Flour covered the counters and Christmas music filled the kitchen.
"Annie," Teddy asked, "how hot do your thumbprints bake?"
"375," Annie replied, "but the dough needs to chill at least two hours. The longer the better with the almond extract in the dough."
"My gingerbread is 375 as well," Meghan added.
"So we have thumbprints, gingerbread, shortbread, sugar cookies, peanut butter balls and chocolate snowballs," Teddy listed.
"Do we need all these cookies," Annie asked, "it seems like a lot."
"Four houses," Teddy replied, "when we split it all up it's not a ton."
"Double batches of each," Meghan said, "Nate and I hardly eat sweets its all Faroke."
"It's Josh and Duncan," Annie replied.
"Allison, don't lick that it has raw egg on it," Teddy scolded her youngest.
"Mama I'm hungry," Allison said.
"Have some crackers and cheese," Meghan said passing the plate Teddy had made earlier to the little girl.
"I can't believe she's three," Teddy groaned, "Annie's married, Allison is three, Leo goes to preschool I'm old."
"Mama stop saying that," Annie laughed.
"49," Teddy groaned, "almost 50. Married with three kids."
"But your happy," Meghan said, "this is our fourth Christmas doing this. I wish mom could come today but she was busy this morning and wanted the afternoon with Allison."
"The first time we did this I was so big and tired you two did most of the work," Teddy laughed.
"I did most of it," Annie replied, "you two gossiped about army friends. While mama told me what to do and to tell her every step I was doing like it was a surgery."
"I heard from a few this week," Teddy said, "emails from people the standard holiday ones."
"What photos did you send to embarrass me this year," Annie asked, only half teasing.
"Wedding photo and Santa," Teddy replied, "I love our Santa photo with the three of you."
"I shared some on instagram and Cassie thought it was my kids," Annie laughed, "when would I have time to have two kids?"
"The ages work though," Teddy replied, "but it bugs me when that's the assumption."
"I always correct it," Annie said, "and Cassie's daughter is older than Leo."
"How is Cassie," Teddy asked.
"Good she might come down over new years to ski Baker with her boyfriend," Annie replied, "if they come down I'm going to try to see her. It would only be a day trip her parents wont take Hannah overnight."
"You saw Alice recently," Teddy said.
"She came down to do some Black Friday shopping," Annie replied, "we had dinner after work. She's really good. We're invited to her wedding in June and are going."
"Anyone else you know going," Teddy asked.
"Our roommates from college," Annie said, "the girls I lived with at UBC, a couple others from the studio and dance team."
"Didn't Alice go to your high school," Teddy asked.
"No she went to this fancy private school," Annie replied, "we danced together from the time we were 4."
"And you just walked away from them all," Meghan asked.
"It was med school," Annie said, "how many friends did you stay in touch with?"
"None," Teddy replied, "but an old teammate from college reached out to me as a patient."
"Will you take them on," Annie asked.
"I am more importantly you are," Teddy said, "Coleen knew about you. She was a close friend at the time. She was the first person I told after my mom."
"What are we doing," Annie asked.
"You'll meet her tomorrow," Teddy said, "could be a transplant. Your going to take point."
"Take point," Annie said, "I'm a fourth year."
"And you're ready," Teddy replied.
"But your friend," Annie asked.
"Not with me," Teddy replied, "your working with Nathan."
"He gives me the most independence," Annie smiled.
"Whoe's the least," Teddy asked.
"Pierce," Annie replied, "she's a control freak and has an ego."
"I need to pick a new head of cardio," Teddy said.
"Pierce has done it before but I like Nathan better," Annie said.
"Pierce is a better political move," Teddy replied, "too many family members in positions of power. And I wasn't someone specifically coordinating interns and med students."
"Nathan as chief babysitter," Annie asked.
"I think so. Get them off on the right foot," Teddy replied.
"Has any started Christmas shopping," Meghan asked.
"I still need to figure out a couple little things for Josh and his stocking," Annie admitted.
