A little while later Don was laying in bed next to Meryl while he was holding both babies on his chest; and yet he also managed to keep one arm around his wife. He was relieved when he was able to feed both babies and now they were sound asleep. It took a little while and patience on his part, but he put Meryl's hand on them while he fed them from the bottle and it seemed to have paid off. He looked down at his babies and then his wife and a flash appeared in his eyes; a memory. He was having a memory. Meryl was right, eventually it would all come back to him. Don kissed the top of her head and smiled. "Well Darl, you were right." Don paused waiting for her to wake up; and she didn't. "Come on, you aren't going to tell me how you are always right; well, you are. My memories are slowly coming back. You have been so amazing telling me stories of what I have missed; now it's my turn to tell you what I remember."
***
"I can still order that pizza and ice cream." Don teased as she and Meryl laid in their makeshift double hospital bed by pushing two beds together once all the kids left. It was the night Lily was born after Meryl's seizure episode.
Meryl laughed as she looked up at him as he held her close. "Oh my god, I am so full."
"I just want to fatten you up." Don winked as she shook her head. "Did you have fun tonight?"
Meryl placed a long and deep kiss on his lips. "It was absolutely amazing; thank you, baby, so much."
"You are more than welcome." Don said smiling at her. "How are you feeling?"
Meryl shrugged. "My head hurts; but I am feeling incredibly loved, safe and happy."
"I'm really glad about the loved, safe and happy part." Don smiled. "My plan worked."
Meryl fell in love with him again. "Yes, it did."
"I don't like that you have a headache." Don sighed. "I'll get a nurse."
Meryl stopped him from getting up. "Please just hold me."
"Baby, I will all night." Don said kissing her head. "But if you have a headache..."
Meryl shook her head as she grabbed his hand. "They gave me something. You're off the clock, Gummer. I want you to rest. Thank you for eating."
"If it makes you feel better then I'm glad I did." Don tried to tease.
Meryl shook her head sadly. "Baby, please take care of yourself."
"I promise." Don said holding her tight. "Lillian is something else."
Meryl shook her head. "The most beautiful baby girl; and so easy."
"Well, she's not even 12 hours old." Don pointed out making her laugh.
Meryl nodded. "True. I can't wait for our baby."
"Neither can I, sweetheart." Don said turning off the light over the bed. "In the meantime, I want you to get some sleep. I'm here if you need me."
Meryl stroked his cheek as she kissed his lips over and over. "I have no doubt about that; thank you for being here with me, for supporting me, for encouraging me and for loving me as much and as completely as you do."
"It's like breathing to me." Don said with a kiss to her lips."Night baby, I love you."
Meryl's medicines all of a sudden took effect as she laid her head on his chest. "I love you; sleep well, handsome."
Don laid there for the longest time watching his partner, his best friend, the love of his life and the mother of his children quickly fall asleep. He stroked her hair as he watched her sleep for the longest time. He didn't know his heart could hold so much love but it did; for her, for their children and for their grandchild. He thought about the hell she had gone through that day, the fucking difficult decision she had come to and how through it all she was putting him and their children first. As he watched her sleep that night he mad a vow to himself, and her silently, to make sure they never needed that fucking piece of paper they both signed that day. He knew he would work until he took his last breath to keep her and their children safe and happy; and that is exactly what he planned to do.
***
Meryl startled awake with a smile as her hand went to her belly; the baby was kicking again. This time she wasn't holding their granddaughter for the first time in the throes of a seizure, she wasn't recovering from amnesia and she was awake to feel it unlike when her husband first felt the baby kick earlier that day. She was awake to feel it and she couldn't wait to feel it with her husband. Meryl didn't know the last time she was so excited and she could feel how brightly she was shining. She smacked her husband over and over "Oh my God, Don, wake up! Hurry! Oh my god!"
"Meryl?!" Don sat straight up and looked at her. like she was out of her mind and held his arm where she smacked him. "What's wrong? What happened? Are you in pain? That hurt."
" Sorry." Meryl giggled as she shook her head with tears in her eyes and placed his hands on our belly. "The baby...it's kicking."
"I felt it earlier, Darl." Don smiled; now that he wasn't frantic that something was wrong with his wife or their baby.
Meryl nodded and couldn't stop the tears that fell from her eyes. "This is the first time we get to feel it together. I'm sorry, I was just so excited that I had to wake..."
"Don't ever apologize." Don smiled as he spoke softly. "I'm glad we get to feel this together. You always wake me up for this."
Meryl pressed her forehead to his. "Our baby."
"Our amazing miraculous baby." Don whispered with a kiss to her lips. "Thank you for being here with me for this."
Meryl couldn't help but laugh. "I'm not sure if you would feel it without me, babe."
"You know what I mean." Don brushed his lips across hers. "Thank you for not leaving us."
