The month rushed in with cool weather, welcoming a more fall-like feeling in the air. Meredith looked at her Thanksgiving dinner list, noting that there were fewer people planned. The bodyguards who didn’t have family would be coming, but Nick was going to spend the holiday with Allyson and her family before visiting his father and siblings in Marathon. Kevin and Irene were going to Lexington, and Lumien was spending the day with Howie and his family. All in all, it was going to be a low-key holiday.
Thanksgiving morning, she woke up early and padded down to the kitchen to put the small turkey in the oven. Meredith took her time, knowing that everyone would arrive around one and that it was going to be a relaxed, happy day.
Denise made her way down to the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee before sitting down at the table. “Been up long?”
Meredith shook her head. “About an hour. Just wanted to make sure everything’s moving along.”
The older woman chuckled and watched as the other woman poured a cup of coffee and joined her.
“How’s Grandpa?” She took a sip of her coffee.
Denise sighed. “Okay, I guess. The holidays are hard for him since Mom died.”
“They’re hard for all of us.” Meredith patted Denise’s hand.
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AJ leaned back against the sofa and watched as his “family” watched a football game. He had come to think of the security team more and more as friends and family rather than employees, and he liked the feeling in the house when everyone was there—laughing, celebrating, and loving.
He smiled as he watched Meredith talk on the phone to Nick, who had called to wish her a happy Thanksgiving. Although he didn’t say it much, he was very happy that his friend had found someone who supported him wholeheartedly in a way Jane never had. She looked up and smiled at him, and he knew that his heart stopped for just a moment. He didn’t know what he would do if she ever left him, and he really never wanted to find out.
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DECEMBER
AJ and Nick were laughing as they entered the house, having spent most of the afternoon shopping for Christmas presents.
“Love?” He dropped his bags next to the table in the foyer and listened for the response.
“In here.” Her voice was faint, and AJ frowned as he headed for the living room.
Seeing Meredith stretched out on the sofa made him hurry into the room. “What’s wrong?”
She pulled the cool cloth away from her eyes and looked over to find him kneeling beside her. “I’ve got a headache. I think all the meetings with The Firm about new security measures has me a bit stressed.”
AJ frowned, unused to this version of his girlfriend. “You’re sure?”
Meredith smiled at caressed his cheek. “I’m sure. It didn’t start until after the meeting.”
She looked up to see Nick hovering in the doorway, and she waved at him. “Hi, Munchkin.”
“Hey, Mom. You okay?” He walked into the room and leaned over the arm of the sofa to study her face.
“Yeah. Too many meetings.” She chuckled and sat up, pushing curls out of her face. “You guys finish your shopping?”
“Yeah. Got everything for everyone. Now all I have to do is wrap.” Nick smiled at Meredith.
“I think I’m glad I finished mine in September.” She grinned at the young man. “Anyone up for some lunch? I’m kinda hungry.”
The two men followed her into the kitchen as they talked about Christmas plans.
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Meredith opened her eyes and immediately groaned. She rolled over and covered her head with a pillow, blocking the sunlight filtering through the sheer curtains. With great effort, she sat up and pressed a hand to her forehead. She stood up and pulled on some sweats, not looking forward to the prospect of cooking all day for the upcoming festivities. The group was celebrating a week early to allow everyone the opportunity to spend Christmas day with significant others.
As she walked slowly down the stairs, Meredith ran over the list in her head. Irene looked up when her sister walked into the kitchen.
“What’s wrong?”
“Major headache. I think it’s just the stress of trying to get everything finished.”
Irene didn’t say anything, but she watched her sister and she worried because nothing used to faze Meredith.
The early Christmas celebration came and went with much laughter, much love, and much food. As much as everyone enjoyed the time together, their concern over Meredith seemed to be the focus. At some point during the day, everyone asked AJ if she was all right. He smiled and nodded, repeating her words that she was just under a lot of stress with all of the meetings she had to attend. When no one was watching, he studied her with anxious eyes, afraid.
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When she woke up the third day in a row with a blinding headache, AJ got down on his knees and begged her to go to the doctor.
“Love, it’s starting to scare me. I need you to go.”
Meredith looked into the pleading brown eyes and cupped his face. “I’ll call and get an appointment.”
Sighing, he kissed her palm and rose from the floor, sitting next to her on the bed and wrapping his arms around her.
“I love you, no matter what.” He kissed her temple, rubbing her back in slow circles.
“I love you, too, mine.”
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Meredith sat in the doctor’s office, speechless.
Dr. Cameron came around the front of the desk and sat down next to her, taking Meredith’s hands in her own. “Do I need to call someone to come and get you?”
Meredith shook her head, still unable to form any words.
The doctor stood and looked at Meredith’s chart. “I want you back in here in two weeks. Donna will give you the prescription you’ll need to get filled when you check out at the front desk.”
Meredith stood, holding out her hand. “I’ll see you in two weeks, then.”
Somehow, she managed to make her way out of the office and down to the desk to pay for her visit and collect her prescription and the pamphlets Dr. Cameron had requested she read.
She wasn’t quite sure how she made it home, but when she looked up, she was sitting in the driveway. Climbing out of the car, she opened the front door, absentmindedly petted the dogs, and headed for the living room. She dropped into the huge, overstuffed chair she usually shared with AJ when they just sat and talked, pulling her legs up underneath her.
AJ walked into the house, followed by the rest of the guys. “Meredith?”
She didn’t answer him, her mind drifting far away as the test results rolled around in her head.
AJ got worried. He knew she was home, knew she had a doctor’s appointment that day to try and find out what was wrong with her. Suddenly, he felt his chest constrict and his heart start racing as a million different, horrible conclusions came to mind.
Brian, Howie, Nick, and Kevin watched as he raced around the house, yelling out Meredith’s name. He skidded to a stop when he found her. He sat down on the ottoman in front of her, grabbing her hands as he saw the shell-shocked expression on her face.
Please, God. Please don’t take her from me. “What did the doctor say?”
He braced himself for the news, feeling her hands tighten on his, the tremble frightening him. She stared at him, her eyes wide, and opened her mouth to reply.
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Stories by Gabrielle
Spiral Bound Fiction