"Hey can you babysit," Owen asked.
"Three assignments due Monday," Nikki replied.
"What's due," Owen asked.
"A scope and sequence for sixth grade math, two lesson plans on order of operations and a unit plan for eighth grade on exponents and radicals," Nikki replied.
"So that's a no," Owen asked.
"Call mom or Nate first," Nikki replied.
"Mom is out of town," Owen reminded, "Riggs is on call."
"I guess," Nikki replied.
"I'll leave pizza money," Owen bribed.
"That worked when I was in highschool," Nikki said, "not so much now."
"What would work," Owen asked, "beer, wine?"
"Study time," Nikki said, "this is only the first semester and this is hard."
"How many classes do you have right now," Owen asked.
"2 math methods, a science method, ELL, child and adolescent development, classroom management, social justice, special education and wolf pack time and practicum prep," Nikki listed, "so 8."
"That's a lot," Owen said.
"That's for this four month chunk," Nikki said, "then August to October I have 10 classes. November is my first practicum. December and half January of is another 8 classes, final practicum mid January to Mid march then 2 weeks of classes and exams. Before 4 months away."
"Do you know more about Kenya," Owen asked.
"I got the vaccine list, it's on the fridge," Nikki said.
"Let's do those soon please," Owen said.
"Can you figure it out for me," Nikki asked.
"I will," Owen said, grabbing the list, "can you take the girls for a few hours tonight? I want to take Teddy out for dinner. It's been 5 years since we started dating."
"Or 5 years since the creation of Allison," Nikki asked.
"Dating," Owen said, "please can you watch the girls. We need a date night."
"I guess," Nikki said, "Jeff was coming over. He's had a nutty week adjusting to his new job."
"You could have led with that," Owen said.
"He can help me babysit," Nikki said.
"Will he," Owen asked.
"It's dinner," Nikki said, "you and your wife are going for dinner. You'll be home by 10 at the latest. The girls go to bed at 7. When are you leaving?"
"Six," Owen said.
"So sticking me with the bed time routine," Nikki said, "Jeff isn't coming until 7:30. He's bringing take out."
"That works then," Owen said, "hows he liking his new job?"
"So far so good," Nikki said, "we see each other less than we did before I started TEP."
"You're doing a lot," Owen said, "I think I had less to do in med school."
"Doing it all in a year," Nikki said, "this time next year I'll have a teachers lisence and be in Kenya."
Owen had been skimming the vaccinations list, "I'm adding a few to this list for Kenya. We're not taking any chances."
"Really," Nikki asked.
"This is bare minimal," Owen said, "let me research but I'm adding at least two more. Boosters for things you should have had when you were younger that it doesn't hurt to do before you go. I'll talk to Nathan."
"How many do I need," Nikki asked.
"A few," Owens said, "we'll do them a few at a time so we don't overwhelm your immune system."
"Jeff is okay with teaching. He's not sure about Kenya but I'm really looking forward to it," Nikki said.
"He doesn't want you to go away without him," Owen said.
"But he could go do that internship in new york," Nikki said.
"Africa," Owen said.
"And you spent how many years in the middle east," Nikki said.
"And it's part of what destroyed my relationship with Beth," Owen said.
"She sucked before you joined the army," Nikki retorted, "you just had to go meet Teddy to see it."
"Yes," Owen admitted, "I needed to see that there was something better someone that got me and made me happy."
"Are you still happy," Nikki asked.
"I am," Owen said, "I'm pretty sure Teddy is. Are you happy with Jeff?"
"I don't know," Nikki said, "it's comfortable."
"Not comfortable happy," Owen said, "theres a difference."
"I don't really think about it," Nikki said, "he's there. I really don't have a lot of time to date right now."
"You could just be single," Owen said, "I was for most of med school."
"He loves me," Nikki said.
"He says he does but do his actions," Owen asked.
"He's bringing food tonight," Nikki said.
