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The shopping trip was supposed to be quick. At least, that’s what Chris had claimed that morning when he tossed his keys onto the table and announced that they were going into town. He needed a few things for the apartment, Claire wanted to buy some new notebooks and a jacket, and while they were there, they were both supposed to restock the fridge. Just an ordinary Saturday. Nothing special.
For Claire, days like this still had something strangely comforting about them. It had been two years since their parents died, and yet sometimes, simply going out with Chris reminded her that their life could still feel normal. Not always easy, not always peaceful, but normal. Chris worked, tried to keep up with the apartment, the bills, and his own life, while also making sure his fourteen-year-old sister ate something other than cereal for dinner. Claire, meanwhile, was increasingly determined to prove that she didn’t need looking after every time she did something.
Which, of course, did not stop Chris from acting as if she were still eight.
“I don’t need a new jacket.” Claire said, standing in front of the mirror at the store. “This one’s fine.”
Chris looked at her jacket, then at her.
“It has a hole.”
“It’s a small hole.”
“On the elbow.”
“Still a small hole.”
“Claire.”
“Chris.”
They stared at each other for a few seconds.
“We’re buying a jacket.”
Claire rolled her eyes.
“You’re impossible.”
“I know.”
He gave her a quick smile, and Claire, despite trying to keep a serious expression, smiled too.
Then they went to another store. Claire was looking through notebooks when she suddenly felt a strange, familiar cramp in her lower abdomen. She frowned and placed a hand over her stomach.
It seemed a little early. At least, that’s what she thought. Her last period had been fairly recent.
“You okay?” Chris asked.
Claire immediately straightened up.
“Yeah.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. My stomach just hurts.”
Chris studied her carefully, but after a moment, he let it go.
“Did you eat breakfast?”
Claire looked at him in disbelief.
“Yes.”
“All of it?”
“Chris.”
“I’m just asking.”
“Yes. I ate all of it.”
“Okay.”
He turned to look at some tools on the shelf beside them, and Claire sighed. The pain, however, wasn’t going away. Worse, after a few minutes, it became stronger. She tried to ignore it, focusing on picking out a notebook, but then she suddenly felt something warm.
She froze.
Her heart started racing.
No. Not here.
Claire glanced down, but from where she was standing, she couldn’t see anything suspicious. She tightened her fingers around the notebook and tried to act normal.
“Pick one?” Chris asked.
“Yeah.”
“Then let’s go.”
They headed toward the checkout. Claire walked a little slower than before, silently praying that everything was okay. She didn’t notice that Chris had suddenly stopped looking ahead.
He noticed.
A small but unmistakable dark stain on the fabric of her pants.
Chris stopped mid-step. For a fraction of a second, his brain simply refused to cooperate. He looked at Claire. Then at the stain. Then back at Claire.
Several thoughts hit him at once, and none of them were particularly helpful.
Oh, shit.
No.
That’s not…
Of course it is.
Chris was twenty years old. He was an adult. He could change the oil in a car, fix a leaking faucet, and deal with most of the problems life had thrown at him over the past two years.
But right now, he was looking at his fourteen-year-old sister and had absolutely no idea what to do.
Claire was reaching for her wallet.
“Chris?”
“Bathroom.”
“What?”
“You need to go to the bathroom.”
Claire looked at him in confusion.
“Why?”
Chris felt his face getting hot.
“Just… come on.”
“But the checkout is right there.”
“The checkout can wait.”
“Chris, what are you—”
“Claire.”
The tone of his voice was enough to make her stop arguing.
Chris gently took her by the arm and led her toward the bathroom. He wasn’t pulling her, but he was walking with purpose, looking around nervously as if the entire store had suddenly become a minefield.
Claire was getting more and more confused.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why are we going to the bathroom?”
“Because…”
Chris stopped. He had no idea how to say it.
“Because what?”
“Just go inside.”
He opened the bathroom door and practically ushered her inside before immediately looking away.
“Chris!”
“What?”
“You’re acting weird!”
“I know.”
“That doesn’t help!”
“I know.”
Claire looked at him suspiciously.
“What is going on?”
Chris took a deep breath.
“You have…”
He hesitated.
“You have a stain on your pants.”
