Charlotte walked into the high school, back pack on her shoulders, and her bagged lunch in her hand. Before heading to first period, she stopped by her locker. As her fingers absentmindedly spun through the combination on her lock, she looked at the locker two down from hers, and realized her friend Beth wasn’t there.
She looked down the hallway, and back the other way; still there was no sign of the usually early Beth. She did however see her friend Grace walking towards her, with a look of worry on her face.
“Hey, have you seen Beth today?” she asked Grace as she approached Charlotte’s locker.
Grace shook her head, “I don’t think she’s coming in today.”
“Oh? Why not?” Charlotte cocked her head slightly, worry beginning to tug at her lips.
Grace leaned in closer towards Charlotte’s ear, “It’s that time of the month again, she’ll be out for the next couple of days.”
Charlotte paused, remembering this had been happening for the last couple of months. After Obamacare was revoked years ago, it became harder for people to afford birth control. Beth took it for health reasons so her parents tried to continue to pay for it for years after, but it had become too expensive this year. It meant that Beth had to miss a few days of school every month because she was in so much pain, she was unable to come to school.
Charlotte sighed, “That poor girl. It must be awful.”
Grace nodded in solidarity, “I know. Lucky she’s so good at catching up.”
Charlotte nodded. “We should collect her assignments then, and bring them to her after school?”
Grace paused, fear slightly coming over her expression for a split second before she recomposed herself, “I can help gather assignments, but I have, uh, art work I need to work on after school today, so I can’t bring them to her like I usually do. Would you mind?”
Charlotte was confused by the fear she’d seen over her friends face for just that moment, but nodded just the same, “Yeah, it’s no problem! Just get them to me during 4th block and I can run them over after school.”
The school day went by like any other day, but Charlotte kept replaying Grace’s brief fearful expression in her mind. What was Grace not telling her? Soon enough the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Charlotte went out to the parking garage attached to the school – this kept students out of the sun as much as possible – and jumped into her blue Subaru. With the quick press of the ignition button, the car roared to life. Charlotte carefully backed out of her parking space, and headed out of the parking garage in the direction of Beth’s house.
Beth only lived 10 minutes from the school, so it was a quick drive. Charlotte drove up on the familiar small white house, and parked in the pop-up tent garage reserved for visitors. Charlotte gathered Beth’s assignments and notes, exited her car and headed into the garage. She knocked on the door and almost immediately heard the small barking of the family’s beloved Corgi, Lorelei.
Beth’s mother, Kathy Brown opened the door. She looked surprised for a moment, but quickly smiled invitingly, “Charlotte! How are you?”
Charlotte returned the smile, “I’m good Mrs. Brown! I have Beth’s assignments and notes from today with me.”
Mrs. Brown smiled, “Well isn’t that nice of you! She’s very lucky to have such good friends. You’re welcome to come in for a moment! I’m not sure if Beth is up for having visitors just yet, but I’ll go check.”
Mrs. Brown stepped back into the house, leaving the door open for Charlotte to enter. Immediately Lorelei came bounding up towards Charlotte, jumping and begging for attention. Charlotte chuckled and stooped down lower so she could pet the small dog.
Mrs. Brown reappeared from the stairwell looking concerned, “She said she’s up for seeing you, but I’d make it brief honey. She needs her rest.
Charlotte nodded and thanked Mrs. Brown before heading up the stairs towards Beth’s room. Her door was slightly ajar, which Charlotte hesitantly pushed open.
Beth’s room had the shades drawn which was unusual. Charlotte had to wait a moment by the door to her eyes to adjust to the dark room. When they had adjusted more, she saw Beth lying on her bed. Here, she had a heating pad over her abdomen, a trashcan near her bed, and was groaning quietly.
“Oh my God Beth!” Charlotte exclaimed.
Beth groaned, “Not so loud please.”
Charlotte hurried over to her bed, “Are you okay? What happened?”
Beth raised an eyebrow, “What do you mean what happened? This is my life every month. Naseau, dizziness, horrible cramps, yeah, being a girl rules.” she mockingly raised her fist towards the sky, then dropped it back on the bed meakly.
Charlotte scanned over her friends, worried, “No I know, but I didn’t know it was this bad!”
Beth sighed, “What can be done? My parents can’t afford birth control anymore, and I don’t blame them. It’s stupid expensive.”
Charlotte shook her head, “There has to be another way. How is it possible that it’s okay to deny you something that will help you function? This is ridiculous.”
Beth shrugged, “I dunno. It’s just life. Oh, mom said you brought my homework?”
Charlotte nodded, “Yeah, I have it right here. I’ll just put it on your night stand, is that okay?”
Beth nodded, “Thanks Charlotte, I appreciate it.” Then, Beth went rigid, “Charlotte, you’re gonna want to leave, I’m going to puke.”
Charlotte nodded quickly, and hurried called out as she was leaving her room, “Text me if you need anything else!”
As Charlotte closed the door, she heard the sounds of Beth retching into the trashcan in her room. She shook her head in dismay – how could this be allowed to happen?
She said goodbye to Mrs. Brown and headed back to her car. Once she got in, she sat there for a moment processing what she had just witnessed. Poor wonderful, bubbly Beth was essentially out of commission for a few days because the government had stopped aiding families in affording birth control, especially the pill. Beth’s family had tried to hold out even after government assistance was no longer an option, but it just got too much for them. So now, Beth had to be out sick once a month for at least a few days at a time just because the past government hadn’t recognized birth control not only as a contraceptive, but as a way to help people like Beth regulate and keep these horrible side effects at bay.
Charlotte shook her head once more as she started the car and backed out of the Brown’s driveway. As the drove home, she noticed the clear blue sky, and the wind as it gently whipped through the green trees along the road. She remembered her mother mentioning her brother Henry’s explosion over not being able to go outside, which irked her even more in this moment. Past governments ruined ways of life like Beth’s and everyone’s by not adhering to scientist’s warnings on climate change.
When Charlotte arrived home, she parked her car and angrily slammed the door shut. Her father, Steve, was standing in the garage watching Charlotte curiously as she got closer.
“Hey pumpkin, what’s stewing?” he asked.
“Why is it that the government gets to decided whether people receive care or not? Tell me that! Like Beth is in her room, in writhing in pain and doubled over puking her guts out because some guy in the past decided that birth control doesn’t need to be funded. Or how about the fact that we can’t go outside?? Henry and I remember what it was like to play outside before everything went down. And it’s all because people didn’t listen to science, and oop guess what? Science won out! God, what’s next?”
Steve stood there in shock as Charlotte stormed past him into the house. He gave a long exhale after a moment, trying to process the outburst Charlotte just had. It sounded a great deal like what had happened with Henry recently, and he wondered what suddenly was triggering all this anger. He knew it wasn’t without merit – it killed him that he couldn’t play outside with his children anymore, or that health options and plans weren’t as readily affordable as he once remembered them being. He sighed and went back to his woodworking, still pondering the events that had just unfolded before him.