Sunday morning an ecstatic Owen and Teddy let themselves into Evelyn's house just before breakfast.
"Morning squirt," Owen called seeing Nikki at the piano, "where's mom?"
"Upstairs giving Allison a bath," Nikki answered, "her diaper exploded."
"Not again," Teddy groaned, "I'll go help."
"No need," Evelyn said, coming down the stairs, "she's clean, dressed and ready for breakfast. How was last night?"
"Amazing," Teddy smiled, taking Allison from Evelyn, "has she eaten anything?"
"A bottle around 6," Evelyn said.
"I gave her a few cheerios," Nikki added, "an hour ago."
"It's nine thirty I might feed her," Teddy said.
"Why was last night amazing," Nikki asked, turning around on the piano bench.
"Go ahead," Owen smiled at Teddy wrapping his arm around her waist.
"Owen asked me to marry him," Teddy beamed, "and I said yes."
Nikki launched herself off the bench, "congratulations. Are you really my sister now?"
"Yes," Teddy smiled.
"Congratulations to both of you," Evelyn smiled, wrapping the couple in a hug.
"Squirt is this okay," Owen asked, he remembered her flat out rejection when he had proposed to Beth. But Nikki had been 12 then not 18 and Nikki liked Teddy.
"This is really really really exciting," Nikki shouted.
"Do you need to yell," Evelyn asked.
"I wasn't," Nikki argued.
"You've learned volume from your brother," Evelyn laughed, "so Owen, Teddy any thoughts about the wedding?"
"Summer time," Teddy said, "that's all we've gotten so far. Well one Bridesmaid and a flower girl figure out."
"One bridesmaid," Evelyn asked.
"Nikki, do you want to be a bridesmaid," Teddy asked.
"Really," Nikki asked.
"I want my little sister up there," Teddy said, "will you do it?"
"Do you really want me or is it just because I'm Owen's sister," Nikki asked.
"I want you," Teddy said.
"No pink," Nikki said.
"So you'll do it," Teddy asked, "but no pink with your red hair."
"I will," Nikki said.
"Breakfast then we'll talk ideas," Evelyn said, "Nikki, Owen come help me."
"We can all help," Teddy said.
"Nikki sets the table," Owen declared.
"I just need to cook the bacon and the pancakes," Evelyn said, "someone needs to cut up fruit."
"I will," Owen said.
"I guess I'm on coffee," Teddy said.
"I don't like coffee," Nikki said.
"One hot cocoa," Teddy smiled.
"Can we give Allison pancakes," Nikki asked.
"Little pieces," Teddy agreed.
"She likes bacon," Owen smiled.
"Who doesn't," Nikki agreed.
"Not my favourite," Teddy said, "I wasn't allowed to eat it growing up. My mom refused to make it or let dad and I have it because she said dancers don't eat bacon it was too fatty."
"That's absurd," Evelyn scolded, glaring at Teddy. Evelyn was always trying to keep Nikki's eating habits somewhat normal and for her not to get sucked into her friends' interpretations of what dances could and couldn't eat. Evelyn was frustrated when Teddy made comments like that because Nikki looked up to Teddy and often was more likely to listen to Teddy than to Evelyn.
"I didn't say I agree with it," Teddy countered, "I don't like it because I never got used to the taste. Who was it that would take my bacon when we were away?"
"Riggs," Owen chuckled.
"He would give me his fruit," Teddy laughed.
"Who's Riggs," Nikki asked.
"Nathan," Teddy replied, "we all went by last name most of the time when we were away."
Evelyn liked the code of when we were away, it gave a time line like but didn't freak out Nikki. Eventually she would get over it but not yet.
"What's everyone's plans for the week," Evelyn asked.
"School work, physio, meeting with Mr. Becker and Madame on Wednesday," Nikki replied.
"What's the meeting about," Evelyn asked.
"Progress in physio and when I might start training again," Nikki replied, "and I have a violin lesson Thursday."
"Work," Owen said.
"Working," Teddy replied, "I have a board meeting Tuesday about some research funding. Allison gets her next set of vaccines on Friday so next weekend will be staying home, she's always a grumpy girl after that."
"They usually are," Evelyn agreed, "Teddy you still haven't shown me the ring."
Nikki crowded in with Evelyn to see as Teddy showed them her hand.
"It's pretty," Nikki said.
"It's gorgeous," Evelyn said, "I always loved that ring."
"Mom," Nikki asked.
"That's the ring Robert, Owen's dad gave me," Evelyn explained.
"Thank you," Teddy said, giving Evelyn a big hug.
"We were happy," Evelyn said, "I know you will be two."
"We already are," Teddy smiled.
"I knew you would be," Evelyn smiled, "the first time he brought you home I knew it was a matter of time Teddy. You were one of mine as soon as you came through that door."
"Why," Teddy asked.
"You understood Owen, we were friends with my girls. You saw all three of mine for who they were and loved them for it," Evelyn said.
"You made me feel at home," Teddy said, "like I had a family and you didn't know me."
"You're one of mine sweetheart," Evelyn smiled.
"Evelyn," Teddy sighed.
"Theodora," Evelyn said, giving Teddy a hug, "you are home. We are your family always and not just because of Allison and Owen."
"Thank you," Teddy replied, returning the hug.
"Wedding ideas," Evelyn asked.
