Against the clock

24.

Derek took a deep breath, as if bracing himself for the words he needed to speak. 'Addison, it's something between Meredith and I,' he said, the admission hanging in the air like an unspoken truth. 'There are unresolved issues, and we need to figure out how to move forward—for everyone's sake.' Addison's eyes widened, a mixture of surprise and disbelief clouding her features. 'Unresolved issues with Meredith?' she asked, her voice incredulous. Addison's eyes bore into Derek, a mix of confusion and frustration evident in her gaze. 'Derek, you told me that the video was fake!' she said, her voice rising in both volume and intensity. The revelation seemed to hit her with a force, and she struggled to reconcile the conflicting information.

Derek met Addison's gaze with a solemn expression. 'The video was real, but the circumstances were not what they seemed,' he admitted, his voice carrying the weight of truth. 'We were forced into that situation, and Meredith and I have been trying to navigate the aftermath.' Addison's incredulity deepened, and she took a moment to process Derek's words. 'Forced? What do you mean, forced?' Her voice wavered between disbelief and a growing sense of concern. Derek sighed, choosing his words carefully. 'It's complicated, Addison. There were external factors, pressure that led to that situation. Meredith and I didn't choose it; it was imposed on us.'

Her voice rose with each word, carrying the weight of her emotions. 'Imposed? Why couldn't you just not do it!' She yelled, the intensity of her question echoing in the room. Derek took a deep breath, understanding the depth of Addison's feelings. 'Addison, it's not that simple. There were... circumstances beyond our control. We were pressured, and the consequences of resisting would have been severe.' Addison's frustration turned into outright anger. 'That's not an excuse, Derek! You had a choice!' Derek's eyes met Addison's, and he could see the hurt and betrayal reflected in her gaze.

As Addison turned around to leave, Derek said, 'Meredith's pregnant.' Addison's footsteps halted abruptly as she processed Derek's unexpected revelation. Her eyes widened, a mix of shock and disbelief crossing her features. 'Pregnant?' she repeated, her voice a shaky whisper. Derek nodded, the weight of the truth evident in his expression. 'Yes, Meredith is pregnant,' he admitted, the words hanging in the air, intertwining with the complex web of emotions already present in the room. Addison's emotions seemed to swirl between the revelation of Meredith's pregnancy. 'Is it... Is it yours?' she asked, her voice barely audible.

Derek hesitated, glancing briefly at Meredith before meeting Addison's gaze. 'We're not sure,' he confessed, the uncertainty adding another layer of complexity to an already tumultuous situation. 'How could this happen?' she said as she started crying. Derek's shoulders sagged under the weight of Addison's accusations. 'I didn't want any of this, Addison.' Even though the explanation held a certain truth, it landed on me like a sharp slap across the face. Addison's disbelief gave way to a profound sense of hurt and betrayal. 'A baby?' she whispered, her voice a fragile thread in the charged atmosphere. Addison's laughter cut through the heavy atmosphere, a bitter and incredulous sound that echoed in the room. 'We've tried for years, and now, bam, she's pregnant,' she laughed, her tone laced with a mix of irony and despair. Derek hesitated before speaking, his words carefully chosen, 'Addison, we don't know if it's mine.'

'So, you might be having a child with her?' she asked, the words carrying both accusation and a desperate plea for clarity. Derek nodded, acknowledging the possibility. The room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of unspoken emotions filling the space. Addison's tears, a manifestation of her shattered expectations, underscored the depth of the wounds inflicted. Derek took a deep breath, as if bracing himself for the words he needed to speak. 'Addison, I didn't want any of this to happen. I know it's difficult for you to understand.' Addison's gaze, a storm of emotions, held a mix of anger, confusion, and a hint of desperation. 'You chose her, Derek. You chose her over us,' she accused, the pain in her voice reverberating in the room.