Everyone Has Secrets

Chapter 26

They were about eight hours in when his phone started ringing, and he knew exactly who it would be, calling to update him on her day. He grinned softly beneath his mask, glancing up.

"Can that be put on loudspeaker please? And quiet would be appreciated," he said, catching Meredith's eyes as she gave him a questioning look.

"Hi daddy!" he heard Maddie's voice come from the phone.

"Hey, Maddie," he said back to her.

"Work still?"

"Yeah, but we can talk for a few minutes. I want to hear about your day."

"See the fishes! Lots and lots of fishes, and was penguins and otter and seal.... Even a crocodile!" her voice became a dramatic whisper at the end.

"A crocodile? Wow! Did you get lots of pictures?" he asked, about to quietly motion for Meredith to catch a bleeder, but she'd already got it before he could.

"Yep, nana said we print them 'morrow and show you after working done," Maddie confirmed.

"Sounds good, what else did you do?"

"Nana got baby penguin," she told him.

"A penguin? What's it's name?" he frowned slightly in confusion.

"Still thinkin'," Maddie sighed.

"Where's nana keeping the baby penguin?" he asked.

"Silly daddy, is a teddy," she giggled, and he could just imagine the way she giggled with her hand over her mouth.

"Ohhh, nana got you a penguin teddy?" he chuckled softly.

"Yep! New friend. Oh! Mer work?"

"Yeah, she's here with me now."

"Oh! Hi Mer, daddy not said you there. How your day?"

"Hey, Maddie," Meredith said with a slight laugh, "I've had a busy day. It sounds like you've had a very fun day at the aquarium."

"Yep! Gots present."

"You got a present?" she asked.

"Uh-huh, you present," Maddie said as though it were obvious.

"That's very kind of you, Maddie, you didn't have to get me a present," Meredith said, and he could see the slight frown in her forehead.

"You got me brownie," Maddie said, and he could hear the smile in her voice, "Give present next time."

"Okay, thank you, Maddie," she laughed softly.

"Ready for bed, Maddie?" Derek said.

"Yep, nearly bed time," she said with a yawn, and he glanced up to see the smile in Meredith's eyes.

"Okay, princess, you keep being good for Nana, and I'll take you to the zoo like we talked about on Friday, okay?" he said to her.

"Will do, daddy, love you," she murmured, the tiredness apparent in her voice.

"I love you too, baby girl, goodnight," he said just before the call hung up, and he heard a small laugh from Meredith, "What?"

"She hung up on," she shook her head slightly, still laughing softly.

"Yeah, she hasn't quite mastered the art of ending phonecalls," he chuckled, grinning at the sound of her laughter.

"Hmm, she's a good kid," she glanced up and he met her eyes a moment before she looked down again at the task at hand, "This tumour is..."