Bright and Shiny

Chapter 171

As she sat around the dinner table hours later, Meredith was extremely grateful to Carolyn for ordering her to rest for the day. Meredith spent the day lounging in some sweats with Derek, cuddled in their room and watching movies all day. A cartoon, a drama, a romantic comedy and an action. They covered all their bases in movie genres that afternoon. Carolyn brought them up food and snacks, not wanting Meredith to go downstairs and seen the massive food preparation going on for the dinner that evening knowing that she'd think they were going overboard and want to help out.

As all the girls arrived the house became more and more full, husbands, and children. From one end of the house to the other it became a huge welcome home gathering for Meredith and Derek. Despite the previous day together the girls all squealed at being united again as the husbands rolled their eyes and headed for the drinks. Derek knowing his wife was in good hands and he'd probably not get a word in edge wise joined his brothers in law to catch up.

Meredith sat in the living room with everyone coming to her instead of her circling around the house. All of the kids had gotten so big in just the less than a year they have been gone. Derek teased her from afar as Meredith started to cry every time she saw one of her nieces or nephews walk in, saying her hormones were causing the tears and for her to think all of them had grown a foot in months they had been in Seattle.

"So what's the plan for tomorrow?" Meredith smiled at the girls, knowing the Saturday must mean big plans for them all. Unknowingly to her she had no idea about her huge baby shower that was going to occur.

"Well after tonight we were thinking you'd need to rest after it all and planned a little local fun." Sam smiled as the others all bit their lips at the secret they all kept. Sam was the one who had thought the baby shower had gotten out of control and didn't want Meredith overwhelmed by the monstrosity of it all.

"What local fun?" Meredith asked in thought, scrunching her face up wondering what Sam could be talking about.

"Just stuff out here, may be a little antiquing and an early dinner at the club." We were thinking Kathleen chimed in with a glare to Sam to not make Meredith suspicious.

"Oh, that sounds good." Meredith added with relief. "Sam had me thinking it was something weird." She laughed as she didn't realize all the girls turn to glare at Sam as she just glared back and wanting to escape from the room.

"Meredith, I'm going to get some snacks, can I get you anything?" Sam asked her making a run for it.

"Hmm may be surprise me." Meredith told her.

"I'll help you Sam." Nancy said monotonely wanting to chastise her sister away from Meredith.

"I don't need that much food Nanc," Meredith laughed Nancy chased after Sam.

"Hey" Derek said coming into the room full with 3 sisters and lots of kids. "Can I borrow my wife for a second, I promise I'll return her to you." He said with a teasing roll of his eyes as Meredith giggled.

"I guess. If you give her back." Carly answered as Derek didn't even wait for a response before taking Meredith's hand in his and helping her out from the chair walking her out back towards the sliding doors.

"Where are we going?" she asked quietly.

"I just needed some time with my wife." He smiled as he led them out onto the back deck.

"Lots of people, a little suffocating?" She asked quietly, rubbing his back in a soothing motion as they stood together facing the backyard.

"Just a little, I'm so used to us and quiet now."

"I know, I am so happy to be back, I miss everything and everyone here so much. But I miss our quiet home and life too."

"Well when ever we're overwhelmed this week, we'll just grab the other and come out here for some fresh air. Look out and think we're looking out on our balcony over our lake."

"Deal." She agreed wrapping her arms around him and cuddling into his chest.

"Deal" He whispered into her hair breathing her in.