Love and Only Love

Chapter 18

Don was furiously doing CPR on his wife when the EMTs came in as Larry urged them of confidentiality and explained who Don was. "Mr. Gummer, we'll take over from here."

"I'm not leaving her. We need to get her to the hospital...NOW!" Don said not stopping what he was doing.

An EMT placed his hand on Don's shoulder. "Sir, we need to stabilize her. We will take good care of her."

"She isn't allergic to anything. I tried to apply pressure. Her breathing was really shallow. She turned gray. She stopped breathing. I tried, I really tried." Don choked as he shakily stood up when the EMTs took over.

Larry went over to Don and led him to the couch. "Sit down, buddy. They're going to take good care of her."

"I can't lose her; this can't be happening. It's my fault, Larry, again." Don said as he turned red eyes to his best friend.

Larry knew this was coming. "NO DON, IT'S NOT! You and Meryl always put the other first. You got him off her. You know, Meryl, she does what she wants; she wanted to get between you and that bullet. You brought her back with CPR."

"We don't know that." Don choked with his head in his hands.

At just that moment they saw Meryl moving and pushing away the vent bag. "DON! Is DON gone? Don!" She said barely above a whisper.

"Baby, I'm here, my love. I am not leaving you." Don said rushing over to her. "Thank God you're back. I was so scared we lost you."

Meryl was scared. These men she didn't know were standing over her. "Who...these men? Scared. Don't let them..."

"You're safe baby; no one is going to hurt you again." Don said as he kissed her head. He recognized the fear on her face; it was there 20 years earlier after Mann attacked her. "They are here to help you; make you well."

Meryl moved her arm as they came after her with a needle. "Take me away from you and kids...you, kids, away...from me."

"No baby, they're not." Don tried to soothe as his wife was clearly agitated which only made breathing harder for her.

Meryl wasn't letting the EMTs do their job. "Sir, we need to start this IV so we can move her and get her to the hospital as soon as possible."

"Baby, I'm not leaving. I promise. I won't let anyone hurt you, you know that, right?" Don asked as he smoothed her hair back.

Meryl was trying not to cry. "Proved it...hurts Don."

"I know baby, let them give you the medicine." Don said as he nodded to the EMTs. "It's gonna make you feel better."

Meryl held Don's hand tightly. "Don't leave."

"Never, my love." Don said kissing her lips. "Never."

***

Meryl lost consciousness again in the ambulance. Don never left her side. He rushed into the hospital right by the stretcher holding her hand though she was intubated and didn't notice. "She was shot in the chest by a madman." Don yelled as he saw their friend and Dr. Abbott approach.

"Don, they're gonna take her into surgery...NOW." Dr. Abbott said.

Don nodded. "I'm coming. I promised her I wouldn't leave. She's afraid to be alone with men she doesn't know...because..."

"Don you can't; I will be in there. I will make sure she is safe and protected." Dr. Abbott said knowing why Meryl was scared and why Don didn't want to leave her. He was there for all the aftermath last time. "Don, we can't wait any longer; we have to go now to save her."