Hand in Hand

Chapter 42

While waiting for Meryl to receive her second bag of fluids, she was able to nurse the babies again; and while she didn't feel like eating, Don insisted on going to the cafeteria to get her some toast and eggs knowing how nursing the babies really depleted her especially as she was still suffering the effects from the concussion. Once they were able to leave, Don took her and the babies straight home and took them upstairs to rest. Meryl tried to protest that Dr. Abbott said it was okay for her to do the stairs; and she didn't want to be too much trouble for him but Don insisted that at least for today with her still being so dizzy that upstairs was best. Meryl could see how worried her husband still was about her and relented; she didn't want to cause any more stress for him. If being upstairs is what he felt was best; then she would do it. She teased him saying that he just wanted her alone in their big new bed which he replied by giving her a long kiss on her lips. Once she was settled, and the babies were settled, he went down to get them some snacks; leaving Meryl to think that a day in their bedroom with her husband and babies would be so bad after all.

***

Don walked in with a tray of snacks and drinks for them as he saw his wife sitting up on the bed, with the babies sleeping on the bed in front of her, twirling her wedding rings. Just that little act told him she was deep in thought and worried about something. "My girl and two of our babies; now, that's a beautiful sight."

"Hi, handsome." Meryl smiled at her husband as he brought her out of her thoughts. "You really didn't need to go to all of that trouble."

Don shook his head as he got in bed beside her, placing a tender kiss on her lips after placing the tray on the nightstand. "It's not going to trouble when it's for you; and I want you to do exactly what Dr. Abbott said-REST. What were you thinking about when I so rudely interrupted you? You seemed deep in thought."

"It's just..." Meryl said thinking back. "I'm sorry I have put you in the middle of me and your mother; I don't want you to think I did it on..."

Don placed his finger on her lips to stop her from what she was saying. "YOU did NOT put me in the middle of anything; I WILLINGLY jumped in the middle of a situation SHE created because of how she was treating my girl."

"I should have insisted you get checked out because of the stress." Meryl said worriedly. "After that one time she was here visiting and accusing me of hurting Henry and you had that attack after telling her to leave, I promised myself I would never put you in the middle of her and me. I feel like I have again. I would never forgive myself if something happened to you..."

Don tenderly kissed her lips. "Listen to me, baby; what happened now is HER fault and what happened back then was her fault, and mine. I should have spoken up sooner. None of anything with her is your fault; especially not this past week and back then, I promise."

***

It was November 1981. Jane Gummer had gone to New York City to spend some time with her son and his wife. Don and Meryl were both grateful that James was still in jail and she had come alone, even though the whole time they had to hear about how much James had changed while serving his time and how incredibly remorseful he was for the role he played with Kevin Mann, though they didn't believe it for a minute. Meryl had been encouraging Don to patch things up with his mother after how Jane treated Meryl following her rape; it was incredibly hard for him but he was trying, for his wife. He knew he could never forget the awful things his mother said to his wife only hours after she was brutally assaulted and raped. It had been a stressful visit for the younger Gummers. Meryl felt like she couldn't do anything right in Jane's eyes-she felt like she wasn't a good enough mother according to Jane, and a wife who didn't fix meals right or clean her husband's clothes the way she should. It had been building all week. Don sensed it, but he didn't know what to do. He felt stuck between his wife and mother, and continuously tried to keep the peace. Meryl told him she didn't want him fighting with his mother so he was trying not to for her sake; though it pissed him off whenever she would talk down to Meryl. It all came to a head on Thursday night. Meryl was trying to cook dinner while Henry, Jane, and Don were in the kitchen. Meryl felt extremely self-conscious as Jane was watching her cook as she tried to maneuver around her busy son who was under her foot getting into cabinets as she tried to cook and clean as she went. She looked over at her husband who was oblivious as usual the past several days. Meryl reached down to close a cabinet not realizing her son's fingers were there and got smashed in the process. "Mommy is so sorry, Gippy." Meryl exclaimed as she scooped up her screaming son.