Grey’s Anatomy – Family Affair

By: Jamie Steinberg

“They say love knows no bounds. I don’t know about that. I’ve seen the bounds & pushed them a couple of times. Love definitely has bounds. I’ve seen where it ends.” – Meredith Grey

Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) and Karev (Justin Chambers) are lying on their backs while contemplating Amelia and Owen’s pending wedding. “She’s just so fill of feelings, all the time. Why can’t she cram them down and shut up like everyone else? – Meredith wonders?” Karev takes a more existential approach with, “Maybe it’s nobody’s fault. Maybe you only get one.” Meredith wonders who he is referring to and then realizes it’s Izzie. Assuring Alex that Izzie wasn’t his one chance at love, the two must now figure out how to move forward knowing Amelia is the Sheppard getting the future and Owen gets to be a groom.

At the Bailey/Warren house, Miranda (Chandra Wilson) is getting ready to head to the hospital for some work before the wedding. It seems the hospital is shorthanded and she has to run the show. Warren (Jason George) offers to help out (while ending his suspension two months early) and is quickly shot down by Bailey who says she doesn’t trust him. This is a “light bulb moment” for him as he realizes it’s less about him being punished for his actions and more about his wife/boss trusting him.

Meanwhile, at Meredith’s home, Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) is full on sobbing and on the phone BEGGING her mother to attend her wedding. It seems no one from the Shepherd family will be in attendance, no matter how many times Amelia assures them this isn’t just a spontaneous decision or that she needs her family around her. Maggie (Kelly McCreary) is doing her best to be of comfort, but she still feels alone and hurt. Thankfully, Owen (Kevin McKidd) shows up just in time. He speaks through the door to her to assure her that he understands how she feels, but it’s about them making this commitment to each other. He’s sweet with her and loving. He assures her that this is something he wants them to do. She tells him the bride can’t see the groom before the wedding, but they close their eyes, Amelia walks out of the bedroom and the two share a blind kiss.

Karev heads over to his former home to clean out his stuff. He doesn’t understand why Jo (Camilla Luddington) won’t just give him a reason she won’t marry him. She wonders why he can’t just enjoy what they have and why her wanting to be with him isn’t enough. Karev is still salty though, as he is jealous seeing Owen and Amelia get the wedding he always wanted. It’s not enough for him anymore. He wants his day in the sun…

Meredith runs into Riggs (Martin Henderson) at the hospital where they share an awkward moment. Meredith thinks they’re hookup was just a one time thing, but Riggs reminds her that they actually did it four times that night. Besides, Riggs assures her that he isn’t pining for her. That soothes Meredith’s worries and gives her a bit of a giggle knowing that she actually pursued him for their romp.

Back at the house, Owen confesses he hasn’t told Christina (Sandra Oh) that’s he is walking down the aisle again. We all know that it has been some time since the two of them talked, let alone were in the same room together. So, I’m sure it would be fine for Owen to be remarrying by now. Amelia is back to freaking out because Derek (Patrick Dempsey) walked every sister down the aisle. She is, once again, reminded she is alone. Meredith jumps into maid of honor action and steps up to the plate, assuring Amelia that she is a Sheppard and willing to walk her down the aisle. And as icing on the cake, Meredith uses her Christina-lingo to seal the deal: “I can be a twisted sister for you. I am your family, Amelia. Today I am your person.”

At the wedding venue, April realizes she has forgotten the rings. She is “the best man” and has accidentally left the rings at home. Warren agrees to take her back to Meredith’s to help locate this minor detail when he notices that she is having contractions. She thinks it is false labor, but Warren notices the contractions are coming faster and faster. It’s been pouring rain all day though so Kepner is concerned she’d end of having the babies in his car with the weather being so bad rather than in a hospital. Warren must take charge and return to doctor duties to help April have her baby in Meredith’s home…now. “I’m gunna have a baby! On Meredith’s rug!”

Jo joins Edwards (Jerrika Hinton) at the bar to drink away their sorrows. Edwards is still reeling from losing Kyle (Wilmer Valderrama) and here we have Jo going on and on using words like “gone” and “him.” Edwards can’t hear it anymore and takes her leave just as DeLuca (Giacomo Gianniotti) arrives post shift. He’s Jo’s new babysitter and he’s now in charge of making sure she doesn’t drink and drive.

Meredith has really pushed her maid of honor duties to the limits by making Amelia and Maggie run through the rain to her car. The three amigos are off on a gas station run for snacks and slurprees when Amelia has her third epic freakout of the day. She is pissed that Meredith made her run, but Meredith assures her this wasn’t her doing. Meredith explains that she gave Amelia options and this was simply the one chosen.

