Teddy was driving north again. Until Annie had come back into her life she had only been to Canada a few times. Now she seemed to cross the border every few weeks. She felt bad leaving Henry behind, Richard had taken out his pancreas and he was now diabetic. It was a big adjustment for him but he told Teddy that he would be fine for a couple days and to go see Annie. This was the first time in 20 years October 7th didn't fill her with dread. This year she could finally celebrate with Annie, she would also be celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving with the McKellars.

Teddy pulled into the McKellar's driveway and grabbed her bag from the back seat. Again she was early but she was planning to check in with Leslie and Dan. She knew Jessica had been in a residential treatment program for two weeks and wanted to know if they had heard anything and how things had been going with Annie.

Dan was working in the garage when Teddy walked up the driveway, "Hi Teddy."

"Hey Dan," Teddy called, "What are you working on?"

"Annie needs an oil change," He replied, "I thought I'd get it done so we all can enjoy the weekend."

"That's why I didn't see her car," Teddy said.

"She's inside, Leslie just ran to the grocery store," Dan said, "just go through the garage."

Teddy made her way through the garage around the bikes, car parts and sports equipment and into the mud room. She hung her coat on an open hook and slid her shoes into line with the others.

Annie had heard the door open and walked towards the mud room, seeing Teddy she ran, "mama!"

Teddy wrapped her in a hug, "hi sweetie. How was school this week?"

"Good, almost midterms," Annie said, "and I finished all of my applications. We just need you to proof read them then mail them."

"Have you run into David at all," Teddy asked.

"I pass him the odd time but it's not a big deal," Annie said.

"You've never told me why you broke up with him," Teddy said.

"He was pressuring me to have sleepovers and I didn't want to," Annie said, "he didn't listen so I told him to get lost."

"Good for you standing your ground," Teddy said.

"How's Henry," Annie asked.

"He's good. He's sorry he can't come celebrate your birthday," Teddy said.

"But the no pancreas thing," Annie said.

"Almost under control, she should come out of the hospital on Wednesday," Teddy said.

"Back to his place," Annie asked.

"Moving in," Teddy said, "to my room. But you'll see some of his stuff in the kitchen and living room. As far as he knows your room is totally off limits."

"Okay," Annie said, "remember our deal."

"I will and I'll tell him," Teddy said, "he's a good guy he'll understand."

"Okay," Annie said, "your sure he's cool with you having a 19 year old."

"Henry likes you," Teddy said.

"Mom asked me to start dinner want to help me," Annie asked.

"Sure," Teddy replied.

Annie put her ipod in the dock on the counter and turned on a playlist both Annie and Teddy liked. As they cooked they sang and joked around, the kitchen was filled with music and laughter. Leslie walked in to Annie and Teddy singing along while they chopped the veggies for a salad. She stood back and watched, this wasn't the girl that went to Seattle in July. Annie was happy and confident, Lelsie had never seen Annie like this.

"Hi mom," Annie called out, "dinner is almost done."

"Thank you," Leslie said.

They enjoyed a calm quiet family dinner, Teddy saw that for once Annie was relaxed with her parents. She was quickly learning that Annie was her best in small groups or one on one.

"What's the plan for the weekend," Annie asked.

"Your birthday is Sunday and it's the first time I get to celebrate with you," Teddy said.

"And thanksgiving," Annie said.

"Tomorrow we were thinking we could take the boat for one last ride," Dan said.

"A boat ride in October," Teddy asked.

Annie smiled, "we make hot chocolate and bundle up and take the boat for a run up the river."

"I'll try it. I haven't spent much time on boats," Teddy said.

"We'll take you out more in the summer," Dan said, "teach you to wakesurf."

"Will you surf tomorrow," Teddy asked.

"I might," Annie said, "I have my drysuit and hood. Only my hands and feet will get wet."

Teddy smiled, "I'd like to see you try."

"Try," Annie said, "I'm the best."

Teddy laughed, "getting a little cocky?"

Leslie said, "she's that good. We've had a couple competitive teams approach us about Annie competing for them. She uses a competition board and does tricks."

"Let's lower expectations," Annie said, "I missed all of August. Mom do you know where my one piece is?"

"Why do you want your one piece," asked Leslie.

"Stays in place better under the dry suit and life jacket," Annie replied.

Across the table Teddy gave Annie a knowing look. She knew the real reason Annie wanted her one piece, "the blue one with the white polka dots?"

"Yes," Annie said, "do you know where it is?"

