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am.” He gave a swift nod to both of my parents, “If the two of you don’t mind?”
    My mom wore a confused expression and shook her head while my dad laughed. He slapped his hand on Karl’s leg. “Not a problem,” my dad said.
    “Maggie?” the woman asked as I stepped closer to the door.
    I nodded.
    “Okay, just follow me.”
    We stepped through the doors, and there were two chairs next to each other. She sat in one as she waved to the other for me to sit.
    “I have a few questions to ask, and then we’ll get started, okay?” she asked with a smile.
    I nodded.
    She asked me several questions about metal in the body, tattoos, piercings, if I had an underwire bra on. I took in my clothes and laughed.
    “I forgot to put a bra on,” I said.
    “Well, that helps.” She looked me over. “Do you have something on under the sweatshirt?” she asked.
    “Yep, my tank top.”
    “Okay, just take the hoodie off and you won’t need to change at all. You can follow me in.” She started toward the door, and then stopped, “Oh, I almost forgot your music. I love having this ability now. I got sick of trying to get the radio stations to come in. I think music is needed while people are in here. Sometimes it can take a while.” She stopped speaking again and put her hand on my shoulder. “I saw this is your first MRI and I should’ve said something sooner. It can be loud and I’m sure you’re nervous for a variety of reasons, but I like to encourage patients just to keep their eyes closed and pretend they’re on the beach. A cold beach,” she said with a laugh as we entered the room.
    She situated me on the table and lifted my legs to put something under my knees.
    “Okay, here are your headphones. I will go ahead and move you into the scanner, and then I will leave the room. You will be able to hear me over the headphones. I’ll step out, take the scans, and then I have to come back in and give you an injection of contrast. Okay?” she asked. “Do you have questions?”
    “Yes, I do. What’s your name?”
    “I’m so sorry; I forgot about that. My name is Shelly. So remember that if you need me you can say something, and I will hear you.” She gave my hand a pat. “You’ve got this.”
    I breathed in deep as she pressed some buttons on a control pad that moved me into the machine.
    There was complete silence for several moments as she left the room and I assumed she closed the large door. The silence was killing me. I just wanted the music to start.
    “Okay Maggie, we’re starting now,” Shelly said over a loudspeaker in the tunnel like structure she had inserted me.
    Then a melody began and a woman’s airy voice sang. I kept my eyes pinched shut and tried not to let tears fall as I listened to the song, but it was in vain. I just let them fall and remained as still as I needed to be for the scan. The words strung a perfect pattern in my chest as I grasped at keeping my emotions in check. I felt as the singer did. The song picked up, and a smile formed on my face because it felt like she wrote it for me and this moment.
    __________
    An hour later I finished.
    Shelly brought the disc back after she helped me sit up. “So if it’s simple, why do I feel like a small hatchback has run over me?” I asked.
    Shelly laughed as she helped me stand. “It happens. I think it has something to do with the magnets, but what do I know?”
    When we reached the door to the waiting room she pulled me into a hug. I had no clue why, but I accepted it. She was the sweetest person I’d met on this chase. That’s what it felt like after all these doctor appointments and tests—I was chasing a diagnosis, trying to find out what was wrong and hoping for an answer to make it right.
    In the waiting room, I found my mom, dad, and Karl still sitting together. My dad and Karl were deep in conversation while my mom was reading a book.
    I sat next to my mom. “Good book?” I asked.
    “Yes, a wonderful book. It’s a