Chasing Cars

Chapter 27

The doorbell rings.

"Someone's here! Someone's here Daddy!" Maddie yells excitedly, carrying Nanas with her. She sees her mom laying down, her eyes tightly closed. Maddie makes Nanas tap Meredith on her face which instantly makes Meredith moan in pain.

"Owwwwww." Meredith moans, clutching her mouth.

"I sowwy mommy! What's a matter wit mommy daddy?" Maddie says fearfully.

Derek scoops Maddie up into his arms. "Mommy's going to be okay. Come on, let's go see who's at the door. Mer, be right back."

"Otay! Mama be wight back!" Maddie repeats.

Meredith nods, tears flowing down her face.

"Daddy! Wait!" Maddie yells. He does so and Maddie sweetly says softly "I wove you mama."

Despite being in so much pain, Meredith smiles at her daughter. "I love you too Mads."

They continue to the door and Derek opens it, revealing Addie and Mark.

"Auntie Addie! Uncle Mawk!" Maddie squeals excitedly, reaching her arms out for Addie to take her.

"Hi sweet girl!" Addie says, giving her a kiss hello.

"Hey Mads!" Mark says, grinning at the little girl.

"Are you here for mowe birthday cake??? It's yummy!" Maddie said with a grin. "Nanas loveeeessss it too!"

"We will have to have some leftover cake with you sweetie. But first we need to go help your mommy feel better." Addie says to the little girl.

Maddie frowns. "Mommy doesn't feel well. Me and nanas both gave her kisses and she cwied. I dunno why! Cause Mama all better now! She's not sick no more!"

Derek, Mark, and Addie all look at each other when Maddie says that. They don't want to correct her in case she starts crying.

"Come on Mads." Derek says softly.

"Let's go see Mama! She can play with me!" Maddie says with a giggle. "Mama! I coming!"

"Mommy's resting sweet girl. Let's use our inside voices." Addie says softly as she holds her.

"But... Mommy's all better! Why she resting?" Maddie asks.

Addie hesitates. "Sweetie, Mommy needs to rest to get better. She's still tired." She didn't want to say that she was still sick so she just said tired.

"No! She said she's all better! She's not sick no more Auntie Addie! Mama's allll better!" Maddie said, pouting. "Mama's not sick no more!"

Addie looked at Derek for help but he just shook his head. They walked into the room where Meredith was and Addie forced her tears to stay inside. She hated the condition that Meredith was in. She just looks and is so so sick.

"Hi Mer." Addie whispers softly. "We brought some stuff to help you."

Maddie wriggles out of Addie's arms and goes to give her mom a kiss.

Meredith moans at the pain that caused, not realizing Maddie was right there. She weakly rolls over to get away from whatever caused the pain.

"Maddie, sweetie. Do you want to come show me your new toys?" Mark asks, so that they could distract her from her mom.

"Yes!" Maddie squeals. "Let's go Uncle Mawkie!"

Once they're gone, Addie sighs. "Mer, I know you're not feeling well and you really hurt but I need you to sit up so we can get your mouth some pain relief. This liquid medicine will help you. It'll hurt at first but it will help."

Meredith just moans in response, unable to talk because of the pain.

"I'll help you sit up." Derek says. He gently supports her body and helps her to sit up. He lets her rest her body on his.

"Okay, I know it hurts but I need you to open your mouth for me. I need to pour this into your mouth." Addie takes out the bottle of liquid medicine that Bailey had given her.

Reluctantly, Meredith opens her mouth a tiny bit. That already hurts her just doing that.

"Can you open it up more please Mer?" Addie asks.

Meredith shakes her head no. "Hurts." She whispers.

"I know sweetie. This will help though. Let me help you get it open more." Derek gently gets her mouth to open more. Meredith cries loudly when her mouth is wide open, it's just so painful.

"Okay, I'm going to go as fast as I can." Addie says. "I'm going to pour it in your mouth and then I need you to swish it around and then I'll have you spit it out. We'll do that a few times. Okay, first round Mer." Addie pouts the liquid in and Meredith howls in pain.

"I know sweetie, I know. Swish it around." Derek whispers, rubbing her head gently.

Meredith sobs and swishes it around and then they have her spit it out which also causes her so much pain.

Unfortunately even with the amount of pain she's in they still have to keep going. They do a second round and then a third.

———-

A little while after they finish treating Meredith's mouth Maddie comes running into the room with Mark right behind her.

"Maddie! Come back! I'm gonna get you!" Mark says chasing her as she giggles loudly.

"Nuh uh!" Maddie giggles. "Mama! Mama! Help! Uncle Mawk gonna get me!"

Mark grabs the little girl and starts tickling her as she laughs loudly.

"Mama! Mama! Mama!" She yells, still giggling uncontrollably.

Meredith weakly lifts her head up and sees Mark playing with her daughter. She manages a weak smile as she sees her daughter having fun. Her mouth is feeling a little better from that treatment so far but she still is in pain.

"Mama!!!!! Save me!" Maddie giggles. "Mawk's a tickle monster!"

"You're not getting away from me! Uh oh I think aunt Addie is a tickle monster also!" Mark says laughing.

Addie laughs and comes closer and helps Mark to tickle the girl. Addie tickles her and Maddie just giggles uncontrollably.

"That tickles!!!!" Maddie squeals.

After a few minutes later they put her down and she immediately goes and cuddles up next to her mom.

"Hi mommy!" Maddie smiles.

"Hi Mads." Meredith gets out, ignoring the pain.

"Uncle Mawk and Aunt Addie were tickling me! They silly mommy."

Meredith nods, unable to talk too much.

Maddie continues talking to her mom who is only able to talk a tiny bit. Meredith falls asleep a few minutes later with Maddie still talking to her nonstop.

Maddie looks and sees her mom is sleeping. "Night night mama!"

We hope you enjoyed! Thanks to my co-writer _Ktje_