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I sat on my bed with my arms wrapped around my stomach. I don’t know what I ate to make my stomach cramp this badly but I just wish it would stop. Too bad my parents weren’t home, then I could take some medicine to make the pain go away. My parents keep the medicine cabinet locked when they are away and leave the Electric Mayhem and I home alone to make sure we don’t get into something we shouldn’t. They stopped trusting them after that one time when I was six and they gave my some of my mom’s prescription medication instead of Tylenol and I projectile vomited all over the house.
Too bad Janice isn’t here either, she would probably know some remedy for stomach cramps. Once when I was alone with her I had a tooth ache and since I couldn’t get any Tylenol she mixed together some different things in the kitchen and my me drink it. It tasted disgusting but my tooth ache was gone.
All of a sudden, there was a knock at my door. “Come in!”
The door opened and in came Dr. Teeth. “Hey Audrey.”
“Hey Teeth.”
“You don’t look so good, Audrey. Everything alright?”
“My stomach is just cramping so badly. I think it may have been something I ate. Probably that pizza we had for lunch.”
“Well we all are the same thing and none of our stomachs are cramping.”
“It probably just didn’t agree with my stomach. Hopefully it goes away soon.”
Dr. Teeth walked over to me and placed a hand on my forehead then on my cheek. “Well you ain’t warm so you don’t have a fever.”
“Yeah, I don’t really feel sick besides my stomach so so didn’t think it was a fever.”
“Hey, how about you come downstairs and listen to me and the band play some tunes, it may get your mind off of your stomach.”
“Yeah I would like that. You know how I always dig your guy’s music.”
“Have since you were a baby.”
Dr. Teeth and I walked down stairs where the rest of the band was.
“Look who decided to come down,” Floyd joked. “You’ve been cooped up in your bedroom almost all evening.”
“She’s not feeling the best right now,” Dr. Teeth responded. “Tummy troubles.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Audrey.”
“It’s okay, Floyd. It probably hurts because something I ate didn’t sit right with me. It should go away soon.”
“Feel like you going to, you know, spew?”
“No, nothing like that. It’s just cramping. I’ll be fine.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“Poor Audrey,” Animal said sympathetically.
“Thanks for the sympathy, Anima, but I’ll be alright.”
“I brought Audrey down here so she could listen to us play to get her mind off her stomach so she can start feeling better,” Dr. Teeth said.
“We’ll get to your keys, man, and let’s play.”
I listened to the band play some songs for about 10 minutes or so. They played Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Can You Picture That, Rock n Roll all Night, and Rock On. I got to admit, listening to them play did help me get my mind of my pain, but that doesn’t mean it went away.
“Excuse me for a second guys, I’m going to go use the terlit.” I walked over to the bathroom in the room we were in, but I wasn’t prepared for what I saw when I sat down.
“Oh my gosh!” I cried. I then quickly threw my hands over my mouth when I realized how loud I was.
Today was the day it came, my very first period. Out of all the days it had to come it came the week my parents and Janice were out.
My underwear looks like a crime scene from how much blood was in it. I had no idea what I was going to do. I didn’t have any pads because my mom uses tampons and I can’t just go to the store on my own because I have no money. I couldn’t tell the band because they are all guys and it would make them uncomfortable. Also it would be terribly embarrassing.
That explains the pain in my stomach. It wasn’t something I ate it was my first period cramps. If this is what is going to happen every month then I’m screwed.
I looked through all of the cabinets in the bathroom to try to find something to substitute a pad with but I found nothing, so I had to settle with toilet paper. I took almost all the paper off the roll and shoved it all in my underwear. I pulled up my pants and tried to adjust it a bit to make sure it wasn’t noticeable or looks like I was wearing a diaper.
I waddled out of the bathroom and to the chair I was sitting in, trying to make sure I looked like nothing was wrong.
“Was everything okay in there, Audrey?” Dr. Teeth asked. “You were in there for an awfully long time.”
“Oh yeah, I’m fine. I…um got distracted reading the hand soap bottle.” That was such a dumb excuse. “It’s…um pretty interesting to me how all those chemicals come together to make your hands clean.” I then laughed nervously.
“I always thought the same thing,” Floyd added. “How do all those chemicals clean your hands.”
I noticed that Animal was sniffing the air then looked me dead in the eyes and said “Blood.”
I started scratching my neck. “Blood? What are you talking about, Animal. I don’t see any blood.”
“Me smell blood.”
“Floyd, are you fingers bleeding from playing the bass?” Dr. Teeth asked.
“No. Does anyone have a paper cut or anything?Everyone shook their heads. “Then why is Animal smelling blood.”
“Oh, I don’t know. Probably smelling something else he thinks is blood,” I said.
Animal shook his head. “No. Blood.”
“Animal, no one is bleeding. Now it’s getting pretty late I best be going to bed.”
“But it’s only 8:00,” Dr. Teeth exclaimed. “You never go to bed this early, especially on a weekend night.”
