Their Next Chapter

Chapter 75

A few days later, Don and Meryl had arrived at Henry and Susie's townhouse to set everything up for baby girl Gummer. Don had been over at the townhouse for several days painting and delivering furniture; now he and Meryl were putting the finishing touches on everything. He didn't want Meryl to go over until they were sure all the paint fumes were gone. He had been taking things over to the townhouse, hiding it, so everything could be a surprise for Henry and Susie. Meryl looked at Don as they were walking into their son's townhouse. "Don Man, are you feeling alright?"

"Of course, Darl." Don winked; in all reality he wasn't feeling the best. He didn't want her to know how run down he was feeling. He figured the stress and excitement of the last few months was just getting to him. "Today's the big day."

Meryl couldn't help but notice how pale he was. "Okay; but tonight you aren't doing anything. You're not cleaning or cooking or doing laundry. I think you've been overdoing it with all that, taking care of me and the baby, getting this nursery ready and working."

"Baby, you really worry too much." Don assured her as they walked up the stairs to the nursery. "I really am feeling fine. Nothing time in bed with my sexy wife won't cure."

Meryl laughed as she shook her head. "There's something wrong with you; you know that?"

"Nothing a little bit of love won't cure, baby cakes." Don said pulling her close with a kiss to her lips.

Meryl noticed how clammy he was. "Really Don, this doesn't have to be done today. The kids will understand."

"Our granddaughter will be here in less than a month; she needs a nursery." Don said with a kiss to her forehead as he opened the nursery door. "What do you think of this, Darl?"

Meryl gasped as she looked around. He had painted the walls gray with handpainted white clouds on top of the gray. He made a mobile made of white and pink and gray butterflies with a white round base. A pink sign he made with white lettering hung on a wall with the words: What are little girls made of, sugar and spice and everything nice, that's what little girls are made of. He then had a white crib set up along with a white dresser and changing tables. She ran her hand over the bookshelves he made that were painted white. Her eyes were drawn to the clear chandelier with a pink base he had hung up. He even painted the base pink with white "L"'s on it for Lillian Grace, which is what Henry and Susie decided their baby girl's name would be. She then saw the baby camera he had installed up in the corner of the ceiling and had it angled on the crib. She then realized he actually had installed 4 of them so they were coming from all sides of the room. She knew he had bought a state of the art system that Henry and Susie could watch from their phones or tablets or computers. "Don!"

"You like it?" Don asked setting down some bags.

Meryl kept looking all over. "Sweetheart, it's beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous. I can't imagine how long it took you to paint those perfect clouds."

"Long enough." He laughed. "You think she'll like it?"

Meryl went over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Her grandfather, the GREAT Don Gummer, painted it and put it all together for her; of course she will, and so will Hen and Suze. Baby, you really outdid yourself."

"Well, it's not done." Don laughed leading her over to a white overstuffed chair he had delivered for the room. "Now, put your feet up and open packages for me."

Meryl shook her head. "I'm really fine. I think you're the one who should sit. Just tell me what to do and I'll do it."

"I love you all bossy." Don wiggled his eyebrows at her. "I really just need you to sit."