Chapter 13: Shopping Spree and Surprises
Meredith opened her eyes and stretched. She stared for a minute at the rays of light that forced themselves through the cracks in her drapes. She tried to feel excited. She tried to tell herself that this year would be different. However, the same sinking feeling that seemed to settle in the pit of her stomach arrived as she groggily climbed out of bed. Something told her that this year, on her birthday would be no different than the last twenty-five years.
The foolishly optimistic little girl inside Meredith quickly searched the dresser top and then the bathroom counter with her eyes for a card, a small gift, anything. Of course, there was nothing and Meredith scolded herself for being so juvenile. She shook her head trying to rid it of any thoughts of birthdays. She had other things to worry about. Someone was trying to scare her and she needed to stay concentrated on getting to the bottom of it. She didn't need her pathetic childhood and lack of birthday celebrations clouding her mind. She needed to focus.
Meredith was able to get Carwyn and herself fed, dressed, and out the door on time with no more than a couple more birthday thoughts. She was even feeling proud of herself that she was halfway through rounds and hadn't checked her phone more than three times wondering if she missed Derek's call. She wasn't disappointed when Cristina had passed out the intern's assignments that morning and hadn't mentioned knowing what the day was. She hadn't even let it get her down when Izzie, who was famously known for bringing in the best birthday cupcakes on her friends' birthdays, passed her in the hall with a mere smile and wave.
She was fine. She was good at this part; at the not letting disappointment after letting down get to her. At the pretending.
Meredith somehow made it to lunchtime and found herself checking her messages. Maybe she missed a call. Maybe Derek called and it somehow didn't go through and went straight to voice mail.
Meredith slammed her phone shut hard at the annoying sound of the woman's voice stating she had no new messages. Of course, he didn't call. He was busy with some super important meeting with the chief from Mercy West. Derek had so many new responsibilities that it probably hadn't even dawned on him what the day was. This thought didn't make Meredith angry. It made her incredibly sad. Sadder than a lifetime of neglected birthdays by her mom.
She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. She wasn't going to cry. She learned by the time she was ten, that crying on your birthday was useless. She focused on inhaling and exhaling until the sting behind her eyes lessened and the trembling of her lip steadied. When she reopened her eyes, the curvy figure of a red head walking towards her in perfect black designer pumps filled her vision and Meredith couldn't help but sigh.
Why did Addison always have to look so flawless and put together? Meredith threw her greasy hair in a sloppy ponytail and didn't even bother with lip gloss. She noticed how Addison's crisp white lab coat carefully covered her coordinating Prada blouse and skirt and couldn't keep her eyes from falling down. Her own lab coat had started out clean, but somewhere in the morning had gathered a collection of coffee stains and antiseptic spills. She hadn't even bothered trying to iron her wrinkled scrubs and noticed for the first time she had a large hole in the outside seem on one of the legs of her pants. Perfect.
"Hey there Grey." Addison's cheerful voice didn't cover the concern that immediately swept over her features as she took in the disheveled sight before her.
"Hi Addison." Meredith tried not to meet her probing eyes.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Meredith smiled. She almost perfected those two words.
After an extended silence, Meredith finally met Addison's gaze. The refined red head carefully appraised the petite intern a moment longer before finally speaking.
"Let's go."
"Um…what?" Meredith furrowed her brows, not quite understanding what she meant.
"I'm breaking you out of here. Let's go." Addison turned to leave, expecting Meredith to follow, but when the frazzled younger doctor didn't move, Addison turned back around questioningly.
"I… I…I can't leave Addison. I don't get off until five." Meredith's eyes were wide and confused. What exactly was Addison planning?
"Sure, you can. I'll page Dr. Yang and let her know I'm borrowing you for the rest of the day. I don't have any patients expected to deliver today, no one will even know we're gone. Come on, it will be fun."
Meredith was still shocked and stuttered not knowing what to say."Wh…what? We can't just leave?! We might get in trouble."
Addison scoffed as she rolled her eyes. "By who? You're boyfriend, whohappens to be the chief, who also happens to be my ex-husband. I picked his drunken ass up at Joe's so many times when you were gone. He owes me. Come on Meredith, it will be fun!"
Meredith started walking forward with Addison, her mind still reeling. Then a thought crossed her mind that made her stop in her tracks. "Wait! I can't leave Carwyn at the day care center. Derek's busy in a meeting and if something happens to her, I wouldn't be close… and…."
