“Um... it kind of burns when I go to the bathroom.”
“How long has that been going on for?”
“A little while now.”
“Any other symptoms?”
I tried to remember. “I don’t think so.”
“Do you feel like you need to urinate more than normal?”
“Um... no, I wouldn’t say so.”
“Any pain or feelings of discomfort in your back or lower abdomen?”
“No.”
“No fever or chills?”
“No, none of that.”
He nodded. “You left a urine sample already, right?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. I’ll order a culture test on that and should have the results back in the next day or so. If it comes back positive, I’ll write you a script for some antibiotics and that should clear it up. But of course, give us a call if your symptoms noticeably worsen in the meantime.”
“I will,” I said. “Thanks.”
He smiled. “You settling in okay?”
“Yeah, things are pretty good.”
“Happy to hear it. Listen, I know what it can be like, moving to a new place and all and not knowing anyone. So don’t be afraid to stop by or give me a call or text or something if you need anything. Here, let me write my cell phone down for you.” And he took one of his business cards and scribbled a number on the back of it before handing it to me.
“Thanks,” I said.
“You have a good one.”
He smiled at me once more and then left, and I let out a sigh, feeling both relieved and incredibly embarrassed that this situation had happened in the first place.
I ripped the paper gown off and got back into my own clothes as quickly as possible. There was a slickness between my legs; I hadn’t wiped the lube from the speculum off. I grabbed a handful of tissue from a box on the counter and stuck my hand down my pants, dabbing in my underwear. Good enough. I exited the room, hoping I wouldn’t see Cole.
But of course he was there in the front office, looking at something on the receptionist’s computer screen. I stood there for a second, and as I did, I watched the way the receptionist leaned toward him, gazing up at him with those puppy dog eyes. I felt a flare of possessiveness, which was completely silly.
“Am I all set?” I finally said.
They both looked over, Cole with a smile and the receptionist with an expression of annoyance.
“You are,” he said. “We’ll be in touch in the next day or two once we get the results back, okay?”
“Sounds good,” I said, and I hurried out the door, glad to be out of there as quickly as possible.
When I got in my car, I just sat there for a minute. Had that really just happened? Did I just go spread my legs for my new next door neighbor because he had somehow ended up being the one to give me my annual exam? I shut my eyes and tried to scrub the whole thing from my memory. When I reopened them, though, the door to the office was opening, and Cole was stepping out.
“Shit,” I said, and I went to start the car but realized the key wasn’t in the ignition. I reached over to the passenger seat for my purse, only to realize that it wasn’t there. No, it was in Cole’s hands, because I must have left it behind in the exam room, because I’d been so eager to get out of there.
I opened the door and stepped out of the car, feeling myself blushing furiously.