Endings and Beginnings

Chapter 97

"Okay, baby." Meryl choked as she put a pillow under Don's head as he was still unconscious; and relieved there was no bleeding from his head. "The ambulance is on the way. I need to make sure you're okay. I also need you to wake up. God, I hope this hasn't made your amnesia worse. Not because of me; because of you. I can't imagine what you're going through, Don Man; and how utterly scared you must be when you feel like you keep losing pieces of your life. I need you to know there are certain pieces of your life that you will NEVER lost no matter what you may not remember; and that is me and our family. It just breaks me to see you breaking so badly; however, I think you're more than entitled. If I have put ANY pressure on you to remember then I am so incredibly sorry, my love. I just want you. I just need you." Meryl was placing kisses all over her face. "Sweetheart, I am NEVER EVER leaving; but I need to go get Mags and Brady and put them in their stroller. I promise I won't carry them both at the same time. I am also going to send a group text to Larry and the kids so they can come to the hospital." Meryl said as she started to send a text from Don's phone she still had in her hand. "I'll be right back, Don Man, I love you so much. Please just hang in there, baby; I canNOT let anything happen to my guy. I'll be right back, I promise." Meryl placed kiss after kiss on his non responsive lips before getting up to get the stroller and taking it into the bedroom. She stopped for only a moment to send the text apologizing to everyone for the text but that Don had passed out and an ambulance was on the way; asking them all to meet her at the hospital and that she would explain more then. Meryl slipped into her shoes, put Don's shoes and a jacket for him in the bottom of the stroller, and she pulled on her jacket. She took a deep breath as she went over to her sleeping babies. "Daddy is going to be okay, I promise you; come on, let's go check on him. I know having you around him is the best medicine." While Meryl got their babies together she didn't know that even though her husband was unconscious in the living room that he was experiencing something life-changing.

***


Don couldn't sleep. They hadn't said for sure but he just had a feeling that Meryl would be having surgery the next day; and that terrified him. Her body was under so much strain; he couldn't help but wonder how much more her body could take. She had woken up a few times from the pain of contractions and so he knew they would be doing the surgery. Don laid in bed with her until she was finally comfortable and asleep; as he knew that made her feel better. Once she was asleep he couldn't shut off his brain. He finally got up to get his earbuds Larry brought him when he brought him clothes and such; and he started to listen to Pandora when a song came on that immediately brought tears to his eyes especially as he watched the love of his life sleep. As he listened to that song he thought of everything they had gone through in their 34 years together, and everything he hoped they would be able to through in the next 34; and an idea popped into his mind. He carefully got up and grabbed his computer while texting Henry to bring him something very important from their room; as he knew he would probably be up with the baby.

***

Meryl woke up reaching for her husband but he was no longer there; which she found strange considering he said he wanted to stay with her; and the fact he insisted on staying with her. She immediately felt panic that maybe Mann did something to him until she saw he had pulled the hospital tray in front of her and his MacBook was open with a sticky note on it: Hi Darl, I have a special surprise for you. Press play for more. "Donald Gummer, what did you do?" Meryl asked herself as she pressed play. Tears started streaming down her face as she realized he put together a slideshow of pictures of the two of them while the song Marry Me by Train played.

Forever can never be long enough for me


Feel like I've had long enough with you