On the morning of the wedding Annie woke up early she was always an early bird but today she was so excited she couldn't sleep anymore. She quietly made her way to the kitchen and started the coffee pot.
"Good morning little bear," Owen said, startling Annie out of her day dream.
"Good morning," Annie replied.
"What are you doing up first," Owen asked.
"I'm too excited to sleep," Annie replied, "I was just going to take my coffee and my journal onto the porch."
"Do you want company? Mama and the littles won't be up for a while yet," Owen said.
Annie poured Owen a cup of coffee and they made their way outside.
"You ready for today Annie," Owen asked.
"In a few hours I'll be married," Annie beamed, "I can call Josh my husband."
"I remember the moment I could call Teddy my wife," Owen smiled, "the moment I was told to kiss the bride that was perfect. I'd never felt anything like that.
"It feels like I'm really an adult now," Annie laughed.
"You have been for a while," Owen laughed, "as much as we don't always want to admit it. It's hard for mama to see you doing all this to let her baby go."
"I'm not going anywhere. I'm not even changing my last name." Annie said.
"But you're not our little Annie anymore," Owen said, "I remember the first time I met you. You were just 19."
"In the library at UBC," Annie smiled, "you and Christina couldn't stop staring at us."
"I was surprised how much you looked like Teddy," Owen said, "both of you looking at your text book it was the same gestures and facial expression. She looked happy. The happiest I had ever seen Teddy. I thought she was going to cry when you hugged her."
Annie nodded, "I had waited a long time for that. I knew she wrote to mom and dad I knew at least part of her cared. I had always imagined that moment when I could finally meet her."
"So had she," Owen acknowledged, "are you sure you still want me to walk you today?"
"I do. Do you still want to," Annie asked.
"I'm happy to. I'm looking forward to it," Owen replied.
"Are you sure," Annie asked.
"I want to," Owen replied, "are you ready for today?"
"I am. I'm looking forward to it," Annie said, "I'm not going to let my parents ruin this for me. It's their loss."
"It is," Owen agreed.
"I know they would come if they could," Annie replied.
"They would," Owen agreed, "we're here and we're happy for you."
"It's what we were planning from the beginning," Annie said.
"It is," Owen smiled, "I have to say this. Last chance to say no."
"Uncle Owen," Annie yelled, "I would never."
"I have to ask Annie," Owen chuckled.
"I'm really excited," Annie said, "this is what I want. I've loved Josh since I met him. I just didn't know how to tell him. Then mama freaked out the first time she met him because of Nathan, it didn't help that Nathan freaked out about me being Annie Altman."
"I remember getting that call from Teddy," Owen laughed, "Annie is way to close to Josh Riggs."
"You both love him now," Annie said.
"Because he makes you happy," Owen said.
"He does," Annie said.
"He's a good man," Owen said, "you are a good couple."
"He's the right one," Annie smiled.
"Watching the two of you as sub interns it reminded me of myself and Teddy," Owen smiled.
"What do you mean," Annie asked.
"You worked together so naturally," Owen said, "you just connected. You got nervous and he was right there. You got him to stop and eat when he was hangry. There were little jokes and gestures, you knew each other so well. But you looked me right in the eye and said you didn't like him that way."
"I hadn't told anyone that I love him, not even mama," Annie said, "I knew but I was afraid to tell him and lose him."
"I knew," Owen said.
"How," Annie asked.
"You looked at him the way Teddy looked at me for years," Owen chuckled, "the two of you have the same facial expressions, sometimes it's uncanny. It has to be genetic. But I knew you were in love with Josh. Mama told me you didn't date but spent all your time with Josh."
"Were we that obvious," Annie asked.
"It was," Owen laughed, "he almost kissed you in my ER after your interviews."
"I might have if you weren't right there," Annie laughed.
"I used to pick up your mama like that," Owen laughed.
"I saw it," Annie laughed, "but Josh usually swings me around longer, and I wrap my legs around him."
"You're also shorter than Teddy," Owen smiled, "the day you did that in the ER Nathan and I had a good laugh."
"What did he say," Annie asked.
"Just that he thought there was more," Owen said, "and that it reminded him of me and Teddy."
"Nathan told mama they would be seeing a lot of each other when Josh and I graduated," Annie smiled.
"He told me that when he came back from Boston," Owen confirmed.
"Are you sure you're okay walking with me today," Annie asked.
"I'm honoured you asked me," Owen smiled, "I want to."
"I know I call your Uncle Owen still but you're my dad in the important ways now," Annie said, looking at her hands.
"You're my daughter as much as Allison," Owen said, "I tell people I have three kids and let them assume mama and I were young and irresponsible with you."
"You would have been 18," Annie laughed, "but I'm serious. Since I came home you've been my dad. You were in the gallery for my first apply that I royally messed up. You saw that and were still there to cheer me on."
"The moment I met you you were family Annie," Owen said, "at first you were my niece because I didn't know what else to call you."
"Your best friends kid," Annie said.
"But I wasn't ready to admit it then but I loved her," Owen admitted, "then the summer you were in the hospital I realized how much I cared about you. It was the day of your Harvard interview that really did it."
"I was in the attending lounge with mama and Callie talking about it and you ran in saying I got it. I was surprised," Annie said.
"I couldn't wait to tell you," Owen said, "I was so proud of you that day."
"I think you were more excited then I was," Annie replied.
