"Liz, you need to move closer to Ryan." Meredith instructed, setting the camera down and walking towards her clients.
"But he went to the gym this morning and he hasn't showered!" Liz whined, shuffling a little to the left but nowhere near close enough.
Meredith groaned inwardly as she tried to move the uncooperative teenager closer to her brother.
"I didn't have time and you know it!" Ryan grumped, crossing his arms over his chest. "Besides, I don't stink! I changed my clothes, and I used dad's cologne."
"Yeah, well, you used too much." Liz muttered, wrinkling her nose. "You smell like you're 40."
Meredith grabbed Liz by the shoulders and forcibly moved her over before her brother could retaliate. "Look, your mom wants one decent picture of the two of you together and then you can go," she reminded them. "This would go a lot faster if you would just do as I tell you."
"Why do we have to have this done every year?" Ryan asked, the perpetual scowl never leaving his face.
"Because I said so," came the authoritarian voice from behind them.
Mrs Kostali walked up to her children, her elegant shoes clipping across the floor. "And I'm the one who pays your allowance, which you won't get if you don't do as you are asked. I don't think one decent portrait of the two of you smiling is too much to ask for."
Liz rolled her eyes and moved into position, flipping her long dark hair over her shoulder. Ryan's scowl deepened before he too moved.
Meredith gave a sigh and adjusted the light before heading back to her camera.
"Okay, on 3 I want you both to smile. 1...2...3."
Click.
"Okay, that was great," Meredith encouraged, "but Ryan, could you look at me this time and not your shoes?"
" 'Spose so," he muttered, lifting his head.
Meredith schooled her reaction, refusing to let her exasperation show as she counted again. This time the siblings smiled sweetly as Meredith framed the shot, the smiles fading the minute she set the camera down.
"Can we go?" Liz asked impatiently, already halfway across the room.
"Sure," Meredith replied, giving a sigh of relief.
"Thank you, Meredith. I'll be in next week to select the one I want framed." Mrs Kostali said smiling.
"Alright, but you will be dealing with Ray, not with me." Meredith said, walking over to the front desk and opening the drawer, pulling out the order forms.
"Oh? Are you going away?"
"Yes, I am. My...father...is getting married." Meredith said quietly, filling out the photo order form.
"Oh, how nice!" Mrs Kostali exclaimed, taking the slip of paper Meredith handed her. "Well, I'm sure you will have lovely time. Where is the wedding?"
"Seattle." Meredith replied, surpressing a grimace.
"Beautiful city. Have you ever been?"
"I lived there once." Meredith replied briskly, hoping the conversation would come to a close.
"Well, I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time," Mrs Kostali answered, swinging her handbag over her shoulder and striding out the door.
"I'm sure I will," Meredith muttered, watching as the woman ushered the two still squabbling teens out the door.
"You know, I often wonder why Adele and I never had kids, but it is at times like these it isn't such a mystery," A voice said over her shoulder. "You kept your patience very well."
Meredith laughed, turning to face her boss. "Thanks, Richard. But next time, send them to Ray."
"I don't believe I can do that." Richard said, grinning at her.
"Why? Because you like to torture me?" Meredith groaned.
"No, because she demanded the best, and you my dear, you are the best." Richard said smoothly.
"And that means I deserve punishment?"
"It does when you work for me. Of course, if you would allow me to frame and sell your photographs you wouldn't have to take the portraits." Richard began, his brow creasing.
"Richard, please don't start." Meredith begged. "You know I can't do that."
"And why not? You have a natural talent with a camera and an eye for detail that could make you a well-known photographer if you would only let yourself go. This job is a safe one for you, Meredith, but it doesn't stretch your imagination. You're wasting your talent doing what you're doing. Don't get me wrong, you do it extremely well. My business has increased since you came here. But you don't push yourself."
"Yes, so you have told me a hundred times." Meredith said, walking away from him. "Don't forget you gave me next week off."
Richard shook his head in frustration and headed out to the gallery. Meredith had worked in his gallery for 3 years and in that time had gained a reputation as the go-to person for portraits. But she had talent that she was determined to squash, refusing to let him frame and sell the photos he had seen in her portfolio when she had applied for the job. He knew what she was capable of. Even her portraits captured the mood, the personality, the very heart of the subject. She was extremely gifted. He could only hope that one day she would find something that would inspire her to be all she could be.
