"Happy Birthday Zola!" It was Zola Shepherd's 2nd birthday. She opened her eyes to see her two parents smiling and holding a birthday cupcake for her.
"Are you excited for your party?" Her mother Meredith asked grabbing her out of bed. Zola nodded and hoped out of bed and started towards the stairs. They entered the kitchen and Meredith strapped her in to her boaster seat.
"Here's your cupcake." Derek, her father, said while peeling off the wrapper and then handing it to her.
Zola took a big bite and smiled. "Yum."
Her parents smiled back at her.
The party started at 1pm so they had to leave the house by 12 to be there on time. Living awhile out of town sometimes was a burden for Meredith and Derek but they loved the thought that their friends couldn't just show up at their door at all hours anymore.
The party was a The Fun Factor. It was an indoor playground with 4 unique slides and a ball pit. Zola loved playing there so they thought it was the perfect place to throw her party.
It was 12:40 when they got there. Outside the entrance they saw Alex and Cristina waiting for them. Cristina had a large pink gift bag in her hand making Zola smile excitedly.
"Happy Birthday Zola! How old are you now?" Alex asked as they headed inside the building
"Two" She held up her two fingers like a little peace sign.
"Wow you're getting up there, aren't you." Alex smirked
They entered their private party room and started to hang up balloons ad streamers. Everything in the room was pretty and pink. Zola had fun watching her daddy blow up balloons and then letting all the air out so they would fly around the room. At exactly 1 Miranda Bailey and Tuck showed up. Bailey had a cardboard tray filled with cupcakes in her arms and Tuck was holding a small wrapped present in his.
"Happy Birthday, this is for you." He said passing the box to Zola.
"Daddy look!" She said showing him the present.
He smiled and placed it next to Cristina's gift. "Will open your presents when everyone's here okay Zo."
She nodded and pointed at the door. "Play time."
"Derek why don't you take Zola and Tuck to play while we wait for everyone else." Meredith said grabbing her car key's from her purse. "And Alex would you mind grabbing are presents from the car?"
Alex groaned but grabbed his jacket and headed to the parking lot. On the way he bumped into Arizona, Callie and Sofia. Sofia was clutched to Arizona's side and smiling bright.
"Hey Alex, your leaving already?" Arizona asked pointing at the key's in his hand.
"Oh, no. I'm getting Mer's gifts for her so she can finish putting up the Birthday banner." He replied and continued to the car.
When the three ladies entered the room it was completely covered in pink.
"Pretty!" Sofia said jumping out of her mother's grasp and grabbing a balloon of the floor to play with.
"Where's the birthday girl?" Callie asked while placing their gifts in the pile in the corner.
Cristina showed Callie out to the hallway and to the playground where Zola and Tuck were crawling on Derek in the ball pit.
"Come on Sofia," Arizona said holding her hand "Let's go play with Uncle Derek." They headed over to the ball pit while Cristina went back to the party room. When she returned Alex was back sitting on the bench talking to Meredith while Bailey was on the phone on the other side of the room.
"Hey Cristina, did Callie say why there's a gift from Mark here?" Meredith asked. Cristina shrugged and sat down beside them.
"It's creepy. The dude's dead why would you buy a gift from him?" Alex said crinkling his nose.
Right then the door opened. It was Owen.
"Hey guys," He said entering the room. He was holding a small wrapped box. It looking like maybe a movie or a video game.
"Hey Owen, you can just put that over there." Meredith pointed to the pile of presents.
Alex's phone vibrated.
"Who is it?" Meredith asked glancing a peek.
It was a text from Jo. It read: Hey Alex, what are you doing today?
"She can come Alex, its okay with me." Meredith said nudging him and then turning to grab her camera. "I'm going to go take some pictures of my little munchkin." She headed out of the room leaving Bailey, Owen, Cristina and Alex.
Over at the playground Zola and Sofia were begging Arizona to come on the rolling slide. She didn't want her prostatic leg to get caught in the slide and break so she told the girls she would catch them at the bottom. It was the next best thing.
