Chapter 7: Love in a Time of Dysmenorrhea

In the morning, the happy couple enjoyed a session of mutual oral hijinks. Then Ada swallowed pill number two. Next, a joint shower, dressing, and they headed downstairs. Roger stopped at the front desk.

“My wife is a little ill, can we get our room tidied up so she can go up and rest, if necessary?”

“We’ll take care of it, sir; your room will be ready in 90 minutes.”

“Thank you.”

Next they cruised through the buffet downstairs. Ada limited her choices, knowing the ordeal yet to come.

“Let’s head to the casino. I have some football games to place bets on.”

“Mom would not approve!”

“Yes, but considering why we’re in Reno (plus, we have gambled already), we’ll just let this be a secret.”

Roger had an idea. Since sports betting had spread to the internet and several states, a local house like the Silver Lode was most affected by their regional customers. Las Vegas attracted bettors from everywhere, but Reno tended to draw from the San Francisco (and Sacramento) areas. Which, he surmised, was going to affect the betting. Further, the 49ers quarterback was a local hero having played at the state university in town (the “Wolfpack”).

After explaining his theory to Ada, he bet against the Northern California teams, including Stanford and California. In total, he used $500 of his slot winnings. Then he was surprised to see his sister copying his bets. He was about to stuff the slips into his wallet, but Ada reached for them instead.

“Look at these things, they will smear and dissolve if you aren’t careful! I’ll keep them in my bag.”

She fanned and kissed the stack, giggling, and put them away.

“Sweetie, the smokers in here are bugging me. Let’s go outside and look around for a while and then go back upstairs.”

A block from the Silver Lode was the Truckee “Riverwalk.” Snow had accumulated, yet the river still burbled in its channel.

“Too bad it’s so cold today; I like listening to the water. But I think we should get back before my body goes crazy.”

Back in their cleaned-up room, Roger settled into a chair with a copy of the Reno Gazette-Journal, while Ada pulled out a paperback. But after a half-hour or so, she cast aside her book. He put down the newspaper and said, “Let’s get you ready.”

As Ada undressed, he pulled away the top sheet and duvet, and arranged the towels. He brought two Tylenol pain pills and a bottled water.

After she was arranged on the bed, he covered her with electric blanket and turned it on to a medium setting. Discreetly, he placed a plastic bucket on the floor adjoining the bed.

After a sweet kiss, he settled into a bedside chair. Ada closed her eyes and seemed to be sleeping, so he picked up the remote. A small reminder sign on the television urged, “You can watch TV anytime, but come down to our casino for some real fun!”

But he was done with gambling, and found a bowl game to watch with the sound muted.

Later he heard some sniffles from the bed.

“How can I help?”

“Help me in to the bathroom. Cramps!”

She made it on to the toilet, but then things all went to hell. Bloody clots oozed from her vagina. Then she was peeing when diarrhea started, which set off a round of retching.

“It’s OK, it’s OK,” he soothed. He started running a warm shower for her.

Quickly he undressed and helped her into the shower. Earlier he had noticed a fold-down seat on the shower wall which could be used by seniors or disabled guests, plus an attached hose and wand. Once she was seated, he went about the process of cleaning her.

He grabbed a large hotel towel and started drying her. She put out her hand.

“No, wait, not done.” There was more urine, and more blood. Ada was weeping. “I’m so sorry! Let me deal with this disgusting mess.”

“Not a chance, sweetie. You’re my Ada. I love you, always. Today is going to be our secret. We don’t want to encourage our little brother Joel when he says, ‘Girls are stinky!’”

“But I am stinky.”

“And yet, still lovable, I say. Let me start again to dry you. I bought some XL period pads for you to wear.”

“Really? <sniffle> You spoil me.”

Soon Ada was back in bed, wearing a pad in her panties and sheltering under the covers with the electric blanket.