Chapter 4

Maggie was washing her hands after back to back surgeries. Meredith and Amelia had assisted her with her last surgery. She said, "All I want to do is go home, shower and crawl in my bed."

Amelia smirked asking, "Your bed, or Jackson's bed?"

"What am I fifteen? Not everything that I do revolves around my boyfriend. I want my bed tonight. I don't get as much sleep when Jackson and I share a bed," Maggie said sticking her tongue our playfully.

Meredith said, "You two should really grow up."

"Says the woman who is dating a teenager." Amelia joked.

Maggie asked, "Can I get a ride with you? I rode into work with Jackson."

Meredith asked, "Isn't he going to be looking for you to ride home with him?"

The three women walked out of the scrub room as Maggie answered, "Nope, I told him I was going home. He is doing a surgery on a patient with Teddy. So, he'll be here for a while."

As they made their way down the hallway Jackson came around the corner in a rush. He said, "Babe, good! I was looking for you. I'm getting ready to go into surgery with Altman. I need you to pick Harriet up from April and take her home. April and Matthew are going out of town unexpectantly. They're leaving Ruby with Karen's mother and I need to take Harriet. I would ask mom to do it, but I don't want to bother her if I can help it."

Maggie asked, "When and where am I meeting to April? Crap! I don't have my car!"

"It's ok, take mine. You know where my keys are. I'll walk home." Jackson said.

Maggie frowned saying, "I don't like the sound of that. Who knows how late it will be. Just call me and I'll come get you"
Jackson shook his head saying, "You can't because then you'd have to get Harriet out of bed. I'll get home. Don't worry about me. Meet April at her house as soon as you can. Thanks a lot babe, I owe you."

Jackson kissed her and then took off down the hall. Amelia said, "Looks like you are on babysitting duty. So, you don't need that ride after all."

Maggie went to the attendings lounge to change out of her scrubs. She grabbed Jackson's keys and headed for where his car was parked.

When she got to April's house she parked on the street and jogged up the front steps ringing the doorbell. A few seconds later a startled April opened the door. Maggie said, "Hi! I'm here to pick up little miss Harriet for Jackson."

April asked, "Uh, hi Maggie. Where is Jackson?"

Maggie smiled politely. She said, "He was assisting Teddy on a trauma, so he asked me to pick up Harriet for him. Did she have dinner yet? If not it's ok. I can make something."

April looked back into the house then said, "Ah, Jackson can be so inconsiderate. Don't worry. I'll have Matthew ask his mother to watch her until Jackson can get her."

"Jackson's inconsiderate? He didn't ask you to take Harriet unexpectantly. It's no big deal April. I'm here. I can get Harriet home, get her some dinner, give her a bath and into bed." Maggie said.

April said, "I just meant that he was inconsiderate to drag you into all of this."

Maggie shrugged, "When you're a doctor it takes a village. You know that. So, is Harriet ready?"

"You know what? I'll handle it. Thanks for everything Maggie." April closed the door.

Maggie stared at the door trying to process what happened.

Back at the hospital Jackson and Teddy were in the OR working on their patient when Catherine walked in, "Jackson, I just got off the phone with April asking if she can drop Harriet at my house until you get out of surgery. You know I don't mind taking my grandbaby, but I had a treatment today and I just got out of a long surgery. I told her she could bring her over, but I'm exhausted. How long will it be before you or Maggie can get her?"

Jackson looked at his mother, "Maggie is supposed to be picking Harriet up from April. I knew you had treatment, so I didn't want to bother you, so I asked Maggie to get Harriet."

At that moment Jackson's phone chimed. He said, "Read that please?"

The nurse said, "It's from Dr. Pierce. She said to call her as soon as you can."

Teddy said, "Dr. Avery, you can do your repair later if you have to leave."

Jackson thanked Dr. Altman and left the OR. As he washed his hands Jackson said to his mother, "Maggie must have gotten pulled into an emergency surgery."

Catharine smirked at her son. She said, "it's crystal clear what happened today and it has nothing to do with Maggie being in surgery."

