How Do We Do This?

Thirty Four

Hailey had taken Riley home and got her settled on the couch while she went to change and make a snack for both of them.

"Here sweetie, eat and take some Tylenol. I'll go get the heating pad and you can lay around and watch TV okay?" Hailey told her daughter, setting down a bottle of Tylenol, a bottle of water, and a frozen meal that she knew Riley loved.

"I'm not hungry mama,"

"I know but you need to eat, you can't be taking medicine on an empty stomach," she pressed, sitting by her with her own lunch of leftovers. "Come on, just a little bit of it sweetie,"

"Fine," She grumbled, sitting up and grabbing the warmed-up tray of food. Riley ate as much of it as she could before she popped a few Tylenol and laid back down with the heating pad on her stomach.

Hailey watched her and took her half-empty meal to the trash before she came back and sat by the teen again. "You want your pillow?"

"Yes please," She mumbled, staying still in her spot on the couch.

"I'll be right back," Hailey nodded, running up the steps and grabbing Riley's favorite pillow and blanket. "Alright, pillow and blanket,"

"Thanks, mama,"

"Come ere," she said, setting her pillow down where Riley could lay her head on her lap. Hailey mindlessly started rubbing her fingers through Riley's long hair until the teen's breathing evened out and she was sound asleep.

Jay came home with Pais around 4, coming into the living room to see Riley still sleeping on Hailey's lap.

"Someone's a little wiped huh?" He asked, setting Paislee down to go play.

"Said earlier that it was her stomach bugging her. Just cramps and girl stuff," Hailey explained, looking down at Riley before carefully getting up.

"You give her anything?"

"Tylenol. She took it and fell asleep. Here we are," she shrugged, fixing the blanket before joining Jay in the kitchen.

"She hasn't puked?"

"Nope. Periods don't always do that Jay,"

"I don't know,"

"We got married 4 years ago," she laughed, "the only time I didn't have periods was when I was pregnant with Pais,"

He shrugged and started making a little snack for Paislee, just to hold her over until dinner.

Riley woke up soon after they got home and moaned a little as she curled up more.

"How's your tummy honey?" Hailey asked, sitting on her knees in front of the couch while she played with Riley's hair.

"It hurts mama," she whined, staying curled up in her spot.

"Okay honey, lay flat for a minute,"

Riley tried to uncurl herself and immediately cried out in pain. It wasn't a little cry either, she was definitely in a lot of pain.

"Okay. Okay," Hailey sighed, looking over at Jay and back at Riley, "Show me where baby. Where is it hurting?"

"Right here," she cried, pointing to the right side of her abdomen.