Chapter 24: Any Day Now
The nursery was almost set up, Meredith's bag for the hospital was packed and everything was calm. Derek painted the nursery the color that they decided on, put together the crib and the changing table and the only thing left to come was the rocking chair for nursing. But Derek wasn't worried. For the first time in eight and a half months, Derek wasn't worried. Aubrey could be born today, or she could be born next week and either way, everything would be okay. The doctor had told them at their last checkup that Meredith was out of the woods for pre-term labor and premature delivery and now it was just a matter of waiting. There were still a couple of weeks until her due date, but they were prepared for Aubrey to come any day and even though they were in tune to every kick and every twinge that Meredith had, things were good.
"I think Mom is bringing over some casseroles for us to freeze so we have homemade food to eat after Aubs is born." Derek said as he laid on the couch with Meredith, his arms wrapped her belly that seemed to get just a little bit bigger each day.
"Ooo...hopefully chicken casserole."
"And lasagna." He smiled, feeling Aubrey kick his hand. "Hey there."
"Hi Aubrey..." Meredith giggled as Aubrey did it again. She was sure that now Aubrey knew her parent's voices. "What's shakin' bacon?"
"She's got a strong kick for a little girl." Derek laughed.
"I know...especially when I am trying to sleep."
"Our little soccer player...or football punter."
"Yoga."
"She'll do everything."
"Oh, she will?"
"Yes."
"Maybe she'll be a swimmer...or a rock star."
"She can be anything she wants."
"She can." Meredith agreed.
"Except you know...the bad stuff." Derek laughed.
"Hopefully she'll be nothing like me in my teens."
"No pink hair." He teased before they heard the doorbell ring. "Come in!"
"Hey guys!" Lexie shouted as she and mark walked in with several bags in hand.
"Hey Meredith...hello Derek." His mother soon followed.
"Did you guys' plan to all get here at the se time?" Derek laughed, kissing Meredith before getting off the couch.
"We didn't actually." Carolyn laughed.
"Hey Mom." He smiled, giving her a hug.
"Hello Dear." She smiled, hugging her son before walking over to Meredith. "And how are you my dear and my lovely granddaughter."
"We're here." Meredith giggled.
"Where do want this?" Mark asked, holding up a few bags of baby clothes.
"Let Mer see them." Lexie rolled her eyes. "Meredith...I dragged Mark all over town looking for baby clothes. I found great deals and...well I know you have a ton of clothes for her already but these are different sizes and honestly she should never have to repeat an outfit now."
"Oh...thanks Lexie." Meredith's eyes went wide as Lexie put the bag in front of her.
"Well that should occupy you for a few years." Derek laughed, shaking his head.
"This is great guys...thank you." Meredith breathed.
"Meredith...I brought you two chicken casseroles, a lasagna and some beef stew. That should be good for at least a week or so after Aubrey comes home. That way you won't have to worry about food. You can just pop them in the oven and warm them up." Carolyn said, putting the food into the freezer.
"Thank you." Meredith grinned, before reaching for a box of onesies.
"You're welcome dear." His mother smiled.
"Oh...did you by any chance bring any of your brownies?" Meredith asked with an innocent smile on her face.
"Of course." Carolyn laughed.
"Yes." Meredith giggled.
"And some more cookies."
"Oh..." Meredith looked at Derek with a big smile on her face.
"She's good." Derek laughed, taking some dishes out for dinner.
"Where did Mark go?" Meredith looked around.
"I don't know." Derek looked at Lexie.
"He went to put some diapers upstairs in your room." Lexie explained, reaching for a salad bowl.
"Mer...what do you want?" Derek asked, opening up the food containers.
"Salad...with raspberry dressing...and two rolls."
"So have you guys made any plans yet...for what's going to happen when Mer goes into labor?" Lexie asked as she put some food on a plate.
"We haven't really talked about it. We packed a bag and that's it." Meredith answered.
"You haven't even decided who's going to be in the room?"
"I...who else would be in there besides us?"
"I..." Lexie looked around awkwardly.
"What?" Meredith frowned.
"Well...I just thought..."
"I mean...that's not something Derek and I have thought about." Meredith looked at Derek. "I...I mean I wouldn't mind people being there before."
"I think it's just going to be me and Meredith" Derek jumped in.
"Which is perfectly fine." His mother added, sitting a glass of chocolate milk in front of Meredith.
"What are we talking about?" Mark came back downstairs and picked up a plate.
"We're talking about how thrilled we are for Aubrey to get here." Carolyn laughed.
"As long as she doesn't poop on me." Mark said.
"She won't." Meredith rolled her eyes.
