You're Like Coming Home

50.

"Oh," Meredith said, a smile slowly spreading over her face. "Bowling."

"Now let's go," Nancy said, moving towards the door. "We have to catch the last ferry into the city."

Meredith giggled as she hooked her arm through Addison's. She'd never thought she would go bowling for her bachelorette party, but she couldn't deny that it sounded like fun.

XXXXX

"Seriously?" Derek asked as he turned to Mark as they stood on the street in the city, surrounded by Chris and Matt and a handful of friends from high school that they had kept in touch with through college. "The strip club's closed, Mark."

"I can see that," Mark rolled his eyes as he looked at the building that now boasted a sign for a preschool. "It wasn't a preschool last summer."

"Well, now what the hell are we supposed to do?" Derek asked. "I knew I should have asked someone else to be my best man."

"Dude, you don't have any other friends," Mark rolled his eyes. "And we'll find somewhere else."

"You better find somewhere else," Derek snapped. "Because if Meredith finds out how pathetic this party is, she'll never let me forget it."

"You are so whipped," Mark said. "Do you think of anything besides your..."

"Do not insult Meredith," Derek said evenly, stepping closer to Mark, anticipating his best friend's comment. "I swear to God, Mark..."

"Bowling!" Chris suddenly yelled, causing Mark and Derek to turn from each other.

"What?" Derek asked.

Chris pointed to a neon sign down the road, advertising a bowling alley. "We can go bowling."

"That's the lamest thing I've ever heard," Mark said, turning to Derek. "Your niece better get Kath's genes."

"No, he's right," Matt said. "We'll just rent out a private room and call some strippers."

Derek sighed. "Fine," he said. "Let's go."

They made their way into the bowling alley, and Mark smiled as he walked up to the counter, leaning close to the blonde working behind the desk. "Do you have any room for a bachelor party?" he asked, flashing her a brilliant smile.

The girl smiled politely before she looked into her book. "We do have an open room," she nodded. "This must be a popular time to get married. We've got a bachelorette party here tonight too."

XXXXX

"Strike!" Meredith shouted, pumping her fist in the air as she turned back to her friends. "I so won that round."

"You can't win a round," Kathleen rolled her eyes. "You win a game."

"Whatever," Meredith giggled as she reached for her apple martini. "No one else has gotten a strike yet."

"Okay, that puts Meredith' in...fifth," Liz announced as she looked up from her scorecard.

"Fifth?" Meredith frowned. "I just got a strike."

"And that was the first time you've even knocked any pins down," Caitlin pointed out.

"Oh," Meredith said. "It seems," she announced as she drained the last of her drink. "The more I drink, the better I get."

Addison laughed as she reached for Meredith's arm. "Maybe so," she said. "Let's go get another round."

"Okay," Meredith smiled, following her friend to the bar. "Thanks for letting me take off that stupid crown," she said. "It was totally hurting my game."