Looking at you side ways

10

The next day, Meredith was on a different shift than the rest of the interns. She barely saw them except in the hallways. She had a patient who had been admitted from a nursing home. [i]Of course, she gets the Alzheimer's patient. But unlike her mother, this patient had family and friends. She spent the better part of the day explaining to them what procedure was going to be performed on her. They were very concerned and asked her a lot of questions. Meredith understood why her mother forbid her to tell anyone about her condition. Really,[/i] thought Meredith.[i] Who would care? Her mother was a cold bitch to everyone and no one had really liked her. They barely tolerated her. But Meredith felt sorry for her mother. She was all alone. Meredith wondered if in her lucid moments, she regretted her life. Meredith didn't want to have any regrets.[/i]

She drove home and was surprised to see Burke's car and Cristina's motorcycle in the driveway. [i]Derek and Mark must be home. [/i]They had cleaned out the garage and now could get two cars inside. Meredith parked in the driveway and walked into the house.

She heard voices and went into the living room. Mark, Derek, Cristina, and Burke were lounging on the sofas and passing food amongst themselves. They were watching one of her mother's surgical tapes.

Mark said, 'Oh. Here it comes. This is the best part. Watch. This is where she literally pulls this guys face off!"

Derek noticed Meredith standing there and stood up.

Derek says, "Meredith. We were just..." He is searching for the remote to shut it off.

Meredith interrupts him and gives them all a little smile, "Hi."

Derek finds the remote and pauses the video. Mark sets his beer down on a coaster.

Mark says, "We were just ....Yang made us!"

Cristina says, "You ass! And how did I know there were tapes in the first place?" She glares at Mark.[i] She hoped she hadn't crossed a line with Mer.[/i]

Everyone is looking at Meredith and getting a little freaked out at her silence. [i]She was thinking about her mother being all alone and the patient today surrounded by family and friends and being so loved.[/i]

Meredith said, "So, what are we watching?"

Meredith sat down between Mark and Cristina and Derek went back and sat with Burke.

Meredith grabbed the remote to delete the pause button. "So, this is the one where my mother.."

Mark interrupts her and says, "Literally pulls this guy's face off!"

Meredith said, "Yeah." A little proudly.

They passed the big popcorn bowl around and watched for a bit. Derek and Meredith share a little smile with each other. Derek was concerned about her last night, but she seemed to be better today.

Derek says, "Burke. This is it. You won't believe it!"

Burke says, "Augh!" and covers his eyes.

Cristina laughs loudly and says to Burke, "Cover your eyes little man. What kind of surgeon covers his eyes and gets squeamish?"

Mark says, "Holy crap!" Everyone is now laughing at Burke and Mark who now has a grimace on his face.

Cristina said, "Mer. You and me girl. We are hard core. These guys. Shit. These guys are soft. We are so going to kick their asses."

Meredith laughed and looked around. [i]She had friends. Real friends. And she liked it. Maybe, just maybe she thought. Maybe she wouldn't end up like her mother.