Episode Report Card Lauren S: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT All's Fair In Love And Job Advancement
By Lauren S | Season 7 | Episode 21 | Aired on 05.12.2011
Arizona is watching Alex through the window as he hands Lebo her baby and it's obvious to anyone that Alex seriously cares for these patients. When he comes out of the room, Arizona asks him if he's going to Africa. When he tells her that he's not sure yet, she asks point-blank if he's in love with Lucy. Alex is as surprised as I am at the very thought, but he's also a little embarrassed and just tells Arizona that it's a new relationship. He asks why it matters, still displaying some phenomenal obliviousness, even for Alex. April has to explain that she doesn't want to recommend someone who is then going to turn around and do what she did: run back to the girl back home. She warns him to be totally sure of his decision when he finally makes it, or he'll have to answer to her.
Zola is out of surgery and is babbling while playing with her toes. Seriously, this baby might actually kill me. It's like she was genetically engineered to make women start ovulating. Derek gazes at her from the doorway and is joined by Mark and Sofia; Mark baby-talks that Sofia can't wait to have a new friend. His voice turns almost Kermit-esque and Derek gives him an amused look, but Mark promises Derek will be doing the same thing in no time. In fact, we already saw it when he introduced Zola to Meredith for the first time. Derek is really worried about the adoption since it's difficult to get through all of the international hoo-ha (official term) but Mark assures him that he is Derek Shepherd, and on that fact alone it will happen, in addition to the fact that he and Mere will make great parents. It's kind of amazing to see these two boys all grown up.
This heartwarming conversation takes place while Meredith is finally in her interview with the social worker. She's incredibly nervous, and manages to just put her foot deeper and deeper into her mouth as she describes growing up with her non-nurturing surgeon mother but tries to convince the woman that she plans to be different. The worker's face is impassive but there's a hint of sympathy behind her eyes as she asks Mere to tell her about Zola. This, Meredith does with way fewer nerves -- she tells the woman about Zola's surgery and gives a lot of medical information that the woman doesn't understand, but it's clear that Meredith is proud of how Zola did and the worker seems amused. Mere realizes, though, that this probably isn't what the worker meant. She thinks that she's supposed to talk about how cute and sweet Zola is, and she assures the woman that Zola is totally those things, but then trails off and finally asks, embarrassed, for confirmation that she's not doing very well in this interview. The woman assures her that she just wants a sense of who Meredith is, and Meredith tells her that she's a good surgeon, wants to be a good mother and is ready to learn how to do that despite not having much firsthand experience with it. This and her telling of the surgery are the two most sincere, honest moments she has had during the interview, and the worker sees it. She tells Meredith that good moms brag about their babies and know where they are and how they are doing at all times. And even though Zola was in surgery rather than a play group or the like, Meredith knew everything and was watching out for her and then bragged about her, to boot. She tells Mere that she appreciates seeing that, but Mere seems wary and not quite ready to believe her.