Nikki walked up the stairs and into Owen and Teddy's living room, she didn't have laundry down stairs but with her brother being the landlord it was pretty relaxed for her to do her laundry upstairs when she needed to. Her roommate Julie had Mondays scheduled but Owen and Teddy were pretty lax with Nikki about it, agreeing they could all be adults. Nikki usually texted that she was coming up first not wanting to interfere in their family time.
"Hey squirt," Owen greeted, "you wanted to talk?"
"Ya," Nikki replied, "about school."
"What's going on at school," Owen asked.
"I want to change my minor," Nikki said.
"To what," Owen asked.
"Education," Nikki replied, "I want to be a math teacher I think I want to teach high school math."
"Math major and education minor," Owen said, "what's the process to be a teacher?"
"I finish my math degree with the Ed minor then it's a one year bachelors of teaching," Nikki said, "on top of my degree. It would be good for middle or high school."
"Where," Owen asked.
"Staying at UW," Nikki answered, "do you think it's okay?"
"Is it what you want," Owen asked.
"It is," Nikki replied, "but I don't want to let you and mom down or be the family failure because I didn't choose medicine."
"You're choosing something that helps people," Owen said, "you help as a teacher as much as we do in the OR. Do you think it will make you happy?"
"I do," Nikki said, "it's the first thing since dance that's excited me."
"Then do it," Owen said, "have you told mom?"
"Just you," Nikki said, "not even Jeff yet."
"Why don't you tell Jeff things," Owen asked.
"Because I haven't really decided and he thinks I should switch to engineering," Nikki said, "I'd hate the drafting part I've seen him do it when we study and it just looks boring. I love the theoretical side of math and manipulating numbers. I have a project right now that looks at algebraic patterns in classical music so I've been actually playing the songs to hear them. I love my math classes but there's not a lot of careers. With a bachelor of science in mathematics."
"I've worried about that part," Owen admitted, "I figured grad school for sure."
"I want my masters and PhD one day," Nikki said, "I will be a doctor just not a people one. But there's no work for a PhD in math. 50 years ago I could have walked into all sorts of places with a math degree. The space program relied on women with math degrees to get off the ground. I could have walked into all sorts of jobs at research labs, NASA, government jobs with my math degree but computers do most of it now. Teachings something I think I could be good at."
"I've seen you with Allison and with our friends kids," Owen said, "you could be really good. Kids just like you."
"I applied to the rec center to run children's programs and interview on Monday," Nikki said, "nothing huge but birthday parties, dance classes I can dance enough to teach preschool I have 75% range of motion back. They want me to teach parent and tot dance and music, music programs, they have a program for small group violin, cooking, crafts. I can do it and it's double an hour what Nadine pays me."
"Sounds good for becoming a teacher," Owen said, "builds your resume."
Nikki was excited, "they do day camp programs so I would stay here their summer and not have to be away. Jeff is taking a coop semester over the summer with Boeing so it's better for me to stay and do day camp with the rec center."
"Does this job have medical," Owen asked.
"I'm in school full time so I can stay on moms until I graduate," Nikki replied, "and if I need another round of surgeries we touch the settlement."
"What did you do with that," Owen asked.
"We put it in a trust account that mom has to sign off on me taking any amount out anytime before I turn 30," Nikki said, "I can't touch it. ⅓ of it went to taxes then I kept out enough in my savings account to pay tuition and book on my degree. I'm living on and paying rent from what I make at work. I'm not going to waste it to have fun. When I'm ready it's my own house."
"Sounds like a good plan," Owen said.
"Only you, mom and Teddy know the amount," Nikki said, "no one needs to know."
"Probably better to keep that private," Owen agreed.
"Is Teddy okay," Nikki asked.
"Why do you ask," Owen asked.
"She's been grumpy," Nikki said, "she didn't have wine at moms this weekend."
"Can you keep a secret," Owen asked.
"Is she okay," Nikki asked, "she's not sick is she?"
"No," Owen said.
"What is it," Nikki asked picking her laundry basket back up.
"Don't tell mom," Owen said, "we're not ready to tell mom yet. I shouldn't even be telling you."
"Now you have to tell me," Nikki replied.
"Teddy is pregnant," Owen said.
