Having a sick daughter while taking care of 9 other children was hard. Emilia Parker was just 6 months old when her parents had found out about her having leukemia and cystic fibrosis. Now she was 18 months old and in Seattle with her entire family because somehow it had gotten worse just 4 months ago. Seattle had the best leukemia specialist on the west coast. So, the family of 12 up and left sunny Los Angles for rainy Seattle.
Nathan was at a hotel room with the kids while I was in the hospital watching over Emilia with Asher. Jack the oldest didn't complain but he did get antsy when he got tired and that was when Nathan decided to bring the kids to bed.
Derek came in the room, " It's been a while." he says with a soft smile.
"How's Willow and Dax?" I ask Derek.
" Willow's been a handful and Dax is in love with her. How was life in sunny L.A.?" Derek says with a smile.
" It's been a while. Why do you care?" I ask still mad about what had happened before Emilia had gotten worse.
" I'm sorry. How can I make it up?" Derek asks.
I look at the sleeping little girl in the hospital bed, " It's not me you have to make it up to. It's Jack." I speak quietly.
" How's the others?" He asks me.
" Logan and Hannah just turned 8 in May of this year. Then there's Violet and Sienna who could basically be twins right now. Then there's Grayson the wild one out of the bunch. Nicole's sweet for being 4. You meet Riley earlier today. Then there's Emilia and finally Asher. " I say with a small smile.
"Where's Nathan?" Derek asked.
" At the hotel with the rest of the crazy bunch. They were getting tired. It's just Emilia, Asher and I, tonight." I say with a sad smile.
Asher started to cry, and I pick him up from his carrier. " Will you be okay, tonight?" Derek asked me.
" It's not the first time. " I lie.
" You should go pick up Willow and go home and check on Dax. " I say.
I hear the door close knowing that he left.
My phone rang and I picked it up. " Hey, thought I check on you. " I hear Nathan say on the other line.
" Derek stopped by just a couple a minutes ago to try and explain but I couldn't talk to him about what had happened. " I say with a sad smile.
" Are you sure you'll be okay tonight with Emilia and Asher?" He asked me.
" Not really but the children need at least one parent with them." I say tears going down my face.
" I call Addison and have her with you tonight. It's your first and Emilia can be a handful." Nathan says.
" Okay." I say not willing to put it up for discussion.
I ended the phone call 30 minutes later with Asher finally done for the night. Addison came 5 minutes after the call with Nathan was over.
" I don't think I can forgive Derek." I say looking down at Asher in my arms.
" For which thing?" Addison asked me.
" For the thing before Jack was born and then even after. He says he'll be there for Jack's birthday this year. I don't know if I can believe him after all the times, he has broken Jack's heart. Do you know what Jack asked me before we came here? He asked if he could have the same name as his siblings because Nathan has been there for everything, and Derek hasn't. Derek has had the exact same opportunity that Nathan has. Jack calls Nathan, daddy when he's with us and he calls Derek, dad. He believes that Nathan is more his dad then Derek ever was. " I say crying.
" Mer. You got to stop these tears. Derek is not worth it. What did the therapist say?" Addison asked me.
" Mine or Jack's?" I ask her.
" Either. " Addie says with a small smile.
" Jack doesn't talk about what he talks about in therapy to me. He talks to Nathan about it. My therapist said that I should put it to court or something. " I say looking at Emilia.
" Do you want to take it to court?" Addie asked me.
Meredith took a deep breath and looked at Emilia, who was sleeping peacefully in her hospital bed. The weight of the decision she had to make pressed heavily on her shoulders. The thought of going to court was daunting, and she knew it could potentially bring even more stress and turmoil to their already complicated family situation.
Addison placed a comforting hand on Meredith's shoulder. "Meredith, it's a tough decision to make, and it's one only you and Nathan can truly understand. Remember that Jack's well-being is the top priority here, and whatever choice you make should be in his best interest."Meredith nodded, her eyes fixed on her daughter. "I know. I just want what's best for all of my kids. This situation is so incredibly complicated."
"Emilia is lucky to have you as her mother, and all your children love you," Addison reassured her. "But Jack's feelings and emotional well-being are also essential. You and Nathan need to communicate and find the best solution for him."
With a sigh, Meredith thought about the difficult road ahead. "I'll talk to Nathan when he gets here. We need to figure out a way to support Jack while making sure Emilia gets the best care. Maybe we can work something out without involving the court."
As if on cue, Nathan arrived at the hospital room, looking concerned. He had overheard part of the conversation and wanted to make sure Meredith was okay. He gently embraced her and then peered at their daughter, Emilia, who was still sleeping.
"Meredith, I heard what you and Addison were discussing," Nathan said softly. "We can figure this out together, for Jack's sake. I know how important it is for him to have both of us in his life."Meredith smiled through her tears, touched by Nathan's support. "I don't know what I would do without you."
Nathan nodded. "We've always been a team when it comes to our family. Let's continue that way. We'll find a solution that works for Jack and for Emilia."
As Meredith, Nathan, and Addison contemplated their next steps, the focus remained on their children's well-being and how to navigate the challenging path ahead, balancing their complex family dynamics with love and care.