"I have it," Teddy said, "top drawer of your dresser. It got left in the laundry basket after our last beach day."

Leslie suggested, "what about the striped tankini?"

"I guess it'll have to be okay," Annie said.

"Is that okay," Teddy asked, "you don't have to surf."

"I'll be fine," Annie said.

Dan looked at Leslie who shrugged. In the span of a few minutes they learned that Annie still had things at Teddy's and her own space there. She also was suddenly wanting to be covered up more than normal. Usually they had to convince her that the one piece or tankini would be better than her bikini for water sports. They also learned that beach days had been a thing in Seattle.

Dan went out to the garage to get the boat organized for the next day. Annie, Teddy and Leslie did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen. Leslie noticed the rhythm that Annie and Teddy had while doing simple kitchen tasks, a rhythm she had never established with Annie. Annie and Teddy sang and joked as they did the dishes, the same playlist as before playing in the background.

"I'm going to go help dad," Annie said.

When the garage door banged shut Teddy automatically called ,"Annie don't let that door slam."

"She does that at your house two," Leslie asked.

"Only going outside," Teddy said.

"How did you do things in such a short time that I couldn't get her to do in years," Leslie asked.

"She doesn't do dishes or help with dinner here," Teddy looked shocked.

"She does, but you two have a flow," Leslie said.

"We just put the music on and go," Teddy said, "the first thing she wanted to do when her energy started to pick up was cook and bake with me. She really likes it."

"She always has liked to cook," Leslie said, " but with three of them and usually a few friends here and in my kitchen they all roate jobs."

"We tend to do the same jobs every time," Teddy said, "you've taught her well. She's better with dinners and main courses than I am. My mom was more of a baker then a chef. We baked a lot this summer."

"Annie will do anything with music on," Leslie said, "I don't understand it. No one else in the house loves music the way she does. She always has it on."

"I'm the same way," Teddy smiled, "when we're at my place we only turn on the TV to watch the news or a couple favourite shows. Usually we have music on while she studys and I work on my research or we do house work."

"Teddy do you have a boyfriend or some one special," Leslie asked.

"His name is Henry," Teddy replied, "Annie has met him a few times and she likes him."

Leslie asked, "how did you meet him?"

"work ," Teddy replied, "he's a good guy and it's starting to get serious. I'm cautious of what Annie sees. I know she's still very innocent, and I'd like to keep it that way."

Leslie gave Teddy a serious look, " so nothing happened with that David kid?"

Teddy replied, "they broke up a couple weeks ago. Probably would have ended sooner had Annie not gone to Seattle and David didn't spend half the summer in Toronto. She has a good head on her shoulders and knows what she wants. She won't let a boy stop her. And I might have given her a good cautionary tale."

"She's a good girl," Leslie agreed, "but she doesn't talk to me about boys and relationships."

"We talk a lot about it," Teddy said, "I don't know why. I haven't had anything serious since residency."

"She trusts you more than she trusts anyone," Leslie said, "Annie doesn't trust or bond with people easily. But in the last year you've gotten closer to her then anyone ever has."

"I feel like I've known her a lot longer," Teddy replied, "she reminds me of me at her age. But unlike me she will get to medical school without getting pregnant."

"How do you do it," Leslie asked.

"I wait for her to come to me," Teddy said, "she brings things up when she wants answers or to talk about something and I answer as honestly as I can. She knows where she came from and that story. It's slowly coming out in bits and pieces as she's ready. I've promised that I will always tell her the truth. If it's an awkward topic I approach it from a medical standpoint and just give her facts. There's nothing I won't discuss with her. But I expect total honesty from her as well."

"So you're saying if I let her come to me when she's ready we can communicate like that," Leslie asked.

"I don't know," Teddy replied, "it worked for me but her history with me is different."

Saturday

Saturday morning Teddy heard crying coming from Annie's room, "Annie can I come in?"

"Yes," Annie replied.

Annie was standing in front of the mirror trying to cover her scar.

Teddy hugged her, "hey no tears, you're okay."

"It's hideous and ugly," Annie cried.

"It's fading," Teddy soothed, "where's your surf shirt?"

"Dresser," Annie said.

"Go grab it," Teddy said, "it solves your problem."

Annie whined, "it bunches up under the dry suit."

"It's that or let your parents see the scar," Teddy said.

"No one can see it," Annie said.

"I've seen it," Teddy said, "your mom and dad know what happened and that you have a scar. I told them when you had surgery that it would be a big scar."

"But it will scare them," Annie said.

