Hand in Hand

Chapter 25

Don and Meryl had just put the babies down in the bassinets once they fell asleep and were in bed with Don holding Meryl from behind, kissing her neck to relax her as he usually did, when she spoke. "What time are we picking your father up in the morning, babe?"

"His appointment is at 11, he said." Don told his wife as his body began to relax and sleep started to take hold of him. "I said we would be there around 10:15 just to give us plenty of time with him and the babies. It's supposed to snow more overnight but the city is usually pretty good about clearing the streets."

Just as Meryl was about to say something there was a strong knock at their hotel suite door. "Who in the hell could that be?"

"I gave implicit instructions we were not to be disturbed." Don groaned as he kissed her head and started to get out of bed. "It is almost 1am! You stay here, Darl."

Meryl shook her head as the pounding continued. "Whoever it is it sure seems to think they're important."

"Keep it down, we have babies sleeping in here." Don grumbled as he opened the door and was shocked to see who was standing on the other side of the door. "What in the hell are you doing here? NO...NO WAY!"

Jane put her hand on the door before Don could close it. "Please, I need to talk to you both. Please listen to me, for your father."

"It's okay, Don Man." Meryl sighed as she grabbed Don's sweater from the chair in the bedroom, pulling it over her tank top and pajama pants, and she closed the bedroom door when she walked back out to the lounge area of their hotel suite. "We did just put the babies back to sleep after their midnight feeding; so I would like to keep things down for them, and for us. It took me awhile to calm them down this morning after what happened at your house. Jane, can I get you some water or anything? I could always make some coffee..."

Don's head snapped back to his wife. "Are you kidding me? Don't be nice to her. You're not going to make her a damn thing."

"Don." Meryl couldn't help but smile as she grabbed his hand and they sat down next to each other. "We're listening."

Jane took a deep breath as she sat down across from her son and his wife. "I came to apologize. I know it's late but I needed to do this. I'm sorry about earlier; I should have just kept my comments to myself."

"You should have kept that comment to yourself." Don mumbled as Meryl nudged him. "That doesn't sound like much of an apology to me, Mom; if that is why you came all the way over here in the middle of the night."

Jane shrugged her shoulders. "That is what I have to offer at the moment."

"Jane, I have now finally given up on ever getting your approval; no matter how much it means to me." Meryl said as Don held her close. "I've wanted it so badly in the past; but I now see it will never happen. As much as I would like for things to be different, I see now we will NEVER be close. All I want is for Don to have the family I have always wanted him to have. Whether you believe it or not, I have loved your son with every fiber of my being for almost 35 years; he is the BEST thing to ever happen to me. I just want to give him all the love and happiness he has given me; and that includes a relationship with his parents. However, my relationship with my husband and our family isn't contingent on your approval; it isn't about you, it's about us. And I am tired of so much energy and time being given to make you like me; so I won't. I will just continue to love my husband and children; which I do more than I think you could ever possibly know. So, I accept your apology."

Don kissed Meryl's cheek as he was trying not to be emotional. "For the record, SHE is the BEST thing to ever happen to me. Your approval doesn't matter to me; SHE matters to me, she and our children matter more to me than anything. Which is why I want to know WHY! Why did you manipulate and crush the woman who means more to me than you could ever imagine?"