"I need to finish Owen," Teddy replied, "the little two are easy."
"Mom is hard this year," Meghan said.
"We're stuck for her as well," Teddy said.
"Is there something big we can do together," Annie asked.
"We could," Teddy said, "let's talk after Allison is picked up for her nana day."
"What time is that," Annie asked.
Teddy checked her watch, "ten minutes."
"Nana didn't want to? She doesn't want to bake," Annie asked.
"It's a long day for her," Meghan said, "she did lunch for the church today as well."
"That's a lot," Annie agreed, "I've helped her with that, it's a ton of work."
The doorbell rang
"Nana," Allison called.
"Hi girls," Evelyn said letting herself in.
"Hi nana," Annie called back.
"Mom," Meghan yelled.
"Evelyn," Teddy greeted.
"How's the baking going," Evelyn asked joining them in the kitchen.
"Messy," Annie laughed. She was covered in flour from when she forgot to slowly stir the flour into the butter and usage mixture before turning the kitchen aid mixer on.
"Are you ever darling," Evelyn laughed.
"She forgot the guard on the mixer," Teddy laughed.
"I'm not used to using one. We don't have one," Annie laughed, "I do it all by hand. I don't bake often enough to make it worth it. I used to love it but I don't have time."
"You cook though," Teddy replied, "Owen does more of the actual cooking."
"Nana can we go," Allison asked.
"Let's go," Evelyn smiled, "give your mama and auntie meghan a hug."
"Not me," Annie laughed.
"Messy," allison said.
"I know bean," Annie smiled, "do I get a kiss from my favourite sister anyway?"
"Yes," Allison replied.
Annie crouched so Allison could kiss her cheek.
Teddy picked Allison up, "okay baby girl you're going to be good for nana and do exactly what she says? Daddy will come get you after dinner."
"Okay," Allison smiled, "bye mama."
"Have fun," Teddy said, putting the toddler on the floor.
"We will," Evelyn said, taking Allison by the hand and leading her out of the house.
They worked on the massive cookie project in silence for a while before Teddy began to talk.
"Annie have I ever told you about doing this with my mom," Teddy asked, she didn't talk about her parents often but Annie liked when she did.
"No," Annie said, "you said she taught you to bake."
"She did," Teddy smiled, "we'd do this every year. Her and I the weekend before school got out for Christmas we'd kick dad out she'd tell him to go Christmas shopping and she and I would bake. We'd put old Christmas records on actual vinyl records and we'd make as many types of cookies as we could. It would be sandwiches for dinner because we'd spent all day baking and still have more to do. It's one of my favourite memories of her. She'd dance around the kitchen singing carols and telling me stories from her childhood. We did it right up until the year she got sick. Then she sat at the tabe and I did it. My mom was the best baker. I'll never do it quite like she did no matter how hard I try even using her recipes. While we baked she would teach me all those little life lessons about boys, that I didn't listen to. Or letting people see the real me and love me."
"That last one took you awhile," Meghan said.
"Henry loved you," Annie said, "you let him in."
"Slowly," Teddy agreed, "and Owen that was complicated. There was always competition until he came to Germany."
"What about when the three of us met in Boston," Annie asked, "you used me as a buffer."
"She did what," Meghan asked.
"Mama and Uncle Owen would go to the same conferences in Boston or on the east coast my last to years of school and she would use me as a buffer," Annie laughed, "we would all hang out so she wasn't alone with him."
"I was alone with him when you were in class or studying," Teddy replied, "there was an almost kiss the beginning of your third year."
"The conference you surprised me in the cardio lecture," Annie asked.
"Yes," Teddy replied, "I hadn't seen Owen since I went to Germany and you were late for breakfast so I met up with him first and he spun me around and I almost kissed him. I was embarrassed. He had just divorced Christina, I was still missing Henry and it was too soon. But he was Owen and it felt right."
"So you used your daughter to avoid too much alone time with him," Meghan asked.
"I was their chaperone," Annie laughed.
