Love is the Best Medicine

Chapter 21

"Hey, babe." Meryl smiled as Don came into the kitchen where she was.

Don walked over to her and gave her a good morning kiss. "Hey, baby. Did you sleep alright?"

"Amazingly; even given everything. It was nice to lay in bed with you without nurses walking in on us." She smiled as she cupped his cheek.

Don smiled at her. "Yes, it sure was."

"How about you? You're not looking too good." Meryl was concerned that the day before was too much on him with everything that had happened.

Don's hand flew up to his heart. "Be still my heart, you my dear are a sweet talker."

"You are ALWAYS handsome, but you are looking pretty pale; I'm worried about you." Meryl said as she helped him sit down at the breakfast bar. "How are you feeling?"

Don sighed. "Not too good."

"Well, you probably overdid it yesterday; which I was afraid of. It's a good thing you're going to the doctor today." Meryl said placing a glass of orange juice in front of him.

Don nodded. "Yeah, I guess it is. And you ARE getting checked out as well. I'm not going to forget about that."

"Oh, I know that." Meryl said winking at him. "What would you like for brea-" Meryl stopped what she was saying when the doorbell rang.

Don looked over at the front door. "WHO could that be?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out." Meryl said as she walked to the door.

A man from UPS stood there. "Delivery for Mr. Gummer."

"Oh, thank you." Meryl said reaching for Don's wallet on the entry table and gave the man a 20. "Happy New Year." Meryl closed the door wondering what Don could have ordered-he certainly hadn't been in any condition, and they were supposed to have been in Connecticut through New Year's. She knew it wasn't sculpting materials as he would have those delivered to the studio. It really wasn't any of her business, but she was curious. She went into the kitchen and handed him the package. "It's for you."

Don couldn't think of what it was. As he opened the box it came flooding back to him. He picked the box up and went into the bedroom downstairs. Meryl stood there perplexed; he had looked like he would cry when he opened it and he just got up and limped to the bedroom. She was going to see what was going on.

***

Meryl walked into the bedroom and was shocked to see her husband sobbing into something, she couldn't quite tell what it was. The opened box was sitting beside him, so it obviously had to do with that. Meryl climbed up on the bed behind him and wrapped her arms around him, placing a kiss on his head. "Sweetheart, what is it? Come on, talk to me." Don pulled his hands down and Meryl saw what was in them-a little onesie that said: 'Grandma and Grandpa's Little Peanut.' Meryl choked on her tears. "Oh, babe."

"It's my fault." Don cried. "It's all my fault."

Meryl quickly climbed off the bed and knelt in front of him, cradling his head in her hands. "Donald Gummer, what in the hell are you talking about? It absolutely is NOT your fault. How could you even think that, Don Man? NONE of this is your fault, sweetheart."

"Ever since I got sick things have gone to hell. You haven't been eating and sleeping properly; I'm terrified something is going to happen to you. Diane dies. If Mamie hadn't been so stressed out about me and Diane, she never would have lost the baby. I want to protect my family, and I obviously can't." Don choked.

Meryl sighed. "Sweetheart, first of all as I told Mamie last night, a miscarriage is nature's way of saying the baby wouldn't have had much of a life. There was a reason, biologically, why she miscarried. Who knows? Maybe the baby would have died at birth? Maybe there was some chromosomal abnormality? It most certainly was NOT your fault. Neither was Diane's death. I am fine, sweetheart, and you will see that today during our appointment. I am going to make sure we are both around for a long time, not only for each other, but for our children and the future grandchildren we will have. I NEVER want to hear you say that again. Yeah, all of this shit happened at once, and it sucks beyond belief. But there is no way in hell that it was your fault."