Meryl and Don: An Unforeseen Journey

Chapter 11

Meryl and Don looked at each other, in shock, when Meryl finally found her voice. "Brain lesions? Isn't that like cancer or an autoimmune diseases?"

"What?" Don said with barely a voice as he felt Meryl hold his hand in both of hers.

Dr. Abbott held up his hands. "Wait; don't get ahead of yourself. If it is a brain lesion I feel it could be a blood clot in the brain from his injury yesterday or even from his brain injury in the fall. That's why I want to do tests to make sure."

"Treatments?" Meryl asked concerned.

Dr. Abbott got up and placed his hand on her shoulder.  "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I'm going to schedule this test as soon as possible. Don, I'll see you down there. I'm sorry, Meryl but you can't go. He won't be gone long once we get it set up."

"Thank you, Dr. Abbott." Meryl nodded.

Don finally spoke when the doctor left. "You didn't sign up for this."

"Yes, I did." Meryl choked turning to him. "I signed up for anything and everything having to do with you, my heart. I'm so glad you asked me to be your partner in and through everything; that's what we are, Don, partners."

Don gave her a weary smile. "I'm so fucking glad you said yes. When will this stop, M? I mean it seemed like we had a reprieve for four months after everything with my dad but now because of that incident I could have this. And before you say anything, NONE of this is your fault, baby, NONE of it."

"Things will get better, sweetheart. We need to figure out what this is so we can help you. We're going to buy that new apartment. We're going to give Henry a brother or sister. Mann will be put away for a long time." Meryl said as she tried to give him a reassuring smile though she was dying on the inside. "We're going to have an amazing future; and I'm not going anywhere."

Don wanted to nod but couldn't. "I just don't want to hurt you anymore."

"Don Man, I promise you that it's NOT you." Meryl said kissing his lips then taking a deep breath. "Let's just see what Dr. Abbott says."

***

After many 'I love you's' and kisses Meryl said bye to Don as he was taken down for tests. They said they could come get her from the family waiting room across the hall from his room as soon as they brought him back up. Larry was working at the round table in the corner of the room. Meryl decided to lay on the sofa on the other side of the room and close her eyes for a bit. She tried to push the thoughts of something being severely wrong with him out of her mind. Just as she felt her body begin to relax, as she cuddled up to Don's pillow from his hospital room she heard one of her favorite voices. "Ma! Ma! Ma!"

"There's Mommy and Daddy's big boy." Meryl gleed as she sat up on the couch opening her arms as Henry toddled into them and she picked him up. "You smell so good, like our baby. How's Mama's big boy?"

Henry gave his mama a big kiss. "Ma! Pay!"

"What do you want to play, sugar?" Meryl asked Henry as she played patty cake with him then looked at her parents. "How is he today?"

Mary Streep smiled at her daughter and grandson. "So much better."

"I'm so glad." Meryl said placing kisses all over Henry's face making him laugh that deep belly laugh she loved so much. "Mommy and Daddy miss you so much, Gippy."

Henry looked around. "Daddy? Dada?"

"Yeah, why are you in here? Is Don alright?" Harry asked and then he noticed Larry in the corner. "Oh, hi there Larry."

Larry smiled. "I didn't want to interrupt the happy reunion. Hi, Mr. and Mrs Streep."

"Don?" Mary asked concerned as she sat by her daughter and noticed that Meryl and Larry exchanged looks. "What?"