Teddy heard her email ping in her purse on the passenger seat. She was pulling up in front of Owen's mom's house, the Hunts had invited her to join a family dinner. Teddy thought she was just invited as a buffer between Owen's mom Evelyn and Christina. The two didn't typically see eye to eye. Teddy saw that the email was from Annie, the girl was quick to reply, she obviously wanted to at least try to get to know Teddy. She smiled as she skimmed the email, she would give it a good read later when she could reply and hopefully get some more information about her Little Bear. She didn't see Owen's truck or Christina's car. She grabbed her purse from the seat and walked up the driveway. With any one else's family this would be weird but Evelyn had included Teddy in so many things over the years that she felt comfortable going in before Owen.

Evelyn opened the door as she saw Teddy walking up the driveway, " Teddy sweetheart you look like you have something on your mind, are you okay?"

Teddy paused, "Evelyn I don't know even how to tell you. It's something that only Owen knows about me. Something that happened my first year of med school just came back to me."

Evelyn smiled at Teddy, "I know I'm not your mom but if you ever need a mom to talk to you can talk to me."

They heard the slam of doors as Owen and Christina hopped out of his truck.

Owen greeted his mom and best friend with hugs. The trio followed Evelyn inside the house and into the dining room where the table was already set for a casual family dinner.

"It smells amazing Mrs. Hunt," Christina complimented.

"It's just lasagne, and Christina please call me Evelyn," Evelyn replied.

Owen turned to Teddy and asked in a quiet voice, " how did that thing go this afternoon?"

Teddy replied, "it went well she already got back to me. I only skimmed her email but she answered my three questions and asked me three of her own."

Christina jumped into the conversation, " who is your mystery woman Teddy?"

Teddy's face went pale.

Owen told her, " I think you need to tell them Altman."

Evelyn joined the conversation, " is this what made you look so pensive earlier?"

Teddy replied, " it's a long story. I don't want any one to judge me for choices I made 19 years ago. If I was in the same situation today I would do it differently, but 19 years ago I had to do what was best for my daughter."

Christian shouted, " your daughter?"

Evelyn asked, " where is she Teddy, what happened."

Teddy began, " if no one interrupts me I can tell the story but I'm only going to tell this once and it can not be hospital gossip. 20 years ago I was starting med school and dating this guy who was two years older than me and working as an electrician. I thought I was in love with him and that he was the one for me, we were living together in this tiny little apartment just off campus. One day I realized that I was late so I walked to the drug store and bought a test it was positive. When I told Steven he lost it and called me all sorts of terrible names and left. I called my mom in tears and we tried to figure out what I would do. Terminating my baby was never a choice. I either had to figure out how I could still go to school or give them up for adoption. I was 7 months along before I decided the very best thing I could do was to give my baby to family. In August the parents I chose flew down to see me, I knew Leslie and Dan were the perfect parents the moment I met them. That October I gave birth to my Little Bear, they named her Annie."

Evelyn broke the silence, "sweetheart I wish you would have told me that years ago. I would have listened and talked with you about all your hopes and dreams for your little girl."

Teddy looked around the room, " until now the only living person who knew was Owen. I was afraid to tell people that I walked away from my baby. That I choose medicine and going after my dreams over my child. At this rate she'll be the only baby I'll ever have."

Evelyn stood from her chair and sat on the love seat beside Teddy wrapping the younger woman in a hug, "you did what was best for you and your daughter. Teddy you never would have been happy if you hadn't finished medical school. You always would have wondered what if."

Teddy sniffed back her tears, " I know it was right for both of us. I just don't want her to one day hate me."

"What has she said Teddy," Owen asked.

Teddy launched into the rest of her story, " my agreement with Leslie and Dan was that they would write to me once a month about Annie's progress and they have every month with out fail even when I was overseas. They also agreed that on Annie's 19th birthday, last Wednesday that they would give her my contact information. We agreed on 19 because their Canadian and that's when she's considered an adult in all areas. I could even take her to a bar there if I wanted to. On Wednesday a week after her birthday Annie emailed me. I didn't think she would. I thought October 7th would be the last I ever heard about my girl. But she wrote to me and I read it then drank a whole bottle of wine before calling Owen in a panic. This afternoon I wrote back and I had a reply back right after. She wants to Skype with me on Sunday and meet me when I go to the conference at UBC after Thanksgiving."

"I have to meet your teenaged daughter at the conference next month," Christina asked a look of distaste crossing her face.

"No Christina," said Teddy firmly, " you will not be meeting my daughter. I haven't seen Annie in 19 years and I want to take my girl for dinner and get to know her."

Evelyn smiled at Teddy, " she's said she wants to meet you and talk to you face to face that's a good sign. Just take it as it comes and let Annie come to you as much or as little as she wants."

Owen chimed in, " I'm happy for you. I remember how down you used to get around her birthday when we were in Iraq. The beginning of October were always ' Altman's blue days' we all knew something was bothering you. I'm happy you told us about Annie."

Evelyn asked, " what do you know about her?"

Teddy replied, " she's pre med at UBC and is a ballet and highland dancer. She even danced in the ceremonies for the Vancouver Olympics. She likes to ski, hike and silly knee socks. We're doing a 3 questions thing where we each ask and answer three questions. I think it might be a good way to get to know her slowly. She said she works at the local rec center teaching dance and running children's programs."

"Thank you for telling us all about your daughter sweetheart," Evelyn said, " you sound like a proud momma bear when you talk about her."