Chapter 33: Family Time
In the blink of an eye, Week 23 arrived. After consulting with numerous doctors, Owen and Amelia had decided to schedule the in-utero surgery at Week 24. Heading up the surgical team, Addison was in constant touch with Annalisa and Arizona by phone. The plan was that she would return to Seattle in a few days.
Surgery and the lifestyle change it would bring were only days away. Once surgery occurred, preventing premature birth would be a central concern. Therefore, the medical team was insisting Amelia stay in order to be monitored at the hospital. There was a remote possibility, if all indicators were ideal, that she could be at home on bedrest until the twins were born. The likelihood that the girls would be born healthy and would thrive after their births increased with each day Amelia could remain pregnant, so each decision would be carefully considered.
Over the last month, Amelia had shifted to a part-time, PRN Neurologist/Neurosurgeon position at the hospital. The slower pace and reduced stress provided her opportunities to savor her chosen vocation. She especially enjoyed having a light caseload, which enabled her to spend more time with each patient.
On one particular day, as Amelia sat in the patient's room waiting for a spouse to arrive at the hospital, she took an opportunity to put her feet up and rest. Such moments were a gift compared to the hours and days Amelia had spent on her feet as Chief of Neurosurgery. In those days, Amelia would have never had time to sit in a hospital room with a deceased patient to wait for the family to arrive. Working at the hospital and being the administrator of a department had simply filled more minutes than there were in a day. Emergencies, pre- and post-op rounds, and pages for consults filled any time that remained. But now that she had resigned from the post, the slower pace of piecework offered opportunities to be less rushed and to be more intentional with her time.
Earlier in the day, Michelle, a young adult with a four-year-old daughter and a loving husband, had a post-op seizure. The seizure led to a heart attack and reviving her became a lost cause. Having worked so closely with the family, Amelia felt the least she could do was wait for Michelle's husband, Jack, to arrive at the hospital. Additionally, the quiet of Michelle's hospital room offered Amelia an opportunity to pause, ponder, and rest. He would be at least an hour, so Amelia closed the door and sat on one of the bedside chairs. The waiting would give her a chance to process her memories of the code and surgery.
One of the nurses informed Owen that there was now an unexpected opening in an OR. She sought his decision about whose surgery should be moved up on the schedule since two doctors both felt their patient needed tending sooner than the other one. Upon hearing about the OR, Owen asked which surgery had been shortened and why. After finding out Amelia's patient had died, he called her cell to find out where she was.
Amelia's phone rang and she picked it up to see who was calling. Seeing Owen's smiling face with the caller ID, she answered and smiled upon hearing his voice. "Hey…" Owen said slowly, "How are you?"
Amelia responded with exhaustion, "We did everything we could. This patient just hits a little close to home, you know?"
Owen listened and offered, "Where are you now? In my office or back home?" Since she'd resigned as Chief of Neurosurgery and lost the accompanying office, Amelia had easily charmed her way into using Owen's office at times.
"Neither," Amelia replied, "I'm in Michelle's room waiting for the family. I don't want them to have to wait for me to drive over here once they arrive and there's really no sense in going back and forth. Besides, this way I can complete the surgery notes before I leave."
Owen listened patiently and intently, trying to read Amelia's tone of voice, energy level and general mood. He allowed some silence before responding, "Would you like some company?"
Amelia smiled softly, saying, "Actually, yes, I would. Do you really have time?"
Owen confidently reassured her, "I'll make time. I'll be right there."
Owen hung up and breathed deeply. He was not able to shake a feeling that Amelia was burning the candle at both ends even with the reduced workload. She constantly reassured him that she was being conscientious about balancing her time and energy. Yet, in his own protective way, Owen kept a careful eye on her.
Owen approached Kepner to turn over some patients before sitting with his wife. He explained, "Amelia lost a patient, so I'm going to check in with her. Here are the cases I've been handling – nothing too extensive or earth shattering. We're just waiting on lab results for these two and an ultrasound for this one."
