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."

Wesley came home every day as soon as he got off work. He also hired a family physician

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

Gifford Li was a

and the little guy came upstairs for Wesley. They opened the door to his bedroom and saw

had told him to call Blair "Mama" every

the wedding until Blair

up short. "Okay," he said. 'She'll wake up soon.

"This wouldn't have happened if I

night. Every time she closed her eyes, she could

lost count of how many times he said this. Guilt and shame ate at him. For more than ten years, he was known as a hero. Yet, in the end, he couldn't even protect his own woman. Instead, she had

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

out of the blue, he said, "Since they're so helpful, why blow them

woman?" Cecelia thought there must be something wrong with her ears. "Wesley, if you're

the towel into the basin and looked at his son

looked up at him and then

want a new mommy?" he asked the

no mommy?" Gifford Li wasn't quite articulate yet. "Yes. We need a new one. This one just isn't doing

you a new, more

a hand and was going to hit Wesley in the back of the head when he put one finger to his lips to shush

what Wesley meant. "Why?"

don't want her anymore." Then a

Li