So here is the next chapter, it is just a filler but some important things will come out of this in the near future.
So enjoy..
That Monday Meredith had woken to the alarm. The day before she was discharged from hospital and told to rest. So with doctors' orders she had today and tomorrow off from school. Jackson and Jasmine were being discharged today after Richard requested excellent care for them. Most of the kids injuries had broken bones, cuts, bruises, some had some internal injuries from parts of the roof falling on them but the rest was good and only one casualty which was good considering the amount of kids.
She got up off the bed and walked into the bathroom for a shower. When she emerged she received a phone call.
"Hi Steph."
"Hi Mer. How are you?"
"Good."
"Are you resting?'
"Derek called you didn't he. No I am. I just had a shower and just about to get Kaylee ready."
"Well good. Anyway after you drop Kaylee off do you want to come over? I was thinking about going baby shopping."
"Sure I'm in. So I will come to your house or what?"
"Yeah come to mine and we can go together."
"Okay Steph I will see you then."
"Bye Mer. Take it easy."
"I will. Bye."
She hung up the phone and walked into Kaylee's room. Sitting on her bed she ran her hands over Kaylee's back.
"Wake up sweetie. Time to get ready for school darling." She says in a soft voice.
Kaylee soon wakes and rolls onto her back.
"Morning mummy."
"Morning baby come on we can have breakfast first then we can get dressed."
"Okay mummy." She says as she climbs off the bed.
"Are you tired sweetie?"
"Yeah mummy. It's been a big weekend."
"I know baby but you don't have to worry anymore. Everything is fine."
"I know mummy."
"Come here." She says picking her up. "Come on let's get some breakfast."
Meredith carries her downstairs and places her in the chair, starting breakfast.
After breakfast she gets Kaylee ready for preschool. She gets Cooper up and him ready with a baby bag.
The kids were in the car ready to go. Within 10 minutes they were at the preschool.
"Okay sweetie. Let's get going."
Meredith takes Cooper out of the car and then helps Kaylee out. She takes her inside then kisses her goodbye before leaving her to go inside.
She then arrived at Steph's with Cooper.
"Hey guys. Just let me grab my bag and we can get going. Come in." She says.
Meredith follows inside with Cooper. She notices Steph's stomach and how big it has gotten. Meredith was that size when she was 6 and a half months. Steph is only 4 and a half months.
"Okay I'm good to go." She says coming back out to the foyer. "Your car or mine?"
"We'll take my car. Since we have the little one."
"Okay than let's go."
"So have you and Dan thought of any names for the triplets." Meredith asked as they drove towards the baby store.
"Well we have a few but I don't know how we are going to go remembering which is which."
"Well I remember talking to Nancy a while ago when she was pregnant with the twins and she said that when parents have identical twins they write on the babies' feet with a marker with A and B."
"Yeah I read that somewhere. Dan and I do have some names and I don't know if it's a coincidence or not but the names we have thought of spell ABC."
"What are they?"
"Well we have Alyssa, Bowen and Carleigh. ABC." She says "They are beautiful names. I think it would be a coincidence if Alyssa was born first, then Bowen, then Carleigh. But we do have alternative names just in case."
"I think they are beautiful."
"Well you do know that you and Derek are going to be godparents."
"Seriously. To all three or just one."
"Well we were going to ask if you would be to all three."
"All three would be my pleasure. Derek will be stoked."
"Yes well I expect that your next baby Dan and I will be first pick."
"Well Derek and I don't even have godparents for Kaylee and Cooper because we know that if something happens then Carolyn will get the kids but I don't really know because we didn't talk about it."
"Well you never know what could happen but I think should have your will in order so those things could happen."
"Yeah I suppose that would be our next bed talk."
"Anyway if Dan and I pass you could have the chance of raising my five. God I'm going to have five kids. It sounds so unreal. Anyway you will have my five and then Kaylee and Cooper and however many more you and Derek will produce."
"And that will be another two."
"You keep saying that but I have a feeling that it might be one or two more."
"Yeah Derek has been saying that but I'm hoping for only 2 more."
"Well I was only suspecting 1 but got blessed with 3."
"Yes your three ABC's."
Steph laughed and Meredith joined in laughing as well.
"God Dan's gonna have a laugh about this." Steph says.
"So will Derek."
Pulling into the car park at the baby store. Steph took Cooper out and Meredith grabbed the bag before walking inside. They were greeted by one of the assistants.
"Hi, how are you ladies today?"
