Part 7 - Mary Awakens, Hospice and Funeral

Few days later, on day 3, Mary finally woke up, at first disorientated and bit confused, but as soon she saw her family or Michael, Bella and the boys there, she lit up and tried to say come here or something, but even that was difficult for her to say as her mouth was quite dry and couldnt use it right at first. Bella called for the nurse and doctor to come in and see her too.

Bella then took her hand in hers, as she said in soft-spoken voice;

"Easy, Mama M, it is ok, we are here. We all are." She nodded or tried to and Bella just smiled holding onto her hand in her own, as Michael smiled softly even though he had some tears building in his eyes. The boys of theirs stood at the end of the bed, and looked on with some love mixed with hope in it, as the same doctor and nurse who had taken care of Mary while she was off the meds to come out of the induced coma to rebuild her body's strength and also let her brain heal in its own way.

Bella turned to the doctor and nurse, and said

"She is awake, and she has tried to say few words, but it is hard for her." The doctor then came forward, and said with soft smile at her;

"Hello Mary, I am doctor Walker, and I was the one to take you in as my patient when you arrived here for a week ago. I am sorry to say, that you had a stroke, Mary."

At that she looked confused but shocked at same time, as she tried to say something or ask something it was hard for her to do so, as he continued with same smile on his lips;

"Easy, your speech is abit affected, not only from the rather big stroke you had in your brain, but also for you have been under an induced coma-sleep by us, as we wanted to let you sleep and heal as best you can. But you can remember who these people are then?"

At that she nodded and tried to say Bella's name, but it became B and nothing more than that, but Bella just smiled as she said softly

"It is going to be ok, Mama M, I know you are trying to say our names or something else, but it is ok, you dont have to speak right now. Just know we are all here everyone I mean."

At that she gave a small smile that looked crooked, but it was a start of something at least. The doctor then said with same look;

"Your sons and daugther has told me that you want to go to the same home as your late husband did, so we are planning to let you go there as soon we have done some more and new tests before releasing you in their care facility. OK, Mary?"

Mary gave another try of nod but smiled at least. It told the doctor that she knew and understand them, and that she wanted to go there too.

So after few more tests and also to see if or how she was going to drink some water, which made her to splash some on her shirt, but she did it and as soon she done so, she said only

"I love you" and it made Michael burst into tears in Bella's arms, who also was rather emotional mess, but they were happy not sad tears. The doctor smiled when he heard that phrase it made him assured she would make this through and get better from here on.

And after he and the nurse left with the new blood withdrawn, while Bella looked away while being done, and few other things, Michael after calming down abit, rang his siblings of the news that Mary was now awake but she couldnt speak more than maybe two or three words sentences, and her movements were abit off but not too much. It made them all happy enough to hear she was awake at least, and she was on her way to the home, closer to South Dakota too.

For the plans were in a week's time, they would move her there, after resultats of her blood and other things came back good enough to show she could be moved there of course. Bella made plans then to go with the other girls including Lesley and get some stuff for Mary to have at the new home of hers, and be comfortable there too. Michael and his brothers with the boys of theirs stayed at her side while the women were off doing this.

After all this was their mother/mother-in-law and she was loved by all of them, and they found some stuff that they all knew she loved to have, so when they got back, the boys went with their aunt and uncles to the hotel, while Bella and Michael were staying for few more hours with Mary, and then she also rang her dad with the news.

"Chief Swan speaking." And she heard everyone around him also quieten down, and she frowned at the familiar voices that was around him and they quieten down, as she then said

"Hey Dad. I just rang to tell you the news."
"What news, Bells?" Bella smiled, as she took Mary's hand in hers which made Mary to try her smile again, and now much better looking one and said;

"Mary is awake, and she is doing better for the hours that goes by, Dad. She is trying to smile more and say more than two-three worded sentences."

"Oh Bells, that is good news and start at least. I am really happy to hear that, baby. And you and the baby how are you two doing in all this?"

"We both are doing well, dad, the doctor who taking care of Mary, also made sure of it, as he actually did an ultrasound to make sure I am doing ok aswell the baby in all of this. So we are both doing well. Michael is doing ok, I think the shock of what happened has released him and he is a mess but OK. The boys has been amazingly good around it all, and it makes me or us all to see they are mature for this."

Charlie chuckled at this, as the others around wondering what was that all about, as he said

"Well I am glad to hear it all, Bells. So what happens now then, I mean what is the game plan here?"

