Leaving, losing, loving | Merluca

Part 5

Meredith walked Andrew to the door, when they saw Amelia and Link just getting back from their early shift. Amelia stopped for a moment in the door when she saw that Meredith wasn’t alone there. She frowned, looking at them surprised, before she asked Andrew curiously “Did you just come back or are you going again?”

“Both, but I’m back.”

“I’m too tired to understand that.” She smiled confused at them, making everyone else chuckle beside her.

“Well, I’m glad to see you back.” Link said to Andrew, before he brought his arm around Amelia inside and went inside with her.

Once they were alone again, Meredith took his hand in hers. Then she looked up at him, trying to see how he was, still having in mind what he had confided in her earlier that day.

“That wasn’t too bad, was it?” She asked genuinely, squeezing his hand a little.

“No, it wasn’t.” He answered honestly, before he added laughing a little “My therapist would be proud of me.”

“Andrew.” She had no doubt that this was a step his therapist would like to see, but she wanted him to know that she was also proud of him. She was searching for his eyes, having a small smile on her face. “I’m proud of you. I’m proud of you as a doctor; and as a person.” She squeezed his hand as if to confirm what she had just said.

She could see that he was at a loss for words, but he didn’t need to say anything. She meant it, she was proud of him, of him finding those diagnoses and saving their patients; saving Richard. And she was proud of him as a person who always wanted to help other people, his family, and now tried to get through this, who tried to figure out how to live with his own diagnosis. She was proud of him.

…

The day had come to an end, and after having the day off and spending it with her kids, she now found herself in the kitchen, cleaning up the plates from dinner. She heard the door handle click; it was Maggie coming back from work; Winston had to work longer that day. She went over to Meredith, leaning against the doorframe of the kitchen, looking at her.

“You seem better.” She stated after a moment.

Meredith looked up, knowing that her sister wanted to add more. “What?”

“Well, first, I wanted to apologize for yesterday. We went too far. We only wanted to help, but obviously we failed in listening to you.” Maggie went further inside the kitchen, sitting down on the table.

“Thank you, Maggie.” Meredith answered, knowing that her sisters only had good intentions.

“And second?” Meredith prompted, already guessing what she wanted to talk about.

“Andrew. Is he back or just-“ Maggie started, when Amelia joined them in the kitchen, having overheard their conversation.

“Yeah. Is he staying?” Amelia asked, sitting down with them.

“He’s back, he starts working at the hospital again.”

“Since when is he back?” Amelia added confused.

“He came last evening and stayed the night.” Meredith informed them, trying to give her sisters some answers.

“He stayed the night?” Amelia looked at her raising an eyebrow.

“Not like that, they were sleeping on the couch.” Maggie interfered, slightly amused to what conclusion Amelia’s brain had come. “How did you not see them?” She added, shaking her head, while looking at Amelia.