All My Life

Chapter 56

It was Saturday December 29th and Don and Meryl were planning to go home to Tribecca the next day. The babies had just woken up from their morning naps and after changing them, she picked them up and went to see what everyone was doing. She smiled as she walked into the living room and saw her in-laws watching home videos from when Don was little; she knew they were from Mike and Maggie and that they had given them to Jane and Brad as a gift. She knew that there weren't home videos of Don growing up with his family because of how awful his home life was. She looked around and her husband wasn't in there with his parents; which surprised Meryl because she knew he wanted to spend extra time with his father before they left the next morning. Meryl decided to make her presence known. "He sure was a cutie."

"Think you're biased?" Brad gave Meryl a lopsided grin. While he had made such amazing progress in only a few weeks; he still had a long road ahead of him. "Looks like yours."

Meryl nodded with a laugh as she held their babies. "He most certainly does; if you put baby pictures of him and Henry next to each other it's hard to tell who is who; except for the film that was used."

"He always had that curly hair." Jane smiled fondly. "Looks like those two are taking after him."

Meryl nodded as she kissed her babies' heads. "In so many ways; and I'm glad. Speaking of, where is my curly headed guy?"

"Don't know." Brad shrugged. "Disappeared."

Jane nodded as she looked up at her daughter-in-law. "When we started watching these he said he had things he wanted to take care of before you all left tomorrow. I can't imagine what needs to be done; as you both have already done so much. There is NOTHING that needs to be done."

"You know, Don." Meryl smiled. "I'll go find him; enjoy the movies."

***

Meryl finally found her husband in the kitchen putting his father's pills in the pill box. She shook her head. He shouldn't be doing that. He should be spending time with his family. "There's Daddy."

"Hey." Don's frown soon turned into a smile as he saw his wife walk in with both of their babies; and he quickly opened his arm and took Brady from Meryl. "It's our 3 months old babies."

Meryl got a sad look on her face. "I can't believe they are a quarter of the way through their first year today. It's going too fast."

"They're still infants, Darl." Don winked. "And they need us, very much."

Meryl smiled as she kissed the top of his head and then sat down next to him; he ALWAYS had a way of making her feel better. "Thank you for that. What are you doing in here?"

"I thought I would get Dad's pills ready." Don said as he continued with what he was doing even as he held their son.

Meryl turned Mags so she was propped up against Meryl's torso."Baby, that's what the nurses are for. I thought you wanted to spend time with your parents."

"I do." Don nodded. "It's just they pulled out those home videos; and I couldn't stand to stay to watch."

Meryl put her hand over his in order to stop him from what he was doing. "What? Why? You, my love, were an adorable kiddo; and our babies definitely take after you which makes me happy."

"I'm glad." Don winked. "It's just, nothing..."

Meryl shook her head as she put her finger under his chin and made him look at her. "No, what is it?"

"It's just when I see those  videos I of course have all kinds of warm memories with the Browns." Don said as she nodded. "I just can't help but think how I never experienced that same warmth and love in my home growing up. That's why it has always been so important to me that you and all of our children and grandchildren always feel love and warmth and acceptance."