I woke up to cramps in my stomach, lower back and inner thighs-I hate periods. I don't want to wake up Josh but I really need to change my pad so I slowly lift his arm from around my waist and crawl out of his warm bed and grab my purse on the way to the bathroom. I soon realize that I had leaked onto my panties. "Shoot" I mutter to myself-maybe a little too loud, wincing at the throbbing pain in my tummy. I didn't bring any spare underwear and I can't put these panties back on.

"Sophie?" Josh is knocking on the door. Oh no, this is going to be so embarrassing. "Y-yeah?" I stutter out nervously. "You okay, baby?" He sounds worried-he must have heard me. Okay, he is a vagina doctor, be rational here Sophie, he will not judge me and he can help me. I take a deep breath and get off the toilet, wrapping my bloody panties in toilet roll and hiding them in my bag. Lucky Josh's t-shirt falls to my knees so it covers everything that needs to be covered. I open the door to be faced with a concerned Josh.

"Everything okay? You look a bit pale honey." He says reaching his hand out to place it on my forehead. "Um, I need help." I say as my face flames and I look to my toes. "What's up baby? You don't have a fever but your clammy. Do you feel sick?" He asks worriedly. "I'm not sick, I'm, I uh, I'm on my period." I say, still not looking at his face.

"Oh baby, have you got cramps? You should have told me and I would have given you some medicine." He says as he takes my hand and starts to lead me downstairs, until I stop him. "I leaked all over my underwear and I don't have any spares with me." I mutter, face still aflame. "That's okay honey, I'll grab you a pair of my boxers." He walks in his closet and returns with a pair of black Calvin Klein boxers.

Handing them to me he asks, "Have you got feminine hyenine products with you sweetheart?" See-vagina doctor. He is so not grossed out by this like I was worried he would be. Although, I don't really talk about my period and he is talking about it like he is discussing the weather-like its the most normal thing in the world. I suppose it is kind of refreshing, having a guy be so understanding when it comes to mensuration. "Yes I brought those with me." I say looking to his face.

"Okay baby." He says and kisses my head. I quickly go put a pad on the boxers and put them on. I walk out and see Josh sat on the edge of the bed, on his phone. "Are you in pain sweetheart?" He asks sympathetically as he stands and wraps his arms around me. I just nod. "Where is the pain babe?" I sigh. "Tummy, lower back and inner thighs. It hurts a lot." I mutter into his chest. "Is it usually quite painful?" He looks down at me tilting his head, his hand rubbing gentle circles on my lower back, actually making it feel a lot better. "Yes, since I was 14." I say quietly.

"Okay honey, get back into bed. I'm just grabbing you some painkillers." He tells me as he pulls the covers over me after I crawled onto the mattress. He returns a few minutes later and hands me a pill and my glass of water. "I haven't got a hot water bottle, but a heating pad should work." He says as he lifts the t-shirt and places the pad underneath the waistband of his boxers. I sigh as the heat comes in contact with my stomach.

Josh continues to sit at my waist as softly rub small circles on my tummy. "What time is it?" I ask, opening my eyes slightly. "Just after four, go back to sleep honey." I hold my arms out to him. "Cuddles." I pout. He smiles and gets into bed with me, immediately wrapping his arms around me. I lie on my side with a leg over his and I fall asleep to Josh rubbing my back.

-

I woke up the next morning alone in the bed, I could hear the shower running so I knew Josh was in the bathroom. I roll over and grab my phone off the bed side table, disconnecting it from the charging wire that Josh must have plugged in for me. After flicking through my phone for a while Josh comes out of the bathroom in a khaki green sweater and black jeans, dark hair still damp from his shower.

"Good morning baby." He leans over and kisses my head. I sit up rubbing my eyes. "Good morning." I yawn. He laughs at me and smooths the baby hairs out of my face. "You sleep okay after you took those painkillers?" He asks me quietly, looking straight into my eyes. I don't know how he looks so good in the morning but I don't want him seeing me sporting bed head and tired puffy eyes. Pushing the self consciousness away I answer him.

"Yeah, your bed is really comfy." My cheeks flame from my embarrassing honesty. He chuckles at me and picks me up and places me on his lap from where he sits on the edge of the bed. "You hungry?" I shake my head and lean my head on his chest as he smooths down what I imagine is my crazy, fluffy blonde hair.

