Butterflies flipped in Meredith's stomach as she approached the door, her daughter's hand in hers as she stood behind Derek who held CJ. They for a second before Derek opened the door, Zoe quickly sped into the home of chaos. There were loud noises coming from the living room as the kids cluttered in and played with one another. Scarlett quickly followed Zoe as she never met a stranger, CJ toddled behind as fast as he could.
"You'll be ok," Derek whispered to her as he lead her to the kitchen. A tall, dark haired woman sat at the kitchen island, a glass of wine in her hand as she looked at Meredith up and down. She had an almost cold look on her face, nothing like Derek or Amelia.
"Mer," Amelia said with a smile, she was sitting next to the dark-haired woman, she looked relieved when she saw Meredith. Two other women were standing there, preparing food together, one with brunette hair that stood smaller than the rest of the sisters and another brunette with blonde ends to her hair was the other sister she assumed. All the women just looked at her.
"You must be Meredith," the brunette finally said as she put her utensils down and went over to greet her, "I am Elizabeth but you can call me Lizzie."
"Nice to meet you," Meredith said kindly, taking her hand in a shake.
"I'm Kathleen," the other woman standing there preparing food said. It was silent for a moment, everyone stared at the last sister to say something.
"Nancy," the woman finally spoke up as she just glared at Meredith.
"Nice to meet you all," Meredith replied, she didn't know what else to say. It was very tense, they all just stood there looking at each other.
"Is that Derek?" An older woman appeared and her face lit up, she looked very loving in her age. She had an apron tied around her waste, her hair short and grey with hints of black streaks. She quickly hugged her son tightly.
"You must be Meredith, so lovely to meet you," Carolyn said with a huge smile across her face.
"Nice to meet you too, I've heard a lot about you from my sister," Meredith smiled at her.
"Good things I hope," she replied.
"Yes, all good."
"Well, would you like a glass of wine?" Carolyn offered.
"Oh, no thank you," Meredith shook her head nervously.
"Come on Mer, they don't bite and I've never seen you turn down alcohol," Amelia laughed.
"Just not feeling well today," Meredith stuttered.
"Food is almost ready, where is Mark and Lexie?" Carolyn asked.
"Should be not too far behind," Derek said.
"Mer, come help me set the table," Amelia quickly said as she pulled Meredith into the large dining room.
"Thank god you saved me from the savages, I couldn't handle one more question about Owen," Amelia admitted.
"They look kind of-"
"Bitchy? Yes. All of them. Well Lizzie isn't bad but she also never speaks. Nancy has nothing positive that comes out of her mouth just to warn you," Amelia admitted.
"Fantastic," Meredith breathed under her breath.
"You need to drink to get through this day, I promise you," Amelia said.
"I just don't-"
"Are you pregnant?" Amelia said and Meredith quickly hushed her.
"Yes, I don't want everyone to know yet," Meredith said in a hushed tone.
"This is great," Amelia said as she quickly hugged her.
"Thanks, we just got the ultrasound yesterday, I'll show you pictures later," Meredith smiled. They were quickly setting up the table as each sister began to bring in the food to set down. It was complete chaos from then on. Children where everywhere soon and it was hard to even hear yourself think. Mark and Lexie finally arrived, both with open arms. They adults finally got the children settled at their table and everyone began to make their own plates. Meredith sat down between Lexie and Derek in a safe spot. Amelia sat across from her, Owen next to her and Mark was next to Owen. Dinner was a catch up session, as the adults mingled about their current lives and Meredith almost felt invisible as they were mostly questioning Owen and Amelia.
"So how did you two meet?" Lizzie finally turned to Meredith to ask the pair.
"Nothing interesting really, we just ran into each other at work and kind of hit it off from there," Meredith admitted.
"Why did you and your husband get divorced, I'm assuming?" Nancy piped up from her seat.
"Nancy!" Derek and Amelia both said quickly.
"Too personal," Lizzie said toward her sister.
"I just wanted to know, I mean she's a single mother to two kids, there had to be a story there," Nancy sipped on her wine.
"Nancy, enough," Carolyn spoke.
"He died," Meredith said as she cleared her throat. Awkward was an understatement as His sisters quickly started to argue with Nancy to bring up such a subject.
"I'm sorry Meredith," Lizzie said to apologize for her sister.
"No, I get it. I'm just some stranger who just showed up. I get you guys have questions," Meredith gulped. Her stomach flipped in circles trying not to vomit.
"That was uncalled for," Amelia spoke up against her sister.
"I didn't know," Nancy tried to defend herself.
