Three weeks later
Annie was getting ready to go back to school. She had healed for the most part the physical effects were gone although she would need follow ups for the next few months. She had been talking to a counselor at the hospital and this week had been observing in the gallery at SGMW, Teddy wasn't letting Annie scrub in yet, but Annie had watched a similar procedure to the one she had had. That had been an emotional moment for Annie. Luckily Teddy had been sitting with her in the gallery and helped her to understand what had happened. Annie was still run down and tired and Teddy was concerned that Annie's iron levels hadn't come up as expected but they were trying iron supplements. With a safe quiet environment and proper nutrition Annie was almost in good shape.
"What do you need to go back to school," Teddy asked, "other than new jeans. The ones you have are a bit loose on you. You've lost weight since the incident and I don't like it you were tiny enough before."
"Couple binders, pens, pencils, highlighters and notebooks," Annie said, "I've started looking for some of my books on Amazon. The lab manuals I have to buy at the bookstore when I go back to school. I'll go to staples in Vancouver when I move back to my dorm for the school supplies, they always have the things I want. "
"Are you sure you should be doing 8 courses," asked Teddy, "I don't want you to overwhelm yourself."
"I quit teaching dance," Annie said, "that frees up my weekend."
"Why did you do that," Teddy asked, "you love it."
"Because I can't actually dance for a while," Annie said, "Mrs Laura needs some one who can start the season and dance full out with the baby ballerinas and primaries. I can't do that yet. It's not fair to them for me not to be able to give it 100%."
"Will you work with Anne," Teddy asked.
"I will, she has more hours for me to make up for not teaching dance and she's more flexible with my time. I have 25 hours a week from her. I only got 6 from Mrs Laura and 16 from Dr Milner before," Annie said.
"Is it the same pay," asked Teddy.
"Dr. Milner pays me a dollar less an hour but I'm not driving out to Langley and the extra hours make up for it," Annie said, "I don't know if I'm going to take my car to school. I only need it on long weekends to come home."
"What will you do with your car then," asked Teddy.
"Uncle Jim said I can park it at his house and they're on a bus route so I can get there in 45 minutes," Annie replied.
"You've thought all of this out," Teddy commented, "my planner is back."
"Mama is Henry really going to sleep over when I go back to school," Annie asked.
"Is that okay with you," asked Teddy.
"I like him," Annie said, "but where will he sleep."
"In my room. He's not moving in. He might spend the night with me or a few days at first. Him and I need to see if it works," Teddy said, "your room is safe. Except for re painting it."
"You're painting my room," Annie said.
"I'd like to," Teddy said, "I'm redoing my bedroom as well."
"Finally getting the shower working in the master bathroom as well," Annie teased.
"Yes," Teddy said, "the plumber is coming today."
"You've lived here a year and haven't fixed it," Annie asked.
"It was just me. I had a working shower and I was never home enough to fuss with the house," Teddy said, "but we need to pick paint colours. Before you moved in it was just a place for me to sleep. Now it's home. I bought it because I needed something now when I got to Seattle but it feels like our home now."
"Is Henry going with us," Annie asked.
"Not today," Teddy said, "he has an appointment with Richard."
"Is he okay," Annie asked.
"Another little tumor," Teddy said, "he'll be fine. Richard can fix it. Today is planning, they'll take it out when your back to school"
"Little tumor doesn't sound fine," Annie said.
"With Henry's condition it is," Teddy said, "it's not cancerous."
"He's going to get it taken out and be okay," Annie asked.
"He will be," Teddy assured.
"I like him but is it a bit fast for him to be having sleepovers," Annie asked.
Teddy laughed, "we started seeing each other before your accident. Are you not comfortable with him staying over?"
"Do I really get a say," Annie asked.
"When you're home you do," Teddy said, "when you're at school he may stay here or I might stay at his place."
"As long as I don't hear the awful noises that come from Sara's room when her bf stays over were good. Remember we share a wall," Annie looked very serious.
"Anything else missy," Teddy asked.
"He can't do what Jen's boyfriend does and walk around our house in his underwear. It's weird," Annie said.
"Got it no strange noises and all people in PJs or real clothes," Teddy said, "same thing if you ever want David to come and stay.
"I don't know if that will work, me and David," Annie admitted.
"Why," asked Teddy, "isn't he seeing his parents in Toronto?"
"He is but before the accident he wanted to do things with clothes off and I don't think I'm ready," Annie mumbelled.
"Is it because of the accident," Teddy asked.
"I hate my scars," Annie said, "I don't want him to see them."
