To Everything, There Is A Season

Chapter 35

A few days later, Don and Meryl were ready to go home. Don technically could have gone home the day before as his episode wasn't as bad as what Meryl went through; but with Henry being well taken care of by his grandparents, he didn't want to leave his wife. Meryl knew what happened shook him to his core, as it did her, and so she didn't want to push him. Selfishly, she was glad that he wasn't leaving her alone. She was relieved that while Dr. Abbott was releasing them, Don knew he still needed to take it easy with her. Her parents had offered to stay for a few days once they were home to help them out, or even for them to go home with them, but it was important to Don and Meryl to be home alone together with Henry. While Don and Meryl decided that it was best for their family to move after all the bad events that had taken place since they bought their apartment, they also talked to Liz about Henry and she said with all the changes in Henry's young life that she felt it was best for him to be a part of the process. For him to say goodbye to his home, to pack up his toys and to see the new place before they move in so he got used to it. Both Meryl and Don thought that was a great idea; while they wanted to protect him from everything, they agreed that they didn't want to protect him to the point of hurting him. With everything figured out, they were ready to go home and heal from the latest blow so they could regroup and start a new beginning as the strong family they were.

***

"What are you doing?" Don asked walking into their hospital room after arranging some things to find his wife folding his clothes and putting them in their duffle bag. "I said I was packing the last minute stuff. I want you to be resting."

Meryl didn't want to push him too much, knowing how terrified he still was, so instead, she decided to flirt with him. "You were gone awhile. I was missing you, so decided to smell you."

"I'm here now, baby." Don flirted as he opened his arms up to her. "Smell away."

Meryl giggled as she kissed Don's neck. "Sweetheart, I can pack our things. I want to."

"I can pack our things." Don said as he kissed her forehead and pushed her down on the bed. "You stopped breathing, and your heart stopped, twice, only a few days ago. You are still weak. Please, let me do this. Isn't that what wives want? To sit as they watch their husbands pick stuff up?"

Meryl shook her head as she did what her husband wanted, but reached her hand out to him. "What I want is for my husband and me to work together as he is still himself recovering from a lethal combination of narcotics."

"Fair enough." Don handed her their pajamas. "Can you fold these please?"

Meryl nodded with a smile. "With pleasure; thank you for asking."

"I checked in with your parents and they are at the apartment with Henry." Don could tell she was about to say something. "They know that even though Hal said we both need to rest as much as possible and take it easy; that we want to do that just the 3 of us. They know how important it is to me to be the one to take care of you and Hen." Don smiled as he sat down beside her, tenderly kissing her lips, as he took the clothes she folded and put them in the duffle bag he was holding. "They both even mentioned how you have said over and over how you want to take care of me and Hen as well."

Meryl couldn't help but smile. "Good. I feel all of this we have talked about: us taking care of each other and Hen, listing our apartment, preparing Henry and finding a new place is so important for us to heal. So much fucking shit has happened and I just want you and Henry. I just want it to be us for a few days. I feel like we are all still processing everything and..."

"You don't need to explain; especially not to me." Don whispered with a kiss to her lips. "I can't wait to get you home. Since we really just have this bag, the nurses said they'd get a cab for us. I kind of figured the less fuss the better. Now, we just have to wait on the damn papers then I can get you home and with our boy."