"Have you told your mom yet," Teddy asked when Alyssa called her.
"No," Alyssa replied.
"Nope," Teddy replied, "I'm not listening to any more pregnancy complaints or worries until you talk to your mother. She is the only one in the dark. I'm giving you two weeks and I will tell Megan. You know she has to hear it from you."
"I'm scared," Alyssa admitted, "I still don't know her auntie Teddy. We talk and text but it's not the same. I just start getting close to her and there's something that blocks me from getting to really know her again."
"I know Lyss," Teddy sighed but you have to tell Megan. You want her to have time for it to sink in before our wedding. You're showing you can't hide it in six weeks. Alyssa you have to tell her."
"Like you did," Alyssa asked, "you made me keep it from her."
"And she was pissed at us," Teddy replied, "you're her daughter."
"But it doesn't feel like it," Alyssa said, "she doesn't know me, not really."
"Because you don't let her," Teddy replied, "Alyssa it's a two way street."
"I don't want to let her down," Alyssa said
"Why would you think that," Teddy asked.
"Because I mentioned a few months ago that Matt and I were talking about kids and she freaked out," Alyssa said, "she doesn't want to be a grandma in her 40s. I'm 28. I'm older than she was when she had me. When she was my age I was 9. She was leaving her daughter."
"I know you still feel like she abandoned you," Teddy said.
"She did," Alyssa replied, "she wasn't there."
"Lyss your 14 weeks you have to tell your mom," Teddy said, "it's just not a choice anymore. The longer you leave it the worse the fight will be. She'll be hurt and start to pick at you and then you'll get mad and I'm stuck in the middle. I'm not referring you. I didn't say anything until you were in the second trimester. I thought once you hit 12 weeks you would tell her. I know 12 the risk drops and I have you an extra two weeks because you are higher risk but it's time."
"What if she doesn't want to be a grandma," Alyssa asked.
"She is one she'll understand that," Teddy assured, "Alyssa we want you to be happy and live your life."
"Can you help," Alyssa asked, "maybe slowly make her see it would all be bad and she's not old."
"We're feeling old," Teddy admitted, "but we're happy for you. It's time Lyss your ready."
"Am I," Alyssa asked.
"You are," Teddy assured, "and you're going to put on your big girl pants and tell your mother. This week!"
"But," Alyssa tried.
"No," Teddy answered firmly, "Alyssa Evelyn Hunt it is time you tell your mother you're expecting."
"If she snaps or makes comments," Alyssa asked.
"You are allowed to have boundaries," Teddy replied.
"Can you get a feel for her reaction first," Alyssa asked.
"No I won't ruin your surprise," Teddy answered, "she's your mom Lyss."
"You'll still come when the babies are born," Alyssa asked.
"I will and you can ask Megan too," Teddy said.
"She won't want to," Alyssa said, "she has Faroke."
"And you are still her daughter," Teddy promised, "Alyssa you have to give your mom an opportunity here. You have to decide to let her in."
"Why," Alyssa asked.
"It's time you stop punishing her for being captured," Teddy snapped, "you are holding it over her head and not letting it go. You have to forgive her."
"I don't trust it," Alyssa admitted, "I don't trust her not to leave again."
"Alyssa she won't go again," Teddy replied, "the last two years have been really hard on you sweetheart. You've been cut off from all of us because of the border restrictions. They lift in eight weeks and you're coming home. Will that help?"
"Yes," Alyssa admitted.
"How are the Jaretts with your babies," Teddy asked.
"Only nana knows yet," Alyssa replied, "I haven't told anyone else."
"Okay," Teddy replied, "tell your mom. You're safe, you will have two beautiful healthy babies."
"She always wanted me to be married first," Alyssa said, "I don;t do anything how she wants me to."
"Assert yourself," Teddy encouraged, "your mom wants you to be happy."
"If she wanted that she would have stayed in Seattle," Alyssa said.
"You had a choice when you took your job," Teddy replied, "you could have moved two."
"But I had things I was doing," Alyssa argued, "she was job hunting and took LA. Nathan was in Seattle. I'm in Vancouver, Grandma and Uncle Owen stayed in Seattle . She could have chosen Seattle."
Teddy said, "you two need to talk."
"She walked away from me," Alyssa said, "she got on that plane and left me. I would never do that to my kids. I would never do that to my babies. Leave them knowing I could be killed and leave them without a mother."
"You need to forgive her," Teddy replied, "you need to stop punishing her for it. It's not fair to her and it's not fair to you. Your babies will need their grandma."
"I need mom to put me first," Alyssa said, "to consider me in her decisions. I told her I wanted her to stay in Seattle and she went anyway. I asked her to stay and to come back."
"I didn't know that," Teddy replied.
"She replaced me," Alyssa snapped.
"Alyssa you need to stop punishing your mom," Teddy replied, "you know she wants to be close to you and really know you and whether you realise it or not you let her get so close then pull back. Lyss stop the games. I'm not saying you have to share every thought that goes through your mind with her. I'm saying let her know what's happening in your life. You are hurting yourself by doing this and you are hurting her. She's still being patient with you and giving you time and space but there will be a day that her patience will run out and you will have lost the opportunity to know your mom. And that will be on you. She is reaching out and you push her away."
"I don't trust her," Alyssa said.
"Talk to her," Teddy replied.
"I don't know how," Alyssa replied, "I never know how to talk to her or what to say. It would be easier if I could see her but I have to isolate before I can see her if I fly down. I can't make her sick not on her medications."
"You two need some serious time together," Teddy said, "to get to know each other. Alyssa this could be your opportunity to really let your mom in. I can talk to you about my experience and what I went through but your mom will know when you first really kicked and when she experienced different things with you. When you hit milestones."
"Uncle Owen knows my milestones," Alyssa replied.
