What We Never Knew We Needed

Chapter 38

"Mr. Gummer?" An orderly said walking into Meryl's Emergency Department room.

Don lifted his head from where it was resting on Meryl's bed as he sat in a chair next to her bed; he was relieved that she was still asleep. "Yes?"

"We came to move your wife up to the obstetrics wing." The orderly said. "Since she will be in the obstetrics wing she will have a queen size bed so you can sleep with her. I'm told you will be staying."

Don smiled softly. "I appreciate it; but won't she be hooked up to a monitor? I was prepared to sleep in a recliner or chair; I don't care, I just want to be with her. I'm not leaving this hospital unless my wife is with me." Don couldn't get over how close he had come to losing his wife and baby that night; overtime he thought about finding her on the ground screaming in agony his breath left him.

"Dr. Taylor said it will be fine." The orderly said as he began to unplug everything. "We'll meet you up there."

Don's smile quickly disappeared. "She is NOT going anywhere without me."

"Mr. Gummer." Another orderly said as she walked in. "We have to move these monitors with her; so there won't be room for you in the elevator, it is really small."

Don shook his head. "She is terrified right now; I don't want her to think I left or something if she doesn't see me. We have been through an ordeal and I need to make sure she is well taken care of. I can't let her out of my sight; not just for her but for myself as well."

"Don?" Larry asked walking into the room; sensing that his best friend of over 60 years was about to lose it. "What's going on?"

Don was about to lose it; though he was trying desperately to keep it together. "They won't let me go up to her room with her. They want me to take a separate elevator. I can't leave her, Larry; I can't. Last time I let her our of my sight..."

"I know, buddy." Larry said patting Don on the back; his heart broke for his best friend.

"Mr. Gummer, it will only be while we get her transported upstairs." The orderly tried to alleviate Don's fears. "Once we get her moved then you can be in her room with her; and stay with her."

Don shook his head. "What happens if she wakes up and doesn't see me? I thought I was losing both of them tonight, Larry. I can't do it."

"I know, D." Larry said gently as he put his hands on Don's shoulders. "It looks like she's really out at the moment. We'll beat them upstairs. She won't even know that you're gone. D, the sooner they get her upstairs then the better it will be for both of them."

Don nodded as he looked down at Meryl sleeping. "She's everything to me, Larry."

"I know, buddy; EVERYONE knows." Larry said making Don chuckle just a little bit. "We know our way around this hospital pretty well. I am confident we will beat them up there."

Don nodded as he bent down and kissed Meryl's lips, gently and softly before he whispered in her ear. "Baby, I will meet you upstairs. I can't go in the elevator with you but they will take good care of you. Larry is here with me and we are going to beat you up there. I love you, Darl, so much. I'll see you in just a few minutes. I'll be waiting for you in the waiting room."

"Don?" Larry whispered as he saw Meryl's arm. "What happened to her arm? IV? It wasn't there earlier in the evening."

Don shook his head as the tears appeared once again; it made him sick to think about the fact that her brother did this to her. "Dana."

"Okay, Mr. Gummer." One of the orderlies said placing one of the monitors on the foot of Meryl's bed. "We will meet you up there."

Don nodded as he bent down to kiss Meryl one more time; he knew she was asleep but he wanted her to know what was going on. "I'll see you in a few minutes, Darl."