Addison watched Meredith, a little taken back by her sudden anxiety. She wasn't usually the overprotective mother type, but there was something inside Meredith's eyes that Addison couldn't really decipher and so she chose not to argue. Instead, she offered a solution.
"Mark doesn't have any patients. He can come get her and take her for ice cream. Then you know she'll be safe, and we can get out of here. Mark would love that."
Meredith tossed that idea around in her mind a minute. Carwyn loved her Uncle Mark almost more than anyone else, and Meredith knew she would definitely be safe. Addison didn't look like she was giving up any time soon so, reluctantly, Meredith nodded her agreement.
Addison's face split in an excited grin as she reached for her cell and pushed a few buttons.
Soon they had Mark's eager acceptance of his babysitting duties, and the two women headed down for the lobby alone in an elevator.
Meredith couldn't help but smile. She had to admit sneaking out was rather exciting. "You know Addie, I haven't ditched since Miss Roscals PE senior year. This is kind of fun."
Addison laughed, happy that her new friend was finally getting into the spirit of what they were doing. "Oh, the fun's just begun Meredith. I'm taking you downtown. We're going to hit Barney's and then grab a light lunch at this small café that's just to die for…."
Addison went on while Meredith just shook her head amused. Of course. Addison was taking her shopping. Usually, Meredith would have kicked and screamed in objection, but she found herself a bit intrigued. She'd never been shopping with a New Yorker before, and even though she'd basically grew up in Seattle, her mother had never taken her downtown. She would let herself enjoy her girls day out, it would be her own birthday present to herself.
"How about these?" Addison held up a pair of brightly colored high heeled Christian Louboutin's.
Meredith wrinkled her nose and shook her head, causing Addison to laugh out loud.
"Okay fine, what about these?" Addison moved to a simpler pair of black flats by Miu Miu.
Meredith studied them closely for a moment before finally nodding and smiling. She could do simple.
Addison sighed relieved and motioned for their shopping assistant to retrieve Meredith's size in the black flats, before collapsing exhausted in the velvet lined chair next to Meredith.
The two women appraised their large pile of purchases and Meredith couldn't help but shake her head. It was all a bit overwhelming. It had started out by Addison insisting on buying Meredith a new pair of jeans and blouse and had escalated from there. After their "light lunch", which Meredith noticed the bill topping seventy five bucks, Addison had taken her to Ricardo, a hair dresser she claimed was a pure genius, and Meredith had her hair cut and styled. She was used to trimming her own spit ends, so that was a treat in itself. But the fun hadn't ended there. They'd enjoyed a hot stone massage at a close health spa and Meredith had even agreed to a facial where Addison instructed the technician to "do something with her brows". Meredith had never realized what nicely shaped eyebrows she had and couldn't help but smile at how her skin glowed. Before leaving she had consented to let them do her makeup and a light layer of soft color was painted over her fresh skin. She looked like a new woman, a refreshed woman, maybe even a happy woman.
Addison insisted on stopping once more at yet another upscale store for some shoes to go with her new outfit, but before they had even reached the shoe section, Meredith found her arms full of designer articles of clothing Addison swore up and down were made just for Meredith's shape.
Addison was whipping out her credit card left and right all day long and Meredith learned hours ago that arguing would do no good. She was adamant on taking care of everything and Meredith sat back and watched the total tally higher and higher, helpless to do anything about it.
Their shopping assistant came back with the appropriate size and carefully slipped it on Meredith's small foot. The fit was perfect, and Meredith actually really liked the shoes. She nodded to Addison who clapped victoriously and told the man she'd take them in both black and brown. Meredith laughed and sat to replace her old shoes, when she caught the price on the shoe box.
"Addison! No way. Three hundred forty? Do you realize how much you've spent already today? This is insane!"
"Meredith, relax. It's not my money. Besides, what did I tell you earlier? You do not think when you're shopping, you just shop. It's much more fun that way."
Meredith opened her mouth to protest. For being an educated neonatal surgeon, she wasn't making any sense. Addison held up a hand to cut off anything else Meredith had to say and started handing her the bags full of clothing. Meredith dutifully obeyed as Addison once again whipped out her plastic and charged their most recent purchase. Seven hundred dollars for two pairs of shoes.
