You and Me and Other People
Chapter 13 - Cross The Line
Meredith has found some very good places on internet and she really hoped Janice would release her to go visit a couple of houses but her doctor was steady on her position, Meredith wouldn't leave the hospital until the baby was born. They had made some tests and Meredith's blood pressure seemed to be very hard to be kept low and Dr Green didn't want to risk her BP to raise and for Meredith not be close to the hospital to get her medicines.
"What do you think of this one?" asked Lexie to the webcam she was holding, giving Meredith a 360 view of the living room of the house she and Mark were visiting for Meredith
"It seems nice. Good lightning, a good backyard, exactly what I've been looking for" said Meredith happy
"Let me show you upstairs so" said Lexie as she walked holding the camera and Mark followed holding his notebook
"Grey, you better like this one, I won't do it again" said him as Lexie almost lost her balance because Lexie ran upstairs and the webcam wire would be disconnected if he hasn't pulled the wire and then Lexie
"It is not my fault you guys have no synch or don't buy a wireless cam" Meredith said laughing
"We have a lot of synch where it matters and I am sure Lexie talked to you about some positions, but I could refresh your memory" said Mark making Lexie turn the camera to his face
"Eww, Mark, that's something I don't let Lexie share, let alone you" she said with a smirking face "Show me the room, Lexie" Meredith said and her sister obeyed
That was the fourth house Meredith was seeing. The first one, Lexie and Liz showed her, the second Liz and John, the third and the fourth have been Lexie and Mark. She didn't like the first three. They were okay, they had exactly what she was looking for but somehow she couldn't imagine living there with her baby. She was starting to have different feelings about this one
"The realtor should be helping you, not us" Mark complained again
"I don't trust them, they are only interested in one thing: sell the houses they have to" Meredith said
"Whatever"
"So Meredith, stop listening to my bitter husband and say me what you think of the master bedroom?" Lexie said as she slowly turned the webcam to show her all the details of the room
"It is connected to a bathroom and to the guestroom" Lexie said showing both doors
"Let me see the guestroom" Meredith asked and Lexie opened the door and entered the smaller room
All walls in the house are a light yellow, including the master room but this one was light blue and lavender.
"You could make his nursery here" said Lexie "It is perfect!!" she said excitedly
"I think I could"
"You won't need to paint the walls, this color is beautiful" said Lexie and Meredith nodded her head, even though her sister couldn't see her
"Let's see the others rooms" said Mark walking away and taking Lexie with him by the webcam wire
Lexie showed her the other two rooms, the connected bathroom and the independent bathroom.
It was a family house. Four rooms, one painted on blue, another on purple and the guestroom in the same color of the rest of house.
Downstairs there was the living room, the dining room, the kitchen, the laundry, an office and another bathroom. The kitchen was well illuminated and had a huge glass door that showed the green backyard. There was a small pool but what closed the deal for Meredith was the little tree house in one of the few trees. It wasn't very high and she laughed for a good ten minutes of Lexie and Mark trying to get into the tree house to show it inside to Meredith. He fell once and Meredith could listen to him swearing as Lexie told him to shut up. They finally decided to disconnect the webcam. Lexie entered the tree house and got the laptop and the camera to show Meredith. It was cozy and cute, very clean and the windows were close to the ceiling to avoid the kids to fall.
"It is amazing here, Meredith, will you let me live here?" asked Lexie excited
"I am not sure I will buy the house, Lexie"
"Of course you will, it is perfect. The room is already painted, you have space for the baby to play, a cute tree house and a pool, what else do you want?"
"I don't know. I need to talk to the real state agency"
"Meredith what is there to talk?"
"I don't know if I can afford it, Lexie" Meredith said
"Of course you can, you have all money your mother let to you and I know you don't want to take her money, but the money is yours now, she can't spend it wherever she is now, you need to move on Meredith and there is nothing wrong with taking your heritage"
"I know, you are right but I feel this money is not mine"
"Meredith, forget about you, you will be a mom very soon, you need to think in your little boy, do this for him, can you imagine he running in this yard in two years? I am sure he will love it in here" said Lexie softly "Sassy, Laura and Nate will love it already"
"I need to think, Lexie, but this one is definitely my favorite"
"You know we are going back to the hospital in ten days and then we won't be able to help you look for the house. Do you want to give birth and take your peanut to your mother's house?"
