Everyone Has Secrets

Chapter 48

"Good news! We're hiring a new attending for neurosurgery, so we won't need you to cover anymore." Ellis stated as soon as her daughter walked into her office.

"Good morning to you too, Mother." Meredith grinned, sitting in a chair opposite her desk. "Lovely weather, isn't it?"

"Yes, hello, I thought you'd be more interested in that than the weather." Ellis chuckled, shaking her head. "How are things?"

"Things are good. I'm in England next week. Do you need my flight times?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm sure Dr Shepherd can tell me if I need to know." Her mother looked her dead in the eye.

"You say that like I don't know that you know." Meredith shifted in her chair, sitting up a bit straighter. "And I know that you know we've been dating."

"It looks a bit more serious than just dating, Meredith." Ellis sighed. "Are you sure about what you're doing? About what you're getting involved in?"

"Getting involved in? What's that supposed to mean?" Meredith frowned, taking offence at her mother's phrasing.

"I just worry that it might be a lot too soon, I don't want you getting hurt."

"I'm okay..." Meredith sighed; her hands joined in her lap. "I'm seeing a therapist. It's helping, a lot."

"Oh." Ellis looked at her in surprise. "I didn't expect that. I'm proud of you for accepting the help."

"I know I said I didn't need it and that I never wanted it, but apparently it is helping. To talk about it. To talk about... Noah." She said his name quietly, and her mother's eyebrows rose again. She swore she could almost see tears welling in her eyes.

"I'm glad to hear it." Ellis spoke softly, smiling at her daughter. "Are you coming to dinner on Saturday night? Derek and Madeleine are most welcome."

"You can just call her Maddie." Meredith rolled her eyes. "I'll be there, and I'll invite them, see if they are free."

"Good. They're a part of your life which means they're a part of our lives too, it would be good to get to know each other better."

"Just try to be less... serious, as Maddie says." Meredith grinned in amusement.

"Just for Maddie." Ellis rolled her eyes with a laugh. "Anything else I should know about? Any other news?"

"We're planning a holiday, for the summer, before Maddie starts school. A week in France so she can see the beaches." Meredith shrugged as if it were nothing.

"You're taking a holiday?" Ellis' eyebrows knitted together. "You don't take holidays."

"I do! Sometimes." Meredith huffed.

"That doesn't count as a holiday, dear." Ellis said softly. "Does Derek know?"

"Yes, he knows. Not everything, but he knows what he needs to know for now." Meredith let out a short breath, fidgeting with the skin around her nails. "I need to get going. Was there anything else?"

"That was everything from me." Ellis nodded.

"If I don't see you beforehand, I'll see you on Saturday. I'll let you know if they're joining me or not." Meredith stood, heading towards the door.

"Thank you, see you Saturday." Ellis called after her.

That may have been the most she'd mentioned Noah with her mother, without being in tears. She was a little bit proud of herself but felt slightly vulnerable at the same time.