Chapter 7
The following morning, chaos ensued in the Sheperd house. Everyone woke up to a note on their respective dressing tables in their bedroom. Everyone immediately began calling out for Meredith, but no sign of her around the huge house or the huge compound. Knocking on neighbour's doors, no one saw her leaving. Her wadrobe was near empty except for the few clothes left, with a note left that said they were for Lexie. Her precious collectibles, all gone. She had packed them with her too. Almost no trace of Meredith left in the house.
Now, Carolyn was hysterical.
'Christopher- she is gone! She left' Carolyn was sobbing. ' And it's all my fault. I have been spending so much time with Lexie that I unknowingly pushed her aside. It's all my fault!'
Christopher tried to calm his near frantic wife down, although he was deeply upset too. ' She is Meredith, she's strong, she'll be fine, I know...' he said more to himself.
Carolyn stared at her husband incredulously.
Just then, Derek and Lexie entered their parents bedroom.
' We know where she went.'
'To Ellis Grey's place.'
Half an hour later saw the entire Sheperd family at Ellis's Grey's apartment. Meredith was sitting next to Ellis, her head bowed down, not wanting to make eye contact with any member of the Sheperd family, not even Derek who she knew was desperately trying to make eye contact with her. At the same time, Lexie was also refusing to make any eye contact with Ellis. It was a very awkward situation indeed.
Carolyn finally broke the silence. ' Mer- do you want to come home? Or do you want to stay? You're always welcome back with us.'
Meredith contemplated for a while. Even if she went back, she knew that things would never be the same again. Lexie had somehow already taken her place as the little princess of the family. She just didn't know where she fit in anymore, unfortunately. On the other hand, she knew that Ellis needed her, poor lonely woman.
'I'll stay' she said softly.
'What?'
'I'll stay' she said, more firmly this time. 'Ellis needs me here'.
Carolyn and Christopher Sheperd were devastated, and it showed in their eyes. Derek was totally broken and it showed too. Lexie, meanwhile, seemed noncholant.
'Well, okay then, it this is really what you want' Carolyn said, her voice trembling. She gave Mer a quick hug and whispered to Ellis ' Take good care of her' before walking out the door. Christopher followed , but not before giving Mer a big hug. 'You'll always be my little princess, you know that'.
Derek also had one last word to say 'I'll see you'.
Lexie just gave Mer a brief smile.
'Wait!' Ellis called out. They all turned back.
'Take good care of her too'. Carolyn nodded in understanding.
What the Sheperd family didnt' see was Meredith peering out from her bedroom window and looking down at them with tears in her eyes.
'Mer, you can come home, you know' Derek said, as they were walking along the park together. They still made it a point to meet up with each other every evening and take long walks together.
'Your room is still empty and everyone misses you' he continued earnestly when Meredith didn't reply.
'Including Lexie' came the skeptical reply.
Derek had to laugh at that. Mer had a dry sense of humor. 'Yes, including her. Last night, she was tellinlg me that she wishes you didn' have to leave.'
Meredith almost scoffed out loud at that. Seriously?
'I would love too- but I have to stay with Ellis. She needs me. She is all alone, she needs company, she needs someone to help her up in her grocery shop.'
' You're too kind, Mer'
'Well, she is my mother after all.'
Derek couldn't argue with that.
'Well, at least we can still see each other everyday'. They smiled at each other.
Meanwhile, Lexie was also treating Meredith much nicer in school, and starting talking to her like a friend. Meredith didn't know what to make of it, but she was polite in return towards her.
At home, Meredith was trying to establish her own routine. She was still trying to get used to her new living conditions. The run down apartment she was living in now was a far cry from the beautiful bungalow she used to stay in. The bathroom was so run down, a far cry from her beautiful private pink bathroom with the bathtub. And if before she would spend her afternoons cycling around the neighbourhood with Derek and the other neighbourhood children, nowadays her afternoons were spent helping out Ellis in the grocery shop. Which she didn't really mind, but at times she found herself wishing that she could go out to play like the other children. And more than once, she found herself dreaming of her old home and the Sheperd family. She found herself dreaming of the good old days when they were a big happy family, with just mom, dad and Derek.
This went on for a few months.
One day, as Derek and Meredith were taking their daily strolls at the park, Meredith noticed that Derek was being more silent than usual. He was usually quite chatty and cheerful, but today he looked dull and solemn. She knew him well enough.
'Derek, are you ok?' She asked, concerned.
'Huh? yeah, I'm fine.' he smiled back at her.
She stopped in her tracks to face him. She knew him well enough.
' I know you're not fine. Tell me what is going on in that mind of yours.'
Derek sighed. He looked like their was a huge weight on his shoulders.
