To Everything, There Is A Season

Chapter 62

Don was released from the hospital the next day, Saturday. Dr. Abbott told him that he would still need to rest and take it easy, to continue on his medications, but to do things as he felt better. Seeing as though it was the Saturday before Thanksgiving, Dr. Abbott said he wanted to see Don in his office the Monday after Thanksgiving. Meryl made sure that appointment was set up as soon as possible. As much as Don didn't want to rest, Meryl wanted him to rest even more. She was terrified that if he didn't, then something would happen to his heart. Don had tried to tell her time and again it wasn't his heart that was causing the problems, he had an infection, but Meryl was bound and determined not to make it worse. They decided to go ahead with their plans to have Thanksgiving at their apartment, Don told her how he would be glad to help, but she wanted to do all the cooking and everything, telling him that if he would keep Henry busy then that would be a huge help to her. Don knew she was trying to keep him down and rest, and he didn't want to push her as he knew how scared she had been over the past year, just as he had been. Mary had, of course, offered to help with Thanksgiving however she could to which Meryl just laughed. This would be her first Thanksgiving in her new home with her husband and son and their extended family, and she knew how she wanted everything to be...PERFECT.

***

It was early in the evening on Wednesday, the night before Thanksgiving and Meryl had just taken the last of the pies out of the oven. She had wanted to get that done, so the next day she could focus on the side dishes and of course, the turkey. Meryl walked into the living room to see Henry building with his blocks. She thought Don was playing with him. "I wild, Mama."

"You are wild." Meryl laughed as she ruffled his hair, but she knew what he meant. "And you are a great builder. Where's Daddy? I thought he was playing with you?"

Henry shook his head. "No know."

"Okay, you stay here, sweet pea." Meryl wondered where on earth Don could be. She was trying so hard not to hover and worry about her husband, but she was pretty sure she wasn't doing a good job with that. She just really wanted this Thanksgiving to be perfect, no drama, and the last thing in the world she wanted was for anything to happen to her husband, her life and her rock. "Daddy and I will be right back."

***

Don smiled at himself as he set the last of the place settings on the table. He was pretty proud of himself. The table was all set for him, Meryl, Harry, Mary, Liz, Larry, Third, and Maeve; as well as booster seats ready for Suzie and Henry. He figured the adults would all take turns holding Sammy and Abe. Just as he had finished and was about to go check on Henry, and see if Meryl needed any help, he saw her walk in. He gave her one of his Don Gummer smiles, that usually made her go weak in the knees but he could tell by the look on her face that it wasn't working, and he threw his hands up in the air. "Surprise!"

"What did you do?" Meryl barked as she looked around. "You moved the dining room table when you are supposed to be resting?"

Don was not expecting this reaction, not at all. "Well, yeah, I moved it to go in the room diagonally. It gives us much more room for chairs and maneuvering so we can all sit at the same table."

"What about the decorations I had on the buffet?" Meryl said pointing to the buffet in the corner of the room, and then the sideboard in the other corner of the room. "And the sideboard?"

This wasn't going how Don wanted, at all. "Well, I thought this would give more space for the food. See how I set the wine and glasses and everything on the sideboard? I thought that would help you. I put your decorations in the middle of the table."

"That isn't where I wanted to put Henry and Suzie." Meryl ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. "Don, you were supposed to be staying with Henry and RESTING. Not fucking up all the plans I had made for tomorrow."