Meredith bumped into Derek in the ball pit sitting tossing the balls up in the air. They would go up and then land on his chest. Callie was sitting beside him.
"How's the room looking?" Derek asked when Meredith joined them.
"Pretty nice. Sofia sure liked it."
"Sofia likes everything. If you put a pink bow on a live crocodile she would want to take it home." Callie said with a leer.
Back at the room Cristina and Owen and Bailey were talking about medical cases when Richard and Jackson finally showed up. Richard had his arms wrapped around Jackson's mother, Catherine.
"Hey guys." Jackson said entering behind them. "How the party?"
"The kids went to play in the ball pit or something," Alex said starting down at his phone. "Where's your girlfriend?"
"You mean April?"
"Who else." He tucked his phone in his back pocket again.
"Were not together anymore so I have no idea."
Right then April entered with a big smile on her face. She was hold two pink gift bags and one box wrapped in blue and white wrapping paper. "Sorry I'm late I had to stop at the hospital."
"What's with all the gifts?" Bailey said pointing at the presents in her arms. "I thought there was a 40 dollar limit."
"One's from me, ones from Shane and one's from Derek's sister. She's still in the hospital so she couldn't come and Shane just wanted to be nice."
Cristina walked over to help April because it looked like she was about to drop them all. "I guess someone should tell Mer everyone's here so we can open gifts and have cake."
"I'll go." Jackson said and he exited and began to walk to the play area. When he arrived Zola and Meredith were right by the door. Zola was sucking on a juice box, Meredith standing right beside her.
"Uncle Jackson!" Zola squealed passing her juice box to her mom and hugging Jackson's leg.
"Is everyone here?" Meredith asked
Jackson nodded lifting Zola in his arms. Meredith told the others and they headed to the room.
They started by opening gifts. Zola sat on the bench with Alex on one side of her and Jackson on the other. Meredith sat across from her so she could take pictures.
"This one's from me and Aunty Cristina." Alex said handing her the bag.
Behind the Present opening Derek and Callie were placing candles on the cupcakes.
"These are so pretty." Derek said taking his finger to get a lick of icing from one of the cupcakes. They were chocolate with green icing that looked like grass. They were all topped with a ladybug and one pink candle.
"What are you a child?" Callie said remarking the icing Derek was licking off his finger.
Back at the present opening Zola had got two new dolls, some new dresses, 3 DVD's, some candy, a ton of play-doh, some arts and crafts stuff and Dora sheets and comforter. Jackson passed her another gift. It was the one labeled from Mark.
"This one says from Mark?" Jackson said glaring at the tag.
"Oh well when we cleaned out his apartment we found that in the closet." Arizona said lifting Sofia onto her lap. "It had a sticky note on it that said to: Zola so we thought it was for her birthday."
"Wonder what it is?" Meredith said staring at it. Zola didn't wait long to rip off all the wrapping paper. Everyone gasped and awe'd. It was a mini kwad. It was pink and purple and the prefect size for Zola.
"Yay." Zola said clapping her hands.
Everyone smiled and Derek planted a kiss on Zola's head. "Isn't nice of Uncle Mark."
"Thank you." Zola said looking up at the roof. It was almost like she knew he was in heaven. Everyone thought it was so cute.
After that they opened a few more presents. Zola got some books and some paint and a few stuff farm animals. After they finished opening the presents Derek brought over the cupcakes. Arizona lifted Sofia and placed her on one side of Zola and told Tuck to sit on the other. Meredith took a few more photos and then they blew out the candles.
They party was over around 4:00-4:30. Everyone headed out except Owen, Cristina and Alex who helped carry the gifts to the car. Cristina was walking out to the car with Zola holding her hand and Meredith holding Zola's other hand.
"Did you have a good party Zo-Zo?"
"Yeah!" She said smiling.
"I hope you sleep the whole way home." Meredith said lifting Zola into her car seat. Cristina gave her a good bye kiss.
"Call me later Mer."
Meredith and Derek got in the car and rove off.