True Love Waits

'After she wakes up, I'll help her glow like a mother-to-be again, 'Wesley mused.

Gifford Li crawled forward towards Blair and sat on her leg, looking at the woman who was asleep every time he saw her. She wasn't very interesting to him.

Wesley thought Gifford Li might call Blair "Mama." That was doable, but the child made no sound. So Wesley patted him on his bottom and urged, "Mama."

"Mama," Gifford Li called, reaching out his tiny hand to grab Blair's. Blair's hair had grown much longer. A few strands had fallen loose, covering her forehead. Wesley tenderly tucked it behind her ear. "Honey, our son's here to see you. You've been sleeping a long time. Could you open your eyes and hold him?"

There was no change. She still had her eyes shut, her breathing regular.

"Honey, the Spring Festival is just around the corner. What are you wanting? Tell me. I'll buy it for you. You said you wanted to buy me a down jacket. You always said I wasn't wearing enough. If you get up, we can go shopping with our son."

Gifford Li held Blair's finger and shook it. "Mama," he called lightly.

Wesley stroked his head and said, "Attaboy. Keep saying it. When your mom hears you, she'll wake up."

Later, after placing Gifford Li on the sofa, he fetched a basin of water, grabbed a towel and started cleaning Blair's body. Meanwhile, he kept an eye on his son.

Two hours later, carrying Gifford Li, Wesley walked out of the ward and into the attending physician's office.

"I want to take my wife home," he said simply.

The doctor thought about it and then replied, "I know. But you don't have the necessary medical equipment at home."

"My brother's a surgeon. He's going to be living with me for some time after his wedding. Tell me what kind of equipment we need, and I'll buy it. He knows med-techs, and they can set it up." Niles and Irene were getting married. At Cecelia's request, he transferred to a hospital up in his hometown so he could be closer.

"Okay. Let's go over instructions for outpatient care and get her discharged."

"Thank you, doctor."

Blair was home now, Wesley came home every day as soon as he got off work. He

held a party to celebrate. Wesley was there, too. He wouldn't miss it for the world. Afterwards, the old gang-Debbie, Curtis, Colleen, Damon, and

and Hartwell had just visited her, so they didn't come along

went. Soon, Gifford Li was a tender 18

for Wesley. They opened the door to his bedroom and saw that he was cleaning Blair's face with a towel. She was still in

little Gifford Li ran to Blair's bed and called out, "Mama." Wesley had told him to call Blair "Mama" every morning, every night before

off the

brought Wesley up short. "Okay," he said. 'She'll wake up soon. She has to, ' he told

every day ever since Blair got shot. "This wouldn't have happened if I had been with

the same nightmare every night. Every time she closed her eyes, she could

have protected her." Wesley had lost count of how many times he said this. Guilt and shame ate at him. For more than ten years, he

from her chair and complained, "I hate the Zhuges. They keep trying to fix you up with their daughter. It's nuts!

Blair, who refused to open her eyes, and then out of the

You want to go out with that woman?" Cecelia thought there must be something wrong with her ears. "Wesley, if you're thinking what

towel into the basin and looked at his son

looked up at him and then

new mommy?" he

We

find you a new, more beautiful

the back of the head

didn't understand what Wesley meant.

We don't want her anymore." Then a smug

Li responded, still