Against All Odds

4. Feelings and Dinner

"What did you tell him?" Meredith asked, cradling her phone to her shoulder while taking the food out of the take out bags.

"I told him that he was a disgrace to treat my daughter that way and that I couldn't believe he didn't use his brain while making such a poor business decision. His excuses were asinine, his manner inconsiderate and his brain lacking. He stuttered a bit and then I told him to fix it before I fixed it for him." Ellis ranted.

"So in other words, you Ellis'd him?" She asked.

"Yes. How are you doing by the way? Better than earlier?" Ellis asked.

Meredith leaned back against her kitchen counter, smiling softly. Things had certainly changed from the way they were years ago. Used to be, her mother and her couldn't be in the same place for twenty seconds without yelling, but since the second attack with Matt...

Meredith shook herself out of that dark place and focused again on talking to her mother.

"Yeah. Thanks again. I didn't want to bring you into it, but I was just so...pissed. Richard had to know what this would do to us."

"Are you worried that Derek would go back to her?" Ellis asked.

Meredith chewed on her lip.

"No. He loves me. It's just, I don't want him to go to that dark place again. He was destroyed when I met him and I never want him to feel that way again. We have been happy. We are happy." She asserted. She smiled softly when Michael toddled in the kitchen, a toy car in his chubby little hand. He smiled a toothy little grin at her and plopped down on his butt and moved the car back and forth.

"Vroom, vroom." as he made car noises.

"Mer?"

"Oh sorry Mom. Michael distracted me." She told Ellis.

"And what is my big boy doing?" Ellis cooed. She paused. "You didn't hear that."

Meredith bit back a chuckle.

"Hear what? That sickly sweet high pitched voice you use while discussing your only grandchild? Is that what you are talking about?" She asked innocently.

"Shut up." Ellis snarked.

"Ah there is the mother I grew up with."

"Don't sass me young lady." Ellis said, but Meredith could hear the laughter in her voice.

"When are you coming to me?" Meredith asked.

"Who says I am coming to see you?"

"Okay when are coming to see Michael?" Meredith corrected.

"Very soon. I feel the need to 'Ellis' Richard in person." Ellis said.

"Have I told you lately that I love you?" Meredith sang obnoxiously.

"Meredith, stick to cutting. Stay away from things like singing and cooking."

"Will do." Meredith noticed Michael playing with something other than his car. "No Michael leave Mommy's lipstick alone! Mom, I have to go, Michael got in my purse and is trying to make himself prettier than he already is."

"Okay Meredith, I will talk to you later. And don't let that bitch make you doubt your relationship with Derek."

"I won't Mom. Bye." Meredith hung up the phone and crossed over to where Michael was drawing on himself. "That was Mommy's favorite lip gloss." She told him.

He giggled.

"You think that's funny, do you?" She asked.

"What's funny?" Derek asked, kissing her on the cheek. Meredith pointed to Michael.

"Hey Mich...Oh no, that won't do." He crouched down to Michael's level. "Boys don't wear makeup."

He looked up at Meredith panicked.

"What if he is trying to tell us something? Not that I would care if he were...you know, but what if."

Meredith rolled her eyes.

"He isn't even two yet. We can worry if he starts wearing my shoes and borrowing my clothes." She mocked.

Derek laughed and picked up Michael.

"Let's go get you cleaned up so we can eat the delicious food your Mommy...um... bought." Derek told him.

She swatted his arm.

"I have you know it took a lot for me to get that food." She told him.

"Oh yeah Mer, it is so hard to pick up food already cooked and to take it out of bags. My apologies." He said sarcastically.

Meredith felt her smile falter.

"Did she cook for you?" She whispered.

Derek reached over and caressed her cheek with the hand that wasn't holding Michael.

"Hey now. None of that. Don't compare yourself to her. Our relationship, our love...I never even came close to feeling that with her. But no, she didn't cook. She once was put in charge of Thanksgiving dinner and she gave Nancy food poisoning with her half cooked turkey. I had to make fifty hotdogs just so we could eat."

Meredith giggled.

"See, there are advantages to ordering a catered meal." She pointed out.

"You are so right." He pulled her up against his body. "Not many dishes to wash. Just rinse, put in the dishwasher and throw away the trash. More time for...other delectable things." He said huskily.

"Yeah...other things." She said, dazed. She shook her head to clear it. "Well what are you waiting for? You and Pretty Boy here go get cleaned up so we can get to doing those things." She demanded.

"Yes ma'am." He saluted her and practically ran up the stairs.

She watched him leave and then sat the table. She felt better, he saw to that. She would get through this.

She loved him.

He loved her.

They both loved Michael.

Soon Addison would be on her way and then everything would go back to the way it was.

Right?