Love is the Best Medicine

Chapter 20

Meryl was pacing back and forth in the waiting room, with her daughter's blood on her, as Louisa and Don came running in. Well, Louisa was running and Don was walking and limping as fast as he could. Meryl immediately hugged her daughter. "Thanks for coming, Lou Lou. I love you, sweet girl."

"I love you too. How is she?" Louisa asked.

Meryl helped Don sit down after giving him a big hug. Careful not to get any of her daughter's blood on him or Louisa. "I'm still waiting. She started bleeding in the ambulance on the way here."

"Sweetheart, your clothes are all bloody." Don winced at the thought of that being their daughter's blood.

Meryl started crying. "I know, I think she lost the baby."

"Oh, sweetheart." Don said wrapping his arm around her as she laid her head on his shoulder. "Lou, I know you just got here, and I'm sorry to ask you this; but do you mind going home and getting some fresh clothes for Mom?"

Meryl shook her head as she dried her tears. "No, it's okay, really. I want you here, sweetie, and I'm sure your sister does as well."

"How about I go see if you can have some scrubs?" Louisa asked. "That way I'm still here and maybe you can change before you see Mamie."

Don smiled at their baby. "Yeah, thanks Lou Lou."

"Don, it was so awful." Meryl cried when Louisa was gone.

Don's heart literally hurt. "I'm so sorry baby. Why didn't you wake me when Ben called? I would have gone with you, sweetheart, so you didn't have to go through all this alone."

"I didn't know exactly what was going on, I thought it was just indigestion or something and maybe she had an infection like the one I had when I was pregnant with her that caused spotting. I knew you needed your rest and I didn't want to wake you. But when I got there she looked just like I felt when I lost your baby." Meryl choked.

Don kissed the top of her head. "Our baby, and I remember that all too well."

***

Don had just loaded Henry and his belongings into Mary and Harry Streep's car. They had come out to their Millerton, NY home to take Henry for the weekend. When Don went upstairs to see if Meryl was up from her nap yet he found her shaking and crying on the bed; he immediately ran over to, taking her into his arms in an instant. "Baby, what's wrong? Did you have a nightmare, sweetheart? He's not going to get to any of you ever again, I promise you my love."



"No, it's not that." Meryl cried.

 "It hurts, Don, it hurts so bad."

Don held her tight and she was extremely cold and clammy. "What does, baby? What hurts?"



"I'm cramping, it hurts so bad." Meryl cried against his chest.



Don kissed her head. This was how his last nightmare started when she was still in that shitty warehouse. He was scared to death. This couldn't be happening, not now, not with everything Meryl and the baby survived. This absolutely could NOT be happening. "Okay sweetheart, I'm getting you to the hospital...NOW."



"Oh, it hurts." Meryl cried as he lifted her in his arms.

 "It hurts so badly. It hurts worse than contractions with Henry."

Don carried her down the stairs as gingerly as possible; and his heart was BREAKING. Not only was he terrified of them losing the baby but he also hated that him carrying her was causing her pain. "I'm sorry sweetheart. I'm so sorry."



"Don, what if I lose our baby?" Meryl cried.

 "Not now; this can't be happening now. Not after everything we have been through. We were finally getting back on track. I fought so hard for this baby. YOU have fought so hard for all of us."