"You can use my apartment."

"Ellen honey," Nurse Lewis says in her deep, resonant voice, "If you two are going to have intercourse, you need someplace you can really relax, not someplace you're all edgy because you have to keep quiet and sneak him around."

That's right, you think. With Ellen's v... whatchamacallit, those spasms, the dorm just wouldn't work, she'd be too tense.

"You're right, Ms. Lewis," Ellen says. Her face falls. "But where? I hate the idea of a motel. My mom said there wasn't a good one in town."

"I know where you two can go," Dinah says. "Maybe not the most romantic, but practical. My treat."

Ellen beams at Dinah. "That's so nice! So gracious," she says.

"I know what it's like to need my pot stirred and there's no room in the kitchen, honey," Nurse Practicioner Lewis says. "And with vaginismus you don't need anything giving you extra worries. Tell you what, I'll be out tonight. If you want, you can use my apartment. I'll be in around six-thirty to change clothes, then I'll be out till midnight at least. You can stay over if you like."

"Yes, Ms. Lewis, thank you!" Ellen says.

Dinah Lewis takes her card back from Ellen and writes down her address beside her private cell-phone number. She takes a spare key from her pocketbook and gives it to Ellen.

"Thank you so, so much, Ms. Lewis," Ellen gushes. "I don't know how to thank you."

"Just have fun, kids, and don't set anything on fire," she says. "Pleasure to meet you, Scott. You treat Ellen good, you hear?"

"Yes, ma'am," you reply by instinct.

"Call me Miz Lewis," she says. "Or in my home, you can call me Dinah."

"Yes, Miz Lewis," you say. "Thank you."

"And if you're going to play with penile ligation, make sure it comes off within twenty minutes, half an hour at the outside."

"Miz Lewis?" Ligation?

"You tie something around your penis, don't leave it on for long," she says.

Ellen gives you a puzzled look. You swallow nervously, thinking of Amy's hair ribbon in your pocket that you removed right before Nurse Lewis examined your penis.

"Yes, Miz Lewis. Thank you."

"Good man," she says, and smiles.

The two of you take your leave of Nurse Lewis and the Margaret Sanger Sexual Health Clinic. You find yourselves wandering hand in hand amid Widley's ivied halls and green courtyards. Ellen's hand is warm in yours.

"So..." Ellen says, looking at you.

"So...?" you reply.

She pauses for a few seconds, so you're speaking again as she resumes.

Together you say, "Wanna..."

"...do it?" Ellen finishes.

"...go, um, relax?" you finish.

You break up in laughter together.

Ellen's eyes are bright as she looks at you.

"Or should we, um, tour the campus or something?" you offer limply.

Ellen laughs. "More like, is there anything we need before we run over to Miz Lewis's place?"

You smile back at her. An sappy old song runs through your mind. 'Earth angel, earth angel, will you be mine...'