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“Hey, sweet pea.” Mason got on his knees to wrap his arms around his daughter. Some of the unease in Pippa’s gut unfurled at the sight of this intimidating giant softening into a puddle at his daughter’s feet. He’d only been worried for her safety. And Pippa knew better than most just how far a father was willing to go for a daughter he loved.
“Did Pippa tell you?” Aspen asked.
Mason brushed his thumb over her freckled cheek. “Yeah. She said you, uh, got your period.”
Aspen nodded, a fresh blush spreading down her neck. “Please don’t get me giant pads to wear to school.”
Mason’s gaze cut to Pippa and then back to his daughter. “Well, actually, Pippa has offered to help us figure out what you need. If that’s okay with you?”
Aspen’s eyes widened, her shoulders lowering as she exhaled. “Yes. Definitely yes.”
Pippa smiled, hoping to set them both at ease. “Great, I’ll lock up behind you and meet you over there.”
Mason stood, wrapping his arm around his daughter. Aspen got to her feet, with Pippa’s sweatshirt clumsily wrapped around her waist. It was too much fabric for such a little girl, but it was all Pippa had.
She locked up behind them and cut down the side of the building along an alley, with Lady by her side. She didn’t need to hold her leash, but kept the harness on over the service dog vest with the patches instructing people to not pet her.
She showed up to the pharmacy a few minutes later. Mason leaned against his blue truck, Aspen by his side.
“Did you walk?” he asked.
She nodded. She didn’t have a choice. Driving was not an option for her. “Ready?”
Aspen grasped her hand. “Can’t my dad go in and I wait in the car?”
Pippa crouched down, her colorful braids slipping over her shoulder. “There is nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about. In fact, in some cultures, they believed when a woman had her period, she became a goddess.”
Aspen’s eyes grew wide. “Really?”
“Really. Before colonizers came and changed the rhetoric, that time of the month for women was seen as the most sacred. In fact, some cultures thought women were so powerful during this time, they believed that a man’s mana—or soul—would get sucked out because they couldn’t handle such sacred power.”
“Wow.” Aspen looked up to her dad. “You better give me some space, Dad. Wouldn’t want to suck your soul.” She giggled.
One side of Mason’s mouth quirked into a smile and damn if it didn’t stir up something inside her. “I’ll take my chances.”
“Well, let’s get this over with,” Aspen said, giving Pippa’s hand a squeeze.
Pippa led her inside and down the long rows to the back corner near the pharmacy counter until they were at the feminine products section. Mason’s gaze scanned the row of pink and floral boxes, his big frame at odds with the delicate packages, as he scratched the back of his neck as if lost.
“If you want to go swimming, you’ll need some tampons.” Pippa held up the correct container.
Aspen’s eyes grew wide as she studied the box and Mason paled.
“It’s better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them. These ones are smaller for lighter days and great for beginners.”
Mason took the box from her.
“You’ll probably be more comfortable with pads to start.” She met Mason’s gaze. “Always get the ones with the wings.”
“What about the cup?” Aspen asked, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear shyly.
Pippa searched the shelves. “Looks like they carry a Diva Cup here. There are others, and sometimes you have to experiment before you find the right one for you, but this is a little advanced. If I were you, I’d start with the pads and eventually the tampons. Get the hang of things before you go to the cup.”
“Okay.” Aspen nodded, seeming more at ease than before.
“Is that it?” Mason asked.
“Not quite. You may want a heating pad and some ibuprofen if you don’t have it.” Pippa pointed to another aisle towards another part of the store.
