"Do you want to be my date for my brother's wedding," Nikki asked Jeff, they were sitting on the steps of the dining hall watching their campers build straw and marshmallow towers.
"When is it," Jeff asked.
"The weekend before school starts," Nikki replied.
"You mention your brother, do you have other siblings," Jeff asked.
"I had a sister," Nikki said, "Meghan was captured 4 years ago the spring I was 14."
"Captured," Jeff said, "what do you mean."
"Her and Owen were trauma surgeons with the army and Meghan was captured," Nikki said, "Teddy my sister in law saw it happen but couldn't stop it."
"Do you miss her," Jeff asked.
"I do," Nikki answered, "Meg was like a second mom to me. She was 14 years older than me and Owen is 17 years older. My brother is usually cool."
"Usually," Jeff asked.
"Owen gets protective sometimes," Nikki replied, "he's just being a big brother and he likes to pretend he's scarier than he is. He's a marshmallow really.
"I've been wanting to ask all summer," Jeff said, "how did you get all those scars on your leg?"
"A year ago I was hit by a drunk driver on my way home from work," Nikki replied, "the car was totaled. I had three surgeries to fix the damage to my leg."
"What happened," Jeff asked.
"I don't remember the first two surgeries just snipes of my mom, Owen and Teddy being there," Nikki said, "I was an apprentice dancer with the pacific northwest ballet and was going home from a performance with two friends when a semi ran a red because the driver was drunk and high and hit us. Sydney is now a parapleagic and Corinna didn't make it. I was the lucky one."
"Are you okay," Jeff asked.
"I'll walk, run and do all the normal things but I'll never do ballet again so I refocused this year," Nikki explained.
"But ballet to math major," Jeff asked.
"I always liked and understood math. Meghan used to show me her math when she was home from college or med school and I was fascinated by it," Nikki explained.
Jeff realized over the few months they had been talking she hadn't said much about herself even hearing she had an older sister was news.
"Do you like music," Jeff asked.
"Everything but rap," Nikki replied, "I'm surprised you haven't heard my music. I play the violin and often play during quiet time while my girls read or draw."
"That's you," Jeff said.
"I just play for fun," Nikki replied, "it's relaxing."
"I like hearing it," Jeff replied, "you should offer to play for campfire?"
"No," Nikki said, "I don't perform anymore. I haven't been on stage since the car accident and I'm going to keep it that way.
"What are we," Jeff asked.
"I thought we were a couple," Nikki replied.
"But we don't do couple things," Jeff countered.
"We hang out, go on dates," Nikki said, "we get to spend all summer up here together."
"Other things Nik," Jeff said, "more than kissing."
"Not yet," Nikki replied, "I like you, I really do, but not yet."
"Why not," Jeff asked.
"Not safe," Nikki countered.
"And your brother's a doctor thats easy," Jeff said.
"First not talking to Owen about that," Nikki said, "second maybe Teddy when I'm ready."
"Why Teddy," Jeff asked.
"She's also a surgeon," Nikki replied, "hearts."
"So you have to go to med school if your siblings are doctors," Jeff said.
"No," Nikki said, "mom just cares I pick something I love and can support myself and not the army."
"Not the army," Jeff asked.
"Owen and his fiance Teddy are both veterans, Meghan was a soldier," Nikki said, "we lost Meg and Owen will never be the same as he was before. But I know Owen better now. We're really close."
"How close," Jeff asked.
"When we go back to school my best friend and I are moving into their basement suite," Nikki said, "Owen and Teddy need people to rent it. Julie and I want away from our parents. I move out of my mom's mid September. I'm excited."
"Your own place," Jeff smirked.
"With a roommate in my brother's basement suite," Nikki replied.
"Do you have your own entrance," Jeff asked.
"We do," Nikki said, "but knowing Owen and Teddy I'll be upstairs a lot. I'll go back to nannying Allison a little once school goes back."
"Just nannying for work," Jeff asked.
"No," Nikki replied, "I have a job lined up at a friend of my mom's coffee shop. Not what I wanted but Nadine is flexible with my hours and it's decent training if I want to serve when I turn 21."
"What about an on campus job," Jeff suggested.
"I'm interviewing for a research assistant at Seattle Grace to do some number crunching for a friend of Teddy's," Nikki said, "it sounds interesting, other than the working at the hospital where my brother and sister in law are the heads of their surgical departments."
"Your brother's wedding what happens after," Jeff asked.
"I'm babysitting Allison for two nights after," Nikki replied, "so I'll go to their place and stay with my niece to let them get away for a couple nights to celebrate."
