Until the Very End

Chapter 56

Don and Meryl fell asleep on the sofa holding each other after their heart to heart. Meryl woke up, disoriented at first, and then smiled at how she had fallen asleep in her husband's arms-a place she knew her husband always wanted her to be, and a place she always wanted to be as well. She then realized that darkness was setting in Tribecca, and she hadn't put a plan into motion for her husband that night. She hadn't really decided what to do other than spoil him with his favorite foods for supper and spend a low key evening at home. What she really wanted to do was show her husband that he was her world, and she loved him more than anything, by making love to him. She longed to get lost in what they shared when they experienced their love that way. She wanted to feel him lose himself in their love while in her arms, and she longed to do the same in his, but she knew they couldn't until they both were released. She would never do anything to put his health in jeopardy, but throughout the day she really thought she would lose him and wanted nothing more than to be able to make love to him. Meryl shook her head at the thought as she got off the sofa. She knew she needed to calm her mind and body down, so instead of thinking about making love to her husband, she decided to spoil him in his next favorite way-with food.

***

Don moaned as he felt his favorite pair of lips moving against his. He didn't need to open his eyes to see who it was. He knew who it was. He knew her smell. He knew her touch. He knew the taste of her. He traced more. Without even opening his eyes, Don moved his hand to the back of her head to make sure she didn't go anywhere as he intensified the kiss, plunging his tongue into her mouth. He was awake. His heart was awake. His soul was awake. Don moaned as he continued to devour her. "The only woman...I need."

"I need you too." Meryl groaned as she pulled away. That was the last thing she wanted to do. She wanted nothing more than to make love to him, but she knew neither of them couldn't. She couldn't help but smile when she heard him groan in disappointment when she pulled away. "I'm sorry, baby, but you haven't been cleared."

"Neither have you." Don said with a nod of his head as he tucked her hair behind her ear. "And I would DIE before I let something happen to you."

Meryl smiled tenderly at him as she helped him stand up. "I know that baby, believe me. I feel the same way."

"What's going on?" Don asked Meryl as she carefully helped him stand up and put her arms around him. He couldn't help but notice that the babies weren't in the pack and plays that they were in earlier. "Where are the babies?"

"You'll see." Meryl winked at him. "Come with me."

***

Don smiled as they walked into the kitchen and he saw the babies happily asleep in their swings. "They're still asleep?"

"Yeah." Merl sighed. "Lizzie did tell us that they were pretty restless this afternoon. They seemed to relax once they were back with us. I am sure they have felt the tension of the day. If they don't sleep tonight, I'll stay up with them. I want you to rest."

Once Don kissed his babies, he held Meryl's head in his hands and tenderly kissed her forehead. "I will be up with you if they are. Don't even try to fight me on this."

"I know better than that." Meryl winked as she stood on her tiptoes to tenderly kiss his feet, and then she pointed to his chair at the kitchen table. "Dinner is served."

Don stood there for the longest time, holding his wife's hand in his. He couldn't believe it. She had soft music playing. The lights in the kitchen were low and she had set the table for 2. What he noticed more than the ambiance, and the food that was being covered was his wife. She was wearing her favorite pair of Victoria's Secret PINK green and pink and purple plaid pajama pants, a green nursing tank with a gray cardigan over it. It was what she changed into earlier but she was beautiful. She had washed the makeup off her face and was glowing. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun. He felt like if he stared at her for the rest of his life, then it wouldn't be long enough. "You are absolutely breathtaking."