Meryl knew how scared he was; she was as well. "I'm not going anywhere, Donald Gummer. I can't. I can't bare the thought of leaving you and our family. I'm going to do EVERYTHING the doctors tell me to do. I'm going to rest. I'm going to take the medications. I'm going to keep my feet up. You're stuck with me and this baby for life."
"That's all I want along with our others." Don said honestly as he rubbed his hand across her belly. "It sure is active."
Meryl nodded with a laugh. "Finally."
"It's stronger than I remember." Don said referring to the baby's movements. "Does it hurt?"
Meryl shook her head as she ran her fingers through his hair and gazed lovingly at him. "No baby, it doesn't hurt; but it does feel like it's winding down."
"How about I hold you both as we fall asleep?" Don asked.
Meryl laid back down so her back was pressed against his front; and he kept his hands on her belly. "Best ending to this roller coaster of a day. I love you, my Don Man."
"I love you too." Don whispered with a kiss to her head as he held her tighter. "Both of you; so much.:
***
Meryl smiled as their children walked into her bedroom with bags from Yankee Stadium. "You get it all?"
"We sure did." Louisa giggled.
Henry looked around. "Where's Dad?"
"Up in the office." Meryl held her finger up to her lips to signal her children to be quiet. "I told him he had to stay up there until I said he could come back down."
Suzie looked around her in-laws make-shift bedroom on the first floor of their Tribecca penthouse. "Aunt Meryl, are you sure you don't want us to set everything up in the den or something?"
"Yeah, might give you more room." Grace said.
Mamie smiled as she threw her mom something from the bag. "Here's a bigger size for you to wear, Mom."
"You just had to throw in the BIGGER word didn't you?" Meryl teased.
Louisa laughed at her mother. "You are 8 months pregnant."
"Thanks for that, Lou Lou." Meryl rolled her eyes. "And we need to set it up in here since I'm only supposed to get out of bed to use the bathroom; and your father is being a stickler with that. He freaks whenever I say I want to see another room."
Henry remembered finding his mother in pain and on the ground at his wedding reception. "Well, he has good reason, Ma."
"I know he does." Meryl smiled softly as she placed her hands on her ever growing belly. "If I want this to be a fun and romantic evening for him then I better stay right here in bed like he wants me to be."
Louisa threw a face. "Gross, Mom. Isn't one baby in your golden years enough?"
"Not like that, smart ass." Meryl shook her head at her daughter. "Now, who is going to do my hair and makeup for the first time in almost a month?!"
***
Don was sitting in their office in their Tribecca penthouse wondering just what his wife was up to. He had been looking at different artists' work on the internet; not really sure what to do since he was relegated to the office. He didn't work on their files or pay their bills since he knew Meryl liked to do that from bed so it gave her something to do. He couldn't go downstairs since he was given strict orders. He grabbed his cell phone and began walking around upstairs. It felt weird for him to be up there. He only ever came upstairs to grab them what they needed; but since they had been downstairs for a month he really hadn't needed to grab anything from upstairs lately. He first stood outside the closed door to the baby's nursery. He had promised Meryl he wouldn't go in without her-until they brought the baby home. He just hoped with everything in him that she would be with him when he took their baby in to the nursery for the first time. He couldn't bare to think that it would be any other way. He not only needed her there for as long as possible; he craved her presence with him and their family as much as possible. Don then found his way into their bedroom and he just walked around; aimlessly. He didn't even know the last time they were in there together. The last time they laid in their bed together laughing and cuddling. The last time they were in their bathroom together arguing over which way to squeeze the toothpaste tube. The last time he watched her get ready for an evening out with him. His breath caught in his throat when he thought that they may never be in their room together again. That they may never have a romantic evening in this room again. That he would never see her bent over at the bathroom counter putting on her mascara. That he would never smell her signature perfume permeate from their bathroom through to their bedroom. The thought of not having her a month from now overtook him as he sat on the bed and let his emotions take over. He reached for her pillow, which remarkably still smelled like her, and cried as he released all of his emotions: all the fear, all the stress all the times he would wake up in the middle of the night to make sure she was breathing and her pulse wasn't too fast. He didn't know the last time he was really alone. He was either with her, helping her do something or doing something for her. He showered, went to the bathroom, brushed his teeth all with the bathroom door open in case she needed him. He didn't know how long he had been releasing his emotions; but it must have been awhile when he realized it was now dark outside. He took a deep breath and went into their bathroom to wash his face; trying to wash away evidence he had been crying. Just as he dried his face, his phone rang and he immediately answered it when her picture popped up on the display along with 'Darl.' He hung up the towel. "Hey, baby; may I come back down now? Or am I still relegated to up here?"
