Chapter 18: Visiting Family in Canada

"Amelia Shepherd-Hunt, this house is ridiculously large and amazing," Addison exclaimed at the end of her tour. Addison had come up for a long weekend six weeks after the AAN conference. Jake and Henry were geared up for a Guy's Weekend, and Mommy was free for a break.

Giggling, Amelia nodded and agreed, "It is a bit ridiculous. When we saw it, we just knew. I'm not sure how else to explain it."

"How about 'Why the hell do we need 7 bedrooms?' as a reality check? Are you going to start a commune?" Addison teased. The two women made their way to the outside porch and reclined on padded chairs that overlooked the lake.

Amelia shrugged her shoulders and moved her lips to one side of her face, "Lots of kids. That's our plan."

"Really? How many?" Addison asked.

"We'll just have to wait and see. We've been trying. Well…we've been having copious amounts of unprotected sex. Still no baby, yet." Amelia offered flatly.

Addison moved her head up a little and studied Amelia's face before inquiring gently, "Are you ok with that?"

"Not really," Amelia openly stated. "Neither is Owen. I feel like my period is controlling our lives right now."

"Sweetie, you are in your mid 30s," Addison reassured her. "It might take a while. I'm sure Jake would be willing to consult when or if you two decide to take that step."

"Don't think that I haven't considered that 1000 times, Addie. I need to get through this presentation at the WFN first. Then, we can start considering the timing of fertility drugs," Amelia disclosed.

"When is that conference?" Addison asked.

"Next week. I'm looking forward to it. Owen actually arranged to take some time off so we can go together. From what I've heard, he's been a no-vacations kind of guy until I popped into his life. I guess I have that effect on people: they hang around me and they want to take a break," Amelia joked.

Addison laughed and added, "You are fun to be around. I suppose knowing he'll be with you trying to make a baby doesn't hurt. Have you been to Victoria before?"

"I've never been there. Owen has. He told me it is incredibly charming," Amelia shared.

"Derek and I went to Victoria for a long weekend when we were trying to convince ourselves to stay married. The city is adorable. That weekend…not so much," Addison recalled and then redirected, "Where are you staying?"

"The conference was planning to put us up at The Fairmont Empress, but we're staying with one of Owen's cousins and her kids."

"Hmmm…" Addison mused, "A fancy, swanky, old world hotel with afternoon tea, incredible views, phenomenal dining, and an amazing spa or some random family member with sniffling, sneezing, loud children serving mac and cheese. You scored a deal there, Aims."

Amelia chuckled as Owen came out on the porch behind them just in time to hear Addison's last statement. He loosened his tie as he stepped outside and bent over the chair where Amelia laid. He kissed her and rubbed her shoulders as he greeted them, "Hello, lovely ladies." Then he turned to face Addison and added with a grin, "My cousin is a great cook and an enjoyable person with healthy children, Addison."

Addison smiled broadly, raised one shoulder and giggled, "Sorry. But, really? You had the option to stay at the hotel in Victoria, Owen. Are you crazy?"

"What can I say? I'm a family man," Owen said as he looked at Amelia expectantly.

"Started today. I was just telling Addie," Amelia admitted with an audible sigh as she sat up.

Owen walked around and sat next to his wife on the lounge chair, hugging her. With convincing reassurance, he looked in her eyes and softly promised, "It'll happen. No worries." He kissed Amelia on the cheek, grinned toward Addison, and announced that he was going to go change clothes.

After he was safely behind the door and back inside the house, Addison kidded, "Doesn't he need a map to find his way around in there? I'm damn glad I had a tour guide. Otherwise, I might still be lost in all that square footage."

"Enough," Amelia grinned as she threw a small cushion from the lounge toward Addie. The two women sat quietly and peacefully, becoming lost in the sounds of lapping water and in the sensation of the soft breeze.

Owen returned in jeans and a t-shirt, with a glass of Merlot for Addison and a sparkling water for his wife. As he handed Addie the wine, he admitted, "I took a guess." Addison praised him for the delivery and memory. Owen turned toward Amelia and announced, "I picked up some salmon on the way home. I thought I could barbeque it while you two visited. I've got salad started and some sort of decadent chocolate thing for dessert."

Addison dropped her chin and glanced at Amelia, crooning in front of Owen, "He's too good to be true, Aims."

"I know," Amelia chuckled. "But don't be fooled, he only behaves this way when there are guests around," she joked.