"What did you think would happen if she wansnt there," Meghan asked.
"Germany," Teddy replied.
"What exactly happened that night," Meghan asked.
"Do I need my head phones or ear plugs," Annie asked.
"No," Teddy said, "because that night is between me and Owen. You both know what happened. Allison arrived 9 months later."
"I didn't want to know that," Meghan said, "what did he say?"
"Just that it was finally our time there was nothing standing in our way and I gave him a kiss and we'll you know the rest," Teddy smiled.
"Wasn't that the same night I finished classes and Josh and I started dating," Annie asked.
"It was," Teddy smiled.
"I did not know that," Meghan laughed, "the same time?"
"Our first kiss," Annie said, "we were out with friends dancing and the song we danced to for our first dance came on and it was just perfect. He walked me home that night and kissed me good night at the door after asking me to be his girlfriend."
"That is adorable," Meghan said.
"Then she went inside and tried to call me but with Owen there I didn't answer," Teddy laughed.
"Hi Annie uncle Owen is here would have worked," Annie said.
"It would have," Teddy said, "but I was really enjoying the time with him."
"I get it," Annie said, "it was just a possible solution."
"There was a line you didn't need to know," Teddy laughed.
"Still don't," Annie replied, "I can do math and make assumptions based on my medical training."
"You had finished med school but you wouldnt be a doctor for a couple weeks after that," Teddy teased.
"I wish I had seen them graduate," Meghan said.
"Nathan, Chris and I did," Teddy said, "I cried."
"You were being a sentimental mom which was so unlike you," Annie laughed, "now we know why."
"Owen wasn't there," Meghan asked.
"I didn't invite him. I should have," Annie said.
"But he got the day of her residency offer," Teddy smiled.
"Why didn't you invite Owen," Meghan asked.
"I had invited the McKellars," Annie said, "they cancelled on me two weeks before graduation. It was too late to call and invite Uncle Owen."
"He would have gone," Teddy said.
"I returned the tickets when they cancelled," Annie said, "I celebrated my residency placement when Bailey gave me the conditional offer with Uncle Owen."
"What did you do," Meghan asked.
"We went for dinner with nana," Annie said.
"I didn't know that," Teddy said.
"You were in surgery then there was the family dinner with Josh and Nathan the next night," Annie said.
"The second family dinner," Teddy said.
"Nana wanted it, the first one practicing for interviews over lasagne didn't count," Annie laughed.
"Sounds like mom," Meghan said, "too much medicine at the table."
"She should be used to it," Annie laughed.
"We're better now," Teddy said, "the first time I came home for the holidays she wasn't happy with it all."
"It was more the battle field stories she didn't like," Meghan said, "Beth hated the medicine."
"You really hated her," Annie said.
"It was like you and Becky," Meghan said.
"How did you learn to get along with her," Annie asked.
"I had to learn to talk about things she understood," Meghan said, "and told Owen what I thought he should do when she wasn't around."
"You weren't subtle about that," Teddy laughed.
"What did you say," Annie asked.
"I told him to break up with Beth so he could get his balls back and be with Teddy," Meghan replied.
"You knew," Annie asked.
"Didn't you," Meghan laughed, "I think they were the only two who didnt."
"I did my first trip down then the summer I was in the hospital," Annie said, "I'd come down to visit and scrub in on long weekends or breaks from school. Uncle Owen would come for dinner then I would hide to do home work while they flirted and she denied it. But it was all google eyed, sparkly flirting."
"Grace Annabeth Altman," Teddy laughed, "you're supposed to keep that secret."
"Sorry," Annie laughed.
"I've seen you and Josh have your fair share of google eyed sparkly flirting," Teddy laughed, "and you told me no mama he's just my best friend."
"Where do you think I learned it," Annie laughed.
"Teddy you taught her your bad habits," Meghan laughed.
"A few," Teddy admitted.
"Mama can you tell us more about your mom," Annie asked.
"I can," Teddy smiled. She wanted her kids to know about her parents.