"Your scars are already starting to fade," Teddy said, "and he loves you. He won't care."
"I don't even want to wear a bikini again," Annie said.
"I noticed you didn't take your surf shirt off at the beach the other day," Teddy said, "you don't have to hide your scars. But I know they remind you of what happened and it hurts to see them."
"I don't want David to see them. He saw me before when we were going to the beach a lot and the scars are ugly. He doesn't even really know what happened. It's all embarrassing," Annie said.
"Your scars will heal," Teddy soothed.
"But their ugly," Annie said, "any guy sees those and will be disgusted."
"No real man is going to care about your scars. If he's going to judge your body you don't want to be with him," Teddy said.
"I don't know if I want David to see me naked," Annie said, "I thought about it and it feels weird."
"Then you don't have to until your ready," Teddy said, "he has to respect that."
"Why do guys think you just want to have sleepovers with them," Annie asked.
"Men like it," Teddy said, "with the right guy it should feel good. But you have to really like him and want to have a sleepover with him."
"I don't know if David is the right guy," Annie said.
"You've been through a lot this summer," Teddy said, "just give it some thought. And let's move on from this topic for now."
"What's our plan today then," Annie asked.
"I'm off so we're going to home depot to pick out paint colours. Then Target to find bedding," Teddy said.
"Do I get to pick the stuff for my room," Annie asked.
"Within reason, no neon colours," Teddy said.
"Ocean blue or teal," Annie asked.
"I like those options for my room," Teddy said, "but it can't be too girly."
"Do the ocean blue with white bedding," Annie suggested.
"White means I can't have coffee in bed and read," Teddy laughed.
"Not my problem you spill your coffee," Annie teased, "I can drink without spilling."
"What do you think of a pale purple for your room," Teddy asked.
"The room I shared with Jessica was lilac. I prefer teal," Annie said.
"We can do something in the blues or greens," Teddy agreed, "look at the samples and see what we like."
"Okay," Annie agreed.
They finished up their breakfast and headed out. Teddy was pleased that Annie's appetite was returning, her energy and enthusiasm was up.
They walked through home depot and found the paint section, Teddy chose a relaxing sky blue while Annie gravitated to a bright teal.
"Let's tone that down a little," Teddy said, " that is close to neon, your highlighter is that colour."
Annie found a softer hue called carribean blue.
"That reminds me of the ocean," Teddy said.
"I like this one," Annie replied.
"Then beige for the rest of the house," Teddy asked.
"Sure," Annie replied, "or what about grey."
"The hospital is grey, it's cold," Teddy said.
"Okay," Annie said, "but pick a warm beige not too yellow."
They looked through the paint colours and picked one for the kitchen, living room and main bathroom. Teddy bought the paint and loaded it into the back of the car.
"When are we painting," Annie asked.
"Owen is coming tomorrow to help," Teddy said.
"Uncle Owen is helping us paint," Annie sounded surprised.
"He said he would come help," Teddy said, "your only a month post op your not doing much painting."
"I'm good at baseboards," Annie said, "I did mom and dad's last summer. I can sit on the floor and do them."
"Fine ," Teddy said, "you can do the baseboards. Only if you stay seated the entire time."
"I will," Annie said.
They pulled into the Target parking lot and made their way to the bedding aisle. They had fun wandering and choosing how to do each of the bedrooms. Annie had chosen a white set with blue flowers to match the wall colour she had chosen. For Teddy's room they selected a grey set with white stripes. They also chose new soft white blankets for the couch.
"Did we go too girly," Teddy asked.
"I don't think so," Annie replied.
"Will Henry like it," Teddy asked.
"Mama, why are you so worried about it. You like Henry, he loves you," Annie said, "I don't understand why you had to get married first then get to know each other."
"Medical insurance," Teddy said, "it was really easy to add you as my daughter to my insurance, I had a copy of your original birth certificate from Texas with the name your parents chose. To add Henry we had to legally be married."
"Still mad I wasn't invited," Annie joked, "my mama marries my step dad and I don't get to go."
"It was a business deal," Teddy said, "I never planned on liking him."
"Why him and not Uncle Owen," Annie asked.
"I've told you Owen is with Christina and I can't change that," Teddy said, " I love him. He's still my second favourite person on the planet and my first call for anything. But that door is closed. It's not meant to be. I love him. I wanted to kiss him a few times in the last month but I haven't."
"Then why did he spend a week at the hospital with us. Christina was hardly there," Annie asked, "that's love. He made sure you slept and ate. That you had what you needed. He took care of you. He doesn't look at Christina the way he looks at you. He loves you."
