This Life

Chapter 7

It had been a long and busy week for both Derek and Meredith and they were both glad for the weekend to finally arrive. Owen, Christina and Mark were coming over to watch the baseball game. Christina was bringing the alcohol and Mark was bringing pizza. Mark had now become a regular visitor over the past few weeks and although disgusted at first at Mark's womanising ways Meredith could not help but like him.

Meredith was still at a loss as to how Derek and Mark had made up and frankly was too scared to ask. All she knew was that they were now speaking and were gradually repairing their friendship. She particularly enjoyed when Mark started telling her stories about Derek as a teenager and the tricks they both used to play on his sisters. Usually by this stage Derek was threatening to expel Mark permanently from the house.

Meredith had officially started working at the crèche and between her and Adele they not only interviewed loads of applicants for the various positions but also added the finishing touches to the nursery – hanging curtains, cleaning cupboards and buying in more toys and utensils that they would also need. They also decided on a uniform for the staff - navy scrub bottoms with a white scrub style top with an assortment of nursery characters. Adele had insisted that as manager Meredith would not need a uniform but Meredith still ordered a uniform for herself on the days she would working in the baby room.

The crèche had been fantastic idea and was very popular with the hospital staff. Meredith enjoyed meeting all the parents and was amazed at how many people knew Derek. She was worried as to how Beth would adjust as it had always been just her and Beth in the house together, but Beth was having a ball. She enjoyed playing with the other babies and the other baby room staff. When she was tired she would still crawl over and cling to Meredith.

For the first time in ages life was good thought Meredith. Her and Derek had finally went on their first official first date the previous weekend with a meal in a small intimate Italian restaurant before going to see a movie. Adele had babysat for them and the evening had ended with a heavy make out session on the sofa. Meredith knew that Derek wanted to do much more than kissing but he knew that she was not yet ready to take their relationship to the next level.

She was grateful that Derek that was not rushing her into sleeping with him. Admittedly there was nothing that Meredith wanted more than to wake up in Derek arms but she could not understand why someone as good looking as Derek wanted to be with her but deep down she was still embarrassed that she would not be good enough for him.

Derek could not help but think that Meredith still had a low opinion of her herself and still thought of herself as the nanny instead of his girlfriend.

Derek was also happy with the way their relationship was progressing. He was always kissing her and texting her throughout the day in between surgeries. Now that the hospital crèche was open Derek would call in several times throughout the day to see how she was and also to spend some time with both her and Beth.

The game had just started when the telephone rang. Derek answered as he knew it would his mother returning his earlier call. He had the dreaded task of informing Carolyn Shepherd that he, Meredith and Beth would not be spending Thanksgiving or Christmas with the family at the Cape.

Mark who was only to aware of the force of nature that Carolyn is about these things whispered to Meredith "You think he is winning?"

"I have no idea" Meredith replied.

"Yeah well he is braver than me" Mark answered back.

Tradition had it that you had to spend at one least holiday at the main house in Cape Cod. Derek had explained that he and Addison used to spend Thanksgiving at her parents in Manhattan and then Christmas with his family; this would be reversed the following year. However this year with them only arriving in Seattle, Derek thought that it would only be fair if he did the holiday cover at Seattle Grace. Meredith had thought the same and thought it would good if she covered some of the shifts over the holiday season.