Meredith softly walked up the stairs feeling her own footsteps thudding against the wood she quietly knocked on the door before opening it, her four year old daughter looked up at her "mommy" Ella said smiling.
"Hey buttercup I've just come to inform you that dinner has been beautifully prepared and I would be greatly thrilled by your presence."
"Um… I say yes don't I mommy."
"That's right clever girl."
"Can I show you my drawings" Ella picked up several sheets of paper.
"Sure what have you been drawing" Meredith sat on Ella's small chair while Ella showed her a drawing of a tree, a green field of flowers, several birds and a dog.
"That's very lovely honey, you're getting to be a good artist."
"You haven't seen my last drawing its my favourite."
Meredith looked at a drawing of herself and her daughter holding hands she smiled with her daughter then she noticed another person smiling in the clouds, "who's that Ella."
"That's daddy watching from heaven."
"I see" Meredith whispered feeling the familiar feeling of heartache returning.
"Mommy" Ella whispered.
Meredith looked at her child as Ella's tiny hands rubbed her head, "i'm sorry mommy this drawing made you sad."
"No dear I'm happy" she took Ella's hands into her own, "do you remember what we talked about before."
Ella looked confused then her eyes lit up, "its about daddy right."
"Your daddy will always be with you, even though you can't see him or talk to him or hug him he's still with you right here" Meredith put a hand over Ella's heart.
Ella nodded, "he's with you all the time too mommy."
"Yes that's right" Meredith smiled widely and kissed Ella's forehead, "come on we've got a nice dinner to eat."
The next morning Meredith was busy putting on her uniform when a loud squeal sounded from outside her door and shaking her head chuckling she opened the door to find Ella jumping on the spot, "you look excited."
"Auntie Christina, auntie Christina is coming."
"I know honey its very exciting" Ella ran past her and started to jump on Meredith's bed. "But" Meredith caught her in her arms earning a shriek of giggles from Ella as she twirled her around, "but mommy has to get ready to go to work so you need to calm down."
Ella grinned and hugged her mother tightly, "I wish you didn't go to work all the time mommy."
"I don't go to work all the time Ella."
"Most of the time you do, when your home I have to go to bed."
"Well we'll try and do something fun this weekend."
"Disneyland" Ella said excitedly.
"Why is it every time I say to you we'll do something fun you say Disneyland."
"It's the funnest place on earth."
"Well I promise someday we'll go there when we have enough money and enough big bags so I can vomit after every ride."
Ella giggled and the doorbell rang, "auntie Christina."
Christina came through the door while Ella ran into her legs, "auntie Christina."
"Hey Ella we're going to have some fun today I got paint and we'll get all messy."
"Did you get paper as well" Meredith said with a raised eyebrow.
"Of course Meri, we won't make a mess of your house."
"Aw" Ella said.
"Ella" Meredith said with a warning tone evident in her voice.
"Only joking mommy" Ella said smiling.
"Okay little miss jokes give mommy a hug" Meredith bent down hugging Ella tightly, "love you mommy."
"I love you so much go have fun."
Meredith walked swiftly to the bus and got on feeling fresh and ready to start the day she put her headphones in her ears and closed her eyes as the music in her ipod began to play. The sound of the bus stopping woke her up and she hurriedly got off the bus and looked both ways before crossing the street she looked at the time on her phone and gasped as she realised she was running late.
"Meredith take the shortcut" she whispered to herself and with her feet flying she ran swiftly down to the pier and sprinted by the water where few people got in her way as she hurried past she was almost at the traffic lights were the hospital was waiting for her on the other side when traffic came whizzing past and she was forced to stop and wait "come on" she whispered stress filling her she looked around her at the other people and at the water then she stopped as she saw something else.
A man who looked as young as Meredith stood by the water gazing at it he was dressed in a bright sporty jacket and as he turned Meredith gasped as she saw the most handsome face she had ever seen his blue eyes gazed at her and Meredith felt her heart skip a beat as the man nervously smiled at her Meredith smiled back as little fish swam up and down her back then her phone buzzed and she turned swiftly around "shit" she said as she realised she had missed the crossing and she looked back the man was gone.
"Late" Owen said loudly as Meredith hurried past him through the hospital she looked at her watch grinding her teeth together as she ran to where her colleagues were waiting for her.
"Ella again" Callie said with an understanding smile.
"Yeah she was being you know… Ella and it made me late" Meredith said not wanting to tell them she was late because she saw what was her perfect image of a fairytale prince, "anyway we should get to work."
Meredith got through her mourning with no dramas and was heading towards the cafeteria to have lunch with her friends.
"Late" Owen said loudly as Meredith walked through the cafeteria doors.
"Oh shut up Owen I was only a few minutes late."
"I'm just playing with you girl, why don't you grab a big dessert from the cafeteria and come and join us."
"Owen you know my routine dinner first then dessert."
Owen sniggered, "you could spoil yourself you know."
"I have a four year old daughter that I'm trying to bring up right I don't want to set a bad example."
"She's not even here, come on just one slice of cake."
"Okay" Meredith smiled as she sat down with Callie Arizona Owen Mark and Teddy.
"So Meredith what's new with you?"
"Nothing is really new with me Callie, I just wake up and the same rugrat greets me with a smile and a hug and then I go to work and I hang out with my friends."
"What friends are we talking about" Owen said.
"You guys" Meredith gently punched his arm "that's who."
"You know you should do something different."
"Like what Teddy" Meredith said.
"I think" Arizona started, "what she means is you should get yourself a hobby you know read a book do something besides us work Ella and sleeping."
"Well who would look after Ella, I already have Christina working overtime."
"Well you do have keen babysitters sitting right in front of you" Mark said.
"Guys you've never looked after Ella before she can be a real handful."
"We will just take her to the zoo… and leave her there."
"Owen" Callie said slapping Owen's wrist, "she's a lovely child."
Arizona patted Meredith's hand, "me and Callie can look after her if you want to get away for a day."
"Well someday that might be nice" Meredith whispered.
Late that night Meredith softly opened the door and found Christina passed out on her couch with a half eaten bowl of spaghetti on the table she softly shook her awake, "Ella" Christina shot up and turned her head in every direction "where is she?"
"Christina you put Ella to bed."
Christina scrunched the lines in her forehead and nodded, "yeah sorry I fell asleep again."
"Christina you're the one doing me the favour remember, do you want a wine or something?"
"Nah thanks just a proper bed would be great."
"If Ella is asleep on my bed again, you can have her bed."
"Thanks Meri I should clean up."
"I'll do that, you just hit the sack can I get you anything?"
"Just don't fire me for being the world's sleepiest babysitter I would miss hanging out with Ella."
"I would never do that" Meredith chuckled as she walked to where her bedroom was and saw Ella sprawled in the middle of the bed sleeping with her mouth open how do you always manage to take up the entire bed she bent down and gently lifted her up Ella stirred softly and moaned.
"Shhh sleep little buttercup" Meredith whispered as she placed her on the other side of the bed and kissed her cheek, "I love you Ella Grey."
