Love is the Best Medicine

Chapter 38

Meryl was laying on the hospital bed the staff had brought in several days ago, that she had pushed against Don's hospital bed, and was running her fingers through Don's hair as he smiled in his sleep making Meryl smile; she knew how much she loved when he did that to her and it made her heart swell that he loved her doing it to him just as much. She felt like she was finally getting her husband back after a long year; she felt like he was finally getting his life back. Ever since he began to have problems she felt like she had lost a part of him. She didn't care if he had to walk with a cane the rest of his life; all she wanted was him, alive. What scared her was that they didn't know what was going on with him and that he didn't seem to want help. She knew he felt like less of a man, and didn't know how to convince him otherwise. She didn't know how to convince him that no matter what they face in their lives that all she wanted was him, her husband. They had still been as in love as always, and she never questioned his love for her, she knew it was because he loved her and their family so much that he was having such a difficult time. But here they were, almost on the other side of this nightmare, happier and more in love than they had ever been before. As she watched her husband sleep she started thinking about how things had changed in the past year.

***

December 23, 2009

"Come on." Don said handing Meryl's coat to her. "It's snowing."


Meryl laughed at him. "Sweetheart, I have so much cooking and wrapping left to do. The kids will be here tomorrow; and then the boys and their families."


"Come on, Mer, we only live once. Come play in the snow with me." He pouted.


Meryl could never resist her handsome husband. She relented and then followed him outside. They spent an hour making snow angels and throwing snowballs at each other. Before Meryl knew what was happening he pushed her down in the snow and laid on top of her, kissing the snowflakes off her nose and eyelashes. "You are so incredibly beautiful." Meryl couldn't stop the tears that welled up in her eyes, which immediately scared Don. "Hey, what are the tears for? They're going to freeze to your face." He said making Meryl laugh.

"How are you even real? Why are you still so perfect after 31 years? I have to admit there's still days I'm afraid I will wake up and you will be gone; that all of this will be a dream..." Meryl was rambling and she knew it.

Don shook his head as he dried her tears. "You know I'm not going anywhere...EVER. This isn't a dream; yeah we have an amazing life, one I wouldn't trade for anything else in the whole world. I just love you, there's no explanation, other than you and the kids are everything to me."

"I love you so much, you have no idea; I don't know what I would do..." Meryl was cut off from what she was saying.

Don tenderly kissed her lips as he dried her tears. "You won't ever find out. Baby, what brought all of this on?"

"I don't know, I'm just so happy and things are so wonderful right now, I know they won't always be like this, that I can't shake this feeling that something bad is lurking around the corner. Like we won't be here like this next Christmas." Meryl couldn't explain it; this was a feeling that had been plaguing her since his doctor called her earlier that morning, unbeknownst to Don.

Don shook his head. "Shake it off; nothing is going to happen."

"This is a perfect day." Meryl sighed happily as she tried to push away her fears; she hadn't decided yet when she would tell him about her conversation with Dr. Abbott earlier in the day.

Don got up and pulled her with him. "Come on; let's go make it even more perfect."

***