Page 45 of Whispers of Wisteria

Even though she was my doctor, we’d rarely had any physical contact—and when she did, she usually wore gloves.

“Iama necromancer,” Dr. Kohler said in an even voice. “I can sense any biological irregularities you might have. I need to have some measure of understanding of what is happening.”

“Okay,” I replied, breathless.

“Afterwards, I still might need to follow up,” she warned. Then she glared at the boys. “Do you want them to leave?”

I shook my head.

“Are you sure?” she asked. “What if—”

“No.”

She looked at me, sighing, before taking off her gloves. “Okay. I’m going to touch your arm.”

Dr. Kohler pushed up my sleeve. She hovered her hand over my bare forearm. Close, but not quite touching. Her eyes met mine as she waited for my acknowledgment. “Is that okay?”

What if things were worse than I thought? Since my mouth was dry with fear, I shrugged.

Her fingers brushed gently over my skin, and she pressed her palm against my arm. She closed her eyes as she sucked in a slow breath.

Julian held my other hand, and a low, nervous tension radiated from him while Titus remained still as a statue across the room.

It seemed like everyone was waiting for Dr. Kohler’s feedback.

It was longer than expected before she finally opened her eyes and pulled back. Her serious expression never lightened when she straightened.

“Bianca,” she said cautiously, “I’m going to needto examine you.”

The hair on my arms stood up. Titus moved to my other side and Julian’s trepidation grew as his hand tightened on mine.

What had she found that was so terrible?

“Why?” And even more importantly, why couldn’t she tell me?

“Your energy is blocked, and I can’t make a diagnosis without actually seeing,” she replied, her voice steady but firm. “But it’s enough to make me concerned. You should, in all honesty, see a gynecologist. I can talk to—”

“No,” I cut her off, my voice tight.

“But—”

“No!” My glare burned into her, but she barely flinched.

Julian leaned forward. “Can’t you just start treatment without an exam? Until she’s ready?”

Dr. Kohler shook her head, sighing. “You know I can’t.” Her gaze settled back on me, cautious but unyielding. “There are too many possibilities. If I treat the wrong thing, I could make it worse. We need to be sure first.”

My stomach twisted. “What could it be?”

“It could be fibroids, ovarian cysts, or endometriosis,” she said, counting them off on her fingers. “It could even be a hormonal disorder, which would explain the irregularity.”

“What if it’s something worse?” Julian cut in, his grip tightening on my hand.

Dr. Kohler grimaced. “It’s a possibility. However, the most probable culprit is endometriosis. But I can’t say anything for certain without further testing. You need a pelvic exam,” she said firmly.

My ears were buzzing, but I knew I’d heard her correctly.

“That’s okay.” I released Julian’s hand and pushed to my feet, trying, but failing, to ignore the two men hovering at my side. I stepped past her—it was ungrateful, especially since she’d gone out of her way to see me, but I’d apologize later. “I’m going home now.”