FIVE DAYS LEFT
"And when's Evan getting here?" Cynthia asked.
"Heidi's flight got in about 25 minutes ago. But he'll be here any minute." Zoe said. Cynthia nodded and picked up her glass of wine.
"The house looks nice." Cynthia said. Zoe smiled.
"Thank you." Zoe said. Zoe sat on the couch and looked at Connor.
"Are you sure you don't want anything Connor?" Zoe asked.
"I'm okay. Thanks though." Connor said. Zoe nodded and picked up her glass of wine.
"Zoe how's work?" Her father asked.
"It's good. It's been busy because of Christmas. But it's been good." Zoe said.
"What do you do?" Meredith asked.
"I'm an interior designer." Zoe said. Meredith smiled.
"That's so interesting!" She gushed. Zoe smiled and heard the door open.
"Evan!" She said softly before getting up and walking to the door.
"Hello!" Evan said looking into the living room and smiling.
"Heidi!" Zoe said happily.
"Zoe! Oh honey it's so good to see you! How have you been?" Heidi asked.
"I've been well. How was the flight?" Zoe asked. Heidi smiled.
"It was good. Hello Cynthia." Heidi said cheerfully.
"It's wonderful to see you Heidi!" Cynthia said, standing to greet Heidi.
"Likewise! Hello Connor." Heidi said. Connor smiled and waved.
"Heidi I don't believe you've met my wife Meredith." Connor said. Heidi took her jacket off and set her purse down.
"I don't think I have. I'm Heidi. Evan's mother." Heidi said. Meredith smiled.
"It's wonderful to meet you!" Meredith said.
"How long have you and Connor been married?" Heidi asked.
"3 years this past October." Meredith said. Zoe took Heidi's suitcase into the other room and Heidi took her shoes off.
"Here Mom, let me take your coat." Evan said.
"Thank you honey." Heidi said. She walked into the living room and sat down.
"Larry! I didn't even see you! How are you!" Heidi said. Larry smiled.
"I've been well Heidi. And yourself?" He asked. Heidi smiled.
"Can't complain!" Heidi said.
"Can I get you anything to drink Heidi?" Zoe called from the kitchen.
"A glass of white wine if you have any?" Heidi asked.
"Absolutely!" Zoe said. She poured a glass half full of wine before walking into the living room and handing the glass to Heidi.
"Thank you honey." Heidi said. Zoe smiled.
"Okay. So we have a dinner reservation at Moxie's at 6:30. We can take two cars again." Zoe said.
"Moxie's? Sounds fancy." Cynthia said.
"Somewhat. Why does that matter?" Zoe asked.
"I was just pointing it out! No need to get all bent out of shape!" Cynthia scolded. Zoe sighed.
"I'm going to top off my glass." She said. She picked up her empty wine glass and walked into the kitchen.
Zoe opened the bottle of white wine and poured herself a glass before taking a drink from the bottle.
"Woah! Okay! Easy Zoe. Wine is strong!" Evan said, walking into the kitchen.
"Don't get me wrong, I love my family. But why are they staying with us?" Zoe asked. Evan took the bottle from her and kissed her forehead.
"Because someone wouldn't let them go within 12 feet of a hotel." Evan said laughing.
"Shush. It's called being a good hostess." Zoe said. She kissed Evan before taking another drink from the wine bottle.
"My mother has been here for an hour and I already want her to go home." Zoe muttered. She picked up her glass before walking back into the living room.
"So Meredith, what do you do for a living?" Heidi asked.
"I'm an almost done my OBGYN training." Meredith said.
"So do you help deliver the babies?" Heidi asked.
"Yeah! I help deliver them and sometimes I have to do procedures on them. If they're born with defects." Meredith said.
"What about kids of your own?" Heidi asked. Meredith smiled.
"Me and Connor have talked about it. It's definitely something we'd like to try." Meredith said.
"What about you Heidi?" Meredith said.
"What about me?" Heidi asked.
"What do you do?" Meredith asked.
"It's rather complicated." Heidi said.
"Well what are you trained in?" Meredith asked.
"I worked as an ER nurses assistant for a while. I've gone to school for law. I've done many different things." Heidi said.
"That sounds wonderful." Meredith said. Connor looked at Zoe.
"Hey Zoe, I totally lied. Can I have some water?" Connor asked.
"Yeah absolutely. Give me one second." Zoe said. She set her glass down on the table and walked into the kitchen. Her mother followed.
"Yeah Mom?" Zoe asked.
"Oh nothing darling. I'm just looking around." Cynthia said. Zoe sighed and poured water into the glass she had gotten for Connor.
"Looking for what?" Zoe asked.
"Honey I'm jut admiring your house. Am I not allowed to do that?" Cynthia asked.
"No it's fine." Zoe said.
"Are you sure you're happy here? Because you can always come home." Cynthia said.
"Mom. This is my home. I live here now. We've had this conversation." Zoe said.
"I know. I just get lonely without you and your brother." Cynthia said.
"Well, I'm glad everyone could fly down for Christmas. Still not sure how that got arranged but I'm happy you're all here." Zoe said. Cynthia hugged her daughter.
"We're all happy to be here." Cynthia assured her. Zoe smiled and carried Connor's glass to him.
"There you go big brother." Zoe said. Evan sat beside her and wrapped an arm around her.
"Don't stress. You can do this. Super hostess. Remember?" He whispered in her ear.
"Oh yeah. I remember." She whispered back. Connor and Meredith smiled.
"Connor remember when we used to do that?" Meredith asked. Connor smiled.
"Oh yeah. I remember."
