Hey everyone - I know it's been a bit of a gap and I'm sorry for that. I'm headed into the busiest time of my work year so it may be awhile between updates but I'll do my best! Hope you enjoy this - please let me know! (Also - OMG, can't wait for ep 9x03 to see what the deal is with that marriage proposal!)


"You will not believe what your brother has done."

Secure in the knowledge that her mother was 3,000 miles away on the other side of the country, Lydia Avery Harrison didn't bother to hide her smirk as she replied, "Hey mama. So Jackson finally told you how he ran off and got married?"

"You knew?" Catherine replied indignantly. "How?"

Lydia rolled her eyes. "He told me," she said simply.

"Well, just look at the two of you sharing secrets behind my back," Catherine huffed and Lydia grinned.

"Oh, come on, you know you love that we finally act like the friends you always wanted us to be."

"Mm-hmm. Certainly took ya'll long enough."

Lydia had to admit that her mother was right about that. She'd been seven when Jackson was born and while she'd been excited to have a baby brother, she'd quickly realized that he was just one more demand on her busy parents' time. It wasn't until Jackson got through his first couple years of college that they'd ever actually sat and talked like adults. She'd grown to regard her brother as a friend and she had a lot of respect for his commitment to living his life without bowing to the pressure of the Avery name. She herself hadn't been so strong, and while she loved her job and her husband, the fact that she was at Mass Gen and married to a surgeon handpicked and introduced to her by her grandfather was a constant reminder of how she'd spent her whole life toeing the family line.

"I had to wait longer for him to grow up," Lydia said, her usual retort. "But anyway – he texted me a picture of my new sister-in-law – she's pretty. Do you like her?"

"I do," Catherine replied after a moment of consideration. "She's a sweet girl and she's a good fit for Jackson."

"Specializing in trauma, he said?"

"Eventually – she didn't pass her boards this year. She'll have to retake them next June. But she's smart. From what I gather, this relationship was just starting up around the time of the boards and it distracted her. I think she panicked, from what I heard from some colleagues."

"Couldn't handle the pressure of boards and yet specializing in trauma?" Lydia asked, sounding skeptical.

"I know it seems incongruous. But I think she's actually someone who thrives in the moment. I think it's when she has too much time to think and anticipate problems that she struggles. She'll know what to expect this time. That will help. And Jackson will study with her, I'm sure."

"He is head over heels, isn't he?" Lydia cracked and Catherine laughed.

"I think he is," she agreed. "It's kind of nice to see."

"How he'd take the news of your move?"

"Okay, I suppose. He'll adjust – it will be different for all of us." Lydia agreed and the conversation moved on to other topics.


"We'll need two glasses of champagne and one of sparkling cider," Catherine said to the waiter, who nodded before hurrying off. Catherine turned to April and Jackson and smiled. "I certainly think this occasion calls for a toast, don't you?"

"Mom…" Jackson protested half-heartedly, knowing it was pointless, and Catherine frowned.

April reached over, giving Jackson's hand a gentle squeeze under the table and smiling at Catherine. "It's not necessary – but it's very kind of you. I'm – um, I'm glad you've taken this news so well."

"Well, I meant what I said this morning. I just want Jackson to be happy." The waiter returned with the drinks then and once they each had a glass in their hand, Catherine raised hers in their direction. "To my son and his lovely new bride. I wish you every happiness."

They both uttered quiet thank yous before the waiter returned to take their orders. Once that was done, Catherine turned towards April again.

"So tell me, dear – what did your parents have to say about this?"

April flushed before stammering out, "They, uh – they don't actually know yet. I haven't gotten up the nerve to tell them."

"I see," Catherine said quietly, her tone implying that she didn't actually quite see. "Have you met them before, Jackson?"

He nodded. "Once – intern year?" he replied, looking to April for confirmation. "Or was it the next year?"

"Intern year," April said. "That winter. My dad's a farmer," she explained to Catherine. "There's very few times of year that he can leave the farm and even then it's only for a few days. He's got some great employees, but he hates to leave them in charge for too long."

Catherine nodded. "And your mother? What does she do?"

"She's a teacher. Fourth grade." April smiled. "That can be a tough age, but she loves them. So it's hard for her to get away too, during the school year. And in the summer – well, it's just so busy at home – all the crops coming in and everything."

"That is certainly understandable," Catherine agreed. "But I certainly hope you plan on telling them your news sooner rather than later, because it sounds like they'll need plenty of time to make arrangements to come to Boston for Christmas."

April's face reflected only surprise at this statement and Jackson groaned quietly to himself before saying, "Whatever you're planning Mom – just let it go."

"I will not 'let it go'," Catherine retorted. "You are my baby boy and if you think I'm not going to have some kind of celebration of your marriage, then you have obviously forgotten who your mother is."

"I assure you," Jackson said dryly, "I have not forgotten who you are. I was at Lydia's wedding, remember?"

Catherine dismissed this comment with an impatient wave of her hand. "Your sister's wedding was lovely. And while I certainly understand and sympathize with the difficulties that sometimes come with being an Avery, you know as well as I do that you cannot avoid this. The name still means something, not just in the medical community, but in Boston society and if we don't have some kind of party, people will think we don't approve of the marriage. Your grandfather would have a fit and it's a fairly minor thing to give in to him on."

"This is not fairly minor, Mom," Jackson replied, a touch of exasperation in his voice. "This is a lot to ask – of us and of Joe and Karen. April's parents," he added after seeing the slightly confused look on his mother's face.

April tuned the conversation out around this point and instead concentrated on keeping her internal freak-out from showing on her face. This was crazy. A party to introduce her to Boston society? Getting her dad to leave the farm for a few days? Dragging both her parents into this situation? It was bad enough thinking about calling to tell them that she was married and that they were going to be grandparents again. But throw in going to Boston for Christmas for some ridiculous party thrown by her new in-laws?

Once again, she seriously felt like she might be sick. Only the touch of Jackson's hand on her arm brought her back to the present.

"Are you okay?" he asked in concern. "You look pale as a ghost."

"I – I'm okay. I think. I – I'm just feeling very overwhelmed all of a sudden."

"Welcome to being an Avery," Jackson sighed. "I'm sorry – I should have warned you – I should have known all this was coming."

Catherine looked genuinely sympathetic. "April, dear, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to throw all this at you. But I would like very much to extend an invitation to your parents to join us in Boston for Christmas this year. And I'd like to call and introduce myself to them – once you've told them, of course."

April nodded dumbly. "Of course. I – I'm going to call them in the morning, but I'll have Jackson let you know once I've been able to talk to them."

"Are you concerned they'll be upset?"

April shook her head slowly. "Not upset, exactly – just, um – surprised?" She glanced over at Jackson, who was holding her hand by this point, and he smiled reassuringly at her. "I – well, you can probably guess that I've never really had a serious boyfriend. So they won't be expecting something like this. But they've already married off two daughters, so they probably won't mind not having to put on another wedding."

Catherine smiled at that. "I can certainly appreciate that sentiment! One daughter was enough headache – how many of you are there?"

"Four. An older sister and two younger."

Catherine shook her head. "Goodness," she remarked before turning serious. "And the baby?" she said carefully. "How will they take that news?"

April looked down. "I don't really know. Disappointed, maybe, that I wasn't married when it was conceived. But jprobably mostly just really surprised. It's just all gonna be unexpected and I'm really nervous about telling them."

Catherine nodded. "I certainly understand that. I hope it goes well," she said sincerely.

"Thank you," April replied quietly as their food arrived and Jackson squeezed her hand.

"My, this looks delicious. Let's eat!"