Rain was falling softly from a gray sky. Outside the car, the sidewalk was covered with brightly colored umbrellas, and there was a sea of people under the dash. The windshield wipers were roaring as the rain pelted the roof.
“I still don’t understand why this is necessary,” he said.
He looked at her. “A legal matter. The state requires a blood test before issuing a marriage certificate.” “Unless you want to change your mind?”
“No! It’s not that, it’s just that I don’t understand why we had to come all the way here, I already have a doctor!”
“I know. But can he arrange for a full check-up for you before the wedding?”
“I don’t need a whole test!” She leaned back in her chair, folded her arms and snarled angrily. “I just need a blood test! Besides, I hate doctors’ offices.”
“I’m just trying to be efficient.” He shrugged and turned his attention back to the road. “Why not kill two birds with one stone and let us in, huh?”
He looked out the window. They drove in silence for a while and he drove out of the city. They passed through the suburbs, the trees and buildings turning gray.
Finally, he pulled into a simple medical complex, with low-sloping, industrial-style buildings surrounding a large, mostly empty parking lot. “Aaron is an old friend of mine and a good friend. We’ve been together a long time. He doesn’t usually take new patients, especially on short notice. I asked him to do me a favor. He smiled. “You’ll like him, I promise.”
He made some incoherent noises.
“Oh, don’t be like that.” He opened the door and fumbled for his umbrella. “We’re getting married and having our honeymoon in London next week. Doesn’t that make you happy?”
She said nothing, but he saw her smile. “That’s it, that’s much better.” He got out of the car and opened the door for her. She stood up under his canopy with dignity and grace, as if a John Singer Sargent painting had come to life. He was surprised, not for the first time, that she effortlessly exuded an almost aristocratic charm.
He led her to the door of one of the buildings on the medical campus and opened the door for her. They entered a simple waiting room decorated in soft pastels and peach colors. He shook off the water droplets from his umbrella and kissed her cheek. “I’ll be back to pick you up in about an hour.”
“Wait! Won’t you stop?”
“No, I still have something to do.” Before she could protest, he disappeared and returned into the drizzle. As he pulled off the curb, she saw the watery yellow glow of the headlights.
“Memory?”
She turned around in surprise. The sound came from the glass window on the wall.
“Miss? Are you a returning patient?”
She crossed the room. On the other side of the room, an older woman in scrubs decorated with blue and yellow ducks looked at her expectantly.
“Huh? No. I’m new here.”
“Ah!” the woman’s face lit up with joy. “Yes, of course! You are Mrs. Miller. I have been waiting for you!”
“Miss Miller, Miss Irene, I am not married yet.”
“Of course. Please excuse me. Miss Miller. I…” she looked around the desk, then opened the drawer and pulled out a thin folder. “Let’s get started! I have your files here. Let’s take a look. Well…” she flipped through the contents. “Ah, okay, okay. We’ve got most of your paperwork. Your husband- I’m sorry, your fiancée has been taken care of. We have your medical records. Now, if I could let you fill this out. …oh, where?” She slid a few pieces of paper through a narrow slot, “It would be great if I could have you fill out the consent form, the privacy statement and patient care information here, and…yes, yes. …I need to see your insurance card. Honey, we’re ready!”
Erin automatically accepted the papers. She looked around, feeling an unspeakable sense of loss at having been left here by her fiancé. The waiting room was empty except for the receptionist. There was a small cluster of chairs around a low, heavy table in the middle of the waiting area, but there were no magazines and no television. The room is almost spartan in its practicality.
She automatically filled out the form and passed it back through the coin slot with her insurance card. The receptionist smiled at her wearing silver horn-rimmed glasses, looked at her, and stuffed them neatly into the folder. She stood up, photocopied one of the cards and handed it back to her. “If you would sit down, dear, the doctor will be with you shortly. He is with another patient right now and will be a few minutes late for the appointment. I am very sorry about that; we usually don’t let our patients wait too long!”
Erin sat uncomfortably on the edge of a seat. She felt out of place, stranded, and abandoned in a strange doctor’s office. Minutes passed; she stared at the wall, restlessly.