' We are leaving.' he finally said as he exhaled deeply.
' You're what?'
' Mom, Dad, Lexie and I. We are moving to New York, because dad got a promotion in his job'.
Meredith took at moment to digest this.
' That's good right? I mean that's good that dad got a promotion. I'm so happy for him!'
Derek didn't buy into this. Meredith was an expert in denial.
' Mer, listen. We will be moving away from this city- far away. Which means we can't see each other like this anymore. Get it?'
Meredith suddenly felt tears sting her eyes.
'Do you really have to leave?'
' I don't want to- but this is a really good opportunity for dad. He had to take this..'
he said sadly.
'When are you leaving?'
' In a weeks' time'.
They both walked in silence, both contemplating the weight of this change on their lives. They could always write letters to each other, but it would not be the same as seeing each other dailly.
That night found Meredith crying softly on her bed. She didn't know what to do. Before this, she still had the comfort that she still could see Derek and the Sheperd family often. But now, things were really going to change forever. They would be leaving this place, and she might never see them again. And that thought really scared her.
'Mer?' Ellis was standing at the doorway.
Meredith looked up at her with her teary face.
'They're leaving, ma'
'Who?'
'The Sheperds. They're leaving this city for good.'
Ellis sat on the edge of her daughters bed.
' You still miss them, don't you?'
Meredith remained silent.
'Com'on. It's ok- just admit it.' Ellis has surprisingly became a much more gentle person ever since this incident that had changed all their lives.
' Yes, I do' the girl conceded finally.
' Listen Meredith, it's totally up to you. I mean you're 10- you're a big girl now. I wouldn't stop you from following them if you wish to. Although of course I've to admit that I do want you to stay.'
' But I don't want to leave you' Meredith said sadly.
Ellis felt her heart really go out to her daughter at that moment. It was such a tough decision for her to make.
Meredith and Derek spent the next few days exploring the entire city of Seattle together. It was like they were trying to make full use of their last week together. And Derek knew he was going to miss this city he grew up in, and also Meredith.
Meredith also knew she was going to miss Derek immensely, but she put that thought at the back of her mind.
'We can always keep in touch through letters' Meredith said. ' I'll buy lots of envelopes and pens and empty papers. And we'll write as much as possible to each other'.
Derek laughed. She still can be such a child at times, although he had noticed how much she had grown recently. ' Absolutely.'
'Pinky promise?' Meredith stuck her little finger out for him to take.
'Pinky promise.'
The dreaded day came. The day the Sheperds were to move to New York city, the city full of promises and opportunity. All their luggage and boxes have been packed into the family van. Now it was time for them to leave to the airport. But Derek was still reluctant to leave. He took one last glance at the house he grew up in. This place held a lot of memories. Mermories of his happy childhood, with Meredith. Speaking of Meredith, where was she? He had told her specifically to come here to meet him at 1 pm, to say their good byes. ' Now, it was 15 minutes past one, no sign of her.
'Derek, we have to go now. Our flight is in one hour.'
' I'm waiting for Mereditih.'
Silence followed. The name has always haunted this family now. The truth was, they all still missed her tremendously, although neither of them wanted to admit it.
1:30 came and still no sign of her.
Christopher looked at his watch. ' Our flight is in less than an hours time.. I do not want to miss the flight.'
'Dad, you don't want to see her?' Derek asked, hurt.
'Son, I do miss her, but we are running very late now. We can always keep in touch with her through letters.'
Deeply disappointed, Derek got into the van. And they pulled out the driveway.
A few minutes later, Meredith appeared, panting. She had been held up in her mom's shop, and she was only released half an hour earlier. She had ran with all her might to the Sheperds. And stopped in her tracks when she saw that they were really gone. The van was no longer in the driveway.
Suddenly she saw the van going down the street. She chased after all, running as fast as her slim legs could carry her. The van moved faster and faster and she ran faster and faster.
Until it was totally out of sight. She finally stopped, worn out, defeated, exhausted and sweaty. And stood in the middle of the street, tears rolling down her eyes, staring after the vanishing van.
So, this is the end of this chapter! Hope you like it Actually most of what happened in the past few chapters, are all mine, although the basic storyline was the same. The girl did leave the house, although I can't recall if the rich family actually missed her or not. And the Sheperds moving were what happened in the show, although they moved to America from Korea- so far away! And the scene where she chased after the family car- that was so sad! Also, remember that letters were the only way to communicate with someone living far away in the 80s.
The next chapter will be a huge leap in time to the present. Just something I thought you would like to know
I dont' know when I can get the next update done, as I would be going to Europe tomorrow, for a week.
Anyways, do read and review!
