“That’s admirable, Vince.”
Vince shrugged. Breaking up had hurt at the time, but it had been for the best because…
“They’ve got a great partner now who really appreciates them, and I’m happy their life has worked out the way it was supposed to.”
Lace’s lips twitched, as if she’d found something funny.
“What?” he asked, confused at what might be amusing.
“So…your first girlfriend had their boobs cut off, and now, mine are the ones coming into question,” she threw out, her grin growing.
Vince couldn’t stop his answering bark of laughter. “I never thought of it like that. Do you think it’s me?”
“Well, youdidsay you’re an ass man, so maybe you’re giving off vibes?” she sassed cheekily.
“I’m not sure that’s a thing,” he returned with humor. “I’ll read up on it.”
A short silence ensued as they sat looking at each other over the table.
Lace finally broke the stillness with some more earnestness.
“I’m still not sure if I can commit to losing myhealthybreast,” she sighed. “Or whether or not I’ll want reconstructive surgery.”
“What are the pros and cons?” Vince asked, because even though he’d dug deep into the subject, he really wanted to get inside Lace’s thought process.
“Well, I’ve heard that the surgery has to be done in stages most of the time; stretching the skin slowly to accommodate the implants over several operations. The procedures also come with a fairly high risks of infection. And the thing that makes me a little more skeptical whether or not it’s worth it, is that the implants don’t last forever.”
“How long?” Vince questioned.
“Ten to fifteen years, then you have to get them replaced.”
Vince let that sit for a second, then asked, “And theprosto getting reconstruction?”
“A better body image. Clothes fitting more naturally.”
Clearly, she’d been thinking about this a lot.
Vince continued with his questions to give himself a better picture.
“And the prostheses?”
“Well, when you don’t wear it, you’re left with chest flatness either on one or both sides, depending on what you choose to do. But on the positive side, there are no additional surgeries required. And the cost is a lot less than the surgical augmentation, and normally covered by insurance, which isn’t always the case with the reconstructive option.”
She grumbled, annoyed. “Both things have downsides. If you want to maintain a womanly figure, you’re kind of stuck with what’s available. The technology for prostheses has come a long way, don’t get me wrong, but you still have to wash the damned thing constantly to keep it clean. And from what I’ve heard in the support group I’ve attended, the stupid things slip out of position a lot, which means ‘adjusting’ your boobs when you might be somewhere that’s not exactly convenient.”
Vince couldsort ofrelate.
A hard-on in public carried the same kind of surreptitious re-arrangement requirements, but he wasn’t going to compare, because the reasons for each process were like peaches and bananas.
“It’s also said to be sweaty and itchy in all kinds of weather,” she continued. “Which would suck for me since I’m out in the elements all the time. And that’s about the extent of where my brain has taken me, so far.”
“That’s a lot to think about,” Vince told her solemnly. “But whatever you decide, I’m here to support you. Do you have to choose right away?”
“No. That’s one good thing, if thereisanything positive in this debacle. The cancer team recommends waiting at least six to twelve months after finishing with radiation if you opt for reconstructive surgery. But if you change your mind at a later date, it can be doneyearsafter with no additional caveats.”
“There’s so much to take into consideration,” Vince nodded, “but it’s good you have time to weigh your options.”
“Yeah. It is. But…” She chewed on her lip again, “…having you show up, telling me you’re serious about building something between us, has…complicated things.”