If You haven't read them yet please read the previous two chapters.
Annie was hosting a girls night. It was the first time she would be getting all four of her bride's maids together and the wedding was in 7 months. She had gone with Teddy to pick her wedding dress a couple weeks before. They had gone just the two of them to browse for the first time as Annie wanted to keep the day personal and private. Annie had selected a gorgeous white gown that made her feel like a princess.
Annie threw open the front door revealing Stephanie, her best friend and roommate from medical school. Steph was doing her residency in Tacoma as an OBGYN.
"Steph," Annie shouted.
"Annie Altman," Steph the tall red haired Texan yelled, "let's see that ring."
"Come in first," Annie laughed.
"You and Josh have been engaged nearly a year and I haven't got out here to see you," Steph laughed.
"Seven months until the wedding," Annie smiled.
"Are you seriously getting married in a field," Steph asked.
"We are," Annie confirmed.
"Why," Steph asked.
"Because it's beautiful in the summer with the wild flowers and the river on one edge and the mountains on two sides," Annie said, "it's perfect."
"You and Josh took so long to realize you love each other then you're the first of us to get married," Steph said.
"It's just right," Annie said, "he's the one."
"Where is he," Steph asked.
"He's gone for the night," Annie said," he'll come back around midnight. You'll see him when he gets home."
"Can't sleep without him," Steph teased.
"Just better when he's home," Annie laughed, "we are surgeons who have overnight call in the hospital."
Teddy opened the door and let herself into the house, "Annie!"
"Mama, Steph and I are in the kitchen," Annie called.
"Teddy," yelled Steph.
"It's good to see you Steph," Teddy smiled.
"Who are these cuties," Stephanie asked, kneeling in front of Allison and Leo.
Annie couched beside steph, "these are my little siblings Allison and Leo."
"Nee," Allison squealed.
"Hi Ali bean," Annie smiled hugging the toddler.
"Annie," Leo yelled.
"Hey Lion man can you roar for me," Annie asked.
Leo did his best and loudest roar. Making Annie giggle.
"Ali, Leo this is my friend Steph," Annie said, "she's having a sleep over tonight."
"Nee hug," Allison asked.
"Of course," Annie smiled, hugging the toddler.
"Steph at the wedding can you help me with something," Annie asked.
"Anything," Steph replied.
"Allison is my flower girl," Annie replied, "can you hold her hand and keep her in her spot. We have our roommate doing the same for Leo."
"Of course I can help. Does this mean I'm in the wedding," Steph asked.
"You and the others coming tonight," Annie said.
"Teddy are you staying tonight," Steph asked.
"I'm just saying hello and dropping a few treats Annie asked for off," Teddy explained, "Owen is working and these two need to get home to bed. I have my hands full trying to put them both to bed at once. Leo takes awhile to get ready for bed and all hooked up."
"Is he still having apnea," Annie asked.
"Once in a while," Teddy said, "but he hates the monitor. Hopefully after his next surgery it'll stop. I can't sit outside the OR waiting to hear about my kids again. I need him to go six months without an episode before I'm okay with no monitor. Maggie says three."
"Bailey kicked me off his case, I'll sit with you this time," Annie said, "I should have been allowed to stay as his resident. I brought him in and have been with him every step of the way."
"You have to be his big sister," Teddy said.
"He's what made me pick peds cardio," Annie said.
"I know," Teddy smiled, "his big sister saved him."
"He's my little lion," Annie laughed.
Leo roared again before saying, "Annie I'm hungry."
"Ask mama first but there's some fruit and veggies on the coffee table," Annie offered.
"Brownies," Leo demanded.
"Those are for Annie and her friends," Teddy said, "we have some at home for dessert."
"I want one now," Leo said, stamping his foot.
"At home or none," Teddy said, "you can have fruit or vegetables."
"I don't want veggies," Leo yelled.
"I have watermelon, kiwi or pineapple," Annie offered.
"No. I want brownies," Leo yelled.
"I guess you're not really hungry then," Teddy said, "Annie gave you two healthy choices. This is your sister's party."
