Meredith dropped a load of shopping bags on to the kitchen floor. "Are you sure this was all really necessary, Meredith?" Tabitha asked, as she set two more down on the countertop.
"Of course it was, kiddo. Unless you really wanted that ugly bedspread and crap in that room."
"No, thank you! This stuff is much better."
"That's what I thought. Now go bring your stuff upstairs and I'll figure out dinner." Tabitha raised her eyebrows at her older sister. Meredith had never been a good cook. "Just go!" Meredith waved her off.
"Alright, just don't set the kitchen on fire."
Meredith scowled. "I won't." As Tabitha left the room, Meredith pulled out her old standby: take-out and delivery menus.
"Meredith! We're back!" Izzie shouted as the front door swung open.
"Kitchen!"
"What are you doing?" George asked, peering over her shoulder.
"Dinner."
"Oh. Pizza?"
"We just had pizza Tuesday," Izzie argued.
"No we didn't," Meredith argued. "That was two weeks ago."
"Chinese?" George suggested.
"Ew, no!" Tabitha said in disgust as she reentered the kitchen.
"Yes!" Meredith air-pumped her fist. "No more getting outvoted!"
"What is it with you two and Chinese food?" Izzie asked.
Tabitha shrugged. "I guess the Grey digestive system just doesn't dig the excess MSG. Lexie doesn't like it either."
"Lexie?" George seemed very curious.
"Our other sister," Tabitha explained.
"Of course." Izzie shot Meredith a glare.
"What, I have sisters."
"Look, why don't I just whip something up?" Tabitha strode over to the fridge and opened it.
"Whip something up?" George questioned unsurely.
"Yeah, what do you guys have?" Tabitha looked puzzled. "I see leftover pizza—"
"Hah!" Izzie interrupted. "I told you!"
"It still could have been from two weeks ago!" Meredith retorted.
"Anyway," Tabitha continued, "I see leftover pizza, vanilla extract, and beer. And ew, the green stuff on that pizza is definitely NOT vegetables." She dangled the Ziploc bag of pizza slices far away from her face and threw it on to the counter. "I think Mer wins that argument."
"Yeah, yeah, what's new?" Izzie replied, now peering over Tabitha's shoulder into the fridge. "Are you sure there are no blueberries in there? I was going to make blueberry muffins tomorrow."
"Well, you can make beer muffins." Meredith snickered at her sister's comment. "I'm going to the grocery store. Who's coming with?"
"I'll go. I need to get the stuff for my muffins. Mer, keys please?"
Meredith tossed Izzie her keychain. "Is chicken parmesan okay for everyone?" Meredith raised her eyebrows at her little sister. "What, you think Dad cooked? Heck no techno!"
Meredith shook her head as Izzie and Tabitha walked out of the room. "Your sister cooks," George said, eyes wide in astonishment.
"My sister cooks," Meredith agreed.
Meredith pushed open the door to Tabitha's new room and found her sprawled on the bed, kicking her feet back and forth and reading a magazine. "Hey, kid, can I talk to you for a minute?"
Tabitha set her book down. "Yeah sure, what's up?"
Meredith flopped onto the bed and propped her hands up behind her head. "I want to talk to you about Thatcher."
"Uh uh! No way, Meredith! I am not talking about Dad."
"I think you need to."
"I really don't care what you think! You are not my therapist!" Tabitha sighed at the hurt look on Meredith's face. "Can we at least wait until Lexie gets here?"
"Yeah, sure, kiddo. If that's what you want. Think you can be up at five tomorrow?"
"Five?"
"Yeah, you're on an intern's schedule now."
"Up, up, up!"
Tabitha tumbled out of bed dragging her comforter with her. "What the f—?"
"You heard me! Up!"
"Meredith," Tabitha groaned. "It's not even five yet."
"We have to be there at five. I'm sorry, did I not make that clear?"
Tabitha groaned again and glared at her sister. "Ugh, since when are you a morning person?"
"Since I have already consumed three cups of dark, sweet caffeinated goodness."
"Good, share the wealth."
Meredith swatted Tabitha's hands away from her coffee mug. "Nuh uh, get your own." She checked her watch. "But get dressed and brush your teeth first. We've got to get moving." Meredith started to walk out of the room but then thought better of it and popped her head back in. "By the way, watch out for your toothbrush. Izzie likes to steal them." Tabitha gave her a funny look. "Don't ask me," Meredith said. "Girl can't remember what color her own toothbrush is." Then Meredith left for her own room to grab her bag.
Tabitha threw on some jeans and a stylish short-sleeved shirt. Still rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she walked down the hall, nearly running into a pantsless Izzie, who was coming out of the bathroom, a slightly foamy pink toothbrush handle sticking out of her mouth. "Hey, that's m….never mind." Tabitha shook her head and made a mental note to purchase a new toothbrush. She walked into the bathroom and straight for the sink, despite the running shower in the background.
"Hey!" George shouted, trying in vain to cover himself with a washcloth. "A little privacy here?"
"Yeah, yeah. You're a man, George, we know. Learn to lock the door…Is there any mouthwash?"
George sighed and covered his head with his hands. "Medicine cabinet. Top left."
"Thank you." After a quick rinse-and-spit, Tabitha headed straight for the kitchen and the coffee machine. "You were right," Tabitha greeted her sister as she handed Tabitha a travel mug already filled with coffee.
"We'll stop by the drugstore after work," Meredith assured her. "Come on guys! Move it or lose it!" Meredith shouted to her friends.
Two sets of feet thundered down the stairs. First Izzie rushed into the kitchen, still pulling her top on. George followed right behind her, his damp hair still dripping onto his light blue scrubs.
"Okay, car, car!" Meredith clapped her hands and ushered Izzie, George, and Tabitha towards the car.
"Okay, Mom," Tabby said as Meredith shoved her towards the door. Meredith stuck her tongue out her little sister. "Seriously, someone needs to monitor your coffee intake."
George nodded in agreement as Izzie realized her morning was missing something very important. "Ooh, coffee! I forgot." Izzie spun around and headed straight back to the kitchen.
"Izzie, no!" Meredith shouted, gripping Izzie's arm and dragging her back in the desired direction.
"No fair," Izzie huffed.
"Perfectly fair," Meredith responded. "We should have left five minutes ago."
The two twenty-somethings joined George and Tabitha, both of whom were sitting in the back seat buckled up and ready to go.
"But I want coffee," Izzie half-whined.
"Just get some at the hospital, Iz," George said.
"No way! That stuff is crap!" Izzie reached into the backseat and grabbed the travel mug out of Tabitha's hand.
"Not cool!" Tabitha exclaimed, attempting to get it back.
"You're too young to be drinking it anyway."
"I already drank out if it," Tabitha warned.
"I used your toothbrush, do you honestly think I care?"
Tabitha's
jaw dropped. "You knew and you used it anyway?"
"I
couldn't find mine." Izzie shrugged as if this explained it.
"Freak," Tabitha muttered, leaning back and crossing her arms.
George patted her arm consolingly. "You'll get used to it. It's all part of Izzie's charm."