'Two hours Vincent?' You can't be serious.'

'I can't stop you Catherine and I am not telling you what to do. I am asking.'

'What will she do the rest of the time? Who will watch over her?'

'Who will watch over you?'

'I hate these question and question arguments.'

Vincent said nothing. He watched and waited. His faith in Catherine's sensible and rational mind to process the practical side of limiting her time at the hospital was sorely tested. He had suspended their discussion about her health. The van was not the place and she had been vulnerable. She needed to rest and eat. Equilibrium was important.

'Since I had this same problem with Jacob earlier, I suppose I create a circular talk pattern.'

'Choose your two hours Catherine and stick to it. Cathy will be there in the evenings. Jacob will do more than his share. Sue can be there and Rosalinda can help. She offered,' he added in response to a questioning look.

'I want to be there tomorrow when she wakes up.'

'For two hours only Catherine. I will be waiting downstairs.'

Catherine remembered the sight of her husband in his extraordinary outfit. She adopted a coy look. 'If you are wearing the same clothes as you had on today.......I...'.

A happy compromise had been reached. Their natural love for one another reasserted itself. Vincent held her close. 'You have a way of making me feel ...'

Catherine was left to wonder and imagine. The patter of small feet echoed down the hall. The door was pushed open ending any intimate moments.

'Mumum? Where's Mebaby?'

Vincent lifted the small child into his arms so that she could be hugged and kissed by Catherine. The little eyes were filled with unshed tears. She had been crying too. In an unsettled life, any changes were disturbing. Catherine sat down in her favourite chair and held out her arms. She hugged the little body close to her. Cilla had also been neglected emotionally. 'I am her mother too. She needs me. No matter who else is here, she needs me.' She rocked gently back and forth with Cilla, saying the words like a mantra. She looked at Vincent over Cilla's head. His knowing look was a confirmation that their discussion was over. Each had made the effort to show respect for a different point of view. Catherine saw the wisdom of her husband's concern. He saw her need to be faithful to a promise to provide the girls with all the loving care they needed.

Catherine and Vincent choose to spend the evening with Cilla. Just a little quality time made such a difference. 'Mebaby' was talked about. Catherine explained the hospital stay as best she could. It took some time but Cilla eventually settled and went to bed

There were many calls to the Brownstone during the evening.. Sue was relegated to role of operator. She spoke with everyone and refused no offers of help. She had already organized meals for the family, and daycare for Cilla. She started preparing meals for Cathy to have at the hospital and timeouts for everyone. She created a schedule for each day. Contact was constant. There would be a line left open for any hospital calls. She also planned to organize more help and support for the tunnel community. Only once in the evening did she disturb Catherine.

Dell, called before going off shift.

'Mrs. Wells I hope you are feeling better. Sorry about the mix up today.'

'I'm fine now. How is Mea doing?'

'She is stable, pretty much as you left her this afternoon. Being stable is good news. She will be extubated around noon tomorrow if all is well. Dr. Spelnik wanted you to know.'

'Extubated?'

'Yes, off the ventilator. Dr. Grayson will administer the antidote then we take out the tube, once she is breathing on her own.'

'Dell, thank you so much for calling. I will sleep a lot better.'

'Hey, no problem. Karen will be her nurse tonight. If there is any change, she'll phone.'

Feeling comforted by the call, Catherine settled early. Just like Cilla, the comfort of having answers and reassurance allowed her to drift into sleep. Vincent remained up talking with Jacob and Cathy.

True to her word, Catherine spent the following morning productively at home. She faithfully carried out her daily exercises. She updated Terry on the events of the previous day, including her fainting spell. She took time to walk with Cilla after a delicious breakfast. She approved the scheduling set out by Sue and hoped to abide by it as much as possible.

The best part of her time well spent was with Cathy. They talked about managing quality periods between the two children, the community and their loving partners. It was clear that her son and his fiancée had worked out a plan. Catherine wasn't entirely happy about it.

'You have your wedding to plan. I don't want you and Jacob to spend so much time apart Cathy.'

'It's fine Mom. He and I will be OK. We both agreed that this way is best and... it is temporary.'

'I don't know what I would do without you.' Catherine's loving look gave her goddaughter rush of comfort.

'You're stuck with me now! I know I would be lost without you and Dad and that terrific guy who makes me feel special.'

'Does he Cathy?' She was serious, wanting to be sure that this was right for both of them.

'Yes, he is a good man, Mom. I love him. I can't even begin to tell you how much.'

They enjoyed their morning chat. Catherine understood what it meant to lose her mother so young and how it impacted her life. Cathy's relationship to her mother was often strained by Lena's lifestyle. This easy camaraderie between the two women was cultivated and nurtured in every encounter. A seamless relationship held great importance for both. 'Let's talk like this again. As soon as Mea is better, we will discuss your wedding plans. I want to do what I can do to help.'

Cathy promised. She kissed Catherine on the cheek and returned upstairs to pack a small bag for the hospital. Cilla would soon climb up the stairs for a short visit. Cathy wanted to give her undivided attention.