"I have one bridesmaid and my flower girl," Teddy smiled, "I want to ask Arizona and Bailey."
"Venue," Evelyn asked.
"Simple," Teddy said, "relaxed."
"We can do that," Owen agreed, holding her hand.
"We also have to figure out moving," Teddy said, "the apartment has been good but once Allison is walking we won't really have space and I want her to have a yard to play in."
"We should start looking at houses," Owen agreed.
"Where are you thinking," Evelyn asked.
"Close to here," Teddy said.
"Three or four bedrooms," Owen said, "a yard."
"A family home," Evelyn said.
"For our family," Owen said.
"Our family," Teddy smiled, feeding Allison little bits of pancake.
Allison happily babbled between bites of pancake.
"She's really cute," Nikki said.
"With syrup on her face," Teddy smiled.
"It's in her hair," Owne chuckled.
"It's cute," Evelyn agreed.
"What courses are you taking next semester," Owen asked.
"Another calculus, intro physics, intro english and intro chem," Nikki replied, "on campus."
"What about dancing," Teddy asked.
"There's no guarantee," Nikki said, "I still need Dr. Torres to say I can go back into the studio. She thinks it's still another month. It's almost Christmas. I'm still only doing plies. School is my backup but I like my courses."
"What do you like about them," Evelyn asked, it was the first time she had ever heard her youngest say she enjoyed school. Nikki had loved dancing but had never admitted to any academic inclinations.
"It makes me think," Nikki said, "the numbers do what I want them to."
"So school next term full course load," Owen said.
"Full is 5 I'm taking 4 I feel like I can do it," Nikki said, "I can drive again. Walking is okay and school will have elevators so I don't have to do stairs. Stairs still hurt."
"School, trying to dance and your music lessons," Evelyn asked.
"I think so," Nikki said.
"You said English," Teddy said, "I thought you didn't want to take it."
"Every degree program I've looked at requires english," Nikki said, "and Chemistry sounds cool so I thought I could try it."
"And more math and physics because you like those," Owen observed.
"I need help applying for student loans," Nikki said.
"Maybe not yet," Evelyn said, "let me look at a few things but yes I will help you when the time comes."
"Do you have everything figured out," Owen asked.
"Just tuition payments," Nikki admitted, "I think I need a job."
"We can help with the job search," Teddy said.
"I don't know what I'm qualified for," Nikki said.
"You're a typical college kid," Teddy said.
"What did you do," Nikki asked.
"I was a cashier in a grocery store," Teddy said, "and waitressed in medical school."
"Camp counselor, painting houses, lifeguard," Owen said.
"Wrong season for camp, I'm not that good of a swimmer," Nikki said.
"Anne could use some help at the bookstore," Evelyn said, this was progress for both her kids. Owen and Teddy are engaged and buying a house, one with enough rooms to have another baby. Nikki was talking about college not completely seriously yet but she was looking for a job and taking classes.
"I don't want to work at the book store," Nikki said, "something like starbucks would be fun."
"Apply," Owen said.
"Do you still babysit," Teddy asked.
"I do," Nikki said.
"Dr. Bailey is looking for a few afternoons a week for her son," Teddy said, "I can give her your number."
"Like a nanny," Nikki asked.
"Sort of," Teddy agreed, "see your schedule and we can talk to Bailey. She knows you from the hospital."
"I like Dr. Bailey," Nikki agreed.
"She was nice," Evelyn agreed.
"We could use a babysitter a few hours a week for Allison," Teddy said, "daycare closes at 7pm and sometimes we need help in the evenings when were both on call."
"I'm happy to help," Evelyn said.
"We were thinking if Nikki is up to it we would pay her to babysit," Teddy said.
"Your family," Nikki said, "family doesn't pay to babysit."
"This isn't a once in a while babysitting so we can go out for dinner," Owen said, "this would be more of a nanny job. You would have set days and times around our work and your school schedule to look after Allison in the evening. You would come, give her dinner, play with her for a while, bath, story time bed. Then you sit at our place and study."
"Like a job," Nikki asked.
"A job," Teddy agreed.
"How can I give her dinner," Nikki asked.
"I'll make sure there's bottles to warm up in the fridge like I usually do but she eats real food for dinner now and by the time you would start in January her dinner is real food then you give her the bottle for bedtime."
"Think about it," Evelyn said.
"Is this part of your plan to keep me busy," Nikki asked.
"No," Teddy said, "we need help and would rather you then hire a stranger."
"Can I get back to you," Nikki asked.
"You can," Owen said, "we'll be fair with you."
"I would do it anyway," Nikki said.
"We will work it out," Teddy said.
They had been talking about needing a Nanny for when they both had to be in the hospital overnight and thought maybe Nikki could be a good fit. It was purpose for Nikki and some one Allison liked. They intended to pay her, they just had to look at what was fair for her for what she was doing.
"Do you know what you want for a wedding dress," Nikki asked Teddy.
"White," Teddy replied, "simple."
"A veil," Nikki asked.
"Probably not," Teddy answered.
"Any ideas for colours," Evelyn asked.
"I like blue," Teddy said.
"What type of blue," Nikki asked.
"I haven't decided yet," Teddy said, "I've had 12 or 14 hours to think about it. Let this sink in first."
"Were excited for you," Evelyn beamed, "this is wonderful."