To Everything, There Is A Season

Chapter 45

Meryl couldn't believe that on her first day back to work, the first day of filming the movie, that everything went over. She should have known since it was the first day, but for some reason, she thought it wouldn't happen. Then, it felt like the subway took forever; even though it was actually the quickest way to get from Brooklyn to Tribeca. She was hoping that Henry wasn't already asleep; though she was sure he was because Don knew how important it was to both of them to keep him on a schedule. She closed her eyes as she leaned back against the wall of the elevator as it took her up to their apartment. As soon as the doors opened, and she smelled the scent of her home and her family, she was invigorated. She kicked her shoes off and placed her bag on the bench next to the elevator. "Don Man? Gippy?"

"You're home!" Don said excitedly as he walked out from their utility room with a basket full of clean laundry. "I've been worried!"

Meryl smiled as she saw her husband immediately put the laundry basket down and take her into his arms. "I'm sorry. Filming went over. There were subway issues."

"Subway issues?" Don pulled back and held her head in his hands. "You're okay? You're safe?"

Meryl tenderly kissed his lips, but she kept it short as he tried to deepen the kiss when thoughts of other women flirting with him came to mind. "Yeah, I'm fine. Where's my boy? I owe him a story and a bath."

"Baby, I fed him as well as bathed and read to him and put him down for the night." Don looked at his watch. "It's past 9. I knew you would want to keep him on his schedule."

Meryl nodded as mommy guilt seeped in again and walked away from Don, not wanting him to see her tears. "Hopefully tomorrow won't be as long. How was Mommy and Me?"

"You should have seen Suzie and Henry." Don laughed as, not picking up on Meryl's distance and sadness. "They were singing songs, playing parachute and sharing with other kids like champs. Henry made friends, and not just with Suzie. I was sure proud of our little Gippy."

Meryl's back was to Don as she went through the mail; what she really wanted to know was Don's experience. "And you? Did you make friends?"

"I don't need friends." Don said as he went up behind her, wrapping his arms around her from behind and kissing his neck. He loved that her hair was a little shorter for her new role which gave him better and easier access to her neck. "I have you, my best friend and the best wife ever."

Meryl was exasperated. Don wasn't even mentioning those ladies, but she wanted to give him a chance. "You mean you didn't talk to anyone?"

"Lizzie..." Don was too interested in kissing her neck. "She introduced me to a few people."

Meryl was screaming on the inside as she turned around in his arms and pushed him away. "Damn it, Donald Gummer, stop lying to me!"

"What?" Don saw the tears appear in her eyes and he tried to cup her face in his hands, having no idea what in the hell was going on, but she pushed him away. "What in the hell is going on? I'm not lying. Call Liz if you don't believe me."

Meryl pushed him away again. "I did! I called you this morning and left a message and you didn't call me back, then I called this afternoon on a break and you didn't call me back. I was terrified something happened to you and Hen."

"Baby..." Don tried to get closer to her, but once again she pushed him away. "You could have called the studio. Your message didn't say to call you back, and I didn't want to bother you if you were shooting a scene. We were fine."

Meryl rolled her eyes at him. "Of course you were fine because you had women fawning all over you. So, what, you got rid of Lizzie and went somewhere with these moms and their kids? Where did you go? I certainly don't want to know what you were doing."