A little while later the door next to the receptionist’s window opened. Erin looked up and saw a woman coming in with a strange, excited expression on her face. Her chestnut brown hair is a little disheveled, and she walks unsteadily.
For a moment, their eyes met and something indescribable passed between them. The woman smiled. “Are you a patient of Dr. Moreland’s?”
“I’m… a new patient. This is my first time here.”
“Really?” The woman’s face lit up. “Oh, you’ll like Dr. Moreland. I hope I’ll meet him again…” Her eyes were half closed, dreamy. “I’m Kathy. Maybe I’ll see you again.” She winked and left the office before Erin could react.
“This is weird…” he said to himself. The feeling of uneasiness grew stronger and he considered leaving. No, wait, he thought, I don’t have a car…
The door opened again. A man in a white lab coat came in, a stethoscope around his neck and a folder under his arm. He was suave, handsome, brightly smiled and friendly, making her feel instantly at ease. He exuded a calm, friendly confidence. “Miss Miller?”
“Eileen.”
“Eileen.” He strode into the room and extended his hand. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Dr. Moreland. Call me Aaron if you like. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
He took her hand and she shook it warmly. “Anthony and I had been friends since our army days. When he told me he was getting married, I was very happy. So naturally, when he asked me if he could take you on as a patient, how could I refuse him?” she gestured to the door. “Please accept my apologies for being late in seeing you. Normally, I try not to keep anyone waiting; that’s one of the advantages of a small clinic.”
Se followed her down a long corridor. He led her to a scale at the end of the corridor and told her to stand on it. “Okay, okay, let me see…” He weighed her efficiently and wrote in the folder. “This way, please.” He opened a large, heavy door and led her into a small examination room. “Now, I hear you’re here for the standard premarital blood test and annual checkup, right?”
“Um, yes.”
“Okay, great. If you can take your clothes off and put them on for me, I’ll be back in a few minutes. Okay?” He handed her a thin paper robe. “Relax! It looks like you’re here for a root canal. We’ll have you in and out in no time.”
He left and closed the door behind him. She sat down sadly on the edge of the examination table and sighed. After a moment of hesitation, she began to take off her blue dress. The discomfort returned. She felt embarrassed and self-conscious as she took off her clothes. She looked for a place to put the dress, then folded it neatly and placed it next to the sink. Next came the bra and panties, then shoes and socks. She put on a paper robe and tied a rope behind her. With her back exposed, she felt even more uncomfortable. The least they could do was make these things fit better…
She stood up from the table when she heard a knock on the door. “Come in!” Her voice was choked.
The door opened again. Dr. Moreland—she was unable to call him by his first name—entered. A tall, thin woman with sandy-blond hair tied in a neat ponytail walked behind her, holding a clipboard in her arms.
“Eileen, I’d like to introduce you to my nurse, Samantha Bowes. She’ll be helping me today.” “Now, if you could sit down, we can start with some basic background and history.
Erin sat back down at the desk. The doctor picked up the writing board and uncapped the pen. “Anthony forwarded your records from your other doctor, so I may have to ask you a few questions. I understand there is no family history of allergies or any serious illnesses.”
“No.”
“No diabetes, no heart disease, no hospitalization or surgery…”
“No.” The nurse took his arm and put a blood pressure cuff on it. 7
“There have been no incidents of fainting or dizziness, and there is no history of transformation into salamander…”
“Why not?”
“Just checking to see if you’re paying attention.” He smiled and she calmed down a little. The nurse inflated the cuff and pressed the cool stethoscope to her arm. “Okay, now there’s nothing to discuss here. Are you currently having sex?”
“No. I mean, not really. We have been…for a long time.”
“So you’re not having sex with your fiancée at the moment?”
“No. Well, we decided to wait until we were married.”
“I see.” He nodded. “How long has it been since you last had sex?”
“Three years.”
“Okay. Now…are you currently performing, giving, or receiving oral sex?”
“No!” Her cheeks reddened and she made a small sound of disgust from deep in her throat. “No, I’m not. Of course not.”
