FICTION

A LOVE AFFAIR

Dee Raymond

There was rather an embarassed look on Dr. Lewis' face as he asked me not to leave his office. For a moment, I didn't get it. I couldn't quite figure out why he wanted me to stay. The burly fellow squeezed into the armchair we kept for patients didn't show any sur- prise. He seemed to except me to stay.

"I, er, I want to examine this patient," said Dr. Lewis hesitantly.

I nodded, still not seeing what he was up to. After all, I only had to stay in the room when he examined his female patients. He saw me working it out and nodded slightly. I didn't know what kind of picture my face showed, but my temperature had sure shot up fast. I didn't dare look at the patient. She hadn't responded at all before when I'd brought her in and said, "Mr. Vole to see you," to Doctor Lewis.

All through the examination, I could feel my heart pounding and I fumbled with several of the examining instruments. That the patient was female was only obvious when she had removed all her clothes. She showed no emotion at all throughout the detailed examination, even when the doctor palped the small nipples of her breasts. She made no comment at all as Dr. Lewis talked over the value of pap smears. I thought that she was totally devoid of any kind of feeling at all, until, on returning to place the filters that we'd used up, I heard Dr. Lewis saying, "It's not really that bad." Whatever the woman said in reply was muffled. It was then that I realized that she was, in fact, sobbing.

I asked Dr. Lewis about her later. He's a kind, old man, in his late fifties, quite absent-minded, but a peach of a boss to work for. He

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