All My Life

Chapter 62

Meryl woke up crying. She needed to get to Don and her babies. She needed to save him just like he always saved her. "Don, so sorry. I'm so sorry, baby."

"Darl." Don immediately woke up when he heard his wife crying in bed next to him; and their babies were still asleep on his chest. He immediately saw Larry getting up to take the babies from him, but he waved him away. "I need to keep them with us."

Liz stood up holding Lily and grabbed her diaper bag. "We're going to go for a walk and let you two talk. We'll be back."

"Any update on Rebecca and Mann I will tell you immediately." Larry said as she wrapped his arm around Liz and their granddaughter. "Come on, honey."

Don was brushing his lips across Meryl's forehead as tears came to his eyes at her anguish. "I'm here, baby; wake up."

"Don." Meryl cried harder once she finally woke up and saw her husband in bed next to her holding their babies. She immediately kissed all over all of their faces. "Thank God, oh thank God. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I let her get to you. I'm so sorry you went through all that. I'm so sorry I didn't protect all of you like I promised. I am so damn sorry, baby."

Don pressed his forehead to hers. "You put yourself literally in the line of fire just to save us; my god, Meryl, she wanted to kill you. She drugged you. She was working with that fucker and he got to you. I'm so sorry, baby; I told you he would never get to you again."

"Huh?" Meryl wasn't following; but she didn't stay focused on it for too long. She had no idea who the 'he' Don was talking about was. "I now know what you went through all those years ago to come home and find us gone; I should have insisted the guard stayed there. I'm so sorry, Don Man."

There is no way Don would let her blame her herself. "You listen to me, Meryl Gummer, you saved all of us. You are my damn hero."

"You will always be my hero." Meryl cried as she looked at him; and knew there was something she needed to ask him. "Baby, there is so much I know we need to talk about; and I don't want you to feel any pressure to talk about anything you don't want to. I also know there's a lot you don't remember; but there is something I need to ask because I am so terrified for you."

Don nodded as she took Mags from him; he knew that she needed to be close to him and the babies just like he needed it. He held all of them tight in his arms. "What is it, Darl?"

"I've been so worried this would happen; and I need to know." Meryl choked as she looked deep into his dull blue eyes that were usually so full of life and sparkle. "Did that bitch rape you?" Meryl waited for his answer as his eyes filled up with tears; and she felt she would be sick at the thought of him going through what she went through. This is what she had been so terrified of. "Baby, this is me; you don't have to go into details, but you can tell me. I want you to lean on me like I always have you. You can tell me, sweetheart."

Don shook his head as tears leaked from his eyes. "I honestly don't know. There's so much that's foggy and fuzzy. I know she molested me. I'm so terrified I cheated on you, Meryl; and if I did I could never forgive myself. I would never cheat on you, Darl; but I don't remember what happened."

"You listen to me, Donald Gummer." Meryl choked as she shifted Mags so she could cup his cheek in the palm of her hand. "IF she raped you then that is EXACTLY what it would have been...RAPE. I pray with everything in me that you did NOT have to go through that; but if you were then we will get through it. If you were then I am going to be with you and help you every step of the way."

Don shook his head as he continued to cry. "Maybe I didn't fight hard enough; maybe I..."

"Don, when I was raped is it because I didn't fight hard enough?" Meryl choked. "Do you think I cheated on you when Mann raped me?"