Meredith felt tired as she tossed her bags into the trunk of Addison's silver Aston Martin. She climbed in the sports car and stretched her exhausted legs in the small space available.
"Thank you for today, Addison. I can't believe how much fun I had."
"We're not through yet. You still need to get your nails done and a pedicure would be a nice compliment for your new Miu Miu's."
Meredith opened her mouth once again in disbelief but quickly shut it at the look the red head threw her way. She instead sighed defeated, and settled into the luxurious leather upholstery of the passenger seat.
At the nail salon Meredith was able to argue Addison out of the Hot Passion Red and compromised at a simple clear shimmer for her fingernails. Addison wouldn't agree to the same with Meredith's toes, so Meredith surrendered and let her nail technician and friend discuss it amongst themselves as she sat back in the large black cushioned vibrating chair. The hot soapy water felt heavenly on her tired achy feet and Meredith got lost for a moment in a US Weekly magazine, letting her earlier worries of the day, and the last few weeks melted with the tension in her feet.
The soft vibrating of her cell phone snapped her back into reality as she eagerly dug the phone out of her pocket. The number on the screen wasn't familiar but she recognized it as one of the hospital's office lines and excitedly pushed the receive button, sure it was Derek finally remembering what the day was.
"Hello?" To her frustration she was met with silence, and for a quick second she thought maybe she wasn't getting good enough reception in the small salon. She tried again, "Hello?"
She almost gave up when she heard a deep tone. A chilling, distant voice that caused her to freeze.
"Roses are red, violets are blue…." The voice became barely a whisper before it dropped off and turned into cold, frightening laughter.
Meredith snapped her phone shut and pressed the power button off. Her shaky hands stuffed the phone back into her pocket and she looked up to meet the worried eyes of Addison and the oriental woman doing her nails.
"Is everything okay Meredith?" Addison's eyes were wide and concerned.
"Oh…. ya….um…. that was just, um…. a wrong number. No big deal." Meredith met Addison's gaze and forced herself to remain steady, to not look away.
Addison stared back unbelieving before nodding slowly, finally turning away, knowing Meredith wasn't going to share further. She continued her intense debate between a French manicure or Perfect Pink for Meredith's toes, before all three agreed to Iridescent Ivory.
Meredith numbly went through the motions of sitting still for her pedicure and didn't even have the strength to protest when Addison suggested she change into one of her new outfits. She vaguely remembered agreeing with Addison when she gushed over and over at how amazing Meredith looked. The tight new designer jeans and black top hugged her curves appropriately and she didn't remember the last time her hair felt as soft, or her skin glowed so flawlessly.
Meredith only wished her insides matched her outsides. She couldn't get the creepy caller's voice out of her head and had even made Addison call Mark twice to check on Carwyn. Of course, both Carwyn and Mark were fine, and Addison had repeatedly inquired into what was wrong, but Meredith wasn't ready to talk about it. As nice and kind as Addison was that day, she didn't think she was the right one to go to with her problem.
Meredith sat quietly once again in the passenger seat of the sports car.
"Do you want to drop me off at the hospital or is Mark bringing Carwyn to my house?" Meredith thought it a waste that she looked so good only to go home to bed, but she was tired, and that's exactly where she wanted to go.
Addison shook her head, a mischievous smile slowly spreading. "Nu uh. I'm not taking you home yet. We need to end our day with a drink. It's tradition."
Meredith moaned. "I'm sorry Addie. I'm exhausted. Would you mind just dropping me off? We can get that drink another time."
"Sorry, no can do. It's tradition and I'll be damned if I break it. Besides, you're acting rather strange. A quick drink will do you good. I promise… one drink… and if you still want to leave… I'll take you home."
There wasn't much Meredith could say. Addison already turned off in the direction of Joe's and it didn't seem Meredith could say or do anything to change her mind.
Meredith stepped reluctantly out of the car and suddenly was very self-conscious. No doubt there would be others from the hospital inside who would recognize her. She was usually a jeans and pony tail kind of girl. Tonight, she looked like she stepped off the runway. She was easily Addison's equal, if not more.
They both made it to the entrance and Meredith took a breath as she grabbed the handle.
"Oops. I forgot my phone in the car. You go ahead Meredith, I'll be right in." Addison didn't wait for Meredith to respond. She turned and hurried away, leaving Meredith to make her grand entrance alone.
This is part one of Meredith's surprise! Enjoy!
