A/N: See Chapter 1 for Disclaimer.

Chapter Summary: Louise learns that she needs to undergo surgery.

Chapter 11: A Leap of Faith

True to his word, George hired a manager, a tall, heavyset black lady named Elizabeth Duncan, to help Louise run her business, and she soon proved to be a very big help. She was very friendly and outgoing, but most importantly, she was very efficient at her job, and having her there to help with customers and bookkeeping and other matters was a Godsend. She helped take many of the burdens of Louise's business off her shoulders. And after discussing the matter with Florence back in New York, she happily agreed to quit her current job, which she really hated, and come out to Haven Lake to take care of Louise's apartment for her. George paid for her room and board at the B&B where he was also staying, and he paid Florence handsomely to be Louise's housekeeper. George also put a very large sum of money into Louise's savings account at the bank for the girls' college education, and he paid for Melissa's therapy sessions as well. And in September, he began paying Melissa's tutor, Mrs. Hendrix. But while it would seem that all of George's help would reduce Louise's stress and make her life a lot easier, Louise was not able to relax very much because her heart condition reared its ugly head.

In mid-September, Louise went to see her cardiologist, Dr. Jonathan Green, for her semiannual checkup. She had a bad feeling about it in the pit of her stomach and she was very nervous about what Dr. Green was going to say, so she asked Mark to go with her for moral support. And unfortunately, her gut instinct was right. All of the chest trauma she'd received from beatings in the hellhole caused a cardiac contusion that her heart never completely recovered from, which in turn caused problems with her heart rhythm that she had to take medication for. Her tricuspid heart valve was also damaged, and Dr. Green had told Louise years earlier that she would probably need to have open-heart surgery one day to replace it. And that day had finally come. Dr. Green had a colleague, a heart surgeon named Dr. Hugh Thomas, who worked at the Cleveland Heart Center in Ohio, and he informed Louise and Mark that Dr. Thomas and his surgical team were the very best in the country. And with Louise's permission, he contacted Dr. Thomas and sent Louise's medical records to him. After reviewing all of Louise's medical records and test results when he received them a couple of days later, he called Dr. Green and told him that he agreed with his diagnosis, and he scheduled Louise's heart surgery for the twentieth of September, a Tuesday. Louise would have to travel to Cleveland and check herself into the hospital that Monday, and her surgery was scheduled to begin at eight o'clock Tuesday morning.

Mark came by the bakery Friday evening, days before the surgery, and he was dismayed when he overheard Louise talking with George about how she would be attending a small business seminar in Cleveland that coming week. Louise had lied to George, and it appeared that she had no intention of telling him about her having open-heart surgery. And several minutes later at five o'clock, Frank, Heather, and Elizabeth all left for the day, and George took Melissa and Angie upstairs while Louise closed up the bakery.

As soon as they were alone, Mark asked, "Louise, why did you tell George that you're going to Cleveland to attend a seminar? Why are you trying to hide the truth from him?"

"Because George worries about me so much all the time. He goes into orbit if I so much as get a hangnail. If he knew I was having open-heart surgery, he'd probably worry himself to death. Literally. That dear man just showers me with love all the time. He's done so much for the girls and me. And after all he's done for us, I just wouldn't feel right about worrying him with this."

"Louise…are you certain that that's all there is to it? Just you wanting to spare George from worrying?"

"What do you mean?"

"You always try to act so tough and strong all the time. I know better than anyone how much you hate appearing vulnerable. And after going through what we did the hellhole, that's completely understandable. I believe you truly are trying to spare George from worry, but I also suspect that you might be keeping this from him because you don't want him to see you when you're at your most vulnerable. I think that scares you. I think that's why you asked me to go with you to see your cardiologist and not George. After all you and I have been through together, we naturally trust each other with anything and everything. We've seen it all. We've seen each other go months without a bath. We've seen each other get raped. I've seen you give birth. There isn't anything we can't tell each other. There isn't anything you and I can't talk about. We've seen each other at our weakest and at our worst. We've seen each other at our most vulnerable. And whenever one of us is vulnerable, we know how much we can trust the other."

"That's true," Louise agreed.

"But Louise, I want you to know that I am convinced that George loves you just as much as I do. You can tell just by looking at him that he is head over heels in love with you. It's coming out of every pore. I think George loves you far more than you realize. Do you remember back when you were working at Ballard's and Joseph suddenly doubled your salary?"

"Of course. But what does that have to do with this?"

