Chapter 4

Friday 10th July

Lauren woke at 7 o’clock, switched off her alarm and went through her daily routine of preparing for school. Over breakfast, she mentioned the visit to the doctors and said she would be a little late that evening. Her mother fully agreed with the medical program that was available and wished it had been introduced while she was Lauren’s age.

School was uneventful that Friday, with the exception of the dinner queue, when Nikki pinched her bottom and grinned mischievously as usual at her. Unspoken words were exchanged that served to cement the bond between the two girls and confirm that their intimacy the previous evening was neither forgotten nor was it likely to be an isolated event.

After school, Lauren made her way past the Bus Stop and on down the hill towards the doctor’s surgery. The cobbled little streets that led off the main road through Andleburg echoed as she strode along the narrow pavement. Away from the traffic, she could hear the voices of children playing in the courtyards behind the front doors of the apartment buildings. Cafes and delicatessens along the road offered traditional Swiss food until late at night, their aroma mingling in the afternoon air. Old men sat outside, sipping beer as they played dominoes or simply watched the world go by, the distinctive smell of Gauloise hanging in the air as the occasional dog ferreted around underneath the tables. Lauren hurried along, walking quickly, anxious to get the medical examination over as quickly as possible.

She entered, confirmed her name with the young receptionist and, moving the copy of Bild off so that she could sit down, took a seat in the corner, concerned that she was the only schoolgirl in the reception area. She clasped her hands tightly together over her crossed legs, well aware that she not only hated the doctors but that nobody (with the exception of Nikki now) had seen her most private parts (except in the showers), for many years. She had seen Dr. Bonner about two years ago for a throat infection, but apart from that, nothing. And so it was with some trepidation that she entered his room when he called her name.

The doctor’s office was white. Everywhere. Even his desk in the corner was white. A bed ran along the length of the office on the other side, above which was a light and some tubes which Lauren had never seen before. There was an eye chart next to the door and a big poster of the blood system. Food and diet information alongside the poster completed the decorations on the walls. Dr. Bonner was probably 60 years old and had a great shock of Einstein-like white hair. Lauren did note however that his shoes were brown as she nervously looked at the floor.

“Hi Lauren, how are you today?” he asked, motioning to the seat next to his desk. He tapped a couple of keys on his terminal and read her medical history while nodding sagely at the screen.

“I’m fine. How are you?” responded Lauren, immediately thinking that that was a really stupid thing to have said.

“Oh, I’m very well” said Dr. Bonner, smiling broadly at her. “Now, we’re going to make sure you’re OK inside. Has anyone explained the importance of these little check-ups?”.

Lauren said that the school had outlined the process some time ago and so the doctor launched into his standard speech about female well-being, the need for regular vigilance and the fact that there is nothing to worry about. He mentioned about the actual internal examination that he would do, that it was very quick and painless and completely confidential, as was everything in the surgery. Lauren relaxed slightly until she heard (again) about the internal examination, in much the same language as she had heard at school, but not with the same words as had been relayed around the playground. Dr. Bonner proceeded to take her blood pressure and satisfy himself that she had some. Lauren stared at her white socks and little blue skirt, feeling the pressure of the band around her arm as she heard him pump up the bulb and then let out the air.

“Good, so, when you’re ready, take off everything including your knickers, and jump up onto the bed over here. You can leave just your skirt on if you like. We’ll have a quick look and have you out of here in no time” said Dr. Bonner, standing up and making sure there was a sheet on the bed. Lauren obligingly turned away from the doctor and slipped off her knickers. She dropped them to the floor, kicking them once again when she noticed signs of the day’s wear uppermost. She removed her blouse and bra and dumped them unceremoniously with her knickers before climbing onto the bed. With her legs firmly together, she let both her hands rest firmly over her skirt. Dr. Bonner took his position at her head and slowly moved the end of his stethoscope over her chest. The cold end made her jump slightly and the doctor apologised with a smile. It was clear to Lauren that he was finding the whole episode as difficult as she was.

“Hands behind your head, please. Any dizzy spells, or feelings of nausea? he asked, listening to her breathing.

“No, I don’t think so” said Lauren, conscious of her racing heart.

“Any feelings of cramps in your tummy, burning sensations when you go to the toilet?” He pulled the stethoscope from his ears and proceeded to feel her breasts, circling around the little mounds. He brushed the slightly erect nipples with his fingers and felt around her armpits.

“No” said Lauren, watching his fingers wandering over her.

“What about here. Any pain from your nipples, or strange feelings from your breasts?” His fingers probed and kneaded around her stomach, descending slowly towards her skirt.

“Deep breath, please. And out again. That’s fine, now shoot down to the end here and bring your knees up” he said as he moved round to the foot of the bed. He felt his way along her thighs, and parted her legs slightly as he probed closer to her sex. He brought up the stirrups, placed Lauren’s legs into them and dropped away the end of the examination table. She had been maneuvered into the position so quickly that she had little time to react and therefore found it to be less distasteful that she had imagined. Her skirt still covered much of her pubic region, although as the doctor adjusted the stirrups further apart, her skirt rode silently up her thighs until Lauren felt sure that even though the doctor was standing, he could see every intimate part of her.

“Now, I’m going to open you up a little and take a quick swab. It might tickle a little”, he said as he sat down again and trained the light in between her legs. Lauren suddenly remembered that she had recently lost her pubic hair and strained her head upwards to see if there was any expression of disgust on the doctor’s face. He continued to nod and chatter to himself, and Lauren assumed that he had probably done this thousands of times and was bored seeing inside women. She certainly hoped so as she stared at the ceiling and braced herself for the intrusion.