Page 177 of Stanton Unconditional

“Josh, I need to go to the bathroom.”

I nod, help her up and lead her to the bathroom and wait silently while she goes.

“Is your head ok?” I ask as I brush her hair back.

“I’m ok, you know me, the ultimate drama queen. Nothing in halves,” she smiles, and I find myself returning her smile. I really do love this woman.

“Come on, back to bed.” I help her back up the hall and she changes clothes and slowly hops into bed. The clock reads 4.45 am. I lay next to her and hold her close as she drifts off into unconsciousness.

It’s 12 pm, Tash is fast asleep like an angel next to me in bed and I am on my laptop googling migraines and their treatment. Apparently, she was having them every couple of weeks after her father died. Not as bad as this though, according to Max. The only time she had one this bad was when I came to her after we broke up and she turned me away. That one went for four days and they sedated her twice in a row. I needed sedating myself at that time. My eyes flick to the beautiful woman lying next to me.

I wish I could just get over this shit and forget the past. I just can’t…I’m trying. I am so in love with her and it’s fucking with my head, scared to live with her, petrified to live without her. I can’t stand this hold she has over me. She rolls and I notice her pajamas are slightly soiled, what’s that? My eyes widen. Shit, she has her period. My eyes dart around the room in a panic. I don’t know anything about this shit. Hang on, it’s early, it’s not due for another week, maybe she’s hemorrhaging.

I run to the lounge room to retrieve my phone and ring Cameron.

“Hey,” he answers.

“Cameron, you need to get over here immediately.

Natasha is unconscious and hemorrhaging.” “What the fuck?” he snaps.

“No, not like that. I mean she has a migraine and the doctor knocked her out and I am looking after her and now she is bleeding.”

“From where?” he snaps again.

I shake my head in frustration. “From you know where.” “Where?”

“Where girls bleed from.”

“Oh Jesus,” he groans. “She has her period, Stan, that’s all.”

“What do I do?” I shriek.

“She will have some stuff in her bathroom. All girls do, just follow the directions on the pack.”

My eyes widen as I walk to the bathroom and start rattling through her cupboards and drawers.

“What does it look like?” I ask Cameron.

“What does what look like?” he snaps.

“Whatever this girl shit is!”

He laughs down the phone. “You’re such a dumb fuck. Do you want me to come over and sort her out?”

My eyes widen in horror. “No, I do not. I can look after my girlfriend just fine thank you.” He is not laying a finger on her.

“Whatever.” He sighs. “Call me if you need help.”

He hangs up.

I rat through the cupboards and find one pad, no packet. Oh, this is just great.

I walk back to the closet with the pad and start looking for more things. Surely, she has more packets somewhere. I look through her handbags and find a few tampons. I hold one up to look at it and narrow my eyes…hmm. This is weird shit.

After cleaning Tash up, I go back to the closet to start searching for more packets. How many will I need? Why isn’t she more organized? This is so typical Natasha. In the bottom of her closet I find a couple of shoeboxes stacked on top of each other and I open the top one. I frown. It’s full of books. Small leatherbound books. I open one. It’s a diary. I rat through the other boxes, these are all diaries and she has kept every single one. Twelve, there are twelve diaries here. My eyes widen at my find, but I have more pressing issues at the moment…like where do I get more pads? I am going to have to go to the shop myself. She wouldn’t want me to send my staff. Where do you even buy this stuff? I take out my phone and call Cameron again.

“Hey,” he answers.