AN: I wanted to update during the weekend, but I got the flu and I've been in bed or on the sofa for most of the time since last Friday, how fun! Anyway, thank you again all for the reviews, likes and follows. I'm very happy to see you're liking the story and I hope you will like this next installment as well.
Meredith woke up pretty late on the day that Mama Shepherd was set to arrive. She had worked until 2 a.m. the day before and she had slept at the hospital once again, thankfully her shift was going to start at 1:30 in the afternoon. Opening her eyes slowly on the sofa where she had slept for the entire period Derek had stayed in the hospital she checked out the clock and saw it was already past 9 o' clock. Yawning she stirred and looked over to Derek's bed, but she found it empty. She sat up as she heard some giggles coming from the private bathroom the room had; moments later Derek and Zola emerged from there smiling broadly.
"Mama up!" exclaimed the little girl running towards Meredith, who gathered Zola in her arms hugging her close.
"Good morning baby! Did you have fun with Sofia yesterday?!"
"Yup" answered the girl popping the p, snuggling closer to her mom.
"Good morning sleepy head!" smiled Derek sitting next to them giving Meredith a peck on the lips "Did you sleep good? You got in really late last night…"
"Morning… I slept very well, considering that I'm sleeping on a couch. Probably cause I got in around 2 o' clock and I was exhausted. I had to operate for five hours yesterday night…" she yawned again staring into Derek's eyes.
"Well, I'm happy you managed to sleep in a little this morning, then!" he smiled, hugging her and Zola close.
"What were you guys doing in the bathroom?"
"Well… Callie was really nice and she brought homemade pancakes for us to eat, but Miss Zola here was a little too enthusiastic with the syrup and we had to go wash our hands and faces, right Zozo?!"
The little girl nodded, smiling at her parents "de 'pcakes wer yummy!"
"They were?!" asked Meredith smiling back, just as her stomach grumbled.
"Yup!" exclaimed Zola.
"Don't worry we saved two blueberry ones and a chocolate chip one for you" added Derek grinning.
"That was so nice of you! Mama is in fact very hungry…"
"It mama!" giggled Zola pointing to the table where breakfast was waiting for her. While Meredith ate the pancakes and drank her morning tea, Derek and Zola went to visit Lizzie, Meredith promised to join them in Lizzie's room as soon as she had showered, since they still had to organize many things for the upcoming celebration of Christmas. When she arrived in Lizzie's room she found her husband sitting on a chair and her baby girl sitting on the bed with her anty Lizy as she had started to call Derek's younger sister.
"Hey guys!" she exclaimed upon entering "Breakfast was very good, thanks for saving me the pancakes!"
"Welcom mama!" answered Zola grinning at her.
"Hi Lizzie, how are you? Ready to get out of the hospital?!"
"Hi Mere… I'm all right thanks, I cannot wait to get out of here and see the mansion you guys keep gushing about!"
"Mansion is a little exaggerate sis…" tried Derek as Meredith sat down next to him.
"There are a gazillion of rooms Derek… I think you sister is right in calling it a mansion!" chastised him Meredith right away smiling.
"Whatever you say dear…" he conceded kissing her on the temple.
"So Mere, my mom called a little while ago… her plane was delayed. She was supposed to leave at 7:40 this morning, but because of a snowstorm, they left more than three hours later…"
"This is bad news guys! I start my shift at 1:30, I won't be able to go pick her up…"
"We know that, in fact I told my mom to take a taxi and come here once she lands" answered Lizzie.
"She'll think I'm a horrible daughter in law!"
"No she won't… she knows you have to work, she won't mind at all!" reassured Derek.
"Plus we already told her how you had to change some of your shifts in order to take off so many days around Christmas and New Year's… she has five kids who are all doctors, she knows how this works!" added Lizzie smiling.
"All right… we're still on for Alex to give you a ride home once your mom gets here, right? His shift finishes around 2 o' clock…"
"Yeah he confirmed that before he went to do rounds" said Derek.
"Unca Ales?!" asked Zola looking up from her teddy bear.
"That's right baby girl… uncle Alex will give us and nana a ride home, once nana gets here from New York" answered Derek and then added "Can you say nana?!"
Zola looked right at her daddy and then slowly said "Nana…"
"That's great baby!" beamed Meredith, just as Derek and Lizzie smiled at the little girl.
"You get to meet your nana today…" explained Meredith.
"'day?" asked Zola confused.
"That's right baby… you spoke on the phone and you saw her on the computer, remember?" continued Derek.
Zola nodded "I 'member…" she whispered.
"Well… guess what? You nana got on a plane today to come and stay with us for Christmas!" exclaimed Meredith.
Zola's mouth fell open, then she smiled brightly "nana 'day?!" she double checked.
"That's right princess, nana will arrive today!" told her Derek.
"Yay!" was her simple answer, all three adults laughed out loud at her enthusiasm.
Derek felt his heart swell with pride, his mother was finally going to meet his adorable daughter and he couldn't wait.
The rest of the morning was spent planning the days before the arrival of Lizzie's family who would have gotten there in four days. Around noon they ordered some takeout from an Italian restaurant nearby who made an amazing pizza and the four of them had lunch together, then Meredith started her shift.