"Good." Steph answers.
"Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Well I seem to be carrying triplets. I've done the whole baby thing before with my four year old but I was here to seek a new nursery I guess."
"Sure well if you follow me this way and we can start with the cots."
"Okay."
"So do you know what you are having?"
"Yes. 2 girls and a boy."
"Wow how exciting."
"I know. I have a 4 year old boy and a 22 month old step daughter so it will kind of even it up."
"Kids are the joy of my life. I have a 6 and 4 year old. I love them to bits."
"Well I love my kids as well. Even though 3 of them aren't born yet I still love them."
"Who's this little boy here?"
"Oh this is Cooper. He is my son." Meredith says.
"His absolutely gorgeous. Do you have any more kids?"
"Yeah a 4 year old daughter. My daughter and Steph's son are best friends. We are sure they are going to get married."
The assistant just laughs.
"So here we are. Do you have any preferences colour, shape?"
"I am a bit unsure about getting separate cribs or one that will accommodate all 3."
"Okay, well if you have a small nursery than a bigger one will accommodate all three until they are about 6 months. Or the smaller cribs can work just as well but a lot of parents buy the one crib for them and come back later when the kids are bigger."
"Yeah well I like the idea of the one crib and if I want can get the smaller one for the boy and the bigger one for the girls."
"Yes, yes. That is a nice idea. I will leave you to decide and be back soon."
Steph just nods her head.
"Both my kids had the normal rectangle crib but the circular ones are popular and it does have the larger size for multiples."
"Yeah I don't know if I could fit 3 babies in this crib. It seems too small. This is too hard to choose." She says crying.
"Well we don't have to choose today. You have a few more months to go." Meredith says trying to comfort her.
"I know but we decided on getting the shopping done quickly just in case I am put on bed rest or deliver early. It will be there for when we are ready."
"Okay well instead of choosing the cot why don't you go for car seats and prams and the smaller things."
"Yeah okay." She says. "Sorry, I'm so hormonal it's not funny."
"Its fine your carrying 3 babies and your hormones are all over the place just breath and you will be fine."
She takes a few moments.
"Okay I think we will get the separate cribs for them all. I will send Dan a picture on the one I like."
Steph browses the cribs and chooses the one she likes. The white rectangular crib. The most modern ones.
"I like that one Steph. Very simple."
"Yeah that's what I'm looking for."
Dan had agreed on the crib and the shop assistant came back.
"So have we made a choice?"
"Yeah my husband and I have decided on the single ones for them all. It will be easier in the long run."
"Great decision. Which crib?"
"This one here."
"Oh yes that one is very popular. I will go and put that through the system you continue browsing."
When she left Steph pulled out her list.
"Okay I'm going to buy furniture today and we can buy the other bits and pieces later."
"So dressers?"
"Yeah I'm just trying to think of the size of them and how much room we will have left over."
"What room are you using?"
"Well we have a big enough house and enough rooms to accommodate for them all I was thinking of one of the spare rooms as a nursery then we have the room for everything but for the first few months we were going to use the joining nursery for the basinets and we can transfer them over."
"Why don't you just use Zoe's old cot as the bed in that room. It saves you from spending money on something that they will grow out of straight away and it's only temporary."
"Yeah I suppose."
Steph had decided on furniture for the nursery. From the change table, to the dressers and the rocking chair along with the cribs.
"While you are here why don't you check out the pram and car seats?" Meredith suggests.
"Okay I guess we can have it ordered in case they don't have it here."
"Yes we are planning everything a head of time."
Meredith was glad she wasn't in this position. Having to buy multiples of everything. It was so much hard work trying to think of everything that you could get and try and get it to accommodate triplets and the way their lives were going to change was crazy. Shopping for one baby was enough.
"Okay I have the pram ready on order and the car seats I have ready to be delivered when the furniture arrives. The pram should be ready then as well. I only really have to worry about is clothes, linen, travel cot, toys and those other bits and pieces."
"I don't know how you do it. I mean you have so much things to get. I struggled with only one baby."
"Once you do your research you are fine. I mean buying for Sam was easy." She says. "Oh I still have Zoe's travel cot so I can cross that off the list."
Meredith just shook her head. "I need to get Coopie some clothes. The cooler months are setting in and he will need some."
"Okay I was going to look for baby clothing as well."
With the stroll over to the clothes Steph grabbed a trolley and Meredith sat Cooper in the baby seat.
