Monday afternoon Annie finally was able to FaceTime with Leslie and Dan. She had been waiting weeks to finally get them on facetime. She had to see their faces when she told them. Her relationship with them was still very much dictated by Jessica but she wasn't going to let her sister steal the joy of telling her parents she was pregnant. Although for her the true telling her parents had happened weeks before when they told Teddy and Owen. Annie had been enjoying sharing the little milestones with Teddy like the day she had to grab bigger scrub pants. She had her mama to talk to, her Nana and to her biggest surprise Grandmere. Telling Leslie felt more like telling a distant relative.
"Hi mom," Annie greeted.
"Annie, how are you," Leslie greeted.
"Good," Annie said, "is dad there?"
"Hi bear," Dan said.
"Josh will be here in a second," Annie smiled, "we have news."
"You look excited," Leslie said.
"I have your story book," Josh said, passing Annie the book.
"You have a story for us," Leslie asked.
"I'll read it to you then Chris will bring it up," Annie said..
"What's the story," Leslie asked.
Annie held the book up in front of her iPad.
"I can't read it," Leslie said.
"I'm reading it to you," Annie laughed.
"What's the title," Dan asked.
"How to babysit a grandma," Annie replied.
"What," Leslie asked.
"How to babysit a grandma," Annie repeated.
"What are you trying to tell us," Dan asked.
"Wait am I grandma," Leslie asked.
"Your first grandchild is due May 12," Annie said, "I'm pregnant."
"May," Leslie said, "so how far?"
"15 weeks ," Annie said.
"And you're just telling us," Dan said.
"This was a conversation not a text or email. I wanted to see your faces when I told you," Annie said.
"And we haven't FaceTimed each other in a few months," Dan said, "how long have you known?"
"Nine weeks that's why I've been on you to facetime. Chris is here and goes to your place Wednesday. He'll bring the story and a copy of the 12 week scan for you," Annie said, "and we haven't facetimed since April. I go for another ultrasound Friday and will email you a picture."
"When did you tell Teddy," Leslie asked. Leslie still didn't like when Teddy knew things before she did but also realized that Annie saw Teddy daily.
"The day after we found out," Annie said, "I had to, she's my Chief of surgery and it changes a couple things at work for me with radiation she had to know."
"Who knows," Dan asked
Josh replied, "the family here because we all work together, we told Chris and a few close friends yesterday. We would have told Chris sooner but Annie really wanted him here to see his reaction. Annie had to see your faces when you found out."
"Is it healthy and growing," Leslie asked.
"It is," Annie replied, "nothing to show yet. I just look bloated."
"Will you send me pictures as it grows," Leslie asked.
"I will," Annie said, "from the good side without the scar."
"The scar is still there," Dan asked.
"Always will be," Annie replied, "it'll stretch so we'll see how that goes. All pictures will be from one side. Only Josh gets to see the big scar."
"Send us pictures now anyway," Leslie said.
"Why not you've been taking them for yourself," Josh said.
"In leggings and a tank top, not cute ones," Annie said.
"I don't care Annie," Leslie said, "send them anyway."
"Maybe. I have to think about it," Annie replied.
"Will you come up and see us before you have the baby," Leslie asked.
"You can come down," Josh stated.
"You seriously won't come up," Dan asked.
"Not until Jessica gets treatment," Annie replied, "we tried to come after our wedding and Jessica threw a fit and called me a whore after you couldn't be bothered to come to my wedding. She tried to use her boyfriend to sabotage my career and marriage. That was only last year. I don't accept that treatment and I will not allow it around my child."
"We understand," Leslie said, "if she's stable enough we'll come down."
