Their Next Chapter

Chapter 20

"BRAD!" Jane exclaimed as Don released his hold on the man that turned out to be his biological father. Don, Meryl and the rest of the family looked on as Jane ran to him in the rain, planting her lips on his and he spun her around. 

Don couldn't believe it. The man that made him think he would lose his wife. The man that had threatened his wife's well-being was his father. Don completely erupted as he attacked him again. "YOU BASTARD!"

"Ben, stop him!" Mamie exclaimed as he husband went to his father-in-law and pulled him off Brad.

Don was still lunging for him. "You fucking terrorize my wife and you're my fucking father?!" Don was so filled with rage that he didn't even notice his wife crying or her walking into the house. No one else seemed to notice except Henry who followed his mother inside.

"Brad? How?" Jane exclaimed wiping her tears.

Brad smiled softly, Don's smile. "I was a prisoner of war. I have only been stateside for the past 5 years. Donald, I only just found out where you were living."

"Back in August?" Don hissed. "Back when you started terrorizing my wife?"

Brad shrugged. "I've been doing research. Been asking around. I wanted to make sure you were happy and it doesn't seem like your wife deserves you. I want you to have the best."

"I DO have the best. Meryl is the BEST thing to EVER have happened to me." Don looked at his 3 daughters by his side. "She is an AMAZING wife and mother. She saved me from the HELL that was my childhood thanks to YOUR brother. She showed me what love TRULY meant. We have been through more in our 33 years together than you can EVER imagine. I have been scared shitless these past 3 months that some psycho was after her. Back on Halloween I truly thought I lost her because of YOU."  Ben continued to try and hold Don back.

Brad nodded. "Donald, she is AWFUL to your mother. From what I understand she won't let you around your family, here. I was surprised to find you and your family here tonight; I just found out where Jane lived and that's why I'm here."

"This is YOUR fucking fault." Don hissed at his mother. "Let's get something straight, NOW. MERYL is the one constantly trying to get me to have a relationship with my family. MERYL keeps putting herself in the line of fire over and over because she so DESPERATELY wants me to have the family she had growing up. My MOTHER has sent my wife to the hospital TWICE in the past 10 months because of HER hatred towards MY WIFE. Yet, my wife keeps coming back for more because that is how much she loves me. My wife was RAPED 30 years ago, she and our son were taken from our home. JAMES helped the rapist get to them and MY MOTHER not only stood by him; she also blamed my wife. My wife and CHILDREN are EVERYTHING to me. When you started harassing her I was terrified it was happening all over again. I promised my wife that whoever was doing this would have to answer to me no matter who they were; even my biological father."

Brad still wasn't sold on Meryl. "It looks to me like she uses you for her career."

"Don't you EVER say that." Don said breaking free of Ben and pinning Brad to the wall again. "You've known about me and my family for months and just NOW make your presence known. You call my wife and threaten her and send her chilling letters; and you have the fucking audacity to judge HER? If anyone even THINKS about fucking with my wife or children then they have to answer to me. You have to answer to ME."

***

Meryl was sitting in Don's childhood bedroom, twirling her wedding and vow renewal rings, not bothering to wipe her tears away when Henry came in sitting on the bed beside her and taking her into his arms. "Mom, it's okay."

"I've wanted your father to have the father HE deserves for so long. Ever since we found out about Brad and read the letters he sent to your grandmother when she was pregnant with your father, him writing about how much he loved your dad before he was even born, I thought Brad WAS the father he deserved. Now he HATES me." Meryl cried.