All My Life

Chapter 31

"Are they doing okay?" Don asked Meryl as she walked back in from checking on Jane and the babies. "I could always take my turn with them if you and Mom wanted to stay in here."

Meryl shook her head as she pushed him back down, gently, and sat in the chair next to him while he sat next to his father's hospital bed holding Brad's hand. "You are staying right with your dad; and I'm staying with you." Meryl pulled out her phone from the pocket of the cardigan she was wearing and showed him a picture she had just taken. "Your mom is fast asleep holding them."

"That's sweet." Don gave her a small smile. "I'm sure she needs to sleep; and I'm glad they are as well."

Meryl nodded as she put her phone away. "I'm glad she feels he is safe with us that she is resting."

"Me too." Don stroked her cheekbones. "Baby, I need to stay here tonight."

Meryl ran her fingers through his hair. "Of course you're going to."

"Once Mom and the babies wake up then we'll load them up and I'll drive the 3 of you to the hotel." Don said looking down and playing with her fingers. "I want to make sure you 3 get settled in okay before I come back up here. But if at any time you need me, you better call."

Meryl shook her head. "No, I'm not going to call."

"Darl." Don sighed as he looked at her. "I don't want you to think that just because I'll be up here that you can't call me if you need me."

Meryl leaned forward to gently kiss his lips. "I won't need to call because the babies and I are staying up here. A nurse showed me where blankets and pillows are in the waiting room."

"Sweetheart, you and the babies need rest." Don sighed. "They don't need to be up..."

Meryl placed her finger on his lips. "They need to be where their daddy is; and so do I. I know I can't bring them back here; but at least I can be a few doors down from you. It would make me feel so much better to be up here. I would go crazy at the hotel with you up here. Don't you dare tell me you would have stayed at the hotel if the situations were reversed. After all, I remember someone who drove from Boston, I'm pretty sure it was at top speed considering how quickly you got there, just to be with me when Daddy wasn't doing well."

***

It was July of 2003; and Don went through their Manhattan townhome looking for his wife to tell her bye before he went to Boston for a week to lecture at a summer class. He was uneasy about leaving their family. Meryl's father, Harry, had been struggling with dementia for almost two years; but in the last few weeks he was getting worse both mentally and especially physically. In fact, Don and the girls had barely seen his wife because she had been taking care of him almost round the clock at his Stamford, CT home. They had recently called in hospice that came in everyday to help; and the boys were helping her so she could spend time with their girls while Don was gone. Don wanted to cancel his trip, but Meryl insisted he go. Don finally found her in the office talking on the phone. "When Don heads to the airport then the girls and I will be over. No Third, he is only supposed to take that medicine at night. The nurse should know that. Yes, Third, she does. Listen; just sit with him until I can get there. NO! Don't change his IV bag, that is what the nurses are for. Don't do ANYTHING, just sit with him. I'll be there when I can; but I want to see my husband off seeing as though I've barely seen him lately. Thanks, bye." Meryl sighed as she hung up, not knowing her husband had entered the room.

"Where's my address book? I'm canceling." Don said walking over to the desk as he started looking in the drawers. He hated how broken her voice sounded when she said she had barely seen him; and he felt the same way. He and the girls had spent as much time in Stamford as they could; but they were still missing time with each other. "I'm not leaving you all right now. I can't believe I was going to leave."