Under the Night Sky

Chapter 56

"Are we in Rachel already?"

"We're not even out of Las Vegas, Mark," Derek chuckled as he drove through the city's outskirts, blending in the traffic on one of the highways leading out of the Sin City. There couldn't be anyone in the party more excited and impatient to be back in Rachel than Derek but somehow it was Mark who was behaving like a nine-year-old on sugar rush. Or maybe he was just cranky that all of he had seen of infamous Las Vegas was the airport and the suburbs.

Not even a mile later, Mark whined from the backseat, "Are we there yet?"

"No, Mark," Derek rolled his eyes and proceeded to explain patiently, "And we're not that much closer than five minutes ago when you asked for the last time. I told you Rachel was further off from Vegas."

"Fine," Mark sighed and sank back into the seat as far as it was possible with him squeezed between Addison and Amelia.

About a quarter of an hour later the road split into two and Derek expertly took the one on the right, where the traffic was much thinner.

"So," Mark asked once more, "are we there-"

This time, three female voices that so far kept quiet due to the heat and general sleepiness after several hours of journey filled the car, "No!"

________________________________________

"Dr. Grey! Dr. Grey!"

Meredith groaned inwardly as she saw Mrs. Livingstone rushing towards her through the narrow alleyway in the food section of Rachel's only store. Judging by the overzealous expression on her face, she was a woman on mission. Meredith already suspected what the purpose of this mission was. The tale of the newest development in her love life had spread through Rachel like wildfire, stirring up another wave of solidarity as well as outrage. Plus, she felt she was Rachel's charity case number one again, the community's efforts at making her happy ever so stronger as everyone felt personally offended with Derek's betrayal of trust.

"Dr. Grey!" Mrs. Livingstone halted in front of her breathlessly. "You will not guess who is back in town!"

"The aliens?" Meredith quipped in response but the sarcasm in her voice was barely noticeable, certainly undetectable to the old lady.

"Oh, you like making fun of me, don't you?" Mrs. Livingstone rolled her eyes. "I'm talking about my nephew Jimmy!"

"Oh?" Meredith drew a blank but did everything in her power to look politely surprised. She would grin and bear it, even if she was seething inside. Her anger was not directed at the townies though. True, their matchmaking was irksome to say the least but they wouldn't have taken place if it hadn't been for Derek... Stop, she was not going to think about him, just like she wasn't talking to him despite his many attempts. Her cell phone was ringing constantly since she got back. Well, not anymore, she went as far to avoid him as to change her number and Derek was unlikely to procure the new one.

"You've met Jimmy," Mrs. Livingstone droned on, "at my diamond wedding party. He's a real estate agent in Vegas..."

"Right..." Meredith smiled feebly something stirring in her memory. Blonde, piggy eyes, no visible neck? Did she really seem that desperate?

"He may not be... the best looking man out there," the old lady said diplomatically as though guessing Meredith's trail of thoughts and looked at her pointedly. "But there are some qualities about him... like honesty... or reliability... that some men lack altogether. Good looks are not everything."

"I know that," Meredith replied dryly and discreetly looked around searching for an emergency exit out of the situation. Then she remembered leaving Bert outside. As of late Bert became really clingy and protective, as though sensing her being out of spirits. So it was not unusual when he hopped into the jeep this morning when she was about to take off. "Mrs. Livingstone, I would love to stay to chat," Meredith smiled her. "But I think I can hear my dog whining... He doesn't like being left alone. I'll just pay for my shopping and dash."