In 1817, a good friend of mine, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, suggested that if a writer could infuse "a semblance of truth" into a fantastic tale, the reader would suspend judgment concerning the implausibility of the narrative.
I've infused some truth into this story (scientists think about 42% of men with sickle cell disease will get priapism at some time in their life). My main male character suffers a bout of priapism, a persistent and painful erection of the penis that lasts more than four hours.
The cure used to relieve this condition is where I need your indulgence. Zero percent of scientists recommend the treatment our ladies use.
All characters having sex are 18 or over. This was a slow build. If you can give it some time, you will be rewarded just as the protagonist was by awesome sex with two attractive women.
^^^
July
"Class! Settle down," Mrs. Wagner called out loudly.
The youngsters were restless. Their attention span was waning in the last minutes of class. The teacher had one lesson left to impart on the final day of vacation bible school.
"Repeat after me," the thirty-eight-year-old high school English teacher and volunteer summer church school teacher said. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
The six year-olds dutifully repeated the phrase.
The teacher said, "That is an excellent motto to live by don't you think? Respect others. Be kind. Be honest. Be truthful. Be gracious. Alleviate pain and suffering when you can because that's how you'd like others to treat you, right?"
The bell rang and the little kids ran out of class laughing and screaming with excitement. When the classroom was empty, one boy could still be heard chuckling. It was Ethan, her classroom assistant. The eighteen-year-old lived on her street and was also a member of the congregation.
"What are you laughing about?" Betsy Wagner said pretending to be annoyed. She fanned herself with a manila folder.
It was hot and the classroom was full of stagnant, humid air. You'd think this would be the last place a high school teacher would be, spending her summer vacation doing more teaching, but Betsy loved children.
She'd hoped by now that she'd have kids of her own, but after twelve years of marriage, she hadn't become pregnant. Her other options for having a child didn't look viable. She and her husband couldn't afford in vitro fertilization and the various adoption agencies they had talked to all had long waiting lists. That explained why Betsy grabbed every opportunity she could to spend time with children.
Ethan said, "I have to congratulate you on completing your tour of duty without strangling one of the kids in your care. You had some brats this year. And I want to commend you for reaching for the stars."
"What are you talking about?"
"Your presentation on 'The Golden Rule'. Most teachers dealing with kids who are just learning numbers and the alphabet would be satisfied to tell them the rule and explain it to them as simply as possible. A regular teacher would say something like 'be nice to others because you want people to be nice to you'.
"You have higher expectations for the little munchkins in your class. You want to get across the concepts of being truthful and being gracious and you even went so far as to tell them to alleviate pain and suffering? Do you think any of them know the meaning of the four syllable word 'alleviate'?"
Betsy smiled. She got his point. She chuckled and playfully said, "I do go above and beyond normal expectations!"
^^^
August
Ellen, Ethan's mother, and her daughter Emma walked across the street. Ellen knocked on Betsy Wagner's door. When she answered, Ellen said, "I was planning on going with you tomorrow to help set up the summer camp for the kids. There's an emergency at work and now I can't get away. I'm sorry."
"I understand," Betsy said graciously. "Do I still get the crew?"
"Yes. Ethan, Emma and Skyler can go."
"Don't worry," Betsy said. "The four of us can knock down cobwebs, clean and air out the cabins and have the summer camp ready for the kids."
For most people, that would've been the end of the discussion. Plans change. People adapt. Life goes on. Things were more complicated for Ellen and her family. Her son, Ethan, had sickle cell.
"Are you comfortable having Ethan there?" she felt obliged to ask.
"Mom! Really!" Emma said. "He's not an invalid. He's got sickle cell. And not even the worst form."
Emma took a deep breath and quickly and mechanically said, "Normal red blood cells are disc shaped and flexible. They move easily through blood vessels, taking oxygen to every part of the body. Sickle cells are shaped like a crescent moon or a sickle. They are more rigid and sticky. They get stuck in blood vessels and slow or stop blood flow. This means the oxygen doesn't get to where it's needed. This can cause pain and can harm organs, muscles, and bones."
Ellen sighed sadly. She was sad that her son had this genetic condition and she was sad because it impacted all their lives negatively.
When her son had a pain episode, it became the focus of the entire family. Everything else was put on hold. Trips, birthday parties, even Christmas had been upstaged and ruined by his illness.
His disease also had a large impact on his life. It was isolating. It made him different from his classmates. He was often sick and due to the anemia that was another aspect of the disease, he was weaker and tired easily. He couldn't keep up with the kids his age and do all the things they did. Being known as the "sick kid" hadn't helped him with the girls.
Emma said, "She's seen him when he's had one of his episodes. He has to rest, take aspirin and then he gets better."
Ethan periodically suffered painful blockages of blood vessels and he got more than his fair share of colds and flu. With rest and over the counter medicine, his strength and health returned.
Compared to other people with sickle cell anemia, he was lucky. He had a mild version. The first couple of times he had a pain crisis, his mother took him to the emergency room.
The doctors told her his bouts weren't life threatening. They said what he needed was rest and moderate care which could be provided at home. Since then, his mother had given him the care he needed and saved the family from big medical bills. Other people with more serious versions of the disease required hospitalization when they have a spell.
Ellen said, "Emma, you and I have nursed him through colds and when he's in pain. Not everyone is comfortable or prepared to deal with it."
She turned to Betsy and said, "I'd understand if you'd rather Ethan not go."
Betsy had come from a large family. As the eldest daughter, she'd helped her mom care for the younger kids and her grandparents who lived with them. She wasn't squeamish about blood and vomit.
She said, "I'm okay with Ethan. It's only for a few days and Emma will help."
"Thank you," Betsy said sincerely. "He was so looking forward to getting out of the city."
^^^
The next day, Betsy, Ethan, Emma and Skyler, Emma's best friend, hopped into Betsy's SUV and drove to the camp.
Hours later, they pulled into the campground. It was a beautiful, secluded place with a half dozen log cabins. Betsy got out and looked at the picturesque scene. The panoramic view included thick woods, a peaceful, blue lake, and majestic mountains.
"Oh! It's so beautiful up here!" she said.
The others spilled out of the car. Ethan stretched and groaned. "Ahh. My aching bones."
His older sister teased him. "Stop complaining. You're being a big baby."
