Reaching Forward

12

Sitting in the passenger side of Derek's sedan, Meredith fidgeted nervously. She didn't know where they were going; sure, she could have easily found out by asking Derek but a part of her almost didn't want to know because then she would know when they were close and that would probably make her more nervous. After they had been driving for about fifteen minutes, Derek turned into a hotel parking lot.

Looking up at the sign, Meredith deadpanned, "Your mother is staying in a Hilton."

Parking in a visitor's spot, Derek merely shrugged, "Mom always said she refused to stay anywhere that looked like it hadn't been updated since the 1970s."

He remembered the time his Dad had taken them on vacation in the backwoods of Vermont and stayed in a log cabin. Needless to say, his mother and sisters only stayed for about an hour before heading back home. But that just left more quality time between Derek and his Dad. That was one of the reasons why he bought the land in Seattle after his separation from Addison; he wanted to remember happier times.

As he turned off the engine, Derek quickly got of the car and went over to Meredith's door and opened it for her.

Grinning, she stated, "So, you're going to act all gentlemen like while we're with your mother. I see how it is."

Trying to act offended, Derek scoffed at her, "What? I can't do something nice for my girlfriend without having an ulterior motive?"

He closed the door as she exited and they started making their way to the lobby when Meredith replied, "Considering I'm about to meet your mother for the first time and it's just right after the fact you told her I'm pregnant and you just got divorced, yes tonight I think partially you have an ulterior motive."

He looked at her with intrigued, "Hmmm...perhaps but I know you're enjoying it."

Laughing, she acted coy, "If you say so, Derek."

As they arrived at the glass door to the hotel, Derek once again opened the door for Meredith but this time Meredith played along by gracefully thanking him. The pair made their way to the front desk where Derek asked for the concierge to call up to his mother's room when a female voice echoed, not too loud though this after all was the Hilton, through the lobby, "Derek!"

Both swerving around towards the voice, Meredith saw a woman in her early sixties making her way toward Derek with open arms. She had straight, light brown hair, something obviously Derek didn't inherit. Also, she had a sophisticated walk one that told you that back in her younger years she was probably a debutante.

Swallowing hard, Meredith knew that this was the moment of truth. Nervously, she tried to straighten her black dress even though it was ironed perfectly. After Derek and his mother had hugged, he turned around and introduced her, "Meredith this is my mother and Mom this is Meredith Grey."

Giving off her best fake smile to date, Meredith extended her hand and said, "It's nice to meet you. Derek's said so many great things about you."

Looking almost smugly, she took Meredith's hand and shook it, "Don't try to flatter me, dear. We all know that Derek hasn't said anything of the sort."

The fake smile quickly faded off her Meredith and she let go of the elder woman's hand and glanced at Derek awkwardly. Clearing his throat, Derek tried to dissolve the uncomfortable situation that his mother had created, "Oh Mom, you know I love you. So...if don't want to miss our reservations, we better get going."

Derek just paused and looked at the two women. There was Meredith who looked like she rather repeat her intern year all over again than be here. And then his mother was looking Meredith up and down to find all the flaws with her. So he decided to speak into the awkward situation again, "Uh, so, the car is this way."