A/N Thanks to everyone who have add this to story alerts/favourite stories. No Reviews for the last chapter :( I hate asking for them but one would be nice; but then I would never leave a story unfinished. The italics is a flashback; Derek will appears in two chapter's time, there is a lot of backstory that I need to develop ! Thanks to Jill for proofing this chapter.
Chapter 4
Meredith came downstairs with a subdued Molly about 15 minutes later; Carolyn got up and greeted Meredith.
"Is everything sorted, Meredith?"
"Yes, I believe so"
"Good, I have placed you in the middle of the table with Molly and Lexie on either side so that they will both have you near"
"Thank you"
"Meredith, let me introduce you to my daughters Kathleen and Nancy"
"Nice to meet you both" she said, holding out her hand to shake theirs.
"Mom and daddy have been looking forward to having you here, Meredith. Please call me Kathy. And these are my children Jacob, Sarah and Lily and that is Nancy with her two boys Charles and Robert"
"Sit down Meredith" Carolyn told her, and she sat Molly in the spare seat before sitting down in between the two girls. Meredith gave Lexie a kiss on the head whilst she held onto Molly's hand.
"How was the trip over Meredith?" Kathleen asked her.
"It wasn't the easiest trip over, we had a couple of scares with u boats, and Lexie was ill the whole way over"
"How are you coping?"
"I am fine, just trying to get the girls settled in"
"What about you?" Kathleen asked her.
"I will be fine, as long the girls are. This is really nice Mrs Shep...Sorry Carolyn"
"I am glad you like it"
"Amelia, Olivia you are quiet tonight? Kathleen said to her sister. "You two are normally right talkers"
"They have been like this for the last two days" Chris told his daughter.
"They are just getting use to the changes Chris; they need time to adapt just like Meredith and the girls.
"I know that Carolyn, it just that I am not used to them being so quiet"
"Dad, they will be fine when Derek comes home for the weekend" Nancy said. "You know how much they adore their big brother"
"Will you be coming over on Sunday for dinner?"
"Yes ma, I haven't seen Derek in a couple of months. Is he bringing Isabelle with him?" Kathleen asked, hoping that Nancy will keep her mouth shut, but knew that was unlikely.
"No, not this time. He said that he was going to bring her to the house for a week in the summer"
"It will be nice to finally meet her, I thought it was a bit odd that they have been courting for the past two years and we have never met her" Nancy said, Kathy groaned internally.
"That is Derek's choice Nancy" Chris told her.
"Dad it is like he is ashamed of us" Nancy said,
"You know it not like that Nancy, Derek just wanted to make sure that it is serious"
"Two years dad, obviously it serious"
"That's enough Nancy"
"Fine" she said in a huff.
"This is supposed to be a dinner to welcome Meredith, Lexie and Molly, you can take this up with Derek over the weekend if you really want to Nancy but I hope that you don't," Carolyn told her daughter.
"Oh, I will Ma" Nancy said in no uncertain tone. Carolyn changed the subject knowing what her daughter was like, once she got started. Turning back to Meredith, she asked.
"Have you thought anymore about starting college Meredith?"
"Not yet, Carolyn, I want to get the girls settled into school before I decide what I want to do"
"If you like I can help you with that after the weekend Meredith" Carolyn offered, Meredith wanted to say no, that she could do it herself, but knowing that she knew nothing about American schools, she realised that she would require some help.
"That would be helpful Carolyn, I have no idea what to look for… if you don't mind that is?"
"I want to Meredith" she said, thankful that Meredith had finally agreed to her help.
"Thank you"
"Once we have done that, we could look at colleges for you, I know your father wanted you to continue with your studies"
"Maybe..."
"We don't have much time Meredith, the school year starts in 4 months"
"Yes" Meredith simply said, looking down at her food, until she heard Molly talking to her. "Yes Molly"
"I have finished Meri"
"You have hardly eaten anything, Molly"
"I am not hungry"
"Molly, you need to eat"
"No" she said tearfully. Meredith pushed some food around on Molly's plate, depositing a little of everything in front of her.