It wasn't long before Rob was around with the van. Vincent was already inside. He and Catherine would travel together but he would wait for her in the basement. Jacob would once again meet his mother at the hospital in the PICU. As soon as Mea was settled, Rob would take Catherine home, pick up Cathy and return to the hospital. From then on, Cathy would be the primary care giver.

In all the ups and downs of Mea's life so far, the loss of her natural mother, the health concerns, the surgery and the recovery, few held out hope that her extubation and transition to a normal life would be either good or easy. Mitchell had been cautious at every turn, trying to be hopeful but not overly optimistic. He told Catherine that Mea's age was more of a detriment in the Kasai procedure. An earlier diagnosis would have helped her liver immensely to cope with the surgery. The surgery itself was not the perfect answer. The internal workings of her liver were still very doubtful. Even if the outside worked well, with the new procedure, it may not be enough.

As it was, Jacob and Catherine held each other and prayed. On the other side of the glass walls, they could see Dr. Grayson, Dr. Spelnik and Dell. Each stood by as the tube was removed. Mea was no quitter. She struggled to draw a breath in between the artificial pressure from the ventilator. The tube was barely out before she uttered a faint and plaintive cry. Her breath continued to come in spurts. He colour was good.

Dell, gave a thumbs up through the window signifying the small first success in a long road to recovery.

Over the next few days, one by one the other tubes and monitor wires were discontinued. Mea was moved to a more comprehensive area. She was still watched carefully but Cathy was allowed to stay close to her. She wasn't fed but the simple act of holding and cuddling brought colour and sparkle to eyes which had gone lifeless, jus weeks ago. Cathy had always felt close to Cilla, feeling somewhere deep inside, a kinship. Cathy could see a lot of her early life in Cilla. She knew what would have been the outcome if her mother, Jerrie, had survived. There was an unshakeable bond between them. Mea's needs opened her mind and heart in an entirely different way.

The days spent with the infant proved to be heart wrenching. She missed Cilla immensely but wisely saw the value of allowing Catherine to rest. The endless seemingly unproductive hours took a toll even on a healthy young woman. Occasionally Jacob would stay on a weekend, allowing her to sleep at home but he was working hard and needed a good night's rest. Cathy's vigil had to be done with purpose. She threw herself into learning everything. While Mea slept she wrote a diary of all that was happening. She created a blog using the small computer which her colleagues had given her. Mea's recovery became a 'cause celebre'. Those who supported the family and had access to computers followed her progress. Copies of the blog were printed off daily and sent below.

In her vigilance she fell in love with Mea in a way that few would understand. She felt that at some point in her life, Mea and Cilla would become the responsibility of Jacob. His aging parents could not realistically manage the care of these girls well into their teenage years. At some point Jacob and Cathy would be surrogate parents. Cathy was not frightened. Falling in love with the children naturally and without conflict was the best thing to happen.

The days turned into weeks before Cathy began to question the rate of recovery. Her resources indicated that within a week Mea should have been heading home. She had no legal rights but one thing was clear. Mea hit a rock! She expressed her concerns to Jacob who in turn relayed them to Dr. Spelnik. Their relationship remained strained. The surgeon seemed reluctant to have any discussion with him.

'I am not dismissing your concerns. I just feel that any thoughts I have should be addressed directly to your mother.'

'My mother is not here and not likely to return until tomorrow. I am here now. I would like to know how Mea is progressing. We are concerned that she is still not eating and continues to have some of the same symptoms. Are you concerned?'

Jacob confronted the Doctor in his best lawyer's demeanour. He was calm, cool and in control.

'I am concerned but I need to address these concerns with Mea's mother.'

'If it helps you to understand where I am coming from, let me tell you that I am the substitute decision maker for Mea. I am also her legal guardian. Check her chart. When you have done that, we will have a discussion about her current situation and whether you feel the need to change anything about the course of her treatment. I will decide how, and when, my mother and my father are told. I want no more episodes of stress or strain on my parents in a public setting.'

Mitchell thought better of making a retort. He had not seen much of Catherine. Her son had put up a protective barrier against him. The father was still absent. He left Jacob and went to check the chart. He didn't think the young man would lie, but he intended that everything would be done according to the book.

'Alright, so you are the decision maker. Well you may want to make this a family conference. Mea's liver function is not what it should be. That's why she has not been fed. I keep hoping her liver will pick up. It could be slow. It could have been too late. I am asking a Pediatric Internist to see her tomorrow. We will discuss her case and then present our findings. '

Jacon thanked him politely. He was going to stay the night with Cathy and Mea. He had no wish to answer any questions from his parents until he knew what was happening. The night was as long, and uncomfortable as he endured for months. In the quiet, he looked at Mea with new eyes. When she woke in the night he picked her up and cuddled the tiny bundle. Her abdomen was swollen with excess fluid. She had no infection. Jacob's healing skills could effect change there. Remembering the ultrasound, he placed his hand on her belly and closed his eyes. He could see the workings inside. The surgical site held and the loop of bowel created as a duct was working efficiently. It was the inner channels of the liver which failed to show any sign of activity.

'Where will we ever find a liver for you Mea? I am going to do everything I can. Mitchell Spelnik doesn't need to tell me any truth. Your body speaks for itself and I hear its cry.'

The little hand found a favourite finger and held on tightly.