"That's bare minimum," Owen said, "I still don't like how he talks to you."
"Like you're nice to Teddy 24/7," Nikki argued.
"We argue sometimes but couples do," Owen said, "we don't belittle each other the way he belittles you."
"I'm fine," Nikki said, "I don't know if it's forever but it works for now."
"I did that with Beth," Owen said, "I wasn't sure she was the one then enough time passed and I was going overseas so I proposed because it was expected. Then I met Teddy and realized what love is but I was engaged and couldn't do anything about my feelings for Teddy. So I faked it when I was home and spent all the time I could with Teddy when I was away. Then Meghan disappeared and Beth wasn't there and Teddy was. Teddy got me through that."
"Teddy got us through that," Nikki said, "about two weeks after Teddy emailed me to check in."
"I know," Owen said, "she asked me for your email."
"Why me though," Nikki asked.
"Teddy liked you the first time she came home with us," Owen said, "her second trip you were her baby sister. We all called you our baby sister, there were four of us."
"Two and a half now," Nikki said.
"Riggs is the half," Owen said.
"He is," Nikki replied, "I'm just closer to you and Teddy."
"We see you most days," Owen said.
"I see your kids everyday," Nikki said.
"They love you," Owen said, "they need their Auntie Nikki."
"I'm the world's best aunt," Nikki said.
"You are," Owen agreed, "who can baby sit tonight?"
"Fine," Nikki said, "when I have kids in 10 years or so you owe me."
"No my girls will," Owen chuckled.
"Ten years Allison will be 15," Nikki said, "I started babysitting at 15."
"First job," Owen asked.
"Sunday afternoon babysitting for Mrs. Klassen she has 4 kids," Nikki said, "4 hours for $20."
"$5 an hour that's crap," Owen said.
"At 15 it was fair," Nikki said.
"Tonight can you do bedtime for the girls," Owen asked.
"I will," Nikki agreed, "what are you doing with Teddy?"
"I have a reservation at her favourite restaurant by the water, a walk along the pier maybe some ice cream," Owen said.
"That sounds like a good night," Nikki said.
"It should be," Owen said, "your plan?"
"Homework, Laundry, babysit," Nikki said, "then dinner with Jeff in your kitchen I guess and we were going to watch Game of Thrones."
"I can't stand that show," Owen said.
"I don't mind it once you get passed all the murder and sex," Nikki said, "but I read it."
"You read that," Owen asked.
"It wasn't as gory in the books," Nikki said, "they've made lots of changes."
"What don't you read," Owen asked.
"Those silly romances Teddy likes," Nikki replied, "I like books that make me think."
"She likes something light when she gets home," Owen said.
At bedtime Allison dragged Nikki into the office.
"Auntie Nikki who is that with you and daddy in the picture," Allison asked pointing at a picture on the bookshelf.
"That's your daddy, auntie Meghan and I'm the little girl," Nikki said, "your dad and auntie Meghan are my big brother and sister."
"Where is auntie Meghan," Allison asked.
"I don't know," Nikki said, "she's been away a very very long time."
"Is that auntie Meghan with mommy, daddy and uncle Nate in this picture," Allison asked.
Nikki looked at the picture of the four in uniform in a desert, "it is."
"Where were you," Allison asked.
"I was too young. I was still in high school. My big brother and sister are 14 and 17. They were grown ups when I was your age," Nikki replied, "I like this picture. I went hiking with your dad and auntie Meghan. I was thirteen here. Your mom took it for the three of us climbing the tree. This was the last day I saw Meg."
"Why did she go away," Allison asked.
Nikki paused and texted Owen that Allison was asking questions about Meghan.
"She didn't choose to," Nikki said, "she was a doctor helping soldiers with your parents and uncle Nate. I wasn't there, I don't know. But she's been gone a very long time. We all miss her a lot."
"I want to meet her," Allison said.
"I hope you will," Nikki said, "I want to see her again."
"When," Allison asked.