"Force treatment," Annie said, "but I'm not having this conversation today. And I'm not dealing with you turning my child's life into a competition between the two of you and mama and uncle Owen. We work with them. We live ten minutes apart; they are part of my day to day life. You've made choices not to be part of my day to day life. I will not do the next six months of your competition and jealousy. I will not have you playing the mind games you've played with me with my child. I will not allow my child to wonder why they aren't good enough for you, where they went wrong. They will never be made to feel the way your actions and Jessica's made me feel. You are going to decide before they are born if you are in or out. It's your choice. But you need to decide once and for all if you are in my life or not. Being in my life means that you are there not just for me but for Josh and our baby. It's your choice. I won't beg. I'm done begging. I need to see your actions, words aren't enough. I need to see actions."
"We'll try bear," Dan promised.
"Dan Annie doesn't want to you to try. That word has lost meaning with us. I would like to actually meet you but that means you getting in your car, crossing the border and driving to Seattle. I have sat by and watched you hurt Annie for as long as I've known her. It's hell to watch her go through it, but I wouldn't be a good parent if I allowed it to happen to my child," Josh said.
"We're doing everything we can and will see you soon," Dan said.
"I'll believe it when I see it," Annie replied.
"Are you feeling okay," Leslie asked, "not too sick."
"Being sick stopped a few days ago which I'm grateful for. But there's still some foods I can't stand," Annie replied, "my energy is back. I'm starting to see changes but nothing you'd see yet."
"Does everything look okay," Dan asked.
"It does," Annie smiled, "I've felt really good the last few days. We're just taking it as it comes."
"Any cravings," Leslie asked.
"I want proper butter tarts with raisins," Annie said, "can you send me the recipe.I just need the filling I have a pastry recipe I'm comfortable with."
"I will," Leslie promised, "when did you decide on this?"
"After the Haiti trip," Annie replied, "we came home and we just knew it was time. We've only been married a year but we've basically been together since I was 21."
"We know," Dan said, "we're going to try to come down soon and see you."
"Come do some Christmas shopping in Seattle and we'll meet for coffee," Josh suggested.
"There's those outlets just north of Seattle we usually do well at," Leslie said, "we could find something near there."
"Depends on work schedules," Annie replied, "if we're on call and not truly off we have to stay within 20 minutes of the hospital."
"How will that work with a baby," Leslie asked, "will you take your year of maternity leave?"
"I get 12 weeks paid leave," Annie said, "from when they're born. And I have to start my fellowship Sept 1 that's the last day you can start them. So it would give me closer to 16 weeks if we stretched it. We're trying to stay at Grey Sloan but it's too early for mama to make offers."
"Anything in BC," Dan asked.
"Not licensed to practice medicine in Canada and Josh can't work there," Annie replied, "we'd have to redo our residency and get Josh the immigration papers. We'll stay in the states, hopefully Seattle."
"Not worth it then," Leslie agreed.
"We're only three hours away when you're ready to come," Annie promised, "you've been to the house before when I lived here with mama."
"Why is your brother there," Dan asked.
"Chris had time off and I told him I needed to talk to him," Annie said, "he comes down as much as he can."
Chris joined them, "I go see Annie more then I see you. I'm part of the family here. They all accept me. I stay with Annie, hang out with her and Josh. Visit auntie Teddy and uncle Owen. Play with Allison and Leo. "
"Why," Leslie asked.
"They make me feel wanted. I can show up with no warning and they all drop everything to see me," Chris explained, "and with this baby I'm going to go see them more. It's a 14 hour drive to see her. She may be married and a fucking badass but she still needs family. You've given up but I never have and won't."
"We're trying," Dan said.
"You always say that dad," Annie said, "I need a real effort from you. I don't believe you're trying."
"Annie don't do this," Leslie said, "we want to be there for you and your baby."
"Then show me actually make an effort to come visit," Annie said, "I have a stressful enough job I don't need you adding to it."
"What are you saying," Dan asked.
"I want to see you but you need to put the effort into seeing me like I've been saying for years." Annie said, "if you actually cared if you really wanted to be around you would have come years ago."
"Dan, Leslie, Annie doesn't need you pressuring her to visit. We have a demanding final year of residency please don't add to Annie's stress. We are happy to see you and want you to come down and see us but we won't be coming up at all," Josh said, "neither of us have medical coverage in BC."
