What We Never Knew We Needed

Chapter 46

Don must have fallen asleep in the recliner next to Meryl's bed, holding her hand, because the next thing he knew he heard his name being called and felt someone shaking him. "What? Meryl?!"

"She's fine, buddy." Larry said pointing to his best friend's wife. "Asleep."

Don nodded as he rubbed his face and sighed. "What are you doing here?"

"I know you said no visitors because Meryl needs to rest; and I completely agree. I didn't exactly come to see her." Larry said as Don raised an eyebrow in question. "I came to see you. How are you doing?"

Don shrugged. "I'm fine; as long as she is."

"Don, this is me." Larry said pulling a chair over to his best friend. "For 8 months you have been terrified something like this would happen; and it has. Though I know this isn't the worst of your nightmare; and we aren't going to let that happen. You and Meryl have done everything to make sure she doesn't go into pre-term labor and she did today. You've been dealing with the Weinstein and Dana shit. Now this. That woman in that bed is your whole entire world along with your children. So, I'll ask again...how are YOU?"

Don looked at his wife and began to breakdown. "Everything was going so well, Larry. Things calmed down from Dana and learning the bastard wants our baby to die in order to hurt his sister."

"He's really lost it." Larry said shaking his head. "I'm sorry he's hurting and they lost a baby, but..."

Don nodded as he wiped his tears with his free hand; even in her sleep Meryl wouldn't let go of his hand which he didn't mind. "I am too; but it's still fucking sick. Anyways, she moved past that. We were over the Weinstein shit. Everything was going so perfectly. We had a great routine down. Bedrest was actually becoming easier for her. We were, we ARE, closer than ever which I didn't think was possible. Her labs were all good; then bam! That fucker had to traumatize her all over again."

"Dana?" Larry asked; not quite following as Don shook his head. "Weinstein?"

Don shook his head again. "Mann."

"What?" Larry asked in astonishment. "How? He's in prison and there's a restraining order."

Don handed him the letter, pictures and receipts. "He sent this today."

"What the fuck?!" Larry hissed as he read it all. "He's fucking sick."

Don nodded. "Soon as she read it she gave it to me; and I wasn't even halfway through when she started having contractions. I've been running on adrenaline ever since. When we got here they wanted her to come back without me; and wanted me to wait in a god damn waiting room."

"I'm sure that went over well." Larry said trying to make his best friend laugh.

Don nodded and chuckled. "I refused; OF COURSE. But Meryl thought it was part of his plan-separate us so he can get to me and kill me. I of course made it clear she wasn't going anywhere without me; and I'm not leaving without her and our baby. She thought she did something wrong and he would make us lose another baby. She hasn't let go of my hand for hours, even in her sleep. Not that I mind; it's just..."

"Proof that he's traumatized her again." Larry said.

Don nodded as he broke down again; this was the first opportunity he had to talk to anyone about the letter. "And he's right."

"What in the hell are you talking about?! He's not right; about ANY OF THIS FUCKING SHIT." Larry exploded, quietly. "NOTHING is going to happen to either of them. You have the best doctors for both of them."

Don shook his head as he didn't bother to wipe his tears. "Henry has said it, Dana has said it and now Mann has said it. I talk about protecting her and our kids at all costs; but I didn't. I have told Henry, and the girls, that if a man loves a woman then he will take the necessary precautions in intimacy to protect the woman. I didn't protect my own wife; the love of my life. I say she means everything to me but I didn't fucking protect her; of course, I never thought she would need protection from me. Now look where she is."