What We Never Knew We Needed

Chapter 15

"Is my wife here yet?" Don asked impatiently to the police officer while he was still in handcuffs.

The officer guided Don into a private room where he would be questioned. "Sir, you are not allowed around your wife right now. We need to question you both separately."

"I just want to know if she's alright." Don said as he ran his fingers through his hair. "She passed out earlier; and I didn't even have a chance to her her checked out and make sure she is okay. She's 6 months pregnant. She's had lots of complications. Any amount of stress could be detrimental to her. I just want someone in this damn place to tell me if my wife is okay."

Larry ran in at this time. "Don, stop talking."

"Larry." Don sighed. "Have you seen Meryl? Is she alright?"

Larry sat down next to Don at the small table in the private room. "I talked to her on the phone. Physically she's fine. She of course is distraught this happened.She never wants to talk to Dana again that's for sure."

"I have no idea where all that came from." Don said, frustrated. "How could he think that?"

Larry shook his head. "It being on CNN certainly did not help."

"I'm suing their asses." Don seethed.

Larry nodded. "Let's take this one step at a time. Let's get you out of here and home with Meryl first. I believe you made her a boating promise."

"I did." Don smiled weakly. "I'm keeping it."

Larry looked up at the officer in the room. "What are the charges?"

"Assault and battery, kidnapping." The officer said.

Larry shook his head as he saw the brokenness in his best friend's eyes. "Yeah; that shit isn't going to hold up. I want to get this questioning started so I can get my client out of here ASAP."

"Detective Tanner is with Mrs. Gummer at the moment." The officer explained. "Then he will come in here to question Mr. Gummer."

Don looked at Larry with a stone face. "Please, go to her. I'm fine. I won't talk. GO."

***

"Larry." Meryl cried as her husband's best friend came running into the room she was in.

Larry immediately hugged his best friend's wife. "We're going to clear this up, M, I promise you."

"We have to." Meryl choked. "He doesn't deserve this shit, Larry. Have you seen him? Did you see how beaten up he was?"

Larry nodded as he gave Meryl his handkerchief. "I did. I see you two dressed up for the occasion."

"Oh." Meryl finally laughed when she realized she was still wearing her bathing suit cover up dress with her bathing suit underneath and flip flops. She then remembered that Don was still in his trunks, t-shirt and flip flops. "We were in the pool when his phone started erupting with notifications about the fucking story and everything went downhill from there. You should be with him, Larry."

Larry shook his head. "They are questioning you first. He told me to come be with you then I will go to him."

"He's doing okay?" Meryl asked twirling her wedding band.

Larry gave her a look. "What do you think? He's worried to death about you."

"I'm worried to death about him." Meryl sighed. "I'm pressing charges against my fucking brother. If Don won't, then I will."

Larry nodded. "Like I told Don, let's just take this one step at a time."

"Meryl." Detective Tanner said walking in.