Love is the Best Medicine

Chapter 26

"Flowers?!" Don scoffed as he looked at his mother standing in front of him. He was beyond disgusted. He knew he needed to stand up to his mother for his wife more than he ever had. Over 30 years of her treating his wife the way she would pushed him to the brink. All he could think about was his distraught wife laying in a hospital bed-he was convinced she was there because of his mother. "You think flowers will undo the scars, the insecurities you've placed on my wife? Think again. I know she had her turn according to what Lou said she overheard last night, it's mine now. It's been a LONG time coming. Something I should have done for my wife, and for my marriage, YEARS ago. I never should have let you around her after the fucking shit you pulled when I was shot; which I would be willing to be shot over and over for her and our family again. Because they are my greatest joys and are EVERYTHING to me."

Jane had no idea what Meryl told him. "Don, I don't know what Meryl told you but you have to hear my side."

"Told me? She has been so fucking distraught she hasn't told me anything. She can't even string together a complete sentence." Don was beyond furious. "I have warned you over and over to lay off her but because of whatever you said to her she is lying in that bed in danger of having a heart attack, stroke, aneurysm or WORSE! She can barely talk without sobbing. Whatever you said to her has made her think I don't love her or I need to forgive her for something. She is doubting me for some reason, for whatever you said to her; that is NOT okay with me. You and James have tried to come between me and the love of my life for TOO LONG. NO. MORE. The fact that she could have had a massive heart attack or stroked out because of you scares me to my core."

Jane needed to save face. "You know Meryl has always tried to push me away."

"Unfuckingbelievable. Really? You really want to go there? Then, fine, we will go there." Don hissed; he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "MERYL, MERYL is the one who always insists we go out to Indianapolis, she has from the very beginning. MERYL is the one always coming to your defense even after you tried to take me and OUR son away from her only hours after she was RAPED and tortured; when she felt like her whole damn world was falling apart. I NEVER should have let down my guard after that. I didn't want you to come visit because every time you do you are so hard on her, and she was told a few days ago she needed to watch her blood pressure and stress wasn't good for her; but she insisted on doing everything she could to make sure your visit went well. She not only did it for me, which I told her not to do, but she did it for you as well. I was terrified something like this was going to happen; judging by past concerns with her blood pressure and then hearing you accuse her of not taking care of me properly. She takes amazing care of me and our family; usually at the expense of her own health and well-being. Then our daughter hears you tell her what a bad wife and mother she is and if she was around more than I wouldn't have almost died. That you blamed HER for my own decisions and mistakes. My wife begged me for months and months and months to go to the doctor but I refused. MERYL is the one who has saved my life over and over; even from bullets but you have NEVER thanked her. MERYL was the one calling me back from light when I flatlined. MERYL is why I'm still here. MERYL is the one who hasn't left my side during this fucking ordeal. MERYL is the one who has stuck by my side through every harsh word you have thrown at us, through all the shit James has done to us; she has been the one to show me that true love comes with no strings attached; something I never felt while growing up in your house. Don't you dare say she doesn't care or has pushed me away from you; you and James have done that all on your own. You tell me that you know what Meryl means to me, that you love her and consider her to be part of the family; well, it's time you finally prove it."

Reality was now hitting Jane. "Don, I never meant..."

Don could hear Meryl calling out for him and Louisa trying to calm her down. With her being so worried about him forgiving and loving her; the last thing in the world he wanted was for his wife to think that he had left. "Mom, you need to leave town. You are my mother and so I will always love you but I need to take care of my wife; she and our children have to be my first priority right now, they have all been through hell with my health scares and the losses we have experienced as a family. That beautiful woman lying in that bed, BECAUSE OF YOU, and our 4 wonderful children are my world; don't you EVER forget that. Oh, and if anything happens to my wife because of you, I will NEVER forgive you."