"You don't know that." Mark pointed. "Babies are like...gross."
"Thanks Mark." Derek rolled his eyes.
"You sound like you're thirteen. Like...gross." Lexie imitated.
"Shut up."
"Guys..." Carolyn laughed. "Stop."
"Sorry." Lexie giggled, slapping Mark's arm.
"What are we doing with all of this?" Derek took a bite of his food and gesture to the bags of clothes.
"We have to fold them or hang them." Meredith replied.
"Do you, Lexie, and Mom want to do that?"
"After we eat." Meredith replied.
"And Derek and I will go grab a beer." Mark suggested, shoving a forkful of food in his mouth.
"Or you can stay here." Lexie rolled her eyes.
"Sorry Mark." Derek laughed. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Derek hasn't left my side...besides work he doesn't want to leave in fear that my water may break." Meredith laughed, taking a bite of salad.
"She could come any moment." Carolyn smiled.
"I think she's coming next week." Meredith said, taking another bite. "Derek has one major surgery scheduled for a while and I keep telling him she will come then."
"I hope she can wait until after the surgery." He laughed.
"She will come at the right time." His mother assured him. "She'll wait for her Daddy."
"Do you need anything else Mer?" Derek asked.
"Can you grab some pasta?"
"Sure."
"And a cookie." Meredith suggested.
"Okay." Derek laughed, picking up her plate.
"Thank you." She grinned.
"You're welcome." He smiled, leaning over, kissing her.
"Hi."
"Hello."
"Aubrey's awake." Meredith whispered.
"She wants a cookie too."
"You don't know that."
"I have a feeling."
"You guys are adorable." Lexie giggled.
"They're nauseating." Mark groaned.
"Be nice Mark." Carolyn demanded. "They're simply excited because they're about to become parents."
"You'll be like this one day." Derek laughed, feeling Aubrey kick. "Here...Mark...feel it."
"Yeah...you're the only one who hasn't felt her." Meredith giggled.
"I've felt a baby kick before."
"Not this one." Derek smiled.
"This one is absolutely perfect." Lexie replied, running a hand over Meredith's belly.
"Fine..." Mark rolled his eyes. He walked over to Meredith and put his hand over her stomach.
"Aubrey...move for Mark." Meredith tapped her stomach to try and find Aubrey's small foot. "Come on Aubs..."
"Aubrey...it's Uncle Mark." Derek laughed.
"Aubrey it's Mommy... Meredith whispered and then grinned as she felt a swift kick. "Feel it?"
"Damn." Mark laughed, looking up at them.
"That's my girl." Derek grinned.
"All of my grandchildren have had strong kicks in the womb."
"I won't have to kick anyone's ass for her. She'll be able to do it for herself." Mark chuckled.
"Language Mark." Mom reminded him.
"I'm serious."
"She is strong." Meredith smiled proudly.
"Why don't you guys start with the clothes; I'll take care of the dishes." Derek offered.
"Sounds great." Lexie stood, reaching for Meredith's hand.
"We have bins upstairs for the clothes that she won't need right away." He reminded them.
"She's going to need a spare closet." Lexie laughed, lifting the bag.
"We'll need a bigger house." Derek joked, picking up the dirty plates.
"Oh we'll make it fit." Carolyn laughed. "Come on girls...Meredith go slow...we need to get you resting upstairs."
"We can take the stuff into my bedroom. That's where we've been folding her blankets." Meredith said quickly, a hand on her back.
"Do you need my help?" Derek asked.
"I'll be okay.." Meredith smiled, kissing his cheek. "I just need a sip of my chocolate milk before I go."
"Yell if you need me."
"I will." Meredith winked, handing him the glass. "Come up in about 30 minutes...I'll want to go to sleep for a few."
"I'll be there." Derek smiled, kissing her softly.
"Seriously...you guys..." Mark winced.
"Okay I have to go with your mom and Lexie."
"We'll be down here." Derek smiled.
"Okay." Meredith smiled, before turning to walk up the steps.
"Take it easy." Carolyn breathed, walking behind her.
"Yeah Meredith...Aubrey can't be born on the steps." Lexie laughed, turning at the top of the steps.
"She's not going to be born on steps...it's new carpet." Meredith joked.
"No she's going to be born safely in the hospital." Carolyn chuckled.
"With an epidural." Meredith insisted.
"You already decided on that?" Lexie asked.
"Derek seems to think I will want one." Meredith laughed.
"You won't have to decide that until you're in the hospital." Carolyn informed her.
"Did you have all of the kids natural?" Meredith asked.
"Oh gosh no."
