Officer Shepherd✔️

bedrooms

MEREDITH

"you counted them right? because I didn't," I say. "yes, I counted," he says. "and how many?" I ask. 

"nine hundred and three books," he says. "wow... that's a lot," I say. "and you said you ordered more?" he says. "yes..." I say.

"how many more?" he asks. "not many," I shrug. "Meredith... how many?" he asks. "twenty... nine," I say. "Twenty nine books?!" he asks. "yes... and five novellas," I say. 

"novellas aren't books," he asks. "kind of, but not really. novels are books and novellas are... I don't really know, half books?" I say. 

"they're cheaper if that helps?" I shrug. he looks at me with a stern look. "I know, I shouldn't be spending a lot now that I have kids," I say. 

"it's not that," he says. "then why do you care how many books I buy?" I ask. "I don't," he says before walking away.

"Derek," I say standing up and walking over to him. "why does it bother you?" I ask, putting both my hands on his shoulders. 

"it doesn't," he says. "Derek, why does it bother you?" I ask. "it doesn't, Meredith. I don't care how many books you buy," he says. he puts his hands on my waist and kisses me before walking around me.

"Derek, you're not helping," I say. "Meredith, it's your money, I don't care what you do with it?" he says. 

he turns around and looks into the fridge. I think for a bit before it hits me. "Derek, does it bother you because I make more than you?" I ask.

"what?" he says turning around. "is that why?" I ask. "No, I don't care that you make more than I do," he says, turning back around. 

"how do you know how much I make?" I ask. "I don't," he says, not looking at me. "Derek," I say.

"I looked at your mail once when we were living together and I didn't read the name on it," he says. "Derek, I don't that to have a difference on anything," I say. 

"it doesn't," he says. "ugh, you're making it so hard to believe you," I groan walking away. 

"Meredith-" he says. "No, I don't care. come help me put the twins beds together, I don't want them to have to sleep on the couch again," I say. 

"you need help or you don't know how to do it?" he asks. "I'm sorry, I wish I could do it myself since you just build the bookshelf but the instructions don't make sense," I say.

"I'll do it," he says walking past and into the room that's going to be the twins room. "I can build the dresser," I say. 

"do you know to do that?" he asks. "yes, I think so. it shouldn't be that hard it's just putting drawers in a piece of wood, right? I say walking into the room.

"the easier you think the easier it should be... I hope," he says. 

***

after almost an hour I finish building the dresser. Derek helped me read the instructions and then I did what he said to do. he built both beds in the time I built the one of the small dressers. 

"now I have to find the other one," I say, standing up. "what to you mean 'find'?" he asks. "I put it somewhere but I don't remember where," I say. he chuckles.

"I think last I saw it in your room," he says. I go into my room and I see the large box at the end of my bed.

I walk to the end of the bed and dragged it into the other room. "Auntie, Meredith?" I hear Emily say quietly from behind me.

"yes, Emily?" I say turning around. "what are you doing?" she asks. "this is going to be your bed, you and your brother won't have to sleep on the couch tonight," I say. she nods a bit before walking away. she's been quiet ever since she got here.

I brought the box the rest of the way into the bedroom. "you were right, it was in my room," I say. "told you," he says as I open the box.

"have you noticed Emily's been very quiet since she got here?" I ask as I start pulling the pieces out of the box. 

"I have, at least she talks to you, she seems scared of me," he says. "she's scared of you?" I say. "I think so, I don't know what I did but I guess I made a noise the made her jump a bit," he says.

"she's new here, they've only been here a few days. it'll take a bit before they are fully comfortable," I say. 

I build the second small dresser, one for each of them so they don't get their clothes mixed up. 

after we everything is finished. I made both the beds and left the room. I made lunch and we all ate as Derek got into a deep conversation with Daniel about car racers and I got Emily to talk about somethings that she liked.