Carolyn Shepherd had only visited Seattle once, very briefly, almost four years prior. The city had made a good impression on her, yes it rained a lot, but the area was very green, the people were welcoming and there were some pretty great sights to visit; it was a welcoming change compared to the east coast. But most of all Carolyn Shepherd was looking forward to meet her 15th grandchild in person, finally. Sure she had called her son and his family on a regular basis and she had spoken with Zola, she had seen pictures of her and she had spoken with her on Skype, but it just wasn't the same thing. She was looking forward to spend time with the little girl, get to know her and spoil her rotten, after all she didn't have any grandparents who doted on her in Seattle. It didn't take her long to find a cab and, in less than an hour, she had arrived at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital. The taxi left her in the ER area, so she entered from that side instead that from the visitors' entrance. Once she was inside she nearly collided with a tall guy who was running very fast "sorry ma'am!" he shouted running towards another area of the hospital.
She didn't even had the chance to tell him that it was no problem, because he had disappeared. She was asking herself who she could ask about her kids' rooms, when she saw her, or at least she thought it was her. She got closer and examined the blonde doctor, it definitely looked like Meredith. She was talking with a couple of younger doctors, probably interns; once she was done and the two girls scurried away, Carolyn got closer to her and she turned around.
"I wasn't sure it was you, but…"
"Mrs. Shepherd… hi!" said Meredith smiling nervously.
"I've already told you to call me Carolyn. You're my son's wife, that means you're family!" she answered smiling back. She put her things down and enveloped her daughter in law in a hug.
"How was the flight… Carolyn?" asked Meredith when they were done hugging.
"Pretty uneventful…"
"I'm really sorry about not picking you up, but my shift started at 1:30…"
"You don't have to worry dear. I raised five doctors, I know how demanding this job is… coming here by cab was more than all right!" she reassured her
"I had to call in some favors to get off so many days around Christmas, but I really want Zola to enjoy this one, it will be the first she remembers…"
"That was a very good idea Meredith… now, speaking about that adorable grandbaby of mine, where can I find her?"
"You know what? I'll take you to Derek's room… everything seems quiet now, I sent the interns to get the lab results, I have a few minutes free!" she exclaimed.
"All right then… lead the way!" the two women went to get the elevator, making small talk and smiling, Meredith was confident that this was going well.
Once they got on the third floor, they walked towards Lizzie's room, and as they were opening the door Jackson ran towards them "Meredith! There you are!"
"Hi Jackson, what's up?"
"I'm working on this firefighter who suffered second degrees burns to the upper part of his body while he was working on a fire that started in chemical plant… he has some damage to his abdomen caused by a ruptured pipe, I've had Shane taking him to CT, but I'd like you to come and see the scans and tell me what you think…" he said out of breath.
"Of course, I'll be right there… I was just showing Derek's mom where Derek, Lizzie and Zola are…" she answered.
"Oh… sorry about that, I interrupted without even presenting myself… it's very nice to meet you Mrs. Shepherd, I'm Jackson Avery" he smiled brightly offering his hand, Carolyn took it smiling back and she answered "The pleasure is mine Dr. Avery, I'm Carolyn Shepherd! Now that you've shown me the room you can go Meredith… go save lives!" she smiled as she opened the door to room 332.
"We'll catch up more tomorrow" promised Meredith "I have the day off!"
"All right dear… I'm looking forward to that. Will I see you tonight?"
"I hope to be home around 8:30" answered Meredith already walking towards the elevator.
"See you later…" she said entering the room and finding her kids and granddaughter waiting for her inside.
"Nana!" exclaimed an excited voice.
"Hi Zola! It's so nice to finally meet you!" she said getting down on the little girl level and giving her a hug, Zola hugged her nana close and grinned.
"Hi mom" said Derek when his daughter had let go of her nana.
"Derek, it's been too long!" she said hugging him as well; then she went to hug Lizzie who was already sitting in a wheelchair waiting to be released from the hospital "How do you guys feel?" she asked.
"Pretty good" said Lizzie smiling "Same for me" agreed Derek "Are we ready to go home?" asked him "Do you have everything in your bag Liz?" his sister nodded.
"Okay, I'll page Alex and he'll take us home…" he said grabbing his pager.
"Unca Ales is her dada!" she said pointing to the door.
The little girl was right, Alex was entering the room in that same moment "Are you guys ready to go home?" he asked.
"Yup!" exclaimed Zola getting close to him in order to get a kiss.
He gathered the little girl in his arms and planted a kiss on her cheek "Good afternoon Mrs. Shepherd, good to see you again…" he said offering his free right hand to the older lady.
"Good to see you too Alex, how are you?"
"Really well, thank you. And you?"
"I'm doing great… especially now that I've met my beautiful granddaughter!" she smiled at Zola.
"Off we go then…" said Derek "How about you let nana hold you Zozo? Uncle Alex has to push aunt Lizzie…"
"Okay" the little girl agree right away and her grandmother scooped her up in her arms, Carolyn inhaled her baby scent and she smiled at her son "She's perfect Derek!" she told him.
"I know…" he answered "A family with Meredith is everything I've always wanted" he confessed.
"I'm glad that your wish came true son…" she said hugging her granddaughter close.
Okay so, mama Shepherd is here! She finally met Zola and she loved her of course. Zola is adorable, who wouldn't love her? I hope I did good with Zola's bits of talking… I haven't been in contact with a two year old in a long time, I did my best. Next chapter is going to be McFamily at the house in the woods… please press the pretty blue button and tell me what you thought of this chapter. Stay tuned for the next!