"You don't just ask someone who you just met something like that," Amelia said angrily.
"Girls, settle down," Carolyn said sternly.
"At least I didn't ask how he died! Jeez I was curious," Nancy rolled her eyes.
"So tell us about yourself," Kathleen tried to change the subject.
"I'm really boring, honestly," Meredith shrugged.
"Come on, you can't be that boring if Derek is dating you," Kathleen said.
"No really, my mom was a surgeon so I just followed in her footsteps, became a doctor and kind of just let my life fall into place."
"Wait, so you and Lexie don't have the same mom?" Kathleen asked.
"No," they both said at the same time.
"Who was your mom?"
"Ellis Grey," Meredith said, really wishing she had some wine right about now.
"Like the Ellis Grey, two Harper Avery's and all?" Lizzie's eyes widened, she was the only other sister who really studied surgical medicine so she definitely knew who she was.
"Yes. That Ellis Grey," she nodded.
"Wow, she was a god," Lizzie said. They all had finished their meal, the men quickly scattered before it was time to clean up. The sisters all pitched in at grabbing plates and taking them to the kitchen. Carolyn was whisked off by the children who wanted their grandmother to play with them. Meredith tried to help as much as she could, each sister had their own job which kind of left Meredith and Amelia to stand off and watch as they got the kitchen cleaned up quicker than Meredith does at home. They began to have small chatter as they sat at the breakfast nook, all looking exhausted from the day. Nancy was paged to the hospital just as she sat down, she gathered her things, said her goodbyes to everyone except Meredith before she left without another word.
"Don't feel bad, she is like that with everyone. This is the first year she talked to Lexie," Lizzie said to Meredith.
"I don't want to get into too much detail or anything but is it easier dating another surgeon than what your late husband did?" Kathleen asked as she sipped on her wine.
"Well, he was also a surgeon," Meredith gulped, now all the questions were starting to get to her.
"Oh so not much different I see," she nodded.
"What was his name?" Lizzie asked curiously.
"Charles, he was head of neuro in Seattle," Meredith gulped.
"I'm sorry that happened," Lizzie admitted.
"It's ok. I just kind of threw myself into work and let it work out the kinks," she said honestly.
"I honestly didn't think Derek was ever going to find anyone. After Rose died, I figured he would stay a widow like our mom," Kathleen said.
"Ok that's enough of that," Amelia said abruptly.
"It's getting kind of late," Kathleen said as she rinsed her wine glass and placed it in the dishwasher.
"Yeah, I have an early surgery tomorrow before we we exchange gifts so I guess we should get going as well. It was nice to meet you Meredith," Lizzie said as well. They said their goodbye's and the men finally showed their faces again.
"You ready to head to the house?" Mark asked Lexie as he shoved his hands in his pockets.
"Yeah, we can," Lexie nodded. They left as well, leaving just Meredith and Derek with the kids, Owen and Amelia who was staying with Carolyn, and Carolyn herself. Meredith and Derek went to find Carolyn as she was watching the children play.
"That was nice," Derek said to his mother.
"You can say that," she smiled, "Meredith your children are so well mannered."
"Thank you. They get it from their father," she laughed a bit. Meredith looked at Derek as he looked at her.
"So uh. I'm not sure how I want to say this," Derek started. Carolyn looked at him with knowing eyes.
"I know Derek," she said, looking over at a guilty Zoe.
"Zoe!" Derek starred at his daughter.
"It slipped," she shrugged. Meredith stood there awkwardly, she wasn't sure what to say next.
"Well?" Derek said.
"I'm happy for the two of you. I can tell she makes you really happy," Carolyn said honestly.
"You are?" He asked.
"Yes Derek. You know, your father and I were only together for two months before we got married and had Nancy," she laughed before enveloping the two of them in a hug.
"I know," he laughed.
"Well now that's done, I feel better," Meredith said honestly.
"Scarlett, come look," Zoe said to her as she dragged her out of the room.
"Meredith, let me tell you a little secret. Derek looks at you the way Christopher looked at me. Now don't get me wrong, he loved Rose very much but I've never seen such a love in his eyes as I do when he looks at you," Carolyn said in the best way she could.
"Mom," Derek shook his head.
"It's true, son you got you a good one," she winked at him.
"Thanks mom," he smiled at his mother, "I hate to go so soon but it's Christmas Eve and we still have a tree to decorate."
"Ok, I will see all of you tomorrow," she hugged them both once again. Meredith couldn't believe that had gone so crazy as it did but she was happy that most of his family accepted her.