"No, but…" she said but was cut off by her sister
"No buts, I am going to say Daniel you are taking this one" Lexie said and disconnected the webcam
"Lexie!! Lexie!!" Meredith yelled to her laptop but her sister was no longer there. She reached for her mobile and dialed Mark's number
"What now Grey? I am not with Lexie, she is upstairs, playing in the little tree house" he said with an annoyed voice
"Don't let her talk to the realtor, thank the guy and leave, I am not buying the house yet and your wife is crazy" she said
"Fine but be aware I won't do it again and neither will Lexie, we will travel, as you already know" he said
"Yes, Mark, I am fully aware of your sex getaway. Thanks for today"
They said their goodbyes and Meredith replayed the video she just recorded. The house was indeed perfect for her and the baby. It was a bit too big for only her and the baby but she wouldn't think about it now.
She dialed her lawyer's number
"Please, I'd like to talk to Jonathan Rice, it is Meredith Grey"
"Thank you"
"Hey Jonathan, is Meredith, how are you?"
"Good, look would you have a spot on your schedule this week? I'd like to know how my funds are going. I know it is short notice but it is an emergency"
"Well that's another problem, I am on Seattle Presbyterian and I can't leave, could you come?"
"I don't mind, do you mind? I am sure your family won't be happy with you coming after business hours"
"Okay, I'll be quick"
"Thank you, Jonathan"
"Bye"
Meredith then called Daniel, her realtor
"Hi, Daniel, this is Meredith, how you?"
"So about the house my sister was seeing"
"Of course she did, anyway, I will talk to my lawyer tonight and tomorrow I will make the official offer. Is there anyone else interested in the house?"
"Good, tomorrow I will let you know my offer"
"You're welcome, bye"
"I am going to kill Lexie" Meredith said to herself
Meredith has spent the rest of her afternoon replaying the house recording. The most she watched the more she fell in love with house. It was definitely where she'd want to raise her baby. It was the opposite of her mother's house and she was happy she would provide her son a completely different environment. She was lost on her thoughts when someone knocked her door
"Come in" she said and a blond guy entered her room
Jonathan was on his early thirties and he was a very handsome man. He was tanned and his blue eyes popped on his face. His very red lips were a contrast to his white and aligned teeth. He was tall and his muscles could be seen under his light blue button up shirt
"Hi, Meredith" he said with concern especially after noticing her belly
"Hi, Jonathan, how are you?" she asked as he bowed to kiss her cheek
"I couldn't stop thinking why you were here and couldn't leave, are you okay?" he asked
"I am trying to be. I got some pregnancy complications, I will need to be here until the delivery" she said
"I am sorry" he said honestly
"I am sorry about your dad" she said. Jonathan's father was originally her lawyer but he died of a heart attack a few months ago
"We trying to go on, but it is hard. The office is not the same without him and I don't know if I will be able to keep it up like he did"
"No one is expecting you to be your father, Jonathan, they are expecting you to be you and I am sure you will make a lot of good things" she said sympathetically
"Thank you, Mer, but sometimes it is not easy you know, it his office and I don't feel it is my job to continue what he started"
"So don't. It is yours now, make it yours, is time is gone and now is yours"
"Hey this is not the Meredith I know, who are you and what did you do to Meredith?" he asked smirking as Meredith hugged him
"Motherhood changed me, I think" she said caressing her belly
"I am sure it did" he said sitting close to her
Alex has decided to visit her for the first time during his vacation. He has been thinking about what he heard the last time he came to talk to her. Her kind words about him to their son made a number on his heart. He has spent the past ten days trying to convince himself he should visit her, he wanted to talk to his son, he wanted him to know who he was and he has decided that no matter what happens, he would feel him. He has been in all her appointments since he found out she was pregnant and he has listened to the baby's heartbeat and he has seen how his son grew only in the past month but he needed his son to be able to recognize his voice.
