Until the Very End

Chapter 8

Don got Meryl and the babies to the hospital as soon as possible. Meryl sat in the back with the babies as she wanted to keep an eye on Mags, and she wanted to try to calm Brady down. Don could tell how stressed she was and he wished he was able to help with her and the babies, and she told him she just wanted him to get them to the hospital as quickly as possible. Don was glad that when they got there he didn't have to fill out a million sheets of paperwork and he went right back to an examination room with Brady, Mags, and Meryl. As soon as they got situated, he immediately got Brady out and was trying to calm him down while he told Meryl to sit in the rocking chair and try to feed Mags. "I'm so glad they didn't make me fill out a million pieces of paper."

"Me too, but we're in the hospital system." Meryl choked. "Don, that isn't good!"

Don pulled a chair over to her as he continued to hold Brady. "Baby, why not? That means they have her records. I am glad all the hospitals are linked to the same system. That means she will get good care."

"It also means that they have a record of what my brother did to her." Meryl cried harder. "If they have a record of that then they probably have a record of Child Protective Services called on us. Don, this is the second time in 4 months she has been hurt. Not to mention Rebecca. What if they call..."

Don tenderly kissed her lips. "Baby, I am going to do EVERYTHING in my power to make sure that doesn't happen. I don't want this night to be any worse than it already is. As we are waiting, why don't we focus on calming her down? He is starting to. Maybe it will help if you nurse? She has always been our good nurser."

"Okay." Meryl tried to get ready and then looked up at Don. "I'm so scared, Don Man. If they investigate us again..."

Don had tried not to think about it, but he was like Meryl, he couldn't help but think about it. He also knew they had done NOTHING wrong. He really wished the girls would have called them when it first happened. He felt like if they had, then Don and Meryl could have dealt with it instead of a few hours later. "Baby, we can't think like that. There is NO ONE who loves their children more than we love ours. Hell, you only buy organic clothing for them. I will be damned if I let anyone take our babies from us. Okay?"

"Okay." Meryl took a deep breath after he kissed her, and she tried to focus on making Mags feel better and NOT on what could happen. Meryl gently kissed Mags' head as she lifted her carefully up to her breast and tried to get her to latch. Meryl immediately sighed in relief when she felt her milk let down and Mags was eagerly nursing. Meryl then looked at Don with tears in her eyes, this time it was tears of relief instead of tears of fear that her babies would be taken away from her and Don. "She's doing it, Don Man."

Don immediately felt the relief that he saw shining in his wife's eyes, and now that Mags had calmed down, Brady was calming down even more. "That's my girls. Now, we just need to make sure our girl is okay. Then I can take the three of you home."

***

Henry and Suzie were all smiles as they walked into the Gummers' Maine estate, hand in hand. Henry smiled at his sisters who were in the living area. "I can't believe we beat Mom and Dad home."

"Me either." Suzie laughed as she looked around. "We went to dinner and a movie. I thought they were just going out to dinner. Where are the babies? Are they in the nursery with Lily?"

Louisa shook her head sadly. "Lily is sleeping in her crib in your room. She has been for a little while. We've been watching her on the monitor."

"Mom and Dad did come home, then left with the babies." Mamie took a deep breath. "To the hospital."

Grace looked at her brother and sister-in-law as they told them the story. "Lily was safe. We promise. Are you going to say something?"

"I don't blame Mom and Dad for being so upset." Henry told his sisters. "I love you 3, but I would have reacted the same way if not worse."