit tense, maybe that’s why I didn’t get my period.”
Doctor Evans nodded and smiled wryly. “Do you usually have cramps during your period?”
“Yes. It hurts a lot.”
“Okay. Ring the bell if there’s something. I am in the next room.”
Doctor Evans knew, in a few more moments, Clara would be bleeding and probably cramping for a few hours. Her chest felt tight as she did this. However, she had no other choice.
“I’m sorry, Clara!” whispered doctor Evans to herself after leaving Clara’s room.
***
A month later, on campus, Abigail ran into Clara who was reading a book in the library. The girl seemed no longer experiencing pain like some time ago. Of course, this was because the bean had been removed from her womb.
“Clara! Good thing I found you here!” Abigail almost yelled at the library.
Of course, Clara immediately put her index finger to her lips, giving a stern warning not to disturb the other library patrons.
Abigail covered her mouth with her hand and quickly took a seat beside Clara. “That’s bad! Are you menstruating regularly as usual?” Abigail’s eyes widened, wanting to get an answer from Clara immediately.
Clara, who was confused by Abigail’s attitude, could only stare in awe at her best friend. “I got my period as usual.”
Abigail’s face relaxed for a moment. Her shoulders dropped, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
“I’m grateful! I was so scared this morning,” muttered Abigail with a weak look. “Especially, when I remember that you’ve been sick lately. I thought you were pregnant.”
“How could it be? I already took the pill,” Clara answered casually. “At first I intended to buy the morning-after pill. However, I couldn’t do that with bodyguards watching me around. Besides, I guess there’s no problem if I already take your pill.”
Abigail shook her head. She then took something out of her bag and showed it to Clara. “Look, I just noticed that the pills have expired.”
Clara’s eyes widened, barely believing what she was seeing. She flipped through the medicine, hoping it was wrong.
“This is so terrible!” Clara said frantically.
“Right! I got worried and even bought you pregnancy tests,” Abigail answered while picking out the two pregnancy tests she had bought at the pharmacy. “However, since you’re already menstruating, I think you are safe.”
Clara nodded slowly. She hesitated for some reason. “I guess I’ll still do a pregnancy test, just in case.”
With hesitation, Abigail nodded as she held out two pregnancy tests in her hands. “It seems better to double-check.”
Clara immediately went to the toilet to take the pregnancy test. Meanwhile, Abigail waited impatiently.
When Clara came out of the toilet with a pale and worried face, she immediately rushed to her best friend and asked, “How did it go?”
Clara slowly shoved the two pregnancy tests with a gloomy and serious expression. Abigail accepted the test kits with a pounding heart. It was impossible.
“You … you said that you got your period as usual? But why?” Abigail’s heart skipped a beat. Her mistake led her best friend to a cruel reality.
Abigail turned to check the test kits in her hands. When she only found one line on each pregnancy strip, Clara laughed out loud because she managed to play a trick on her friend.
“Damn! How dare you!” Abigail shouted as she threw a fist at her friend.
Clara ran from Abigail’s threats. Both of them had no idea what had happened. They did not know that a big lie was being covered up. A sad truth that would bring another storm into Clara’s life.