“Anal sex?”
“Excuse me?” She glared at him. “Who do you think I am? Where did you come from to ask me such a thing?”
He put down the clipboard and looked at her calmly. “Ms. Miller, please understand that I am not trying to upset or offend you. I am your health care professional and in order to provide you with the highest level of care, I need to know these things about you. I am not my job to ask all of my patients questions that may relate to certain sexual practices, and I apologize if they offend you as a health care provider,” he said, looking at her pointedly at the clipboard. “So, do you practice anal sex?”
Her face flushed at the question and her eyes flashed between the doctor and Nurse Bowes. The nurse ignored her and was completely indifferent to her discomfort. “No! No, I would never have anal sex,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Eighty-four-forty.” The nurse pulled the cuff off his arm. “Seventy-eight times per minute.”
“It’s okay.” The relaxed, kind smile returned. “I’m sorry to hurt you. Erin.”
She lowered her head, embarrassed. “It’s okay. I know you’re just trying to do your job.”
“See? That’s better. Now we can begin.” He handed the nurse the clipboard, then placed a hand on her shoulder and untied the drawstring of the paper gown. She was well aware of his presence. Combined with the heat coming from his hand through the tissue paper, she had to move uncomfortably.
“We’ll start with a breast exam.” He pulled the paper gown off one shoulder, exposing her breasts to the cool air. She looked uncomfortable, she frowned. His fingers pressed and probed the soft skin, she shivered, trembling. His other hand was still on her shoulder and held her firmly. His hands slid down to her breasts, probing and pressing with his exploratory fingers, making her squirm with embarrassment. The intimate touch, combined with the doctor’s clinical aloofness, gave her a surge of self-consciousness that made her shiver as his hands moved in long, slow strokes over her breasts. He brushed over her nipple and she pulled away, suppressing a slight shudder. She felt extremely uncomfortable having the stranger’s hands on her body in this familiar way and she sighed with relief when he had finished and put the gown back on her shoulders.
“Now for the other one.” He unhooked her other breast and repeated the process. She clenched her teeth and closed her eyes like him, kneading her breasts and quivering under his fingers.
“You look disappointed. Please relax.” He pinched her nipples and rolled them between his fingers. She turned to walk away. His other hand reached her back, pressing her forward. “Don’t move.”
She held her breath and shut her eyes tightly. Her fingers worked her nipples; she stiffened, gripping the edge of the table until her knuckles turned white.
Having said this, he covered her with the quilt again. She sighed and opened her eyes.
“Everything looks good.” He nodded to the nurse. She marked it in her scrapbook. “It’s not bad, is it? I can put you on your back now, please.” She pulled the stirrups from the end of the table and opened them. “Put your feet here.”
She turned around awkwardly and lay down on the table. Staring at the ceiling, she spread her legs and placed her ankles in the cold metal stirrups. The gown concealed very little. She felt embarrassed and horribly exposed.
He pulled up a small wheelchair. “I don’t want you to feel unnecessarily uncomfortable, Erin. However, I must strap you in now.” He nodded to the nurse, who pulled out a wide, heavy canvas strap from one side. Working quickly and efficiently, the nurse wrapped one of the straps around Erin’s upper arm, then pulled it tight again under the table, holding her arm in place. She repeated the same motion with the other strap, pulling Erin’s lower arm firmly onto the table and holding it in place.
“Hey what-”
“Sorry. New insurance rules. Last year someone in Wisconsin fell off an exam table and sued the clinic, and now my insurance company is required to provide me coverage to prevent patient injuries. You can file a formal complaint if you want. I’m welcome. The clerk can give you the documents.”
He looked up at the ceiling and gritted his teeth. “Let’s get this over with.”
She nodded to the nurse, who effectively restrained Erin’s other arm as well and secured a strap across Erin’s upper body, just above her breasts. The second strap was pulled over her hips and tied in place, almost too tight for comfort. The doctors placed a metal brace on her ankle and locked it tight.
