The next morning, everything went as planned…after I got Mark situated in his own bed with a pair of sweat pants on and a t-shirt…I went down to the kitchen and made some soup…I pushed the comfortable overstuffed chair in the room over next to Mark's bed and plopped myself down in it and turned the TV on…I had my feet propped on the bed…eating my soup and watching TV…watching over Mark…
Day in and day out…I stayed there…I finally had enough and while the nurse was there one day I asked if she'd stay for an extra couple of hours cause I needed to get out before cabin fever set it…she sat down and watched TV, while I left…
I went out and saddled one of the horses and decided a ride would definitely be nice…I rode all over I even went down to the cemetery and ventured back to Sara and Glenn's graves…we obviously had our talk again and then I rode back…
As I was straightening up the room later that night, I had gotten accustomed to talking to Mark…even though it really got me no where.
I would talk to him, while I gave him his sponge baths, then I would wash his hair and pull it back out of his face…sometimes I would put his bandana and sunglasses on him…Of course that didn't help the cause but I figured if I didn't treat him like he was dead he'd eventually just wake up…I would shave around his go-tee and mustache…and kept talking to him during it too.
One month turned into two, then three, and 4…eventually 5…During the fifth month we caught a break…he was fully healed…and now we were just waiting for him to wake up…if he ever did…
While I was down stairs doing some thing one morning…I kept having this feeling in the pit of my stomach…like I should be upstairs with Mark…I thought no…I'm going up there, I'll just be disappointed when I see he's still not up yet…
I had finally cleaned the whole downstairs and decided on cleaning the upstairs the next day…I went up and took a shower and put some jeans and a tank top on…I combed my hair and walked into Mark's room and opened the curtains to let some of the warmth and sun in the room…
As I was walking into the bathroom I thought I saw the lump in the bed move his leg…I instantly froze…and then the leg moved again…the sleeping giant was stirring…and finally a groan came out of him…I literally ran over and jumped on the bed next to him…I sat on my feet and grabbed his hand…and kept thinking…'please God let him wake up...please'…Mark's body was slowly coming alive…I leaned over and touched his forehead…and said, "Mark…open your eyes please…please I have to see for myself that you're okay."
I had huge tears sliding down my cheeks, and Mark's eyes slowly fluttered open…his Emerald green orbs were staring back at me…and Mark said, "Lori…where am I?" I smiled and said, "You're at home…" Mark ran a hand down his face trying to fully wake himself up and he said, "What are you doing here, shouldn't you be at work?" I said, "It doesn't matter…The only thing that matters is you're awake…and I'm not leaving until you get better…"