𝗔𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗟 𝟯𝗥𝗗, 𝟮𝟬𝟬𝟰 — 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗞𝗔𝗡𝗘, 𝗪𝗔𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗧𝗢𝗡

𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗔 𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗥𝗬

𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗔 𝗧𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗔 𝗗𝗘𝗘𝗣 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗛, inhaling deeply, as she parked her car in front of the Planned Parenthood building. Making the call and scheduling the appointment had been straightforward and simple. However, now that she found herself actually here, staring at the imposing structure, the reality of the situation came crashing down on her all at once.

What was she going to do if she was actually pregnant?

She didn't allow the thought to linger in her mind for too long as she turned off the ignition and grabbed her bag. The teenager inhaled a final deep breath, making an effort to calm her frazzled nerves before she opened the car door and stepped out.

Her legs felt like jello as she moved closer to the entrance of the building. With every step she took, a fresh wave of negative thoughts seemed to invade her mind. Her hands trembled slightly as she reached for the handle of the door and pulled it open, stepping into the clinic.

The chilly air inside hit her like a comforting sack of bricks, a stark contrast to the humid weather outside. Della's eyes wandered around the clinic, taking in the sight of several mothers holding their babies as she approached the desk.

"Hello," The woman behind the desk spoke in a soft and calm voice as she looked up at Della from her place behind the desk. "How can I assist you today?"

"I have an appointment with Dr. Nicole," Della responded to the receptionist's inquiry. "Della Landry."

The receptionist offered Della a small smile before turning to her computer and typing a few keys. "Here you are," The receptionist smiled as she found Della's name on the appointment schedule. "You're all checked in. Please have a seat and she'll be with you shortly."

"Thank you," Della nodded to the woman before she turned around and walked to an empty chair in the corner of the waiting room. Della released a soft breath as she settled into the chair, trying to get as comfortable as she could in the very uncomfortable hospital chair.

What was she going to do if she was actually pregnant?

Her mother would kill her, or even worse, she would kick her out of the house.

Della had nowhere else to go. Sure, she had friends, but none of their parents would likely want a pregnant teen living under their roof.

Where would she go?

What about getting an abortion?

No. Della quickly dismissed that thought, shaking her head softly. She couldn't go through with that. She had made her choices, and now she had to face the consequences.

"Della Landry?" The teen's head snapped up as she saw a nurse scanning the waiting room.

Della quickly grabbed her bag and stood up, making her way over to the nurse. "Della?" The nurse questioned, prompting a nod from the girl. "Right this way," Della couldn't quite pinpoint what it was about the nurse, maybe it was her light pink scrubs or her soft-spoken nature, but there was something calming about her presence.

Della followed the nurse as she led her down the clinic's halls to a small room. "Take a seat," The nurse motioned towards the hospital reclining chair situated in the corner.

The girl complied with the nurse's instructions, settling herself into the chair, leaning back into the cushions, and crossing her legs. Della placed her hands in her lap, fiddling with her fingers nervously.

"First time?" The nurse asked as she typed something on the room's laptop.

"Hmm?" Della hummed, looking up at the back of the nurse's head.

"First time coming to Planned Parenthood?" The nurse repeated the question, finishing her typing on the laptop and spinning around on the rolly chair. Della nodded softly, looking at the nurse. "You'll be just fine. Dr. Nicole is one of the best doctors I know. You'll be in good hands."

"Okay," Della muttered.

"Now, I do have to ask you a few questions. Is that alright?" The nurse inquired, and Della nodded. The nurse turned back around in the rolly chair, grabbing a clipboard from the desk. "I need you to be as honest and as accurate as you can, okay?" Della nodded once again.

"When was your last menstrual cycle?" The nurse read off a question from the page, making Della pause to think for a moment.

"I was supposed to get my period a few days ago so..." Della thought aloud. "A month ago." The nurse gave her a small smile and wrote her answer on the page.

"Do you have any mental health disorders?"

"I have Seasonal Affective Disorder," Della answered. "And minor social anxiety."

"Do you take any medication?" The nurse asked.

"I was only diagnosed a few months ago, and the doctor advised me to take Vitamin D supplements," Della nodded. "But they don't seem to be working, so I'll be put on antidepressants sometime soon."

"Okay," The nurse nodded. "Do you happen to know the name of the antidepressants?" Della shook her head gently. "That's alright. Do you have any health issues? Asthma, Diabetes, HIV?" The nurse listed some common health issues.

"I used to have Asthma when I was younger, but I haven't had an Asthma attack in years." Della nodded.

"Do you smoke, use tobacco, drink alcohol, or take drugs?"

"I'll drink and smoke on occasion," Della stated. "I don't go out of my way to do so, but if I'm at a party..." Della trailed off.

"How often would you say you smoke and drink?" The nurse questioned.

"Maybe once or twice a month? It all depends on how many parties there are." The nurse nodded understandingly.

"Does your family have any history of genetic disorders or health problems?"

"Not that I know of," Della shook her head. "Unless alcoholism counts?"

"Yes, alcoholism counts." The nurse nodded.

"Then alcoholism runs on both sides of the family," Della answered, watching as the nurse's smile faded slightly.

"When was the last time you had sexual intercourse?" The nurse asked another question.

"Three weeks ago," Della answered immediately.

"Okay," The nurse nodded. "Did you use protection?"

"I'm pretty sure." Della nodded.

"You're pretty sure?" The nurse followed up, prompting Della to let out a sigh.

