Meryl and Don-Love and Only Love Chapter 31, Part 1
While Meryl was upstairs showering and getting ready for bed, after Don promising her he was fine, Don was relaxing on the couch looking at Louisa’s baby book. He looked at her first ultra sound picture for the longest time. He couldn’t stop thinking about how his father treated Meryl when they found out she was pregnant and shared the wonderful news.
***
It was November 1990 and Meryl was pregnant with the fourth and last Gummer baby. She suggested to Don that they go to his parents for Christmas as it had been awhile since they had been to Indianapolis. He didn't want to, he never wanted to see his dad, but they knew it was the right thing to do. Henry, Mamie, and Grace loved going to tIndianapolis to see their cousins; and Don and Meryl enjoyed visiting with the rest of his family, they just tried to stay clear of his father as much as possible, only seeing him when they absolutely had to. Don never left his kids or wife alone with him. Traveling with an 11 year old, 7 year old, and 4 year old wasn't her idea of fun, but it was proper. They both knew it would probably be awhile until they would be able to travel out there once the baby was born; not that either one of them really wanted to go out there anytime. The kids didn't know she was pregnant, they planned on telling them Christmas morning as a present. When Meryl first told Don she was pregnant, once the shock wore off they wanted to tell the kids, but then decided because of her age to wait a little bit. They thought Christmas morning would be the perfect time.
It was Christmas Eve Day as Meryl and Don were standing on the porch as their kids rushed in to their grandparents’ house. Don wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close. "How are you feeling, babe?" He asked with a kiss to her cheek.
"Actually, not too bad. Did you still want to tell your parents this morning?" She asked.
"Yeah, I want to do it before we tell the kids. I still can't believe you're pregnant." He laughed.
"You're telling me!" She joked. "I am getting bigger by the day."
"You are so beautiful when you're pregnant. I can't get enough of you." He said kissing her neck.
"I believe that is how I got pregnant in the first place." She said.
He turned her around to face him. "Excuse me, I distinctly remember you saying 'No, baby, don't leave me' when I tried to pull out. I distinctly remember those sexy legs of yours wrapped tightly around my waist.” He said kissing her.
"Okay, okay, you win." She laughed.
He stood back and looked at her. "I most certainly do." He smiled. "Let's go tell my parents and distract the kids." He said taking a deep breath.
"I love you." She said with a kiss to his lips. Every time they were around his father she never wasted an opportunity to remind him of her love for him.
"I love you, let's go, preggers." He said making her laugh.
***
Don and Meryl were having coffee with his parents while the kids were watching cartoons; Meryl somehow was able to have juice without any questions asked. When there was a lull in the conversation Meryl looked at Don and smiled squeezing his hand.
"Mom, Dad, there is something we wanted to tell you." Don said.
"I knew it!" James said causing Don and Meryl to exchange confused glances. "I told you this marriage wouldn't last!" James said.
Meryl was shocked, she wasn't sure why, this was typical James. She looked over and saw the tick in Don's jaw as he held onto her hand tightly. She knew he was already struggling for control and they had barely been there for 10 minutes. She immediately regretted her suggestion of going to Indianapolis. She should have known better but James had at least been civil in the past year or two on the extremely rare occasion they saw him.
"Actually, father, NO!" Don said trying to keep his cool. "Quite the opposite, I knocked up my wife." He said proudly causing both him and Meryl to laugh.
"Very tactful, babe." She said placing a kiss on his cheek.
"Pregnant?" Jane said.
"Yes, I am due in June. I am at the end of my first trimester. We are telling the kids in the morning as a Christmas present, but we wanted to tell you first." Meryl beamed.
Don lifted Meryl’s hand up to his lips and kissed it. “We aren’t going to tell anyone else until after we tell the kids.”
"Oh my goodness a BABY!" Jane cried as she went to hug Don and Meryl. "Congratulations, this is the best Christmas present ever!" She beamed causing Don and Meryl to laugh.
"James? Don't you have something to say?" Jane prodded.
"Aren't you two a little old?" James asked.
“You can’t just say congratulations?” Don asked. “Damn you!”
"Well, we were quite surprised.” Meryl said holding Don’s hand tightly trying to calm him down before things exploded. The last thing she wanted was for James to ruin this for him, for them. “I have to be extra careful this time around because of my age, but we are both healthy. So we are praying for an easy pregnancy and healthy baby." Meryl gushed. She was trying to stay positive for Don’s sake; she hated how his father would tear him down.
"This is just the best news! I can't contain myself." Jane gushed.
"Thanks, Mom, that means alot." Don smiled.
They were interrupted by Grace who ran in the kitchen when she heard her grandmother’s happy screams. "Did Santa come?" She asked running over to her father causing him to laugh.
He leaned down and picked her up kissing her cheek. "Not yet princess!" Don said settling her on his inside leg close to Meryl.
"I think he is going to bring you a special gift, though, sweet pea." Meryl said kissing her cheek.
