Reaching Forward

11

"I don't know what would be worse, having a mother like yours or if mine was lucid and having her telling me how I've ruined my life and never speak to me again." Derek was a bit taken back by this comment; he didn't really know how to reply to it. Sure, his mother could be overbearing sometimes – ok, overbearing was an understatement. But, he knew that his mother would eventually get used to the idea and he was positive once the baby came she would be the doting grandmother he was used to seeing. Derek almost couldn't fathom the scenario that Meredith described about her mother's would be reaction. He hated to say but maybe it was almost a blessing that Ellis Grey had Alzheimer's. Especially, since Meredith had enough stress on her as it was.

Deciding to change the subject, Derek looked back at the clock and said, "Well, I have to go into surgery. I figure we can take my mother out dinner tonight, to lighten the mood."

Merely nodding her head, Meredith went back to work and started filling out more forms on another patient's chart.

As the hours ticked by after he last spoke with Meredith, Derek had finished up his surgery and was going out to tell the patient's family that everything had gone as planned and the patient was in recovery. However, before he arrived in the waiting room, his cell phone vibrated. Looking at his watch, he figured it could be his mother getting into Seattle so answered it only to find another familiar female voice shouting through the line, "Derek! You got your slutty intern pregnant!?"

Making a mental note to himself to never answer his cell phone again without checking the caller ID first, Derek groaned and answered, "So, I guess Mom told you, Nancy."

Completely ignoring his response, his sister questioned, "How far along is she!? Was she pregnant when I came out there and if so why didn't you tell me then!?"

The questions seemed to go on and on until Derek interrupted her, "Nancy! Yes, Meredith is pregnant. She's about ten weeks along and yes she was pregnant when you came out here if you haven't done the math already. Look, Nancy, as you probably know already, Mom's probably about to be here so I'm going to have to let you go. Bye." He hung the phone up and sighed. Sometimes, he really did hate having four sisters.

And no sooner than he got off the phone with his sister, the phone rang yet again. Making sure, he checked the caller ID; this time it revealed it was an actual a Shepherd woman he was prepared to hear from. Answering, he said, "Mom, have you arrived yet?" He heard the noise in the background of a lot of different muffled voices.

"Yes, Derek, I just arrived I'm waiting on my bags to come around this filthy trolley."

"I'm coming to pick you up just give me a few minutes."

'No, no, I'll just get a cab besides you have to work and I have to find a hotel and get settled in." Mrs. Shepherd insisted and was not going to have it any other way.

"Fine, but Meredith and I are going to pick you up when we get off work and go out to dinner."

"Why that would be lovely, Derek, eight o'clock?"

Even though she wasn't there Derek gave off a fake smile as he spoke, "Sure, Mom, see you then."

After finally getting off of the phone with his sister and mother, he thought he would have a little down time before any more stress came into his life. But, as things tended to go in his life, his pager went off. Seeing that it was a 911, he started jogging towards the emergency room.

Meanwhile in the back alleyway of the hospital, the five residents under the Nazi's command sat eating various snacks and studying for upcoming surgeries they were about to scrub in on. Well, sans Cristina since she was sort of on probation for the whole hand tremor situation. Instead she came barreling in and sat down beside Meredith and started complaining, "I can't believe that Bailey is making me dig through piles of shit. I am a surgeon! I am Cristina Yang!"