Avery's Anatomy

Twenty six

Gratitude, appreciation, giving thanks. No matter what words you use, it all means the same thing. Happy.We're supposed to be happy. Grateful for friends, family, happy just to be alive...

Charlie looked at the turkey in her kitchen, checked the time on the clock - 8:23 am - then returned her gaze to the turkey. She was aware of the traditions associated with Thanksgiving, like gathering with loved ones, but couldn't recall ever truly celebrating it herself. Though Rosa prepared a meal, Charlie often retreated to her room with a plate of food to watch TV, disengaged from the holiday spirit. Lost in thought as she surveyed the turkey, Charlie didn't even notice when Meredith entered the room.

What is..." Meredith began, looking at the turkey before turning her gaze back to Charlie.Charlie shifted her focus from the turkey to Meredith as she spoke, "It's Thanksgiving."Nodding slowly, Meredith questioned, "So, you're preparing dinner for it? Celebrating the occasion?"

Charlie grimaced and gently prodded the turkey. "I've never cooked a turkey before, never celebrated Thanksgiving. Having an alcoholic mother really ruins things like this," she sarcastically remarked.Meredith brushed off the sarcasm, well accustomed to Charlie's defense mechanism. "Then why did you buy a turkey?" Charlie sighed quietly. "I was at the store yesterday. Everyone was bustling, picking out the perfect turkey, and I thought, why not give it a try?"Meredith barely contained her laughter as she asked, "You gave in to the turkey craze because everyone else was buying one?" Charlie simply shrugged, admitting that she hadn't thought much about it and just picked up a decent-sized turkey. Then she noticed Meredith's outfit and questioned, "Are you heading to work? I thought you had the day off?"

Wincing, Meredith explained, "I'm not a big fan of celebrating Thanksgiving, so I volunteered to go in to work."

Charlie mused, "It does make sense, we're a bit of a mess, aren't we?" She chuckled, "While most people are busy getting prepping at the crack of dawn, here you're off to work, and I'm staring at a turkey like it's the source of all my problems."Meredith laughed in agreement as she wrapped her arms around Charlie's waist, resting her head on her chest. "Yeah, we're definitely a bit dysfunctional. You're not mad that I prefer working over being miserable together, are you?"Charlie reassured her, "No, it's fine. One of us has to break free, so I'll do some cleaning and maybe make some room in the closet just in case you decide to move in soon."

Meredith raised her head to meet Charlie's gaze. "So, you really want me to move in?" With a nod, Charlie replied, "Yes, I've no idea why you think I'm joking, I'm serious." Meredith shrugged, "I have my issues - abandonment, trust issues, pick one." Charlie gave Meredith a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I get it, I do. I'll keep saying it until you believe me. I enjoy having you around, disrupting my orderly bathroom, and seeing you scatter your clothes around, even if it secretly annoys me a bit."

Meredith smiled knowingly, well aware of the little twitch Charlie had whenever she intentionally made a mess. She teased, "Maybe I'm just incredibly messy. Are you sure you want me here permanently, never leaving?" Charlie lovingly held Meredith's face and gently kissed her, assuring her, "I do."

Meredith felt a jolt in her chest as she gazed into sincere and adoring gray eyes, and she responded with a simple "okay."

Charlie seemed taken aback, her eyes widening as she sought clarification from Meredith: "Just to be clear, do you mean 'okay' as in you're moving in, or 'okay' as in you understand that I enjoy having you here?" Internally amused, Meredith debated whether to playfully tease Charlie or reveal that she had made her decision the very night Charlie had asked. After a brief pause, she said, "Okay," and earned a playful glare from Charlie before finally admitting, "Yes, I'll move in."Charlie's smile and bright eyes showed her excitement, but she couldn't help but notice a hint of a reservation in Meredith's response. "I sense a 'but' in there," she remarked with a touch of amusement.