Everyone Has Secrets

Chapter 28

Meredith had been gone for three days. She'd left at some point after the surgery had finished, he hadn't seen her around since she'd left the scrub room. The next day he'd thought maybe she'd just gone home to get some well-deserved sleep, and was taking the day to herself, but then he'd accidentally overheard a conversation between Ellis and Richard. Ellis had been angry, or maybe more upset about Meredith going to Sacramento with Brian. It had been made clear that Ellis was not Brian's biggest fan, but why that was he hadn't deciphered. Almost like he was missing a piece of the puzzle.

Which would probably help further explain what she'd said to him in the scrub room. About trying again, about owing it to someone, maybe Brian he assumed, to try again. It was clear there was history there, but he just couldn't put his finger on it. There was just something missing between them, but it wasn't his place to butt in and be nosey about it. Meredith had made her decision, and while he was hurt by that decision, he had to respect it. He had to move on.

Except it was pretty hard not to think about Meredith Grey, and it was more than just her beauty or her intellect. It was because his daughter wouldn't stop asking him when they'd see her again. Maddie still had the present she'd made after her trip to the aquarium with his mom, and she brought it everyday to daycare with her in hopes of seeing Meredith. The small gift bag currently sat on his desk, with instructions to fetch Maddie immediately once Meredith arrived so she could present her with it.

He hated telling her he didn't know, and he wanted desperately to give Meredith space, but Maddie had told her about the present. And maybe it would be an excuse to talk to her and make sure she was okay, because apparently, he needed excuses now to talk to her. And his excuse was his four-year-old daughter.

They'd just got back from the hospital, and Maddie was engrossed in watching Frozen on the tv while he did some paperwork in his office. He could call her now while Maddie was distracted. It would be better than calling when Maddie was in bed because he had no idea what time zone she was in, so he figured the earlier he could do it the better. She hadn't mentioned anything about going international, so he could only hope she wasn't off in Europe somewhere.

"Hello?" her confused voice answered the call after only a couple of rings.

"Hey, I've not woken you up or anything have I?" he asked.

"Oh, no I just got out the shower, and..." she cleared her throat slightly, "I just didn't expect you to call at all. Is everything okay? Is Maddie okay?"

"We're okay, everything's fine it's just," he paused a moment, trying not to get too distracted by the idea of her wrapped in only a towel, "You kind of disappeared from the hospital, and Maddie was asking when we'd see you again because she has that present for you."

"Oh, crap," she muttered, "Wait, she can't hear me right now, can she?"

"Oh no," he chuckled softly, leaning against the counter, "She's engrossed in the world of Frozen at the moment."

"Oh good," she laughed softly, "I'm actually in New York at the moment, and I don't know if I'll be by the hospital, but I am in Seattle at the weekend for Maggie's birthday."

"Any chance you can squeeze us in to your jam-packed schedule?" he joked lightly, "I'm off all weekend, anyway."

"I'm free on Sunday," she said after a short pause, "I was just going to walk the usual trail, maybe you and Maddie could join me?"

"That sounds like a great idea, yeah," he said, unable to keep the grin off his face.

"Great, I'll see you both there then. Oh, how's our patient?" she asked, and he could hear her genuine concern just in her voice.