"What about Christmas, " Leslie asked.
"Working Christmas Eve, mama's for Christmas morning and dinner at Nana's and New Years at the cabin," Annie said, "our usual Christmas "
"I'll be here most of Christmas break," Chris said, "I'll go to the Hunts cabin like I usually do with them."
"Are you inviting yourself," Leslie asked.
"Nana assumes he's coming," Annie said, "he was here for our thanksgiving dinner yesterday."
"Whoes Nana," Dan asked.
"Evelyn Hunt," Josh smiled, "she wants us all to call her Nana."
"You really have a whole family there," Leslie said for the millionth time.
"We do," Chris said.
"We want you to come see us soon," Annie said, "the invitation is always open."
"Your sister is home we have to go," Dan said.
"Congratulations Annie," Leslie beamed, "we're excited for you."
"Send us pictures," Dan smiled.
"We will," Annie promised, "talk to you soon."
Annie closed her iPad.
"That was better than I thought," Annie said.
"I'll get them down Ann," Chris promised.
"When they couldn't be bothered with my wedding I stopped caring," Annie admitted, "but you can't walk away from me two."
"I want to walk away from them," Chris said.
"Why," Annie asked.
"Something Owen and I talked about last night while you were in the kitchen with everyone freaking out," Chris said
"We were not freaking out," Annie laughed.
"You threatened to slap anyone who touched you," Chris pointed out.
"They wanted to pet my stomach," Annie whined, "that is not okay."
"Still with no touching you," Chris said.
"Given our childhood and what we went through with Jessica I'm surprised you don't have issues with it," Annie said.
"I do," Chris said, "why do you think it took so long ask Becky to marry me."
"Because she's awful," Annie said, "she hates me. She manipulates you. She seems to think she's the boss."
"You scare her," Chris said, "after the time she came down with me and saw you working it scared her."
"She's not my favorite," Annie said, "but she's going to be auntie Becky to my baby. Bring her for Christmas."
Annie's phone buzzed.
"Hi mama," Annie answered.
"Hi sweetheart, how's your day I didn't see you at work," Teddy replied.
"I was off. Did you check the schedule," Annie replied, "I'm okay with my Tuesday to Saturday schedule. It's letting me have Monday to do errands and appointments."
"You're only on that a couple more weeks," Teddy said, "you need one more round of nights. I want to do it in December and January. I was waiting for you to feel better and your energy to pick back up."
"I'm guessing mid December to mid February," Annie asked.
"I need you to do 8 or 9 weeks of it," Teddy said.
"I know," Annie said, "do you have time for tea after the littles go to bed?"
"I do," Teddy said, "do you want to meet at the Starbucks between our houses?"
"I do," Annie replied.
"Owen can do bedtime," Teddy replied, "does 7 work?"
"It does see you then," Annie smiled.
"See you soon," Teddy replied.
Teddy knew Annie was trying to get a hold of Leslie and Dan today while Chris was there.
"Annie," Owen asked.
"Yep I think they got a hold of Leslie and Dan she sounded off," Teddy replied, "your on bed time I'm going to meet her at 7 for tea she needs me."
"What did she say," Owen asked.
Teddy replied, "not much just asking to see me. She hasn't needed me this much in years. Her voice was off, she sounded little and small. Owen, I haven't heard that tone since she lived with the McKellars."
"Go Teddy," Owen said, "I can do bedtime for the dynamic duo."
Teddy sighed, "I don't know why she keeps trying ,why she can't walk away. It just hurts her every time."
"It's still the parents who raised her," Owen replied, "I think she feels some loyalty to them. She probably always will."
Owens' phone pinged on the table, "Chris is texting me."
Chris, "sorry to bug you. We may need you to call dad again."
Owen, "what happened?"
Chris, "not a warm reaction to the baby. More worried that you and Teddy knew first and that I spent more time with Annie then them."
Owen, "she's seeing Teddy after dinner let them talk."
Chris, "Okay. I'm excited for this."
