Avery's Anatomy

Thirty two

Charlie played with the cuffs of her suit, which she picked because it was the only unworn item in her closet. She examined herself in the full-length mirror in the hotel room, scrutinizing her appearance. Her hair was styled in a sleek ponytail, and she wore a gray and black outfit. Instead of a regular tie, she opted for a ribbon that Meredith thought would enhance the outfit. Glancing at the clock, she turned to the hotel bathroom, where she no longer heard the sound of the shower running, indicating that Meredith had finished.

She let out a sigh, feeling jittery and dreading all the possible mishaps at her dad's Christmas party. Catherine had probably organized it, but he would be the main host, which meant more than just family would be there. Friends, coworkers, maybe even some board members. She was so preoccupied with what might happen that she didn't notice when Meredith stepped out of the bathroon.

"Baby," the sweet nickname Meredith liked to use, caught her eye, and she was stunned by what she saw when she glanced over.

She was surprised by how breathtaking Meredith looked in red, even more so than in black. She gaped in awe at the stunning sight before her: a bold red dress that complemented Meredith's skin tone, with a daring slit that made little Charlie twitch in its confines.

"Wow.." she said, still trying to burn Meredith's image into her memory.

Meredith blushed a bit, anticipating surprise but not expecting her girlfriend to freeze and simply gaze at her. She found Charlie's intense stare flattering though. She fixed any imaginary creases, feeling a bit nervous, "So, what do you think?"

Charlie tried to speak but got a dry mouth, "uh, uh," she said nervously. Her date chuckled, and she shook her head to clear her thoughts. Walking over, she took her date's hands and said, "If I went blind now, I wouldn't regret anything, especially seeing you look so gorgeous, my love."

Meredith blushed, "Is it too much?" she asked anxiously.

Charlie shook her head vigorously, "No, it's just right." she kissed Meredith's hand and grinned affectionately "You're perfect, well, not perfect because perfection is boring, but you're perfectly imperfect and I'm grateful I snatched you off the market before anyone else did."

Meredith shook her head, "You're flattering me, and I appreciate it." she laughed before admiring Charlie's outfit for the evening "You look quite stunning yourself."

Charlie laughed "I might as well be wearing a potato sack next to you, babe," she teased with a smile.

"Stop it, unless you want us to be late," Meredith cautioned with a hint of desire in her voice.

Charlie didn't mind at all, she wanted to slowly unzip that red dress and see it drop to the floor before making love to Meredith, party be damned. "I don't see the problem."

Meredith chuckled, "Of course not. Come on, your sister-in-law said she'd send a car by seven?"

Charlie sighed with a slight frown, "Ex-sister-in-law, but yes, after I confirmed I'd be coming with a date, she took care of everything."

X

The drive to the Avery's estate was quite tense, with Charlie getting more anxious as they got closer. Meredith watched her with concern, holding her hand for comfort.As they drove down the winding path, Charlie couldn't help but chuckle at how extravagant everything was.

"Your father really went all out, huh?" Meredith said quietly as they approached the large manor.

Charlie, who had never been there before, simply shrugged. "It's too flashy for me, but everyone has their own taste, I guess."