"When is she due," Nikki asked.
"November," Owen said, "the 15th."
"So this is new," Nikki said.
"It's March," Owen said.
"I know the date," Nikki said, "do you guys need anything?"
"She's tired," Owen said, "we may need some more help with Allison."
"I can," Nikki said, "when are you telling mom?"
"She's 7 weeks she wants to wait another week or two to tell mom," Owen said.
"Mom is away this weekend," Nikki replied.
"That boyfriend," Owen said.
"I don't like him," Nikki said, "he has kids in highschool."
"So you wouldn't be the baby," Owen teased.
"I'm half only child," Nikki replied.
"You have two older siblings," Owen said.
"Who were both out of the house 80% of the time by the time I was 5," Nikki replied, "I don't have those warm fuzzy sibling memories of playing in the backyard and picniks my friends have. My brother ran over my snowman with his truck."
"You built a snowman in my parking spot," Owen said.
The snowman incident was a running joke now between Nikki and Owen. Only the two of them knew the story of 21 year old Owen killing 4 year old nikkis snowman.
"Mom always let me play on that side," Nikki replied.
"I guess we were gone most of your childhood," Owen agreed.
"My siblings were more theoretical," Nikki admitted, "letters and phone calls."
"Birthday and Christmas gifts in the mail for a few years," Owen said.
"Abbie," Nikki smiled.
"Only landlord that would let you have a cat," Owen said.
"You bought her for me," Nikki said.
"We did," Owen smiled, " that was a huge debate. Meghan said puppy, I said hamster or rabbit. Teddy and Nathan had to mediate the great pet debate. Teddy and Nathan settled a few arguments over your birthday gifts when we were away."
"Teddy," Nikki asked.
"Her and Meg would want to do girly fun things for you," Owen said.
"So the clothes or fun things were my sisters," Nikki said.
"The books were me or Nathan," Owen said, "we would order online when we could or if we were home at Christmas or in the spring I would buy it and give it to mom for you and mom would hide it until your birthday."
"I thought mom picked up things and signed your name," Nikki said.
"Sometimes," Owen said, "but I would always tell her what I wanted to get you. Your sweet sixteen mom helped with the earrings, I told her studs with your birthstone and what I wanted to spend and mom did it."
"Thank you," Nikki smiled.
"So moms boyfriend you met him," Owen said, "I havent yet."
"I'll tell you after I put my laundry in," Nikki said.
Nikki threw her laundry in the washer and walked back to the living room.
"So mom's boyfriend," Owen said.
"Scott," Nikki said, "I think he's younger than her and his son is in ninth grade. I met him and the son."
"You really don't look impressed," Owen said.
"She's going to replace us," Nikki said, "it's like I move out and she meets a new guy and his kid."
"Your dad," Owen said.
"What," Nikki said.
"I felt the same way when mom met your dad," Owen said, "I was 15 when your dad came around. My dad passed when I was 9 so mom had been on her own a while. Then when I was 16 your dad moved in, mom had been seeing him for a while before Meghan and I met your dad."
"So mom's been seeing Scott a while," Nikki asked.
"A bit," Owen said, "she dated a little when you were younger. I was in med school. Mom won't introduce us until she's sure about him. Mom shouldn't be alone."
"I don't like the idea," Nikki said, "she's mom."
"I don't love the idea either," Owen said, "but she should be happy. This Scott guy what was he like?"
"He was friendly enough," Nikki said, "I ended up tutoring his kid in math. Liam was dumb as a rock."
"Did mom say anything," Owen said.
"She wants us to do a family dinner with Scott and Liam in a couple weeks," Nikki said.
"We'll hold our announcement until after," Owen said.
"Once Scott meets you and Teddy I'll look like the family failure," Nikki said.
"That's only you," Owen said, "mom and I don't think that. Teddy pushes you because she sees how smart you are."
"Can you ask her to stop I tried the other day and she almost ripped my head off," Nikki said.
"She's feeling terrible and Allison had a cold," Owen said, "she's moody just let her be she's not meaning to yell at you. More about moms boyfriend."
"He was friendly he's a fire fighter," Nikki said, "seemed nice enough but it's mom. She's always just been mom. What if they move in together."
"That's a long way off," Owen said.