"Brownies," Leo demanded.
Teddy crouched to his level, "Leo I said no brownies. You can have one at home after dinner."
"Now," Leo demanded.
"None," Teddy said, "I told you when you could have one and you argued. You will not be having dessert tonight."
"Brownie," Leo screamed.
"No," Teddy replied, Annie recognized the tone Teddy used with unruly patients and disrespectful residents. Annie thought of it as her major bossy pants tone.
"Now," Leo yelled, stamping his foot.
"No," Teddy replied firmly, "you can go sit on the bench until you calm down. I will come talk to you in three minutes."
"Annie," Leo yelled trying to hide behind his sister.
Annie sidestepped, "you heard mama. I can't save you from time out."
"Leo I'm going to count to five and you will be on the bench," Teddy directed, "one, two, three, four."
Leo ran to the bench and sat down looking defeated. He had learned when Teddy started counting that he wouldn't like the consequences if she got to five.
"Where balloons," asked Allison.
"Not today," Annie said.
"Party balloons," Allison said.
"Not today," Annie smiled.
"How old is Allison now," Steph asked.
"She turned two three weeks ago," Teddy said, "we're still working on full sentences with her."
"It'll come," Annie said.
"You have to make her use them," Teddy said, "you give in when she doesn't use full sentences to ask for things."
"But she's so cute," Annie argued.
"She won't learn," Teddy said.
"She's just two," Annie laughed.
"Leo uses sentences," Teddy said.
"Because he's three next week and was getting speech therapy at the hospital," Annie pointed out.
"Terrible twos," Stephanie laughed.
"Two of them," Teddy agreed.
"He can ski next winter," Annie pointed out.
"That will be good for Evelyn to only have Allison," Teddy responded.
"I'll help get him started," Annie said.
"Owen and I will," Teddy said, "you'll go have fun with Josh."
"Josh and I have three days in a row off next weekend after Leo's party. We're going to the cabin," Annie said, "Evelyn said we could go."
"It'll be good for you to get away," Teddy said.
"Have you started planning a honeymoon," Steph asked.
"Road trip," Annie replied, "Vancouver Island."
"B.C.," Teddy said, "I'm surprised."
"Camping up the island. Taking the ferry from here into Victoria," Annie said, "no need to go through Cloverdale."
"How long will you go for," Teddy asked.
"Bailey gave us two weeks including the wedding," Annie said, "we'll get about 10 days away."
"It'll be good for the two of you to go away and have time," Teddy agreed, "enjoy being married."
"Ten days just the two of us," Annie smiled, "no work calls, no patients just Josh and I."
"No kids," Teddy laughed.
"You chose to take Ali," Annie reminded.
"She was 7 months old," Teddy replied, "I couldn't leave her that long."
"We offered to babysit so did Evelyn and Meghan," Annie replied.
"She was too young and you took her on our wedding night," Teddy said.
"What's your plan for that," asked Steph.
Annie smiled, "that's up to Josh to plan. My plan is to look hot."
Teddy laughed, "umm your siblings."
"They don't understand yet," Annie said.
"Their sponges," Teddy laughed, "Allison can't use sentences but says random medical words."
"When your whole family are surgeons what do you expect," Stephanie asked.
"Dinner table talk is often surgery," Annie replied.
"Your wedding comes up a lot lately," Teddy pointed out.
"How's that coming," Steph asked.
"Good," Annie smiled, "we bought my dress a couple weeks ago. I have a picture."
"Who went with you," Steph asked.
"Just mama and I," Annie explained, "we were just looking for ideas and styles but I had to try it on and it's perfect."
Teddy had pulled up the photos on her phone, "Steph. This is the dress."
"That's perfect," Steph gushed, "Annie it's totally you."
"And it only needs to be hemmed but I haven't decided on shoes yet," Annie smiled.
"Heels," Steph suggested.
"Probably maybe silver," Annie said.
"Colours," Steph asked.
"Royal and lavender," Annie said, "bridesmaids in royal. I have an idea I want to talk to everyone about. Jenna, Julia and Cassidy should be here any time."
