Twenty minutes later Teddy pulled into Evelyn's driveway. She looked over at Annie who appeared to have shrunk in her seat. "Hey no turtle mode. It's just Evelyn, Owen and Christina. It's just my family," Teddy said, "you can do this. Observe if you want to but they'll all ask you questions."
"I'm okay," Annie replied, sounding a bit nervous, "it usually takes me a while to warm up to new people. What if they think I'm weird."
"Evelyn is a retired nurse," Teddy said, "she's seen it all. Christina is just well Christina and Owen doesn't judge. Plus you're my daughter, here that makes you family. It looks like we beat Owen, I don't see his truck. We could wait here but Evelyn will see my car and come out."
As Teddy spoke a blue truck pulled into the driveway beside them. Owen waved at Annie as he put his truck in park.
"Looks like we're all going in together," said Teddy, "remember you are not a turtle."
"Okay," replied Annie taking a deep breath, "I can do this."
Everyone opened their doors all at once. Annie was caught off guard when Owen decided to give her a hug. But from the stories Teddy had told her she knew the imposing looking man was more of a teddy bear then a fighter.
"Hi Annie," Owen greeted.
"Hello," Annie replied.
Owen wrapped Teddy in a bear hug, "Altman, how was your day exploring Seattle?"
"If you let go of me I could tell you Hunt," laughed Teddy.
"What's with calling everyone by their last name," asked Annie.
"We got to know each other in the army," explained Teddy, "we all called each other by rank and last name or just by last name and it's kind of stuck."
"In the hospital we call each other doctor and the last name in front of patients, or just by last name with each other," Christina explained, "usually first name is saved for close friends. When you come with me for the next few days I give you a nickname. I always give my interns or medical students nicknames."
"Usually she numbers you or uses a reference to the seven dwarves," Teddy said, "I'm trying to get her to break the habit. Interns have names not numbers. Medical students are not Disney characters. And my daughter doesn't get a nick name."
"I was thinking tiny teddy," joked Christina.
"Little bear," suggested Owen.
Annie rolled her eyes, "my dad calls me little bear."
"Good you already respond to it," laughed Christina, "I don't have time to learn names so I come up with my own.
"Christina, her name is Annie," Teddy said in the one tone that even Christina wouldn't argue with.
They made their way onto the porch and Owen opened the door, "mom were small here."
Evelyn appeared in the doorway to the living room. She quickly hugged the three that she knew and stopped in front of Annie. She smiled at the shy girl, "you must be Annie. You look so much like Teddy I'd recognize you anywhere. I'm Evelyn, Owen's mom."
"It's nice to meet you Mrs. Hunt," Annie said politely extending her hand to shake Evelyn's.
Evelyn hugged the girl, " call me Evelyn."
"Okay Evelyn," Annie replied.
She followed Teddy's lead and took off her boots. Annie's black boots had a tall heel on them which disguised her short stature. Standing flat footed the others all saw how short she really was.
Annie listened to the chatter as the four "adults" in her mind caught up on the events of the past couple of weeks. From what she could tell these dinners were a regular thing.
Evelyn turned to Annie," Teddy told me you're going to school at the University of British Columbia. What made you choose that college?"
"My parents, well my adoptive parents, live about an hour away from UBC and they both met at UBC when they were doing their teacher training," replied Annie," I've always wanted to go there. Plus UBC is the only school in the province with the program I wanted."
"Which program is that," aske Evelyn.
"UBC is our only medical school. I'm doing a biology degree not to get into medicine," replied Annie.
"What made you choose medicine," asked Owen.
"I've always been intrigued by the human body and how it works. Plus I want to help people," replied Annie, "I'm thinking surgery would be really rewarding but I don't know what type yet. There's something fascinating about being able to see inside the body and understand how it works. But my brother calls it a people mechanic."
"How many siblings do you have," asked Evelyn.
"Chris is 18 and Jessica is 15," Annie replied, "I'm a lot closer to Chris. Most people thought we were twins until high school. He skipped kindergarten so we've always been in the same class."
