Unexpected Love

Chapter 25

That evening, Meredith was at home with Derek and Crystal. They'd had a quiet dinner together, and Crystal was now sprawled out on the living room floor, coloring, while Derek and Meredith relaxed on the couch. Meredith's nerves were still buzzing from the board exam earlier that day. She knew it would be days, if not weeks, before she heard anything—yet she couldn't fully shake the tension.

Derek, sensing her restlessness, wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. "You did great, Mer. I know it," he said reassuringly.

She gave him a small smile, leaning her head against his shoulder. "I hope so. I just... I put everything into it. I want this so much."

Before Derek could respond, Meredith's phone pinged with a notification. She glanced at the screen, her heart skipping a beat when she saw the subject line of the email: Board Exam Results.

Her hand froze, gripping the phone tightly as she looked at Derek, her eyes wide. "Oh my God, it's here."

Derek's eyes widened as well. "Open it!"

With her heart pounding in her chest, Meredith tapped the email open, scanning the first few lines. As her eyes landed on the words, her hand flew to her mouth, and her eyes filled with tears.

"I passed," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "Derek, I passed! I'm officially board-certified in neurosurgery and general surgery!"

Derek let out a whoop of joy, scooping her up in his arms as he spun her around the living room. "I knew it! I knew you could do it! Double-certified Dr. Grey! I'm so proud of you!"

Crystal looked up from her coloring, a bit bewildered but smiling at the excitement. "Mommy, what happened?"

Meredith turned to her, beaming. "Mommy did it, sweetie. I passed my test! Now I'm officially a neurosurgeon and a general surgeon."

Crystal's face lit up, and she clapped her hands. "Yay, Mommy!"

Meredith knelt down and pulled her daughter into a hug, feeling the warmth and love of her family surround her. "Thank you, sweetheart."

As they hugged, Derek went to the kitchen, popping open a bottle of sparkling cider they'd been saving. He poured three glasses—one for him, one for Meredith, and a smaller one for Crystal.

"To Dr. Meredith Grey, double-certified surgeon, incredible mother, and the love of my life," Derek said, raising his glass. "You've worked so hard for this, and no one deserves it more."

Meredith clinked her glass against his, her eyes shimmering with gratitude and happiness. "To us," she said softly. "To our family, to this life we're building... and to what comes next."

After they toasted, Meredith picked up her phone again. "I need to call everyone!" She started with her mom, dialing Ellis's number. When her mother answered, Meredith could barely contain her excitement.

"Mom, I passed," she said, her voice filled with pride. "I'm board-certified in both neurosurgery and general surgery."

Ellis was silent for a moment, and then her voice softened. "Meredith, I'm... I'm very proud of you. This is an incredible achievement."

Hearing those words from her mother was like a balm to her soul. "Thank you, Mom," she whispered, feeling a wave of emotions swell within her. They spoke for a few more moments before Meredith hung up, feeling a new sense of peace with her mother's words.

One by one, Meredith and Derek called friends and family to share the news. Her sisters were ecstatic, and the rest of her colleagues expressed their admiration and joy. Each call brought fresh laughter, congratulations, and reminders of how hard Meredith had worked to reach this point.