***
Meryl was tired and was laying on the couch with a book when Don came in and knelt down beside her.
"How you doing?" He asked.
"I'm fine, don't worry so much." She laughed.
"Hey, you're my wife and you are carrying my baby, I'm entitled." He said placing a soft kiss on her lips. "Mom and I are taking the kids ice skating, you feel up to coming with us?" He asked causing her to laugh and pat her stomach.
"I don't think so, babe. Make sure the kids are bundled. I’ll stay here.” Meryl said.
Don shook his head. “No, Mom can take the kids and I’ll stay with you. The others can help her with the kids.”
“Don, no, you know how much the kids love skating with you; they have all been looking forward to it.” Meryl said. “Your Dad is at work and said he would be gone all day. I’ll wait here for you.”
Don sighed. “Remember the last time we thought he’d be gone all day? He kidnapped our son. I’m not taking any chances. I’ll at least take you back to the hotel.”
“Sweetheart; you’ll only be 1/4 mile away.” Meryl hated what being there did to him; but they did want to spend the holiday with the rest of his family. “I will go up to your room and keep the door locked. He won’t even know I’m here. Will that help?”
Don couldn’t believe he was going to agree to this; but he did know his father had a full day at the office. “I’m not going to be gone long. We will just be down at the pond if you need me. I will keep a look out for his car.”
“Go have fun with the kids.” Meryl said placing her hand on his cheek. “I promise I will be fine. Thank you for taking such good care of me; I love you.”
Don took a deep breath. “I’ll be checking on you’; I know where the key is. I love you.”
***
Don regularly checked on Meryl though she didn’t know because she was sleeping. Meryl woke up a few hours later feeling rested, and hungry, which was a regular occurrence in pregnancy. She went in to the kitchen to make a sandwich and fix some tea when her father-in-law walked in. She knew she needed to go get her husband, and decided to not make something to eat so she could get out as soon as possible.
"Meryl." He acknowledged her presence. "Are Jane, Don, and the kids back from the pond?"
Meryl took a deep breath. “I’m going to go get them.”
"I'm glad we're alone, Meryl. There is something I would like to talk to you about." He said sitting down with scotch in hand as he grabbed her arm before she could walk out.
Meryl took a deep breath, again. “James, please let me go.”
"Listen, I know when you are on location you are surrounded by nice looking men. I understand the urge to stray, I am not condemning. I mean, my God, I can't imagine being faithful to one person forever, I sure haven't been. I know of your various affairs, and am surprised my holier than thou son has stood by you. I don't want you to string my wife and this family along with this baby. Just be honest and tell him and everyone else it's not his."
Meryl was frozen; Don was right, he was terrified something would happen with his father and it was. Tears appeared in her eyes not only from his accusations but from his tight grip on her arm. Her father-in-law actually believed she was having affairs while on set, she got pregnant, and was trying to pass the baby off as Don's. It sounded like something that would happen to her sister-in-law's character on her soap opera. After everything else James had done to them in the past 12 years she didn’t know why she was surprised, but she was. It really shouldn’t have been a surprise as he said the same thing when she was pregnant with Mamie. Silent tears were rolling down her face as she was shaking. “James let me go you’re hurting me.”
"Are you not going to admit it? Just say it...this baby isn't Don's. All you hollywood types are the same. Come on Meryl, come on, fucking admit it! You have been whoring around and this baby is NOT a Gummer!"
Meryl was trying to desperately get away from him. “James, STOP, you’re hurting me!”
Don ran in and as he saw the tears in his wife's eyes, the plead for help, she was physically shaking. Hearing her say that his father was hurting her spurred him into action. “What the FUCK is going on in here?" Don said slamming the kitchen door closed as he pulled his wife away from his father and led her to the kitchen table. "Are you okay, baby?”
"Better, now." She smiled tearfully. “That you’re here.”
Don kissed her forehead as got up and went to his father, slamming him against the wall. ”You want to repeat to ME what you just said to MY WIFE?”
Meryl continued to cry. “Don, please don’t get hurt, PLEASE.”
"Come on Don, you can't really believe this baby is yours. What do you think she does on location for weeks at a time?" He asked.
"Yeah Don Man, apparently Henry is a Hoffman, Mamie is a DeNiro, and then there's Grace Nicholson. I guess this is baby Quaid." She said. The tears left and she just felt anger as she rose up to walk next to her husband.
