Hello folks! This story is a new project and it is inspired by Sophie Kinsella's book.
It is very AU and thus the characters could be a little different from the show.
The main characters will be Meredith and Derek, but Lexie and Mark will play a quite fundamental role, too.
There will be hints of other characters too.
Please, let me know what you think about it and if you believe I should continue this.
As always, remember I am not a native English speaker, so forgive me for any mistakes.
Enjoy! :)
Prologue
Honestly, Meredith has always thought that men don't gain anything from a marriage proposal. They have to do all the work, indeed. They create the most appealing occasion, they kneel down, make the question and, above all, they buy the ring.
Women's task is so much easier. They only have to answer and pronounce a Yes. Or No, according to the circumstances.
"Who knows which is the percentage of rejected marriage proposal?" Meredith is wondering and she actually opens her mouth, in order to share her consideration with Finn, but she closes it immediately. It is a stupid question.
"Excuse me, are you saying something?" Finn directed his gaze to her.
"Oh, nothing!" Meredith smiles: "I was only... studying the menu!"
Maybe he has already bought a ring. Or maybe not. It is the same thing, Meredith would love choosing it together, too.
She takes a sip of her water and smiles lovingly to her boyfriend.
Their table is close to one of the huge window and the view of downtown Seattle and Elliott Bay is breathtaking. The rotating SkyCity restaurant, at the top of Space Needle, is one of the most romantic and expensive restaurants in Seattle and couples usually go there to celebrate their engagement. It is the perfect place for a lunch marriage proposal.
Meredith wears a sober black skirt and a printed silk shirt and she spent a fortune for a pair of stockings. Usually she wears more casual clothes but today is a special day.
Finn looks nervous. He keeps straightening the cuffs of his button down shirt and glancing to his wristwatch. He is so handsome.
When he notices that Meredith is staring at him, he smiled.
"Here we are."
"Here we are." Meredith echoed.
It's like they are speaking in code, avoiding the main topic of that date.
Meredith is going to explode, the waiting is unbearable.
Why is he temporizing so much? On the other hand, he could be waiting for the most suitable moment. It's not like you propose marriage everyday.
Meredith is already so excited, she can't help it. She has been like that, since she understands his intention.
Finn is pragmatic and blunt. He doesn't surprises you with unexpected and upsetting revelations.
He usually leaves clues and thus Meredith is always ready for his surprises.
So, this time too, he fixed the date, talking about this special lunch. And then he has touched on a very important question he is going to make to Meredith. Then he joked about his surname, asking her if she liked it. And she likes it, indeed. Though she is going to miss being Meredith Grey, she'll be very happy to be Meredith Dandridge, too.
It is even too obvious he is going to propose! It's not like Meredith is obsessed by the idea of getting married; but they have been together for almost two years now and they love each other. It is her longest relationship so far and she believes they fit perfectly together. Not to mention both her younger sisters, Lexie and Molly, got married before her. Well, to be honest Lexie is now dealing with her divorce and it is a nasty and unpleasant situation. But it is not the point. Meredith strongly believes she is ready to start her family with the man she loves. She is thirty-three years old, after all.
"So Meredith, are you ready to order?" Finn asked her and he is grinning.
"Ehm..." Meredith lowers her gaze to hide her blushing. Actually, her mind is wondering about their future together, their beautiful blonde-haired children and their house.
Obviously she can't tell him that.
"Meredith? Are you okay?"
"Oh, sorry!" She quickly replies. "It's nothing. I am only sad you'll leave tomorrow."
Finn is a vet specialized in animal behavior. He is going to New York to give lectures about cultural transmission in animals and he will be there for the next six weeks. Meredith will miss him a lot, but at least she will be busy with wedding planning.
"Babe, don't be sad, I hate when you feel like this." he grabs my hand on the table, squeezing it. "We'll Skype everyday."
"Yeah, I know." she squeezes his hand back.
Finn grins and strokes her cheek. "I love you." his voice is deep, warm and relaxed. Meredith thinks she'll never get bored of hearing it. "I love you, too."
"Speaking of which, Meredith..." Finn clears his throat. "I should ask you something."
Oh my Goodness! Meredith widens her eyes, her lips stretched in a tight smile.
She lowers her gaze and gulps, seeing one of the stockings has fallen down her ankle.
She can't receive a proposal in that state!
"Sorry, Finn." she interrupts him.
Meredith grabs the stocking sneakily, tugging at it but the thin fabric unavoidably breaks. Great!
"Are you alright?" Finn asks her, worried.
"I have to go to the toilet." she grumbles. "I am sorry. I am so sorry. Can we take a little break?"
"Are you alright?" he repeats.
"Yes, I am." Meredith replies, flushed with embarrassment. "I have a little problem with my clothes. Can you turn your face, please?"
Finn is very perplexed but he turns his head compliantly.
Meredith passes through the dining room, aware of people staring at her. She has a drooped ans snagged stocking around her ankle, after all.
She pushes the bathroom's door, takes off her shoe and then pulls out the stocking quickly. She has just paused her wedding proposal. Meredith almost laughs, thinking about it!
A blonde girl turns to look at her, holding a red lip pencil.
"The waste basket is there." she points it out with her chin. "Is everything alright?"
Meredith looks strange, standing there without a shoe and holding a stocking.
"Yes, it is. Thank you." She throws away the ruined stockings and, suddenly, she needs to share the solemnity of the moment with all these stranger women. "My boyfriend is proposing to me!"
All women turn in order to look at her.
"What do you mean he's proposing?" asks a thin girl with red hair and a pink dress.
"Well, he told me he had to ask me something very important but then this disaster happened." Meredith replies, gesturing toward her naked legs. "So he is in pause, now."