"Please, just eat this Mols, it isn't much"
"No, I don't want too" she shouted at Meredith, and left the table.
"Molly Emily Grey, come back here. You do not leave the table without permission" she called after her sister, who ignored her. Looking around at the Shepherd's she could feel herself getting red. "I am so sorry Mrs Shepherd. Can I be excused?"
"Its fine Meredith, go and see to your sister"
"Thank you" Meredith replied as she turned around to Lexie.
"Are you alright to finish dinner?"
"Yes Meredith"
"Good" she said, dropping a kiss on her head before leaving the dining room to see to Molly.
MDMDMDMDMDMDMDMD
Meredith followed Molly upstairs after tantrum, with the intention of telling her off but she changed her mind at the scene that was greeted too when she walked into her bedroom. Molly was curled up on the middle of the bed, shaking with sobs. It broke her heart to see Molly in so much distress she just held her until she cried herself to sleep.
After dinner Kathleen came up the stairs with Lexie , who ran to her sisters on the bed and cuddled into her them. Kathy watched them all for a moment, feeling sorry for them, knowing how hard it must be for them all. She could see that they were exhausted; it had to have been a long few days for all of them.
Meredith knew that Kathy was watching them but she couldn't find it in herself to care; she was so worried about Molly who seemed to be determined not to adapt; she knew that she missed her parents but so did Meredith and she could admit to herself that she was ready to collapse. She couldn't stop worrying about the girls and despite Carolyn's offers to help her with the girls she insisted that she could handle it, she was their older sister, the one they looked up to and she could do this, look after them they were her responsibility. Watching the girls as they settled down and fell asleep, she remembered the talk the father gave her when she was informed that they were being sent to America.
"Meredith" Thatcher said as she walked into his office.
"Daddy, you wanted to see me?"
"Yes Meredith, please close the door behind you?" he told her, knowing that what he wanted to discuss with Meredith he did not wanted his youngest daughters to hear.
"What is it daddy?" Meredith asked him.
"Meredith; I want you to promise me that if anything happens to me or your mother..."
"Daddy nothing is going to happen to you...please don't talk like that?" Meredith interrupted him.
"If it does Meredith I want you to promise me that you will keep your sisters together"
"Daddy"
"Please Meredith, promise me?"
"I promise daddy" she told him; walking around the other side of his desk and hugged him.
"I do love you Meredith...so much" he told her, fully aware that he had kept his distance from his eldest daughter, simply because she reminded him of her mother.
"I love you too daddy" she told him.
"Please look after your sisters...no matter what happens"
"I promise daddy, Alexandra and Molly are my priority"
"You are the best Meredith I mean that...please don't forget that" he whispered to her.
"What brought this on, daddy?"she asked him.
"Your mother and I are sending you, Lexie and Molly to America"
"Why?"
"You will be safer there"
"What about you and mum?"
"We will be here waiting for you once this war is over"
"Daddy I don't want to leave you" she cried out to him, wrapping her arms around his neck again.
"I don't want any of you to go but I want you girls safe. Do you remember the Shepherds, in New York?"
"Vaguely daddy"
"Well you and the girls will be staying them, let Carolyn and Christopher help you Meredith, I know how stubborn and protective you can be. I don't want you to look after the girls on your own, promise me?"
"Promise daddy" Meredith said, knowing that it was likely that it was one promise that she wouldn't be able to keep.
"I also want you to go to university whilst you are over there, just as you wouldn't have been if you stayed here in London"
"I don't know daddy"
"Carolyn will help you, now I need to book you all a ticket to go to America so I will be out all afternoon, don't say anything to the girls yet, me and your mother will tell them when we are ready"
"Yes daddy"
"Good, well you know what to do if the air raid siren goes off"
"Of course daddy"
"I love you"
"I love you too"