Three's a Fantasy

Mark and Meredith and Derek

Ellis Grey was thrilled to have two good looking men – surgeons – visit her that afternoon. Meredith sat on the sidelines, bemused by her mother's happy flushed face. Ellis laughed and chatted gaily with them, ignoring her daughter altogether, unless one of the guys put an arm around Mer or kissed her cheek or whispered in her ear as they did casually, all the time. Then Ellis' expression sharpened and she pierced Meredith with an almost jealous look. Both guys treated Meredith as his special girlfriend regardless of Ellis' presence and regardless of Meredith's squirming in front of her mom. Finally, Meredith gave in and acted as lovingly as she normally did to them.

Mark charmed Ellis further by presenting her with her favorite cognac chocolate cordial truffles. Meredith had giggled when he stopped to purchase them. They were potent enough for a person her mom's size to get tipsy on two of them. Mark said not to worry and gave them to the nurse with a sexy wink that made the sixty year old woman blush. He grinned and asked her to dole out two a night to Ellis on a doily decorated dessert plate whenever she thought Ellis needed a treat. Then he gave her an extra box for herself. Derek had brought two interesting patient reports with names deleted to entertain Ellis and to get a consult. Meredith didn't ask if the consult was real or imagined. She didn't want to know. The reports and the truffles totally turned her mom up sweet.

Ninety minutes later, just as Meredith was getting ready to leave, Ellis stared at her and said, "Meredith Rochelle Grey, what are you up to, young lady?"

"Ma'am?" Meredith was plunged back to sixteen again.

"You've been sneaking out with that Turner boy again, haven't you? How many times have I told you, he's no good. You're going to end up just like him, if you don't straighten up.

"And you," Ellis suddenly frowned at Mark, who'd grinned, amused at Meredith being taken to task for something she may or may not have done over ten years ago, "Nathan Turner, you'll never amount to anything. Imagine a boy your age with a tattoo! Humph."

It was Meredith's turn to smile as Mark paid the price for his levity. She stuck her tongue out at him behind her mom's back. Derek tried to divert Ellis before it turned into a full scale rant but she turned on him next.

"What does your father do for a living?"

"Mom!"

"Hush, Meredith, you're dating this boy now, aren't you?" Ellis interrogated sharply.

Meredith helplessly shrugged at Derek, "Yes, ma'am."

"I think I have a right to know who his family is."

"My father is a physician too, Dr. Grey," Derek answered as if he were seventeen and dating Meredith for the first time.

At least Ellis was showing an interest in Meredith, so Derek answered with the truth.

"Really? What specialty? What's his name?" Ellis asked, but they could tell Derek had gone up in her estimation.

"He's a family physician and his name is Dr. Sullivan Shepherd," Derek answered, again truthfully.

"Ah, and what does he think about you looking like a reject from a horror film? What is it with you kids and this white faced makeup? Didn't you feel like a girl with all that makeup on last night? Of course, Meredith's pink hair and black lipstick made her look like a grisly clown so I suppose you match," Ellis said severely, "What exactly does a boy like you see in her anyway?"

Derek arched a brow in surprise at Ellis, while Mark snickered behind his coffee cup. He gave Meredith and Derek the 'shame on you' sign of one pointer brushing the top of the other as soon as Ellis shifted away from him.

"Meredith is beautiful in anything she chooses to wear. I love your daughter, Dr. Grey," Derek rallied, unaccustomed to being chastised by a parent for anything, especially for wearing makeup, since he'd never worn makeup in his life. His narrowed eyes promised Mark retribution, as Mark chortled unrestrainedly.

"Hm, you mean like all teen aged boys you would like to have sex and are telling my daughter that you love her just to get in her pants. She is going to make something of herself, young man. Meredith, all boys like this want is to get in your pants and to ruin your life. Forget about them and focus on school. This one is good looking but they're the worst for taking advantage of you."

"Okay, Mom, I'll go to college and med school and become a doctor," Meredith reassured her, "I won't let boys ruin my life. I promise."

"Good, good," Ellis drifted away into her own twilight zone.

They said goodbye and all of them sighed in relief as they left. It had been a pretty good visit all told. For Meredith it had been a miracle. The gifts kept on coming. There had only been ten minutes of unpleasantness instead of an hour or more. She kissed her guys in gratitude as soon as they reached the parking lot.