Perfect strangers

Chapter 33

Carolyn had wasn't used to having a quiet house, all her life there had been kids running round or adults sat round having drinks. So when she actually had a moment to herself, she made the most of it by cooking up a storm in the kitchen, ready in case any of her kids decided to drop by unexpectedly.

As she hummed along to the radio, stirring the cake batter, she was interrupted by the doorbell ringing. Grabbing a tea towel, she wiped her hands before heading to answer the door.

"Meredith, hi." Carolyn smiled as she saw the unexpected visitor standing on her doorstep. "Come in, it's cold outside today."

"Thank you." Meredith said softly as she stepped inside and shrugged her jacket off. "I'm sorry for just dropping by like this but...I didn't know where else to go."

"Never apologise, you're always welcome here." Carolyn placed her hand on Meredith's shoulder and gave it a loving squeeze. "Come through to the kitchen, I'm just in the middle of making a cake."

Meredith smiled as she followed behind Carolyn, stealing glances of all the photos that decorated the walls and furniture, making her understand why Derek was such a family oriented person.

"So, what do I owe the pleasure of having you stop by today?" Carolyn asked as Meredith took a seat. "Can I get you a drink? Coffee? Water?"

"I'll just have a water please." Meredith smiled. "I was going crazy sitting at home, I mean without having Derek there, I just wanted to feel close to him. Plus, Lexie is busy today and everyone else is working, not that your last choice..." Meredith watched as Carolyn listened to what she was saying. "Also, I need some motherly advice..."

"Well, you definitely came to the right place." Carolyn placed a glass of water down in front of her. Deciding not to push Meredith, Carolyn went back to making her cake and waited for Meredith to be ready to speak again.

"I think I might be pregnant again." Meredith finally said as she watched as Carolyn stopped what she saw doing and turned to face Meredith. "Which I find crazy to even be thinking about let alone saying it, but I can't stop thinking about my miscarriage and it...just feels...I don't know...its..."

"Too soon." Carolyn finished off for Meredith as she nodded her head in agreement. "Have you took a test yet?" She abandoned everything she was doing and gave Meredith all her attention.

"Not yet. I didn't even realise until I got off the phone with Derek yesterday and I haven't brought myself to do a test yet because if it comes back positive then I'm definitely going to freak out and I can't freak out alone." The tears started to pool in Meredith's eyes as the slowly started to stream down her face.

"Oh Meredith." Carolyn reached out and cupped her hands in his, rubbing her thumb lovingly over the back of Meredith's hand. "Nothing and no one can prepare you for getting pregnant again after having a miscarriage."

"You?" Meredith lifted her head at hearing Carolyn's words.

"Yeah." Carolyn nodded.

"Derek didn't say anything." Meredith wiped away her tears as she kept her other hand in Carolyn's.

"Derek doesn't know, he was too young to remember. I mean he would remember me being in hospital for a bit but he doesn't know why. Me and Christopher decided to keep it between ourselves." Carolyn tried her best to smile as she thought back to one of the hardest times in her life.

"I'm scared." Meredith admitted.

"That's perfectly ok, you're allowed to be scared." Carolyn reached out and cupped Meredith's cheek in her hand, smiling as Meredith leaned into her embrace. "Have you told Derek?"

"I haven't spoke to him since yesterday, plus I don't think it's the kind of conversation I should have with him over the phone." Meredith said.

"I get that, when is he home?" Carolyn said as she let go of Meredith's hand and poured the cake batter into the baking tray.

"Still a few more days. I feel like I should do a test but I don't want to be alone when I do it."

"Well, I'm sure I have some tests upstairs, I mean having 3 daughters, we've always got some lying round. So if you want, you can head upstairs, take a test so you can settle your mind and that way you won't be alone. I mean I'm not pushing you to do this but I'm here for you Meredith." Carolyn offered lovingly.

"Yeah I would like that, thank you." Meredith smiled genuinely for the first time since being there. "I'm just going to go upstairs now..."

"Alright, I'll be down here waiting for you when you're ready to come back down." Carolyn smiled as she watched Meredith walk out of the room and head upstairs.

The time passed as Meredith was upstairs, leaving Carolyn to clear away her mess and check on the cake.

"Hey." Meredith announced her arrival back into the room as she held the test tightly in her hand.

"So..." Carolyn asked, not wanting to push Meredith.

Meredith didn't say anything as she handed the test over to Carolyn and watched as she looked down at it.

"Oh..." Carolyn gasped as she looked up to meet Meredith's eyes again.

*a/n*
not me writing this on my break at work haha so I apologise if it isn't great!! Please let me know what you what think, won't leave it too long before I update again...