#sashnetra

Of all the things Delia’s mother had taught her, always being prepared was probably the biggest. Her mother had everything they needed in the car, at least four first aid kits in the house, and flashlights with batteries in almost every drawer. 

Whatever could happen, it will happen, was a lesson her mother taught her.

The only thing her mother didn’t teach her, was preparing for her menstrual cycle. 

That was her other mother’s responsibility, of course. 

“Shoot,” Delia muttered in the empty girl's restroom. The pocket on her backpack where she kept her spare pads and tampons was empty. Upon looking, she realized that she gave her pad to a sixth grader who cried over her first period, and the tampon she gave a friend. 

She looked at the other girls in the restroom. One was brushing her hair and the other was washing her hands. Both looked like they were eighth graders. “Do either of you have a pad? Or a tampon?” she asked, her hands wringing themselves.

Both girls shook their heads in a no, and Delia looked down in a mix of disappointment and worry. She only had a few periods before but always started at home with a full box of hygiene products. 

Now, she was in the middle of the school day with nothing.

“You could use toilet paper, it works for me in a pinch.” One girl suggested. “Just fold it up and you should be fine,” 

“Oh, yeah I can try that, thanks!” Delia said as the girls were leaving. She was safe until she got back home. 

Unfortunately, the toilet paper trick did not last as long as Delia hoped. 

Within a couple of class periods, she had a red stain on the crotch of her jeans. Looking in the mirror, it was getting noticeable. 

She had to go to her last resort, the nurse’s office. She remembered seeing a basket of feminine products last week when she went in for a headache. The nurse could give her one, maybe even find a change of clothes in the lost and found!

The science teacher signed her a pass to go to the nurse’s office with a sympathetic look. Delia quickly walked down the empty hallway for refuge in the nurse’s office. She hoped the nurse didn’t have another student now, waiting would make her situation worse. 

Delia sighed in relief to see an empty nurse’s office, with the school nurse at her desk. She tapped on the door to get her attention, the same way she did it when her mother was working in her office. 

“Hi, excuse me?” she walked in as the nurse looked up at her. 

“Weren’t you just in here the other day?” the nurse asked her with a pointed look. 

Delia nodded, feeling like she was in trouble, “Yes, but I need-” she tried saying before the nurse got up from behind her desk.

“This isn’t a place to skip class, young lady,” the nurse started, and Delia felt a bundle of worry rise in her chest as the older woman continued, “You can’t always come in here and expect me to not be suspicious of you,” 

Delia felt her eyes well with tears as she tried to muster a response, “I-I got my period and I got blood everywhere,” she said with a wobbling bottom lip. “I didn’t have any pads and now my pants are ruined,” she cried as she tried to wipe away her tears.

The nurse’s face changed and asked Delia to turn and show her, “Oh dear,” She said with empathy. “Is there anyone you want me to call to bring you some fresh clothes?” 

Delia nodded, “C-can you call my mom?” 

The nurse nodded as she looked up Delia’s file and the contact list. She offered the girl a cold bottle of water and a seat as she dialed the number on her desk phone. 

Delia wiped her stray tears as she listened to the nurse speak on the phone. Now her only worry is if the nurse was calling the correct mother. 

As Delia was still reeling over how she just cried in front of the school nurse, she eventually heard her name from the secretary from across the hall. 

“Colby? She’s right in there,” the older secretary said over her typing on the old keyboard. 

Delia tried to listen to the footsteps that came across the hall, but it was hard to tell on the linoleum. Mama had light footsteps with a short stride, meanwhile, Mom had quiet steps with a longer stride. Delia always knew who was walking behind her closed bedroom door. 

Delia felt relieved at the sight of her mother’s red hair turning the corner. Mom would know exactly what she needed, which Delia was grateful for.

“How bad is it?” Anetra asked her as she dug through the bag. She pulled out a pair of dark-wash jeans with a plastic bag to put her dirty clothes in. 

“I bleed through, it’s bad,” Delia said as she gladly took the new clothes in a folded pile. “I think these pants are done for,” 

“I’ll try to get the stain out with some cold water, it works for me every time,” Anetra shrugged as she took out a pad from the bag. “Or, I’m sure Mama would love a shopping trip with you,” she smiled.

After a quick change in the small nurse’s office restroom, Delia felt much better. She had some cramping starting but saw a bottle of Midol at the bottom of the bag. She was glad Anetra remembered everything for a period emergency.

“Let me know if you need anything else, okay? I’ll see you at home,” Anetra gave her a side hug with her free arm. 

“Is Auntie Mirage still picking me up?” Delia asked as the hug ended. Her aunt loved taking her out after school before taking her home. Auntie Marica did too, she usually brought her to the theater to watch different plays and musicals rehearsing. 

Anetra nodded, “She is, just make sure she brings you home in time for you to study for your math test tomorrow,” she warned. 

“I know, love you, Mom,” Delia said as she waved her mother goodbye. She didn’t care if another student heard her, her parents taught her to always say ‘I love you’, even when you are mad. 

“I love you too, blossom,” Anetra smiled with a wave before leaving the nurse’s office. 

One month later, Delia luckily found a new pad and tampon in her backpack, ready for use. But she noticed something else at the bottom of that pocket. 

Her fingers grazed a smooth plastic, with paper taped to the front. She pulled out a candy bar, the type with smooth caramel and soft nougat. Her favorite to get at the checkout of the grocery store. 

She opened the folded note and smiled to herself as she read it.

“Mama thinks chocolate makes everything better, and I think she’s right,”