WAKING UP IN VEGAS

CHAPTER 12

The rest of Christmas Eve flew by uneventfully. Carolyn had insisted that Meredith tell them about her life; Addison's jealousies and insecurities reared their ugly heads. She held Derek's hand tightly, squeezing it every so often, and she kept her eyes on him for most of the afternoon, making sure that he wasn't looking at Meredith for too long of a span. If he did, Addison would lay her head on his arm, or kiss his hand. Meredith ignored the red-head and her tactics as she spoke timidly, politely answering all of Jamie or Carolyn's questions. She herself was surprised with the amount of information she was disclosing to these perfect strangers. Derek listened eagerly, yet discreetly and his sister watched him closely as he reacted only in his eyes to Meredith's words.

After the draining conversations, Carolyn asked that Jamie and Meredith help her prepare the holiday dinner, as Addison's mother and father had come out for the holiday as well. The three women laughed and talked in the kitchen, and though Meredith wasn't much help, the Shepherd women enjoyed her company. It should have been awkward between them, but it wasn't, and for that, Meredith was grateful.

Dinner went smoothly; Addison's family wasn't told who Meredith exactly is it was a secret better kept. No one butted heads, which was important; the Shepherds were distant, but polite, and the Montgomery's were prim and proper. Meredith kept the little boy entertained as the adults talked in the dining room after dinner, telling him stories about her past Christmas experiences.

That night, Christopher fell asleep with visions of sugar plums dancing in his head, while Meredith fell asleep to the whispered arguments of Addison and Derek.

"Ho, ho, ho!" the same little voice that woke Meredith up five days earlier filtered loudly through the house. "Merry Christmas!"The little feet thundered down the hallway again, this time skipping Meredith's room completely, as the little boy rushed down the stairs. Santa came! his excited announcement filtered up the stairs. Meredith sat up quickly as Christopher pounded back up the stairs. She paused as his footsteps neared her door, and his footsteps slowed, nearly stopping, as if the little boy was contemplating waking her up. Meredith swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up, wrapping the robe around herself, and she crossed the room.

Aunt Jame! SANTA CAME! Chris shouted, and Meredith heard Jamie squeal in response before the aunt and nephew pair raced back down the stairs. Meredith stepped into the hallway at the same time that Carolyn did.

Merry Christmas, Meredith chirped, her voice cracking slightly.

Merry Christmas to you, too, my dear, the older woman cooed. Shall we go see what the excitement is all about? she asked, and Meredith nodded as they stepped together down the stairs.

If the Shepherd household had appeared as some sort of Christmas village before this morning, it simply paled in comparison to the sight that was in front of them now. Dozens of brightly wrapped gifts spilled out from underneath the Christmas tree. Christopher sat in the middle of it all, his bright, toothless smile lit up his face. Derek and Addison came down the stairs just behind Meredith and Carolyn.

Good morning! Jamie greeted the four of them as they stepped into the living room. Merry Christmas! she added as an afterthought, waving from her spot on the floor beside her nephew. Her eyes were tired she had stayed up late to help Derek to finish wrapping the gifts for Christopher, and she helped him situate the gifts beneath the tree as well- her hair in a messy ponytail. She motioned for Meredith to sit beside her on the floor, and Meredith instantly felt at home. She blushed as she walked toward Jamie and sat down.

Merry Christmas. Meredith smiled as she sat there, taking in the sighs of the family as they situated themselves in the living room. Derek and Addison sat down on the couch, exchanging sleepy Merry Christmases as Carolyn sat down in the loveseat.

Jamie passed out the gifts with Meredith's help, and Meredith was surprised to see gifts for her there, too. She could see how tense Addison was as Meredith handed her one of her gifts; she and Jamie exchanged a knowing glance. Christopher tore through his gifts excitedly, showing off his presents clothes, more cars, several books from his aunt and the rest of them opened gifts, too. Meredith blushed as she opened her gift from Carolyn and Jamie; it was a musical jewelry box that played Viva Las Vegas.

Wait! Meredith called out as the family was just about finished opening their gifts. I have presents for everyone here, too, she said as she stood up and quickly crossed the room, climbing up the staircase quickly, taking two steps at a time. She returned moments later, her arms full of gifts, surprising everyone in the room, as she had only arrived with her meager carry-on bag. "What?" she blushed, her cheeks burning. "I went shopping," she added sheepishly as she passed out the presents.

"You didn't have to do that, Meredith," Derek said as Christopher tore through the wrapping paper that covered the package that Meredith had given him. Addison rolled her eyes as the little boy squealed with delight.

"This is the best present ever, Meredith!" He said, jumping up from his spot on the floor. Christopher ran over to Meredith and leapt into her arms, kissing her over and over again on her crimsoned cheeks. "Thank you! Meredith, thank you!" he squealed as he finally pulled away from her and returned to the planes, trains and automobiles model kits that Meredith had given him.

"Of course I had to," she responded a moment later, her eyes shining as she watched the happy boy look over every detail on the boxes. "It's Christmas," she shrugged her shoulders, her heart racing, her cheeks still on fire. Derek shook his head and rolled his eyes as he opened the present.

"Thank you, Meredith," Derek said softly as he held the silver photo frame in his hands. The frame said "Daddy and Me" on it, engraved in a cursive font. Meredith had put a picture of Derek and Christopher and their version of Frosty the Snowman (the second snowman they had made the morning after the initial snowstorm, their original masterpiece having been trampled in their snowball fight). He didn't even know she had taken the photo. Derek was placing the top portion of the snowman onto the middle part, and Christopher was handing him the buttons for the eyes. Their smiles were identical - wide and full of joy - their eyes shining as the snow continued to fall around them. "It's perfect." He smiled genuinely, his eyes sparkling - and Jamie caught Meredith's eye at that moment, motioning to Addison, who clearly looked defeated.

Jamie and Carolyn each thanked Meredith for their gifts, which were simple scarves Meredith had knitted while she lay awake each night while she was in Seattle. Meredith had also given them each a customizable photo-frame snow-globe with Christopher's latest school picture in it; when she had asked the little boy what he thought they'd like the most, he'd said that they would want to take him home with them. After a phone consultation with Izzie, Meredith was sure that the gifts for two of Derek's favorite women were perfect.

Meredith had given Addison a gift certificate to a day spa and salon; she hadn't really known what to get her, and if it hadn't been for Izzie, she wouldn't have gotten her anything at all. But, as she explained to Addison (timidly of course; the red-head only eyed her carefully as Meredith handed the envelope over), she figured it would be useful when the wedding approached. "Thank you," Addison said politely, her smile fake, but her sentiment sincere. Meredith nodded in response.

"What now?" Christopher asked as he looked up from his gifts, looking around at the adults who had all fallen into a comfortable silence.

"That, my dear nephew," Jamie said, raising an eyebrow at the little boy, "is an excellent question."

:W

Ron Sexsmith - Maybe This Christmas

Maybe this Christmas will mean something more
Maybe this year love will appear
Deeper than ever before
And maybe forgiveness will ask us to call
Someone we love
Someone we've lost
For reasons we cant quite recall
Mmm, maybe this Christmas

Maybe therell be an open door
Maybe the star that shined before
Will shine once more, ohhh

Mmmmmmm, mmmmmmmm

And maybe this Christmas will find us at last
In heaven, at peace
Prayed for at least
For the love weve been shown in the past
Maybe this Christmas
Maybe this Christmas