How Sweet It Is

23

"Can I make you anything Mom?" Derek asked, as he stood in the kitchen making a sandwich because Meredith hadn't called him for lunch.

"Oh no Dear, I'm fine." Mrs. Shepherd replied, icing a cake that she had made earlier that morning. "What time did Meredith leave this morning or were you asleep?"

"I was still asleep."

"Why did you sleep in the guest room Dear?"

"Meredith was in my room...I just...it's a better bed...So I let her sleep in there."

"Well that was kind of you." She replied, dipping the spreading knife into the icing.

"Yeah...She had a long shift." Derek replied.

"Forty-eight hours is just too much if you ask me."

"We've all done it...It's like a rite of passage."

"It's silly to teach interns to run on nothing but sleep and I wouldn't mind telling that to whoever runs the program." Mrs. Shepherd shook her head. "I'm tempted to write a letter, to get Meredith out of these shifts."

"You never offered to do that for me." Derek laughed.

"You're a big boy."

"Thanks Mom."

"Is Meredith at home right now?" His mother asked.

"She had some errands to run and then I think she was going to go back to sleep." Derek replied.

"I bet she is completely exhausted."

"Maybe she'll come over later, she can have dinner with us."

"We were going to go to lunch..." Derek frowned, checking his cell phone. "But she's probably still sleeping."

"What time was she supposed to call you?"

"About an hour ago."

"Well I'm sure she's busy or just sleeping." His mother assured him.

"Yeah..."

"Well if she does come over later, there is cake here for her and everyone to enjoy." His mother put her hands on her waist, examining the newly iced vanilla cake.

"Looks great." Derek smiled, his mind on Meredith.

"I tried a new icing."

"What was wrong with the old one?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to try something new."

"You sure you don't want a sandwich?" Derek asked, sitting down at the table with his food, but not touching it.

"I'm sure, go ahead and eat."

"Okay."

"Don't just stare at it." His mother laughed, moving to place the cake in the refridgerator.

"Sorry." Derek laughed lightly, taking a bite of the sandwich and then putting it back down.

"I'll be right back Dear."

"Okay." Derek sighed, giving his mother a small smile, as he sat at the table, staring at his cell phone. Meredith was supposed to have called him and now he was starting to get worried. He probably had nothing to worry about. She had made fun of him for being paranoid but still, something didn't feel right. He got up to get something to drink when he heard his phone buzzing against the table. "Hello?"

"Derek...." Meredith's voice was shaken on the other end.

"Mer...What's going on?" Derek said, his heart starting to race.