The Appointment: An Ichabbie Story from Sleepy Hollow
Miss Mills,
This email is a reminder that it is time to schedule your annual exam please contact the office at your latest disposal.
Westchester County Women's Health Associates
Abbie sighed she hated going for her yearly exam, which was a good thing that it was yearly. However it seemed that it would always crept up on her so fast every year and needless to say it was September again.
Abbie wasn't alone though since most women her age dreaded going to these appointments but did so for the sake of their health. Abbie felt pathetic she was a freaking Witness for crying out loud fighting demons all the time but she couldn't stand undergoing a simple pelvic exam.
Usually Abbie had her sister Jenny come with her so she wouldn't feel anxious or nervous; however this year she would be out of town the week she was scheduled to go.
Jenny and Joe Corbin were going on a vacation to the Great Lakes in Canada for her birthday leaving Abbie no choice but to go by herself.
"Why don't you just ask Crane to go with you?" Jenny suggested
"Crane?" Abbie said wondering if her sister lost some of her brain cells "Crane go with me to my appointment to the gynecologist?"
"Well why not? You two live together and practically do everything else together"
"Not everything" Abbie replied she hated when her sister implied that there was an intimate relationship between her and her colleague Ichabod Crane.
"It's bound to happen"
"Whatever"
"Look Abbie I know how nervous you get and you usually feel better when I'm there holding your hand" Jenny said "wouldn't you feel better if Crane was in my place instead of just you and the doctor alone"
Abbie wasn't going to lie that did sound more ideal even if it was Ichabod.
"Okay fine" she said reluctantly
"It will be fine Abbie"
"And I hope you have a good vacation too"
"Oh I will" Jenny laughed "and you can tell me all about your appointment when I get back"
"Enjoy that lo mein?" Abbie chuckled watching Ichabod chow down on the noodles that they had ordered for take out.
"My apologies Miss Mills I'm finding myself looking forward to our Friday evening meals"
"Well Chinese takeout isn't cheap so I might have to actually cook next week"
"That's a shame then" Ichabod said opening one of the fortune cookies "these fortunes are actually quite humorous"
"This one reads 'You will become better acquainted with someone close to you'" Ichabod said "not exactly humorous but interesting none the less"
If by becoming better acquainted meant being in the tiny exam room holding her hand while her legs were up in the air by her doctor then yes they were going to be getting quite acquainted.
"Crane" Abbie spoke up putting her fork down "there's a favor I'd like to ask you"
Ichabod frowned a little when he noticed a slight discomfort look on Abbie's face
"Is something troubling you Miss Mills?"
"It's nothing" Abbie insisted, "it's silly really"
"I can assure you Abbie that whatever you have to confide in me is not silly"
Abbie looked up to see Ichabod looking back at her with an honest and trusting gaze
"I wondering well hoping if you could come with me to my appointment to the women's health clinic"
"Are you ill?"
"No I'm fine I have to go in for my annual checkup" she explained, "Jenny usually comes with me but she and Joe are going to be out of town"
"I take that Miss Jenny brings a sense of comfort during that time"
"Yes I sometimes get a little anxious"
"Might I ask why?" Ichabod asked, "I'm trying to understand why a physician would make you feel that way Miss Mills"
"It's not the most comfortable situation for a woman to be in" Abbie said "it's a little awkward but I have to go through it for the sake of my health"
Ichabod still wasn't following and Abbie knew she'd have a lot of explaining to do
"I'm guessing not of women in the 18th century went to a gynecologist regularly"
"A what?"
Abbie signed in and took the clipboard to fill out the usual questions that the office wanted which mostly was updated information and took a seat next to Ichabod.
Abbie had spent the past week explaining to Ichabod what modern day gynecology and how it relates to women's reproductive health.
Abbie did feel a little awkward telling Ichabod these things and lucky for her he was open minded about the subject and supported her. As the two of them sat in the waiting room Ichabod took note of some of the men in the room who were with pregnant girlfriends and wives as well toddlers and babies.
"Some of the patients who are expecting come in for prenatal visits" Abbie said reading his mind "with the technology and medicine we have now people can monitor the development and health of their baby before he or she is born"
"That's good to know" Ichabod said, "Unfourtnately many women have either lost their lives or the lives of their babies due to lack of these modern day practices"
Speaking of young children a little boy no older than two toddled over to them after his rubber ball bounced over to Abbie's feet
"Does this belong to you?" Abbie asked handing the ball over to the little boy. The little boy gratefully took it giving her a cheeky grin and pointed at her belly and asked "Baby?"
Ichabod smiled amused by the child's naïve statement and his very pregnant mother came over to collect him.
"Oliver" she scolded him gently "I'm sorry if he was bothering you Miss"
"He's alright "Abbie reassured" look like he's excited to be a big brother congratulations"
"Thank you" the mother smiled back and took her son by the hand
Ichabod looked over at Abbie who seemed to be amused by little Oliver too and even waved back at him. It wasn't until now that Ichabod thought of the possibility that Abbie might something more than being a Witness such as motherhood.
Ichabod had no doubt that Abbie would make an excellent mother however part of him felt a bit uneasy about another man's child growing inside her; but he decided to push that notion aside since they weren't involved.
He had to remember that he was here to support her and that was all
"Grace Mills" the nurse at the door called "you can come back now"
Abbie took a deep breath trying not to get all jittery and Ichabod placed his hand on her shoulder to let her know that he'd be right there.
Ichabod stood close by as the nurse took Abbie's blood pressure, weighed her, and took her height. The nurse asked her questions about any medications she was taking and when the date of the first day of her last menstrual cycle was.
The nurse gave Abbie a gown and instructed her to strip down and leave the front of the gown loose. Ichabod waited by the door for Abbie to let him know when she was ready for him to come in.
Abbie fastened the tie in the front of her gown and took her seat on the examination table. Her palms already felt a bit sweaty and the doctor wasn't even in the room yet and there was an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"Miss Mills are you decent?" Ichabod asked from the other side of the door and Abbie couldn't help but smile he was such a gentleman
"As much as I'll ever be for the time being" she replied "you can come in Crane"
Ichabod walked in to find Abbie sitting on the examination table in her gown with just her socks on. Usually he would have just left for the sake of Abbie's modesty but in this case he promised to keep an open mind.
"I couldn't help but to overhear your nurse ask you some rather personal questions" he said taking a seat in the chair across from her "I know that's in the job description but it did seem a bit intrusive"
"It is" Abbie admitted "but I have to be honest so they can treat me"
"I should hope so" Ichabod said, "I'll do my best to not pass too much judgment"
"That's all I'm asking Crane" she replied and he gave her a promising smile that at the same time told her that he would certainly interjecting when needed. Only to protect her.
"Isn't your physician supposed to come in shortly?" Ichabod asked
"Yes she should-"
Abbie was cut off when the doctor entered the room and greeted her
"Afternoon Miss Mills"
Ichabod stiffened in his chair and Abbie knew that he'd definitely would have a hard time not passing judgment. The gynecologist seeing her today was a man.