Best Friends Last Forever ✔️

Part 20: What is happening?!

The following days were heaven. It felt amazing. Spending time together, having sleepovers, going on walks and secretly kissing in on-call rooms at the hospital. Heaven.

Today they were planning to have a game night at her house with Andrew, Maggie and Winston as well as Amelia and Link. Somehow it was a double date but with three couples. It was Maggie's idea. Whose else could it have been. They were setting up the last thing as suddenly the doorbell rang. Amelia went over to get the door and a few seconds later a kiss was placed on Meredith's cheek.

"Hey" she said, turning around to him. He didn't say anything but just kissed her again, this time on the lips. "You okay?" she chuckled as they pulled apart. "Never been better" he replied as Link and Winston entered the room.

They had a lot of fun. Since the kids were already in bed they could enjoy the evening just around other adults. Very refreshing she thought. About 2 hours into the third round 'activity' Andrews phone rang and he excused himself as he walked into the kitchen to get some privacy. After a good ten minutes Andrew still hadn't returned so Meredith made her way over into the kitchen to make sure he was alright. As she came into the room she spotted Andrew sitting at the table, his phone on the floor and he was... crying. He was crying. Meredith quickly made his way over to him and sat down at the free chair next to him. "What happened?" she asked concerned, placing a hand on his shoulder. "C-carina just c-called" he stuttered in complete shock. "M-my mom is dead" he finally said as he looked up to meet her eyes which were now filling with tears too.

"Oh Andrew. I-I'm so sorry" she quietly said and brought him into a side hug. Mrs Deluca had been like a mother to her too. When Meredith was young Andrew's mother would let her stay at their house for sometimes even more than a week when Ellis was on conferences. But she never had a real mother like Andrew had. When Ellis died she didn't know what to feel because they never were really close. But Andrew and his mother had always been really close since they lived alone in the US until they moved back to Italy.

She was helpless. She didn't really know what to do to help him. "I have to go there I have t-to go see Carina and and plan the funeral and I-I have to fly to Italy now" he said more to himself than to Meredith. "Do you want me to come with you?" she hesitantly asked. "N-no I have to do this alone you should stay here I-I'll come back I just don't know when but I'll come back I-I have to go" he replied as he stood up. "Wait no you're in no condition to drive I'll bring you to the airport okay?" she said softly, placing both hands on his upper arms to stop him. "Okay thank you" he said softly, tears still streaming down his cheeks.

"You go to the car, I'll be there in a few seconds I'll just let the others know" she said as she let him to the door, avoiding the living room. He just nodded and went through the door closing it behind him. Meredith let out a deep breath to calm herself down. She wasn't going to break down or anything she was going to stay strong for Andrew. She had to. "Uhm- I- Andrew's sister c-called and told him that- that their mother uhm- Mrs Deluca d-died and I'll bring him to the airport I'll be back in about an hour" she said as she got back into the living room where she was faced with four questioningly looking people. "Oh god uhm- yeah sure we'll stay here and watch the kids" Amelia said as all the others seemed to shocked to answer. "Okay thank you" Meredith gave back as she quickly followed Andrew through the door.

After a silent ride to the airport they quickly got inside and Andrew bought himself a ticket to Rome. But before he could enter the gate Meredith stopped him. "Wait. I-" but since she didn't really know what to say so she just hugged him tightly, taking in his scent as he wrapped his arms around her back and laid his head on hers. "Be careful okay and please call or text when you land I just- I have to know you got there safely okay?" she asked, determined to not let a single one of the tears that had welled up in her eyes slip. "Of course" he replied before he kissed her softly, stroking his thumb over her cheek. He then turned around and disappeared in the hallway which led into the plane.