To Everything, There Is A Season

Chapter 15

"Me ish!" Henry said excitedly as he splashed around in the bathtub. "Me ish."

Don and Meryl were sitting on the counter in the bathroom together, giving Henry some time to splash around in the small amount of warm water Meryl ran for his bath so it was safe for him to play in. Don nudged Meryl. "Did you give him sugar?"

"No." Meryl laughed. "You were there-he had milk, green beans and the chicken and rice casserole he likes so much. He's imagining."

Don winked at Meryl. "Well, he does come by it naturally."

"It is in the genes, babe." Meryl teased Don as they then went over and knelt down in front of the bathtub; hoping that playing in the water would wear him out a little more so that they could have their date night in once he went to bed. "Give us your best fish face, Gippy."

Henry nodded seriously and sucked his cheeks in while making fish lips. "Me ish."

"The most handsome and smartest fish I have ever seen." Don ruffled Henry's wet hair as he heard the phone ringing from his and Meryl's adjoining bedroom. "I'll get it, babe."

Meryl started to get up. "Baby, you can stay in here with him and I can get the phone."

"No, stay with our little fish; I've got it." Don said kissing her cheek as he got up and went into the bedroom. "Gummers."

Don wasn't prepared for the voice on the other end. "Are you going to talk to your mother, now?"

"What in the actual fuck are you doing calling here?" Don boomed. "I told you to stay the hell away from my family; which means do NOT call here. Do you want me to have you arrested; because if you keep pulling this shit then that is EXACTLY what will happen."

Meryl could hear Don and she knew exactly who he was talking to; she let out a bit of the water to make it even safer for Henry. "Hen, do you want to play with your toys for a bit before Mommy washes your hair?"

"I pway." Henry said excitedly as he heard his father yelling. "Daddy mad; my daddy no gets mad."

Meryl couldn't help but smile that their son knew it wasn't often his father got mad. "I need to go make sure Daddy is okay and isn't sad. You know the rules in the bathtub."

"No wawa." Henry nodded. "Me good."

Meryl smiled that Henry knew not to turn the water on, and the rules she and Don had told him over and over in order for him to be safe. "Mommy will be watching you from the door. Please be safe like Daddy and I taught you."

"Donny." Jane said on the other end of the phone. "Meryl is exaggerating as normal in order to push you away from me, from us."

Don was frustrated and ran his fingers through his hair. "I am so fucking sick of that line. She has NOT pushed me away from you. You started that with the way you treated me growing up; it wasn't until I met Meryl that I realized that I deserved more, that I was worth more. You did this when you tried to take my son and me from my wife when she was going through hell, and Hen and I were out of it. YOUR husband did this when he sent that fucking monster to kidnap my wife and our boys, and to FUCKING RAPE the love of my life. My wife has done NOTHING wrong except treat all you assholes with love and compassion and mercy and grace; because that is who my wife is. Because my wife wants you all in my life more than I do no matter the fucking shit you all pull; THAT is what kind of amazing woman my wife is, THAT is how much she loves me and Henry."

"Don Man?" Meryl stood at the door after she pulled it a bit to shield Henry but to also watch him in the tub; tears appeared in her eyes as Don just gave her a small smile. She knew he needed to do this, and so she didn't try to stop him. She just wanted him to know he wasn't alone. "I'm here, baby."