Salvation ► GREY'S ANATOMY [2]

NINETEEN

COURTNEY TRIED HER VERY BEST NOT TO LAUGH. Her hand was covering her mouth. Her lips were tightly pressed together as she looked at her older sister. Meredith was currently holding onto a bottle of tequila like her life was depending on it. She looked absolutely terrified like death was knocking on her door. "Mer, you look like you're seeing a ghost. It's going to be fine." Courtney said. She was seated in between George and Alex, who sat on big red leather sofas. For the most part, she was using her best friend as a human support, because the two armrests didn't prove to be a comfortable seat.

Alex moved Courtney's hand out of his face, since it was blocking his view. Her arm was currently using his head as an impromptu armrest. "Ten bucks says she tanks in the first five minutes," He tapped his beer bottle against her leg. "You're crushing me, Court."

"Yeah, sorry but also not really. This is the most comfortable position to sit in."

He rolled his eyes, "You could just sit on the ground like a normal person."

Courtney looked down to see Sadie eating some chips. Her upper lip curled up. "No thank you. I guess I'll just suffer then. At least Mer won't be alone then."

Sadie ignored Courtney and smiled at Meredith instead, "I have faith in Death."

"She's holding that bottle of tequila like it's a life vest."

George joined in, "Don't listen to them. She'll love you."

"No. Mothers don't love me. Mothers like bright and bubbly and happy and... Izzie. Mothers love lzzie." For the first time, Derek's mother was coming to visit Seattle and her only son as well. That all meant that Meredith had to meet her possible future mother-in-law. Ever since she had heard the news, she had been a bit out of it to say the least. Courtney had even been called in the middle of the night to be a part of the support team.

Izzie came walking in at that exact time, " They do. Mothers do love lzzie. I stashed all the tequila, took the condoms out of the cookie jar. I replaced all your trashy magazines with back issues of Annals of Surgery." She sniffed around. "Does it smell musty in here?"

Courtney scratched her head, "Probably Ellis Grey hanging around. Maybe she's trying to screw up Mer's chances from the other side. You can't be both happy and a great surgeon at the same time." Izzie stared at Courtney with an odd look on her face. The latter raised her eyebrows. "I was just kidding, Izzie. Ghosts don't exist. If they did, my mother would be haunting the Chief, not Mer."

"Court."

"Oh, come on, Mer, it's true. You have to admit that it's funny."

Meredith sank even deeper into her sofa, "That's exactly why Derek's mother is going to hate me."

Courtney gestured with her hand, which was lying on top of Alex's head again, "If she doesn't like you for you, then well sad for her? You're dating Derek, not his mother. You don't have to pretend to be someone you're not, Mer. She's going to see through it anyway. Also, who cares if our house is musty? It's authentic that way. It gives it character."