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The knowing, wise, old eyes of the school nurse regarded the lovely, auburn-tressed girl who sat across the desk from her. The complaint was a common one; the girl was suffering some faintness with her menstrual period. Ordinarily, Ernestine would have sent the afflicted girl home with instructions for bed rest for the remainder of the day, but she was stopped in mid-reach for the special form excuse she would have to fill out. The girl had just said that she didn’t want to go home, asking instead, that she be allowed to stay in the Health Office until the close of school.
“Is there some special reason, Charity, something that would keep you from staying at home …?” the nurse asked.
Charity Scott glanced up into the kindly face, momentarily, then concentrated her gaze on the pen-holder on the desk as an attack of dizziness reminded her of her reason for this visit to the school’s Health Office. She didn’t know exactly how she should answer Mrs. Keaton’s question. It was difficult to put into words; she just knew that it would be best if she did not go home. With an effort, she began, “M-My dad’s at h-home … he’s sick and stayed h-home from w-work … t-today …” she stumbled.
Fictional reading for entertainment purposes only.