"All of us with silver heels," Steph suggested.
"That would work," Annie agreed.
"Teddy do you know what you're wearing," Steph asked.
"I haven't looked yet," Teddy said, "we needed Annie's dress first."
"But you'll walk Annie down the aisle," Steph said.
"Owen is," Teddy replied, "Annie wants her stepdad to do it."
Steph nodded, "Owen used to come for conferences in Boston and hang out with Annie."
"It was always good to have mama or uncle Owen in town," Annie said, "that was like having my parents come visit."
"That's exactly what it was," Teddy replied, "Owen would do a couple meals with you to make sure you were eating."
"I have one bad year with an eating disorder and you will never trust me again," Annie replied.
The doorbell rang and Annie let the rest of the girls in. Steph hadn't met the girls Annie was doing her residency with.
"Hi Leo," Jenna greeted the little boy on the bench.
"Jenna he's in time out for being cheeky and demanding treats before dinner," Teddy called, "he's not to get off that bench until I go get him."
"Who would have thought mama Altman would be the disciplinarian," Julia laughed, "I thought it would be Hunt."
"Please he's the push over," Annie laughed, "always has been."
Teddy laughed, "don't tell him that."
"He knows," Annie said, "even with me he's the push over."
"We're both pretty strict," Teddy said, "compared to some of their friends' parents."
"They'll be better for it," Cassidy said, "my parents were really strict."
"Steph I don't think you've met everyone," Annie said.
"I haven't," Steph replied.
"This is Julia, Jenna and Cassidy," Annie said pointing to everyone, "this is Steph she was my roommate in medical school."
"How did you all meet," Steph asked.
"We were in the same group intern year," Jenna said.
"Mama Altman's OR," Julia replied.
"I tried to flirt with Josh our first day as interns while she was doing the intern appy," Cassidy replied.
"No one gets between Annie and Josh," Steph laughed.
"She gets Annie," Jenna laughed, "I'm your best friend."
"Is she still making y'all call her grace," Steph asked.
"We've been trying to call her Annie for years," Julia said.
"She wants to use Grace professionally," Teddy said.
"Maybe Annie away from the hospital," Annie conceded.
"Finally," Jenna cheered.
"I'm going to go get these little ones fed, washed and to bed," Teddy said, "have fun tonight."
"We will. Thanks for bringing the stuff over and making it for us," Annie said.
"Call me tomorrow sweetheart," Teddy said giving Annie a hug.
"I will," Annie promised.
"By mama Altman," Annie's friends called as Teddy left with the little ones.
Annie pulled two bottles of white wine from the fridge, "white to start?"
"I'm in," Steph said, "remember our first few weeks in Boston when I had to buy your wine for you because you weren't 21 yet."
"You has good taste," Annie replied, "but my tastes have matured. This is the good stuff."
"You always have good wine," Cassidy said.
"I don't like the cheap crap," Annie replied, "this isn't expensive but it's one of my favorites."
Annie poured the wine and they all settled in the living room sharing hospital stories and talking about tyrannical attendings and venting about long hours. Annie was pleased that her friends meshed so well. They all shared stories of residency and med school.
"I kind of want to ask all of you something," Annie said.
"Spill it Altman," a slightly tipsy Steph yelled.
"I'm hoping you want to be my bridesmaids in August," Annie said.
"Yes," came a choir of squeals.
"What are we wearing," asked Cassidy, "do you have any ideas for your dress."
"I have my dress it should be here in about 8 weeks," Annie said, "tons of time to alter it."
"You got your dress without us," Jenna pouted.
"Mama and I were browsing to see what I liked and I tried it on and it's perfect," Annie said, "here's the pictures."
They all looked at Annie's phone.
"It's perfect," Julia gushed.
"You look gorgeous," Cassidy praises.
"I feel like a princess in it," Annie said.
"That is your dress," Jenna agreed.
"What are we wearing," Julia asked.
"Royal blue," Annie said, "knee length and not strapless other then that you get to pick."
