To Everything, There Is A Season

Chapter 75

The next two weeks went by quickly for the Gummers. Thankfully, it wasn't long before life was back to normal. At Henry's 1-week post-op check-up with his doctors, he was given a clean bill of health and was soon the active little boy that Don and Meryl had missed while he was recuperating. Meryl was worried about the weight that Henry lost while he was sick, but both Don and Dr. Abbott told her it wouldn't take him long to gain it back. Once Henry got his appetite back, Meryl knew that their friend and doctor, as well as her husband, were right. Before they knew it, they were getting ready for Christmas and a brand new year. Before that, however, Meryl was preparing for a very important day for their family...her husband's birthday.

***

It was the morning of Saturday, December 12th and Meryl woke up with a smile on her face. She couldn't wait for everything she had planned for Don's birthday, and she was so glad he hadn't caught on to everything. They really couldn't celebrate his birthday the year before because he was recovering from the life-saving surgeries he had after his father attacked him on Thanksgiving, and the year before Henry was only a month old so they didn't get to go out for long. This year was going to be different. She had all kinds of plans for him, after the year they had just come through she wanted his birthday to be as special as possible for him, and she was going to make sure it was. With a kiss to his cheek, she carefully got out of bed and pulled on one of his long-sleeve t-shirts over his T-shirt and her pajama bottoms she threw on after they made love the previous night, and she went down the hall to wake up her little helper. She smiled as she knelt down next to Henry's bed, gently kissing his cheek and running her fingers through his hair. "Hen, wake up, Bubs."

"No, Mama." Henry groaned. "I thweeping."

Meryl laughing that Henry was as hard to wake up as her husband was. "Didn't you want to make a special breakfast for Daddy? It's his birthday."

"Bweakfast." Henry sat straight up. "I get Daddy."

Meryl laughed as she lifted Henry out of bed and put her finger to her lips. "Daddy is still sleeping so we need to be really quiet. We don't want him to wake up until we are ready, right? Don't we want to take breakfast to him in bed?"

"Aight, Mama." Henry whispered in her ear making her laugh. "Me hewp."

Meryl laughed, kissing Henry's head as she opened the baby gate at the top of the stairs and then the one at the bottom and carried Henry into the kitchen. "You are Mommy's big helper. Daddy is going to be so surprised. We need to make sure we stay quiet so we don't wake Daddy until we take breakfast into him."

"Me thipper." Henry said whispering. "Me pwomise."

Meryl pulled Henry's step stool over to the counter and then put him on it, kissing Henry's cheek. "I know you will be, Gippy. Okay, we need to decide what to make Daddy. We will have coffee and juice for him, but what else are we going to make?"

"Woast!" Henry said excitedly. "Wolts woast!

Meryl laughed at Henry. "You sure have your Daddy's number. Okay, we will make Daddy's favorite, toast. How about some eggs and fruit?"

"Yummy, Mommy!" Henry was jumping up and down on his step stool. "Daddy wikes."

Meryl put her hand on Henry's shoulder. "No jumping, Bubs, we don't want you getting hurt. Okay, let's get this birthday breakfast started!"

***

Don rolled over to pull his wife to his side. He wasn't ready to get up yet. It was his birthday. He wanted to cuddle with his wife before Henry got up. His eyes popped open when he was only met with the cold sheets where his wife's warm body should be. It was Saturday, they had nowhere to be. Not only that, but she was on break from filming, so even if it wasn't Saturday she could still stay in bed with him. Don sighed that he woke up alone on his birthday. He began to think maybe she forgot. Things had been crazy coming off Henry's appendectomy and then getting ready for the holidays, but he couldn't believe she had completely forgotten. As he sullenly got out of bed, he started to think that maybe he deserved that after forgetting about their anniversary. Don had pulled on boxers after he and Meryl made love the night before, now he pulled on pajama pants and a t-shirt as he went to look for Meryl. As he walked by Henry's room he noticed that his door was closed so he figured he was still asleep. As he walked down the stairs he heard voices coming from the kitchen, the closer he got he realized his wife and son were in there making breakfast. All the hurt he felt only moments earlier quickly dissipated at the sight of Meryl helping Henry make breakfast. He figured maybe Henry had woken Meryl up and he had been fast asleep so he hadn't heard him, he couldn't be upset with his wife not staying in bed with him if Henry needed her. The scene in front of him was too cute not to join in on. "What's going on in here?"