Owen turned to Teddy, "Chris said Leslie and Dan weren't super warm."
Teddy nodded, "Chris said he was doing Christmas and New Years with us."
Owen nodded, "maybe people were right years ago that both those two are yours."
Teddy shook her head, "that means we're stuck with Becky. I used to joke with Henry that we could take both Annie and Chris as a package deal."
"New Years Annie's first year of med school there was this moment where we could have been a family with Annie and Chris," Owen said.
"I remember that," Teddy smiled, "you were helping him with an application for a course he wanted to move up to corporal or master corporal and her and I were trying to make brownies and dinner at the same time."
"We needed to focus and you two were singing and giggling but I couldn't get mad because Annie was finally relaxing after the stabbing," Owen said.
Teddy, "that was a good night. But I only remember the four of us being there. It felt like we had two kids. But your mom was there and so were Christina and Henry."
"My mom was next door with friends, Christina was studying," Owen said.
"Henry was doing something for work," Teddy remembered, "but that hour it felt like our kids."
"It did," Owen replied, "why didn't we figure it out sooner?"
"It wasn't our time," Teddy smiled, "we loved each other but we hurt each other for years because we couldn't see it. We weren't ready to be together. You have no idea how many times I wished we were."
"Me too," Owen admitted, "I knew I loved you but I was scared you knew too much about me."
"I wasn't ready until you showed up at my door," Teddy smiled, "best grand gesture ever."
"It was a good one," Owen said, "you had a pretty big one yourself coming home."
At seven Teddy met Annie at Starbucks, they got their drinks and found a table.
"What's going on you sounded small on the phone," Teddy said.
"I facetimed with mom and dad," Annie said, "I told them about the baby. They didn't take it too well."
"How so," Teddy asked.
"They asked all the right questions but there was no excitement from them. They were flat," Annie whined, "why can't they ever be excited for me? I get not understanding my career I understand but not to be excited for my wedding or my baby. "
"I know," Teddy said, "I don't understand it either."
"They were upset you knew first," Annie cried, "but you're here. You're here every day with me. I haven't seen her in 8 years. They won't try to come down it's empty promises. It's always been empty promises."
"Let it out sweetheart," Teddy encouraged.
"I told them I wouldn't let them treat my baby the way I was treated. I won't let my baby wonder if they were good enough or why Leslie and Dan can't love them. I can't have my child caught up in their petty games and jealousy. I need them in or out of my life and to make a final decision so I can move forward. I can't move forward when they keep playing these games with me," Annie sobbed.
Teddy stood from her chair and crouched beside Annie, "I hear you. I wish I could take all this hurt away from you. Annie you need to decide what is best for your family."
"I want to give up," Annie cried, "mama I can't keep doing this. I need to go through with cutting of contact with them."
Teddy thought as she sat back in her chair again.
"What is best for your baby," Teddy asked, "what will give your baby the best chance of being happy and healthy?"
"To walk away once and for all," Annie said, "but it's weak it's giving up."
"Annie I walked away from your birth father to give you the best chance to be healthy and happy," Teddy said, "our best chance was for him not to be in our lives."
"I just dont want to hurt anyone," Annie said.
"So your hurting yourself," Teddy said.
"If I make the choice not to have anything to do with mom and dad do I have your support," Annie asked.
"This is your choice," Teddy said, "but I am always on your side baby girl. Always what ever you decide but it has to be your decision. Yours alone. You can bounce ideas off me or Josh but you have to choose."
"I just wanted them to care," Annie said, "they didn't even smile. They asked all the social niceties but they didn't truly care."
"What did you need from them," Teddy asked.
"I wanted them to be excited for me," Annie whined, "they always said that your family and raising a family was the most important thing I could do. Then I'm having a baby and they can't even fake a smile."
