The Pyle Inside

“Mer . . . Mer . . . Mer can you hear me?” Alex yelled, like I was about to walk into an exploding volcano.

“Alex what do you—”

“Mer.”

“Yes, Alex”

“She’s lucid. Someone get Bailey. NOW!” Alex seemed like he was in a race against time.

“Alex, would you like to tell me what’s happening?”

“Mer, I missed you so much, and I’ve been here every morning. We’ll explain when—”

“We’ll?” I was so confused and didn’t know how I got into a hospital bed.

All of a sudden I saw Bailey come into the room, along with my kids who seemed to be

older but all of a sudden I saw Christina.

“Christina?” I wasn’t sure if it was really her or if someone was messing with me.

“Yeah Mer, it’s me,” she seemed sad but still cheerful.

“Can someone explain what’s going on?”

Bailey stepped forward and said, “Meredith, you have Alzheimer’s. You’ve had it

for 5 years and it’s very advanced. We don’t—”

I cut her off before she finished, “You don’t know how much longer I’ll be alive.” Everyone looked very upset and not sure what to say. They looked like a deer caught in

headlights,” that’s why Christina is here and all of you came to my room, because I’m dying.”

Everyone still didn’t know what to say, didn’t know if they comfort me.

“We all just want to spend as much time as possible with you,” Christina whispered loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

“Can I just talk to Alex and Christina for now,” I exclaimed.

Everyone but Christina and Alex left, they looked shaken but excited to see me and talk to me.

“So,” I said, “what’s been happening? What have I missed?”

Alex started to walk closer to me and talk, “Well me and Jo got married, Keppner and Avery are back together, Callie’s back and I think her and Arizona are back together and Megan and Riggs are together,” Alex seemed nervous, scared about what I’ll say or do.

“Alex, I’m fine. Riggs should be happy, I’m glad he didn’t wait 5 years for me to get lucid,” I immediately changed the topic to make things less awkward, “Christina, how’s Owen?”

“Well,” Christina stepped forward,” he wasn’t sure what to do when I first came because as I started walking up to him, he kissed Amelia. Then she walked away and he saw me.”

“Wow, well what did he do? Where’s Amelia, I didn’t see her. Is she in surgery?”

“Mer,” Christina seemed upset, she couldn’t finish the sentence.

“Amelia overdosed, she died 5 years ago,” Alex said with despair.

“But I would’ve known 5 years ago, I was lucid,” I didn’t understand what they were saying.

“Mer, when I came she knew that I was Christina, Owen’s ex-wife. She freaked out and went super dark and twisty, like when you told the shooter to shoot you, or tried to drown, or put your hand on an explosive bomb dark and twisty,” I could tell she was trying to tell me what happened by not saying what I needed to hear.

“So basically, she went to dark and twisty and overdosed so she’s dead,” I couldn’t hear any more of it, “So, how’s Owen?”

Alex and Christina looked glum, not for Amelia but for me. They could tell this wasn’t the news I’d want to hear after basically being dead for 5 years.

“Were together and Mer I know this is weird coming back but I hope you’re cool with this.”

I knew what Christina needed to hear, “Christina, I’m fine. I’ve gotten through all the crazy stuff,” Alex and Christina were baffled, ”I’ve gotten through meeting my boyfriend’s wife and then him choosing her, putting my hand inside bodies with active bombs, almost drowning, growing up with my mother, watching O’Malley die, watching my husband get shot and then telling the shooter to shoot me, being stranded for 3 or 5 days after the plane crash, seeing my sister die out there, having Mark die because of the crash, almost losing the hospital and then buying it, the storm where I almost died giving birth, when Christina left, having Derek die, almost dying again giving birth, losing Callie to the doctor who killed Derek, being attacked in the hospital, when Alex was almost sent to prison and watching the hospital blow up. I’ve been through it all, and I’m glad everything is good here but tell me about my kids. Derek will like the good news and will want to hear about Zo, Bailey, and Ellis,” Alex and Christina didn’t understand what I was trying to say. “I’m going to die and it’s ok. I’m going to see him. I’m going to see Derek.”

Alex and Christina looked so upset and seemed like they’d forgotten about the fact that I’m dying. Alex started talking to comfort me,

“Well, when you see Derek tell him everyone says Hi, I have to go so if you’re asleep when I get back just know we all love you, but for now why don’t we have Zola, Bailey, and Ellis come in for a while to keep you company?”

Alex looked excited and upbeat, he’s the only one who’s looked happy today. All of a sudden Zola, Bailey, and Ellis ran in. They all looked as if a pot of gold was at my bed side. It was the best thing that had happened that day, they told me all about their lives, school and what I’ve missed.

“You’re mom’s gotta get some sleep now, grandma Avery is with Harriet and Sofia, she’s gonna take you guys home. Ok?”

I recognized the voice but couldn’t remember the name.

“Hey Mer, we’ve missed you,” I realized who was talking, it was Callie. Jackson, April,

and Arizona were all behind her.

“Who are you people? Do you know where Derek is? I have a name for the,” I stopped talking and couldn’t hear anything.

“She’s in b-fib, get a crash cart in here, NOW!” Jackson was screaming, Callie was trying to help but April and Arizona knew what to do and realized they didn’t have good odds.

“Guys, she’s too far gone,” April couldn’t get anything else out, Jackson went over to comfort her.

Callie finally said, “Who’s gonna call it?”

All of a sudden Alex walked in with Jo behind him. Alex took off his scrub cap and said,

“Time of death, 8:52 pm,” He immediately left the room, Jo ran after him so she could calm him down.

After I woke up. I was in front of Joe’s Bar but I didn’t know how I got there. It was like a movie where you switch scenes, very quick and sudden. I walked in hoping to find out what happened to me or where I was. As I walked in I saw Lexie and Mark playing darts, they looked so happy together and I was happy that after the plane crash they found each other. I walked over and sat at the bar, looked around hoping to find Derek. As I turned back around there he was, he was smiling, and I was falling in love again. He looked over joyed to see me and I was thrilled to see him. It was like two peas in a pod that were back together.

“What’s your story?” I knew what he was doing.

“I’m just a girl in a bar,” I replied but all I could do was smile.

“Well I’m just a guy in a bar,” his face lit up in a smile.

I missed that smile and his eyes. I knew where I was, I was in a world of ferry boat scrub caps, post it’s on the wall, tumors on the wall and houses of candles. I was in a world of happiness, a world that would last forever.