"So the insulation is all set, the wood beams for your log home feel just need to be sanded and stained. Which will happen when we get the drywall up and the paint on." Marcus talked while Meredith looked around at her house in awe with wide eyes not hearing a thing and Derek actually listened. Marcus walked in front while they followed behind, hand in hand. Derek gripping onto her and not letting go. The house was a construction site and while Marcus assured Derek it was safe right now, he was not letting Meredith out of his sight.
"Is the outside concrete poured?" Derek asked.
"Yes, the pool, spa, guest house, outdoor kitchen and fireplace, the covered walk way, the dock and boat house. All have been poured."
"Spa and pool" Meredith smiled and whispered. Derek rolled his eyes at the two words that she actually processed.
"Is the estimate completion time the same?" she asked, speaking her first words since they started this inspection 30 minutes ago other than spa and pool.
"Yes" Marcus turned to address her, "We are right on schedule and expect to have the interior, exterior, landscape, everything all finished in November."
"Christmas." Meredith whispered turning to Derek, her eyes all glowing with realization they'll spend this years Holidays in their brand new home. Their first house together.
"I love Christmas." He smiled back at her thinking the same thing as her, they were going to have their Christmas together in their home. Decorations, stockings on their fireplace mantel, a huge tree in their great room. Meredith saw it all also, she couldn't contain herself, she giggled and flung herself into Derek's arms to hug him.
"It's our dream house Der, everything we dreamed about all those years ago." She whispered with tears in her eyes. "I know baby, I know. We got it and for Christmas." Derek held her tightly against him, his own eyes misty with the realization and remembering that conversation they had back when Meredith was just 18 years old.
Meredith sat cross legged in jeans and a sweatshirt on the floor of Derek's bedroom in his mothers Long Island home , chewing her lip nervously as she tried to fold all his clothes he had gotten earlier that Christmas day as gifts. Her new gift glistening in the light.
"Where will we live?" she asked.
"We'll get an apartment"
"But with what? I'll be starting NYU in the fall and you will start your internship."
"I do have money and will get paid for the internship, Mer" he laughed before continuing. "Don't worry Meredith, we can do this. You do still want to marry me right?" he asked her nervously for the first time since he had proposed to her this morning wanting no other Christmas present other than her promising to spend the rest of her life with him.
She looked up at him shocked at his question before untangling her legs and crawling over to where he sat opposite her and crawling into his lap, she grabbed his face with both her hands, looking straight into his eyes. "I want nothing more in the world than to be with you forever, I'm just scared of how we'll do it." She whispered.
"We've got the support of a lot of family downstairs, we have each other, that's all we need Mer."
"We're getting married, and I know we have money and I'm just being neurotic .So ignore me, I know we won't have to live on the street." She giggled.
"Well, I hope we would never have to do that and I'll never ignore you. I love you even when neurotic. I want to grow old with you and give you your dream house."
"My dream house, huh" she said as she snuggled into his arms as he leaned back against the bed stretching his legs out. "I don't think I ever dreamed of a dream house, I never thought, well I never thought I'd find you and have all this."
"Well you have me, so now close your eyes and think of what you want your house to look like." Meredith closed her eyes, inhaling his scent and let her mind wander to years from now. When she was done schooling and they were working side by side in a hospital what their life would be like.
"No city, I don't want to live some snooty neighborhood in the city in a townhouse or penthouse apartment. I want land, and grass. I want our house to be homey, like here at your mom's. A real home, where we feel safe and comfortable, someplace we can raise our children and not worry about the neighborhood. Not hustle and bustling."
"Okay, grass and no city. I agree, I loved being raised out here and having the best of both worlds."
"Hmmm no bricks, wood. We need a pool too, so we can swim and barbeque on hot summer weekends."
"Sounds very good to me. Bathing suits optional, I hope." He whispered seductively.
"Derek!" She gasped slapping his chest. "This is my dream house dream, no porny thoughts in our dream house discussion."
"Does this mean no sex in our dream house?"
"No, they'll be sex, lots and lots of sex. But not in our dream house discussion.'
"It's in my dreams"
"Stop!" she giggled.
"Fine, okay, back on topic. Grass, no bricks, wood, pool, barbeque. What else?"
"A lake!" she exclaimed.
"A lake? Seriously Mer?" he laughed.
"Shut up, yes a lake, with a little dock where you can put your fishing chair and you and Mark can sit out there and fish in our own backyard."
"You want a lake for me? That is sweet..."
"What do you want?"
"I want what ever brings a smile to your face."
"Come on Derek, I already said yes, I'm marrying you and not backing out now. Come on, what do you want? Pool table room? Video game room? A nightclub in the basement? I know there's something" she laughed.
"Hmm an entertainment room with a little bar, pool table and some video games sounds good. May be a big TV home theatre thing, we can snuggle in and watch movies at home."
"Sounds perfect." She said in a quiet whisper, the exhaustion of the full exciting day finally catching up with her, as she lay snuggled in Derek's arms.
"Oh and I want a guest house far from the main one, so when my sisters come and visit we can stick them all out there." he said seriously.
"Der, that's mean!" she said in a whisper.
"I'm serious. Guest house is a must."
"Fine!" she relented sighing as she drifted off to sleep.
"Trust me, you'll thank me for it one day. Sweet house dreams" He said kissing her on the top of her head.
Meredith pulled back from his arms pulling them both out of their memory. She looked at him and then around the unfinished house with tears in her eyes. Grabbing his hand again, they walked back over to Marcus who had given them their moment and was pretending to do something in the corner.
"How about we go see your dock and lake" she said while staring at Derek with his own glistening eyes threatening to spill out. Derek couldn't form words, he just nodded and they let Marcus lead the way out of the great room, through the kitchen out back to their backyard. Explaining little things here and there, while Meredith and Derek were both now tuned out and were in their world of awe.