Ever The Same

23

Derek's heart felt like it was going to beat right out of his chest as he pulled up in front of his mother's house. Never had he been this nervous to see his mom, except for when he had to tell her he had crashed the car he had been given as a birthday gift. He didn't know how she was going to react to seeing him or what she was going to say but he had to go in and talk to her. He needed to apologize and explain everything.

He let him into the house and closed the front door, before talking a deep breath and walking further into the house. "Mom? Are you here?"

"Living room!"

"Are you busy?" Derek asked, walking into the room to see his mother going through a box of Christmas decorations.

"No Dear." His mother frowned, watching her son come in before she looked back into the box.

"I can't believe it's almost Christmas." He sighed, sitting in the arm chair near the sofa.

"The year has moved very fast."

"It sure has."

"Hmm..." His mother reached for a figure to the nativity scene.

"Can we talk, Mom?" Derek sighed.

"What about Dear?"

"Thanksgiving."

"You want to talk about Thanksgiving? It's about time you discuss that."

"About time? It hasn't even been a week."

"A week since you made your wife cry, stormed out and left your family concerned."

"That's why I want to talk to you."

"Hmm..."

"Are you just going to keep...doing that or are you going to listen to me?"

"I'm listening Derek Christopher."

"First of all...I'm sorry...for what I did and the way I acted. That's the first thing you should know."

"It was a big surprise to me on what was supposed to be a peaceful Thanksgiving."

"Meredith and I...hadn't been living together for a week."

"Oh..." His mother shook her head.

"We are now...We're okay...And we're talking and working on things...But on Thanksgiving...we weren't." Derek breathed.

"Clearly."

"It's just...we couldn't get pregnant and we were blaming each other."

"Derek..." His mother shook her head, turning towards the fireplace. "I told you it woudln't be easy and if that tore you apart then..."

"She's pregnant." Derek whispered, a small smile on his lips.

"I know." She replied, turning back to the box.

"What?"

"It was so clear from her face, she looked sick."

"She's um...Yeah she's pretty sick."

"And let's face it Meredith is a very small woman...her chest expanded almost over night."

"You noticed that too?"

"Please even your nephews noticed."

"That's...really creepy."

"So was your attitude"

"I know and I'm sorry...I didn't know that she was pregnant...I had no idea. And when Tara said she was it just...I couldn't take it."

"You probably should have talked to Meredith before Thanksgiving Dinner...which we had to reheat."