Homeless

Chapter 28

Derek's POV

The Monday after Christmas, I make an appointment to get tested. It was amazing to share the time with Danielle but I got so close to finally being physically intimate with her. While I had some self control over the weekend, I know the amount I have left is limited. Especially if I get to see her in those satin gold pajamas again.

I arrive at a small clinic early in the morning. The clinic has a modern look to it and is less than a mile from home.

"Welcome in," a guy at the counter says. "How may I help you?"

I wasn't expecting to feel nervous but my heart is pounding in my chest. I can hear it in my ears.

"Um," I say, walking up to the counter. "I was hoping to get tested

"Sure!" The guy has way too much energy for 9 in the morning. "Do you know what exactly you want to be tested for?"

"Ummm, everything?" In all honesty, I don't know what exactly. I just know there is some pretty nasty stuff that I could have picked up while with Roxy.

"Okay," the guy nods. He can tell I don't know what I'm talking about. "We have a basic, comprehensive panel that we suggest for all our sexually active patients who have never been tested before. This includes testing for HIV, hepatitis, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes and HPV. Covers all the main ones. And all of these are collected with one blood draw and one urine sample. Because you came in early today, we can get you your results by the end of the day. If you're clear, we'll call you and tell you. If you're not clear, we won't disclose which results were positive but we will ask you to come in. Does that sound okay?"

My head is still spinning from the giant list of STIs the guy has just read off but I nod my head.

"Yeah, that's fine."

The man hands me a clipboard and a pen. "Great! Just go ahead and fill out this for me. Just asks for some basic information, a couple questions about your sexual history and asks about any recreational drug use. You don't need to fill out everything but the more you fill out, the better we will be able to assist you and assess your needs. Do you have any questions?"

"No, thank you."

I take the clipboard and have a seat in the lobby. I'm the only one here. It takes me roughly 5 minutes to fill out the form. When I return it, the man at the front desk immediately directs me to a small lab inside the clinic. I take a seat and a phlebotomist approaches me to draw my blood.

The process is relatively quick and painless, aside from a small poke. He takes two small tubes of blood before removing the needle from my arm.

"And then your last test will just be a urine sample." He puts the blood tubes in a bag and drops them into a basket before handing me a small cup and alcohol swab. "You can use the bathroom to your left. Just wipe around the head of your penis, start peeing then catch some urine midstream in the cup. You can then put the cup behind the small door in the bathroom for the lab to retrieve. Any questions?"

He says everything so carelessly that I can tell he does this all day, every day.

"No questions," I say, taking the cup. I go into the bathroom and do just as I was instructed. It takes me less than five minutes to do everything. I place the cup behind a small metal door before washing my hands and leaving the bathroom.

I say bye to the secretary before heading out the front door and stepping out into the cold NYC air.

Danielle's POV

It's about 1pm and I'm at the bakery waiting for the armoured van to pick up the bakery's money for the last month or so.

"Afternoon miss," one of the two guys says as I let them in the bakery. "Here for your weekly pickup."