Jackson gave his mother a confused look. He said, "No, Maggie likes Harriet. She likes children. She doesn't have a problem picking up Harriet. At least I don't think she does. We talk now. Deeply. If she was uncomfortable she would've told me. You think this is what that is?"

Catharine rolled her eyes, "Chile, no. This is an April thing. Have you talked to her about your relationship with Maggie, and the role that Maggie will be playing in Harriet's life?"

Jackson frowned. He said, "I wasn't aware that I needed to. She's knows that Maggie and I are together. She's left Harriet with Maggie before. I don't understand why this is a problem now. Ma, I think you're wrong. April is married. She doesn't care about who I date."

Catharine walked into the hall with Jackson on her heels. She said, "This doesn't have anything to do with who you're dating. This has everything to do with the woman who may or may not be in her daughter's life. Now come on. We have to get to my house to meet April."

Jackson went and changed calling Maggie when he and his mother were in her limo. "Hey, babe. What happened to you picking up Harriet?"

"I went to April's and refused to give Harriet to me. She said that she'd make other arrangements." Maggie explained.

Jackson said, "Babe, meet me at my mom's."

When Jackson ended the call, he said to his mother, "Damn, Ma. Are you right?"

Catherine smiled tiredly at her son. She said, "Oh baby, when will you learn? I'm always right."

Jackson laughed as they pulled up to Catherine's home and saw April's car parked at the curb. When April saw them approaching she got out and started getting Harriet out of the car.

When Jackson and Catherine exited the vehicle, they walked over to April. Catherine said, "Look, it's grandma's girl!."

Catherine reached for her granddaughter, but Jackson intercepted his daughter. He kissed her cheek saying, "Hi, baby! Ma, you take it easy. Harriet can walk."

He set his daughter on her feet and put her tiny hand into his mother's. Catherine smiled up at April saying, "Have a safe trip, April." She then walked to the house asking Harriet, "You want some grapes, mama's girl? Yeah, I'm going to get us some grapes."

April turned to get into her car when Jackson said, "Wait, I want to talk for a minute. April, I sent Maggie to get Harriet because my mother had a cancer treatment today and she operated. I try not to overwhelm her. Why didn't you let Maggie take her? Maggie would never do anything to hurt Harriet."

April took a deep breath before saying, "I'm not worried about Maggie doing anything to Harriet. I mean she is a doctor, she should be able to keep her safe. It's just that, is it good for your girlfriend to be so involved in our daughter's life?"

Jackson frowned asking, "Is it good for your husband to be so involved?"

"Matthew is my husband. Maggie is your girlfriend today. There is no guarantee that she will be tomorrow." April argued.

Jackson saw Maggie pull up in his SUV. He said to April, "No there is no guarantee that she will be my girlfriend tomorrow. Tomorrow she could be more. Either way she is someone I want in my daughter's life. You don't get a say about that, just like I didn't get a say about Matthew being in her life."

Jackson watched Maggie walk towards the front door when April said, "You wanted a say about Matthew?"

"No, I didn't but nevertheless you didn't give me a say. So, you don't get a say here," Jackson turned calling out to Maggie as she was about to enter the house, "Babe, come here for a second."

Maggie walked over giving April a small wave. She said, "Hi, again."

"I just want to say this so that both of you hear it. I'm sorry if it hurts you, but Maggie is my future. She's going to be in my life and by extension she's going to be in Harriet's life. We've always co-parented well. I want to continue to do that. I'm a surgeon and my mother is living with cancer. I need help. Maggie is the closet person to me. She is the person that I lean on. I just need you to cooperate." Jackson said firmly.

April averted her eyes saying, "I'm sorry about earlier Maggie."

Maggie just silently smiled. April turned to get into her car. She said, "We'll be gone for a week. I know that next week is your week. You can keep her if you want, if not we can adjust the schedule accordingly."

Jackson said, "let's discuss it at a later time."

When April drove off he pulled Maggie into his arms for a hug. "Thanks, Babe. I'm sorry your time was wasted driving all over creation. I really owe you."

Smiling adoringly at Jackson Maggie said, "No worries! You know I'm down for you and whatever you have going on. Let's go get our girl."