“Well I’m tired. Hopefully when I wake up in the morning my stomach will be feelings better.”
“Ok, but don’t forget to give ole Dr. Teeth a hug goodnight.”
“Oh, Teeth, you know there isn’t a night where I don’t give you a hug goodnight.” I walked over to Dr. Teeth and him and I hugged like we do every night before bed. Dr. Teeth is like a second father to me and he really does treat me like his own.
“Sweet dreams, Audrey. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Teeth.”
“I love you, kid.”
“I love you too, Teeth.”
I pulled myself out of Dr. Teeth arms. “Goodnight, guys.”
“Sleep tight, Audrey,” Floyd said.
“And don’t let the bed bugs bite, Floyd.”
“Night Night, Audrey!” Animal cried.
“Goodnight, Animal.”
“Sleep well, Audrey,” Zoot said.
“You too, Zoot.”
I then left the room and started to walked up the stairs, but in the middle of doing that I cried “Don’t cause any destruction, guys. My parents will blame it on me for not stopping you.”
“Don’t worry, Audrey,” Dr. Teeth replied. “Nothing in this house will get broken tonight.
“It better not.” I then walked upstairs to my bedroom and got myself ready for bed. I changed my underwear and hid my bloody ones under my bed so none of band, especially Animal, finds them.
Then I laid down in my bed with my blanket all the way up to the chin, closed my eyes and tried to sleep while the cramps were still going on.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I opened my eyes, it was still dark. I reached for my phone on my beside table and the time read 3:56 a.m. I hate waking up in the middle of the night because it’s hard for me to fall back to sleep and then I feel tired the next day. I needed to try and get some more sleep so I adjusted myself to a more comfortable position and that’s when I felt something wet and cold.
I reached over to my lamp and turned it on. I threw off my blanket and was met with a red spot on my white sheets. Now this was just great, I bled on my sheets. I guess it was my fault for not putting enough toilet paper in my underwear before I went to bed.
I swung my legs over the side of my bed and stepped onto the floor. I ripped off my sheets then changed my underwear and pajamas and carried them downstairs.
I had to make sure to be as silent as humanly possible because the slightest noise could wake up one of the Electric Mayhem and get out of bed to make sure I’m okay. This happens all the time. The band is scared is scared of getting scolded at by my parents for letting me get hurt or something so they pay attention to the littlest noises I make at night. It started when I was probably around 3 and was sleeping in a bed with rails on the side so I wouldn’t fall out because I liked to roll in my sleep and that night when the band was taking care of me I ended up falling asleep in bed with Dr. Teeth and I fell out and bumped my head. I got a pretty nasty bruise and my parents got real mad at Dr. Teeth for not putting in my bed where I wouldn’t fall out. Cut to some years later when I was 9 and was getting up to go to get a drink of water and I tripped over something because it was too dark for me to see. The whole band was woken up by it and came to see if I was okay. So yeah, the slightest noise will wake them up.
I tip toed to the laundry room where I put some stain remover on my sheets, underwear, and pajamas and dumped them in the washing machine. But as I closed it I heard a voice yell “Blood!” and it almost gave me a heart attack.
“Animal, what are you doing out of bed?”
“Smell blood.”
“Well no one is bleeding so you can go back to sleep now.”
“Blood!”
“Animal you’re gonna wake the others up. Stop being so loud.”
“Where blood coming from?!”
“Animal, sh, I’ll tell you where the blood is coming from. But you can’t tell the others.”
“No tell.”
“Ok, I got my period yesterday, Animal. My very first one and that’s why you were smelling blood. I also bled on my sheets so I have to wash them.”
“What period?”
“Oh, you don’t know what a period is, don’t you?”
“Not know what period is. Something bad?”
“Well, no-“
“SOMETHING WRONG WITH AUDREY!”
“Shh. Animal keep your voice down. The others are gonna wake up.”
“AUDREY GOT PERIOD!”
“Animal, stop.”
Just then I could hear the door to the bedroom the Electric Mayhem share open and feet running towards the laundry room.
“What’s going on?” Dr. Teeth said, sounding very worried.
“Yeah, is everyone alright?” Floyd asked.
“Did someone die?” Zoot asked.
“AUDREY GOT PERIOD! SOMETHING WRONG WITH HER! SHE BLEED ON SHEETS!”
I blushed as I watched the 3 men’s eyes stare at me.
“Audrey, is this true?” Dr. Teeth asked.
“You got your first period?” Floyd questioned.
“I really don’t want to talk about it.” I stormed out of the laundry as quickly as I could.
“Audrey! Wait!” I heard Dr. Teeth cry out.
I ran upstairs to my bedroom where I slammed the door and sat on the edge of my bed. I don’t think I have ever been more embarrassed in my entire life. Animal just announced to the rest of the Electric Mayhem that I got my first period and I bled on my sheets. I should not have told Animal. I thought he knew what a period was and he would know that I didn’t want him to tell the others. I guess it’s my fault for putting my trust in Animal. It really wanted to wait and get this dealt with when my mom or Janice came back but I guess it’s not.
