Is Forever Enough?

Chapter 44

"Ava's...so big now." George spoke in awe as he walked back and forth in front of the fireplace in their family room. He took his time to look at each picture displayed on the large mantle. Pictures were one thing Meredith and Derek had always agreed on, they were scattered all over their house.

"She is. I can't wait for you to see her. I'm sorry I didn't send you pictures this year...things have been pretty crazy.." She wanted to laugh at the word crazy. What an understatement that was.

"I think the last picture I saw was her second Christmas card. It's not your fault, I should have emailed more too." The sadness was there again, as he stared at an old picture of the interns in their first year.

Meredith hadn't moved from her position on the couch. The two nights away had relaxed and exhausted her and she resided to the fact that she was going to be very late for work.

"What's wrong George? There has to be a reason you're here other than a visit. Is Callie with you?" He didn't reply, instead he found the love seat opposite her and sat down with a sigh.

"No...she's not." She didn't miss the hesitation in his voice and automatically leaned closer to him.

"George...?" She half warned, half asked. She knew something was going on. At one time she had known George as well as anyone...and that feeling didn't go away with time.

He looked at her, and then frantically around the room to avoid her eyes, but Meredith was an avoider herself...and knew all the tricks.

"George, don't think because I'm 6 months pregnant I wont beat it out of you. Now tell me. You would be sitting here if there wasn't something wrong. You haven't been back to Seattle in what...three...four years?"

"Callie and I are over. For good." His gaze finally shifted down to the floor, not even bothering to look over at his friend. She had nothing to say to that. She certainly hadn't seen that coming.

In the beginning...she practically had put money of the absurdity that was his marriage. She assumed it wouldn't last a month...and it almost didn't...and then he had left. He had picked his wife to be the better guy that he was and never looked back.

She would get an email from him occasionally, in response to the pictures she would send of Ava. Every July a large box would come for Ava filled with knitted, hand made garments his mother would ask him to send. He seemed happy in California. At least, the electronic, image of George seemed happy. She figured if his marriage had lasted that long, they would probably last forever.

Forever...the word seemed foreign as it bounced around the corners of her mind. Up until the past week she wasn't even sure she believed in forever. Was it possible...that her and Derek the couple who were practically voted Seattle Grace's most fucked up couple could actually be finding their forever...while everyone else wasn't? She wasn't sure what kind of messed up irony that was. She wasn't sure she really wanted to find out.

Looking at George's distraught face she pulled herself out of her own selfish thoughts, knowing she had to learn more about it. There had to be more to it. He wouldn't of just come because of that...wouldn't he have gone home to his family....his mother...his brothers...anyone other than the friends he spoke to twice a year?

"I'm really sorry George. I don't know what to say. What happened?" He shrugged his shoulders and looked at her and she knew instantly his sadness wasn't really from the break up.

"I don't really feel like getting into it...we just...weren't meant to be...I'm sorry I just dropped by like this..."

She shook her head violently, wanting him to know he was not unwelcome in her house. "No. I'm glad you came. It hasn't really been the same here without you."