Love and Only Love

Chapter 6

The next few days had gone by extremely fast as Meryl and Harry made arrangements for Mary to go home on hospice. When hospice wasn't coming in they arranged for help from home health care; but really it was Meryl and Harry doing most of the caregiving for Mary. Dana and Third had to work but would be there during the weekend. Don kept asking Meryl how he could help; and she told him the best way he could help was what he was doing-being there for their girls, and for her emotionally even though he wasn't there in person. It was Friday and Don was bringing the girls up after school. Mamie would be coming in the next day along with the rest of the family. The family decided to surround Mary with love, laughter, and smiles for her last days on the earth.

***

"Grandpa!" Grace and Louisa ran into their grandfather's arms when they found him in the den.

Seeing his granddaughters brought a huge smile to Harry Streep's face. He knew having the whole family, as much of them as possible, together that weekend would help not only him and Mary, but Meryl as well. "My girls are here. I'm so happy to see you. Your Grandma Mary has been so excited to see you."

Don walked over to his father-in-law and gave him a big hug. "Hey, Dad. How are you holding up?"

Harry held onto Don tightly, he wasn't just the man his daughter married over 20 years ago, he was his son. "We're hanging in. I couldn't have gotten through this week without Meryl; and you."

"She was right where she wanted to be; where we all wanted her to be." Don smiled at Harry. "How's Mom?"

Harry took a breath as he looked at his granddaughters. "Hanging on, and pretty excited to see these beauties."

"Dad, can we see Grandma Mary?" Grace asked.

"I brought my violin to play for Grandma." Louisa added. "PLEASE!"

"She will love that." Harry said.

"Girls, remember what I said in the car. Grandma is really sick and needs her rest. Don't wear her out too much." Don warned.

"She's going to love to hear your stories about living in Manhattan, come on." Harry said as he began to escort his granddaughters out of the den. "Oh Don, she's in the kitchen." Harry said over his shoulder.

Don smiled and laughed at Harry. "Thanks, Dad."

***

Don smiled when he saw his wife cooking away in the kitchen wearing a t-shirt, jeans, and in her barefeet. Her hair was pulled back into a pony tail, and he could tell she was wearing her favorite purple glasses even though her back was to him.

"There's my wife how I like her, in the kitchen cooking and barefoot. You're not pregnant are you?" Don teased from the doorway, trying to lighten what he knew would be an extremely emotional weekend. After talking to Meryl earlier that day, he had a feeling that Mary wouldn't make it through the weekend. It was pretty obvious in the meeting with her doctors earlier in the week he attended with Meryl. That was why he prepared for him and the girls to be there for the next week, at least. He even made arrangements with Third to bring work for them to do.

Meryl turned around and couldn't hide the smile on her face when she saw her handsome husband standing before her. He was standing there in tennis shoes, jeans, and a long sleeve t-shirt. "Asshole." She winked.

Don opened his arms to her as she flew into them and he held her tight; not caring about the pain his still healing broken ribs were causing. He whispered into her ear as he kissed her cheek. "How's my girl?"

"Much better now." She whispered as she breathed in his scent. "I know it's only been a few days, but my God, I've missed you."

"Ive missed you too, Darl, so much." Don whispered into her hair as he continued to hold her tightly. "Want to talk about it?"