"Are you doing the colour schemes for the ABC's or the same?"
"Not the same. I was thinking blue or green for the boy and with the two girls I will see the range of colours and the same colours in the same product."
"Well they are due in July. The middle of winter and they are newborns. I'm pretty sure they will get away with being in onesies for that long."
"Yeah but just in case we have somewhere special to attend."
"They will still get away with being in onesies believe me. I still dress Coopie in them."
"Yeah but that baby has style I mean the amount of cool clothing he has he is a stylish baby."
"That's only because of his stylish mother."
Steph just laughs. "Yeah well Sam looked funny in onesies when he was older than 7 months. I had to start dressing him in clothes when he was 4 months."
"Well that will give you plenty of time to mix colours."
"Thank god your here. That's all I'm saying."
...
After baby shopping they had a quick lunch. Meredith dropped Steph off so she could pick Sam up and Meredith went and picked Kaylee up to.
"Do you want to see Jackson baby?"
"Yes please mummy." Kaylee said.
Pulling up outside instead of jumping out of her seat ready to jump from the car she just sat there. She let her out of the car and she stayed beside it waiting for Meredith to get Cooper out. Together they walked up to the front door and walked inside.
"Hello?" Meredith called out.
"We're in the lounge room."
Heading through to the lounge room Jackson was on the lounge besides Jasmine. Richard was on the arm chair.
"Hey sweetie."
"Hi Richard."
"Hi Kaylee." He said.
"Hi."
"Come here to poppy and tell me what's wrong."
She slowly walked towards him and he picked her up onto his lap and hug her tightly.
"What's wrong baby girl?"
"I'm so tired."
"Why?"
"Because I have been worried about everything and everyone."
"Well everyone is fine baby. You don't have to be worried anymore. How about we pop a movie on and you can watch it and have a rest."
She nodded her head and Richard went and sat her besides Jackson. He started the movie then went into the kitchen.
"How are you holding up?"
"I'm good."
"Are you resting?"
"Yeah as much as I can. I just helped Steph baby shop. That was interesting."
"Just trying to buy everything?"
"Yeah and tripling everything for them all. I thought one baby was enough."
"Well with society now they expect you to buy all these things for your kids."
"Well most of these things come in handy I just mean I'm glad I only have singles."
"Yes I know."
"How's Jackson and Jasmine?"
"They are good. Grounded for a long while."
"Then why is Jasmine here?"
"Because she is part of the family."
"Oh I see. Are you going back to work today?"
"Yes I asked for a long lunch so I could bring them home and then I am heading back to deal with paperwork."
"Sounds like fun."
"Paper work is always fun." He says smiling.
"Why don't you go for a lie down? I'm sure you are exhausted."
"I collapsed because of exhaustion. I am fine but I will go and watch the movie with Kaylee."
"Yeah well I have to be getting back you stay as long as you want."
"Thank you."
They walked into the lounge room and Kaylee as asleep. Her head was on Jacksons lap and her body sprawled across the empty seat.
The poor girl was exhausted because she was worrying.
...
Cooper waking had woken Meredith up and she saw what time it was. She woke Kaylee up and the three of them headed home. Kaylee headed off into the lounge room and Cooper followed her.
She hit the answering machine and listened to the message.
"Hi sweetie, I should be home around 8 tonight. Just letting you know. Don't wait up for dinner, make me some but don't wait. I'll see you soon."
He would be home earlier today. He was going to be home at 11 but this time was good. He could kiss the kids goodnight and then they could be put to bed and they could have some alone time.
"Hey Kaylee what do you feel like for dinner?" Meredith asked walking into the lounge room.
"I don't mind mummy."
"So how about chicken salad?"
"Sounds yummy mummy."
"Okay I'm going to start dinner now and daddy should be home just before you go to bed as well."
"Really mummy?"
"Yes sweetie."
"Good. He can read me my bedtime story."
"We both can. How about you come into the kitchen and draw for a while."
She gathered her crayons, paper and colouring books and walked into the kitchen. Meredith grabbed Cooper and sat him in the jumper so she could keep an eye on him. After dinner she quickly cleaned up the dinner plates and then fed Cooper. He fell asleep which she wasn't hoping for but that gave her time to bath Kaylee.
"Come on sweetie bath time and it's just you tonight. Your little brother decided to sleep."
"Coopie is silly sometimes mummy."
"Yes he is."
Drawing the bath she put Kaylee in and watched her play for a while before washing her and taking her out. Derek still wasn't home and it was almost 8. She dressed her and took her to bed.
