To Everything, There Is A Season

Chapter 47

It felt like Don hadn't been asleep for very long when he heard their phone ring. He was glad that he put it on his bedside table so that he could answer it quickly. "Hello?"

"I'm sorry for calling again." Larry said on the other end of the phone. "I could just really use a friend."

Don carefully got out of bed, trying not to wake his wife, and went over to the chair in the corner of the room. Not realizing that his wife had woken up and turned to her side towards the chair so she could listen to her husband's side of the conversation, worried that it was Larry who called and that something was wrong with Liz or the baby. "I am always here, and not just as a friend, you are my brother."

"You are mine." Larry said as he tried to talk softly so Liz could sleep. "I just can't sleep and am a little overwhelmed. I mean with Suze we got to keep her in Lizzie's room with us and 2 days later we went home. This has been completely different with seeing our little boy in an incubator. I hope I'm not bringing up memories of William for you."

Don shook his head. "Of course not, you wouldn't have to, he is always on mine and Meryl's hearts and on our minds. I know how it is. I know how hard it is to want to make things right for your wife and your baby, and feeling like there isn't anything you can do. I've been there more often than I would have liked." Don sighed not knowing that Meryl was listening, wiping away her tears. "I learned, with your help, that all I needed to do was be me. To be there for Meryl, to assure her and to make sure she and our babies were getting good care. I know you are doing that. How's your baby boy?"

"They say he is really doing well, they just want to monitor him for a while." Larry sighed. "I know how lucky were are, I'm just worried."

Don couldn't help but laugh. "Of course you are, you're a father. While getting him home will help immensely with that, you know that you will always worry about him, and your Suzie girl. How's Lizzie?"

"Thankfully she's resting." Larry explained. "They said we can hold him later today and hopefully feed him. Lizzie has been pumping to prepare for that. They said that Suzie can come to visit. Maybe once we know for sure that we do get to hold Samuel you, Meryl and Henry could bring our girl up to visit?"

Don nodded with a smile. "Of course. We would be glad to. We will just wait until we hear from you."

"Thank you, brother, I feel so much better after talking to you." Larry said already feeling so much lighter. "I'm sorry for calling again, but I think it's what I needed."

Don was glad he could help his best friend, just as Larry always helped him. "You call me anytime. Larry, you have always been there for me through the worst times of my life. When Meryl and Henry were taken you didn't tell me to give up. You didn't make me eat. You didn't tell me how I needed to eat. Instead, you were there for me. You sat with me in silence, because you knew nothing you could say could make me feel better. You walked and walked and walked with me as I searched for them. You were there for me every single step of the way. I am here for you and Lizzie, and so is Meryl. Don't worry about your Suzie girl. She is in great hands."

"We know she is." Larry smiled. "You two are the best godparents ever, which is why we chose you."

Before Don could say anything he heard Suzie calling for Meryl and he saw Meryl get out of bed, not knowing she was awake, and she quickly wiped away her tears. It always broke her heart to hear about everything Don went through while she and Henry were missing. She went over to Don, kissing his forehead. "I'm going to go get her, and then maybe she can talk to Larry."

"I think that would be good, thank you, baby." Don said as he tenderly kissed her lips, and then he turned his attention back to his best friend. "Hey bud, stay on the phone for a bit longer if you can. We heard Suzie calling out for Meryl and Meryl went to go get her; we thought maybe she would like to talk to her dear old dad."