"That big salary increase didn't come from Joseph. It came from George. Joseph told me all about how George spoke with him and got him to pretend to double your salary so that George could give you more money for the girls' college education and you could quit that second job sooner. We both know that he is always doing things like that. He's always looking for ways to help you and make your life easier. That man loves you, Louise. He adores you. You mean everything to him. I know how hard it can be to trust someone after all the hell you've suffered. I know that trusting someone can seem as terrifying as jumping off the roof of a skyscraper. But Louise, if you do make the jump, if you take that leap of faith, I am convinced that George will catch you. I really am. And I'll tell you something else. If George knew that you had asked me to go with you to Dr. Green's office for moral support and not him, he would probably be very hurt. And if he knew you were trying to keep your operation a secret from him, that would probably hurt him even more."

In the next moment, Louise sighed, and then she said, "I didn't even think of that. You're right that it's hard for me to let others see me when I'm vulnerable, and I guess that's a big part of the reason why I kept this from him. But I really did want to spare George from worrying."

"I know you did, Louise. I know you did," Mark said kindly. "I know how much you love George. I know how much he means to you. We all do. But it's wrong for you to keep this a secret from him. What if the tables were turned and it was George who needed open-heart surgery? Wouldn't you want to know?"

After a long silence, Louise nodded and said, "You're right. I would want to know. As the woman in his life, I would have a right to know. And I know George has that same right. You're right, Mark. I have been wrong to keep this from George."

"So will you tell him?" Mark asked.

Again, Louise nodded, and she replied, "I'll tell him."

Mark smiled and kissed Louise on the cheek, and he said, "Good girl." Then after chatting for about a minute, Mark said goodbye and left.

Louise enjoyed supper with George, Florence, and the girls that evening, and then Florence left for the day and Louise sent Melissa and Angie off to their room to do their homework. And as soon as they were alone together, Louise got George to sit down on her living room couch so she could talk to him.

The moment George sat down on the couch, Louise quickly pushed herself up out of her wheelchair and onto the couch beside him.

"Sweetheart, why didn't you tell me you wanted to sit on the couch? I would've helped you."

"George, you know I've been doing this for years. I was taught how to do it in rehab."

"I know. I just don't want you to tire yourself out. I know you haven't been feelin' well lately."

"That's true. And there's a reason for it."

"What is it, baby? What's the matter?" George asked gently.

"I owe you an apology, George. I lied to you," Louise told him as she looked into his eyes. But even though she just admitted to lying to him, she didn't see the tiniest trace of anger in his eyes. There was only pure love and concern for her in George's eyes, nothing more. "I'm not going to Cleveland to attend a small business seminar like I told you. I'm going to the Cleveland Heart Center for surgery." The instant Louise said that, George took her hands in his and moved over closer to her, and she could easily see it in his face now that he was scared to death. "I've told you before that my tricuspid heart valve is damaged."

"Right."

"And Dr. Green says that it needs to be replaced now. And he's got a colleague, a heart surgeon who works at the Cleveland Heart Center. His name is Dr. Thomas, and Dr. Green recommended him because he says that Dr. Thomas and his surgical team are the best in the whole country."

"Okay, sweetheart. If that's what your doctor says we need to do, then that's what we'll do. Whatever you want, whatever you need, I'll always make sure that you get it. Always."

"Thank you, George."

"I just don't understand, Louise. Why would you want to keep something like this from me?"

"Two reasons. One, I didn't want to scare you. I know how much you worry about me all the time. And two, it's very difficult for me to allow someone else to see me in times like these when I'm feeling so vulnerable."

"Because the last time you were vulnerable, you got raped and beaten to a pulp over and over again. I understand."

"But anyway, Mark helped me realize that I was wrong to try to keep this a secret from you. You're the man in my life now and you have a right to know about these things. And I really am sorry that I lied to you. I know how wrong I was to do that."

"No, no, baby. Come here; come here," George whispered, and then he gave Louise a long, passionate kiss and pulled her into his arms. "You ain't got a thing to apologize for, baby. Not a thing. You were just scared, just like anybody would be. It's perfectly understandable. But we're gonna get through this thing together and you're gonna be just fine, sweetheart. You're gonna be just fine. I'm gonna take care of you. I'm gonna be right by your side every step of the way. You hear me?" George asked as tears came to Louise's eyes, and she nodded while they continued to cling to each other. "Thank you so much for tellin' me. I love you so much," George said softly, and then their long embrace finally ended and Louise grabbed a tissue off her coffee table and wiped her eyes.

"I haven't told Melissa and Angie yet."

"We'll tell them together," George told her, and Louise nodded.

"I already talked to Mark and Estelle. They've agreed to look after the girls and the cats for me while I'm away."

"You mean while we're away."

"Right. While we're away. I'm supposed to check myself into the hospital on Monday, and Dr. Thomas and his team will begin operating on Tuesday morning at eight o'clock. And I'll probably have to spend the first week after my surgery in the hospital before I'll be well enough to leave. And seeing as how it's a ten-hour drive from here to Cleveland, I figured it would be best to make the drive during the day on Sunday and stay at a hotel for the night. I know I could try to make the drive through Sunday night and check into the hospital as soon as I arrived Monday morning, but if I were to attempt it, I'd be scared of falling asleep at the wheel. And I've already made reservations at a small hotel in Cleveland for Sunday night. Since you'll be coming with me, you'll need to reserve a room there too. I can call the hotel for you if you want."

