Craig Thinks That Lucy's Hiding Something.
Lucy has been dating Craig for several months, but hasn't had the guts
to tell him she has a sexually transmitted disease (STD) called HPV. She's made
excuses to prevent intimacy so that Craig would not be in danger of
contracting the disease, but Craig is getting impatient. The truth is that
Craig is beginning to think that Lucy's behavior indicates that she's hiding
something.
Even Virginal Sex Is Off-Limits Without Informed Consent
Lucy's doctor has made it clear to her that HPV is contagious even
through genital rubbing and oral sex. So, even the type of virginal sex that a
single girl might feel is safe is off-limits without at least informed consent
from her partner. Lucy's doctor has also made it clear that even a condom is
not a 100% guarantee against her partner contracting the disease.
There's a fine balance between growing trust and mistrust. After all
these months, Lucy has some idea of whether or not Craig is in the relationship
to stay, no matter what. And Craig is able to see that Lucy is hiding
something. It's time for Lucy to tell Craig she has HPV.
How To Tell Your Partner?
What's the best way to broach the subject? It seems that it's best to
air the topic in a casual setting. Some women with HPV found it easiest to tell
their partners during a walk on the beach, or while walking the dog. That means
that there's no eye contact to make you nervous, and there's not so much
emphasis on the importance of the topic making you lose your nerve and give up
before you begin.
When Craig arrives at Lucy's apartment, she tells him she needs to walk
her dog, Buddy, and asks Craig to accompany them. During the walk, she takes a
deep breath and plunges into the subject. "Craig, you might have noticed
that I have avoided physical intimacy with you all this time."
"Uh, Yuh. I have. Actually."
"Okay. Craig, I have an STD called HPV. It almost never causes any
symptoms in men, but they can pass it on to women, and women can get warts and
sometimes cancer from it. I was afraid to tell you, and I didn't want to risk
your catching it from me."
Craig took a deep breath and then enfolded Lucy in his arms. His face
buried in her neck, he whispered, "Let's talk."
With the truth out Lucy could breath a deep sigh of relief.