"Its almost 10am baby, I thought you would be a little hungry." He says and kisses the top of my head. "I don't usually eat in the mornings." I tell him quietly. "You should sweetheart, can you have something small for me in a little while? I need to get some food in this tiny body of yours." I just nod, enjoying the warmth radiating off of his body. I stay on his lap and he cuddles me, rubs my back and strokes my hair letting me wake up properly for the next 10 minutes.

"You wanna go to the bathroom and I'll go make you something to drink and a small something to eat?" He asks me, which reminds me I need to change my pad. I nod and he asks me what I want to drink and I tell me tea. I go to the bathroom and freshen up, using the toothbrush he left out for me and his shower.

He left a clean pair of boxers, t-shirt and towel for me and I am soon downstairs at the bar, watching as he cuts up strawberry's and placing them in a bowl with raspberry's and blueberry's. He tried to get me to have some eggs or toast but I refused. I sat drinking my tea as he drank his coffee savoring the morning, I love being here with Josh and I love how he takes care of me. I feel so comfortable and not at all anxious like I usually do.

"So, I wanted to talk to you about something." He says as he holds my hand on the table whilst we sip our drinks. I look at him. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Yesterday, the hand incident." He clarifies simply, but nothing about the conversation we are about to have is going to be simple. "Yeah, what about it?" I ask quietly. "You told me about your fear of doctors." I nod, cheeks flaming. "I'm just a little worried, that's all sweetheart. You are 18, still a baby-to me" he smiles "I just want to make sure this fear isn't effecting your appointments and your still seeing your doctor annually." As he speaks, his fingers trace soothing circles on the back of my hand, calming my erratic pulse.

"What are you asking me?" I question, nervously. "I just want to know if you go for your physicals and doctor appointments babe." He says as he looks me dead in the eyes. I just look down, not answering his question. "There's nothing wrong with me." I say quietly. "Baby, I'm not saying there is, but you don't just go to the doctor if your sick, you should go for yearly check-ups and physicals. Your 18 sweetie, as your still in your teens, you need to go every year." I look up at him. "I haven't been since I was 15." I whisper, tears welling in my eyes.

"Oh honey, don't cry. Tell me why your scared of this Soph." He rubs my back calmly. "I just have never liked it, appointments make me nervous and I told you about my anxiety, it just makes it worse." I hiccup. Josh stands and lifts me up, he carries me into the living room and sits down with me on his lap. "Hey, hey Sophie, its okay baby. Don't cry, there's no need to cry."

"But your going to make me go aren't you? Your going to make me see a doctor." I state, upset and embarrassed. "I'm not going to make you do anything baby, but as your boyfriend I want you to be healthy, yeah? I wont make you do anything but I had an idea to make you feel more comfortable." I look at him a bit shocked that he called himself my boyfriend, but I just role with it because I love the sound of Josh being my boyfriend. "What's your idea?" I ask timidly.

"How about you come to the hospital with me at some point, I'll do your physical and be your primary care doctor, technically its not really allowed but most doctors see their family for physicals and if their sick or anything so it wont be a problem. What do you think? Can you try that for me baby?" He asks looking in my eye. It doesn't seem too bad and if Josh is going to be the one to do it I wont be anywhere near as nervous. "Okay" I whisper out looking at him.

"Yeah? I'll get that sorted for you then sweetheart. There's nothing to worry about okay angle." He leans forward and pecks my mouth. "I thought you were a vagina doctor though." I look at him confused. His face stays straight for all of three seconds before he bursts out laughing and my frown deepens. "Well, that's one way to put it." He chuckles out. "I'm an obstetrician honey, I provide prenatal care to pregnant women, I also diagnose and treat complications during pregnancy- if any do occur. And I deliver the babies and make sure they are healthy when born." He tells me smiling- I can tell he loves what he does. I can understand that, now I know he gets to see babies every day.

"Oh" is all I say whilst smiling. He smiles and pecks my mouth again. "So I'm thinking we go down to the hospital today, get it out of the way and I don't work on the weekends unless there is an early labor or one booked." I muster up all the courage I have and agree. I will be fine, its just going to me Josh and I. I can do this.

Hey guys,

😊

Have a great day!

Bella xx