"You may come back down now." Meryl said with a big smile on her face as everything was just like she wanted. She paused for a moment at the sound of her husband's voice. "Don Man, are you okay?"
Don had no idea how she knew; but then again he didn't know why he was surprised she knew as that was how connected and in tune they were. "Yeah baby, I'm fine. I will be down in just a minute. Is there anything you need from up here while I'm here?"
"Just my husband." Meryl said honestly. "Don't be long."
That was all Don needed to hear to fall in love with his wife all over again. "On my way, beautiful."
***
Don walked into his bedroom and froze. He saw his beautiful, and very pregnant wife, sitting up in bed, in what looked like a new New York Yankees jersey. Her hair and makeup looked beautiful; like she was ready for a night out on the town. He looked around and she had the Yankees game pulled up on the TV and his favorite Yankee Stadium treats along with his favorite beer from their refrigerator; even though he had refused to drink it while she was pregnant. He looked at his wife with tears in his eyes. "Darl?" He then saw his kids were there. "Kids?"
"I needed a little, well a lot of help, with the surprise." Meryl beamed at him. "I thought if you couldn't go to the ballpark tonight, then the ballpark would come to you."
Henry smiled at his father and threw him a jersey. "Thought you could use this."
"What?" Don asked as he looked at the back and it said 'Together' and the number '19.' "I don't understand."
Meryl winked at him. "Mine says 'Since 78.'"
"Together Since 1978." Grace explained.
Louisa teased her father. "Dad, that's the year you got married."
"Probably shouldn't forget that one, Pops." Mamie teased her father not picking up on what her mother was.
Meryl watched her husband. He wasn't saying anything. He had tears in his eyes. Something wasn't right with him. She knew that from talking to him on the phone a few minutes ago. She could see it when he walked in. "Don Man, what is it?"
"I...I..." Don backed up against the wall as he started to cry. "I want to be together longer."
Henry wasn't understanding. "Dad, we all thought the jerseys were neat."
"It's not the jerseys." Meryl choked as she watched her husband fall to his knees in tears; and she started to get up. "This fucking bed rest; I can't even get to my husband when he needs me." Tears were then streaming down Meryl's face.
The thought of something happening to Meryl from getting out of bed and going to him was too much for him. "No." He cried. "Please stay where you are; I can't let you do anything that could hurt you or the baby because if something were to happen to either of you, ANY of you, I would die."
"Here, Aunt Meryl." Suzie went over to her mother-in-law. "Hen?"
Henry nodded as he helped his mother out of bed. "I got her, Dad."
"Here." Mamie said going over to the large chair.
Grace pulled Louisa with her. "We'll help you move it."
"Baby, sit in the chair." Meryl choked as the girls helped Don sit in the chair.
Don shook his head as he sat down. "It's too much."
"What is, baby?" Meryl asked as Henry and Susie helped her sit on his lap. "I'm not crushing you am I?"
Don wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close. "I love you so much; I can't bare to think about us never being upstairs together again. Us never being in OUR bedroom again. Us not taking our newest baby into the nursery together."
"Is this why you sounded weird on the phone?" Meryl asked as she ran her fingers through his hair and he nodded in response to her question. "Did something happen up there, Don Man? Did something upset you?"
Don shrugged. "I don't like being up there without you. All your stuff was down here; it was almost like you never existed and the thought of that..."
"Dad, she's fine." Henry assured his father.
Mamie nodded. "We're all making sure of that, Daddy."
"Just as you are." Grace added.
Louisa kissed her father's cheek. "Why did this happen today, Dad? You've been up there tons."
"I guess this is the first time I've just been up there with nothing to do." Don choked. "So I had time to think."
Meryl tenderly kissed his forehead. "You're always thinking, baby; and I know this is never far from your mind."
"Or my heart." He cried.
Meryl nodded. "Sweetheart, we are both doing EVERYTHING to make sure we get to go to another Yankees game together. That we will put our baby to bed in it's crib in the nursery together. We will have many more family nights with all of our kids and grandkids."
"Uncle Don, you are constantly trying to make sure we ALL have everything we need." Suzie said.
Louisa nodded. "That our cars are running."
"The a/c and heat in our apartments are working." Mamie continued.
Grace smiled softly at her father. "That you or Mom check in with us everyday."
"You answer my parenting questions at the drop of a hat." Henry added.
Meryl pressed her forehead to his while she moved his hand to her belly. "All while taking amazing care of me and our love child."
"Ew." All the kids teased their parents at once.
Meryl tenderly kissed his lips. "It's true. You're cooking the meals. Doing the laundry. Cleaning the house. Checking on me in the middle of the night..."
"How did you..." Don trailed off not knowing how his wife knew that.
