EXTRACT FOR
Hot Chocolate
(Kelly Addams)

The doctor called it a phantom pregnancy.

"How? What? Why?" these were the words that sprung instantly to twenty two year old Candy's mind.

For weeks she'd been sick in the morning without any good reason, she had been gaining a little weight unexpectedly, not a huge amount, just enough for people to grin knowingly and declare that she was "Positively Glowing!" and to top all of that her breasts seemed to have grown and become decidedly tender when touched.

Of course as her concerns grew she booked an appointment with her local doctor, a store bought pregnancy test had shown negative, so that ruled out what everyone else expected to be the cause.

He had examined her, gently squeezing each breast as he searched for any obvious lump.

"And you say that your periods are irregular?"

Candy had nodded, irregular, they were all over the place and for the last couple of months? non-existent, another confusing aspect that pointed to pregnancy.

The doctor settled back into his chair and studied her for a second, Candy was still buttoning her blouse and wondered just how professional his very thorough examination of breasts and nipples had been. Because I bet he isn't immune, he has to feel something while he's groping boobs that way. And why was he squeezing me and playing with my nipples like that?

"I think what is happening is what we call a phantom pregnancy," he had begun. "It is a condition where your body reacts as though pregnant without any conception. You are displaying all of the symptoms right through to actual lactation."

"What?" Candy asked quickly, how could she be lactating, she hadn't seen any milk?

The doctor nodded and smiled, "It's a condition called galactorrhea, clearly your mind and body believe that you are pregnant and your brain has initiated the production of a hormone called prolactin that explains your swollen and tender breasts, also the small bead of milk when I increased the pressure. It is rarely anything to worry about, in fact between twenty and twenty five percent of all women experience it at some point."

"Well, what causes it?" Candy asked as she surreptitiously checked the front of her blouse for a pair of nipple sized damp patches.

The doctor smiled, "There are a variety of causes, sometimes it is triggered by a change in medication, and in rare cases a pituitary disorder? but more frequently stimulation of the breasts. I do not feel that we need worry about any medical cause just yet, because I think I know the reason. Do you ever feel discomfort because your bra or clothing is chaffing your nipples?"

Candy nodded hesitantly, it was a fact. And always an issue for her. Permanently erect nipples were often an embarrassment, to wear a blouse or t-shirt without a bra brought every passing eye to her chest, often she would hide away beneath a thick woolly jumper to avoid the constant attention. But there were times when a jumper just wasn't practical, a stroll through the park on a hot summer's day wasn't sensible draped in thick wool, so half of the time she squeezed her double D's into a bra and suffered the uncomfortable chaffing.

"It's a fact that such constant stimulation will often induce lactation, even in men sometimes," he chuckled, "But in your case, that stimulation combined with a false pregnancy will ultimately lead to milk production."

"Is it dangerous?" Candy asked.

"Nooo," his response was instant and drawn out, "In most cases it goes away all on its own quite quickly, but if it doesn't I can prescribe a course of tablets that will soon dry you up."

Being of African descent, and with a herbalist for a mother Candy would always opt for the natural option wherever possible, and so she declined the offer of medication explaining that she would return if the leaking became an issue.

And I was unfair to him she told herself as she walked out of the clinic and into the sunshine, now I know why he played with my nipples for such a long time. A small grin played on her lips as she headed for the bus stop, yeah, but I still bet he enjoyed himself.