Claire froze.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then she looked down. Her face immediately turned bright red.
“Oh my God.”
Chris instantly looked away.
“Yeah.”
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?!”
“I was trying!”
“You could’ve just said something!”
“I didn’t know how!”
Claire covered her face with her hands.
“Great.”
“Claire…”
“Great. Just great.”
Chris stood in the hallway outside the bathroom, looking like a man who had just been handed a problem requiring knowledge in a field he had never once considered learning about.
“Is it… your period?” he finally asked.
Claire looked at him through her fingers.
“Obviously.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yeah.”
“What does ‘okay’ mean?”
“I don’t know.”
Despite herself, Claire snorted.
Chris rubbed the back of his neck.
“All right. Just… stay calm.”
“I’m calm.”
“Sure.”
“I am.”
“Claire.”
“Fine. I’m not.”
Chris sighed. For a moment, they were both silent.
“Do you have any pads?” he asked.
Claire shook her head.
“No.”
“Okay.”
“What now?”
Chris glanced toward the store.
“We’ll buy some.”
Claire immediately shook her head.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Chris, absolutely not.”
“Claire, you need them.”
“I know.”
“So we’ll buy them.”
“You?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re going to buy pads?”
Chris looked at her.
“Yeah.”
“In the store?”
“Yeah.”
“People are going to look at you.”
“Claire, no one is going to die because they see a guy buying pads.”
“Easy for you to say.”
“I know.”
They looked at each other in silence for a moment.
Finally, Chris held out his hand.
“Give me your phone.”
“Why?”
“So you can show me what you use.”
Claire handed him her phone, muttering something under her breath. Chris stared at the screen for a moment, trying to memorize the name.
“These?”
“Yeah.”
“With wings?”
Claire sighed.
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
“And don’t get the cheapest ones.”
“Okay.”
“Preferably overnight ones.”
Chris raised an eyebrow.
“Overnight?”
“They’re longer.”
“Okay.”
“And don’t get any scented ones.”
“Why?”
Claire looked at him like he’d just asked the stupidest question in the world.
“Because no.”
“Okay. I’m not asking.”
Chris turned and started walking toward the store.
Three steps later, he stopped.
“Anything else?”
Claire hesitated.
“Can you get me something sweet too?”
Chris looked over his shoulder. The faintest smile appeared on his face.
“Chocolate?”
“Yeah.”
“Big?”
“The biggest.”
“Now that I understand.”
He walked away.
Claire stayed alone in the bathroom. Only after the door closed behind him did she finally let herself breathe.
She was incredibly embarrassed. She wanted the floor to swallow her whole and never let her out. But underneath all of that, she also felt relieved.
Chris hadn’t laughed. He hadn’t made some stupid comment. He hadn’t acted as if something terrible had happened.
He had just… dealt with it.
Several minutes passed before she heard a knock.
“Claire?”
“What?”
“I’ve got the stuff.”
“Leave it outside.”
“Sure.”
A moment later, a bag appeared under the door.
Claire picked it up and looked inside.
Pads. Wipes. A pair of clean black pants.
And a huge chocolate bar.
Claire stared at the contents for a few seconds.
“Chris?”
“Yeah?”
“Where did you get the pants?”
“I bought them.”
“You bought me pants?”
“I didn’t have another idea.”
“They’re too big.”
“I know.”
Claire snorted with laughter.
For the first time in several minutes.
“You’re hopeless.”
“Thanks.”
“But… thanks.”
Chris was quiet for a moment.
“No problem.”
“Chris?”
“Yeah?”
“Can you stay?”
“Sure.”
He sat down on the bench across from the bathroom. He didn’t ask how long she’d need. He didn’t rush her.
He just stayed.
When Claire finally came out, she was wearing pants that were far too big, the bag still in her hands.
Chris stood up.
“Better?”
“A little.”
“Still hurts?”
Claire nodded.
“A little.”
Chris thought for a moment.
“Want to go home?”
Claire looked at him.
“What about the shopping?”
“It can wait.”
“But you needed those things.”
“I’ll deal with it tomorrow.”
“You sure?”
“Claire.”
“Yeah?”
“It’s just shopping.”
Claire smiled faintly.
They walked toward the exit together.