"Anxiety in the Emergency Room"

Ashley sat in the hospital waiting room, clutching Ender tightly to her side as he cried uncontrollably. The fluorescent lights overhead seemed to hum in sync with her racing thoughts, and the sterile smell of the hospital filled her nostrils. She glanced down at her son, who was burying his face in her shoulder, his small body shaking with sobs. She stroked his hair, trying to comfort him as she had countless times before, but her own anxiety was starting to get the better of her. The doctors had taken her mom to the emergency room after she vomited blood, and Ashley had been waiting for what felt like an eternity for news. Ender was tired and overwhelmed, and Ashley was trying to be strong for him, but it was getting harder by the minute. She thought about how they had spent the morning playing in the backyard, laughing and shouting, and now her mom was fighting for her life. As she looked around the waiting room, Ashley's mind began to wander to all the things she was going to have to deal with tomorrow. She had missed work to take care of her mom, and she knew her boss was not going to be happy about it. She was already dreading the confrontation that was sure to come, but for now, she pushed those thoughts aside and focused on her mom and son. Ender's crying was starting to attract attention from the other patients and hospital staff, and Ashley knew she needed to do something to calm him down. She got up and walked over to the hospital vending machines, where she bought him a small bag of Goldfish crackers and a juice box. As she handed them to him, he sniffled and took a few tentative bites, his eyes still welling up with tears. Ashley sat back down beside him, holding him close as she tried to comfort him. She took a deep breath and tried to focus on the present moment, rather than worrying about the future. As she sat there, she couldn't help but think about how fragile life was, and how quickly things could change. The waiting room was quiet, with only the occasional beep of a machine or rustle of papers breaking the silence. Ashley's eyes wandered to the clock on the wall, which seemed to be ticking away at a glacial pace. She shifted Ender to a more comfortable position, trying to get him to settle down, but he was restless and agitated. Just as Ashley was starting to feel like she was going to lose her mind, a nurse came out to talk to her. "Mrs. Johnson?" she said, looking at Ashley expectantly. Ashley stood up, holding Ender tightly to her side, and nodded. "Yes, that's me. What's going on with my mom?" The nurse's expression was sympathetic. "The doctor will be out to talk to you soon. In the meantime, I can tell you that your mom's condition is...stable. But we need to run some more tests to determine the cause of the bleeding." Ashley nodded, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety. She wasn't sure what to expect, but she knew she had to be strong for her mom and Ender. As the nurse walked away, Ashley sat back down, holding Ender close. She took a deep breath and tried to prepare herself for what was to come, knowing that the next few hours were going to be a rollercoaster ride of emotions. She glanced down at Ender, who was looking up at her with big, tear-stained eyes. "It's going to be okay, baby," she whispered, trying to reassure him. "Mommy's here, and I'm not going anywhere."