To Everything, There Is A Season

Chapter 73

It was the Monday after Thanksgiving, and only 48 hours after Don and Meryl realized how sick their son was and rushed him to the hospital, they were finally able to take him home. While Dr. Abbott had limited visitors up to the hospital, Mary and Harry, as well as Mike and Maggie, wanted to do something for the Gummers, and so they went to their loft and cleaned everything and did laundry. Once Don and Meryl found out how Mike and Maggie helped out, they were afraid it was too much too soon for them due to their recovery, but they assured them they wanted to help in some way and they were both glad they could. Don and Meryl told Liz and Larry as well as Maeve and Third, that due to their newborn babies, they thought they should probably keep their distance because they would feel awful if anything happened to the babies. All morning that day, Don felt something was wrong with Meryl. She had seemed distracted, she had been clingy with him. Even though he didn't mind that, he was concerned that something more was wrong with her than what that they had gone through with their son. Whenever he would ask her what was going on, she insisted she was fine. He thought maybe it was just the stress of everything that happened, so he let it go knowing how worried they both had been about their boy, though he hoped that if it were something more than what happened with Henry that she would talk to him. He knew he would be keeping a close eye on her, as they both kept a close eye on Henry as Hal said he still needed to stay down for several days. Don and Meryl both knew they had their work cut out for them.

***

They had barely left the hospital, and trying to keep Henry from running into the apartment building was already a challenge, even though they knew he still didn't feel well. Don quickly scooped Henry up in his arms, while Meryl grabbed their bags, and they walked towards the elevator. As the elevator opened into their apartment Henry started to squirm. "Dwown, Daddy, dwown."

"Henry, your daddy is just trying to help you." Meryl said tiredly as they walked into the loft. "Please let him."

Don winked at Meryl knowing how she was trying to come to his defense, though he really didn't need that with their 2-year-old son. He could also tell, again, that she wasn't herself. "Hen, I'll let you down but you need to be careful."

"Woom!" Henry yelled excitedly as he ran towards the stairs and tried to navigate them until he fell. "Hoot."

Meryl threw down the bags as she and Don raced to Henry, and she sat down on the floor pulling him to her. "Where, baby? Where does it hurt?"

"Wummy." Henry cried as he moved his hand all over his tummy. "Hoot, Daddy."

Don knelt down in front of mother and son as he wiped away Henry's tears. "I know, Bubs, this is why Mommy and I don't want you running. Your tummy is going to hurt for a while, so no running and jumping around."

"I don't think he should do stairs alone, Don." Meryl said as she laid her cheek on the top of Henry's head. "I noticed it was when he tried to do the stairs, that is when he started screaming and fell."

Don nodded as kissed Henry's head. "I'll carry him up and down the stairs. I don't want you to, he's getting pretty big."

"Thank you." Meryl nodded. "Okay."

"Okay?" Don asked his wife as he felt her head to make sure she wasn't sick. He knew she thought he was just teasing, and partly he was, but he was also worried she didn't fight him on it and that something really was wrong with her. "You're not going to fight me on this? Are you really okay?"

Meryl nodded her head with a chuckle as she smiled broadly at him. "I am, baby, thank you for taking such good care of us."

"Come here, Bubs." Don said as he stood up and then bent down to pick Henry up, holding him in one arm as he used his other arm to help his wife off the floor. "I think you and Mommy should go upstairs and rest in our bed. You can even watch cartoons on television in our bedroom. How does that sound?"