Love is the Best Medicine

Chapter 6

Meryl had fallen asleep with her husband, in their makeshift double hospital bed, later that afternoon. Her head was on his shoulder and they were holding hands; as she fell asleep Meryl realized how much she had missed them being like that. Of course it had only been a few days since they had shared their bed together in Connecticut; however, to Meryl it seemed like an eternity. So much had happened. But to her that moment of falling asleep with her head on her husband's shoulder while holding his hand was the little bit of normal she needed. Meryl was brought out of her sleep when her phone rang. Meryl jumped up and answered it, immediately, afraid it would wake up her husband, and didn't even bother checking to see who was calling. "Hello?"

"Meryl, it's me, Leslee." Her publicist Leslee Dart said. This is not a conversation she was looking forward to having with her client. If the story wasn't true, which she was pretty sure it wasn't, then she knew Meryl would be beyond furious. If the story was true then that meant a whole other can of worms would be opened. It would also mean that something was seriously wrong with Meryl's marriage which was extremely hard for Leslee to imagine.

Meryl took a deep breath. She knew she should have called her publicist when Don first went into the hospital but she couldn't be bothered with that. Her focus had been solely on Don; which is exactly where her focus should have been and would continue to be. "Oh, hi."

"Listen, I hate to bother you around the holidays but this is really important and can't wait." Leslee began.

Meryl swallowed hard. She was afraid that maybe someone from the hospital talked to the media about Don being in the hospital even though they all signed a confidentiality agreement. "What is it? From the sound of your voice I have a feeling I'm not going to like what you have to say."

"That's because you're not; I don't like it, at all. I got a call from People Magazine about a story they are getting ready to run, and wanted a comment. I hope NONE of this is true, or else I'm going to be pissed as hell that you didn't call me."

Meryl looked at her husband and walked to a corner of the room. She could already tell this wasn't going to be good and the last thing she wanted to do was to wake up her husband who was sleeping, peacefully. "What story?"

"First of all, is Don dying? I'm sorry to just blurt it out like that but I need to know; and as someone who deeply cares for both you and Don, I want to know. This is me, your friend asking; not necessarily your publicist Leslee asking this question." Leslee said as she leaned back in her desk chair and looked out her office window to the Manhattan skyline.

Meryl felt her blood pressure rise 100 points. This was the kind of shit she hated fame brought with it. She wished she could just do what she loved and then she could slip into a quiet life with her husband and children however, it didn't work like that. "What the HELL? NO! NO...he is NOT dying."

"I'm sorry to even be asking you this, Meryl, but according to this article he has had all kinds of surgeries and is very sick. I was so worried. He is such a wonderful person. You sure lucked out with him." Leslee always loved watching how Don supported his wife on the red carpet-a rarity in Hollywood.

Meryl took a deep breath. "I sure as hell did. Listen, Leslee, there is something going on with his health but no, he is NOT dying. He is currently in the hospital; and has been here for a few days. He had a motorcycle accident over 30 years ago, and just developed complications from that. He had 2 surgeries and will need two more. It's been a hellish few days."

"MERYL! Why didn't you call me? I NEED to know things like this." Leslee pointed out.

Meryl sighed as she ran her hand through the front of her hair; getting extremely frustrated. Nothing pissed her off like when people came after her family and that is exactly what was happening. "I am trying to protect my husband; I am trying to protect my family. I am keeping this as quiet as possible. I'm doing it for Don."