"He does," Teddy agreed, "but there's other little things he won't know. Mom things. Your going to want her and it's a choice. "
"I guess I learned not to picture mom in the big life events," Alyssa said, "when I think of ever getting married it's uncle Owen walking me. It's the two of you coming to see my kids. I don't know how to have parents. I don't know how to be a mom because I don't really remember having one. I have pictures and stories and her old journals but I don't know how to let her in."
"Tell her this sweetheart," Teddy said, "and if her reaction isn't what you're hoping for take some cooling down time and talk it through after."
"What do I tell her," Alyssa asked.
"Do you want to practise," Teddy offered, hearing how hesitant Alyssa was.
"Can I just text her," Alyssa asked.
"No," Teddy declared, "facetime or zoom."
"Really," Alyssa asked.
"Yes you must at least phone," Teddy replied, "Lyss we can talk later. Leo appears to have poured flour all over the kitchen."
"I'll talk to you later," Alyssa agreed, "have fun cleaning."
"You're going to have two it'll be fun," Teddy smiled, "love you Lyss."
"Love you too," Alyssa replied.
As Teddy finished cleaning the kitchen from the great flour disaster her phone rang again, "Megan."
"Alyssa brushed me off again," Megan complained.
"I know," Teddy replied, "I talked to her half an hour ago and told her what I think."
"She's hiding something from me or us," Megan stated, "she won't zoom or facetime for the last 6 weeks or so."
"I told her to knock it off and stop punishing you," Teddy replied, "but I can't do anymore than that. Megan you need to make a move here. Sitting back and waiting for Alyssa isn't going to work. She won't first. I've been trying for three years to get her to make the first move."
"What do I do," Megan asked.
"Get on a plane honestly," Teddy replied, "she's scared to fly down and make you sick."
"Can you get her on facetime for me or a girls zoom night," Megan asked.
"No," Teddy replied, "I won't lie to her to get her on one. Megan I don't know how to fix your relationship. The two of you need a lot of time together."
"Then don't lie to me," Megan said.
"I'm not," Teddy replied.
"Is she healthy," Megan asked.
"Yes," Teddy answered.
"Do you know what's going on," Megan asked.
"I do," Teddy admitted, "I'm happy about it."
"So it's something good," Megan asked.
"Lyss is really happy," Teddy replied.
"Meaning," Megan tried.
"I am going to respect her privacy," Teddy replied, "Megan let her tell you in her own time."
"When," Megan asked.
"I've told her I will tell you if she doesn't on her own soon," Teddy replied, "when she tells you you have to hear her out. She's 28, let her do what's best for her."
"Is she going to be okay," Megan asked.
"She will," Teddy assured, "Megan it's positive. I'm not worried about her."
"I'm always worried about her," Megan said.
"I mom worry but nothing more than that," Teddy assured.
"How do I," Megan asked, "when do I get to know."
"Our wedding at the latest," Teddy said, "when you're face to face I'm sure she'll tell you."
"Will I know right away," Megan asked.
"I don't know," Teddy said, "Megan let her come to you she's going to be good. She always is."
"How do you know," Megan asked.
"Because she's talking to me," Teddy replied, "and Owen. Megan she's scared of your reaction. What ever your thoughts are you have to be positive for her. I know you haven't always agreed with her choices for her life but we all got to choose our paths we have to give Lyss the same respect our parents gave us. I'm sure you would have loved her to follow your footsteps and be a doctor or serve. But she chose for herself."
"Did he try," Megan asked.
"We never pushed her to serve," Teddy replied, "that's a personal choice. We avoided influencing either way with that. She was free to choose. If she had asked we would have been honest. Owen wasn't going to push it so he couldn't lose her too. And engineering was her she wanted to be an engineer. We encouraged her to explore and follow what interested her."
"It's not her career," Megan said, "it's Matt."
"I'm not sure but it's her choice," Teddy replied, "she's happy with him. Did your mom like everyone you dated?"
"No," Megan replied, "she disliked Derek but they didn't meet until after I was pregnant."
"Other than him," Teddy asked.
"She likes Nathan," Megan assured.
"Megan respect Alyssa's choices," Teddy replied, "even though you don't like Matt she loves him. He makes her happy and makes her feel safe. She's found the security she's been looking for since she was 12. All she has wanted was a secure home, relationships she can count on and she's building that for herself. She wants a conventional life."
"I know," Megan said, "but I'm not sure he can give her that. Teddy I don't think he's her forever."
"I don't know either but she's happy," Teddy replied, "just drop the judgement and hear her out. She holds you off and you don't listen."
"She blames me," Megan complained.
"Yes," Teddy replied, "Megan you're her mom and you left. She didn't understand and now she's scared to try. She won't get close because she couldn't handle losing you again. But she does need you and needs her mom. You have to show her you're all in with her."
"So does she," Megan replied.
"One of you has to cave first," Teddy sighed, "and you're her mom. She loves you that has never been the question."
"But she doesn't trust me," Megan replied.
"I know," Teddy answered, "this pandemic and the closed borders aren't helping."
"I know," Megan replied, "I'll see what I can do to fly up some how. I'd have to go right into Vancouver."
"Or Abbotsford," Teddy replied, "but yes. Megan consider it."
"I will," Megan agreed, "Nate just got home. Are you sure Lyss is okay?"
"She's good," Teddy assured, "go enjoy your night, say hi to Riggs for me."
"I will," Megan replied.
Teddy hung up, not liking being in the middle of Megan and Alyssa. Alyssa needed to tell Megan soon or she would make good on her threat to tell Megan before the wedding. Teddy didn't want it coming out at the wedding and Alyssa had sent Teddy pictures that afternoon she had a very clear and very cute bump. In eight weeks Megan would know the moment she saw her daughter.