Confide in Me

Chapter 17

Almost three hours had passed since Maddie had been taken into surgery, and each minute he waited felt like an hour. He'd stayed in the waiting room, as promised, but was seconds away from shooting up out of his chair and running across the hospital, just to see what was going on. To make sure his daughter was okay.

The only reason he wasn't causing a scene was because he knew Meredith was there with her, and would come and let him know when it was done. He trusted Meredith with his life, and his daughter was his life. He couldn't wait to hold the both of them in his arms again. They were his family, the two of them. And one day soon, he would ask her to marry him, to legally be a family together. He knew that she was it for him. He just didn't want to push her too far, too fast. Maddie was quickly coming around to the prospect of Meredith being her mother, which meant he wouldn't have to wait too much longer to ask the question that was constantly on the tip of his tongue.

He heard his name being called, and before he could even recognise the voice, his head snapped up.

Laura.

She'd actually shown up.

When he'd sent the message, he had been hoping she might actually give a shit about her own daughter. He had zero expectation of her showing up, but he hoped she'd at least message him back, ask how Maddie was doing.

A mix of anger and nausea swirled in his stomach as he looked at her. She'd only show up when he'd said Maddie was in the hospital. Not when Maddie was crying in his office, having been abandoned in Seattle by her, or when Maddie was begging him to get her to come and visit - not even on Maddie's birthday did they hear a word from her. He wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, that she actually cared, that she actually wanted to be in Maddie's life after all this time, but he wasn't about to kid himself.

"Laura. Why are you here?" He asked, his eyes narrowed.

"You messaged me," she rolled her eyes. "You said Maddie was in hospital. Where is she? What's going on?"

"What, so now you turn up? I was letting you know out of courtesy, not for you to just show up unannounced," Derek shook his head, his fingers pulling at his hair. "She's in surgery."

"And why is she in surgery?" Laura ignored his accusations.

"Appendicitis. They should be done any minute now," he huffed.

"So she's not dying? She's fine?" Laura scoffed. "You had me come all the way out here to this god forsaken city, and she's absolutely fine?"

"Is that really what it takes? For your daughter to be dying for you to care about her?" Derek asked.

"What do you want from me, Derek? I gave you a child and you still weren't interested in me," Laura crossed her arms over her chest. "I never wanted children, you knew that."

"That's not true," he almost growled. "I gave you an out, and god, I'm so glad you didn't take it. But you said you wanted her. And then you went off and had an affair behind my back? Spending my money? Maddie's college fund? Don't play the martyr here."

"I don't understand you. You took my daughter from me, only to abandon her two months later and never see her again. Why would I want someone capable of doing that?" He scoffed. He started to pace. He needed to make sure his daughter was okay. He needed this wretched woman out of his face. "And you clearly still get my messages otherwise you wouldn't be here. Why haven't you signed the papers? You know I'll fight you for full custody, and you know I'll win."

He heard the sound of a sneaker squeaking against the linoleum behind him, and he turned to see Meredith, her mouth parted a little as she assessed the situation in front of her. She closed her mouth again, her lips pressed together. He noted the calculation she'd made in her eyes, and he gave her a small nod as to confirm what and who she was seeing. He didn't miss the frown that flashed across her features.