Meryl and Don: An Unforeseen Journey

Chapter 12

"Mary? Mary Louise? Wake up, sweet pea." Harry Jr. said as he gently shook her awake.

Meryl woke up in a start. "Don?! Henry?"

"No sweetie, it's just me. Henry is fine. He is with your mother at Third and Maeve's place." Harry said as he sat down on the sofa in the waiting area where Meryl was resting.

Meryl nodded her head as she ran her fingers through her hair. "Sorry, I was just disoriented for a second there."

"Mary Louise, are you sleeping?" Harry Jr. asked concerned. "Are you eating?"

Meryl shrugged. "I'm taking naps. I was so concerned about Don last night I didn't sleep a whole lot but have been napping when I can. Yes, I am eating. Even with everything he is going through Don is making sure of it. I promise, Daddy, I won't go down that road again. Don and I are also talking a lot because he is afraid I'll let things fester; and I won't, I promise. I am NOT going down that road again; I am not going to put Don and Henry through that again. My family is too important to me."

"I know they are." Harry smiled at her. "Is Don having more tests? Is that why you are back in here?"

Meryl nodded as she took a drink from her water cup she had on the table next to her. "He does have a brain lesion. Dr. Abbott is pretty sure that it is not cancer but he wanted to do a biopsy to be sure."

"Another brain surgery?" Harry gasped. "Mary Louise, why didn't you call?!"

Meryl put her hand over her father's to help calm him down. "No Daddy; they did have to put him under because they had to make a small incision for the needle. But it's just to extract fluid. They didn't want him to move around and I'm grateful for that because that could do lots of damage."

"Poor Don." Harry sighed. "How are you, little Mary?"

Meryl couldn't help but laugh. "I don't even know any more. We were so happy and relieved when Mann was caught and now this. I'm trying really hard not to blame myself because that won't help him or us. I just want to find out what's going on so I can help him."

"It is NOT your fault. Mary Louise, Mann is a fucking psychotic bastard. I saw what he did to your apartment, your life. HE created this, not you baby girl. Don wouldn't have been anywhere else in this world." Harry Jr. tried to calm his daughter.

Meryl nodded as she twirled her wedding ring. "I know. So, you saw the apartment?"

"Yeah." Harry said shaking his head as if to shake the memories. "We took Don's sculptures that were ruined and saved as much as we could. We swept up the pieces that we knew couldn't be salvaged. We cleaned up the other messes. He spray painted on your wall and we cleaned that. Larry and Third are going to repaint it, the same color we saw that Don still had some and of course was labeled just like Don would have it organized." Harry said making her laugh and then held up a bag. "Maeve packed this for you and we put some clothes we thought Don might like."

Meryl's eyes welled up with tears. "You all are amazing. I mean taking care of Henry. I miss my little Gippy but am so grateful he is with you all and we can shield him as much as possible. Cleaning our apartment. Larry and Third being up here with me all night last night. I don't know what I would do without all of you."

"That's what family is for." Harry said as he hesitantly handed her a folder.

Meryl looked at him questioningly. "What's this?"

"Third brought his polaroid over and we took the pictures that you two wanted." Harry explained.

Meryl nodded. "I don't want to open this without Don."