Everyone was just as worried for Rita as they were for Taylor! Taylor, in his coma, and Rita who wouldn't do anything for herself unless someone was there to make her.
Rita had once overheard Zac and Isaac joking about 'the Sleeping Beauty thing'. No, it didn't work, she had tried a million times already. Perhaps it only worked when Princes wanted to wake Princesses in comas, as opposed to jazz singers wanting rock stars to wake up.
"Rita? Visiting hours are over." Diana said, taking her hand.
Slowly and reluctantly, Rita got up. She kissed Taylor softly and then followed Diana out the door.
**********
Taylor watched her. Oh, so much he wanted to take her hand and say 'hey, don't worry, I'm here'. So many times he wanted just to tell her he loved her.
He could only half feel Rita touching him, but at least he could feel something. It was odd, because he could never feel anyone else.
Rita had taken up this little routine. Every night that he had been in a coma, she had gotten out a note pad and written 'Good night, I love you' on it. Taylor guessed it was in hope that he might be able to read it. Rita knew as well as he did that most of the time everything except the other was blurred and fuzzy in the dreams. But Taylor was always able to make out these words that she wrote. Always.
He just wished he could reply.
**********
"Don't worry sweetie. I'm sure he'll wake up soon." Diana was saying.
Rita just stared out the window as they drove towards home.
**********
Taylor reached out his hand towards Rita, only wanted to touch her. He loved her so much. But every time, his hand simply passed through her body like a ghost or a shadow.
**********
Diana sighed. She loved her son, and wanted him to wake up. She missed his jokes, his laughter, the sound of his playing and singing. The playful fights with his brothers and the way he would always try to wriggle out of his chores. Sometimes he even succeeded.
Suddenly, something rammed into them from behind. They lurched forward...
**********
Taylor saw the car bash into Dianas', and he saw his mothers' car ram into the tree.
"Rita!" he cried.
But the dream was gone, and Taylor was sitting up in a bed in his room at the hospital.