Luarina pulled open the drawer of the dresser to get a pajama. In the middle of the socks, she saw a package of pads with a moon design. She ran her finger over the smooth plastic and whispered, “Is this what you use when your period comes?”
Luarina sat on the crumpled bed and called her mom to talk in the room. Hearing her calm response, she looked at the lamp lit on the table and asked very softly, “Will it hurt? Will it be very scary?”
She opened the package and took out a pad. She made a funny face when the sticky part stuck to her own finger instead of coming off on her underwear. With the little sound of the glue, Luarina giggled, and the simple explanation made everything seem less complicated.
Then, Luarina picked up a clean pair of underwear and practiced slowly. She smoothed the fabric and stuck the pad in the right place. Next to it, she saw a small bag with an extra pad, underwear, and a wet wipe. The zipper making a zzzip sound made the idea of being prepared feel more real.
One day, Luarina found a little red spot on her underwear and called the adult with a trembling voice, holding the piece with both hands. “It’s here,” she heard. Seeing the white toilet paper, the new pad, and the water running in the sink, she took a deep breath and followed each step carefully.
Back in the room, Luarina put the small bag in her backpack and left a comfortable pair of shorts on the chair. She smiled at the moon design on the package, gave a gentle pat on the soft pillow, and thought: now I know what to do when my body tells me again.