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Derek ran his hands through his hair, watching the cursor as it bounced happily on the empty screen. It was mocking him, he was sure of it. Mocking his absolute lack of creativity. No matter what he did he couldn't seem to write. So far all he had to say for his day was that the seven cups of coffee he had consumed in the last 3 hours hadn't had any effect whatsoever. If he was honest with himself he would admit that he was nervous. As the days rolled on, and the closer it got to leaving for Seattle, the more nervous he became. Maybe nervous was the wrong word. Apprehensive. And it wasn't that he was only worried about himself. He was worried and anxious for Meredith. He had convinced her to open herself up for a whole lot of hurt, and there was the very real chance that she would know what it was to have her heart broken by the same man twice. Besides that, a week of pretending to be more to her than he was was going to mess with his head. Hell, it already was. It wasn't that long ago that the book had been rolling along nicely, the characters more than willing to cooperate.
With a sigh, he gave up, closing his computer down.
" At least that damn cursor isn't sitting there, looking at me." Derek muttered to nobody in particular as he leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms above his head. " And now I'm talking to myself. Great, nice to know I'm certifiably insane. I should probably warn everyone I know. Oh god, I'm rambling...she finally rubbed off on me. It took her years, but if she's anything, it's persistent. And I'm still talking to myself..."
Derek picked up his empty coffee cup and groaned at the ring it had left on his desk, carrying it out to kitchen and dumping it in the sink. He grabbed a dish cloth and returned to his office. As he leaned over his desk to wipe away the coffee ring his cell phone started buzzing in his pocket.
"Hello?" he answered, pressing the phone to his ear with one hand and wiping the coffee stain with the other.
"Sweetheart!" His mother's voice said happily in his ear. "How are you?"
"Marvellous," He muttered grumpily, swiping at the stain again, determined to at least attempt to remove it.
"Well, that sounded sincere," his mother scolded. "At least lie with a little bit of effort. What's wrong?"
"No, it's just...writer's block, nothing serious. How are you? Is everything alright?" Derek asked, smiling in spite of himself.
"Oh yes, everything is just fine. I was wondering if you had a moment to talk, that was all." Amy responded.
"Sure, at this point I have nothing but time. What's up?" Derek said, sitting back down in his chair and stretching his legs out in front of him.
"Well, I met this lovely young woman the other day," Amy began, enthusiasm pouring into her words.
"Mom, stop. I refuse to go on anymore of your blind dates. The last one was a nightmare!" Derek said firmly.
"Derek Shepherd, Anthea is a lovely girl. Why is it you reject anyone I find for you?" Amy asked indignantly.
"Because I can find my own women, Mom. I certainly don't need you to do it for me!" Derek responded.
"You know I love you Derek, but your dating record leaves a lot to be desired." Amy replied, attempting to soothe him somewhat.
"Yes, possibly because you force me to go out with these woman who...there are no words! One of them had verbal diarrhoea. Then there was the infamous Polly, who ate food from other people's plates the one time we went out to dinner. Oh, and who could forget the woman who liked to get up and sing along with the movies? Oh, she was really fun. I think it was five guys who threatened to deck me if I couldn't get her to shut up." Derek said, rolling his eyes in frustration.
"Granted, some of them weren't quite right for you, but I did find you some nice girls too, Derek, you just refuse to put in the effort. Now the woman I met is an attorney. Her name is Monique, and she wanted me to give you her number. Apparently Friday nights are out because she attends yoga classes, but any other night, provided she isn't in court, is absolutely fine."
"Mom, I'm not going out with her." Derek said in exasperation.
"Well, why not? You haven't even met her, what possible reason could you have to refuse her?" Amy cried.
"Because I'm dating someone already." Derek said, his brain a few seconds behind his mouth.
"Oh, really? That's wonderful, dear! All I ever wanted was you to find someone you could love the way I loved your father. Who is she?" Amy asked.
"Meredith." Derek blurted out, his eyes widening when he realised what he had said. "I'm, uh, I'm dating Meredith."