Kepner replied with reassurance, "No problem."
Owen reached Michelle's room and entered with a heavy look of sadness and concern aimed at Amelia. "Owen, I've lost patients before. Please tell me your offer wasn't made because you thought I was falling apart."
Now the Amelia he knew and loved was coming through. Owen smirked and patted Amelia's knee as he sat next to her and put an arm around her. She leaned over to his warm, muscular body as she allowed him to be the strength that held her up. "That was a polished professional response, Dr. Shepherd-Hunt. Now," he paused to kiss her head, "How's my pregnant, hormonal wife?"
Amelia's eyes glazed with tears that did not fall, "She was so young. It was supposed to be an easy surgery. Everything looked so promising and then, in an instant, she was gone. Life changes so fast sometimes." Owen looked her in the eye with compassion, locking his gaze. She smiled and changed the subject, "Tell me about your day so far."
Owen continued to gaze at her with love. Her self-assurance and composure put a lump in his throat. He took a deep breath and told Amelia every silly, funny, or peculiar ER situation he could remember, leaving out the facts or details surrounding the three teen deaths he'd pronounced first thing that morning. Before too long, the couple was chatting about their kids and the pregnancy. Jack, Michelle's husband, arrived. Amelia stood up and hugged Jack, saying, "Jack, I'm sorry." Then she introduced Owen, "This is Dr. Hunt, our Chief of Surgery."
Jack nodded at Owen and turned back to Amelia knowing they had covered the details and risks multiple times, "You warned us. We knew the risks. She knew the risks, but she was insistent."
Grinning in agreement, Amelia affirmed, "She was insistent. Her determination was admirable."
"Thanks for all you did to help, Dr. Shepherd-Hunt," Jack responded as he pulled up a chair next to his wife's bed. "You will be in my prayers as you face your own adventures in the coming weeks." Jack nodded down toward her growing baby bump. Amelia put her hand on Jack's shoulder and encouraged him to be in touch with her if any questions arose.
Owen and Amelia stepped into the hallway, walking side by side. "I'd like to run a possibility by you," Owen mentioned casually.
"Ok," Amelia shrugged indifferently. "What is it?"
Owen placed his hand on the small of her back and guided Amelia into the Attendings' Lounge. The couple sat on the sofa as Owen disclosed an idea he had just run by the Board for approval, "I was thinking about how incredibly bored you might become on bedrest, so I took it upon myself to ask the Board about creating an interim position for you. Of course, the choice is yours, but I'm thinking the arrangement could be a win-win."
"And what's the arrangement?" Amelia inquired as she looked out of the corner of her eye toward him.
"There are details and options that we can clarify together, but the basic concept is that you could work on some of my Chief of Surgery management paperwork while waiting for the babies. I know I moved forward without talking to you first, but that was really more a matter of timing than anything else. If you hate the idea, we can pretend I never mentioned it," Owen explained.
Amelia smiled, "I love that you've thought about how boring the bedrest will be for me. I suppose I'd be willing to play it by ear. My abilities will depend on how the surgery goes and the post-op realities, but I agree that it sounds like a great plan. Thank you, Owen," she concluded as she kissed him.
One kiss became two, then three, then to hands slipping under scrub tops. "This is what I'm going to miss the most," Owen flirted as they made out.
Amelia pulled back momentarily and playfully pointed out, "This, we'll be able to do. It's sex you'll miss, right? Or are you planning on not kissing me for the duration of the pregnancy?" Owen chuckled and pulled her on top of him as he lay down on the length of the couch.
As they continued to kiss, Karev happened to walk into the lounge. At first, neither party noticed the other. Alex grabbed an apple and bit into it as he spotted Owen and Amelia. On his way out the door, Karev casually mentioned, "You two do know there are on call rooms for that right?" Without stopping or skipping a beat, Alex continued down the hallway and grinned to himself.
