Meryl and Don: An Unforeseen Journey

Chapter 61

Don came out of the bathroom in their hospital room and saw Meryl sitting on the edge of the bed, dressed, twirling her wedding ring and staring off to space. If Don learned anything from after her first attack by Mann it was NOT to sneak up on her. He could tell she was deep in thought. "Darl?"

"Oh, hi babe." Meryl looked up at him and patted the bed beside her after quickly wiping away her tears. "You doing okay?"

Don nodded as she helped him sit down. "I was going to ask you the same thing."

"Mom and Dad said they will be in the car with Henry at the private exit. They moved all of our stuff from here to the apartment already. I asked them to just drop us off at the apartment. I just want to be with you and Henry when he and I go back for the first time." Meryl choked.

Don turned her head towards his. "Sweetheart, they can take us to our car and we can go out to Millerton. We don't have to go back to the apartment; or I'll book us into a hotel suite."

"No; I want to." Meryl choked. "Don, that's our home we were finally getting just how we wanted it. It's where we envisioned our future. Besides, the doctor said no stairs for you. You still get really winded. The apartment is just better."

Don kissed her forehead as he tucked her hair behind her ears. "I could find us a new apartment."

"He already ran us out of one apartment." Meryl said looking into his eyes. "I don't want him to do that to our dream apartment. I have to go back sooner or latter; I feel sooner is better. I just don't want you to do too much."

Don shook his head as he winked at her. "Your mom, Maeve, Mary and Liz I guess have filled the fridge and freezer with already prepared food. We just need to heat it up; which I can do. The apartment is clean and your mom said she'd be dropping by and can help with laundry."

"You need to be resting; I can handle the food." Meryl said.

Don vehemently shook his head. "Oh, no, you don't. You heard the doctors. You need to be down as much as possible at least for the next several days. Henry won't need to be lifted other than into the tub and you can do that. We'll make it work."

"Are you okay with it just being us?" Meryl asked. "That I told Mom and Dad I didn't want them there."

Don nodded as he kissed her cheek. "Very okay. We all need to heal and we need to be alone and in our home to do that. Besides, I don't want anyone else to take care of you 3."

"Me either." Meryl tried to smiled for him.

Don cupped her head in his hands. "Darl, before we go I want you to know that I realize how hard this is going to be for you. That you will probably have flashbacks. That's okay. I just want to be there and help you. You are NOT alone and you never will be again, sweetheart; I will be right there with and for you."

"I know that better than anything, my Don Man; and I can't begin to tell you how much that means to me." Meryl smiled with a kiss to his lips and stood up taking his hand. "Let's go home."

***

As Don and Meryl approached their apartment door Don pulled her to a stop as she was pushing Henry in the stroller. Meryl looked at him with a questioning look. "What's wrong?"

"I want to give you this." Don said pulling out his lighthouse keychain with a key in it. 

Meryl had tears in her eyes when she saw it was the keychain she gave him. "No baby, I want you to have that. I gave it to you"

"I know; but it means more to me if you have it." Don said wiping away her tears. "I want you to remember that no matter where you are, what you are going through, what obstacles you are facing that our love is like a lighthouse always guiding you home; in this case, to our home."