It was only six thirty when Derek had left, so he called home to see what was for dinner.
"Hello," Meredith said.
"Hey Mer, it's me. Why don't I pick up a frozen pizza for tonight?" Derek asked as he parked the car in the grocery store parking lot.
"That sounds good. I'm still helping Laura with her homework and Jake is watching cartoons."
"Okay, when I get there we have to talk." Derek said exiting his vehicle and walking toward the entrance.
"Alright, I'll see you soon. Love you."
"Love you too, Meredith." Derek said closing his cell phone and walking down the frozen foods aisle.
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"I'm home," Derek said walking into their kitchen from the garage.
"Hey dad," Jake said from the floor where he sat watching a cartoon.
"Hi daddy," Laura said from the computer where she was chatting online.
"I bought frozen pizza, it should be done in about thirty minuets." Derek said as he unwrapped the cheese pizza and placed it on a cookie sheet to put in the oven, he always hated putting it directly on the oven wrack because sometimes the cheese would fall off and stick to the bottom of the oven.
"Okay dad," Jake and Laura said in unison, both extremely focused on what they were doing.
Meredith walked out from their room in a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. "Hey," she said as she came over to kiss him.
"Hey Mer. I took your advice," Derek said.
"Maybe we should go in the bedroom and talk about this," Meredith suggested not quite ready for her children to hear the conversation she and Derek were about to have.
Derek led the way to their room and sat down in a chair that sat next to the door.
"Well, how'd it go?" Meredith asked, sitting across from him on their bed.
"It went fine, I went over there and talked with Hailey. She's a dancer, ballet. She also made me realize something, about Addison." Derek said as he looked into the eyes of his wife.
"What that your still madly in love with her?" Meredith asked half joking afraid the answer to her question may be yes.
"No, I will always be in love with you Meredith. I learned that even though I am grateful to her for giving me up so that I could be with you, I never forgave her. She apologized more than once and yet I never forgave her, Meredith. I thanked her but never told her that I forgave her. By not doing that I made it hard for her to move on." Derek explained.
"She did move on, she's seeing someone; however, you still need to forgive her. I can't believe I'm saying this, but in order for you two to have some semblance of a friendship, for Hailey's sake, you need to forgive her." Meredith said being the voice of reason.
"I know. Hailey wants to meet Jake and Laura." Derek said.
"When?"
"Soon, before the dinner. So that means tomorrow probably." Derek said.
"We'll have to tell them tonight," Meredith said looking to the door that separated her from her children.
They sat quietly for a little while, each focused on their own thoughts when they heard the ding of the oven. Derek got up to take the pizza out.
"Pizza's ready," Derek called as he set the hot pizza on a towel on the counter. He then got a pizza cutter and began to slice the pizza.
Laura and Jake came into the kitchen and sat down at the table, waiting for Derek to put the pizza on the table. Meredith came out from their room and also sat down at the mahogany round table.
Derek sat down and the family of four began to ear. "So how was school today Laura?" Derek asked.
"It was fine. My best friend Hannah is having a sleepover this weekend and she wanted to know if I could come. Can I go?" Laura said.
"As long as all of your homework is done and your room is clean," Meredith said knowing that her daughter had a little problem with keeping her room clean.
"I can do that," Laura said.
"What about you Jake, how was your day?" Derek asked turning to his son.
"It was great. Jason and I had a jumping contest to see who could jump off of the swings the farthest and I won." Jake said excitedly.
"Really?" Meredith asked with an eyebrow cocked.
"Yep," Jake said with a mouthful of pizza.
"Jake don't talk with your mouth full," Derek reprimanded his son.
Jake swallowed his food before responding. "Ok dad."
As everyone's plate began to get empty Derek felt like it was the best time to tell Laura and Jake about Hailey.
"You two know how I met your mom right?" Derek asked.
"Yes we know the story Dad. You and mom worked at the same hospital together." Laura said not liking where this was going. She always hated it when her parents told them about their relationship before they got married.
"When I met your mother here in Seattle I was married," Derek said.
This was something knew. Laura had not known that part. She had just assumed her parents had fallen madly in love with each other at first sight. That was how she always pictured it.
"I had lived in New York and my first marriage wasn't going so well, so I took a job out here. My first wife, Addison is her name, followed me out here. We tried to make it work because you can't just let an eleven-year marriage go down the drain. However, she eventually left, for reasons I'll explain when you're a little older. When she left she didn't tell me she was going to have a baby. A few days ago she came back here. She was asked to assist with a case in the hospital. She's also a doctor. We had lunch together on her insistence and that's when she told me about Hailey, your half-sister." Derek said. He watched his children take in the news.
"So you're telling me I have an older sister?" Laura asked.
"Yes that is what your dad is saying." Meredith said not knowing whether or not her daughter would be happy, sad or angry.
"That is so awesome. I always wanted an older sister. How old is she?" Laura asked.
"She is eighteen." Derek answered.
"Cool, I have an older sister who can drive." Laura said excitedly. "When can I meet her?"
"She wanted to meet you two before Morgan's birthday dinner." Derek said.
"Why?" Laura said finding it odd that her sister knew about Morgan's dinner.
"Hailey is Morgan's best friend from New York. That is why she is here." Derek said.
"Oh," Laura said a little disappointed. She thought she would have her sister all to herself.
"Jake what do you think about having another sister?" Meredith asked since her son had remained quiet.
"I have another sister? Isn't one enough? Laura already kicks me out of her room. What will Hailey do?" Jake asked disappointed. "Why can't I have a brother, I don't already have one."
"Jake I think you'll like her. She's very excited to meet the two of you. Morgan told her a lot about you two." Derek told his son.
"I guess having another sister won't be too bad. As long as she's more like Morgan than Laura."
"What did you say?" Laura asked.
"Jake that was not nice, apologize to your sister." Meredith said.
"Sorry Laura," Jake said.
"Just don't say it again Jake." Laura said as a way of accepting her little brother's apology.
"If you want to meet Hailey tomorrow, I can call Morgan and see if she and Hailey would pick you up from school." Derek said.
"That sounds good to me." Laura said.
"As long as we don't go to the mall. Only girls hang out at the mall." Jake said.
"Fine Jake I'll make sure to tell Morgan no malls." Derek said.
"It's time for bed you two," Meredith said as she got up from the table.
"Good night mom," Laura said.
"Good night mom," Jake repeated as he went to hug his mother.
Both children walked to their rooms very excited about what the next day would hold.