"I don't know," Nikki said, "I wish I did."
"Does daddy know," Allison asked, "he knows everything."
"No he doesn't," Nikki said, "neither does grandma."
Owen and Teddy were walking along the pier hand in hand when his phone buzzed. He read the text from Nikki.
"Allison is asking about Meg," Owen said.
"They were going to some time," Teddy said, "you have the pictures in the office. Nikki will tell her good things."
"She will," Teddy said, "Nikki only saw the good. She never saw Meghan stressed or in a bad mood. She was always the sunshine and rainbows big sister for Nikki. Squirt only saw the very best of her."
"She got the best of everyone but me when we were home," Owen said, "I still feel guilty about that."
"And how many times has she shown you that it doesn't matter anymore," Teddy said, "your sister goes to you first for anything. Before your mom, before me Nikki goes to you. She wanted you at her graduation. She's with our girls tonight."
"She loves the girls," Owen said, "when it's her turn we'll owe her a lot of babysitting."
"We will," Teddy said, "but we have a few years, let her teach for a while."
"She's still 21," Owen said.
"A few more weeks," Teddy replied.
"And we've never been called to pick her up drunk," Owen said.
"She'll never drink," Teddy said, "I've gotten her to have a glass of wine with me before but thats it and at home."
"The accident I don't think she ever will," Owen said.
"No she won't," Teddy agreed.
"So this summer what do you want to do," Owen asked.
"Uncamping," Teddy said, "and I'd like to do a couple more camping trips. I would like to look at taking the girls to disneyland."
"Is Amber still a little young she's not two yet," Owen said.
"Maybe wait until she's three," Teddy said, "do we want one more?"
"We've always dreamed of three or four," Teddy said, "but if we do it we should before I get much older the older I get the higher the risks."
"I know," Owen said, "do you want to?"
"We could," Teddy said, "three would be a handful."
"It would be," Owen said.
"Is that just our desert sand dream," Teddy said, "what we sat behind the OR tent and said we wanted?"
"Do you want to," Owen asked.
"One more," Teddy said, "I'm not a huge fan of being pregnant. Love our kids, not a fan of the process."
"I know you find it hard," Owen said.
"How about we don't use any birth control and see what happens," Teddy said, "if it happens wonderful, if it doesn't we're okay. We have a beautiful family."
"Our family is perfect," Owen said.
"Let's see what happens," Teddy said, "three is enough. Owen I'm 40."
"I know," Owen said, "i'm 39."
"Three is going to be a handful," Teddy said, "but Allison goes to kindergarten in a year."
"That feels old," Owen said.
"It does," Teddy replied, "she'll like it."
"I hope so," Owen said.
"She likes preschool," Teddy said.
"She does," Owen agreed.
In a small Iraqi village Meghan saw a laptop left open and logged in. There was no one around. She knew she had to be careful the last time she had tried to reach out she had been beaten. She wasn't going to open her email this time. Just a google search. She typed a name into the search bar "Nicole McRae". The first thing she found was a Facebook page she clicked on the link. There wasn't much public information on the page. But the one photo she could see brought tears to her eyes.
"Mama who is that," Faroke whispered.
"That's auntie Nikki in the middle with grandma and uncle Owen," Meghan said.
"What is she doing," Faroke asked.
"It looks like she just graduated from college," Meghan replied.
Meghan clicked on the about info and found out that Nikki was part of the university of Washington's class on 2015 and was a science major. She went back to the picture of Nikki, Owen and Evelyn. Nikki had grown up she had to be 21 or 22 now this wasn't the baby sister she left the young woman in the grad gown and cap looked poised and confident. She noticed her moms red hair was now completely grey. Owen had aged as well in the last eight years but he looked happy. Meghan clicked to the next picture and found Nikki with two little girls with the caption "loving being auntie Nikki and letting these two do all The things their parents don't ". Owen had two kids. The picture had a comment on it from Nathan Riggs, "just like we did for you."