"Having your family is important and the three of you are the best things I've done but it's not everything," Teddy said, "you know I think that the view of a woman's life is only about her husband and children is antiquated. We are so much more then our children. Yes you, Owen, Allison and Leo are the most important people in my life and I will always put you first but that's not all I am. I am more than just a wife and mother. I'm a surgeon, a leader, a teacher, a friend. I have my own accomplishments and things I love to do that make me who I am. You are more than a wife and mother. Yes Josh and the baby are the most important people in your life and you will do anything to make sure they are happy and healthy, you are more than that. You're a surgeon, you heal people, you're the glue that holds your friends together, you're a gentle teacher. These are all things you do by simply being you."
"Then why isn't it enough for them," Annie asked.
"I wish I had that answer," Teddy said sadly.
"I think I need to email them and tell them to forget it when I get home," Annie said, "but what do I do about Grandmere and Papa?"
"You keep talking to them," Teddy said, "don't they come down again soon?"
"The week before Christmas," Annie said, "we're going to see the Nutcracker and for dinner on the Saturday then if the weather is decent doing Pike Place the Sunday."
"Good," Teddy smiled, "you see them and they don't tell Leslie and Dan about you now so it's okay."
"I need to find a dress closer two for the ballet," Annie said.
"What you wore for Thanksgiving was pretty," Teddy said, "the wrap style should work for awhile."
Annie pulled her top tight against her stomach, "it's starting to show. The wrap might work still if it's not too short in the front."
"Annie," Teddy gasped, "why didn't you show me that before."
"Because it's only been there a couple days and thanksgiving wasn't the time," Annie said.
"That's why you asked me about new scrubs and shopping," Teddy smiled, "we're still on for tomorrow?"
"We are," Annie said.
"I ordered maternity scrubs for you the morning after you told me about the baby," Teddy said.
"Really," Annie asked.
"I wanted to be ready when you needed them," Teddy smiled, "they're in my office."
"Maybe in a couple weeks," Annie said.
"Tell me when you want them," Teddy said, "in your shoes I might switch soon. I left it too long with Allison before I did. Be comfortable sweetheart."
"Why do you think I'm living in leggings," Annie said.
"We'll go tomorrow and find cute things," Teddy promised, "can I touch it?"
"It's nothing really yet," Annie said, "but I guess you can."
"It's still exciting," Teddy smiled reaching out to touch the tiny hint of a bump.
"This stays between us," Annie said, "don't go home and tell Uncle Owen. I'm not drawing attention to it. I want to see how long it takes people to notice. Arizona is on to me."
Teddy laughed, "she would be. Bailey, and Grey are as well. Can I tell them?"
"One you tell Grey everyone knows," Annie said.
"I know," Teddy replied.
"Grey tells Pierce who will tell Avery, who will tell Catherine Fox who will tell Webber," Annie said.
"Why don't you two just announce it at work," Teddy said, "you're on ortho next you have to tell Link."
"And he'll tell Shepard," Annie said, "maybe we tell a couple people and it will spread. Cassidy is a huge gossip."
"I'll tell a couple attendings," Teddy said, "my friends. I can be excited to be a grandma right?"
"Are you excited," Annie asked.
"Very," Teddy smiled, "I'm going to spoil this little one. Let it get away with all the things I don't let Ali and Leo do."
"No," Annie said, "my baby will get rules and boundaries. I had them and look how I turned out."
"But grandmas get to break them," Teddy smiled, "at least that's what Evelyn says."
"We'll have to be fair with mine, Ali and Leo," Annie declared, "it was hard at McKellar things when some had one set of rules or no rules and some of us had really strict rules."
"Fair," Teddy agreed, "but it's exciting and you're starting to show."
"I am," Annie said, "barely but it's a baby. It's really there mama. It suddenly got even more real."
"I know," Teddy smiled, "enjoy it."
"I am," Annie said, "my friends were positive."
"They were," Teddy said, "let's hold onto that. Think about all the people here who love you and are excited for your baby. Don't let Leslie and Dan ruin it for you. Enjoy this sweetheart and be happy."
"I will," Annie said.
I have drafts of the next ten or so chapters so they will be posted quickly. I actually wrote this part then went back and filled in most of Annie's third and fourth years as a resident.