Bright and Shiny

Chapter 169

"I don't even know where to start!" Meredith squealed looking at the huge breakfast buffet that was laid out in front of her in the Shepherd family dining room.

Meredith had woke up a little later than normal, sleeping in after her previous exhausting day. She didn't even stir when Derek awoke, showered and left the room for downstairs. When she did finally awake and emerge downstairs she could smell all her favorite breakfast foods and followed it into the dining room. While hearing Derek's teasing of his mother in the kitchen.

"I love how you made all this for Meredith, but I got some bread yesterday." He joked teasingly she could hear as Meredith looked longingly at the pancakes, danishes, muffins, donuts, eggs, bacon, toast, French toast, cheeses and not knowing where to even start.

"She's my pregnant daughter who I haven't seen for months, I may have gone a little overboard but it's my prerogative as a mom." Meredith heard Carolyn tell Derek as she smiled at the loving words from the only woman she has really known as a true mother.

"Are you sure she's going to like me?" Meredith worried for the one hundredth time to Derek. She needing reassuring every five minutes that Derek's mother would actually like her. She had already met all his sisters at a dinner in the city, but his parents who lived out of the city she hadn't met yet and she was scared. Girls she could relate to more, they talked shopping, they teased Derek and they all got along amazingly and Derek even felt jealous that she had fit in so well and ignored him when being caught up with the girls.

"Yes Mere, trust me. She's heard all about you from me and heard all the girls gush about you even more. She'll love you." He reassured again as they drove towards his family home in Long Island. "The sisters all loved you and you weren't even nervous to meet them, where did all these nerves come from?" He asked in thought.

"You're mom is going to be a totally different situation. I am going in blind, going in having no idea what to talk to her about. I don't know how to relate to parents, I basically had none. Your dad I can talk medical doctor Ellis like stuff with, but your mom. I had the nanny and maids while I saw Ellis randomly each month Derek, that's why I have nerves." She let out in one breath without stopping once.

"Just be yourself, don't stress it like you are. Don't think about Ellis or your bad mother-daughter relationship. Just be you getting to know my mom and it'll work out."

"And….I'm a teenager dating her son who is not a teenager and not even in college anymore." Meredith continued her ramble basically ignoring Derek's help.

"She won't care, she's six years younger than my dad."

"What ever." Meredith muttered as she continued to freak out as Derek laughed as they pulled up to the suburban street and turned into the driveway. Meredith sat up straighter knowing the time had come to meet Derek's mom.

"Look at me." Derek commanded as Meredith turned to look at him with fear in her eyes. Derek placing both hands on the side of her face and leaning in to slowly kiss her insecurities away, feeling her melt and relax before he pulled back.

"Don't worry, do you trust me?" He asked with a sly smile on his face. Meredith nodded her head, not yet able to speak after the kiss.

"Okay, then believe me when I say she'll love you and you will be fine." He told her as Meredith nodded again as she was ready to leave the car, unbuckling her seatbelt and stepping out. Seeing the older woman smiling at them from the front porch.

Meredith walked slowly towards her, while Carolyn Shepherd walked faster in her steps to reach Meredith.

"Meredith." She whispered before enveloping her in a hug, surprising Meredith that she was being welcomed so warmly and so quickly. Meredith wrapped her arms around the older woman back not sure what to do.

"It's so wonderful to finally meet you" she said pulling back to look at her. Wrapping her arm around Meredith and walking her towards the house as Derek trailed behind muttering "nice to see you too mom." As Meredith and Carolyn both giggled.

"I've been waiting for my son to bring you to see me for so long, I wanted to meet this amazing woman he had met and now that I have, I'm going to feed you You're so skinny, Derek told me your favorites and I made them all. So let's get inside and let me give you your first Shepherd family dinner." Carolyn told Meredith as they stepped into the warm and inviting house and Meredith instantly knew that this motherly relationship would be nothing like the one she had known all her life with Ellis.

"I love you mom." Meredith yelled out towards the kitchen to Carolyn and Derek as she grabbed a plate with a smile on her face and started with the donuts while she waited for them to join her.