I've Loved and I've Lost

Chapter 68

Third POV

Danica plops down into the seat next to Jackson, her eyes practically closing as she sways. "Long night?" 

"Liylah made a friend and went over for a sleepover and I couldn't sleep cause I was worried about her," She yawns quietly as she rests her head on his shoulder. "Long lecture equals nap time," 

"Preach," Alex agrees as he slowly gets comfortable. 

"Oh no it's not gonna be boring. This is Jackson's mom. Catherine Avery," 

Danica jolts awake at April words. For some reason, the thought of Jackson's mom being here terrifies her. Sure she's not dating him but meeting his mom is nerve wracking. "You okay?" 

She turns to Jackson and gives a forced smile. "Yeah, yeah, I'm great," 

"You're mom's a urologist right?" Meredith questions, giving Danica a sceptical look. 

"Yeah, I met her while I was an intern at Mercy West," April answers for Jackson. "She's amazing," 

"She is a lunatic," Danica chuckles quietly at Jackson's words. 

"No, she's not. She's brilliant. She says these things that shock you, but then when you think about them later, they change your whole life," April continues to gush over Jackson's mother. 

"Or they ruin your whole life. She's toxic. She's a meddler. My mom has no boundaries. Be warned," That doesn't help with the current pit of anxiety that swirls in Danica's stomach. 

"Oh hey, is that why you shipped Lexie out of state?" Alex asks, his voice sleepy. 

"Jackson," Danica chastises, mostly because with the girlfriend not here, Catherine might choose the ex-fling to be her victim. 

"Who hides his girlfriend under a rock while his mom comes into town?" Christina criticises with a smirk.

"Someone who's got a hypercritical surgeon for a mom. I get it," Meredith says simply, understanding where Jackson is coming from.  

"Is your mom ambidextrous? I bet you she is. All the best surgeons are," Cristina answers her own question before Jackson gets a chance to speak. 

"Wait a second. How often do you talk to my mom?" Jackson questions, turning to look at the red-headed surgeon next to him.

"We're facebook friends,"

"You're ... you and my mother?" 

"She's a brilliant surgeon and woman. She's a trailblazer," 

"And she's got a stalker," Meredith jokes. 

"Hey, you know what? Just meet her. You'll see it," 

"Wake up, everybody," Danica jolts in her seat, sitting up straighter for some reason. Jackson gives her a confused look before she ducks down in her seat, hand covering her face.  "I know, I know, it's grand rounds, where we have to sit and listen to somebody talk about how somebody did something and here's how they did it, and there's not enough coffee in Brazil for this. Well, not today. Today we are going to do. Today I'm going to change a life and maybe make medical history, too," 

Jackson begins to slowly duck down in his chair, now at the same level as Danica who hasn't sat back up.

"And I can't do it alone, so who wants to step into the future with me?"

"Woohoo!!!" Everyone stares at April which causes her to duck down in her chair as well. 

"Okay. That's ... that's all right. That's a start. Let's see if I can get a few more. Ryan, honey, would you come out here, please?" A man walks out onto the stage, wearing a robe for whatever reason. "Everybody, this is Ryan,"