"He did that for you as much as me," Teddy said, "he won't lose another family member and we're part of the Hunt family you and I. Evelyn decided years ago that I was one of her kids when I had no one. The moment she met you she decided that you were her granddaughter."
"Why would they choose me," Annie asked, "they hardly know me?"
"Love for me at first," Teddy said, "then they got to know you. Evelyn loved her days with you while you were healing. It made her feel important and purposeful. She always dreamed of grandkids to spoil. Wasn't planning on the first being 19 but she's going with it. "
"I liked her," Annie said, "we played board games and she made banana bread. She told me stories about Owen as a kid and more about Meghan. She'll get grand babies Uncle Owen and Christina should have kids one day."
"She likes you if you got Meghan stories," Teddy said.
"I just don't get how they can take me in as part of their family at the drop of a hat," Annie said.
"They love you," Teddy said, "nothing more than that."
"But how can they just love me when the family that raised me can't," Annie asked.
"Because you're you. You haven't been anyone but yourself with them. You've been away from your sister. You and your brother are a great pair, I'd be happy to keep Chris as well," Teddy smiled, "when you're here you don't act. This is my Annie when you're here or at school. You can't keep changing to please Jessica or your parents."
"I'm not afraid here," Annie said.
"You never have to be afraid to be you," Teddy said, "do what you do at the hospital. Walk in and be yourself."
"I need a fresh start," Annie said, "after this school year I want to go somewhere nobody knows me."
"We'll look at your applications," Teddy said, "what did you think, Harvard, Columbia, Stanford, UCLA?"
"That would be a good start," Annie said, "those are big names we need back ups."
"I have a plan," Teddy said.
"Can part of our plan be changing my name," Annie asked.
"Why do you want to change your name," Teddy said.
"Just add on to it," Annie said, "I've been thinking about something uncle Owen called me in the hospital."
"Why did he call you," asked Teddy, she looked puzzled.
"Annabeth Grace McKellar - Altman," Annie replied, "he hyphenated my last name."
"I'll help you figure that out," Teddy beamed , "if you want to change your last name. Is it part of your escape Jessica plan though?"
"Partially," Annie admitted , "and I've never really fit with the McKellars. I don't match them and not just in looks. I'm nothing like them. I don't fit in there. I match you and uncle Owen."
"We will look into the process. But you have to change all of your Canadian and American paperwork. That's a huge job to add my last name onto your name," Teddy said, "then if you ever get married you'll have to do it again. And you do fit in with the McKellars your cousins love you. Chris would be heartbroken if you left you're his person."
"Chris is the only one who cares," Annie said , "mom and dad are so caught up with Jessie they forget I exist."
"I know you feel like they abandoned you," Teddy said, "this is a new situation for them as well. I got them to trust me with having you come down. But Jessica only has them in her corner. You have another family who loves you. "
"Mom missed our last Skype date because Jessica has a tantrum," Annie pointed out , "she hasn't rescheduled."
"I know sweetie and it wasn't right," Teddy said , "they need to fight for you two. Do you want me to call again?"
"Maybe we can just email," Annie suggested, "then they can read it when Jessica isn't around."
"It's a temporary fix," Teddy said , "at some point you need to talk to them."
"I'm not ready to forgive and forget yet," Annie said , "they let the abuse go on for years unchecked."
"I know little bear," Teddy said , "when you're ready you will. We can't force it. It won't help you to do it before you're ready."
"And I never want to talk to my sister again," Annie said, "biologically speaking I'm an only child."
"There will come a day when you have to be in the same room as Jessica and you may not have me or uncle Owen with you. You have to learn to accept that she exists," Teddy said , "for now you're my only child. Maybe Henry and I could have a baby. I'm not that old. But him and I haven't had that conversation yet. The whole step-daughter is 19 thing still stumps him."
"What one in diapers and one in medical school," Annie teased.
"Maybe," Teddy laughed , "gets you out of babysitting. Sorry mama I can't babysit. I'm at Harvard."
"Best excuse ever," Annie laughed, "and you can't argue with mama I'm away at medical school. Or I have rounds."
"I know," Teddy said.
They pulled into the driveway and Annie saw Owen's truck, "Uncle Owen is here already."
"He wanted to talk to me," Teddy said, "something about Christina."
"Did they fight again," Annie asked.
"I think so," Teddy said.
"Is he staying on our couch tonight then," Annie asked.
"I'm thinking dinner then send him home," Teddy said, "he can't hide here. At some point he has to talk to her."