Arranged Love

Chapter 26.

Meredith.

Everybody has already arrived, including Derek's brother. They had a small argument when they got here but Derek walked away before it got worse.

Derek and I are in the kitchen, he's talking to his mom about something.

He wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me into his side. He knows I can't do anything because his mother is here.

"I have to go to the bathroom," I say. "Just a minute," his mother says.

"Go ahead, Love," Derek says. He lets me go and I leave the bathroom and go upstairs into the bathroom.

******
I finish off and flush the toilet. I turn on the tap and wash my hands. As I'm drying my hands off on the towel I hear the bathroom door open.

"What are you doing in here?" I ask as I see it's Derek. "Getting away," he says.

"I'm just about done," I say. "I'm not. My mother won't stop asking when I'm going to have children," he says.

"I didn't think she'd like me enough to ask you when we're having children, or if we're having children," I say.

"There is no 'if' I want children and you agreed," he says. "No promises," I say closing the toilet and sitting down.

"So what did you tell her?" I ask. "About what?" He says. "About having children, what did you tell her when she asked," I say.

"I told her we would start trying as soon as you were ready," he says. "And what did she say to that?" I say. "She said that by the time you were ready, I would be too old to remember the child's name," he says leaning against the door.

"So what would she want you to do?" I say. "Either find someone else who is ready or get you pregnant in your sleep since you're still a virgin," he says.

"What?" I say shocked. "Inseminate you in your sleep," he says. "She realizes that's illegal right?" I say.

"She does but we're rich and can pay off the judge," he says. "That's also illegal," I say. "For the judge which isn't our problem," he says.

"Your family is insane, I'm not sure I would want to create more of them," I sigh. "Your DNA would dilute it so our children wouldn't be as bad," he says.

"No, but just because our kid is blonde doesn't mean it isn't a shepherd, it will have your name," I say.

"What about Grey Shepherd?" he says. "What about it?" I say. "For the last name, instead of just Shepherd we could hyphenate, Grey-Shepherd," he says.

"Your family already hates me, you want to make their children Greys?" I say. "You're seriously going to let your in-laws stop you from giving your child your name.. it was your mother's name, don't you want to give them that legacy?" He says.

"Yeah, I guess so... but that means our kid is going to have five names," I say. "Why would our kid have five names, two last names and one first name," he says.

"And then two middle names," I say. "Why two?" He says. "Well, I don't know for sure but I kind of like the idea of two middle names," I say.

"Alright, as long as they sound good together," he says. "How soon is your mother expecting children anyway?" I ask.

"I don't know, maybe in a couple of months she wants you pregnant, so she expects another grandchild in a year," he says.

"You know that's not going to happen right?" I say. "Yes, I know. You don't even like me right now and in order for you to have sex with me and let me take your virginity you need to really really like me," he says.

"Well at least now I know I'm not married to a complete idiot," I say. "You didn't know that before?" He says.

"No, not entirely," I say. "You know, this whole marriage thing would be a lot easier for the both of us if you would stop being so stubborn.. You know I love you, you know I don't intend to hurt you, you know I want the best for you so I don't know why you're being so stubborn," he says.

"Because I don't want to give in to this whole fantasy world and then be happily married for a few years, have a couple of children all go find out your sleeping with your secretary and now I'm divorced with three children and a career that takes up the majority of my time," I say.

"Well, what if none of that happens?" He says. "What do you mean?" I say. "What if none of that happens? What if you do give into the fantasy world and we're happily married for a couple of years and we have a couple of children and I never sleep with my secretary and you don't get a divorce, what then?" He says.

"I don't know what then," I say. "Then you would just be happily married with multiple children and a career," he says.

"Yeah, I guess," I say quietly. "So you don't you try that," he says.

"Because I don't know for sure if that's going to happen so why would I waste my time if there's a good chance I'm going to get hurt?" I say.

"Meredith, you're planning on going to Harvard Medical School, That's not an easy school to get into but you're still doing it.. you weren't one hundred percent sure you were going to get into Dartmouth but you still did," he says.

"Are you comparing our marriage to my career?" I say. "Yes, if you don't get into Harvard you still have other options. If we get divorced your life isn't over, not that we will but hypothetically," he says.

"I'll think about it... We've already been in here too long. Your family will probably figure out that we're hiding from them," I say.

"You do realize the world doesn't revolve around us right?" He says as I stand up.

"Yes it does, you're the only married shepherd without heirs," I say unlocking and opening the bathroom door.

"Let's just tell them you're pregnant and say you had a miscarriage a few months later," he says.

"Derek, do you know how cruel that is? We could get karma and miscarry when I'm actually pregnant. I'm not risking that," I say.

"So you do want to have kids with me," he smiles. "Just come up with another plan," I roll my eyes as we go back downstairs.