"In a week if her newest tests they took, is good, she will be transferred back to South Dakota and same facility that Patrick was at too. Hopefully she will not 100% perfectly recover but close to it at least. So that is the plan for now."

"Well good plan to hear at least, and please tell her that we all think of her and pray for her, Bells."

"I will, daddy. And thank you."

"Of course. Well I have to get going, another idiot blew through a traffic stop and mowed down an elderly person."

"Oh My, hope it goes well and be careful, dad."

"Always will, baby." And the two hung up and Bella smiled, as she looked over to Mary, and said

"My dad, Charlie, sends his own love to you, Mama M. He really is happy for you." Mary smiled in thanks to her, and Bella just smiled, as Michael wrapped his arm around her rounded waist, and she sat down on his lap. Arm around his neck for now.

Few days later, the resultats of Mary's came back rather good so the next day, an ambulance came and loaded her into it, and Ryan went with her, while the others followed after it, and drove after it all the way to the facility. Bella and Michael with the boys were going to stay in Mary's house for the time being, so it didnt stand all empty and stuff.

The other siblings of his and their signaficant others went to their own home, and jobs that awaited them also. But christmas despite it all, had been one amazing one as Bella had gotten to see her dad again, and he in turn gotten to know and see Michael too. And she had not confronted the Cullens yet, as it had been a plan for it, but Mary's stroke had made that unclear but they were going to try soon again to get back there, and Bella would be able to say her piece and confront very soon hopefully.

Michael was just happy to have met her dad, and that he seemed to like him enough and that he was a good man with good heart in him. Bella was lucky to have a dad like him. It had made Michael for a little while miss his own dad here, but it all was made up when he met Bellas and how much he truly loved his daugther too.

In meantime, Matthew and his wife were updating them with the progress of Mary's recover from the stroke she had and how much better she was doing on daily basis, to weekly basis. At least she was doing well enough. Then march came, and Mary suddenly felt unwell again, and they all fear it was the stroke she had, that aftereffects of it was striking her, but after few tests, they realised she had gotten the covid-19 and she was not doing so well, as she was already rather ill with the stroke and its after-effects on her body.

So in march, Michael went alone to the same hospital she first gotten to when her stroke happened, and sat there in a wake for her. While Bella too big to travel and also the risk of her and the baby taking a toll if she was to get covid too, so to not risk it, she stay back home with the boys now doing full-time homeschooling with her help.

Then on the early morning hours of March 14th, Michael called her with the news of Mary had passed away peacefully in her sleep that morning. Bella was devastated, and it had made the boys awake to her crying, and came rushing in and held her in their arms, as Michael then hung up to call his other siblings of the news, and they all were shocked and crying like he was in the phone.

Few days later he came back home looking worse to wear, and he had Mary's body with him. She was going to be bury on March 24th in the same graveyard as their father and other relatives were being buried at.

It was a beautiful, warm sunny spring day of her burial and ceremonial funeral when it took place, and Michael and his brothers were the pall-bearer, where they were carrying the casket of Mary's on their shoulders from the car to the pre-dugged up grave next to their father's in the grounds. It all had been filmed for anyone who couldn't come or wanted to watch the funeral from home, they could by the website of the funeral home and church.

Bella's dad, step-mother, Sue and their children and friends watched it from home, and they got to see some faces they didnt know who they were, but they saw Bella being at Michael's arm, while he spoke then sung a song to Mary and Patrick, and it was beautiful, as Bella joined in the song when they were at the gravesite.

Edward looked shocked and angry at her looks and that she somehow knew the Lakota language so easily as she sung in it clearly. Jacob just sat sulking still to this day about her being married to someone else than himself and pregnant too. Others around them were shocked to see how beautiful the funeral was like, and that Michael had been able to sing in the church where the funeral service first began with his fellow brothers, sister and friends, on a drum they couldnt see there it was one.

But after it was done, Michael spoke into the camera that had filmed everything, and told those who was watching remotely, he thanked them for their kindness and time of their days to watch it all, and also that their celebration for Mary's life would continue on from here on without cameras. So that was abit disappointment for few of those were watching it, but thanked him back for allowing them in and to see this funeral of their beloved mother/mother-in-law/sister/daugther and friend.

Bella texted her dad, that she was grateful for him and the others to watch the ceremony and thanked them too. Charlie just texted his love back and that they were honoured, and to take care of themselves from now on. And if they needed anything, it was just to call up. Bella thanked him and told him how much she loves him.