Officer Shepherd✔️

Meeting the mother

It was a few days after I babysat the twins. Derek called me ten minutes ago that is mother was in town.

I took a shower and washed my hair with lavender conditioner so it would smell good. I was looking for an outfit when I found the dress that I bought the other day, it was long, white with black roses on it.

I grabbed and put it on along with black laced undergarments. I went to the mirror trying to decided how to have my hair. My hair is a sandy blond, I wore it down but it didn't look right.

I tied it up loosely but that didn't look right either. I finally decided on a slicked back mid-bun which I usually wore for work.

I grabbed a pair of black heeled boots and put those on as well, I would have worn heels but my feet are already killing me.

I grabbed my black purse and left. I drove to the cafe where Derek said to meet him. I found Derek and sat down next to him.

"You came," he smiles before leaning in and kissing my cheek. "Of course I did, did you think I wouldn't?" I say. "a little," he answers. His mother isn't here yet.

"I don't know, meeting your ex-boyfriends mother isn't something most gi-" he stops as I glare at him. "-women go to," he finishes. "Better," I say.

I put both my hands in my lap and cross my left leg over the other. "You have no reason to be reason to be nervous, she's going to love you," he says taking my hand in his when he notices my hand are shaking.

"I know," I sigh, leaning back into the seat. "You do look a little pale though," he says. "I took a cold shower," I say.

"Why would you do that?" He asks concerned. "I don't know it felt warm," I shrug. "Are you sick?" He asks. "I don't know-maybe, I spent the whole yesterday with a patient that had the something, we don't know what it is he had, they're still running some more tests, so that might be it," I say.

"Didn't you wear a mask or something?" He asks. "Yes, but all he did the entire day was cough on me, I don't know why he had to face me," I roll my eyes. I told that idiot to turn over but he didn't listen.

"how often do you get sick?" he asked me. "as much as possible. It's fun," I say. "how is being sick fun?" he asks. "pain in the body covers up the pain in the head," I say. "Okay, that's deep..."

"what is this? meeting your ex-boyfriends mother? is that a thing?" I say. "I don't think so" he says. "Well, now I have another story to tell Emily and Daniel, I didn't have many stories to tell them but now here's one," I say.

"at least you like kids, my mother loves kids. she said that and my sisters had three more... each," he says. "I never liked kids, I baby sat when I was fifth-teen and I only liked one of them... most of the time but the rest of the kids and all other kids I hate,"

"so you don't like kids?" he says. "No, I do. I like Emily and Daniel but they are my sister's kids. if I choose to like them then I do but I don't want to like all kids," I say. "Why?" he asks. "I don't know, some kids are really annoying and if you like them then you have to deal with the kids and clean up after of them, and... I already do that with grown people for a living,"

"So you don't want kids one day?" he asks. shit, I was hoping I could avoid this question now that we're not together anymore.

"I don't know, I haven't really thought about it," I say. "what about when you were younger?" he asks. "I wanted kids, for years I wanted kids... but then..." I start. "then what?" he asks as he turns to look at me. "I don't know," I shrug. "I started thinking and I realized that I would never find someone to have that, I wouldn't have career I wouldn't have anything, at that age I thought I was going to be dead by twenty or twenty-five so I figured why think about the future if there wasn't going to be one," I say.

"What?" he asks. "I don't know, I was young and those were hard years but after I accepted I wouldn't be right for a mother I never thought about it after that," I say. "why wouldn't you be right for a mother?" he asks.

"I get mad too easily, one little things happens and I have to hit something, I just don't want that something to be a the kid or something... I don't really know," I shrug. "you hit things when your mad?" he asked. "yes, I hit the wall.. or myself, or I throw things whatever is near by," I say.

"when was the last time you did that?" he asked. "I don't know, this morning?" I say. I keep saying 'I know' "let me see your hand," he says. I put my right hand on the table and he takes the leather glove off. "other hand," he says. I put my left hand on the table and he takes my glove off.

"Meredith... what's this?" he asks when he sees the brace on my hand. "I didn't know how hard the walls in the hospital were and now I know they're very hard," I say looking away. "you broke your hand?" he asks surprised. "It wasn't on purpose, the patient pissed me off, I walked away and I did it without even knowing I was doing... until I felt the pain and then I realized," I say.

"do all women do that or is that just you?" he asks. "No, it's just me," I say. "noted," he says with confused look. "you don't do that?" I asked. "No, I go to the gym when I want to hit something," he says. "but then you have to drive, don't you start speeding because you're mad?"

"No, I wait. if I speed then I get into a car accident," he says. "I know... I've tried it," I say. "you did what!" he says.

"Hello, Derek," we hear from an older woman as she walks up to out table. "saved by the bell," I whispered. "Hello, ma. this is Meredith," he says. I smile and nod my head. "it's nice to meet you, Mrs. Shepherd," I say. I have no idea what the fuck I'm doing I've never met a boyfriends or an ex-boyfriends mother before.

"it's nice to finally meet the woman my son is so in love with," she smiles. I have a great new name. I lean back into the seat and try to calm my hands down. as him and his mother are talking he takes my hand and squeezes it before taking my hand in his lap.

he wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me closer into him. I lean into him a bit and try an tune out the talking. "Meredith?" I hear his mother said. "yes?" I say. "what do you do for a living?" she asks me.

"I'm a psychiatric nurse," I say. "that's wonderful. you know, I was a nurse for over twenty years," she says. "I didn't, Derek didn't tell me much," I say looking at Derek. "of course he didn't, he never speaks of me anymore, or to me," she says.

"I just don't have much time now that I'm always at work, but I'm taking some time off work. I'll call you more," he says. "and I'll come over more since I am going to be staying in town for some time," she says.

"that's great," he says. they continue talking about his sisters and the new kids there is in the family and other things. I didn't have to say much which was nice because I don't want to talk to either of them.