It was 6 in the evening and all the members of the board were finally free at the same time to hold a meeting that everyone was trying their hardest to postpone.. It was bad enough that they had to often reschedule surgeries to discuss budgetary issues but to have to let procedures slide to discuss ball room decorations or as Alex puts it 'balloons and ribbons', it was each of theirs personal nightmare personified, expect maybe Callie and Arizona's. But after the legendary failure of their last..well for a lack of a better word- circus.. They had to make sure that this years charity fund raiser did not have clowns or magicians or potential ortho patients hanging upside down on ropes..they are only so many times you can bring the donors to the O.R. Gallery and persuade(guilt) them into loosening their pockets without giving them a proper party!
And so the board had gathered together to actually discuss balloons and ribbons which in the end were both put under the 'never gonna happen' list.. No..this year it was going to be age old trusted elegance..chandeliers, vintage candlesticks, velvety seats and lace doilies in a dull gold leather..
The debate over the appetisers was interrupted by a nurse Debbie's knock on the door, every doctor suddenly hoping that it was their patient in dire need so that they Could escape this teenage fantasy of hosting the perfect ball.
"Chief Hunt, your mother is here"
A half listening Owen Hunt jumps up at his name, sends a quick prayer of thanks above, preferring the confusion of the statement over discussing the demerits of serving caramalized onion and fig pizza bites.
Before he could reach the door though, Callie's sharp voice catches him off guard. "Sit your ass back down Hunt, before you bribed the nurse you should have remembered telling us that your mom was visiting her sister in London."
Owen mutters a curse under his breath and says, "I thought you were too drunk to register anything I might have said, oh wait a second, I did Not actually bribe anyone to say anything, so exactly what mother is asking for me?"
He looks at the nurse and asks "are you sure she was asking for me? Maybe it's a patients mother?"
Nurse Debbie replies that she's sure as her exact words were and she is quoting "I don't need an appointment to meet the chief because I am his mother, now call him right now unless you are not interested in keeping your ill-deserved job any longer" and since she does wants to keep the job, she interrupts a board meeting.
Meredith and Owen both raise their eyebrows at that and sigh together in unison.."oh crap!"
Alex, Derek, Callie, Arizona, Jackson and webber all mirror each other's surprised eyebrows in confusion and ask together "what?"
Owen then proceeds to ask the nurse if the woman in question looks Asian by any chance?
She replies, "She does actually...oh!" It suddenly dawns on everyone together that the woman in question is cristina yangs mother. It also answers any leftover doubts of where cristina may have inherited her panache for merciless beratings from.
Owens trance is broken by Alex's go-to-reaction for everything. "Dude!"
Owen then proceeds to ask Debbie if she could just tell Mrs. Rubenstien that he died in that mall explosion a month ago. She replies that she would if she could but she already told her that he was in a meeting and hence alive.
Owen- how about a ceiling fan just fell over my head like right now?
Nurse- we have central air conditiong and no fans.
Owen- well she doesnt need to know that!
Nurse- maybe she was right. I really don't deserve this job! *rolls her eyes and leaves*
Owen- Grey! Karev! You both look like you spent you teenage years escaping confronting parents! Quick! Ideas!
Arizona- umm I have one, just go and talk to her!
Callie- Oh please! You have never met that woman, she raised the woman who scares the crap out of..well everyone! Trust me! I have hands on experience! And I mean that Literally! My first meeting with her involved her tying a measuring tape to my boobs. Taking my measurements. Out loud. In the middle of an E.R. For a bridesmaid dress. Without my permission. Or a warning!
Arizona- oh come on! She can't be that difficult! Just be charming and confident! You run one of the most successful hospitals! And you are a decorated military officer! You are polite and respectful and courteous and chivalrous. Mothers love that crap! You have nothing to worry about!
Owen- What? Oh! I'm not worried about her not liking me! If anything she adores me more than cristina I think! That part is not the problem!
Jackson- then what is? And why are we all sitting here discussing it?
Owen- the problem is that cristina spent every waking moment of her last two weeks in Seattle with me and I don't exactly remember her calling her mother up to say anything along the lines of 'hey mom! I am moving to a different continent! '.. And I really don't want to be the one to tell her that her only child couldn't bother saying goodbye before she left!
Meredith- umm sorry to further twist the knife hanging from your gut.. But knowing cristina..are you actually sure she would have remembered to mention your divorce to her?!
Owen- oh my god! That woman is going to be the death of me! Why is it 3 in the morning in Zurich?
*There is an almost musical knock on the door! the kind where you dance with your knuckles on the wood, which answers what classiness dipped in condescension sounds like!*
Owen swallows with visible effort as Alex smirks that this was going to get better!
Mrs. Rubinstein opens the door and smiles widely while moving forward to meet Owen who greets her with a kiss on the cheek! She says she hopes she is not interrupting anything and that she decided to stop by because she remembered that the annual charity fund raiser was coming up and thought that maybe after last years fiasco they could use her professional expertise! And that of course meeting her favourite son was just an added bonus!
Owen chuckles nervously while everybody else in the room is trying their hardest to not laugh at his expressions!