Hiding in the Shadows

87. Telling Ma

"Ma...talk to him. He is making her scream all hours of the night...and I mean all hours. I can't get any sleep, I am horny as hell and I do not need to know how loud Derek is in bed." Mark whined.

"Mark Jeremy Sloan, I am on vacation and if I have to know how loud he is, so do you. Suck it up and look for a place faster. Now let me talk to Derek." Carolyn ordered.

Mark handed the phone to Derek.

"She told you to suck it up, didn't she?" Derek grinned.

"Shut up." Mark muttered, before stalking to the kitchen.

"Hey Ma, having fun?" Derek asked innocently.

"Don't hey Ma me. Who's idea was it to torture Mark?"

"Mer's." Derek said breezily.

"Nice." Carolyn said. "Look, I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh God Ma..."

"Derek..."

"What did I do now? I am in Washington, you are in Barbados."

"You didn't do anything...yet. But I am hoping you will do something sooner rather than later."

"And what is that?"

"You should be receiving a package today addressed to you. You will know what to do with it. So do it...soon. Call me when you do."

"What? Ma? She hung up on me." He muttered, looking at the phone.

The doorbell rang. Mark answered it.

"Hey man, there is a dude in short shorts who wants you. When did you start batting for the other team?" Mark yelled.

Derek walked to the door and looked at the delivery guy in apology.

"I'm so sorry. We just got him out of the institution for the week. He will go back in Saturday."

"Ass." Mark muttered.

Derek signed for the package and tipped the guy well. Closing the door he looked at Mark.

"You owe me twenty."

"For what?"

"For being a jackass."

"What's in the box?" Mark asked, reaching for it.

"I don't know, I haven't opened it." Derek said slowly. He really wondered about Mark sometimes.

"Well, what the hell are you waiting for. It's from Ma, maybe she sent us some presents." Mark said.

Derek opened the box. Inside was a small box and an envelope. He reached for the envelope first.

"What the hell? You are opening the card first? No one does that."

"Shut up."

This is a creation joined from the families of you and Meredith. I know you will do this justice and make both me and Ellis proud. Be happy always. We love you two.

Ma

P.S. Ellis said to tell you, her part was from her parents and not a jinx from her and Thatcher's marriage.

"Man..." Mark whispered.

Derek looked up, or rather down, at Mark who was kneeled on the floor with a jewelry box containing a breathtaking engagement ring. He recognized his mothers setting with a carat princess cut diamond that must have belonged to Ellis. Mark held it up for Derek to see it better.

"You know...I have always had my doubts about your sexuality and now I can see they are completely founded." Cristina commented dryly, as she entered the living room. She was always sneaking up on them. It drove Derek crazy. But Meredith put up with Mark, so he had to put up with Cristina.

Mark jumped up and threw the ring at Derek and put three yards in between them.

"What is that Shepherd?" She asked.

"It's a ring."

"I can see it's a ring. Whose ring is it?"

Her mouth dropped open.

"You are going to prop..." Derek clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Shhhh...ouch! You bit me!"

"Never...ever...put your hands on me again. I don't know where they have been." Cristina demanded.

"In Meredith's pussy...didn't you hear them this morning." Mark grumbled.

"You had better have washed your hands since then...oh god, I am going to go wash my mouth out with soap." Cristina walked to the kitchen.

"I hope she doesn't tell Meredith." Derek said.

"How are you going to do it? I mean are you even ready for this?" Mark asked.

"Yeah, I am...I love her."

Mark nodded.

"Well, if you need any help to make it classy let me know."

"Yeah, if I want to propose over the JumboTron, you will be the first person I call."

"What? That would be awesome."

"Oh yeah, Meredith would love it."

"Meredith would love what?" She asked, walking into the room.

Derek pocketed the ring as Mark picked up the box.

"What's that?" She asked, nodding to the package.

"It's mine...it's...um...my..." Mark stammered as he racked his brain, looking for a plausible answer.

"His herpes meds...he had another outbreak." Derek said with a straight face.

Mark shot him a 'what the fucking hell' look. Derek shrugged.

"Oh...well...I am just going to go into the kitchen...and hire a really good cleaning company. Excuse me." She barreled out of the living room.

Mark jabbed Derek in his stomach.

'What the fuck man? You told her I had herpes?"

"I panicked, okay? I will tell her the truth later." He hissed.

'I hate you." Mark said.

"You slept with my wife." Derek reminded him. "You can take one for the home team and this way Meredith will never sleep with you."

"As if she would."

"There is that too. Now help me think. I want it to be a night she will never forget."