More Than A Vow

Chapter 59 ICU

Mariah could not believe what she was looking at. Tessa was plugged into every Machine possible this is what I must have looked like to her in Paris she thought. I don't understand how she's been walking around with a hole in her heart? She then looked down at her hand. Just then a nurse came in, Mariah asked where Tessa's wedding ring was? I don't know said the nurse I'll go and find out for you. Thank you said, Mariah. She touched Tessa's hand, it's ok my love I'm here if you can hear me please come back we have so much living to do.

The nurse came back in the room, I'm sorry she said they had to take it off just in case her hand's swelled up. She gave Mariah the ring, she took off her necklace and put it on there for safekeeping. I'm going to keep it there until I can put it on your finger again. Mariah told Tessa. She sat with her for a few hours, she asked the hospital if there was anywhere she could sleep close by? She didn't want to leave her. They made a bed up in an empty room for her, she knew she'd just want to sit right next to her all night as Tessa had done for her. In the morning she'd phone everyone because her mom and the girls will want to be there she thought. She slept with her head resting on Tessa's bed.

She woke up in the morning with a pain in her neck, the staff could not believe she'd stayed there all night. They told her that Tessa had a stable night, her heart was working well they were pleased with her progress in less than twenty-four hours since her collapse on the operating table. Mariah asked if there was anything the other place could have noticed before she had the polyp procedure ?? No! No! They would have had no idea that this was going to happen. Oh ok said Mariah She was very lucky she was in a medical centre at the time if it would have happened while she was flying etc she never would have made it unless amazing medical help was nearby. It's a miracle it happened when it did.

One of the doctors came in to tell her there were reporters outside the hospital. Oh god! Our kids don't even know yet she said. Do you need a moment to tell them? Because I can guarantee it will be on the news sooner rather than later. Mariah took a deep breath and picked up her phone. She dialled her mom's number. Hi sweetheart, How'd everything go? Mariah burst into tears and told her mom everything and that Tessa was in a coma, and she had a massive scar on her chest where they had to do open-heart surgery. My god! "Mariah" Do you need me and the girls there? I don't know mom. I have no idea how this is going to go. 

Well sweetheart I'm guessing the girls won't want to stay here. No! I guess your right, we'll I'm staying at the hospital at the moment and I don't know my way around to drive, although there is a satnav in the car I could try? Why don't you talk to Devon and Kyle I'm sure they can get someone to pick the car up and take it back to the house. I've just googled the hospital it's not far from where you are in Venice, so getting a cab to and from should be ok.  Right well, I'll phone the girls and come home and you all know where the house is. Let me know when you arrive. Ok bye, Mariah then got onto the girls they couldn't believe it. Crystal said she'd phone grandma and tell her when she'd be home. She said goodbye to them and then got Devon and Kyle on board. Devon promised he'd get someone at the studio to pick the car up, you'll just have to go out and give them the keys. Kyle just said don't worry about work, you have a good team they will take care of everything, just concentrate on Tessa. 

Now that that was sorted she needed coffee. She stumbled upon the nurse's station and they made her a cup. She went back into the room and told Tessa she had better start waking up because the girls and Sharon were on their way. She started crying. I love you so much, you can't leave me now that we've just got back together, we need to have our second wedding because I'm not letting you go do you hear me, Mrs Copeland Porter. You were meant for me and I was meant for you. I came back to you after Paris and now you need to do the same for me. They say there is no reason why you're sleeping so I'm hoping deep down inside you can hear me calling you back from where ever you are. Mariah picked up her hand and squeezed it. That night the nurses got her to sleep in the bed they had done for her. They said they would wake her if anything happened or changed. She must have been exhausted and tired because once her head hit the pillow, she slept like a log. 

A couple of days later and nothing much had changed. But her mom and the girls were arriving at LAX at 10am! So she left the hospital and went home to shower and change. She didn't pick them up, she waited for them at the house. When the cab pulled up, Mariah grabbed the girl's in the biggest bear hug and cried. The driver unloaded all the cases and put them in the house. She gave him a massive tip, he then said he hoped her wife gets better soon. Thank you so do we she said. Mariah asked her mom if there were journalists at the airport? Yes, there were but the airport staff kept them pretty much at bay. But there will be a few photos in the paper for sure. Ok said, Mariah. I'll get Devon on it to put out a statement and if they need me to do a small piece I will, just so they will leave us be until we know Tessa's going to pull through this. 

Mommy's not going to make it? Mariah forgot the girls were standing right behind her. Oh god ! said Mariah girls, No I hope not, Mommy's in a coma and she's got all these wires plugged into all the monitors so I wanted to warn you, that apart from the machines she still looks like mommy it's just she looks asleep. Our job now is to hopefully try and wake her up. Smiled Mariah. Are you with me? Yes mom they said in unison. So they had dinner at the house and then the four of them went to see Tessa. Mariah introduced the girl's and her mom to the team taking care of her. Sharon stayed outside the room while Mariah took the girls in on their own. They both cried at seeing her and gave her kisses on her cheeks. Sharon then came in and held Tessa's hand and told her to come back to them all.

Later on, they all travelled back to the house in a cab, Mariah had another bite to eat and then she told the girls she was going back to the hospital and staying the night. She would see them in the morning. Ok, mom give mommy a big kiss from us, I will she smiled. She then told Sharon they would work a rota out, but for now, she told her to rest and get some sleep, because this could take a while or she might wake up sooner who knows?  Once back at the hospital she put on a playlist of Tessa's songs, hear these she whispered you'll be singing these again soon. Mariah started humming to them while she held Tessa's hand. Before she knew it the morning had arrived again on day four of Tessa being asleep. 

They had worked out a rota between them, which gave Mariah a bit of time with Crystal and Cassie, but she was still at the hospital at night. She told her mom that she will do what it takes. Tessa did it for her so she had to do it for her too. I notice her ring's around your neck? Yeah! They had to take it off, we'd only just put them back on again after we cleared the air. I don't know what I'd do without her mom. She's my everything, I've never stopped loving her even though we've been apart for the last sixteen months. I need her to wake up. The longer she's in a coma the more chance she has for side effects. "Mariah" She will wake up, and between me and the girls, we will try our hardest to try and wake her up. Ok But mom You all can't stay here forever, you have Crimson Lights and the girls have school to do. Yeah! We do but I can give you at least two weeks no problem and I'm sure the girls won't be able to concentrate anyway.

You're probably right said, Mariah. Let's just hope she'll wake up sooner rather than later. Crystal had brought her guitar with her, it was one of Tessa's old ones, but she was now so good. She asked Mariah if she could play in the room? I'll find out said, Mariah. It was now seven days since Tessa went into a coma. Mariah had got permission for Crystal to play her guitar and sing. They had all decided to be in the room while she did it. Mariah whispered in Tessa's ear and said we're all here and Crystal's going to sing for you. Mariah was holding her hand and Cassie the other, and Sharon was helping Crystal with the sheet music. She started singing some of the songs she'd composed herself, then she started on Tessa's song's she got to the last one and said this one is for you and mom. Mariah looked at Crystal! Crystal said surprise I learnt this especially, ok said Mariah and then she started to play the chords Mariah knew straight away.

She started to cry, it was More Than A Vow. As Crystal was singing Mariah swore Tessa's finger's moved in her hand. Oh my god! Keep playing Crystal, she's moving. It was making everyone cry, Tessa was squeezing Mariah's hand, she pressed the buzzer to call the doctors and nurse's in. She held her hand tight as they took out the breathing tube and watched as she started to breathe on her own for the first time in a week. Mariah went over and hugged Crystal so hard.