"Hey!" Owen playfully retorted. He smiled broadly and returned to the kitchen.

"I honestly wonder how he does it, Addie. He just finished a 12-hour shift, dealt with a busy ER, taught a group of residents throughout the day, likely had a small surgery or two, and probably settled a dispute between doctors," Amelia explained. "When he comes home, he's able to leave all that crap at the hospital and unveils a new stream of energy. God, I love him."

Addison offered dryly, "If that was my normal workday, I'd come home pretty bitchy."

"Me too," Amelia laughed.

"I still can't get over this mansion, Amelia. If I had to fill your house with furniture, I'd be even more exhausted. Did you hire someone to help decorate?" Addison wondered aloud.

Amelia laughed, "Nope. We offered the sellers full price and asked for all of their furniture except the contents of the kitchen, master bedroom, and a few other pieces. They were more than happy to not have to move any of it and we were thrilled to not need to go shopping. Owen had the furniture that's currently in our bonus room in storage and he had more kitchen supplies, dishes, gadgets, and utensils than any man I've ever known," Amelia quipped. "Moving in was a breeze – besides the scant amount of furniture, we had just a few trips with boxes. We asked around at the hospital, found a few residents looking for extra cash, paid them far too much money, and fed them loads of pizza to help us move everything."

"That is one of the smartest moves I've ever heard about. You two are brilliant," Addison affirmed.

"Yeah," Amelia responded dryly, "and in debt up to our ears for the rest of our lives."

The conference in Victoria went very well. Amelia enhanced her presentation that she'd given at the AAN event and found herself less anxious the 2nd time around. Dr. Agarde was a wonderful conference host, and introduced the couple to their Canadian colleagues. His daughter, Julianne Moreau, spent a great deal of time with Amelia attempting to convince her to write a book. Amelia was flattered but wasn't sure the timing was right. They spoke about various options, including using a ghost writer. That option sounded somewhat appealing and would take less time. Amelia promised to continue considering the possibility.

Owen had been correct when he promised that staying with his cousin Kayla would be enjoyable. Kayla, who was about Amelia's age, and her three children lived in a modest three-bedroom ranch that was located a block from the ocean and a mile and a half from downtown. Each day of the conference, Amelia walked along the water to the convention site. Except for the evening when she provided the keynote address, Owen stayed behind to visit with Kayla and play with the children.

Kayla's family had experienced their share of struggles yet had weathered the storms well. Blake, a fireman and Kayla's husband, had been killed in a building collapse when she was pregnant with their youngest child, Bronwyn. Bronwyn, three, had long, red curly hair and was obviously related to Owen. Just like her mother, who could have passed as Owen's sister, the resemblance was uncanny. Bronwyn was not shy but did tend to be quiet around people she did not know. Once she warmed up, her stories were filled with vibrant detail and her whole body seemed to gesture when she spoke. Kayla's two sons, Finley, eleven, and Oliver, seven, who looked alike, had thick brown hair and green eyes. The tall, energetic, and athletic boys resembled their father in both looks and personality. While they knew how to behave, sometimes they had to be reminded by their mother that guests were present. Owen and Amelia found all of the kids charming and didn't mind the boys' rambunctiousness that Kayla tried to quell on their behalf.

On their last evening in town, Owen and Amelia chose to eat at a nearby pub. Kayla was revising her will and asked Owen if he and Amelia would be willing to be named as the kids' guardians if anything were to happen to her. He was more than willing to do so and knew that the likelihood of anything happening was extremely small, but he wanted to discuss it with Amelia before agreeing to be named.

After he explained the question with some hesitation, Amelia responded, "Of course we'll agree to it. It's all a formality anyway, and, Owen, she's family. And Lord knows we wouldn't want these kids having to live with any of the dreadful relatives who were at Thanksgiving last year."

Owen laughed and looked down as he shook his head, agreeing, "Very true."

"Besides," Amelia added, "I'm named as potential guardian for Lizzie's kids. She's the only sibling who didn't change her will the moment I entered my second stint in rehab. Not that all of them had named me as guardian anyway, but whatever."

Owen grinned and placed his hand on Amelia's cheek, "You know, I grow to love you more and more every day, Mia."

Amelia leaned toward him and they kissed before she added, "I'm kind of lucky to have found you, you know?"

How do you feel about Owen and Amelia being named guardian of the kids?