"Where's daddy, he's supposed to be here."
"He must have gotten tied up. It happens."
"I know."
"Do you want me to read you a bedtime story?"
"No its okay mummy. I can read one myself. I'm a big girl and practicing my reading is good especially since I'm going to kindergarten next year."
"Yes reading is a very big girl thing. You sure you don't want me to read you one."
"I'm sure mummy."
"Okay." She says tucking her in. "Goodnight sweetie. I'll see you in the morning."
"Do you have class tomorrow?"
"No I don't."
"Good. Night mummy."
"Night baby."
She left her room and went into her bathroom and drew the bath for herself. She needed to unwind. She headed downstairs into the lounge room to check Cooper. He was awake as soon as she dropped the remote.
"Oh you're up now. How about you come and have a bath with mummy."
She takes Cooper out from the rocker and caries him upstairs to her bathroom. She undresses Cooper then herself and turns the tap off and climbs in with Cooper. This is something she hadn't done with Cooper before. She used to always have a bath with Kaylee when she was about 3 months old until she was about 12 months. She wished she had bathed with Cooper earlier but life was always too busy or bathing him with Kaylee was easier as well.
After 20 minutes in the tub she was feeding Cooper. Derek still wasn't home. Every while or so she would splash his body with the warm water that was in the tub to stop him from freezing but yet again the water was up to his body.
Derek walked through the door at quarter to 9. He knew where everyone was so he headed upstairs. He stopped by Kaylee's room. Her lamp was still on but she was asleep. He placed the reading book on the bedside table then tucked her in. He kissed her forehead and turned the lamp off and headed to his room. He saw the flickering candle light from the bathroom so he pushed the door and walked in where he saw his wife and baby sitting together. Cooper was asleep across her chest.
"Hi your home."
"Yes I am. Let me take him for you." Derek said taking Cooper from her.
He dressed him and put him to bed. He walked into the bedroom and saw Meredith changing. He done the same and climbed into bed. Meredith fiddled around with a few things before climbing into bed. It was early but he knew that they would talk for a few hours before the light went out.
"How was your day?" He asked.
"I went baby shopping with Steph. Promise me this, we are never having multiples. I mean the stuff you have to buy is ridiculous."
"Yes I know."
"And also Steph asked if we would like to be god parents."
"To the one or the three?"
"She said the three."
"Wow that would make three more kids if they passed."
"Plus Sam and Zoe."
"Houseful of kids. We are going to need to build that castle."
"Yeah we talked about it and how she would become guardian to the next baby but I realised that we haven't really got all that sorted. I know your mum would get the kids but we haven't got that written in writing just in case it happens because you know working at the hospital how a split second can tear a family apart."
"Well my next day off we can organise it. I know what you mean how it is important but I would have preferred doing after we have the other kids just so we don't have to keep going back."
"All it really it is just a phone call to change it. It will be the best decision and we have that there because you never know what could happen to us in the next few hours or so."
"I know."
"So how was your day?"
"Good. Most of the kids were released today."
"That's good."
He just nodded.
"I just thought if we become guardians to Sam, Zoe and the triplets."
"The ABC's."
"What?"
"Steph and Dan have picked out 3 names Alyssa, Bowen and Carleigh."
"Yeah what about it."
"Okay Alyssa starts with A, Bowen starts with B and Carleigh starts with C. ABC."
"Oh so we have the ABC's. I get you now." He says. "Getting back, the ABC's will make 5 kids then there will be Kaylee, Cooper and then our other two that makes 9 kids. That means Minibuses and huge houses."
"Derek we will manage."
"You say you only want 4 kids but if we get the 5 then that's 10. That's one big family."
"Sure is but we will love them if they do become our own. Even if they don't we are still going to love them."
"Just like our other possible children." He says rubbing her tummy.
"I'm not carrying any now."
"I know but I'm just imagining what we will have next and what they will look like."
"Hopefully a little girl who looks like Kaylee but has a different personality."
"I hope all of them have different personalities to each other so we can have a big family with however many kids with all their big personalities."
"I'm sure we will. They are all related to the Shepherd's and your sisters all have different personalities."
"They sure do. That's what I hope for."
"Hmm that hopefully will happen."
He kissed her cheek and snuggled in beside her.
"Night sweetie."
"Night."
What'd you thin, let me know. Next chapter is Valentine's Day which they end up spending in the emergency room for.