MERHAYES - the big "what if"

Chapter 7 - Dinner Setup

last night
.
"We need to set them up... we need a plan. Come back here in exactly 24 hours with your ideas."
.
24 hours later...
"Everyone got their plans?" Amelia asks.
Everyone nodded and said 'yep'. Bailey even waved around her paper for a hot second.

"Okay! Let's get down to business!.. that sounded a lot dirtier than I intended..." Amelia said before they chose their first plan.

Plan 1
- Everyone 'forgot' about dinner plans
- Richard

"Hey, Meredith. Owen and I are having a small dinner party at a restaurant. You're invented. Can you make it for tomorrow night at 7pm?" Teddy asked.

"Oh, Teddy... that sounds amazing but I'm not sure the babysitter is free tomorrow night." Meredith replied.

"Oh come on, Meredith. You could just drop the kids off at our house and I'll just tell our babysitter to maybe bring a friend or two to help out!" Teddy suggested desperately trying to get her to come because this plan wouldn't work with both of them onboard.

"Well, okay I guess..." Meredith replied.

Teddy smiles and replied with, "Great!" , before she walked away

"Meredith's coming. Your turn." Teddy texts to Owen.

"Hey. Teddy and I are having a dinner party tomorrow night at 7. Can you make it?" Owen asks.

"Tomorrow. That seems kind of last minute. Did someone bail out and you need another person to fill in their empty seat?" Hayes asked.

"Oh... no of course not! You were one of the first people we put on the list of people we wanted to invite! We just got so caught up with work and you know how kids can be..." Owen said, trying to make up excuses to why he wasn't invited earlier.

"Well, okay. If you say it's not a last minute invitation then I'm always up for some free food." Hayes replied.

"He said yes." Owen texted Amelia completely unaware that Amelia made a group chat just a little bit ago.

"Operation: Don't show up to dinner is a go."
Amelia texts the group.

...
tomorrow night - dinner
...
"Are we the first ones here?" Meredith hears an Irish man behind her. She turned around to see a soaking wet Cormac Hayes. They stood in silence for a while and just listened to the rain hitting the windows.

"I guess so." Meredith soon broke the silence and replied.

They waited there for hours and hours till the clock ticked 9 o'clock.

"Where are they?" Hayes asked.

"I have no clue. Maybe the rain is holding them up? Either way, they all better hurry up because I'm getting very hungry and I'm not so fun when I'm hungry." Meredith said.

They were now sitting outside on the ground in the rain. They were under a small ledge from above so they wouldn't get wet.

"Do you want to just grab some food?" Hayes asked not wanting to know what Meredith was like hungry.

"Where? The reservation is probably gone and places are starting to close."

"Well... I know this place nearby that doesn't close till 11." he replied.

She looked at him and put her hood on and walked to her car. She got in and he was still sitting on the floor so she opened her window.

"What are you waiting for?!" she yelled out the window.

He smiled and ran to his car.
.
"The grocery store?!"

"Well it's the only place I could think off... I mean it can't be that bad. It could be like that episode of Gilmore Girls."

"I mean... their donuts are delicious... and I am starving." Meredith said before she walked in.

They got their food and sat on the side of the grocery store. They had a good amount of food. Some bread, tea, chocolates, blueberries, strawberries, and of course donuts. Meredith also wanted to get some tequila till she remembered that her and Hayes both had to drive home and that may not be such a good idea.

They finished eating and just say there and started talking, getting to know each other.

"So, how was your husband before he died?" Hayes asked.

"He was sweet. He loved the kids...  and my flaws. He was also very gorgeous." she responded and looked him in the eyes.
"How was yours... your wife?"

"She was... nice, beautiful... and" he said as they inched closer and closer. Their lips were about to touch until, a person walking their dog walked right past them and barked so loud. The dog even drooled on the concrete. Their faces both looked forward.

"I... should get going." Meredith said while getting her stuff.

They both said 'bye' to each other without looking at each other.