"No, no, sweetheart. Listen to me. You can't be makin' a long drive to Ohio like that. It's too taxing. And you certainly can't be makin' no ten-hour drive from Cleveland back to Haven Lake right after you've had heart surgery. I'll call my travel agent and book us a flight. And I'll take care of all the hotel reservations. You just leave everything to me."

"Thank you, George," Louise said, and then George pulled her back into his arms, gave her a big kiss, and just held her for the longest time.

True to his word, George got his travel agent to book a first-class flight for Louise and himself to Cleveland for that coming Sunday, and he also had her cancel the reservations Louise had made at a cheap hotel and had her make reservations at a very classy five-star hotel that was near the Cleveland Heart Center instead. George also helped Louise tell Melissa and Angie about her upcoming heart surgery, and at Angie's request, they all joined hands and prayed together for her operation to go smoothly.

Mark and Estelle came to pick up Melissa and Angie and the cats early that Sunday morning, and then Louise locked up her apartment and the bakery and she and George went to the airport. Louise enjoyed all the amenities of their first-class flight to Cleveland, but that was nothing compared to the fancy hotel where they were staying. George had reserved two of the biggest, most luxurious suites in the hotel, which were side by side and connected to each other by a special doorway. Their suites were absolutely beautiful, and as soon as Louise saw them, she was downright flabbergasted. And no matter how much she protested to George that he shouldn't have gone to so much trouble, the more he insisted that he didn't consider it any trouble at all and that he wanted her to have the very best.

George remained by Louise's side all through Monday as she got checked into the hospital, and both she and George were pleasantly surprised when Lionel and Jenny showed up later that evening. Lionel had a strict boss, and since he had already used up his two weeks of allotted vacation time that year, he hadn't been very confident that he would give him more time off to be with his parents now. But thankfully, he did agree, so Lionel and Jenny flew out to Ohio from Texas and surprised George and Louise, who were naturally thrilled to see them. After they visited Louise for a while, they went back to their hotel to get some sleep. And even though George wanted to spend the night sleeping in the recliner by Louise's hospital bed, she insisted that he go back to his hotel suite so he could get some decent rest, and he (reluctantly) relented. However, he refused to leave until Louise's side until she fell asleep that evening. He just sat by her bed and held her hand for the longest time, and he didn't budge until he was certain she was asleep.

George returned to the hospital at six o'clock the next morning, very grateful for the fact that the hospital was so lenient when it came to visiting hours. Louise woke up at about a quarter 'til seven, and when she first opened her eyes that morning and saw that George was right there by her side, it meant the world to her. She was also very happy to see Lionel and Jenny when they arrived about half an hour later.

Finally, Dr. Thomas, a tall, heavyset, balding black man in his fifties, came into Louise's hospital room with a nurse and two male orderlies at five minutes 'til eight that morning. The two orderlies helped move Louise from her hospital bed to a gurney, and a few seconds later, Lionel and Jenny both gave her a big hug and a kiss and assured her that everything was going to be alright. George then gave Louise a long, passionate kiss, and he hugged her and held onto her for several long moments.

As he held her, he said, "Everything's gonna be fine, baby. You're gonna be just fine."

"I know that, sweetheart," Louise said bravely.

"And I want you to know that you ain't gonna be all by yourself in that operating room. I know I can't go in there with you in person, but my mind and my heart are gonna be right there with you every second. You hear me?" George asked in the gentlest voice, and Louise responded with a smile and a nod. "More importantly than that…Jesus is gonna be there. He's gonna be watchin' over you every second through this whole thing."

"I know that, George."

"I love you," George whispered as he rested his forehead up against hers. "I love you so much."

"I know," Louise whispered. "I love you, too. So much."

"We'll see you in a few hours, baby," George whispered, and again, Louise nodded.

The orderlies and the nurse then pushed Louise out of the hospital room on the gurney. As soon as they were gone, George signaled to Dr. Thomas that he would like to speak with him for a moment.

"Dr. Thomas…to you and your surgical team, y'all may just be operatin' on another patient today, but as far as I'm concerned, y'all are operatin' on my whole world. Do you understand what I'm tellin' you?"

Dr. Thomas nodded and told George, "Believe me, Mr. Jefferson; I hear you loud and clear. Don't worry. We're going to take excellent care of her."

George nodded and shook his hand, and then Dr. Thomas left for the operating room. A few moments later, another orderly came along and took George, Lionel, and Jenny to a nearby waiting area where they were expected to wait during Louise's surgery.