Later that evening, Amelia read Bronwyn's favorite bedtime story to her, Bronwyn and the Babies. Bronwyn leaned on Amelia and cuddled her blankie as she read. When the book was finished, Bronwyn sat up and kissed Amelia's baby bump, whispering, "Good night, Asha. Good night, Madeline." Amelia kissed Bronwyn and made her way down the hall to read to Oliver, who was supposed to have changed into PJs and brushed his teeth by the time Amelia arrived.
PJs on and already in bed, Oliver was playing with a Batman and Hot Wheel on top of his blankets. Batman was using the Hot Wheel as a skateboard and the skateboard could jump into the sky and run up and down walls. "Hey, buddy," Amelia greeted him. "Ready to read?"
"I gueth so," Oliver shrugged with a grin, his front tooth still missing.
"Did you brush your teeth?" Amelia asked.
Oliver gritted his teeth and opened his lips wide, "Yep."
"It's looking good in there, Ollie. I'm proud of you for getting ready and in bed on your own," Amelia praised him. She began to pick up the book on his nightstand. The arrangement was that she would read a page and then he would read a page.
After a page a piece, Oliver yawned and asked, "Can we thnuggle and talk?" Amelia put her arm around the little boy who had truly become her own and asked Oliver what he wanted to talk about. He had many questions about the babies. His questions ranged from asking where they would sleep to would he have to be quiet all the time to wondering if Amelia would still read to him at night. Amelia's favorite questions were whether or not he'd be able to hold the babies followed by wondering how soon he could teach them to play soccer. As Amelia chatted about how life might change and how it would stay the same, Oliver fell asleep in her embrace. A few minutes later, Amelia faded off to sleep next to Ollie.
Finley and Owen had been playing a board game in the Dining Room and had anticipated Amelia joining them once the little kids were settled in bed. Finley had been playing Amelia's turns for her so she could join in when she returned. When the game was almost over, Finley asked what was taking her so long. Owen suggested they slip upstairs and try to find her. Nobody was in the Master Bedroom and Bronwyn was sleeping alone in her princess bed. As they peeked into Oliver's room, they spotted Amelia and Oliver asleep and cuddled in his racecar bed.
"Hey, Mommy," Owen whispered in her ear as he leaned down and gently kissed his wife. She looked up sleepily and smiled softly as Owen picked her up and carried her to their bed. Finley, unsure what to do, headed toward his room. Stepping into the hallway, Owen encouraged Finley to come to the Master Bedroom, "The girls are kicking up a storm. Mom's wondering if you want to feel them."
Finley grinned and came into the room. Amelia patted the side of her bed and encouraged him to sit down beside her. Looking at her tentatively, Finley slowly reached out his hand. Amelia grasped it and placed it where she was feeling kicks, advising, "If you press too hard, they usually stop. Just set your hand down gently." The second he placed his hand on Amelia's belly, one of the babies kicked hard. Finley chuckled with surprise and asked, "Does that hurt you?"
"No," Amelia explained, "but it can get harder as they grow." The girls were active, and Amelia occasionally moved Finley's hand toward the stray hand or foot that was moving. Owen slipped onto the bed from his side and added his hand to the adventure. Those few minutes were moments to embed in their memories. As Finley began to fade, he lay down beside Amelia continuing to anticipate the babies' kicks. Before long, he had fallen asleep. Owen suggested they just let him sleep there overnight unless he awoke before morning. Amelia agreed.
About an hour after the oldest three had fallen asleep, Bronwyn came padding in wanting to crawl into bed with her parents. She'd had a bad dream and was scared. Owen picked her up and set her beside him. With Owen's arm wrapped around her, Bronwyn fell fast asleep. Not long after that, Oliver came in after hearing a noise outside. Ollie crawled up between Amelia and Owen as Owen expressed gratitude for a king-sized bed.
The next morning, as Lynne came up to wake the children, she spotted the family asleep like a litter of kittens. Unable to resist, she snapped a picture of them and decided Saturday was a perfect morning for them to all sleep in.