To Everything, There Is A Season

Chapter 74

Meryl sat on Don's lap in the big overstuffed chair in the bonus room connected to their bedroom, with her head on his shoulder and her legs thrown over his, while the tears continued to silently stream down her face and he rubbed soothing circles on her back. He hoped she would say something soon, but he was glad that she was slowly beginning to calm down. He decided to let her go at her pace, though he would be lying if he said he wasn't scared. He felt a small amount of relief when she finally spoke. "It's been a year."

"What, baby?" Don asked as he placed a kiss on the top of her head, not sure if he heard her correctly. "Since what?"

Meryl hugged him tighter. "Since your dad kidnapped Henry then beat the holy hell out of you. You almost died, Don Man."

"I didn't, baby, because you were fighting for me and made all the decisions for me as you knew I would want." Don lifted her chin so he could look her in the eyes. "Baby, is that why you have been distant today?"

Meryl nodded her head. "I'm sorry, Don Man, I hope you know it has nothing to do with how much I love you. Well, I guess it did. It had to do with how damn much I love you."

"I didn't mean distant in that way, of course, I know that." Don said as he tucked her hair behind her hair. "By distant, I mean that I could tell something was bothering you. I didn't even think about that."

Meryl decided to continue to get everything off your chest. "A year since we woke up and Hen was gone. A year since I saw you bleeding to death in that alley. A year since you had multi life-saving surgeries. A year since I didn't know if you were going to make it. I was so scared."

"You are why I'm here, Mrs. Gummer." Don said as he tenderly kissed her lips. Calling her Mrs. Gummer always put a smile on her face, and this time was no different. "Baby, why didn't you say something?"

Meryl shrugged her shoulders. "You are here and doing so well, so is Henry, and I can't even begin to tell you how thankful I am for it. It just kind of welled up inside of me all day and I tried to push it back down. I tried to tell myself I was being ridiculous. Your father is in jail. You and Henry are safe. You ALWAYS protect us from our family. I don't know why it is bothering me today; but then I came up here and saw Henry sleeping and all of the emotions erupted no matter how hard I tried to hold them back. He's your mini-me, and reminded me so much of you, that I thought back to the past year and started crying. I really don't know what brought it on other than that."

"I think I do." Don sighed as he held her head in his hands and wiped her tears away with his thumbs. "That event marked a year of hell. HE put fucking Kevin Mann in your life. You were brutally assaulted and raped, baby, then we lost William. Then you were poisoned. Then Hen got deathly ill. But, I need you to know something."

Meryl nodded her head as he ran his fingers through her hair and pressed his forehead to hers. "What's that, Don Man?"

"Even when you were traumatized in ways that NO person should ever experience, you were my rock. No...you ARE my rock. You are my lifeline. You have put up with shit NO person should ever put up with, especially from my family, and yet your strength and love are unwavering." Don choked as he pressed his lips to hers. "I don't want you to EVER think that by you telling me how you are feeling that doesn't make you the strongest person in the world. Any other person would have broken long ago at all you have gone through, but you haven't. Any other person would have gone screaming for the hills to get away from my family, but you haven't if anything it has made us stronger. I need you to know how damn much I love you, and that I think you are the strongest person in the whole damn world."

"I love you, Don Man, so damn much." Meryl choked as she gazed deeply into his eyes. "I really didn't mean to keep it away from you. I was just trying to process it all myself, but now that I have talked to you, I feel so much better."