The scene in front of him was totally unexpected. He had no idea who the good looking guy was and why he seemed so close to Meredith. After considering to leave he decided nothing would get between him and his son nor anyone, especially if Meredith was already thinking of a new father to his little boy. He cleared his throat interrupting the conversation
The moment Meredith looked at him the color and the smile on her face were gone. She hasn't seen Alex since her last ultrasound and she definitely wasn't waiting to see him before the next week, when she would have another one.
"Hi" she said quietly
"Hey" he said lowly
They were in silence for a minute. Meredith looking to her hands, playing with the hem of her shirt and Alex leaning in the door
"Meredith?" Jonathan called
"Oh, sorry, Jonathan, this is Alex, the father" she said "Alex, this is Jonathan, my lawyer" she completed
"Alex Karev" Alex said shaking the guy's hand
"Jonathan Rice"
The two men stood there, uncomfortably waiting for someone to say something but nobody did
"Do you want me to come tomorrow?" Jonathan asked
"No, we need to have it all figured out today, do you have the papers?" she asked and he nodded taking his briefcase and pulling out the folders
"Do you need anything, Alex?" she asked without look in his eyes
"I wanted to talk to you" he said quietly. He wouldn't say in front of a stranger, at least for him, that he was there to "see" his son
"I have some business to do with Jonathan would you mind to come tomorrow?"
"Hmm, I could… I'll be back tomorrow" he rambled
"It's late and after I finish with Jonathan I'd like to sleep, so I see you tomorrow" she said as she took one of the folders from Jonathan – her eyes teary but Alex didn't notice as she pretended to read the papers
"Sure, good night" he said and left
"Is he your husband?" Jonathan asked as the first tear rolled down Meredith's face
"He used to be but he asked for a divorce. I think he is waiting for me to give birth to our son to bring me the papers to sign" she said wiping the tears
"Do you really want to go through this now?" he said pointing to the papers
"Yes, give me a minute" she said taking a deep breath
"I could come tomorrow or Friday" he suggested
"No, I already took you one night away of your family we will do this today"
"Meredith, we've known each other for longer than I can remember. I know we weren't exactly friends and that when I tried to date you in college didn't exactly bring us closer but as someone who cares about you, I will give you time tonight" he said and she nodded
"Keep the papers, if you want you take a look at them, tomorrow I will be back. We could have lunch together, what do you say? Can you walk to the cafeteria?" he asked
"Yeah… I really appreciate Jonathan, I haven't seen him in a month and I didn't expect to see him tonight, I am so sorry I wasted your time"
"Hey, it is always a pleasure to see you. I will come back tomorrow and bring us lunch, I'll ask mom to cook some special pregnant healthy lunch" he said "Or are you on a special diet?"
"No, I just should avoid salt and spicy food"
"I'll ask mom to make a mild flavor"
"Thank you, Jonathan" she said honestly
"You are welcome and don't worry, I could see in his eyes he still loves you" he said kissing her cheek again
"I know he does, the problem is he hates me as well and I think lately this is how he feels most of the time" she said blinking back more tears leading him to look apologetically on her
"See ya tomorrow" he said not knowing what else to say to her
"See you" she answered and he was gone
The moment she listened to the door click she let the tears fall freely. She wasn't expecting to see Alex and it open all the wounds she was trying to heal so hard.
Alex didn't have strength to leave the hospital. He walked a few steps away of her room and seat on one of the chairs in the waiting room of the maternity wing.
This is Alex, the father. The words kept repeating on his head. For the first time in one year and a half she hasn't introduced him as her husband and it hurt too much. He knew they were in the rocks and that the damage both did on each other was huge but in his heart he had a small hope that they could have a second change, especially after the baby was born but now she was already introducing him as only the father of her child. Especially to a man, who seemed more intimate to her than her lawyer should be. Lawyer. Is she filling for divorce papers? What else would bring her lawyer to the hospital? Whatever she needed could wait a couple of months until the baby was born and she was released from the hospital. The only reason she needs a lawyer now is for filling a divorce.
Alex's thoughts were interrupted by the small commotion around him. Before he could blink he saw doctors and nurses running into a room. He looked up and his heart skipped a beat
"Meredith!!!" he yelled seeing it was her room