It had been weeks since Laney’s episode in the hospital. Laney had been upbeat after they returned from the hospital. The nurse’s words had really helped her. Everything felt, to Brian at least, that things had gotten back to normal.   

The couple busied themselves sorting through all the stuff they had accumulated through the years and were deciding what could be given away and what should just be tossed.  Even though they had not heard anything about the house, they still had high hopes that it would not be long until they received the good news and they would be moving.

The overall mood of the house changed the week Laney got her period.  It wasn’t as if either one of them were expecting that this time would be the time they were pregnant especially since they’d just spent time in the hospital but it was upsetting for both of them.  Laney took it harder, she hardly got out of the bedroom when the first day hit.

“Lane, are you sure you don’t want to come with me on the promotional junket?” Brian asked his wife the night before he was scheduled to leave.  He was worried about leaving her alone but she refused to tag along.  She said she’d tag along later but at the moment there were things around the house that she wanted to get done without Brian being there.

She shook her head and kissed him lightly.  “I’ll be fine Brian.  Like I said, there are things I want to complete around here while you are gone.” She smirked at him playfully and for one brief moment Brian’s worries and fears disappeared and he smiled.

“Oh, inviting your boyfriend over?” he joked.

“Of course,” She replied.  “He’s been neglected while you’ve been on break, he’s anxious to get back in the sack with me.”

“How shall we spend tonight?” Brian asked her pulling her close kissing her softly.

“I just want to veg out at home.” She replied.  “Let’s order a pizza.” She suggested and agreed. 

Brian ordered the pizza as Laney perused the movie choices.  Brian groaned when he saw her pulling Definitely, Maybe off of the shelf.  “Again?” he mouthed while he waited on hold with the pizza place.

Laney nodded and started to put the movie in before Brian could object anymore or choose a different movie to watch.  She settled down on her side of the couch with a blanket and her pillow pet that Brian still never understood why she insisted on owning.  He watched his wife from across the room as he continued to hold to order the pizza.   She started to twirl her hair around her finger as she watched the previews for movies long gone from the theaters and now even on DVD. 

“I love previews,” She had admitted to him on their first date.  “I don’t want to be late and miss them.” She insisted so they had shown up to the theater a good fifteen minutes before the movie started, time enough to get the snacks and find seats.  

He knew then that she was different than other girls he had dated since he found fame with The Backstreet Boys.  It wasn’t that she wasn’t willing to please him, but she knew her own mind, her own likes and dislikes and wasn’t afraid to be herself and voice her opinions to him right from the start.  She was also independent.  He had dated so many women who insisted on coming with him everywhere he went, they wanted to travel with him.  Most times he could never tell if they wanted to be seen with someone famous, to scowl at the other girls wishing they were her or to get the frequent flyer miles and stamps in their passports.

“Thank you for holding, what can I get you?” The voice on the other end brought him out of his reverie.

Brian ordered the pizza and joined his wife on the couch.  She moved closer to him and put the pillow pet on his lap, laying her head down and stretching her legs across to the side she was just sitting on.  

“There’s my boyfriend,” His wife reported when Ryan Reynolds finally appeared on the screen.  

“Ah, so now I know what he looks like I can have security turn him away.” Brian replied without missing a beat.

“He’s not my current boyfriend.”

“Planning future boyfriends?”

“One can never be too prepared.” She turned and looked up at him smiling. 

Brian leaned down and kissed his wife while she lay in his lap.  “I love you,” He whispered before kissing her again.

“Mmmm, I love you too.” She responded and turned her head back to the television screen.  

Brian smiled contently.  He knew he was still going to have a family friend call her while he was out of town but he was feeling more confident that his wife was going to do more than mope while he was away.