Love and Only Love

Chapter 20

Don was incredibly happy that Meryl slept through the night with no tossing and turning, no breathing episodes and no nightmares. He was hoping that maybe she was turning the corner with her healing. He was hoping they would find out the results from her tests the day before and then he could take her home in the next few days. He really felt that once he got her home with the kids then they would both feel better. The sooner they got home then he felt the sooner he could get them into therapy. Though he didn't want to take her home too soon in fear that she would have a relapse or worse. He came so close to losing her that the continued fear of that possibility was still on the edge. Don was brought out of his thoughts when he saw her stir. "Don?" Meryl called out when she didn't feel him beside her.

"Hey baby, I'm right here." Don said moving from the chair he was sitting in next to her bed and climbed onto her bed to hold her.

Meryl smiled up at him as she accepted his kiss. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I didn't want to wake you when I woke up so I moved to the chair earlier." Don smiled. "How did you sleep?"

Meryl actually felt rested. "Wonderfully actually. How about you?"

"I slept more than I have in days." Don replied. "I like seeing that color return to your cheeks. You are absolutely beautiful, all the time." Don noticed tears appear to her eyes. "Mer?"

Meryl quickly wiped them as she kissed his lips. "This feels normal, well if we weren't in a hospital and my chest wasn't bandaged. I mean I feel like us."

"We are us, Darl, we always will be." Don smiled assuredly. "There is no doubt in my mind about that."

Meryl melted in his arms. "That's really important to me."

"You're really important to me." Don winked at her.

Meryl smirked, happy their banter was coming back. "Are you trying to get me in bed, Mr. Gummer?"

"I think I already have you in bed, Mrs. Gummer." Don replied back as Meryl laughed until she gasped in pain. "Meryl?"

Meryl tried to take calming breaths as Don was running his fingers through her hair. "Well, back to reality."

"You okay, Darl?" Don asked concerned as she went pale. He hated that it took almost nothing to cause her to gasp for breath and to be in pain.

Meryl nodded as she was finally able to catch her breath. "Yeah baby, just some pain. I'm sure they'll be in with medicine soon. I'm sorry I ruined the moment."

"You, my love, didn't ruin anything." Don said as there was a knock on the door. "Come in."

Dr. Abbott walked in as he smiled at his friends and patients. "You are looking wonderful, Meryl."

"Back off, Hal." Don teased their doctor and friend as he stood up beside her bed and held her hand. "She's my girl.

Meryl shook her head at her husband; grateful for the teasing and banter between them. "Thanks, Dr. Abbott, I'm feeling better."

"Great to hear. How would you like to go home this morning?" Dr. Abbott asked with a smile.

Don wanted her home more than anything but the paralyzing fear of something happening to her took over; the same fear that had been with him for weeks. Don shook his head trying to follow and understand. She just had a breathing episode and they wanted to send her home? "Wait; what did her tests show?"

"Everything looks good. A little swelling around the spinal area but nothing to be concerned about; it's normal." Dr. Abbott said as he looked through her chart.