Page 75 of Echoes of a Silent Song

But I wished he’d fight to see me.I wished he’d come over and demand to come in and help me feel better.

I wished I knew he felt as sad for me as I felt happy for him.

I wish I felt like he missed me.

Does he?

Does anyone?

If I just disappeared, would anyone care?Would anyone even notice?

Through the fog came a knock at the door.

“Iris?”My mother.“Are you awake?”

Was I?I honestly had no idea.

“I’m coming in, Iris.Dr.Richards is here.”

Wonderful.Dr.Richards was the ancient physician my parents had been dragging me to forever.Guess he was so ancient he still made house calls.Either that or my parents had flung enough money at him to get him to come over.

There he stood, all snow-white hair and thick glasses.“Hello, Iris.Well, my goodness, you’ve grown.You’re a beautiful young woman now.”He pulled out the chair from my desk and sat down beside the bed.“Not even a smile, huh?”he said.“Well, let’s see what the trouble is.”

I struggled to sit up.My whole body seemed made of lead.

Dr.Richards went through all the standard stuff.He checked my temperature, listened to my heart and lungs, had me open wide and sayaaahhhhh.

“Do you have a boyfriend, Iris?”He felt the sides of my neck while he said this.His fingertips were cold and smelled like soap.

Why did he need to know?

When I didn’t answer, he turned toward Mother.“Does she have a boyfriend?”

“She’s been seeing a boy, yes.Victor ...something.”She waved a hand, as though he was nobody important.A thought that should be dismissed as soon as possible.

Dr.Richards cleared his throat.“Well, ma’am, a lot of girls these days are doing things with boys, and sometimes that explains these mysterious ailments.”

Mother gasped.“Are you and Victor ...are you havingsex, Iris?”She hissed the word in an exaggerated stage whisper, like it was something dirty and awful.

“No,” I managed.“We’re not.”No lie there either.I wasn’t ready for something like that.

“Are you sure?”Mother eyeballed me, like she wasn’t even sure I knew what sex was.Based on what she’d taught me about it, that would have been an accurate assumption.Everything I knew about it I’d learned from books.

Dr.Richards studied me.“You’re not nauseated or anything, are you?”

I shook my head.

“When’s the last time Aunt Flo came to visit you, Iris?”Mother asked.

If I’d had the energy, I’d have rolled my eyes.“Last week.I had cramps, remember?”

“How do I know you’re not lying to me?”

“Ask Flora.She emptied my trash.She can tell you.”

Dr.Richards glanced from Mother to me and back again.“If she had a visit from Flo last week, Mrs.Wallingford, then pregnancy is out of the question.”

Mother folded her arms across her chest and studied me far longer than necessary.“I suppose.If you’re sure.”