"Will she replace us with a newer model an undamaged kid," Nikki asked, "you and I have our issues. My accident your army stuff."
"I worried about that when you were born," Owen admitted, "I'm not proud of it but I was jealous."
"Why were you jealous your the golden boy," Nikki said, "I'm the let down."
"Because you were an infant you needed most of moms time and I wanted her at my games not with my baby sister just her," Owen said, "I wanted moms attention. I was an ass about it and I didn't know how to say it so I ignored or made fun of you. It was my fault you didn't trust me when I came home. I was angry at your dad. He stole mom he didn't want her spending time with Meghan and I. He had to control everything."
"I was an accident wasn't I," Nikki said.
"I think so," Owen said, "but you'd have to ask mom. Allison was one two. We didn't plan Allison and look how that turned out. I was wrong how I treated you before I came home. I'm sorry Nikki."
"Apology accepted," Nikki said using the line Evelyn had taught all of them ask kids before hugging Owen.
"Does this mean I have to like Scott," Nikki asked.
"Give it a chance," Owen said, "I had to learn it the hard way by pushing mom away but she wants us around and the more you pull away from her the more she's going to fight to keep you. You can go halfway around the world but she will always want the two of us home. You're her last baby why do you think she's having a hard time letting go of you?"
"Why do you think I moved out," Nikki asked, "seriously will mom replace us?"
"No," Owen said.
"How do you know," Nikki asked.
"Because when you were born it just meant more of us to love not that she loved Meghan and I any less."
"I miss Meghan still," Nikki said, "I want to talk to her about Jeff. It's not the same talking to Teddy."
"I've seen his car leaving when I get home after late surgeries," Owen said.
"He's been hanging out later," Nikki said, "it's a big sister thing I'll wait until Teddy feels better and ask."
"You can talk to me," Owen said.
"I want a sister," Nikki said, "our sister."
"I miss her two squirt," Owen said.
"Will she be disappointed if she ever comes home and I'm just a teacher," Nikki asked.
"You've found something you want to do and will make you happy," Owen said, "we knew when you were ten you would follow your own path. We never expected you to follow in our footsteps. You were always going to do things your own way. I almost married a teacher."
"Thank god you didn't marry Miss Whitman," Nikki said, "worst teacher ever."
"Beth wasn't right," Owen agreed, "but I was an ass. Nikki I can be an ass sometimes and only two people have ever called me on it."
"Who," Nikki asked.
"Okay three," Owen said, "mom, Meghan and Teddy. When I got jealous when you were a baby Meghan slapped me, called me a dumb dumb and told me to buck up and get to known our baby sister."
"You didn't listen," Nikki said.
"I did when I was ready," Owen said, "I didn't know how to connect with you. I needed help to understand your world."
"I should have tried harder two," Nikki said, "I hid and ran away. I didn't make it easy."
"But you didn't have to," Owen said, "by the time I was in med school you were five or six. I was a grown man and you were a child. You shouldn't have had to adapt for me or Meghan but I think you did for both of us. We were the adults. I was an adult I should have known better. I should have been better."
"It's okay we both had to learn," Nikki said.
"I was a man," Owen said, "I didn't really get it until you fell in pas de deux and ended up in my ER and yelled that you hated me. You demanded Meghan. Teddy was a last resort that day."
"I didn't know you," Nikki said, "you were never here. I didn't know if I could trust you. Then when I ran out of history and was embarrassed and scared you just came you didn't ask you just came and got me."
"We had to figure things out then because I didn't try when you were little," Owen said, "the night of your accident I was a wreck. Seeing you covered in your own blood on that gurney. You kept saying owl over and over."
"I did," Nikki said.
"You did no one knew what you meant until they let Teddy and I back in and you calmed," Owen replied.
"I don't remember,"Nikki said.
"I do," Owen said, "squirt I was terrified."
"So was I," Nikki said, "that whole thing was scare but it's over I have to forward."
"You do," Owen agreed.
The washer buzzed signaling the end of Nikkis load of laundry.
"I'm going to move that to the dryer then go study," Nikki said, "thanks for this Owen. Amd congrats on the new baby. Another niece or nephew it's exciting!"
Please Review
"It is," Owen smiled.