Back at the hospital, an elderly woman comes in with cuts to her hands and is talking like she’s just taken down a burglar. When they talk to the man with the stab wounds, they get another story. It seems the man is her grandson and the older woman is suffering from dementia. He came home after running some errands and she didn’t recognize him so she attacked. The old woman is being looked after by Jackson (Jesse Williams) who has become convinced he is her husband. When he tries to explain to her that she is in the hospital and the she injured her grandson, she thinks she is having their baby. Does that mean Jackson is going to be a father twice in one day?

A drunken Jo is stumbling at the bar and rambling about not being able to marry Alex. DeLuca asks for an explanation, but Jo is still not ready to talk. She is however babbling about how she wants to go home, but somehow has the wrong purse. She then lets it slip that the reason she can’t marry Alex is because she’s already married? Say what?!

At the wedding venue, Owen asks Richard (James Pickens, Jr.) to send in Kepner, but is told she isn’t on the premises. He also learns that Amelia isn’t on the premises either. These facts send Karev into a twist, but Owen has faith saying, “If you get to the point where you’re going to walk down the aisle with someone she has earned some trust and faith.” Another “light bulb moment” occurs! Karev realizes that this applies to his relationship with Jo, sending him off on a drive back home to make amends.

At Meredith’s house, April is bringing the much needed comedy to this intensely dramatic episode. She instructs Warren to check to see how far she’s dilated, explaining that means he’ll be seeing her vagina. Once inspected, Warren realizes the baby is breach, which means that he’ll have to do a C-section. Keep in mind, this is going to be Warren’s first operation post suspension. To top things off, they’re in Meredith’s home so Warren must scramble to find anything he can possibly use to do this procedure. As of now, he isn’t sure he can save both Kepner and the baby.

Drunk Jo finally has loose lips. Back at her home, DeLuca is attempting to put her to bed when she starts undressing and explaining her relationship status. She explains that she was living in her car and Alex saved her. She says though if she’d used her money that her husband would have found her. She laments that Alex doesn’t even know her real name. Jo flops onto the bed and pulls at DeLuca, causing him to fall on top of her. She’s laughing, but Alex walks in and sees their current situation. DeLuca is trying to explain, but he can’t get the words out fast enough before Alex pummels him.

Back to the wedding venue, Riggs shows up and shares a moment with Owen. Owen was to be the best man at his wedding so this is sort of a bittersweet moment for the former brother-in-laws to be. It’s nice to see them setting aside their misery for Owen to have his moment of happiness.

Ben is prepping for April’s C-Section, but there are several problems. First, the only scalpel he finds must have belonged to Meredith’s mother as it is in an old operating kit. Second, he has no anesthesia so cutting April open is going to hurt like hell. Third, the packing options for stopping the blood consists of kitchen towels. At least Miranda, Jackson and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) are there on the phone for support. Miranda knows what Ben needs to hear to give him the strength to make this a life saving moment, “I trust you.” Well, here goes nothing…

Cut to the hospital where an ambulance arrives, wheeling April on a gurney inside. We see Warren draped in a blanket and on closer inspection, he’s cradling a baby in his arm! THE JAPRIL BABY HAS ARRIVED! Post surgery, Miranda comes out to tell Jackson and Warren that the baby is healthy and that April is in stable condition. HALLELUJAH!

Callie (Sara Ramirez) heads over to Arizona’s home to pick up their daughter. When she opens the door, Arizona presents her with a plane ticket to New York. She says she wants summers with Sophia and certain holidays. She wants Callie to head to New York because, “Sophia deserves to have two happy moms.” Thus ends Sara Ramirez’s time as the incredible Dr. Calliope Torres on “Grey’s Anatomy.”

The wedding is FINALLY ready to start and Maggie is just waiting for her cue to walk down the aisle. The bridesmaids take their place by Amelia and look on as the wedding begins. Riggs looks over and Meredith smiles at him…But so does Maggie. Leaning into Meredith, Maggie says, “I like him.” Meredith asks, “Who?” Maggie replies, “Riggs.” Meredith’s face drops.

“Love has boundaries. We know this. We knock them & build them back up again. Does it have to be that way? Maybe that’s all we need – a little courage. A little hope. A little belief. Maybe love is unlimited if we are brave enough to decide love is limitless. Maybe there is enough happy for everyone.” – Meredith Grey