"We get to pick," Steph looked shocked.
"Find something you feel gorgeous in," Annie said, "silver shoes any height heel."
"Why not strapless," Cassidy asked.
"You spend all day worrying about falling out of it and it staying in place," Annie said, "any neckline you want any type of skirt. Something you can dance in. We will dance."
"Of course we're dancing," Jenna agreed.
"Who gets to be your maid of honour," asked Julia.
Annie paused, "that was a really hard decision. That's actually why I haven't talked to you about this sooner."
"No one's feelings are going to be hurt," Cassidy said, "but you have to pick someone."
"I'm really hoping Jenna will do it," Annie said.
"Of course," Jenna beamed.
"That's who I thought you would pick," Julia said.
"Who are the Groomsmen," Cassidy asked.
"Jeremy is the best man, then Duncan, Max and Chris. Josh actually asked my brother to be a groomsman," Annie said, "Steph and Duncan are little sibling patrol."
"Your siblings are in the wedding," Jenna asked.
"I need a flower girl and a ring bearer," Annie said, "who better then my baby siblings."
"Theyre not babies anymore," Julia teased.
"Shh Ali is my baby sister and she still likes cuddles and storytime," Annie laughed.
"You and Josh are planning on having kids," Steph asked.
"We want kids but not till we're done residency," Annie said, "we couldn't be there for one right now."
"Who not," Steph said, " I know three residents at my hospital that are new moms."
"Surgical," Annie asked, "we had a scare a few weeks ago I'm not going there again."
"You had what," Cassidy shouted.
"A pregnancy scare," Annie admitted, "I made it to 27 before I had one. Josh was totally calm. I was a mess. Turns out my thyroid meds stopped working and I was really anemic. It's all good now. But it made Josh and I talk about kids."
"What does he say," asked Jenna.
"When I'm ready he wants a couple kids," Annie smiled, "we both want two."
"This is not a party topic," Cassidy said, "more wine then we need to talk pre wedding fun."
"No crazy bachelorette," Annie said, "and I'm spending the night before the wedding at the cabin with mama. We have a little tradition from the night before her wedding to continue."
"What are you doing," Jenna asked.
"Bottle of prosecco and photo albums," Annie replied.
"Haven't you and her been going through old pictures and letters," Jenna asked.
"Letters not photos," Annie replied, "it's been really nice to read what Leslie said about me every month."
"You don't want to do girls night the night before," Julia asked.
"It's just going to be me and mama," Annie replied, "maybe Owen and the littles. I want to be with my family that night. Josh is staying elsewhere the night before."
"You guys are being traditional," Steph said.
"We are. He went to talk to my parents before he proposed. I couldn't imagine asking uncle Owen that," Annie said.
"Just for their blessing," Steph drawled.
"Why would he ask Hunt," Jenna asked, "he's your step dad."
"I think they were both home when Josh went to talk to them," Annie replied.
"The whole time we were in Boston the only one of her parents I met was Teddy," Steph said, "we were roommates for four years and I never saw her other family. If she hadn't told me I would have thought she was an only child with a single mother."
"That's what we were for a few years," Annie said, "then Owen decided he missed her and finally realized that he loved her and couldn't wait anymore so he hoped on the first flight to Germany and showed up at her place. Ten weeks later she was moving back to Seattle and working at Grey Sloan and nine months after the most impulsive thing Owen has ever done Allison was born."
"Wait," Cassidy yelled, "mama Altman and hunt weren't together when she got pregnant."
"We all thought it was a long distance thing," Julia said.
"He was her best friend," Annie replied, "they weren't together until she came back to Seattle."
"So you're saying they had a one night stand," Jenna asked.
"And they can never know I told you," Annie replied, "I didn't know they were dating until we came home from
Joes one night and they were cuddling on the couch and she was asleep."
"I remember that," Jenna said, "first time I realized Hunt might be human."
"He's the soft one," Annie said, "major bossy pants is an act from both of them. My first surgery the first time I touched a patient I was 19 and in Owens OR. I got to hold a retractor while him and Kepner operated."
