Ch 17.
"Does momma like this story Fox?"
Little Ethan was sitting on Fox's lap. Fox had sent for little Ethan earlier that day. He thought that maybe if Teresa heard her son's voice, she would wake up.
"I think it's her favorite Little E. go one, you should read it to her."
"Ok!" he said excitedly.
Little Ethan began reading to Teresa, every few seconds looking up at her from the pages. He looked back at fox
"Why is she sleeping Fox?"
"Well…"he began. " she's sleeping because she doesn't feel very good…and the doctors told her that if she got some rest, then she could leave this hospital and go home with you…and that's what she wants to do more than anything in the world."
"That's what I want to" little Ethan said. "I miss her tucking me in at night."
Fox smiled.
"Me too little man…. me too."
Later, after little Ethan had read his story, Fox took him back to the mansion. Pilar was going to sit with Teresa for a while, and had insisted that he go home and get cleaned up.
After he tucked in Ethan for a nap, he went to his room, and took a shower. When he got done, he laid on his bed for a moment. Before he realized it, he had fallen asleep. While he slept, he dreamt of a conversation he had had with Resa, right before her coma.
~~Fox was looking out the window in Teresa's room. She was weak, and had been sleeping most of the day.
"Fox?' she called out weakly.
He quickly ran to her side.
"Shh I'm here…what is it?"
"Fox," she murmured. "Why do you want to marry me?"
"What do you mean why do I want to marry you? I love you."
"I know that." She said. "But why marry me? The truth is Fox, I might not make it…why should we even bother going through with the ceremony?"
"Teresa," fox said. "If you never believe I single word I say for the rest of my life, believe what I am going to say now."
She looked at him.
"I would rather be married to you for a day, a second, than never at all. To know that in my life I was blessed enough to have you as my wife, for no matter how long that may be, would be the greatest honor I can ever get. I would rather be married to you for a moment, than to go through life alone."
Teresa was crying.
"Really?"
"Really really." He said smiling.
She laughed.
"That's from Shrek Fox."
"Damn you're good." He said laughing.
The both laughed, as he reached in to embrace her. ~~~~
*RINNNG RIINNG*
Fox was jolted awake from his sleep by his cell phone.
~Damn it~ he thought, as he answered it.
"Hello?"
"Fox, its Chad."
"Hey brother, what's going on?"
"Oh I'm sorry man did I wake you?"
"Oh no its ok…I just laid down to take a little power nap that's all…what time is it?"
"Its almost 7:00."
"Jesus!" Fox said. He had fallen asleep at noon. He hadn't realized how tired he had been.
"Listen. Fox, I need you to do me a favor."
"What is it?"
"I need you to come down to the book café. There is a surprise her for ya."
"A surprise?"
"Yea man come on…everyone is waiting."
"Ehh Chad I should really go back to the hospital and check up on Resa-"
"I just talked to her mother," Chad interrupted. "She's fine."
"Ok, well I'm just not really up for any surprises."
"Ohh you'll like this one Fox…TRUST ME."
Finally fox gave up.
"Fine I'll come…but I'm not going to stay long…I want to go to the hospital."
"Alright that's cool man…I'll see ya in like ½ hour?"
"Yea I'll be there,"
"Alright see ya."
Fox hung up the phone.
~What kind of surprise could it be? ~ He wondered.
He quickly spruced up, and walked to his car, trying to figure out what the surprise could be. He kept trying to figure it out the entire car ride to the café.
When he got there, he quickly parked and walked in.
The first thing he noticed was that everyone was there: Pilar, Luis and Sheridan, Sam, Grace, Kay, Miguel, Charity, Tc, Eve, Gwen and Ethan, Chad and Whitney, Julian and Ivy. They were all standing there smiling.
"What's going on?" Fox asked nervously.
"Well fox," Ethan said approaching him. " We brought you something that we think you might want to see."
Ethan put his hand on Fox's shoulder and motioned to the back of the café. Fox began walking towards it, his friends clearing a path for him as he walked. He noticed the smiles on all of their faces.
"What is he going on? He asked smiling.
"Look for yourself" Ethan said.
Fox turned and looked. His body felt like it was underwater, slowly growing numb. His hands shook, and his eyes welled up with tears. His heart stopped. He became paralyzed. His breath caught in his throat, as he tried to utter her name.
"Teresa!"