Love and Only Love

Chapter 21

Don was worried about Meryl. She seemed to be in more pain the night before and was tossing and turning. He told her not to worry about seeing the girls off to school but she wouldn't hear of it; no matter how much pain she was in. He couldn't get her to eat much at breakfast or drink much. He noticed her coloring was getting worse instead of better. He settled her in on the sofa so he could take care of household work downstairs and still keep a close eye on her. He called the doctor and hadn't heard back. He wanted to take her to the hospital but she insisted it was just a bad day. She didn't want anything to ruin their trip to Connecticut that day when the girls got out of school. However, Don had pretty much decided they weren't getting that far from her doctors-he just hadn't told her that yet.

***

Meryl was feeling worse and worse by the minute. She wanted normalcy and constancy for her family; and if she admitted to Don how sick she was then she knew they wouldn't go to Connecticut for the weekend which was something she felt the whole family, especially the girls, needed desperately. She didn't want to worry Don but she was getting worried. It was getting harder and harder to breathe and her legs didn't feel right. She tried to call out for him but didn't have much breath capacity. She couldn't reach her phone. As she got up to get to the phone her legs turned to jello, causing her to crash down on the floor.

***

Don was looking in the refrigerator trying to decide what to fix for lunch when he heard a crash. He grabbed the phone and sprinted out of the kitchen towards the den in case it was Meryl. His heart sunk when he realized his suspicions were indeed true. He ran over to her. "Sweetheart, it's Don."

"Don...sorry." She croaked.

Don couldn't believe how much worse she looked and how she was gasping for breath. He immediately called 911. "Don't be sorry...I'm getting you help. Yes, this is Don Gummer and I need an ambulance right away. It's a brownstone, 57 N. Hudson. We have guards posted outside and they will let you in. My wife was shot almost a week ago in the chest and the bullet grazed her lung, heart and spine. She was released a few days ago but she fell and is gasping for air, she is a grayish color. Yeah, she responded to me and her eyes are open. She's really sweating and her eyes are very glassy. Yes I know how, I performed CPR on her last week. Please hurry. Thank you."

"Hate you seeing...me...like...this." Meryl said as she gasped for air while Don dialed their head guard posted at the front door.

Don shook his head as he kissed hers. "I hate you are going through this but I'm getting you help, sweetheart, I promise."

"I...know." Meryl tried to smile. Though she was in agonizing pain and she had no idea what in the hell was going on; she felt incredibly safe with Don.

Don breathed a sigh of relief when their lead security guard answered his phone. "Fred, it's Don Gummer. Meryl is in bad shape and the EMTs are on their way. Please let them into the house. Oh and Fred, complete privacy. Thanks a lot. Bye. Okay baby, just try to take slow even breaths for me."

"I...should have...let..." Meryl was trying to talk.

Don moved her wet, sticky hair out of her face as he kissed her. "Shhhh....no talking, sweetheart. I need you to save your breath and energy. Help will be here any minute and we are going to figure out what the hell is going on. Something isn't right, baby, and I am getting you the best of everything."

"Already...have best...you." Meryl smiled as she struggled to breathe.

Don knew if he didn't keep it light then he would break. "Always trying to get in my pants, aren't you?"

"Love...you..." Meryl's eyes started closing.

Don was blinking back tears. "I love you so much, sweetheart; but you can't close your eyes. I promise you if you keep your eyes open then I'm going to take us on an absolutely amazing vacation when you get better. We will go to Maine and I'll rent us a beautiful cottage on the beach. We will do whatever you want. I will cut down on the beer and cheeseburgers you always want me to cut back on. I will do the dishes and laundry more. Please, just keep those eyes open for me, sexy."