She huffed loudly before clearing her throat. “Adelaide.” Oh, now she was using my full name. When that happened, I knew things were serious and I was starting to get on her nerves. Did it make me a bad person to feel a teensy bit gleeful about that?
“You need to go. You refused to go to your annual checkup last year. What if you’re wandering around with some disease? God only knows how many different boys you’ve been with, the thought just makes me shudder.”
“First of all, Mother, I think if I had any diseases I would know. I mean, the whole downstairs area would just be a mess, don’t you think?” I smothered a laugh with my hand when I heard her cluck her tongue.
I loved teasing her, especially when it was so easy, and she acted all high and mighty. My laughter died quickly though when the guy walking in front of me snapped his head around, and I could only guess that he heard every word. By the look on his face and the twist of his lips, I couldn’t tell if he was grossed out, or turned on, and I really didn’t want to find out, so I quickly changed my direction, choosing to take the long way.
“Besides, I’m a born-again virgin,” I added on, in a quieter voice this time. “I don’t need birth control.”
She snorted loudly. “Really, Della? I find that very, very hard to believe. Are you attempting to be serious with me? Or are you trying to pull my leg? Because, really, it isn’t funny, dear. I know a little bit of that old Adelaide that I loved so much has come out whenever Mother is used.”
“I’m being one-hundred percent serious. No joking about it whatsoever. I’ve had a revelation. These legs are closed for business.” I was serious. I think Justin ruined me, or something. Beside that one awkward, drunken time with Nash, I hadn’t been with anyone else. I just didn’t feel the urge, which was surprising. Before I always used sex to fill an empty void, and now I didn’t have that need. I guess it was a good thing, but I didn’t want to be a nun for the rest of my life.
“Oh, Della. Sometimes I wonder about you. Well, nevertheless, you still need to go to the doctor. I just don’t understand what the big deal is.”
I sighed loudly and sat down on a lone bench, away from the steady flow of college students hurrying from class to class. “It just reminds me too much of the…incident.” I borrowed the word she typically used to describe the whole abortion situation, because really, I couldn’t make myself say the word aloud that often. “I don’t want to be sprawled out in one of those ridiculous chairs with some random doctor poking and prodding around. It always brings back way too many memories that I just want to forget.”
“I see,” she responded quietly. “Well, just give it some thought, sweetheart. Maybe I’ll call the doctor’s office and explain the situation, and they can figure something out. I just want you to be safe. You have a bright future ahead of yourself, and I don’t want anything to happen.”
“I’ll think about it,” I promised before we said our goodbyes and hung up, walking into my classroom right as the professor took his place behind the podium at the front of the auditorium.
My classes for the rest of the afternoon passed by in a blur, all I could do was think about my mom’s call. I knew she was just watching out for me, in her own special way, and I felt a little guilty for getting an attitude with her. But I really wanted to avoid that kind of doctor’s appointment like the plague.
When it was finally time for my shopping trip with Callie, I was more than ready for some retail therapy. We both made a decent-sized dent in our bank accounts, and pedi’s were the cherry on top of the hot fudge sundae. Zoey hadn’t come along, as usual. I think she tried to make herself busy just so she could have an excuse not to. Shopping wasn’t her thing, she said. Callie and I just couldn’t grasp that whole concept, but whatever, that’s what made Zoey, Zoey, and I loved her for it.
“Oh, I so needed that.” I sighed loudly as Callie parked in front of our house, and I wiggled my toes that were painted a bright tangerine color. We passed on manicures for the night, but I really shouldn’t have; now I was all mismatched. At least my feet felt nice and silky smooth, though.
“I know, right? Okay, I’m gonna go finish my night off with my man.” She waggled her eyebrows at me from the driver’s seat and I made a gagging sound as I grabbed my bags out of the back.
“Well, you have fun with that. I’m going to go finish my night off with a carton of ice cream that these hips don’t need and catch up on Pretty Little Liars.” I stuck my tongue out at her as she scowled at me through the window. That show was our favorite to watch together, but if she needed to rub her fun time with Drew in my face, then I was going to watch it without her. Point for Della.
I waved to her as she pulled away, both of us knowing that I probably wouldn’t end up watching it without her. It was just so much more fun when you could bitch to your friends about A while you watched it together.