"Sandra wake up." Gerry said gently, she was hoping that he'd forgotten and that she'd sleep past the appointment.

"10 more minutes baby."

"Sandra 10 more minutes and you won't be ready for your appointments. Come on, have you had a bad experience because you know as well as I do that the things that we fear most have already happened to us."

"Fine, when I was at school there was a girl and she was never well. She had numerous blood tests but nothing ever came up; she died a couple of months later. Ever since I've been I've been terrified of blood tests and needles."

"But Sandra that's not common and you most certainly aren't going to die. Blood tests save lives not take them." Gerry told her softly.

"I bet that's what she thought."

"Up and ready babe and we'll talk more but right now you're delaying the inevitable and Sandra it is inevitable."

"Fine." She said as she pulled the duvet off her and climbed out of bed.

"Name?" The grumpy receptionist asked.

"Sandra Standing, here to see Sister Green." Sandra replied just as grumpily.

"I'm sorry she's not well today." On hearing this Sandra perked up almost immediately, "Sister Robinson will be taking all of her appointments. She's currently running 10 minutes late."

"Thank you." Gerry said as he guided Sandra over to the mass of chairs behind them. "Do you want me to come in with you?"

"Would you?" Sandra asked, even since getting married she was oddly independent but this was different other than insects, needles was her only real fear and unlike insects this fear had taken a long time to present itself.

"Mrs Standing?" A plump nurse called as she walked out in to the waiting room. Sandra and Gerry followed the woman into a small room with only a bed, two chairs and a desk inside. "Take a seat on the bed please Sandra." She took her time about following this request.

"I'm sorry, my wife is scared of needles." Gerry said only to be met with one of Sandra's many frowning faces.

"Okay well it's nothing really to worry about, you'll just feel a sharp scratch." The nurse told her, Gerry could see that the nurse was now prepared and moved to take Sandra's hand.

"Look at me and squeeze my hand as tight as you want."

"That wasn't so bad was it?" Gerry said as they got back into the car.

"I have finger marks on my hand you squeezed it that tight."

"I was trying to take your mind off of what was going on."

"Well it hurt."