Meryl wiped his tears away as he did the same for her. "I know all when it comes to you. You help me go to the bathroom. Hell, you hold the damn cup so I can pee into it to make sure we are both okay. You are doing EVERYTHING, baby. Tonight was my way..."
"Our way." Suzie jumped in.
Meryl smiled as she nodded her head. "Our way of saying thank you for being such a god damn amazing husband..."
"And father." The kids jumped in.
Meryl continued to run her fingers over his scalp knowing how that calmed him down. "The last thing I wanted was to upset you, love."
"You didn't." Don said strongly as he kissed her lips; and then he looked at their kids. "I'm sorry about that, kids."
Mamie kissed her father's cheek. "I think you are entitled."
"You are more than entitled." Meryl said.
Henry nodded. "I'm glad we were here; but I think we'll give you guys some time and go clean up the kitchen."
"And help with the laundry." Louisa said.
Grace jumped in. "And the cleaning."
"And check on Lily." Suzie said as they all hugged and kissed Don and Meryl. "Holler if you need us."
Meryl cupped his face in her hands. "I love you, Donald Gummer, so much."
"I love you, baby." Don pressed his lips to hers; moaning as he deepened the kiss. Then as he pulled away he stripped his shirt off.
Meryl's mouth went dry as she kissed his chest. "God, I miss that chest. Don't toy with me, baby, it's been so long."
"Just a little bit longer." Don smiled as he put on his new jersey. "I love the jersey, Darl; thank you."
Meryl closed her eyes at the sensation of his lips on hers. "I'm glad; we're going to be wearing these jerseys for a long time, embarrassing the kids."
"We better." Don said picking her up in his arms. "Come on, baby."
Meryl smacked his chest. "Donald Gummer, you put me down. You're going to give yourself a fucking heart attack from carrying me."
"There." Don said laying her back in bed and kissing her lips. "You're supposed to be in bed; and I'll be damned if something happens to you or the baby because of my fucking meltdown."
Meryl laced her fingers through his. "Baby, do you remember how I was worried when you turned 58?"
"Because my grandfather died at 58?" Don asked as she nodded. "Yeah, because you're a few years younger than me..."
Meryl nodded as she kissed his lips...again. "And because I couldn't bare the thought of something happening to you; I still can't. Which is why I'm a nap about the food and exercising and the beer..."
"But you're my nag." Don winked as he pointed to the food. "And look at the food my girl got me."
Meryl laughed at him. "The point is; I'm not going to let you go through what I am absolutely terrified of going through-losing the love of my life. What did we promise when Mama died?"
"That we'll go together." Don choked.
Meryl nodded. "And you, Donald Gummer, aren't the only one keeps their promises."
"So do you." Don choked. "Baby, I'm really sorry about earlier and my break-"
Meryl placed her finger on his lips. "Don't even think about apologizing; but sweetheart, I am worried about you. Are you doing too much? Am I relying too heavily on you? Am I not concerned about you..."
"No." Don kissed her lips. "No; you can NEVER rely on me too much." Don kissed her deeper this time. "You are always worried about me."
Meryl closed her eyes as he trailed his lips down her neck. "I just hate it piled on top of you like this; and I didn't know."
"Baby, it is not your fault." Don sighed as he stopped what he was doing. "I was just walking around up there, aimlessly, and it hit me. I want to do all that for you; for us. I need to do all that. It makes me feel like I am actually helping you. I feel so damn helpless not being able to do anything for you and the baby."
Meryl pulled his head to hers. "You are far from helpless; there is no way in hell I would be doing as good as I am, be as happy as I am or feel as loved as I feel without you. You are the linchpin, baby; you always have been, and you always will be."
"You are mine as well, baby." Don bent down to kiss her pregnant belly. "You always will be."
Meryl rubbed his arms. "You'll talk to me?"
"I always do, love." Don assured her. "It all just sort of snuck up on me today; but just as always you were right there to assure and love me. Not to mention the kids. I just wish I hadn't broken down in front of the kids. I hate when I breakdown in front you you; but you are always my life raft pulling me from those waters. It's another thing to do it in front of the kids."
Meryl shrugged. "Maybe it's a good thing. Maybe it will get them off your fucking back. I'm still pissed..."
"We're past that, baby." Don assured her with a kiss to her lips. "Now, I believe I have a game to watch with my girl."
Meryl pulled his face back to hers. "Not to mention your favorite food to eat."
"Let's get to it then, my love." Don said as she reached for a hot dog and held it up to his lips. "Thank you for this wonderful surprise, Mrs. Gummer."
Meryl then bit into the hotdog looking into his beautiful blue eyes. "Anything for you, Mr. Gummer."
Don smiled as he crawled in bed next to her and together they cheered on their favorite baseball team while sharing their favorite baseball food. While Don hated he had his breakdown it did what tough times always did for the Gummers-brought them closer together.
***