Chapter Twenty-One
It didn't take long to get from the airport back home. Alex and Izzie had been gone for three days and when they returned to Seattle, they brought Gwen with them. The ride home was silent. Izzie had been overly quiet the whole trip but that was nothing compared to Alex's behavior. He had been . . . nice. Well, mostly.
The most surprising part of the trip had been their mother. Not only had she recognized them, which was enough to freak them both out, but she had rushed over and hugged them. She had read all of Gwen's books and she knew that Alex was a doctor. "Oh, a doctor," she had gushed, "I'm just so proud." She had even arranged, with Izzie, to come and visit everyone in Seattle. "Gwen is moving to be closer to her brother," she had exclaimed, "how sweet."
Meredith was getting home the same time they were. "Hey," she said, quietly, "how did it go?"
Alex shrugged.
"It was . . . different," Gwen explained. Meredith nodded.
"I was talking to Joe yesterday," she said. "Since we couldn't go to the funeral with you guys, he thought we could have some sort of thing at the bar. Nothing downtrodden or anything, but just something to remember him by. We don't have to," she continued, "but he offered."
"That could be fun," Alex said, smiling. "Remember when Dad used to go play at the bars," Alex asked, "we could do something similar."
"Only if you sing again," Gwen said, returning the smile. With that idea lodged into their heads, everyone went to sleep.
ALEXALEXALEX
The "thing" at the bar ended up being a hospital wide party at Joe's. Not that Joe minded; he seemed to be having fun. The cover band was set up on the makeshift stage and doing old '80's covers until the "thing" really got started. People brought covered dishes and Izzie had gone on a two-day baking spree to make sure there was enough food to go around.
"You two get up there," Joe said, shooing them away from the bar, "this is for you. Go grieve."
Alex and Gwen jumped on stage as the band finished the end of a song. Alex gestured for her to take the microphone. "Okay, so this is awkward," she said, causing the crowd gathered to laugh. "So, tonight is about good music and . . . well, family. Alex and I recently . . . I guess they say we 'lost' our father. Anyway, he was a musician, so expect a lot of old, crappy rock music. So, I'm making my brother sing now. Let's hear it for Doctor Alex Karev!"
"No way, Gwennie," Alex said, into the microphone, "if I have to sing, then so do you." She smiled at him, shaking her head. "Uh, huh," Alex said in a sing-song voice. "C'mon, Gwennie, you know you want to," he said, facing her. "Sing with me, Gwennie."
"Fine," she said, picking up a second microphone. "What are we going to sing?"
"I know the perfect song," Alex said, smiling. He turned to the band and whispered to the lead guitarist. The guitarist smiled in turn and said something to the rest of the band, who smiled and began to play. Alex turned to Gwen and sang:
It was the third of September.
That day I'll always remember, yes, I will.
'Cause that was the day that my daddy died.
Gwen shook her head and picked up the rest of the verse.
I never got a chance to see him
Never heard nothing but bad things about him.
Mama, I'm depending on you to tell us the truth.
Alex laughed and pulled Meredith, who had been sitting closest, onto the stage.
And Mama just hung her head and said. . .
He stuck the mic in her face.
"Son, Papa was a rolling stone.
Wherever he laid his hat was his home."
Alex and Gwen stood behind Meredith and interceded:
. . . And when he died . . .
Meredith, despite her overwhelming uncertainty, continued to sing.
"All he left us was alone.
Papa was a rolling stone, my son.
Wherever he laid his hat was him home. . ."
Alex watched as a woman came in the bar, her hand resting on the shoulder of a young boy, about ten years old. The woman and boy walked straight over to the bar where the woman waved Joe over. They conversed for a few minutes, Joe sending worried glances towards the stage.
Well, well.
Hey, Mama, is it true what they say,
That
Papa never worked a day in is life?
And Mama, some bad talk going
around town
Saying that Papa had three outside children and another wife.
And that ain't right.
Hey, talk about Papa doing some store front preaching.
Talked about saving souls and all the time leeching.
Dealing in debt and stealing in the name of the Lord.
Mama just hung her head and said. . .
Alex watched Joe walk to the other end of the bar where Izzie and George were sitting. Joe talked to Izzie, both of them looking at the stage as Alex, Gwen, and Meredith continued to sing.
Hey, Mama, I heard Papa called himself a jack of all trades.
Tell me
is that what sent Papa to an early grave?
Folks say Papa would
beg, borrow, steal to pay his bills.
Hey, Mama, folks say that Papa was never much on thinking.
Spent most of his time chasing women and drinking.
Mama, I'm depending on you to tell us the truth.
And Mama looked up with a tear in her eye and said . . .
Alex jumped off the stage, passing the microphone to Nurse Tyler as he went by. Izzie was arguing with Joe, which never happened.
"What's going on," he asked, wrapping Izzie in a hug. She was upset about whatever it is.
Joe pointed to the other end of the bar. "That woman wants to talk to Edward Karev's kids. I told her that you were busy," Joe said, "she's planning on waiting around."
Alex looked towards stage where Gwen, Meredith, and Tyler were trying to sing "Old Time Rock 'n Roll." Gwen would be busy for a while. He pulled Izzie up from her stool. "What does she want?"
"I don't know," Joe replied, "she didn't say. Use my office." Izzie and Alex went behind the bar to the back room while Joe walked off. Alex opened the door to the small office and followed Izzie in, leaving the door cracked open behind them.
"What upset you so badly," Alex asked. He hated seeing Izzie so upset.
"We'll talk about it later," she said as Joe walked in with the woman and little boy.
"Alex, Izzie, this is Angela Addy and her son, Brian," Joe said. "Angela, this is Dr. Alex Karev and Dr. Izzie Stevens."
"Where's the other one," Angela asked, looking around.
"On stage," Alex replied, assuming she meant Gwen. "What exactly is it that we can help you with," Alex asked as Joe left the small room, taking the boy with him.
Angela studied Alex for a few moments. "He knew that you were going to Med School," she said, throwing him off. "He was so proud." She smiled at him. What in the world was this woman going on about? "We lived together for a long time, until the cancer got real bad. We had Brian together. Edward was a great father. He used to talk about Gwen all the time, too. I've read her books, they're wonderful." Alex nodded, listening her but not hearing her. Everything after 'We had Brian together. . .' fell on deaf ears. This woman had a child by his father. Edward Karev had another son?
"What do you want," Alex found himself saying.
"I'm sick," the woman – Angela – said. "I want Brian to know his siblings, to have family. I won't be around much longer, I imagine. I have a kidney disease. Brian will probably be put into foster care. I just wanted him to know that he had family out there. I'm not sure why. I don't expect you to take him in or anything like that. It's just . . . no one should feel alone."
"How old is your son," Izzie asked, smiling gently at Angela.
"Ten."
The door sprang open. "Alex, you just left. What the Hell?" Gwen stood in the doorway, hands on hips. "What's going on in here?"
"This is Angela Addy," Izzie said.
"She the mother of Dad's other son," Alex said with no emotion on his face.
"Other son," Gwen questioned. "Dad had another kid?"
"Apparently," Alex said, dryly. "One of us should get back to this . . . thing." Alex stood up and left the room. Gwen looked at him.
"Is he okay," Angela asked.
Gwen sat down in Alex's vacated chair. "I'm sure he will be," she replied with a smile. "Now, what's going on here?"
A/N: Shonda doesn't do funerals, so I won't either. Funerals are sad and I didn't really want to go into detail. Except for their Mom, not a lot happened, anyway. So, yeah, review if you can. The really do help move writers along. :)