Endings and Beginnings

Chapter 9

Meryl woke up as soon as she heard their son crying; thinking to herself that it was time for their midnight feeding. Soon after she heard their son; then she heard their daughter crying as well. It had amazed both her and Don at how quickly they could distinguish between their two children's cries. They talked about how in tune a parent is to their child as soon as they hold them in their arms; if not before. Meryl looked over and saw Don was still fast asleep. She hated to wake him up; but not only could she use the help, but he had given in to continuing his sleeping medication at home ONLY if she promised to wake him up. Being present when she fed all their babies was always very important to him; she knew it was even more so with the twins because it almost took two sets of hands at times. She leaned over and shook him. "Don, sweetheart, the babies are awake." Nothing. "Don, wake up. It's time to feed the twins." Still nothing so she shook him harder. "Don Man, wake up!" 

"HUH?!" Don sat right up. "WHAT?!"

Meryl tried not to laugh. "I'm sorry to wake you up."

"No it's fine." Don said trying to come to. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Meryl pointed to the bassinet. "I think they're ready for their midnight snack. You made me promise to wake you up."

"Yeah, of course." He said blinking his eyes as he got up and went over to the bassinet. "You stay in bed; this part is my job. Which one first?"

Meryl was getting herself ready. "Mags."

"Here she is." Don said handing their daughter to her then getting their son out as well. "Let's change your diaper, champ."

Meryl smiled down at their daughter as she nursed hungrily, kissing her little head; and then smiled at Don as he got in bed beside her after changing Brady. "I really hated to wake you up you were sleeping so soundly; I could figure this out on my own."

Absolutely not." Don said as he held his son  with one arm and leaned down to kiss his daughter. "I want to be a part of this. Plus, you are still recovering. I can't believe I didn't wake up when they were fussing. Was I hard to wake up?" Don asked and noticed Meryl hesitating. "Meryl?"

Meryl nodded. "Yeah; but you were really out."

"No more medications." Don said strongly.

Meryl looked at him and shook her head. "NO. You need to sleep. If that helps then you need to take the medication."

"I don't want it to knock me out so much that I don't hear my own children crying; or my wife when she needs me." Don said. "I'm not taking it anymore."

Meryl sighed. "Don, you need to sleep; I can't let anything happen to you. You heard what Hal said could happen if you don't sleep. When you collapsed and I didn't know what happened I..."

"Baby." Don sighed gently kissing her lips. "This is exactly what I DON'T want; I don't want you get all worked up."

Meryl blinked back tears. "It's my fault you couldn't sleep in the first place."

"If by your fault you mean that you are the love of my life, my best friend, who I would die without; then okay." Don tried to make her smile.

It worked. "Me too."

"Baby, it's not your fault." Don smiled at how happy their daughter was when she was eating. "Yeah, things were stressful there at first; but I just needed the pills to get me over that hump. You are doing great; the babies are perfect. We are home. I don't need them."

Meryl was hesitant about what he was saying as she switched babies with him and he changed Mags' diaper while she fed Brady. "I don't know."

"Really, sweetheart." Don said kissing her head as she leaned it on his shoulder after he changed Mags. "I'm so much better."