"You're the only one who can talk back to him," Julia said.
"It's uncle Owen," Annie said, "he's been family as long as I've known her."
"I always forget you didn't grow up with her," Jenna said, "you're so close and so much alike sometimes it's uncanny."
"Annie's quieter and softer," Julia said.
"How does that work with having the same last name," Steph asked.
"We all call her mom mama Altman and she's mini Altman. We have Riggs sr and Riggs jr then then we use Hunt and Meghan for the Hunts," Julia explained.
"Three," Steph said.
"And by the end of the summer it will all be married couples in cardio and trauma," Cassidy said.
Steph asked, "Annie and Josh, Teddy and Owen who else?"
"Meghan and Nathan," Annie said, "you remember Josh's uncle that used to come visit. He's married to uncle Owen's sister."
"Their family is weird," Jenna laughed.
"Josh and I were never expected to meet," Annie said, "mama and Nathan were very confused when they found out how close we were in school."
"He should have lived with us once we moved to the little place," Steph said, "by half way through second year you were a couple."
"I was scared," Annie said.
"That first kiss was something else," Steph said, "then two weeks later he was sleeping over."
"That wasn't the first time he stayed over just the first time in my room," Annie laughed.
"Different things. Sleeping in your room and crashing on the couch drunk," Steph laughed.
"True. Then we lived together right away when we got here," Annie said, "he was in the other bedroom for about a week. Then like two weeks in separate rooms didn't make sense."
"Josh is your first isn't he," Julia asked.
"No," Annie replied, "I had a long term boyfriend in undergrad. My last year at UBC."
"Never met him," Steph laughed.
"It lasted six weeks into med school. He couldn't understand how busy we were or having me so far away," Annie said, "but no one between that and josh."
"You dated," Steph said.
"First and second dates," Annie said, "how many horrible ones did I have."
"The Sasquatch," Steph laughed.
They continued chatting and sharing stories until Josh came home. He found five rather drunk women in the living room. Josh smiled, Annie rarely relaxed this much but these were her best friends.
"Josh," Steph slurred.
"Hey Steph," Josh said coming into the room.
"Annie he's interrupting girls night," Jenna whined.
"Hi Jenna," Josh greeted.
Annie ran to hug Josh.
Julia laughed, "gross mushy ness"
"I'm just going to steal a couple brownies and go hang out in our room," Josh said.
"We're not going to stay too much later," Cassidy said.
"We're out of wine," Julia complained.
"We're on to vodka and tequila," Steph said.
"Not Annie with vodka," Josh laughed.
"Come have a couple drinks with us," Annie said.
"We know you're inseparable but your fiance doesn't get to join girls night," Steph teased.
"I'm going to bed," Josh said, "don't let her get too drunk."
"Too late," Annie said, "if I can't drink with my bridesmaids who can I drink with?"
"You finally asked them," Josh said.
"I finally got everyone in the same room," Annie said.
"We need to talk bachelorette," Steph said.
"Simple," Annie replied, "friends, fun, wine."
"Wine tasting, vineyards," Jenna suggested.
"We could," Julia agreed.
They chatted for a while longer before Jenna, Julia and Cassidy's uber arrived to take them back to the house they were renting. Steph spent the night on the air mattress in the office. Finally when things were kind of tidy, Annie crawled into bed with Josh.
"I'm drunk," Annie giggled.
"You are," Josh agreed, "Gatorade and sleep for you,"
"I'm really drunk," Annie laughed.
"Contacts out, pjs, gatorade, brush teeth and come to bed," Josh directed.
"I'm going," Annie said.
She chugged the bottle of gatorade and got ready for bed. Sliding into her side of the bed Josh pulled Annie close to him to cuddle.
I would love ideas for a few fun things or challenges that could happen between now ( February ish in the story) and the wedding (August) or fun things for after. I would love to do some TOWEN scenes and some stuff with Allison and Leo but need Ideas. I have Annie's final year of residency drafted. I need to finish her third year and write her fourth.