"The only person it bothers is you," Teddy said, "I don't like how it happened but it's there. The scar isn't as bad as it could be. I've seen much worse."

"I still don't like it on me," Annie said.

"I know," Teddy said, "but it's there. Is that part of why you ended things with David?"

Annie nodded.

Teddy shook her head and wiped the tears from Annies cheek, "oh Annie. You didn't have to worry about that. He liked you, he wouldn't care. Annie you could have trusted him."

"I don't want to," Annie said, "it scared me, his hands got to close to it and it scared me."

Teddy sighed, "he knew you had major surgery this summer. The next boy you like that much, don't worry about what he thinks of your body. A real man will love you exactly as you are. Today you have a choice: you can hide it or we can practice being confident."

"I want my surf shirt," Annie said, "it's warmer."

"Okay," Teddy said, "but you can't hide it forever."

"Annie come help me load the boards," Dan called.

"I need pants," Annie called back.

"Fast," Dan said, "we need to get going so we can get in and out on the high tide."

Teddy headed towards the stairs, "Dan how can I help?"

"Leslie is trying to figure out snacks," Dan said.

"I have some of Annie's favourites that were to go back to school," Teddy said.

Annie ran past Teddy up the stairs and out to the garage. Again the door banged shut and Teddy flinched.

Teddy brought a couple favourite treats upstairs and added them to the bag Leslie had on the counter, "I brought a few of Annie's favourites that she says she can't get here."

"Thank you," Leslie replied.

"Mom, Mama the boat is hooked up were ready to go," Annie called into the kitchen.

"We're coming," Leslie called.

They headed out to the truck and Teddy hopped into the backseat beside Annie.. They enjoyed a quiet drive to the boat launch. At the launch Annie hopped into the boat and began to turn on the batteries and electronics. Dan backed the boat down the launch and when the boat was floating Annie turned the key and the boat roared to life. Annie confidently backed the boat off the trailer and to the back of the dock. She brought the bow in for her mothers to hop into the boat.

"I'm going to circle the boat out and warm up the engine while dad parks the truck," Annie said.

"Do you know what you're doing," Teddy asked.

"She does," Leslie said, "she's better than me or either of her siblings."

Annie drove the boat into the dock and picked up her dad before throwing the engine in reverse and pulling off the dock just before the bow hit.

"Annie are you driving or riding," Dan asked.

"I'm going to ride," Annie said, "in the good spot."

"The good spot," Teddy asked.

"The bow," Annie called. She stepped into the bow of the boat and stretched out along one side. Teddy decided to follow, and joined Annie in the bow.

Dan guided the boat into the channel and hit the throttle, the bow came up then slammed down onto plane. They sped forward as the wind whipped two clouds of blonde hair back. When they reached the lake Dan slowed down and flipped the switch to fill the ballast sacks pumping water into the boat.

Annie slipped her yoga pants and hoodie off standing in the boat in her bathing suit, "mom do you have my dry suit?"

Leslie grabbed the dry suit and passed it to Annie. As Leslie passed the dry suit she noticed the large red scar on Annie's stomach. Annie pulled on the dry suit and turned to Teddy, "mama can you zip me up?"

Teddy did the zipper, "are you sure you want to go in the water it's cold."

"I won't be in long," Annie said, "and only my hands and feet will get wet."

"Lets go Annie," Dan said tossing her wake surfboard into the water."

Annie sat on the swim grid and slid into the water, she grabbed the board and the rope. She placed her feet on the board and gave her dad the thumbs up.

Leslie and Teddy sat on the back of the boat. The boat moved forward to take up the slack then pulled to full speed, Annie popped out of the water and was standing on the surf board, she found her balance and began to carve up and down the wake. She then shocked Teddy by throwing the rope back into the boat. Seeing the rope fly into the boat Dan cranked up the music. Annie began to dance and sing as she surfed, cutting up and down the wake and drawing away from the boat then rushing into the boat again. She did this for 15 or 20 minutes before getting tired and letting herself gently sink into the water and sitting on the surf board.

"That was amazing," Teddy said as Annie climbed back into the boat.

"I was just playing," Annie replied.

"You just do that for fun," asked Teddy.

"I like it and it's fun," Annie said, "can some one get the back of my dry suit."

Teddy unzipped the dry suit and helped Annie roll it off her shoulders, " are you cold?"

"Nope," Annie said, "just my feet are wet."

"Hoodie," Teddy said passing the bright blue sweatshirt to Annie, "yoga pants."

