All I Want Is This

6

Meredith's eyes slowly started open as Meredith woke up. As she became conscious of her vision, Meredith met Alicia's sleeping face. They were just a few inches away from each other and Meredith could hear her breathing and sleeping. Close to her chest, Lolo was sleeping as well almost hided under the girl's arm. A smile lightened Meredith's face and banished the sleep. The room was sunk in darkness, but the few rays of sun that were sneaking inside through curtains told Meredith that a new day had come.

It had been such a long and exhausting day at work and meeting Mark hadn't been that enjoyable either. Therefore, she could feel pain in her muscles and brain. Despite all this, she felt relaxed after a good night sleep.

Meredith rolled on back and stretched her body letting a yawn out to lead the tiredness outside her body. She raised her arm to check the watch, but all she could see was her skin; she had left her watch in bathroom on counter last night. Meredith looked on the nightstand beside her bedside, but there wasn't any clock and on Alicia's either.

Meredith raised the quilt and slowly made her exit from bed. The mattress creaked as she let her weight on the edge of the bed and Meredith winced and looked back at Alicia to see if she had disturbed her sleep. Alicia remained motionless, enjoying her sweet dreams.

Meredith raised an eyebrow amused and muttered quietly "Heavy sleeper." She leaned down and drew the quilt over the girl. Then, she walked on tiptoes outside the bedroom and closed the door.

On hallway, she met the same semi-darkness as in Alicia's bedroom. She paid more attention around her to find more details of those surroundings. It was a small and narrow hall with a door on one side and two doors on the other side and its end was leading you straight to bathroom. It was also simple; painted in a color, which seemed more as gray in the lack of light and without photos of any kind as she was used to see in people's houses. The apartment was in silence, so she walked quietly towards bathroom.

Meredith closed the door with the same discretion as her previous gestures and flicked the light on. A white strong light invaded the room and made Meredith wince and close her eyes. She opened them back slowly until they adjusted to light. Meredith leaned over the sink to watch her face in the big mirror from wall. She ran two fingers down her cheek and under her eyes as if she wanted to smooth their bags. She turned on the cold water and put her hands under it to enjoy its cold spray. She filled her palms with water and as she leaned over the sink, the water splashed over her face. Meredith repeated it for a few times until she felt her face freezing. She turned off the water and looked back at mirror watching the big drops of water drawing under her chin. Meredith ran the back of her hand under the chin to remove the excess of water and used the sleeve from Mark's shirt to dry her face.

Meredith saw her watch over her clothes at the edge of counter and leaned to take it. She fixed it on her left arm and checked it. As she did that, Meredith gasped and looked back at mirror to see her panicked face. "It's passed 8" She muttered and with a sudden movement the door flew open and she hurried out, without any concern of be discreet and not wake up anyone.

She stopped as she got back on hallway trying to figure out which one was Mark's bedroom. One room had its door open, so Meredith guessed it.

Through the half-open door, Meredith saw Mark sleeping in his bed. She pushed to door open and made a step inside. Her feet remained blocked and Meredith hesitated.

Mark was sleeping on back with a blanket covering only his lower body. Meredith watched him and a cocky smile crossed her face as she found herself staring at his bare abdomen. She gulped and looked away trying to make the smile disappear. She also made a step backwards to get out of his room. "It's late... very late" Meredith thought. It wasn't the time to play shy or embarrassed. He wasn't the first man she saw naked. She saw many men naked... completely naked. "And he is just an idiot." Meredith completed her thought in words.