Chapter 5: Maybe Nanny?
"What did you tell him?" Isobel Stephens asked her friend as they worked on a plate of chocolate cookies.
Shrugging her shoulders Meredith winced a little at the lecture she knew was coming.
"Oh my God Mer! You did not tell him yes…you did not tell your McDreamy professor, who humiliated you in front of the entire class that you would move in with him and take care of his motherless child…"
Izzie jumped up pacing the room, trying to wrap her mind around her friend's wild scheme.
"Iz come on I need the money…and he's harmless…not as bad as he seemed at first" Meredith tried to make things sound better.
Eyes widening, Izzie dropped back down to the couch she turned to face Meredith. "Oh my God, you're falling for him…."
"I am not…" Meredith denied, her eyes widening at the thought. No way… she couldn't be.
Laughing, Izzie looked at Mer, "you so are, be careful Mer…don't get hurt."
"I won't get hurt Iz. I'm just there for Maddy and money to pay for school. We all know Ellis hasn't left me in a good spot." Meredith told her as she took a bite out of one of Izzie's chocolate chip cookies.
Groaning with the indulgence of the treats, Meredith looked up to find Izzie smiling.
"The way you're treating that cookie it looks like you need to get laid. Let's hope you don't go playing doctor with McDreamy. Okay Mer?"
Throwing what was left of her cookie at Izzie, Meredith couldn't help but laugh. Izzie was wrong, she wasn't falling for her professor. This was a strictly working partnership. She would agree to move in and take care of Maddy, and he would agree to help pay for her last year of med school. Sure, it wasn't exactly the situation she was looking for, but it worked…at least she hoped it would.
Derek leaned back in his lounge chair and watched as Maddy played on her swing set. Taking a swig off his beer, he could tell his friend had something to say…he just wasn't saying it.
Mark was the sort of guy to make you sweat it out…
"Spit it out Mark…quit looking at me like that and just say it!" Derek said to his friend, a little aggravated by the constant staring.
"No man I'm not saying anything…I actually admire you" Mark chuckled turning to face him.
"I mean a young med student as a nanny…that's classic…just tell me she's good looking, right? I mean she must be hot…tell me you hired some hot blond."
His face flushing, Derek groaned at the laughter that roared out of Marks mouth.
"Just shut it. I hired her to take care of Maddy…nothing more…nothing less." Turning his attention back to his daughter Derek sat and stewed in his frustrations.
Mark was wrong…he knew what Mark was thinking and he couldn't be further from the truth.
His intentions with Meredith were completely honorable, she would help him with Maddy and in return he would help her with schooling. Now, if he could just convince his body of that….
"Dude, it's okay I was just giving you a hard time…I think it's great you and Maddybug are gonna have some female companionship in this house…I mean for God sakes someone needs to be able to do her hair besides me." Mark joked as Maddy ran up and jumped into his lap.
"Hey Uncle Markie…did Daddy tell you about Merdiff, she's my new best friend."
Mark smiled at the excitement in her voice, they needed this. Derek needed to forget about Meg and move on. Even if this Meredith girl wasn't the girl for him, he needed to start looking…Maddy needed a mother.
"Your new best friend, huh? I thought I was your best friend?" he teased her as he tickled her.
"You're my Uncle Markie silly…Merdiff is my bestest friend. She reads books and she pways wif me and she smells really pwetty too…" her voice trailed off in her excitement.
Watching her eyes grow heavy, Derek knew his daughter had finally played herself into sleep deprived oblivion.
Taking her from Marks arms, he started to carry her toward the house, lifting her head for just a second she looked back. "Goodnight, Uncle Markie."
Derek carried her up to her room, careful to change her into her jammies without waking her, he covered her with her blankets and kissed her softly goodnight.
Looking one last time at the picture beside her, he couldn't help but feel he was making the right decision…she needed someone. Maybe Meredith was just that person…and he would just have to make certain he didn't come between that.
As he walked back onto the deck the sky finally turned dark with the setting sky. Setting a fresh beer in front of Mark he popped open his.
"She is pretty…hot even…but it's not that. It's the way she is with Maddy"
Mark stared at his friend. Listening to what he had to say…for once not being a smart ass.
"Maddy is so happy when she is around…I just want her to be happy, and it doesn't matter if I'm attracted to her or not. I don't have anything to give. She isn't the type of girl you just sleep with and send away. She's…more than that."
Marks eyes widened to hear his friend talk so genuinely about a woman…"Derek maybe you should just open up a little…live a little."
Mark was cut off by Derek, "No, I won't let anyone that close again, but if Meredith makes Maddy happy, then this is what I need to do…and all attractions just well they just can't be." staring out onto his property. Derek enjoyed the peace of the night, knowing that tomorrow he had one less thing to worry about.