"Your sister is still in high school then. What does your brother do," asked Christina.
"Chris joined the Air Force to be a pilot," replied Annie.
"Your parents must be proud," said Evelyn, "two children that want to help others."
"Chris is already helping," Annie said, "I'm still learning."
Christina changed the topic before Evelyn could bring up Iraq, "when we were at UBC you mentioned you had a ballet class. Which style did you do?"
"I'm R.A.D. Trained," Annie replied, "did you dance?"
"I did ballet through my advanced 1 RAD," said Christina , "did you do your exams?"
"I finished my advanced two and started my solo seal," said Annie, "but last spring I had to choose ballet or school. I love to dance and I don't want to ever stop but school is more important."
"If you started your solo seal your teachers thought you could have danced professionally," said Christina.
"We talked about it. I love to dance and I will miss it when I stop but I want to be a doctor more then I want to be a ballerina," Annie said, "and there's no guarantees that I'll get work as a dancer no matter how much I train. But people will always need doctors."
"Sounds like you have a good plan there Annie," Owen said, "hasn't Teddy gone to see you dance a couple times now?"
"She's been to a couple highland competitions," replied Annie, "ballet competitions won't start until March."
"I highland danced as a girl and Owen's sister used to," said Evelyn, "what's your favourite dance?"
"I like the Sean Tribhuas and the Blue Bonnets to compete and JL Mackenzie and Over The Water to Charlie as performance pieces," Annie replied. She knew from what Teddy had told her earlier not to ask about Meghan Hunt unless she was brought up.
"Who is your teacher," asked Evelyn.
"I've always danced with Laura Granger, Mrs Laura is like another grandma to me," Annie beamed, " she grew up dancing with my grandma and taught my other mom."
"Annie it doesn't bug me to hear you call her your mom. I'm Teddy or sometimes auntie Teddy depending on your mood. She is your mom," Teddy said, "it doesn't bother me. You worry about it more then your mom and I do."
Evelyn stood up, "we'll be ready to eat in a couple minutes. I just need to finish getting supper on the table."
Owen stood up after her, "coming mom."
"Can I help Mrs. Hunt," asked Annie.
"I'll come help Evelyn," said Teddy, "Annie you can hang out with Christina. Figure out tomorrow morning. She's going to walk you though the first part of the day. I have an attending staff meeting."
"Christina what am I doing tomorrow," Annie asked looking nervous. She didn't know how to take Christina. The woman was brilliant and intense, she seemed to take control of any situation. Annie was slightly intimidated by her mother's resident.
'Other then watching and observing. Your going to blend into a group of first year medical students. You'll meet me with Teddy before pre rounds at 6:30, I'm going to take you with me to the resident's locker room to change into scrubs. You'll follow me and my interns though pre rounds in silence. You watch, take notes and speak only if spoken to," Christina explained.
"Sounds like living with my sister. Jessica is always right. Don't speak unless you want your head ripped off," Annie said.
Christina continued to explain the day and what to expect the following morning. She would spend Monday on cardio with Christina then Tuesday on trauma with Owen and a resident named April. All Christina knew about her was she was perky.
In the kitchen Evelyn hugged Teddy,"shes a sweet girl."
"Thanks. I'm in love with her already," Teddy said.
"Ah the new mom love," laughed Evelyn, "you haven't been the subject of a teenage girl tantrum from her yet. She's sweet on the surface but she'll be capable of a total tantrum if she want to."
"I think her mom gets the worst of the tantrums," teddy said, "we're still getting to know each other."
"Has she opened up to you much," asked Evelyn.
Teddy smiled, "a little bit about boys and relationships. She's very innocent which is good. Friends, school. She hasn't had it easy with her sister. She's considering schools on the east coast to get away from Jessica. But I think she's starting to trust me."
Evelyn hugged Teddy, "i think she will completely in time. She's you in miniature. And a very pretty girl."
"Thank you" Teddy beamed, "at least in the looks department I can take some credit."