"I have no idea what I would decide." Lexie replied, shaking her head.
"The first two I didn't get any medication...I learned my lesson after that." Carolyn chuckled.
"Aubrey...foot in ribs..." Meredith suddenly groaned, her hands moving protectively over her stomach.
"She wants to come out and meet us." Lexie smiled.
"Derek wakes up several times a night...just because he's excited."
"You two are doing, okay?" Lexie asked quietly.
"We're great."
"They always were...they just hit a rough patch." Carolyn smiled.
"Aubrey is our number one concern." Meredith said quickly.
"You have to take care of your relationship too." His mother reminded her, pulling out a pile of clothes to fold.
"We...we know that now." Meredith smiled weakly. "It took time."
"Now, they're acting like newlyweds." Lexie laughed.
"Not newlyweds." Meredith rolled her eyes as Carolyn pushed a below under her swollen feet.
"A little." Her sister giggled. "With all the kissing and smiling."
"We're happy." Meredith blushed, lifting a bright orange onesie from the bag. "A halloween onesie."
"Have you decided what you're going to bring her home from the hospital in?" Carolyn asked.
"Derek wants to bring her home in the Daddy's princess dress with the taffeta...I was thinking the purple layette that Amelia sent." Meredith explained.
"I think your selection is a little more appropriate." The older woman chuckled.
"I thought that too since it might be chilly." Meredith couldn't help but smile as she lifted a small pair of socks. "Will her feet really be that small?"
"You'd be surprised."
"Wow." Meredith sighed.
"What?" Lexie asked.
"I can't believe she's going to fit into this stuff."
"Not for long. You'll be surprised how fast she grows." Carolyn smiled, finishing folding the pile of clothes in front of her.
"That explains the amount of clothes." Meredith laughed.
"Well, this may be a little excessive."
"Blame Lexie." Meredith giggled.
"Hey...I can't help how cute all of it is!" Lexie laughed.
"I'm going to lay that on Derek's side of the bed." Meredith breathed.
"Are you feeling alright?" Derek's mother asked quickly.
"Just tired." Meredith smiled as his mother squeezed her hand.
"Lexie...why don't we let her rest." She suggested.
"Could you send Derek up?" Meredith asked.
"Of course."
"Thank you for everything." Meredith smiled, clutching a onesie close to her chest.
"You're welcome." Lexie waved. "We'll see you soon."
"Call if you need anything." Carolyn added.
"Thanks." Meredith leaned back in the bed as the two women left. She smelled the onesie, wondering what her baby would smell like too. Her hand moved gently over her stomach as Aubrey moved around, trying to get comfortable.
"Hey...what's up?" Derek smiled, coming into the room a few minutes later.
"We're sleepy."
"Is this an invitation for a nap?"
"It is."
"Well, I accept."
"Look." Meredith pointed to the baby scrubs on his pillow.
"Where did those come from?" Derek laughed, laying down on the bed.
"Lexie found them."
"They're cute."
"There is a picture in the baby book that is for her Dr. to hold her after delivery...we could put her in the scrubs next to Dr. Stein." Meredith suggested. "Unless...it's a stupid idea."
"I think it's a good idea." He replied, rubbing her belly.
"I've been thinking...Liza's mom asked me a while back if I would be interested in working with Liza outside of the practice." Meredith suddenly mentioned.
"What made you think of that?"
"I don't know..."
"Is it something you want to do?"
"I was just thinking if I did that I could work from home a while longer and you could work on the Trial."
"Oh..."
"That way I'm home with Aubrey for a while...and we don't have to shuffle her around." Meredith shrugged. "Then when the trial is over and she's bigger we can both work. I'll just alter my work hours."
"That's an idea."
"The trial will leave you with some long hours most days, but Aubrey and I can come for dinner or lunch if you have to be there." Meredith added.
"I'm...yeah..."
"We'll put a play pen...some diapers in your office."
"Okay." Derek smiled.
"Sound good?"
"Sounds good."
"But for now...Aubrey and I are very tired." Meredith curled closer into his arms.
"Let's go to sleep." Derek chuckled.
"Sleep sounds perfect." Meredith breathed.
"I'll finish the clothes when we wake up."
"And I'll read the super awkward users manual to the breast pump."
"Deal." Derek laughed, pulling a blanket over them.
"That was easy."
"Nap." He whispered, closing his eyes and feeling Aubrey kick his hand lightly. The nursery was nearly done, they had everything set for Aubrey to be born and Derek couldn't have been more excited. Now that everything was calm, they could finally start to talk about their future without arguing and wondering what was to come, even though the only thing certain was that Aubrey would be born any day now.