"Mama who are those kids," Faroke asked.
"I think their uncle Owens kids," Meghan said.
She clicked to one more picture and saw her mom and siblings by a Christmas tree in her moms living room. In this one they were being silly with her mom gesturing to separate Owen and Nikki and the two of them making silly faces at eachother. She clicked again and saw Nikki posed like a ballerina on a rock by the beach and one more click to a picture of her last leave. The caption broke her heart, "8 years since we took this picture and 7 since you disappeared. This is still my favorite picture of us #sisters #missyou." The last picture had comments from Owen and a message from Teddy Altman and Nathan Riggs.
"That's the last day I spent with auntie nikki," Meghan said, "she was 13. That's 9 years ago. I was supposed to go home two weeks after I was captured."
"Who is that," batool asked.
"My sister and I," Meghan answered, "I found her face book."
"You look alike," batool commented, "I won't tell Hamza."
"I had to see if they were okay it's been 8 years she posted this a year ago. I found one of her, our mom and brother. Nikki just finished college."
"Show me," batool said.
Meghan clicked back to the first photo.
"They look happy," Batool commented.
"My mom and brother have aged. Owens close to 40 now," Meghan said, "Nikki should be 21 almost 22. "
This time Meghan noticed two comments one from
Teddy Altman, "we're really proud of you. We can't wait to celebrate tonight." The second from Nathan Riggs , "Super proud of you squirt well done you've earned it."
She stared at the photo trying to burn it into her mind. She had to get back to them she had already missed too much. Teddy and Nathan were congratulating Nikki and Teddy was celebrating nikkis graduation with her. Before she had been captured she had irrationally begged Teddy to stay in touch with Owen and Nikki. She wondered how close Nikki was to Teddy. And Nathan commented on a few of the posts she had seen. She remembered the article months earlier Teddy and Nathan had worked together, Owen and Nikki had contributed were they all together. She liked the idea of them all being together with her mom.
"You should close it," Batool said, "before the men find you."
"I know," Meghan said looking dejected. She just wanted to take her son and go home to her family.
"Nikki grew up," Meghan said shaking her head, she wondered what the young woman was like. She had missed high school and college.
"Meghan," a man yelled in heavily accented English, "we have a fighter who lost his arm."
Meghan sighed and covered her hair before going to operate.
"I have to go work," Meghan told Faroke, "you need to do your math."
"Yes mama," Faroke replied.
"I'll hide the search history," Batool promised.
"Thank you," Meghan replied. Batool was the one person she could trust and Faroke would stay with her while she operated.
Meghan walked to the operating room as she scrubbed she thought about what she had seen. Nikki had lived she had moved forward she hadn't let meghans disappearance hold her back. The post showed she still thought of her but Nikki had moved forward she had graduated college. Owen looked happy in the photos he had found a way to be happy and to allow himself to find happiness. Nikki had posted a picture of two nieces, she presumed Owens kids. Her family was doing well. But the article she had with the bios for Teddy and Nathan said Teddy had two girls. Were the little girls in the picture Teddy's kids? Would Nikki be that close to Teddy to be auntie Nikki to her kids. Owens kids made more sense. From what she could see owen and Nikki had learned to like each other and be together the Christmas and graduation photos they looked happy. Meghan wondered if Owen was married his wife wasn't in the photos she had seen. She would be happy if it was anyone but Beth. She had thought Owen and Teddy were meant to be together and had teased them mercilessly about acting like a couple but he had always insisted Teddy was his friend he loved and was marrying Beth. Trying to tune out the yelling around her she thought of the day they did the 15 hour round trip hike Owen, Teddy, Nathan, Nikki and sadly Beth. Nikki had only been 9 and had given up in the final hour. She remembered first coaxing then carrying Nikki. The way they had talked and joked and laughed all day singing silly songs, swimming in the waterfall what she wouldn't give for a good swim. Not even laps just splashing in the water.