"In pause?" another girl asks, incredulously.
"Well, if I were you, I'd hurry up." the girl with red hair says. "Don't give him the chance to change his mind!"
"How exciting!" the blonde exclaims. "Can we watch you? Oh! Maybe I can film it!"
"We could upload the video on YouTube!" another woman says.
"Oh, I don't think it's a good idea." Meredith murmurs.
"How does it work?" an old woman with gray hair barges in the discussion. She is shaking angrily her hands under the soap dispenser. "Why they invent these infernal machines?"
"Aunt Mae, you have to lower your hands, exactly like this." the girl with red hair reassures her.
Meredith takes her mobile, she has to send a message to Lexie.
- He is doing it!
Her reply appears on the display:
I hope you aren't writing a message in the middle of your marriage proposal!
- I am in the bathroom, now.
- I'm so excited, you are awesome together! I love you xxx
- I'll tell you everything later! Love you too xxx
"Your mascara is dripping." the blonde states and she gives her a makeup remover pen.
"Thank you." Meredith smiles politely at her and starts removing the little dark spots around her eyes.
"I wish my boyfriend will propose to me, too." a girl says gloomily. She has long dark hair and wears a black dress. "What is the trick?"
"I don't know." Meredith replies, feeling sorry for her. "I guess it's because we've been together for a long time now. We know we are made for each other."
"We are too! We live together, our sexual harmony is fantastic and everything is great!"
"Don't pressure him too much." the blonde wisely suggests.
"I don't! I give him all the time he needs. But we have been living together for six years now. What can I do?"
"Six years?" the old woman asks and she seems incredulous. "What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing is wrong with me." she says, visibly annoyed.
"Aunt Mae!"
"Don't shush me, Amy!" the old woman scrutinizes all the girls from head to toe. "Men are like animals. As soon as they catch their prey, they eat it and then they fall asleep. I guess you hand him your prey to him on a platter, don't you?"
"It is not so simple." the girl with dark hair replies.
"Back in my day, men got married only because of the sex." the woman chuckles. "Nowadays you sleep with men, live with them and then you want the engagement ring. You are fool! Hurry up, Amy, I am hungry. What are you waiting for?"
Amy glances at us, asking other girls for forgiveness and then she exits with her aunt.
"Don't worry." Meredith reassures the woman in black. "I am sure everything will end well."
"Yeah." she whispered. "I hope so. Well, I wish you lots of happiness!"
"Thank you!" Meredith gives the makeup remover pen to the blonde. "Well, now I have to go. Cross your fingers for me."
Meredith goes out the toilet and walks toward her table, Finn is looking at her.
"Sorry." she says as she sits down. "Can we push the rewind button?"
He smiles and nods but it seems the waiting has stifled his enthusiasm.
"Today is a special day." Meredith encourages him. "Don't you feel the same?"
"Definitely."
"The restaurant is wonderful." she keeps talking. "The perfect place for a... chat."
Meredith leaves her hands on the table and Finn quickly grabs them between his, gently stroking them.
He takes a deep breath and says: "Meredith, I was going to ask you something."
Meredith doesn't dare to blink or look away from his face and she is actually holding her breath.
"Well, I guess it won't be a big surprise for you..."
"Yes?" she nervously whispered.
"Would you like some bread?"
Both Meredith and Finn jump as a waiter has approached their table, holding a basket of white bread and some butter.
Meredith wants to cry, it seems the fate is against her wedding!
As soon as the waiter leaves them alone, she asks Finn: "So, did you want to make me a question?"
"Yeah." he is staring at her but soon his expression changes again. Another waiter is coming, to take their orders.
They both order their meals and Meredith doesn't pay attention at her choice, indeed.
When they are alone she giggled: "It seems today is not your day."
"Eh, no."
"I think the sommelier is coming, too."
"It's like being in the middle of the Red Square!" he directs his gaze to the sky, feeling discouraged.
"We can get some champagne, what do you think?" he suddenly asks.
Meredith can't help but smile widely, he wants to celebrate! "Well, isn't it a little premature?"
"It depends." He lifts his eyebrow. "You tell me."
"In this case..." Meredith stops and her eyes are actually shining as she speaks. "Yes, my answer is and always would be yes!"
His forehead relaxes as if he has been afraid by her response. As if Meredith could actually say no to him.
His proposal has been subtle and she likes it.
"Yes, Finn." Meredith repeats. "You can't believe how much this concerned me."
He intertwines his fingers with hers ans it is like they are communicating in a code they only know.
They stay in silence, no words are needed.
Meredith is already fantasizing about the colors of the wedding, her dress and the invitations. She feels sorry for the other girls too, but nothing can ruin this moment. She looks forward to telling everything to Lexie!
"So... Are you happy?" Meredith eventually breaks the silence.
"I can't be happier!" Finn replies.
The sommelier has just arrived and he smiles at them: "Would you like some wine, sir?"
"We need champagne, indeed!" Meredith promptly exclaims.
"Absolutement." he nods. "We usually serve Ruinart for special occasions."
"It is perfect! Today is a very very special day!" Meredith can't help but share her happiness with the world. She sees the girl with dark hair is looking at them from her table.
"We've got engaged! My boyfriend has just proposed!"
"Mademoisselle!" The face of the sommelier lights up. "Félicitations! Congratulations to you too, Sir."
Meredith turns toward Finn and she notices he doesn't seem happy, at all. He pales and is staring at her as if he has just seen a ghost.
"What-" He choked. "What do you exactly mean?"
Meredith widens her eyes, not understanding his behavior.
"Meredith, we're not engaged. I did not ask you to marry me." he simply states.