Their Next Chapter

Chapter 2

Don nodded as he gently kissed her lips. "Baby, I'm okay; really."

"I know and I am so happy and grateful." Meryl began as Don nodded knowing there was more. "Don, she drugged you. First of all, she could have killed you. Second of all, she tried to take you away from me. She tried to make me think something happened between the two of you."

Don grabbed her face. "NOTHING did!"

"I know that; of course I know that." Meryl said with a kiss to his lips. "What am I supposed to do, Don? Let the woman who drugged you, who tried to kill and get you to be unfaithful, which I know you would never be, go off scot free?"

Don played with her wedding ring. "No; but you're also not supposed to put yourself in danger. She was an utter bitch to you in the hospital."

"So, what am I supposed to do?" Meryl asked.

Don smiled at her. "Do you have proof?"

"Yes." Meryl nodded. "The police asked if we want to press charges."

Don knew his wife would erupt at his answer. "No, I don't."

"EXCUSE ME?!" Meryl erupted.

Don gently kissed her lips.  "I don't want it for us, for our family. I don't want to go through a whole stupid trial. I want to forget about her. I don't want you near her. I don't want her to hurt us more than she already has."

"So we don't do anything?" Meryl asked.

Don shrugged. "I want some kind of injunction against her so she can't hurt you or the kids."

"Or you." Meryl emphasized.

Don smiled as he stroked her cheek. "Can we please move on; together?"

"I love you, Donald James Gummer; you know that?" Meryl choked as she leaned her forehead against his.

"Better than I know my own name." Don whispered. "And I love you, Meryl Gummer."

***

After Don and Meryl went and met with the doctor at the eye institute, they went out to his mother's house where the rest of the family was congregating. "I don't know about this."

"Babe, I'm fine." Don tried to encourage as Meryl pulled up to the house he grew up in, that help some pretty bad memories. "The doctor released me, and we are stopping Teresa. This was supposed to be a fun time with the family."

Meryl sighed as she parked the car and looked at the big house. "This place has never been the source of fun or happiness."

"Yes, it has." Don said with a kiss to her hand. "Every time you've been here with me."

Meryl wrinkled her nose at him. "Sweet talker."

"Are you okay?" Don asked seriously.

Meryl smiled widely at him. "I'm with the man of my dreams, here in a town that he has given so much to, and I get to watch him show the world how remarkable he is. Yeah, I'm perfect."

"Now who's the sweet talker?" Don asked with a kiss to her lips. "Come on baby; let's go face those crazy Gummers."

***

Don and Meryl were enjoying a nice visit with his mom, nieces, nephews, brothers, and sisters-in-law; waiting for their own kids to arrive when his nephew Billy came in with a friend of Don's brother, Topper. "Uncle Don! You up for a game of softball?"

"Who's the cutie?" Don heard Meryl ask her sister-in-law.

Kate giggled. "A YOUNG friend of Topper's."