Over the next three hours, George was practically climbing the hospital walls, going out of his mind with fear. He was absolutely terrified of the possibility of something going wrong during the operation. And when George, Lionel, and Jenny saw Dr. Thomas coming down the hallway at two minutes past eleven that morning, they immediately rose out of their seats, and George's heart violently pounded away inside his chest.

When Dr. Thomas entered the waiting area and approached George moments later, mercifully, he said, "Good news, Mr. Jefferson. The surgery is complete, and it went very well."

The instant he said that, Lionel and Jenny let out shouts of jubilation in the background while George shook hands with Dr. Thomas and cried silent tears of relief.

"Thank you, Dr. Thomas," George quietly told him a few moments later. "Thank you for all your good work."

"We've moved Ms. Wood into the ICU. She'll probably need to stay there for the next day or two. And then we'll move her out of the ICU into a regular hospital room, where she'll spend the next few days for observation, just to be on the safe side. And then, as long as she's still doing well, we'll discharge her from the hospital."

George nodded and said, "I can't thank you enough."

"It's my pleasure. Ms. Wood will probably be asleep for a while until the anesthesia wears off, but I'll have someone come out here and take you to see her as soon as she wakes up."

"We'd really appreciate that, Dr. Thomas. Thanks," said Lionel.

"Sure thing," Dr. Thomas said with a smile, and then he left.

In the following moments, George, Lionel, and Jenny all hugged one another and cheered and cried happy tears, and George silently thanked Jesus over and over and over again for getting Louise through the surgery safely.

Four hours later at three o'clock that afternoon, a nurse came out to them and informed them that Louise had just woken up, and they quickly followed her to Louise's room in the ICU. When they walked inside, they noticed that the top half of Louise's hospital bed was raised up so she could sit up in bed more easily, and of course, they saw that she was receiving extra oxygen through a nasal cannula and that she was hooked up to a heart monitor. Louise was propped up in her hospital bed with some pillows, and even though she'd opened her eyes a couple of minutes ago, she was now resting her eyes because she was still so tired. The surgery really had taken a lot out of her.

George then walked up to Louise's hospital bed, bent down, and planted a gentle kiss on her lips. In the next moment, Louise opened her eyes, and when she saw George standing there, she gave him a weak smile.

George tenderly caressed her cheek with his index finger, and then he whispered, "Hi there, gorgeous."

"Hi," Louise whispered back.

"The surgery's over, baby. You did great. You did just great."

"It went okay?"

"It sure did," George assured her. "Dr. Thomas said the surgery went very well."

"I'm going to be alright?"

"You're gonna be fine, baby. You're gonna be just fine."

"Thank God."

"I've been thankin' Him a lot today, too," George told Louise with a smile.

"We all have," Jenny chimed in, and it was then that Louise looked and saw her standing in the back of the room with Lionel.

"Hi, kids," Louise said, still speaking in whispers.

Lionel and Jenny walked up to her then and they each gave her a big hug and a kiss, and Louise told them how happy she was to see them and she thanked them for coming. Then, sensing that Louise and George really wanted to be alone, they excused themselves and quietly walked out of the room.

Moments after they left, George bent down and gave Louise a very long kiss, and then he told her, "You have no idea how good it feels to see you now."

Louise looked up at him and smiled, and then she touched his cheek with her fingertips. "It feels good to see you, too. Thanks so much for coming with me. I'm so glad you're here."

George then reached up, took her hand in his, and lovingly kissed it. "And thank you for holdin' on and survivin' open heart surgery," he told her. "I'd be so lost without you. And so would Melissa and Angie."

"Did you guys call them and let them know I'm alright?"

"Oh yeah. I called Mark right after Dr. Thomas came out to talk to us. He said he'd tell the girls as soon as he could."

"Thank you, George."

"Of course."

"You know, Mark knows me so well. He said that he knew that for me, allowing someone to see me at my most vulnerable would feel as risky as jumping off a skyscraper. But he reminded me how much you love me, and he told me that if I took a leap of faith, you would catch me. And he was right."

"I'll always be there to catch you, baby," George lovingly whispered. "Always."

"I know," Louise whispered with a smile, and then George began to notice that Louise was really having trouble keeping her eyes open.

"I'll get out of here now so you can get some more sleep," George whispered.

But Louise shook her head and said, "I don't want you to go."

"Alright, sweetheart. I'll just sit here with you while you rest, okay?"

Louise responded with a nod and a smile, and then George sat down on the side of her hospital bed and took her hand in his.

"I love you, baby. I love you so much," he whispered.

"I love you too, George," whispered Louise, and in the next moment, George kissed her. He then began lovingly stroking Louise's hand as she drifted off into a pleasant sleep.