Episode Report Card Lauren S: B | 5 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT Meddling Mama
By Lauren S | Season 8 | Episode 5 | Aired on 10.13.2011
While Derek and Owen sit in the stairwell, their difficult wives hang out on a bench outside. Cristina has a little plastic contraption to which a long piece of thread is attached, and she's practicing some kind of knot while she talks Meredith out of the idea of calling Alex to get an update before he was even due to call them. Cristina knows where Meredith's mind is going and she firmly tells her friend that Zola is not going to die. She then offers her contraption to Meredith as a distraction and tells her to try out what I think she calls a single hand left handed tie. I'm not sure why it is called that since she uses both hands, but whatever it is called Meredith gets it on the first try, which drives Cristina bonkers. Derek then comes out with an update that they had to resect a small part of Zola's bowel but that everything is good so far. Mere visibly relaxes a little bit and Derek actually sits down to share in the relief. As the girls sip on water bottles he picks up Cristina's thing and does the knot she's been practicing perfectly. She snatches the contraption back, declaring that she hates them both, which actually gives the two of them a moment of shared amusement for the first time in weeks.
In the OR, Arizona is still fuming at Alex but he points out that she should understand what Meredith and Derek are going through better than anyone else since she technically has no parental rights to Sofia. Arizona's not pleased with this line of conversation and tells him to mind his own business; when Alex just simply says that the situation sucks Arizona snaps at him that what sucks is that they are now completely worried about Zola and the adoption is in even more jeopardy than it was before when it didn't have to be, because she and Alex would have been able to totally fix Zola without Mere and Derek having to go out of their minds with worry.
Jackson finishes up his work on Ryan and Mark compliments him, but Catherine isn't yet ready to admit that they were right. She reminds them that currently they just have a sad, grey penis with a piece of belly in it. Huh, that's what Mark said they were doing? This is why I'm not a doctor, folks. Catherine tells April to release the clamp and after a few moments of fretting she finally does, and the penis pinks right up, showing that Mark and Jackson did an awesome job. The girls can't help but roll their eyes at the celebration.
Some soulful dude music starts up as Alex comes in to the locker room where Meredith, Derek and Cristina are waiting to tell them that they removed all of the adhesions and that the shunt is working again, and Zola will be fine. Meredith collapses onto her seat and takes Alex's hand as she starts to cry; shockingly, Derek reaches out and starts to rub the back of her neck. Cristina smiles at them too, sincerely happy as well. Alex hesitates a moment while Mere holds his hand as if he's judging if Derek is really going to be there for his wife and if it's then safe to leave. He then goes, and Cristina tells the couple that she'll stay with Zola that night and will call if there are any problems. She then orders them to go home. Mere can't stop sobbing but Derek keeps rubbing her back and he looks at least a little bit happy for the first time I think all season.