April watched as Zola tottered around the living room. The little girl picked up toy after toy and handed it to April with a huge, toothy grin.
"Thank you, baby" April replied every time, marvelling at how this game was so repetitive and yet Zola never seemed to get bored. Once Zola's entire toy collection was piled on the floor next to where April sat cross-legged, she clambered into April's lap and plucked a doll from the top of the heap. Following her lead, April picked up another doll and began to make it "talk" to Zola. The little girl squealed with delight as April's doll danced and sang for her, and she made her own doll do the same. Without warning, Zola awkwardly turned herself around and threw her arms around April's midriff.
"Apree!" Zola cried, for she hadn't quite mastered saying 'April' just yet. April hugged her back, breathing in the sweet baby smell that still wafted from the crown of her head.
Her mind thought about the tiny human growing inside of her. How one day that baby would be walking, talking and giggling just like Zola. It was a scary thought. April wasn't ready for kids. She'd had a plan for her life; career, love, marriage, sex and then babies. Her career was only just starting, she had finally finished her residency and was about to become an attending. From career it seemed she'd skipped straight to sex and babies. Although the tension was gone between her and Jackson, there was still a slight awkwardness left behind. Did she love him? Maybe. And maybe one day she'd marry him. Everything was just a little messed up in her head to even think straight. Her life was not supposed to end up like this! But she loved that little baby from the moment she knew of its existence. April had always been a naturally maternal person. She guessed it came from growing up on a farm with so many animals to care for. When she was seven one of their foals had gotten very sick. Joe Kepner had prepared his daughters for the worst as the foal didn't have much chance of making it through the night, but April refused to give up. With her Dad showing her what to do, she stayed in the barn for three days straight taking care of the young foal. Against all odds, the horse survived. That was the moment that April had decided she wanted to be a doctor. She'd figured that if her Dad knew everything about taking care of animals, and she learned how to fix humans, then nobody need ever be sick again. Of course it was an impossible dream, but it had made sense in her seven year old head.
April felt Zola squirm in her lap and looked up to see Meredith coming down the stairs. She lifted Zola to her feet, who then ran with the uneven gait of a toddler over to her mother.
April stood up too. "I heard her crying when she woke up this morning and I was already awake so I thought I'd let you sleep. She's had some breakfast and now we're playing pretend with her dolls. Haven't we Zo?" April nodded and Zola mimicked her. Smiling, Meredith swung her daughter up onto her hip and bounced her up and down.
"Hi ZoZo. Are you having fun with April? Yeah? Mwah!" She planted a big kiss on Zola's nose. She then turned to look at April. "Thank you, I really do appreciate it."
"Oh it was no problem. It was good practise." April and instantly realised she'd said too much. "Just practising for when I eventually have kids. Which won't be for a long time. A long, long time. Y'know, since I'm still a virgin and everything. But when I do, I want to be really good. So yeah, I was practicing…"
"April, you're rambling," Meredith said, cutting her off. Zola tugged at Meredith's sleeve and she put her back down onto the ground. April's cheeks flushed a bright pink colour as she sank down onto the couch.
Meredith shook her head and continued into the kitchen. The women in her house had been acting very strangely lately. April was always helping with Zola, offering to babysit every time the chance arose. It's not that April had ever been reluctant to look after Zola but now she seemed almost too eager. It didn't make sense but Meredith had given up trying to understand April a long time ago. And Lexie was just so moody all the time. She snapped at the smallest things, and without warning too. Meredith supposed that her and Mark must be having problems. Lexie spent most nights at his apartment but was yet to move her stuff over there. Although she'd needed a shove to move in with Mark the first time so it wasn't too surprising. After all they'd been through perhaps it was best that Lexie was a little weary of how fast things were moving. Still, Meredith made a mental note to ask her sister if everything was okay the next time she saw her.
A familiar vibrating sensation shot up through Meredith's leg. She checked the caller ID as she pulled the phone from her pocket: Cristina.
"Hello?"
"Mer."
Meredith nearly dropped the phone at the sound of the voice on the other end of the phone. She knew it so well. It wasn't Cristina, but her husband.
"Derek? Where's Cristina? What's wrong?" She asked frantically, not bothering to pause between questions for a reply.
"Mer, you need to come to the hospital. It's Cristina."
This time Meredith really did drop the phone. Forgetting Derek was still on the other end she picked it up and shoved it back into her pocket. She raced out of the kitchen and grabbed her car keys from the spot where they hung by the door.
"April, I need you to watch Zola!" She yelled as the front door slammed shut behind her. The bang of the door startled Zola and she began to wail.
April lifted her into her arms and whispered, "Shhh, baby. You're okay. Everything's going to be okay." April didn't know what was going on, but she knew by the way Meredith had rushed out of the house without even saying goodbye that things were not okay. She gave the terrified child a kiss on the cheek and rubbed her back comfortingly, wondering what the hell was happening.
As Meredith sped through Seattle her mind raced with possibilities. Please don't die, Cristina. Please don't die, please don't die. Her mouth was dry and she could feel her body was trembling. She could barely concentrate on the road; it was as if she was driving on autopilot. The drive to the hospital seemed to take forever, although in reality it was the fastest Meredith had ever made the journey. Throwing the open the car door, her feet found the pavement and she hurtled towards the hospital doors.
