Never Leave Your Heart Alone

Chapter 74

Derek laid on the small sofa in his trailer. Before he had met Meredith, he loved his trailer. It was simple. It was perfect for him. But now, it was his own personal prison. And he was in the prison because of his own actions. He knew it was going to be another sleepless night. Two nights he had been away from her. Two nights too long. He knew it had to be fixed. But he also knew that flowers and a card weren't going to cut it. Meredith wasn't a flowers type of girl. He had to figure out what to do. He had been angry with her. And insanely jealous. But amazingly enough, most of it was gone. It was gone because the remorse he felt for saying what he said, had taken it's place. He jumped up from the sofa and grabbed a spiral notebook out of the cabinet. He had things to write.

Meredith laid on the sofa. She was feeling better physically, but mentally, she was still upset. She looked over at Anna who was munching popcorn and watching the movie intently. Meredith was watching, but it wasn't even coming close to absorbing into her brain. All she was were a bunch of colors moving on the t.v. Her thoughts were on Derek, and what to do next.

"Do you have to work tomorrow, mommy?" Anna asked as she looked over. She had seen the movie hundreds of times.

"Yes, I do." Meredith said sweetly, so as not to bring on suspicion. She knew that Anna had an idea that something wasn't right. But Anna had enough stress on her own.

"Where is daddy?" Anna asked as she looked at Meredith. She was studying her face, and her reaction.

"Um, he's at work." Meredith said quickly as she turned away and faced the t.v.

"Again. Oh. Daddy said he wouldn't work so much. And he's working a lot..." Anna said questioningly.

"Well, I guess daddy lied." Meredith spat. She immediately wished she hadn't said it. It was the wrong thing to say to a child. It was her own anger spewing out. The last thing that she wanted was Anna angry at Derek because if something she said in a moment of stupidity.

"No he's not." Anna said frankly.

"You're right, Anna. He's not. I'm sorry. I was just-" Meredith said trying to fix her mess. She looked at Anna's face. She was waiting for Meredith to bury herself deeper.

"Lying? You are lying." Anna said. Meredith was taken aback by Anna boldness. Anna's face was like stone. She was solid and she wasn't backing down.

"Excuse me?" Meredith asked with raised eyebrows.

"You lied. Daddy isn't working. I heard Izzie and George talking about it. They said you and daddy got in a fight and you made daddy stay at his other house." Anna shouted angrily.

"Anna, calm down." Meredith said as she looked at her.

"No! No cause you and daddy are fighting, and now I won't have a family! Because daddy will stay away and it's all your fault!" She whined.

"Anna. Daddy and I are- We are not- We are still your family." Meredith explained. "Anna, come here..." Meredith said as she pulled her close, Anna collapsed into Meredith's side. She cried for a few minutes and then looked up.

"Why are you fighting?" Anna asked as her brown eyes met Meredith's green.

"It's complicated." Meredith said, avoiding the question. Anna looked at Meredith and she new she would have to elaborate. "Yes, we did get in a fight. And daddy and I both said mean things to each other."

"Oh. Why didn't you tell me?" Anna asked, like the answer was so simple.

"Because a little girl like you doesn't need to worry about stupid grown up stuff." Meredith explained, as she grabbed some popcorn.