"What was she like," Annie asked.
Teddy rolled out sugar cookie dough as she told the story, "my mom was probably the kindest, gentlest person you could ever meet. She was a bit shy but she loved people. We used to spend a lot of time in the kitchen baking. She would tell me stories while we baked. She usually worked the night shift and would come home when I had to get up for school. She loved to play the piano and would play to wake me up. Her piano was on the other side of one of my bedroom walls. She played a lot of the Beatles but she always played Somewhere Over The Rainbow in the morning. No matter how long or how bad her shift had been she would play for me and make me breakfast. I could never be half the mom she was. The day I found out Annie existed she got the next flight to see me. She never questioned, she never got mad she was just there. I wish she could see this, know my kids. She would be so proud of you Annie. My mom loved the holidays. She would prepare for weeks. We would decorate the entire house, even the bathroom. It was the best time of the year. It was only ever the three of us. Both of my parents were only children. My dad's dad lived with us until he passed when I was 12, Grandpa used to tell me all these stories about his time as a medic in France during world war two. It's what made me want to go into medicine. There was a day when I did my first tour that I heard grandpa's voice in my head, I had this kid on the table. He must have only been about 20 my first major blast injury and all I heard was Grandpa telling me how proud he was and saying ``way to go'' Teddy Bear."
"Why didn't you tell me this sooner," Annie asked, "I've wanted to know more about them for years."
"I was waiting for the time to be right," Teddy smiled, "you remind me of my mom. The first time I heard you laugh, really laugh it sounds the same."
Annie hugged Teddy, "can you tell more stories?"
"Another day," Teddy promised, "let's get this batch in the oven."
"I should start crushing the pecans for the thumb prints," Annie said.
"Why don't you buy crushed ones," Meghan asked.
"Better flavour even if it's more work. Plus it used to be Chris's job to crush them," Annie explained.
"I like how we've pulled three families worth of cookies into this," Meghan laughed.
"We don't have any from Josh's parents," Annie said.
"Are they coming for Christmas," Meghan asked.
"Ian for sure," Annie smiled.
"Just Ian," Meghan asked.
Annie froze, "no one told you?"
"Told me what," Meghan asked.
"Ian left Gloria," Annie replied, "Josh and Nathan are spending the day together today, Josh wanted to talk to Nathan."
"Why," Meghan asked.
"Ian wants to stay sober and keep getting better," Annie replied, "Josh is really happy for Ian."
"Now you have to get to know your father in law," Meghan said.
"Still in Portland but may be taking a job in Olympia," Annie said.
"Is Josh okay," Teddy asked.
"He is," Annie replied, "he thought it would have happened after the surgery when Ian accepted treatment. He doesn't have much of a relationship with Gloria. But he's been talking to Ian most days for the last month. It's good. They're closer than they've ever been. I've even joined them on facetime which has never happened before."
Meghan asked, "are you sure Josh is okay? How long have you known?"
"Ian told Josh on Monday," Annie replied, "Josh was quiet but he's okay. He thinks it was the right choice for Ian. he's sticking to his boundaries with Gloria and not talking to her or seeing her unless she's sober."
"That was so hard to see when you were kids," Meghan said, "Josh was about 9 and no one mothered him. Nate and I were there for a week and Josh clung to me. He was surprised when I made him lunch for school. No one did that, or we sat with him to do homework."
"He talks about that," Annie said, "once we realized in Third year how connected our families were."
"That was still fun to make Nathan uncomfortable," Teddy laughed.
"We were in pharmacology the next morning and he said Nathan was very confused. How did Josh not tell him his best friend was Annie Altman," Annie laughed, "he didn't realize you were the same Teddy from Nathan's war stories."
They pulled the first batch of cookies out of the oven.
"Now the fun begins," Teddy laughed, "finding space for everything to cool."
"The cookie monsters are all out," Annie pointed out.
"We each get one from this batch," Meghan suggested, "and cocoa."
"Whipped cream," Annie asked.
"And candy canes," Teddy added.