"You were being cautious," Owen said, "I loved my time there. I knew you would like going."
"It was the best choice I could have made," Annie agreed.
"I thought it would be a good fit for you," Owen said, "I'll admit we did a lot of research to help guide you applying. Teddy liked Columbia from her time there."
"I needed help," Annie said, "I went from thinking I had one option to having lots overnight and not knowing what would be a good fit. You were the experts. Harvard and Columbia were my top two."
"Your education is different from all our other residents," Owen said, "everything up to medical school at least."
"The BC system," Annie replied, "it's one of the best in Canada."
"And you got extra time in the OR from the time you were 19," Owen pointed out.
"Because I had family who included me," Annie replied.
"How else could we help you decide if you liked it or not," Owen asked.
"I don't know," Annie said, "but it was really cool even if my friends didn't get it."
"One of your college friends is coming today," Owen said.
"Alice and her fiancé," Annie said, "I'm still smoothing things out with Cassie. The name change and disappear was hard for Cassie."
"The name change shocked me," Owen said, "an email from Grace Altman with the subject line Annie says hi."
"Using Altman was your idea. Well you put the idea in my head when I was 19 you added it on to my name and I liked it," Annie said.
"I was just teasing," Owen said, "trying to get you to see your own strength and make you smile."
"I thought about it from that point on," Annie said, "I almost hyphenated it."
"What you chose suits you," Owen said, "but you'll always be Annie to me."
"I know," Annie laughed, "it's weird when you call me Grace at work."
"I don't like it either but we have to professionally," Owen smiled.
"There you are," Teddy said as she walked into the porch with a mug of coffee, "how long have you been up?"
"Not long," Annie said, "I was too excited to sleep."
"You relax and I'm going to make breakfast," Teddy said.
"Waffles," Annie asked.
"Always," Teddy smiled.
"One of these days can someone tell me why you two make waffles for special occasions," Owen asked.
Annie looked to Teddy who nodded.
"Henry started it," Annie said, "when I would come down and mama would already be at work in the morning him and I would have waffles before I went to meet her or back to school. Then it became something the three of us did. Even when I went to medical school we did a once a week breakfast even though I only had sad frozen eggo waffles. Then mama and I continued with it on our own, except the first christmas she was in Germany, we had pancakes because she didn't have the waffle maker yet."
Owen smiled, "why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"We didn't want to hurt you," Teddy explained.
"He was an important part of your lives. It's okay," Owen said.
"Can we still keep waffles for special mornings," Annie asked.
"Yes," Owen said, "I've come to like this tradition. You two had your traditions before me, when we became a family we built on both."
"Annie," Teddy said, "Chris brought me something from your mom. For me to read to you. Do you want me to read it to you today or just leave it?"
"What is it," Annie asked.
"A picture book," Teddy said, "like you buy for Ali and Leo."
"I have one for each of them today," Annie said.
"Of course you do," Teddy said, "give them to me and I can read you yours. I'm not as good at the reading aloud thing as you are but I want to do this."
"Can we wake Chris up," Annie asked.
"He's up," Teddy said, "he was just getting coffee when I came out."
Teddy opened the door and motioned for Chris to come out, "bring the book."
"Are you sure," Chris asked.
"I am," Annie called, "but I need my brother."
Chris brought the book outside and sat on the porch steps with Annie and Teddy. Teddy opened the picture book in her lap and began the story. She decided to skip the note in the front cover, Annie could read that later. Seeing the tears in Annie's eyes Teddy wrapped one arm around her, holding her close. Standing behind them, Owen took a picture of them sitting on the steps like that, with both of their hair loose having a quiet moment before the wedding, still in pajamas. They looked more like sisters in this picture.
"Breakfast," Evelyn called.
"Thank you," Annie whispered.
"For what," Teddy asked.
"Sharing my book," Annie said.
"There is a note for you to read when you're alone," Teddy said, "but not today."
"We should eat and start getting ready," Annie said.
"How are you feeling," Teddy asked.
"Beyond excited," Annie said, bouncing into the kitchen, " I hardly slept. I want to see Josh."
"You need to get ready," Teddy said.
"We'll get dressed and drive over to meet the other girls," Annie said, "then do hair and makeup."
"Do you want me with you all day," Teddy asked.
"Yes," Annie smiled.
They all enjoyed breakfast as a family before Annie and Teddy got ready to go.
"Before we go do you have something old," Teddy asked.
"Your mom's earrings you gave me last night," Annie replied.
"Something new," Teddy asked.
"Dress and shoes," Annie smiled.
"What did you borrow," Teddy asked.
"Meghan's necklace," Annie smiled.
"Blue," Teddy asked.
"Yep," Annie smiled, " the necklace has a sapphire so it does two jobs. But theres also blue ribbon on the garter."
"You're going to let him do that," Teddy said.
"We want all the traditional elements," Annie said, "except smashing cake in each other's faces. I have an extra bunch of gerber daisies to toss."
"Some dignity," Teddy agreed.
"Exactly," Annie said.
"You two ready," Owen called, he was going to drive them to meet Annie's friends to get ready.
"I am," Annie said.
"You sure you're ready little bear," Owen asked.
"I am," Annie beamed, "I'm excited."
"We'll see you later," Owen said.
"I'll see everyone in a bit," Annie beamed bouncing towards Teddy's car.