Erin tried to turn around, but found that the belt had completely immobilized her. The metal brace tightened around her ankle, and a wave of emotion, discomfort, uneasiness and fear ran through her body, she felt her heart beat faster and felt panic in her stomach. The cold air moving between her legs reminded her how exposed she was.
“Nurse Bowes, it would be great if you could prepare a tray for me. Thank you.”
The nurse walked up to the counter and brought out a steel tray filled with instruments. Erin was lying on her back, strapped tightly to the table, legs wide apart, listening to her own heartbeat. A vague image appeared in her mind, and she saw the woman walk away──Casey, did she say her name? For some reason she couldn’t quite make out, the woman’s face made her shiver. She felt a strange twist in her stomach. The growing heat spread between her legs.
She tried to shift her position on the table again, but the straps held her firmly in place. She began to feel dizzy and realized her breathing was becoming heavy.
“Then how long have you and Anthony been together?” The doctor’s calm and reassuring voice brought her back to reality.
“About seven weeks. We met through friends.” She took a shaky breath and tried to relax. Even more butterflies fluttered in her stomach. She put on a pair of gloves for some reason, it made her heart beat faster. He pushed the chair down to the bottom of the table, between her legs. His hand went to her thigh; she closed her eyes and bit her lip.
He leaned forward and spread it out with his fingers. “Nurse, please note that the topic is being highly publicized.”
“What did you say?” Erin’s voice sounded hoarse and panicked.
She didn’t respond. She felt the touch of cold metal, then the inexorable feeling of a blunt steel speculum sliding inside her. She cried uncontrollably as she was opened up. More butterflies, and a deep feeling of helplessness. Fingers entered her body, their warmth a stark contrast to the cold metal.
She grunted and pulled weakly at the leash. Her fingers dug in deeper, and a sudden shiver ran down his spine.
“So Anthony told me you had erotic dreams about being kidnapped and raped by pirates. Is that true?” His hands were moving inside her, twisting, fingers pressing, probing.
“what did she say to you?”
“Oh, yes. He told me a lot about you.” She felt him press more into her, and she felt herself stretching herself almost to the point of pain to accommodate him.
Her face turned red. She looked at the ceiling, angry and humiliated. “That bastard!” she was furious. “Why did he say that? I can’t believe he told you that! I’ve told other people!”
“He told me a lot about you. We talked a lot about you.” His fingers retracted and he slid the speculum out. He picked up a tube of grease from the tray. “That’s why I agreed to hire you. You’re an interesting example.” She felt wetness between her legs. “I know, as a young woman, you fantasize about being ravaged by strangers and then feel guilty about it a few days later.” She cried out in anger and shame.
“How dare you! Let me go! Now!”
The feeling of tension is gone. “Nurse, please note that the subject’s body is highly resistant to anal penetration, even with a single finger.”
“What do you think you’re doing?” Erin growled. “I beg you to let me go immediately!”
The doctor looked at her calmly and touched his chin. “What do you think I’m doing? It’s okay. Did Anthony tell you why he sent you to find me?”
She raised her head and glared at him.
“No?” He smiled. “That’s alright. I have very…” he paused. “…special exercises.” His gloved hand slid over her inner thigh. “I train sex slaves.”
“What? Is this some sort of sick joke?”
“Oh, no, no kidding, your fiancé has brought you here only to evaluate your potential and develop a training plan for you. You also know that he is independently wealthy, so you don’t have to work out. He has another job besides you being a regular housewife,” his thumb pressed between the folds of her labia, the subject seemed very aroused and uncomfortable at this stage of the examination and was even more slick than before.
“You’re crazy!” She looked at the nurse. “She’s crazy! Help me! Call the police!”
Samantha stared at her with a strange, faraway look in her eyes. Her cheeks turned red, and Erin noticed with horror that a hand was crawling up her body and fondling her breast through her uniform. Oh my god, this is a nightmare! This made her so excited!
A cold panic seized her. She twisted and strained wildly against the bandages. The doctor looked at her with a kind smile.
“Let me go!”
“I haven’t finished your evaluation yet.” He stood up from his chair and looked at her. “I need to see how your body responds before I can recommend a program for you. Nurse, if you’d like…”
