Chapter 50

Jenny and Liz paced outside the pre-op area at University Hospital.

"They promised that we could see Mom before they took her to surgery. They promised." Liz turned to look at Jenny, tears forming in her eyes. "They promised," those last words almost a whisper.

Jenny's heart ached for the entire Bartlet family. She knew it was hard on Liz because she was their lifeline to news about their mother since they couldn't be here. But it was also hard on Liz to know that she would know before anyone else whether her mother lived or died. And she would have to be the one to give them the news—good or bad.

Jenny walked over and pulled Liz into a hug. "Shh, Liz. They are just prepping her. I know we'll be able to see your mother one more time. Dr. Walls is in there and I'm sure she will let us know as soon as she can."

Liz nodded, not sure if the promises would be kept. She kept thinking back to her father who was stranded across the country, not able to have one last visit with the one person whose life meant more to him than anybody else. She knew her parents both loved her and her sisters, but it was to each other that they were totally bonded. It was to each other that each would rather die than live without the other one. It was to each other that very souls were blended into one incredible love.

The door swung open and Dr. Walls approached them. She was dressed in scrubs because she was not about to leave her patient alone for any reason. Although Abigail Bartlet had barely been conscious enough over the past few days to speak, Claire knew that she had to be one incredible woman. Not only had she done everything in her power to help others when their lives had been devastated, but also the strong determination she had exhibited in just staying alive. So the least she could do for her patient and the family was to accompany the First Lady into surgery and somehow give her the strength to come through this.

"Are you ready?" Both women nodded. "First, let me tell you what you'll see. I know it will be a shock, but we've had to shave her head."

"Oh God!" Liz exclaimed. "Not her beautiful hair."

"We had to. It'll grow back. Now, we also put her back on the ventilator. Her oxygenation status started to deteriorate and we felt the need to intubate her once again. Now, are you ready?"

Liz nodded and started for the door. Jenny followed, not sure how she would deal with what she was about to see.

Liz approached the stretcher to see a person that was almost unrecognizable as her mother. She had seen her mother exhausted, ecstatic, sexy, and angry. Liz had seen her in many different ways, but this time she saw her mother as weak and powerless whose fate was being decided by others. This time Abbey had no control over what was happening to her. Then Liz noticed the wrap around her mother's head. Liz was grateful that the nurses had covered the baldness. Just knowing her mother's long auburn locks were no more was hard enough.

She gently placed a hand on her mother's arm and was appalled by the coolness of it. "Mom, its Liz. You have to fight this. You have to win this fight. You know Dad won't accept any less. He's on his way. He wants you to know how much he loves you." Tears were running down Liz's face as she spoke. Leaning down, she kissed her mother on her chin, unable to get to her lips because of the breathing tube. "And I love you too. Fight, Mom. Show some of that Bartlet determination. I know you have it in you."

Jenny and Dr. Walls watched this interaction. Both women's hearts ached for Liz. They could see the heartache this was causing in the oldest daughter. And each knew how their heart ached as well.

Finally, Dr. Walls stepped forward. "We have to go."

Liz nodded her understanding and leaned down for one more kiss. "You'll be okay, do you hear me? You've got to beat this."

A tech stepped up and disconnected the ventilator and started bagging the First Lady as the stretcher was pulled away. Liz and Jenny watched as Abbey disappeared into the operating room.

"Go with God," Liz whispered.

"Amen," Jenny replied.