Chapter 74: Fatherly Love
The next day Meredith and Derek made their way to her family's house. Derek was very nervous to formally meet her father due to their previous encounter, although he would never tell Meredith that. The couple pulled in front of Meredith's childhood home and Meredith held out her hand encouragingly. Meredith gave him a small, sweet kiss.
"Sorry to disturb you…even though you're on our porch kissing." Lexie said, as Susan and Thatcher came to the door. Meredith hugged her sister and then did the same to Thatcher and Susan.
"Dad, Susan, this is Derek," she said, gesturing and smiling proudly. "Derek, this is my dad and Susan."
Derek shook both of their hands and sat at the kitchen table.
"It's so nice to finally meet you," Susan gushed, settling into her chair. "I've been hearing so much about you from Lexie."
"All good I hope," Derek replied smiling.
Susan nodded and Thatcher looked up from his menu.
"So, you cheated on Meredith with some redheaded bimbo?" he asked, causing Meredith to choke on her water as she was taking a sip.
"Dad!" both Meredith and Lexie exclaimed together, as Susan said "Thatcher!"
"What?" he asked, not seeing what he had done wrong. "I'm just getting the facts."
"No, the redhead is my brothers' girlfriend. It was all a misunderstanding.," Derek responded.
"So, do you make a habit of dating your colleagues?" Thatcher continued, this time not looking up from his menu.
"Dad!" came the response once again, joined by "Thatcher!"
"No, I do not make it a habit…" Derek calmly replied. "Meredith is special." he continued, smiling across at her.
"Uh-huh…" Thatcher replied. "How do I know you aren't going to cheat on my daughter? What if someone else 'special' comes along? Are you going to do her too?"
Susan stood up this time, grabbing Thatcher by the arm. "Thatcher!" she exclaimed as she pulled him away. Meredith hid her face behind her newspaper, as Lexie reassuringly rubbed her on the back.
Meredith looked across the living room and noticed Susan telling off Thatcher. They soon arrived back at the table.
"So, you're a neurosurgeon?" Thatcher asked, as if nothing had happened.
"Yes, yes I am," Derek replied.
"He's the best in the country," Meredith said, once again beaming proudly at her man.
"So, you're still a neurosurgeon?" Thatcher asked slowly.
"Yes… why would I not be?" Derek asked, confused by the current line of questioning.
"Don't you get punished for sleeping with a patient?" Thatcher asked.
This time Susan punched Thatcher in the arm with all her might, which made Thatcher wince.
"Mr. Grey, with the greatest of respect, I don't think this is really a conversation to be having at the dinner table," Derek said. "If you really want to grill me, can we please do so in private?"
Lexie and Susan looked expectantly between Derek and Thatcher, whose eyes were locked across the table.
"Shall we make some food?" Meredith asked, to break the awkward silence. Everyone nodded.
Later, when the meal was over, Meredith leaned over to whisper something to Lexie who nodded and stood up.
"We're just going to visit the powder room," she said, shooting a look in Susan's direction. Susan instantly picked up on the hint.
"I'll join you," she said, picking up her bag and hurrying across the room with Meredith and Lexie, leaving Derek and Thatcher alone at the table.
"You love my daughter, don't you?" Thatcher asked after they had sat in silence for a minute or two.
"Of course, I do," Derek replied taking a sip of his drink. "More than anything."
"I love her too," Thatcher said, nodding. "She's my daughter, and it's my job to protect her. She didn't have an easy time growing up, what with Ellis' illness and whatnot. I probably wasn't the best dad I could've been to her, I drank a lot, and then I found Susan. I had Susan to lean on, Meredith was never truly happy, not until she met "Mitch" or at least I thought she was when she met him. I don't want her to get hurt."
"You don't know me," Derek replied, setting his drink down, and looking sincerely at Thatcher. "You will just have to take my word, that falling for Meredith was completely out of character for me. I have never cheated on anyone before, and I will never, ever, cheat on Meredith. I give you my word."
Thatcher took a moment or two to consider this before reaching his hand out across the table.
"Welcome to the family, Derek," he said, as Derek accepted his hand and shook it. "I'm warning you, if you ever hurt my daughter, I will make sure you suffer the consequences."
Derek nodded and then looked up as Meredith, Susan, and Lexie approached the table again. He gave a small nod in Meredith's direction, and she smiled at him, noticing the handshake.
End of Flashback
"So, I know that was a lot to catch you up on, but that's all." Meredith sighed.
"You know William, I hope that Derek asks me to marry him soon." Meredith said
Derek had been wondering where Meredith was all day; it was her day off at the practice, plus she wasn't at the inn with Cristina. There was only one other place that Meredith would be. Derek started walking in the cemetery when he saw his beautiful girlfriend.
"Hey baby, are you okay?" Derek questioned.
"Yes, I was telling William about our wild excursions over the past couple months."
"Yeah, you think he enjoyed listening to your stories about our adventures?"
"Yes… Yes, I do." Meredith smiled.
"You ready to go home now?" Derek asked.
"Yes, very much." Meredith and Derek both said goodbye to William and walked home, hand in hand.