"I was hoping we could spend the night together," Jeff said.
"I'm babysitting and I have to give Allison my full attention," Nikki said.
"Nik," Jeff said.
"I said I'm not ready," Nikki said, "and I need to get my group off to the craft shack we're making lanyards."
Nikki called her campers off the playground and led them to the craft shack. She was annoyed her boyfriend was pressuring her to spend the night, she knew she wasn't ready and should wait. She had talked with Teddy about this and that waiting was the best choice if she wasn't 100% sure she was ready.
"Three weeks," Teddy said as they cleaned up breakfast.
"We're married in three weeks," Owen smiled.
"Finally," Teddy laughed.
"Finally," Owen asked.
"I've wanted this since I met you," Teddy said, "I love you."
"I love you too," Owen smiled.
"Your mom has Allison still," Teddy said.
"What are you thinking," Owen asked.
"I have an idea," Teddy smiled.
"What," Owen asked.
"You'll see," Teddy smirked.
"Teddy," Owen groaned.
"Owen," Teddy teased.
He changed tactics wrapping his arms around her waist.
She leaned into him, "three weeks."
"Three weeks," he echoed, kissing her cheek.
"I should shower and get dressed," Teddy smiled over her shoulder.
"But I like this outfit," Owen teased.
"Yes your shirt," Teddy giggled.
"It's a good look," Owen replied.
When they were ready they picked up Allison from Evelyn's.
"Thank you for keeping her over night," Teddy said.
"I love having her and someone in the house," Evelyn replied, "are you two ready for the move?"
"More than ready," Teddy smiled, "I've always wanted this."
"So have I," Owen agreed.
"I'm not looking forward to Nikki moving out," Evelyn admitted.
"You got an extra year with her and she's in the same city," Owen reminded his mom.
"And you're only upstairs if she needs anything," Evelyn smiled.
"We've already told her we don't buy her alcohol," Teddy said.
"She has no interest," Evelyn said, "she's said it to me a few times she doesn't want to drink because she knows what it can do to ruin lives."
"That will change," Owen said.
"I don't know," Teddy said, "is it a big deal if she never does?"
"Her 21st," Owen said.
"Maybe a toast then but it honestly wasn't a big deal," Teddy argued.
"She's missing the bachelorette," Evelyn said.
"It's okay," Teddy replied, "she only knows me as it is and it'll be a lot of drinking."
"You," Evelyn said.
"With friends at the right time," Teddy said, "not at family things."
"You two are good about setting an example for Nikki," Evelyn said, "but don't worry about her she's not a baby."
"I also don't drink and parent," Teddy replied.
"That's sensible," Evelyn agreed.
"Nikki mentioned something about the court date," Owen said.
"October 10th," Evelyn said, "I don't know if she'll see much. She recovered well enough, she's going to school and working."
"The months of recovery," Owen said, "ending her dance contract. All the money you poured into her training."
"I paid half her tuition," Evelyn said, "she was on a 50% needs based scholarship. It'll be considered but when you compare her future to Sydney's."
"How is syd," Teddy asked.
"I talked to her mom today," Evelyn said "Syd can transfer herself now and is talking about possibly taking some English classes. She needs to find a career she can do in a chair."
"She does," Teddy agreed, "she was so active it's going to be hard."
"I know," Evelyn said, "Nikki goes to see her. I'm really not ready to see Nikki move out."
"Mom it's our basement suite 15 minutes away," Owen said, "I was 18 when I left for college so was Meghan. Nikki is 19, she's ready, it was her idea."
"I know it is and she has to spread her wings but it's my last baby to fly the nest," Evelyn said, "I thought especially after the last year I'd have more time to keep her home a bit longer. That she'd want to be home."
"I think that she needs to do it," Teddy said, "it's not a dorm which might be easier but she's only in our basement. Don't you think we'll be there in seconds if she needs us or something goes wrong. It's doing us a favour and solves some problems with middle of the night 911 calls. We can call down and get Nikki instead of hoping for there to be an intern to watch Allison sleep in the nursery or peds. Nikki has agreed to be our nanny on call."
"I didn't know that part," Evelyn said.
"We have a deal worked out with her," Owen said, "and she has to pay us rent like if she lived anywhere else. We're not charging her as much as we charge Julie because Nikki babysits a lot and doesn't let us pay her so we're trading babysitting for discounted rent."
"That sounds fair," Evelyn agreed.
I need a few chapters for some character development then have a couple big plot twists coming. Please review.