I then heard and the knob on my door turned and my door opened. Dr. Teeth walked in and closed it.
“You okay, sweetheart.”
“Not really.”
He walked over to my bed and sat down right next to me. “Hey, don’t be embarrassed, this happens to every woman.”
“I know, but I didn’t really want to discuss this with you, I wanted to wait to tell my mom or Janice. They’ve experienced it.”
Dr. Teeth put his arm around my shoulder. “I know but they’re not here right now so you need someone else to help you deal with it. They’re not getting back for another week or so.”
“I know, it’s just embarrassing.”
“I understand, sweetheart. But I’ve known you since you were a baby, I’m like your second father, you shouldn’t be embarrassed around me.”
“Well I am.”
“Audrey, I used to change your diapers and helped toilet train you. I’ve been with you your entire life. I want you to feel comfortable around me.”
“I’m sorry, Dr. Teeth.”
“Don’t be sorry, you’re okay. But when you saw you bled on your sheets you should’ve came to me and I would’ve helped you with this.”
“The thing is, Teeth, it happened last night before I went to bed. After you guys got done playing some songs and I went to the bathroom, I wasn’t in there for a long time because I was reading the soap bottle, it was because I was trying to deal with my first period.”
“You should’ve came and gotten me.”
“I should’ve. You’re right.” I started to feel more comfortable around Dr. Teeth. I started to realize that I have known this guy my whole life and he’s never made me feel ashamed of anything. He’s always helped me deal with stuff in my life. Embarrassing stuff, like when he would take care of me when so was a little kid and I’d wet the bed or when I was sick and would throw up everywhere. He would never make me feel ashamed of these things, he was always there for me. So I should’ve told me about my period when I got it.
“So does your mom have any products you can use.”
“No, she uses tampons and I don’t think I’m ready for those yet.”
“I know just the thing you can use as a pad.”
“What?”
“I saw Janice do this once when she was having her period and didn’t have any pads. Come with me.”
I followed Dr. Teeth to his bedroom where the other members of the band were.
“How are you feeling, Audrey?” Floyd asked as soon as I walked in.
“Fine.”
“Your first period, this is a pretty big mile stone.”
“Yeah, it sure is.”
“Our little girl ain’t so little anymore,” Dr. Teeth added. “Now she’s our little woman.”
“Yeah, I guess I am a woman now. Even though I’m only 12.”
“I just explained to Animal what a period is,” Floyd said. “He wants to say he’s sorry for yelling it out when you told him not to tell anyone.”
“Sorry, Audrey.” Animal said.
“I forgive you, Animal. I understand you were just worried about me.”
“Ok, now the homemade pad Janice would make when she didn’t have anything consisted of an old t-shirt, a sock, some tissues, and some toilet paper.” Dr. Teeth took a t-shirt out of a drawer and some scissors and proceeded to cut out a large part of the t-shirt. Then he grabbed two socks and a handful of tissues. “Ok, Audrey, you want me to stay outside the bathroom and tell you how to put it on or be inside the bathroom?”
“I’d rather you be inside the bathroom. It’ll be easier that way.”
“Are you absolutely sure?”
“Yes, I shouldn’t be embarrassed around you, Teeth.”
“Ok, then let’s get this on.”
We walked into the bathroom and Dr. Teeth showed me how to attach the pad to my underwear.
“So it’s pretty simple, what I can remember from Janice doing this is you layer the t-shirt, tissues, and sock then wrapped the whole thing in toilet paper so it’ll stay secure.”
I put the thing on exactly how Dr. Teeth told me then pulled up pants and we walked out.
“How does it feel? Comfortable?”
“It’s not bad. But I wouldn’t say it’s comfortable.”
“So that stomach pain you were having last night, those were cramps, weren’t they?”
“Yeah, they are. I’ve been told period cramps hurt but I didn’t think they’d hurt that bad.”
“Yeah sometimes when Janice’s monthly bill arrives and we have a concert she can’t even go on stage because of how badly her cramps hurt.”
“Yeah, that must suck performing with cramps.”
“Yeah, it must. But I’ll never experience it.”
“Yeah, be grateful for that. But I do want to thank you Dr. Teeth for helping me out with this. Not a lot of men would do that for someone who is like their daughter.”
“It’s not a problem, Audrey. I just want to make sure you’re well taken care of because you’re like a child of me own and I love you.”
“I love you too, Dr. Teeth.” Dr. Teeth and I hugged again. “I don’t know about you guys but after all the excitement tonight I’n not tired at all.”
“Me neither.”
“Are you tired?” Floyd asked Animal.
“No, not tired.”
“I’m not sleepy either,” Zoot said.
“Since this is a pretty special moment for Audrey, just becoming a woman and all, we should celebrate.” Dr. Teeth said.
“Like how?” I questioned.
“We have Oreos and milk. Let’s celebrate with Oreos and milk.”
“Sounds good to me.”