"Dad, it's time to dump the ballast and go for a cruise," Annie said.

"You driving," Dan asked.

"I can," Annie said.

"Take the wheel then," Dan said, sliding out of the captain's seat.

Annie flipped the seat up so that she could lean on it like a perch. She drove the boat forward and looped towards the outside of the lake to see the cabins and float homes along the far side.

Sunday

Annie walked upstairs to help her mom with dinner preparations.

"Happy Birthday Annie," Leslie greeted.

"Good morning Mom," Annie said.

She grabbed the loaf of bread for the stuffing and began to rip it into tiny pieces.

Teddy ran up the stairs and hugged Annie, "Happy Birthday Baby Girl!"

"Good morning mama," Annie said.

"How can I help," Teddy asked.

"We're just getting the stuffing made and the bird in the oven," Leslie said.

"I'm making coffee," Annie said.

"I'll have one sweetheart," Teddy said.

Annie made three cups of coffee and put Teddy's black coffee in front of her, she added milk to her cup and her moms.

Annie was waiting for the other shoe to drop for this calm quiet weekend to explode. She wasn't used to this house being calm. But with Jessica away at a residential program for troubled kids there was hope for the future. For the first time Jessica was being forced to get help.

Annie spent the day helping her mom and Teddy making dinner and getting the house ready. Around 4 relatives started to pour into the house. Teddy noticed it was a repeat of Easter with aunties and uncles carrying trays, platters and bowls. Cousins arrived with board games and birthday presents. Teddy had given Annie her gift earlier in the day when they had some down time. Teddy had chosen a charm for Annie's charm bracelet and a necklace similar to the one her mom and dad had given Teddy for her 20th birthday. Annie was wearing the new necklace for dinner that night.

Teddy was amazed by the warmth of the family and was again drawn into conversation with the rest of the adults while Annie played board games with her cousins. Annie looked confident and happy.

Teddy sat down late that night to write in her journal. She reflected on the last year and how far she had come. She also realized how much Annie he shaped the last year and her decisions. Teddy decided she wouldn't want anything different. There was then a soft knock on the door, " come in. "

Annie stood at the door in her pjs, "mama can you tell me more about the night I was born?"

Teddy patted the bed beside her, "come sit with me."

Annie curled up beside Teddy the way she had at the hospital when she was injured.

Teddy began, "20 years ago I was in my first year of medical school and living in an apartment on campus at U oT southwestern with two new friends. It was a Friday night and being the really cool people we are Anne, Kristen and I were studying our notes from the week. You were 8 days late and I was getting anxious for you to be born. I'd been having cramps in and off for a few days beforehand but nothing happened. That night I just couldn't get comfortable. If I sat it hurt more and laying on the couch was the worst. I paced the kitchen leaning on the counter for support. I didn't realize until almost 11pm on the 6th that I was in labour. Instead of getting better as I chugged water and tried to relax the cramps got worse. By 11:30 I was in pain and let Anne call my mom at her hotel. My mom and my friends spent the night pacing the kitchen with me rubbing my back and holding my hand. For hours my mom sat on my bed with me massaging my back and shoulders trying to help me relax. It was hard to relax though because I knew that at the end of it I would get a couple of minutes for a hug and a kiss then give you to your mom. By 7am it was time to go to the hospital. We had to stop every few steps for me to catch my breath and my water broke on the way down the stairs. By this point I was scared but knew there was only one way forward. We checked into hospital and things kept getting worse until it was time to push. And I pushed for a couple hours you didn't want to get out. Finally you were out and my mom took you from the doctor and put you in my arms. I had 10 minutes to give you a cuddle and tell you that I love you and always will. They brought your parents in and I got to give your little head one more kiss and put you in your mom's arms."

"Do you regret giving me up," Annie asked.

Teddy brushed Annie's hair back , "you wouldn't be my Annie if the story had played out differently. Neither of us would be us. There was never a day I didn't think of you or love you. I prayed for you everyday. I'm so happy that we've had the last year. I love you sweetheart. Thank you for letting me in and trusting me. "

"I love you two mama," Annie yawned , "the last year has been awesome. Thank you for letting me back in your life."

"Next year will be even better," Teddy whispered. She saw Annie was almost asleep , "I'll come tuck you in."

Teddy helped Annie into bed and smoothed the blanket over her, "good night little bear."

"Good night mama," Annie replied.

Teddy walked back to her bed and curled up, as much as Annie's e-mail had surprised her a year ago she was glad she had answered. This last year was the best she had had in a long time.