Their Next Chapter

Chapter 60

"Baby?" Don whispered as he continued to hold her while laying next to her in the hospital bed in her Emergency Department room. "How are you feeling? Can I get you anything, Darl?"

Meryl looked up at Don. "I'm better; and the baby's heartbeat whooshing sound tells us how well it is doing."

"Thank God." Don sighed with a kiss to her head. "I was so scared when Mamie called me."

Meryl tenderly kissed his lips. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean for this to happen."

"It's not your fault." Don shook his head. "Mamie was right; this is my fault."

Meryl pulled away as she cupped his face in her hand. "Don Man, WHAT are you talking about? You weren't even there."

"You KNOW how much I love this baby; and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I can't wait to hold it; but Mamie was right." Don sighed. "I preached to the kids over and over and over again about being responsible. I told Henry that if he loved a woman then he needed to be a man and protect her. I have said for years and years that I would protect you and our kids at all costs. I guess I never thought you would need to be protected from me."

Meryl wiped away a few of his tears. "Baby, what in the hell are you talking about?"

"I've put you in danger." Don choked. "Because of me not covering my fucking dick you could die."

Meryl kissed all over his face. "Because of us, being US, we are given another chance to be parents again. We get to do this crazy baby thing again, together. You are the ONLY man I have ever wanted to do this thing called life and parenthood with. Because of YOU, EVERYTHING is going to be okay; I am going to be okay. Because of how you PROTECT me and our children, in 7 months were going to be sleep deprived and so fucking happy."

"I want this baby so much." Don whispered. "I don't want to put you in jeopardy; I can't lose you, M."

Meryl kissed his lips over and over; his heartbreak and anguish and fear was killing her. "You aren't going to, Don Man; I promise. Baby, we made these decisions together. I fully and HAPPILY participated in this. Like I said before, I could have been taking something. You are always protecting me and our babies."

"I do want this baby so much." Don didn't want her to doubt that; he meant every word when he told her he couldn't wait for this baby even at this stage of their lives..

Meryl smiled softly at him. "I know that."

"I just couldn't take it if..." Don trailed off.

Meryl shook her head. "Never gonna happen; we go together."

"We go together." Don sighed feeling better. "Thank you."

Meryl shook her head. "Just stating the truth, my love."

"Sweetheart." Don said moving on. "What happened with Mamie? You were fine when I left this morning and only a few hours later she calling me crying, saying you had an attack."

Meryl nodded; knowing she needed to tell him. "It was all going okay until I asked her where Ben was. She snapped at me saying it was a week day. She then said said things had been tense. I told her that the first years of marriage are hard."

"They are." Don said thinking about theirs.

Meryl took a deep breath as she went on. "She said I wouldn't understand; but I told her to try me. She talked about how hard it is with them trying to start their careers and in different time zones. That things were going well until they lost the baby; that everything was great after the wedding and then things started to fall apart with every month she wasn't getting pregnant."