“Please, stay away from him, Meryl.” Don said not taking his eyes off his father. “You FUCKING implied my wife is a whore. I-I" He turned to look at Meryl. "I don't even know anymore." He said throwing his hands up in the air and turned back to his father. "I warned you on the day after our wedding not to FUCK WITH MY WIFE!" Don yelled his face inches from his. “Yet you have abused her, propositioned her, threatened her, terrified her. This hurts worse than anything you have ever done or said to me; just as it did when you did the same fucking thing with Mamie. A baby we tried so hard for, a baby we almost gave up on having and then we were gifted with 2 more after her. They are miracles, they are a part of US. I can deal with you putting me down and your disapproval of me, but NOT MY WIFE or MY CHILDREN. I warned you, you pathetic BASTARD, what would happen if you FUCKED WITH MY WIFE! I'm done. I'm taking MY FAMILY back to the hotel. I don't want to ruin mom's Christmas so I will come up with something to tell her. We will come over for the festivities, but you will not look at my wife, you will not touch my wife, and you will NOT SPEAK TO MY WIFE. FUCK, I can't look at you. You make me SICK." He turned to Meryl who was crying again and held his hand out to her. "The kids just left with Mom to go to Danny’s. Come on baby, let's get the stuff we brought over and go pick them up."
***
When Meryl and Don entered the bedroom he turned to her and she was shaking. He opened his arms and she ran into them crying. "Shhhhh....it's over now. I'm so sorry baby. I'm so sorry." He whispered. “I knew better than to leave you alone here. Did he hurt you?”
"Don, I have...I have to sit." She said, all of the stress was too much. He guided her over to the bed. “My arm is a little sore.
"Here, babe. Take some deep breaths for me." She looked deep in his eyes and did as she was told. "Good, baby. Let me see your arm.” He said tucking her hair behind her ear as she pulled down her shirt so he could see. Tears immediately appeared in his eyes. “I should fucking kill him!”
“Please don’t go after him; we can’t let anything happen to you.” Meryl cried.
Don knew he had to keep it together and that his wife and children have to come first. “I won’t; but I’m never leaving you alone in this house again.”
“Don, you don't believe him do you? You can't believe it!" She cried into his chest.
"Baby, of course not. He has lost his fucking mind. I know you would never cheat on me. He is a pathetic miserable old man. I am so sorry he said those things to you. God, I just want to punch his fucking lights out. Meryl, I meant everything I said to him. I won't let him come near you, baby. It never fucking ends with him!” He said kissing the top of her head.
"Don, when I am on location without you and the kids my heart aches. I feel lost. I can't wait to return to you. That is why we are living in LA. I would NEVER EVER turn to anyone else. I love you so much." She cried in his chest.
"I know, babe, I know that. I remember when little Gummer here was conceived." He said putting his hands on her stomach. "I was most definitely there." He said making her laugh; and he pulled back and saw her smile. "There is the smile I love so much." He said kissing her lips.
"We don't have to leave yet. I can just avoid him." She said.
"No, we ARE leaving. I will tell Mom that Dad and I got into it, nothing new, I won't tell her what happened since I heard some things he confessed to that I don't want her to know. We will go pick up the kids, grab something to eat and go back to the hotel. We aren’t coming back here today. Maybe Mom can come to the hotel and eat with us tonight.” He said.
"Perfect. I'm sorry." She whispered.
"Why in the hell are you apologizing? You have done nothing wrong. My father created this. I am so sorry I put you in that position." He said. “I never should have left you.”
"Honey, you didn't put in me that position. But, there is a position I would like you to put me in later." She said placing a kiss on his lips. “I urged you to go; I’m really okay.”
"I love you." He said gazing into her eyes. “More than anything.”
"God, Don, you have no idea, I love you so much." She said as the tears came again.
"How are you feeling? Better?" He asked wiping her tears.
"Yeah, I haven't had anything to eat since this morning. He came in as I was getting ready to make a sandwich but I’ve lost my appetite. My blood sugar is probably low, though.” She said.
"Okay." He said pushing her down. "Lay back and rest while I gather the kids’ stuff they brought over.” He said.
"Let me help." She said.
"No, I can't let anything happen to you or the baby. Just relax, baby." He said.
She smiled as she laid there as her husband gathered their things. Whenever a new affair rumor popped up she always went straight to her husband to tell him of the rumor, he never believed it. She breathed a sigh of relief that he didn't believe his father either. She knew he wouldn't, but that didn't stop the panic. No one had ever protected her and stood up for her like Don. They had tried over and over with his father; even when Don didn’t want to try, they did for his Mom. Meryl didn’t know how they could continue to have a relationship with the rest of the family and not his father. One thing she was sure of was that they would figure it out and tackle it together.
***
Don quickly gathered their things and they were headed to pick up the kids at his brother's. He pulled up to his brothers house and she leaned over to kiss him.
"I love you, Mary Louise Gummer." He said.
"I love you, you handsome devil." She smiled.
"Okay, let's make this as quick and painless as possible. You get the kids together and I will go talk to mom. Is that okay?" He asked.
"Perfect, babe. Then can I eat, please?" She laughed.
"Fuck, I forgot. I'm sorry. Damn it!” He cursed hitting the wheel.
"Babe, it's fine. I'm fine. You'll feel better when this is over with. I am sorry your father did this to you." She said rubbing his neck.
"He did this to YOU…TO US…AGAIN!” He said kissing her cheek. "Let's get this done so I can go feed my pregnant wife." He smiled.
***