Chapter 6 - Moving Forward
Moving to a new city was always difficult for Meredith, and she had done it multiple times in her life till now and yet she had been drawn back to Seattle every time. But moving to LA, she saw new hopes for herself and her baby. Addison had come in her life like an angel. As difficult as it was for Meredith to admit, she couldn't do everything alone. She needed a support system, and Christina had been her person for so long that she couldn't think of anyone else in difficult times. But Christina had gotten her dream, literally, and Meredith didn't want to bother her with any more problems. She hadn't even told Christina about the baby. And everyone at Seattle was out of question, especially, Amelia and Maggie. They had their own problems to deal with. So, moving to LA had seemed like the best option. And, on the flight to LA, with the kids nicely tucked in, Meredith was more relieved than she could have ever imagined.
After collecting her luggage she walked towards the waiting area where she spotted Addison with a man and a cute toddler about Zola's age. They were standing, waiting for Meredith, and the child talking to his dad. His stories, and the intensity with which he was telling them was making his mother smile in spite of herself.
Meredith walked up to them, with her own sleepy children in tow. The basic introductions were done. Jake politely asked Meredith if she needed help her with the luggage and when she declined, he insisted upon doing so. He seemed like a good guy. After all the kids were settled in the back seat with Meredith, they left for Addison's house.
Addison's house, the premium beach front property, was better than what Amelia's had described in her stories. The sea breeze, the smell of the beach gave the whole thing a vacation like feel, and the kids, who were now wide awake wanted to go to play on the beach immediately. Zola, who had left her best swim suit at home was sad that she had done so, and had already asked Meredith to buy one. She had only stopped winning when she had gotten a promise from her mother to go shopping tomorrow. Meredith and Zola were to live in the guest room, while Bailey was to share with Henry. And, evidently, Addison had convinced her son that having a roommate was the best thing ever, because Henry was literally jumping up and down with the idea. He had even helped Bailey unpack, and both had created a royal mess which Meredith later cleaned up. All in all, the kids were happy to live in the beach house.
Dinner lasted for hours as the adults caught up with each other's lives, Meredith's last week at the hospital, the practice, requirements at St. Ambrose, etc. The kids bonded quickly as Bailey found Henry's trucks and toys fascinating while Zola got access to some of Addison's real cutlery, which was not really fancy, but from her childish perspective seemed really grownup and fancy, and she arranged a quick tea party for her doll, the boys, and a few of Henry's GI Joes. All in all, dinner was a jolly event and everyone went to sleep, exhausted yet happy. The prospect of spending the Sunday at the beach made the kids more than willing to go to sleep early and the adults were already so tired that the household was unusually quiet by 10 p.m.
Sundays in LA were fun. Everyone at the practice was going to join Addison and Jake at their house, for a welcome party for Meredith. Sam and Naomi along with Maya, Olivia, Dink, Betsey and Sara showed up a bit early and helped Addison set up things. Charlotte and Cooper and the triplets and Mason showed up a little late, Charlotte still a bit irritated by her kids antics. Violet also came along with Lucas even though she had to reschedule some appointments to do so. And it was a full house!
The kids, after some initial shyness got along very well. They had a castle building competition where the grey kids teamed up with Henry and competed against the Freedman clan and the Bennett clan. The triplets won easily as they had some mean equipment and amazing cooperation. But the whole thing acted as an easy ice breaker for all.
While the kids were busy, the adults were all comfortably drinking wine and chatting about the past week at the practice. Meredith got alone easily with these people. They didn't have the competitive spirit of her fellow surgeons at Seattle. These people just had the will to help each other and their patients. The frantic urge to cut and the competitive spirit of Seattle was a stranger in LA. And, Meredith was ready to welcome that change. But as she saw all the happy people around her, she missed the one person who she couldn't be with, the one person who made her life beautiful, Derek Shepherd. And as hard as she was trying, to move on, the longing for him was there, lurking in the back of her mind, like a monster trying to eat her alive.
A/N Hey, I am sort of experiencing a block for this story. And though you all king of know what happens at the end, I want to make Meredith's life in LA a bit more exciting. So, this chapter is a small update about Mer moving in with Addie and the story really doesn't move forward in this chapter, but it's just a part of Meredith trying to move on.