"Look, Helen, I just don't think we can make those numbers work," Jane said, frustrated that the people in sales just couldn't seem to grasp the reality that their new project just wasn't going to happen.
Pushing through an emerging pain in her abdomen, Jane - a 36-year-old mother of two who had become firmly entrenched in her job now for more than 10 years -- somehow managed to finish the call cordially with Helen; a woman twice her age and twice as grumpy and just as stale when it comes to any new way of thinking.
Jane was hardly an innovator or risk taker, in fact, when it came to her marriage, she was content, but, admittedly, things had fallen into a bit of a rut.
Her husband Hank, slightly older, was an amazing guy and doted on her in ways some women will never experience, but, when it came to the bedroom, Hank was, well...for all the effort he put in, let's just say that Jane had come to learn that Hank just lacked the proper equipment to get her off the way she liked. Sweet to a fault, Jane would never complain about it to Hank, but was content pretending that she was getting those big "O's" the short time it took for him to cum. She didn't imagine herself as being one of those girls who needed some length and girth to really feel the height of pleasure, but here she found herself.
Described by herself and those who knew her as pretty conservative minded, Jane had a wholesome beauty about her, but wasn't one to flaunt it. She still had a fit body from her college athlete days, small, perky breasts that were sensitive to the touch, curvy hips that swayed when she walked and that led to what Hank would call her sexiest feature, her cute bubble butt. But she kept it all carefully hidden most of the time behind her corporate dress code.
For the most part, she was the epitome of health. She was hardly a gym rat but did make physical activity a priority in her life. While her love for pizza would sometimes lead her to indulge in a slice or two from Vinny's -- the local pizza joint annoyingly located just a block from her house -- every meal she ate included some creative mix of veggies and fruits.
Today though, lunch was taking a backseat to this nagging burning sensation in her abdomen. Now nearing 40 she'd heard tales about how the body can start to change and she was thinking that this might be one of those warning signs that come with getting older. Normally she could pop an antacid and move on, but today was different. As the day wore on, the pain just got more intense and made work become barely a distraction from her discomfort. Now 6 p.m., she headed out the door and made a B-line straight to a nearby urgent care to hopefully find some relief.
When she walked in the door, Jane was greeted by the sweet yet acrid odor of hand sanitizer and commercial-grade cleaners. Under the fluorescent lights she could see three other people sitting in the small waiting area near the door. As she filled out the paperwork, she hoped that she'd get to see someone quickly to find some level of relief.
After what seemed like forever, a tech called her back to get her vitals and assign her to a room.
"146," she said, as Jane thought that maybe a silver lining in this whole thing was that she'd shed a pound or two. Her blood pressure was normal and temp was at its typical 97.3 degrees. With that, she was escorted back to a room.
Once in the room she settled in for what would undoubtedly be an uncomfortable experience. Every time she had been to an urgent care, she had been seen by either an ancient, near-retirement (or death) doctor who was likely just catching an extra shift to pay for his new retirement splurge; or it was a nurse practitioner who look like they had just graduated high school.
But today, she barely had time to put her purse on the counter before the door cracked open and the physician walked in.
Spinning around, she was surprised at what she saw.
He was young, but much closer in age to her than what she was used to, and she couldn't help but be struck by his smile. It was warm and welcoming and shone bright against his dark hue.
He was tall; taller than Hank. If she had to guess, he was 6'1 or 6'2 and appeared to be the picture of fitness. Not bulging biceps by any means but you could tell that he took care of himself.
