To Everything, There Is A Season

Chapter 18

Don tenderly kissed her lips as they both smiled at the memory of meeting their goddaughter for the first time; and when they decided to have a family together, though she got pregnant with Henry much sooner than either of them had expected. "She's always been our Suzie girl."

"And always will be." Meryl said as she smiled at how relaxed Suzie looked sitting on Don's lap, leaning against his chest, as she sucked her thumb and looked at her book. Meryl then leaned her chin on Don's arm as she ran her fingers through his jet black curly hair. "Do you have regrets?"

Don's eyes got huge; he had no idea what she was talking about. "Are you delirious? Regrets about what?"

"No." Meryl couldn't help but laugh at her husband. "I just mean that night after meeting this little one for the first time we said we were going to wait a few years to start a family, then a few months later I get pregnant with Hen and a year later with William. I know you don't regret our babies, I just meant..."

Don leaned over to place a hard, and yet quick, because of Suzie, kiss on her lips. "Our family, YOU and our boys, are my greatest joys. I know life has been so hard lately, but I am so damn glad I get to be the one with you. Do you?"

"There is no one else in this world I would rather be with me through all of this than you, baby; it has always been you, and it will always be you." Meryl said strongly. "And to answer my own question, no way in hell. I can't wait to have more."

Don's face beamed at what she said, and he knew she meant it which also meant that they were coming through the awful nightmare of the past 4 months. "We just need to practice and practice and practice some more."

"To make sure we get it right?" Meryl laughed as he nodded when Suzie started to wiggle around. "I think we are boring this one."

Don laughed as he put down Suzie's book and turned her to face him and Meryl. "What do you say, Suzie girl? Do you want to go back to bed?"

"Really?" Meryl laughed at her husband. "Did you really just ask and almost 3 year old if she wanted to go back to bed?"

Don shrugged with his trademark smirk. "I can hope."

"No wed, Unca Dwan." Suzie shook her head. "Pway! Pway!"

Meryl held her arms out to Suzie and sat her on her lap, facing her. "How about we play pat-a-cake? You like patty cake, baby girl."

"Wub catty bake." Suzie clapped her hands. "Pway! Pway!"

Meryl as she played with Suzie while Don tickled the little girl making her laugh. "Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man. Bake me a cake as fast as you can. Pat it, and roll it, and mark it with a...a..."

"A what?" Don tickled Suzie. "What do we mark it with, Suze?"

Suzie thought for a moment and then exclaimed excitedly. "S!"

"That's right." Meryl laughed. "Mark it with an S and put it in the oven for Suzie and me..."

Don chimed in like he usually did when they played it with Henry. "And Uncle Don!"

"And Uncle Don!" Meryl rolled her eyes at her husband causing him to tickle her as wll. "He's tickling me, Suzie girl."

Suzie clapped as she laughed. "Uh..gin. Uh...gin!"

"Hewo!" Henry stowed into the living area with his blank and colt. "I pway."

Don laughed as he went to pick up Henry. "Look who's awake!"

"No pway tith Suzie, Daddy." Henry said, obviously mad. "Pway tith me."

Meryl tried not to laugh. "I think we have a grumpy pants this morning."