Brian checked Laney in shortly after they arrived, but with people in front of him they were asked to wait. Now Brian paced the waiting room, looking towards the entrance to the ER wondering when their name would be called. Laney sat with her legs up on the chair holding them to her chest. She had told him the pain was less if she added pressure. The nurse that checked her in felt that if she was able to put pressure on the area then chances were it wasn't appendicitis, so they had to wait.

“Laney Littrell?” The nurse from behind the counter called.

“Finally,” Brian muttered under his breath before turning around and helping Laney to her feet. They followed the nurse to a small examination room; there was no bed but a chair that reclined. The nurse directed Laney to take a seat then promptly left.

“So instead of waiting in pain out there, I get to wait in pain in here,” Laney let out an awkward laugh.

“Hopefully it won't be much longer,” Brian kissed his wife's forehead and stroked her hair. He felt at a loss watching her go through the pain and not knowing what, if anything he could do to make the pain go away. “Is there anything I can get you? Water?” He asked moving towards the sink grabbing a small plastic cup.

Laney shook her head, her face beet red from fighting back the pain. Brian moved to her side and rubbed her back and leg trying anything he could think of to ease her pain.

“I think I'm gonna be sick,” Laney blurted out as Brian looked around the room for something, anything that she could be sick in. Thankfully he found a plastic pan that looked to be there for that exact reason. He grabbed it and gave it to Laney just in time. He turned his head as he heard the retching noise his wife was making.

Brian heard a soft knock and called out for the person to enter. The doctor entered the room and Brian heard the beginnings of “How are we...” come out of his mouth before he noticed Laney hovering over the bucket.

“Do you think you can handle a few brief tests?” The doctor asked sitting on a chair next to Laney's.

Laney was unable to answer as she bent over in pain the moment he asked the question. Brian felt helpless, he continue to hold the pan for her and ran his fingers through her hair, but he didn't know what else he could do, he was really starting to worry.

“Let's just get you moved to a back room, kay?” The doctor took the pan and held it as Brian helped Laney stand and walk to the new room. He must have left it there or dumped it; the pan that was handed back to Laney in the back room had nothing in it.

“Hop on up here. Do you have any allergies?” the doctor patted the table and Brian helped Laney lay down on the table, though she refused to stretch her legs out, she shook her head as she remained curled up in a ball as a nurse came in and prepped her arm for an IV. Brian watched them insert the needle into her arm and hoist a bag onto the hook next to the bed.

Brian could see their mouths moving explaining what was in the bag. They were talking mostly to Laney but he knew he was included in the conversation. He willed himself to listen to the words the doctor was saying but his ears refused to work. He moved backwards until he found a chair against the wall and slowly slid into it. He wanted to be closer to Laney, but with the doctor and nurses swarming around her, he wasn't sure he could squeeze in.

Eventually they left the room, leaving her on the pain medicine to see how she reacted. The preliminary tests ruled out appendicitis for sure, now the staff was starting to determine what else it could be.

Once the last nurse left the room, Brian approached Laney and took her hand in his. “Is it helping?” He nodded his head towards the IV bag.

Laney forced a weak smile on her face. “It's a dull pain at the moment.” She patted his hands with her free hand. He watched as she started to close her eyes and soon her breathing became steady. Brian stayed by her side, stroking her hand as she lay sleeping, he hoped it would last.