Connection (Temptation #6) - K.M. Golland Page 0,42

who?”

My phone beeps again.

She points to it. “Him.”

Carly and I drive to Dr Tao’s specialist rooms at Bundoora Private Hospital. I see her monthly for check-ups and referrals to manage my condition. She’s an exquisite Asian beauty in her forties, and I admire her dedication to her career—not everyone happily works on a Sunday—but I also feel sorry for her tireless work ethic.

“Elizabeth Hanson,” she calls out from her office doorway.

Smiling, I place the well-read copy of Vogue back in the magazine holder and stand up.

“Want me to come in?” Carly asks.

I shake my head. “No, I’ll be fine.”

“Good, ‘cause this article on vaginal squirting is really interesting.” She flips the page of her Cleo magazine and gives me the thumbs-up.

My cheeks flame, and I move toward Dr Tao while shooting another woman in the waiting room an apologetic look.

“How have you been?” Dr Tao extends her arm and gestures I enter her office.

“Fine, thank you. And you?”

“Nice and busy. Just the way I like it.”

“That must be a catch twenty-two.”

She winks. “It is. Busy means many people like you with an illness, which isn’t nice at all. But busy also means I’m helping people like you manage your illness. So, yes, it’s definitely a catch twenty-two.” She nods toward her desk. “Please, take a seat and tell me how you’ve been since our last appointment.”

I do as instructed and sit down. “For the most part, I’ve been fine, except for a lump on my lower back.”

“Let’s take a look.” Dr Tao washes her hands at the basin and puts on a pair of surgical gloves.

I stand up, turn around, and lift my T-shirt. “Just here,” I say, pointing to the protruding mass.

She prods and squeezes it. “No pain?”

“No.”

“Hmm… my guess is it’s a lipoma, like the last one. But let’s get an ultrasound just to be sure.” She scans the rest of my back then turns me to face her, scanning my abdomen, neck and face, until her eyes meet mine. “Good. Trichilemmomas are minimal. How about any new oral papillomas?”

I shake my head and smile. “None.”

“Excellent!” She pats the examination table. “Lay down and I’ll examine your breasts. You know the drill, bra and T-shirt off.”

Like I’ve done countless times before, I remove my clothing and rest my arms above my head.

Dr Tao rubs her hands together then places them on my skin, gently kneading my breasts with her fingertips. “Have you been checking weekly?” she asks.

I scrunch my nose. “Mostly.”

“No changes?”

“I don’t think so.”

She pauses and moves her hands back over the same spot. “You’re due for a breast scan, so let’s get that done, as well as your thyroid.” She steps back, removes her gloves, and washes her hands again. “When was the last time we scanned your ovaries?”

“Three months ago.”

“Any pain or changes to your menstruation?”

“No.”

“Good.”

“No ultrasound of the ovaries too?” I ask.

She smiles and shakes her head. “I don’t think it’s necessary so soon, but if you’d like to do—”

I raise my hands. “No. Just the three scans will do.”

She chuckles, taps on her computer, and then prints out my referrals. “Okay. Book these in as soon as possible and make an appointment to see me again next month. If the results show anything we need to address, I’ll give you a call, and we can go from there.”

I take the sheets of paper from her. “Thank you. See you next month then.”

“You will. Goodbye, Elizabeth.”

As I exit the room, Carly stands and smiles, her smile faltering when she sees the referrals in my hand.

“Everything okay?” she asks.

I nod. “Yeah. Just the norm.”

Hesitation clouds her eyes, so I reassure her with a little more information. “Routine thyroid and breast scan and a scan of a lump on my back, which Dr Tao isn’t concerned about.”

Carly loops her arm in mine and rests her head on my shoulder. “I hate this.”

I scoff. “Then why do you come?”

“Because you need me to.”

I don’t, not really. This is my life and has been for a long time.

Lying, because sometimes a lie is the kindest gift you can give a person, I rub my hand over hers. “I do. Now, let’s go and have this girly day thing.”

She lifts her head and proceeds to skip, my arm still linked with hers. “I’m gonna start with your lingerie.”

I roll my eyes but then lock my feet to the ground and gesture to the magazine rolled up under her other arm. “You have to put that back.”

“No, I don’t. It’s