Page 62 of Don't Remind Me
My proposed topic was “Abortion as Healthcare: What It Is and Why It’s Crucial to Comprehensive Medical Care.” It was intended to grab attention, and no, not all of it would be good. But that was the point.
“This is a chance for us to address all the misinformation out there about abortion,” I said. “Challenge the stigma it’s been brandished with and get the truth out there about what it actually is and the specific circumstances it’s carried out under. This is so much broader and more complex an issue for healthcare as a whole than I think most people realize, and they should get to hear the perspective of the medical providers dealing with these situations every day.”
“Is your hope that this will minimize the amount of hate mail we get toward the clinic? Because I don’t see that happening. Most of the people who wrote those letters aren’t interested in being educated. They have their own version of the truth and won’t be swayed by another.”
I shook my head. “This isn’t about them. It’s about the people whoarewilling to listen. Who are seeking to understand better, or maybe don’t even realize what they’ve been told isn’t all there is to this.” I knew those people existed because I’d seen them in my social media comments, trying to ask questions but getting drowned out by all the enraged voices.
“I mean, half the stuff I know now I didn’t learn until I started working here,” I added. “This issue is so inflammatory that it’s hard to ask questions and get actual, reliable answers without one side of the internet or the other coming down on you.That’swhat this panel is for. A safe place to have this discussion without judgment or preaching. We can monitor the chat and only pull legitimate questions for the panelists, keep the trolls and hate out of it. Focus only on answering questions from the medical perspective about this procedure and why it’s necessary for effective healthcare for people who can get pregnant.”
Talia’s arms were crossed, but she nodded along, looking more thoughtful than opposed. “We’d have to get the board’s approval. It’s an approach we’ve never taken before.”
No, we’d been tiptoeing around the issue because of how polarizing it was, hoping to avoid things like hate mail and death threats for as long as possible. That’s what I’d done during the interview. Tried to talk around the truth instead of coming right out and saying it. It hadn’t made a difference.
“It isn’t enough for us to brush this aside,” I said. “Not anymore. We need to stop acting like we’re doing something wrong that needs to be kept hidden. The best way we can do that is to not only join the conversation but lead it. No more hiding.”
She studied me for a long moment, one that previously would have had my insides folding in on themselves as I second-guessed my every word. On the other side of this silence was her approval or rejection. And up until now, I’d held that above all else. I’d never fully believed my ideas were good unless Talia agreed with them, needing that approval to validate my own judgment.
Not this time. Whether Talia and the board approved the virtual panel or not, I trusted the urging in my gut that said it was the right call.
Talia smirked. “You really believe in this, don’t you?”
“Yes,” I said without hesitation.
She released the cross of her arms. “I do too. I’ll see how quickly I can get the board together. Keep prepping for this. Let’s be ready to pull the trigger as soon as we get their okay.”
I nodded and turned for the door.
“And, Dani?”
I glanced back to find her smiling.
“Good work.”
My chest swelled, pride surging through me at those two words in a way it never had before. Probably because this time, I believed them.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Jase
Me:Got plans for the day?
I sentthe text and looked out at the bouquet of yellow balloons swaying in the breeze at the end of my parents’ driveway. I’d been parked along the street of their house for five minutes already, working up to going inside. More cars lined the edge of their lawn, the baby shower in full swing. Ideally, I’d slip in unnoticed, give my brother and his wife my best, then spend the rest of the party sitting along the wall sipping a beer until it was late enough that I could justify needing to head out.
Dani:Not really. Just taking advantage of some me time.
Me:Me time? Is that code for masturbating?
Dani:Don’t know yet. Depends where the day takes me.
She ended the text with a winky face, and my lips rose. I’d give up six months of my salary to be back at her place, in her bed, watching her pleasure herself until neither of us could take it and I sank slowly inside her. I could practically feel the way her hips would rock helplessly against mine, urging me to take her harder, faster, to fill her completely, the way I had last night and the night before. Nearly every night for the past three weeks. My cock twitched at the thought, and I had to tear my mind away from the image and remember why that wasn’t how I’d be spending my day.
Me:Have a good time.
Dani:You too.
I didn’t have high hopes. I think she knew it, too. I hadn’t exactly hidden that I wasn’t thrilled to be going home to Connecticut, and I was sure she’d noticed how many of my mom’s calls I’d ignored in favor of returning them later. Or the fact that I wasn’t staying the night at my parents’ house even though I wasn’t working this weekend.
Maybe she found it strange my mom hadn’t asked me to help with food for the shower, despite my offering. I’d rather spend my time here in the kitchen, but when I’d put it out there, my mom had said she’d think about it and then never mentioned it again.