"I was at a party and it was an 'in the moment' sort of thing. I asked him if he had a condom and he said yes, so I'm pretty sure he used one. Though, I never saw him put it on." Della explained, causing the nurse to nod in understanding.

"That's alright," The nurse nodded. "I'm going to list some symptoms of pregnancy, and I just want you to answer yes or no, okay?"

"Okay," Della nodded.

"Have you missed your period?"

"Yes."

"Have your breasts become tender, swollen, or tingly?"

"They've gotten slightly bigger."

"Have you experienced any nausea or vomiting?"

"A few times."

"Fatigue?"

"Yeah."

"Any strange tastes, smells, or cravings?"

"No."

"Any headaches or dizziness?"

"If I stand up too fast, but that could also be because I have low iron."

"Alright. Any lower abdominal pain or cramping?"

"When I stand up, my stomach cramps, but when I'm sitting, I'm perfectly fine."

"Any constipation?"

"No."

"Alright, final question. Any vaginal discharge?"

"Not that I've noticed."

"Okay, that's all the questions I have for you at this moment." The nurse placed the pen she was using back in the pen cup and sent Della a smile. "Dr. Nicole will be in with you shortly."

"Okay," Della nodded.

"Do you want any water while you wait?"

"No, I'm okay," Della shook her head. "Thank you, though."

"No problem." The nurse smiled. "It was nice meeting you, Della."

"Nice meeting you too," Della sent the nurse one final smile before the nurse stood up and exited the room, leaving Della alone with her thoughts.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗢𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗧𝗔𝗟 room door opening drew Della's attention away from her lap, prompting her to look up as a woman entered the space. "Hello, Della. I'm Dr. Nicole," the woman introduced herself with a gentle smile, taking a seat in the rolling chair and using her legs to glide herself across the floor until she was positioned directly in front of the teenager.

"Hello," Della replied, offering a nod of acknowledgment.

"So, what brings you in here today?" Dr. Nicole asked, her expression quickly shifting to one of mild embarrassment. "Oh, sorry, that was a silly question," she added with a small chuckle, shaking her head. "You ask enough women that question over the years, and it becomes second nature."

"It's alright," Della assured her, joining in with the doctor's laughter until it gradually subsided.

"Well, today we're going to have you take a pregnancy test. If it comes back negative, that's great. But if it turns out positive, then we'll sit down and have a discussion about all the options available to you, and together we'll come up with a plan," Dr. Nicole explained, observing Della's nodding along. "Does that sound alright to you?"

"Yep," Della confirmed with another nod, and Dr. Nicole returned her smile before reaching into her coat pocket to produce a cup.

"I need you to urinate into this cup, and then we'll run a test to determine if you're pregnant," Dr. Nicole said, standing up and prompting Della to do the same. "I'll guide you to the bathroom," she added, making her way to the door and leading Della out into the hallway. "Here we are. Do you remember how to get back to the room from here?"

"Yeah," Della responded with a nod, grasping the bathroom door handle before stepping inside.

"𝗔𝗟𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧, 𝗦𝗢 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗜'𝗠 𝗚𝗢𝗜𝗡𝗚 to take this stick and dip it in your urine to determine if you're pregnant," Dr. Nicole explained, holding the cup in one hand and the pregnancy test in the other. Her voice was calm and reassuring, a stark contrast to the nervous energy radiating from her patient.

"Okay," Della nodded softly, her voice barely above a whisper. Her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, betraying her anxiety.

Della watched intently as Dr. Nicole proceeded with the test, dipping the stick into the urine sample and gently swirling it around. The doctor's movements were practiced and precise, a testament to her years of experience.

"If one line appears, it's negative, and if two lines show up, it's positive," Dr. Nicole explained, carefully removing the test from the sample and placing it on a sterile tray. She then secured the cover on the cup with a practiced twist. "We'll need to wait a few minutes for the most accurate results."

"Okay," Della nodded again, her eyes fixed on the small plastic stick that held such immense power over her future. She watched as the doctor took a seat across from her, the silence in the room suddenly palpable.

Sensing Della's nervousness, Dr. Nicole decided to engage her in conversation. "So, tell me about yourself," she said, her tone warm and inviting.

"Um..." Della hesitated, caught off guard by the question. She took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm a junior in high school. I enjoy watching movies in my spare time – it's a nice escape, you know? I also work at Macy's Diner after school to earn some extra cash. Oh, and I really like the color red."

Dr. Nicole's eyes lit up with interest. "What kind of red?" she probed further. "Bright red, dark red, or just a normal red?"

A small smile tugged at Della's lips as she answered, "Dark red, like a wine red. It's rich and elegant."

"I'm quite fond of wine red too, if you couldn't tell," the older woman said with a grin, holding up her hand to showcase her perfectly manicured nails. The unexpected commonality made Della laugh lightly, momentarily easing the tension in the room.

The two women continued their pleasant conversation for a few more minutes, discussing everything from favorite movies to dream vacation destinations. The casual chat served as a welcome distraction from the weight of the moment.

Eventually, Dr. Nicole glanced at her watch. The moment of truth had arrived. "Are you ready to find out if you're pregnant?" she asked gently, her eyes meeting Della's with a mix of professionalism and compassion.

Della sucked in a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest. "As ready as I'll ever be," she sighed, running a trembling hand through her hair. The gravity of the situation settled over her like a heavy blanket.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Della watched Dr. Nicole spin around in her chair and reach for the pregnancy test. The room fell silent, save for the sound of Della's rapid heartbeat echoing in her ears. This small piece of plastic held the power to change the course of her entire life, and in just moments, she would know her fate.