Meryl and Don: An Unforeseen Journey

Chapter 32

The next morning, actually not very many hours after Meryl's nightmare, Don woke up to the sound of Henry crying over the monitor. "MA! DA! DA! MA! MA!" Don knew he wasn't supposed to pick Henry up but he noticed Meryl hadn't even budged from her place in his arms. When Don tried to loosen his grip on her she only tightened her hold on him.

"Don't go, Don, don't go." Meryl whimpered in her sleep.

Don hated her nightmare was still affecting her. He didn't know what to do. He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head over and over to assure her he was there. "Shhh...baby, I'm right here. Everything is okay." Don was about to quietly, yet loudly, call out for his in-laws when Mary appeared in the door way.

"Want me to?" Mary whispered, pointing to the monitor on Don's bedside table, when she saw Don was trying to get up but Meryl kept clinging onto him; as he attempted to soothe his wife.

Don nodded his head and whispered. "Thank you. Feed him?"

"Stay with her." Mary whispered and nodded her head as she went off to tend to her grandson.

Don breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Henry calming down when Mary began to soothe him. Don reached over to his side of the bed and turned off the monitor not wanting anything to wake up Meryl. He knew her nightmare had to have completely worn her out. He relaxed himself as he let her snuggle even further into his embrace, if that was possible. Due to barely sleeping before Meryl's nightmare and then the stress and emotional toll that played on them Don was exhausted; and he quickly fell asleep.

***

Don woke up a little later and carefully rolled Meryl onto her back as she was still sleeping. He laid there for the longest time just stoking her hair or her beautiful face that always struck him as the most beautiful face he had ever seen. He thought she was the most beautiful when she was like this with no make up on. Nothing to distort the natural beauty she was. There were times when she absolutely took his breath away; and he couldn't imagine that ever changing. He always told her how absolutely fucking ridiculous it was that she was never considered for "sexy" roles. He actually found it quite incredible. He thought she was the most beautiful and sexy woman in the world. While he got jealous of her co-stars he couldn't help that feeling of male pride that swept over him with the knowledge that HE was the one she came home to, HIS bed was the one she chose to be in and HE was the one she chose to love every single day. HE was the one she chose to be her partner every single day for the rest of her life; and for that he felt like the luckiest man in the world, well that and their family.

These thoughts all ran through Don's mind as he continued to watch her sleep and he stroked her hair, knowing how safe and loved that made her feel. He started thinking about all she had been through in the last 3 weeks and he could have sworn he felt his heart break. The stalking. The threats. His damn episodes. His surgeries. Making life and death decisions on his behalf when he couldn't. Finding out she was pregnant without him not knowing whether he was going to live or die. His nightmares. His family. The break in. Being separated from Henry. That fucker EJACULATING all over her lingerie. Her family being threatened. And yet through everything she was there for him, for their son. She was juggling moving and being targeted by 2 sick bastards, one of them being his father, while still taking amazing care of him and their son. His heart broke earlier that morning from her nightmare, from her desperation, from her heartbreak. He hate that all the stress from everything that had happened came out in her nightmare, and it came out as him leaving her. He knew that rationally she believed that would never happen. But fear, stress, pregnancy hormones and the stalker they were dealing with weren't rational. As he watched the love of his life sleep he gave thanks for her over and over again. He gave thanks for their family. He gave thanks for the trust they shared. He gave thanks that she was his wife and he vowed to assure her and love her like she had never been before. While he laid in that bed she and their family, their present and future, were truly all that mattered. He just couldn't take his eyes off her. He didn't know if he could until he knew she was truly alright. Don was so lost in his thoughts and love for her that he didn't even notice she began to wait up until he heard her croaky voice.