Chapter 2: Building Tension
The sterile walls of the exam room were painted in a comforting shade of soothing blue. Yet, they did little to ease the tension tightening Jen's shoulders. Her palms felt clammy as she held on to the crinkly white paper that draped over the cold, metallic table beneath her.
"Jen, I need you to remove your underwear for the procedure," Dr. Sara Thompson said gently.
Dr. Thompson was a familiar face at the clinic, known for her experience and professionalism. But today, she had informed Jen of a new method she would perform, a clitoral smear—a more effective approach to screen for potential issues compared to the traditional Pap smear. It was still a controversial procedure, but Jen had faith in Dr. Thompson's expertise.
Her breath hitched as she slipped her thumbs under the waistband of her panties and pushed them down her legs.
The cold metal against her flesh made her shiver as she kicked off her undergarments and laid back on the exam table.
"Alright, Jen, I'll explain each step as I proceed," Dr. Thompson assured Jen while snapping on a pair of latex gloves. "Now, I'm going to apply a clamp to hold back your clitoral hood, Jen. This will allow me to access the area for the smear."
Jen's heart pounded in her chest, but she nodded, trying to remain calm. Dr. Thompson gently placed the clamp, holding back the hood to reveal the glistening tip of her clitoris.
"This is a very sensitive area, Jen, but I'll make sure to be as gentle as possible," she assured Jen, shining a penlight to examine the clitoral glans.
The light was cold, but Dr. Thompson's fingers were surprisingly warm. Jen's body tensed as she felt the gentle touch of the doctor's fingers on her most intimate part.
Dr. Thompson's expression turned serious, and she nodded.
"Alright, Jen, I'll begin now."
Dr. Thompson picked up a small, sterile spatula and prepared to scrape a sample from Jen's clitoris.
"This will be uncomfortable, but it should only last a few moments. Try to relax as best you can," she instructed.
Jen took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut as she felt the cold metal spatula press against her sensitive flesh.
She tensed at the first scrape, a sharp pain shooting through her body.
"Oh—it hurts!" she gasped, trying to remain still.
"I'm sorry, Jen. I know it's not pleasant, but it's necessary for the procedure," Dr. Thompson said sympathetically, wiping the spatula on a nearby slide.
"Just a few more seconds, and then we'll be done."
Jen nodded, her teeth gritted as she focused on the ceiling tiles above. The white, speckled surfaces held her gaze as Dr. Thompson scraped the spatula against her clitoris a few more times.
Finally, she pulled the spatula away and placed the slide in a machine next to the table.
"There, all done," Dr. Thompson said with a relieved smile.