The Shepherd Legacy

Party Sneakout

Mary is a high school senior here, not a resident.

The living room was filled with a tense atmosphere as Mary Shepherd, a senior in high school and the younger sister of renowned neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd, hesitantly approached her older brother who was engrossed in a medical journal.

"Derek, can we talk?" she asked nervously, fidgeting with the strap of her backpack.

Derek looked up from his reading, a warm smile on his face. "Of course, Mary. What's on your mind?"

Mary took a deep breath, choosing her words carefully. "There's a party tonight, and I was wondering if I could go."

Derek's expression shifted from warmth to concern. Parties were a source of frequent injuries in the ER, and he couldn't help but worry about his little sister. "Okay, um... Mary, you know I'm not a fan of those parties. There's usually a lot of alcohol and drugs involved. It's not a safe environment."

Mary sighed, knowing this wouldn't be an easy conversation. "Derek, I'm eighteen now. I can take care of myself. It's just a party, not a war zone. And I won't be drinking, I promise."

Derek furrowed his brows, the concern deepening. "I don't know, kid, I've seen what can happen at these parties. I can't let you put yourself in that kind of risk. I don't think it's a good idea."

"But, Derek—"

Before Mary could finish her plea, Mark walked into the living room. He raised an eyebrow, sensing the discord.

"What's going on here?" Mark asked, looking between Derek and Mary.

Derek sighed, briefly glancing at Mark before turning his attention back to his sister. "Mary wants to go to a party tonight, and I don't think it's a good idea. There will be alcohol, drugs..."

Mary couldn't contain her frustration. "This is ridiculous! I'm not a child anymore. I can make my own choices! Why can't you trust me?"

Both Derek and Mark looked at each other before Mark chimed in, "It's not that we don't trust you—we don't trust the other kids. Derek's just worried about you, Mary, we both are. These parties can get out of hand."

Mary rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, "You guys are so uptight. I can handle myself."

"Watch it, Mary," Derek warned, a stern look on his face.

Ignoring Derek's warning, Mary muttered, "You're such an ass," and stormed off, leaving her brothers in the living room.

Derek's frustration flared, and he made a move to follow her, but Mark put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. "Let her cool off, Derek. We'll talk to her later."

Reluctantly, Derek nodded, realizing that pushing Mary further at that moment might not be productive.

--

Later that evening, Mary seized an opportunity to sneak out to the party, disregarding Derek's strict prohibition. The music was loud, the atmosphere charged, and the allure of freedom was intoxicating. Despite her promise to Derek, Mary could not resist her classmate's offer of a beer. One beer turned into two, which turned into three, and before Mary knew it, she was quite drunk.

Back at the Shepherd household, Derek, still troubled by the earlier confrontation, decided to check on Mary. He expected to find her studying or absorbed in her phone. However, as he entered her room, his eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of an empty room.

Confused and angered, Derek stormed back to the living room, where Mark was reading a magazine. It was around 3 AM when Mary stumbled through the front door, her eyes glazed and movements unsteady. Derek and Mark were sitting in the living room, their expressions a mix of disappointment and concern. On the table between them, a cane rested ominously.