The Luckiest

13

"It's the second to the last house on the left, Mer, and it's huge, there's no way you'll miss it," Sophie said, the sounds of the restaurant almost drowning her out on her cell phone.

"Okay...second to last house on the left," Meredith nodded, writing it down on a pad of paper in front of her. "I got it."

"Good," she could almost hear Sophie grinning. "It's going to be amazing. You definitely have the day off right?"

"I have the day off," Meredith smiled into her phone. "By some small miracle."

"Mom's almost more excited than I am. By the way, prepared to be attacked by her. She hasn't seen you in a week and a half and she already has the idea the hospital doesn't let you eat or something."

"They practically don't," Meredith groaned into the phone. "It's been insane here. I can't wait to see everyone. Derek does know I'm coming, right?"

"Of course he does," Sophie laughed. "We've all been talking about it. He just stays silent but kind of smiles or something. Kind of. He's been off."

"More off than usual?" Meredith frowned.

"Not really. Mom's just been all over him about sleeping or whatever. Oh, and he got his hair cut really short and apparently Mom thinks it's a call for help. I happen to like it."

"Short? I think I could like it. I mean I loved the long. It looked nice to run your fingers through and I like it, not that I got to do that but still...nice. But short could be nice...really nice."

"Nice mini ramble," Sophie laughed. "And yeah, it looks nice. Meg and I decided it makes him look younger. Which then made Mom think he was going through a mid-life crisis. I'm pretty sure Der was ready to kill her. He's only thirty-two.'

"He's too young for a mid life crisis," Meredith giggled. "He probably just wanted a change. Change is good. Especially since he's going through stuff. Whatever stuff is."

"Yeah. I mean, the family's going to be there and all the nieces and nephews and cousins and...they all love him, he's great with kids."

"Cousins?"

"Yeah. Aunts and uncles too. We had people fly from New York, which is crazy. This is the big Shepherd family get together and everyone's going to be there. It will be seriously amazing."

"Everyone?"

"Yep. Well, not everyone. My aunt Lara couldn't come this year. Not that it matters. She and Mom hate each other, which actually was my entertainment for years."

"So it's...everyone. Not just the people I know. Well the people I know and husbands and kids. It's everyone. A whole bunch of people. How many people, Sophie?"

"Um...sixty? Ish?"

"Sixtyish?"

"Maybe more. Maybe less."

"That's...that's a lot of people. I thought...your mom said family barbeque, I thought family. I thought...family. Not...a...an army or something else really big and scary and big."
"It's the Shepherd family. Well the Shepherd/Maloney family."

"It's...Sophie, I don't do family."

"You'll be fine, Mer, it's great."

"No no, it's not great. It's bad, really bad. I'm not...I don't do family and Derek isn't...he doesn't even look at me. Everyone is going to want to know why I'm there and it will be awkward and bad and this is...bad."

"Mer, you're my friend. And Mom's newest adopted kid. They'll love you," Meredith heard her friend rustling and then, "Yeah, I'm coming! Mer, I gotta go before Nance blows up. Apparently the new hostess is a dumbass and I have to train her. Again. See you tomorrow!"