Finding Love in Atlanta by Olivia Saxton

Author:Olivia Saxton
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2019-09-25T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Two days after Christmas, Sebastian and Dominic went to an HIV/STI testing center in Decatur.

Sebastian sat in the chair in the room. The LPN, Molly, processed his test. Dominic was taken to another room by another clinic worker.

She sighed with what appeared to be relief. “You’re negative.”

He smiled. He wasn’t worried because he knew he didn’t have anything, but it was still good to hear it.

“You know, you are the first negative person we had today,” she whispered.

He was taken aback. “Well, surely you only had a few patients today.”

“We’ve had twenty-three patients today, and they all tested positive. To say we’ve had a busy and stressful day would be an understatement. Our counselor has been busy, too. We had to call the other counselor in to help. It was supposed to be his day off,” she stated.

“Twenty-three people in one day,” he repeated with surprise.

“Yes. I don’t know what else can be done to educate people,” Molly said with a hint of distress. “Unprotected sex has serious repercussions. Yes, medications can keep a positive patient alive, but they’re still sick. They’re more prone to illnesses associated with HIV. Other things can happen, too. For example, what if an HIV patient loses his or her job? Wham. No health insurance or prescription coverage. Medications are thousands of dollars.”

Sebastian slowly nodded his head up and down. He couldn’t get that number out of his mind. Twenty-three – in one day.

A few minutes later, he was walking out to the lobby with his computer printout of his results.

Dominic was already in the waiting area. “Clean bill of health,” he said and gave his results to Sebastian.

Sebastian gave his results to Dominic without saying a word, and then he quietly walked through the double doors to the parking lot.

Five minutes later, Dominic was driving down 285.

Sebastian was in deep thought. He had dodged a bullet. He knew he had. It was true when he told Dominic that he used condoms with men, but he hadn’t with women. He hadn’t with Meghan. Luckily, she wasn’t promiscuous. She had told him that she hadn’t dated anyone in a year.

“I can’t help but notice that you are a bit melancholy,” Dominic commented. “I thought you would be jumping off the walls because we won’t be using condoms anymore.”

Sebastian was pleased about that. It was becoming an inconvenience. However, Molly’s revelation jarred him. “The LPN told me I was their first negative patient all day. It’s two o’clock in the afternoon. Twenty-three patients had tested positive.”

Dominic inhaled. “Unfortunately, I’m not surprised. Atlanta is the HIV capital of America. It’s just that no one knows it.”

If Dominic had said that a week ago, Sebastian would have dismissed it as exaggeration. But now, knowing what he knew, he felt the title was true. “Last year, new HIV cases hit an all-time low in San Francisco,” Sebastian mumbled. Sebastian truly believed the virus wasn’t spreading like it had fifteen years earlier.

“That sounds nice,” Dominic said as he took the turn-off ramp.

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