Around 1pm there was a knock at the door.
"Allison ," Teddy scolded, "wait for them to invite us in, you don't just open the door."
"But we just walk into Annie's house," Allison said.
Josh stuck his head out of the door, "Annie is just feeding Ellie, can you give us a few minutes?"
Teddy nodded, "of course. We'll go grab a couple things from my office and come back. Text us when you're ready ."
Alison, ever the curious child, asked, "why can't we see the baby have a bottle?"
Teddy knelt down, "not every baby gets a bottle all the time. Sometimes mommies choose to feed them another way and they want privacy to do that."
"Is privacy like going to the bathroom," Alison asked.
"Privacy is like going to the bathroom," Owen said.
"Then why is Josh there," Allison asked.
"Mommies are usually okay with daddies being there when they feed a baby," Teddy said.
"If a baby doesn't get a bottle how does it eat," Alison asked.
"Do you remember when socks had her kittens," Owen asked.
"Yes," Alison replied, "they drank milk from socks."
Teddy said, "most babies drink milk from their mommy like your kittens did. But sometimes mommies like to be alone with the baby when the baby eats. Especially when they're just learning like Annie and Ellie are."
"Is Annie doing that," asked Alison.
"She is," Teddy replied.
About fifteen minutes later Josh texted for them to come back.
Josh, "baby fed and sleepy. Annie wants to see you but she's exhausted."
Teddy, "we understand. She would be worn out. Are you okay?"
Josh, "tired. I slept better than Annie did this morning when we napped. She was also up for a couple hours before she woke me up."
Teddy, "she didn't tell you right away?"
Josh, "I only woke up because I heard her moaning. She wasn't going to wake me."
Teddy, "sounds like her. Should we come?"
Josh, "we're looking forward to seeing you."
Teddy knelt in front of her younger kids, "when we go in there you're going to be calm and quiet. We have to use whisper voices so we don't scare baby Ellie. She's very tiny so we have to be very gentle. She's only a few hours old. Wait for Annie or Josh to invite you to touch her and don't kiss her mouth. We're all going to sanitize or wash hands before we hold the baby."
When they came in Annie was sitting on the edge of the bed in a loose blue sundress, her damp hair had been pulled into a thick braid. Teddy could tell she was tired and Annie had chosen to leave her glasses on. Annie's glasses were always a sign she was over tired, overwhelmed or sick. Josh was sitting beside her holding Ellie who was wrapped in a soft pink blanket. Annie was holding Ellie's hand and leaning against Josh with her head on his shoulder.
Teddy smiled at the scene and was glad Annie had a chance to shower. She knew Annie would feel better now that she had showered and slept. Even without makeup Annie's eyes sparkled and her cheeks were rosy as she smiled down at her baby.
Annie whispered, "hi guys do you want to come see your new niece?"
The two children rushed forward. Josh passed Ellie back to Annie.
"Leo, Alison, this is Elizabeth but we're going to call her Ellie," Annie said.
Owen hovered behind them and reached out a hand to stroke the baby's cheek and the little hand that was curled against her face.
"Grandpa would you like to hold her," Annie offered looking at Owen, "mama held her when she first arrived it's your turn."
"Please," Owen said. His eyes were filled with tears. Annie in his heart was his oldest daughter. Even before he and Teddy were together he had loved Annie as his own. Now she was offering for him to hold his first grandchild.
"I'm not getting up," Annie said, "you have to come get her."
Owen gently lifted Ellie from Annie's arms, "don't you look just like your mommy and grandma. Hello Miss Ellie. Annie, Josh she's perfect."
Annie looked up at Owen, "thanks dad."
"I'm proud of you little bear you did well and your daughter is perfect," Owen said horsley. Why had Annie all of a sudden called him dad? He had thought of her as his own since she was 19 and he sat in the ICU with her and Teddy. He had always been uncle Owen to her even after he married Teddy the name had stuck. He had been her dad in all but name since she came to GS for her residency. He had even walked her down the aisle. Why was she calling him dad now? He was prepared to be grandpa for Ellie but Annie calling him dad caught Owen off guard.
Josh smiled, "she is. Annie is amazing."
Owen replied, "seeing your baby in her mother's arms for the first time. It's amazing. There's nothing like that feeling."
Josh nodded, "I can't describe it. Seeing Ellie in Annie's arms. She's perfect."
Teddy hugged Josh, "I didn't say this earlier. Congratulations Josh. She's perfect. Thank you for taking care of my baby through that. She needed you Annie couldn't have done that without you."
The baby began to fuss.
Annie and Josh looked anxious.
Teddy said "probably her diaper, I'll help."
Owen took Ellie to the changing table and unwrapped her blanket, Josh and Teddy followed. Teddy laughed at the onesie. It was a soft pink with 'I heart my mommy' on it but the heart was a perfect outline of a human heart.
"Where did you get that," Teddy asked, "it's perfect for our family."
"Jenna had it made," Annie replied. Her best friend was a neurosurgeon with a soft side and quirky sense of humor. Annie had been relieved when Jenna chose to do her fellowship in Seattle under Amelia Shepherd.
"Has she been by yet," Teddy asked.
Josh replied, "we were waiting for family to come first we didn't tell friends until just before you came anyway. We wanted to spend the morning as a family."
Teddy sat beside Annie with little Ellie cradled in her arms, "all this fuss about Ellie how are you feeling sweetheart?"
"Tired, sore, a little overwhelmed," Annie replied, "I have muscles I've never used before. I'm really hungry."
"That's all normal," Teddy said, "lunch should be up soon if you don't like it, send Josh to the cafeteria, it's taco day."
"I didn't know I could fall in love in a heartbeat," Annie said, "I can't even put it in words."
"It's pretty special," Teddy said, "she looks just like you did. Just a tiny bit bigger than you were. The same length and an ounce heavier."
They sat for a while with Teddy cuddling the baby and Annie watching.
"I forgot how amazing that newborn smell is," Teddy said.
"Why are you smelling my baby," Annie laughed.
"You did it with your sister," Teddy laughed.
"I did not smell Allison as a baby," Annie said.
"You did," Teddy teased, "you were an intern and had just come up from a surgery with Meghan. It was your first surgery with her. You ran up those stairs to see us and didn't even stop to knock at the door. You were so excited. As soon as we gave her to you to cuddle you smelled her."
Annie rolled her eyes, "no it was a cuddle and I kissed the top of her little head."
"I know what I saw," Teddy said, "it made me cry seeing my girls together for the first time."
They sat together for a few more minutes before Annie spoke.
"Can I have her back," Annie asked.
Teddy placed Ellie gently in Annie's arms, "make sure Josh gets a turn."
"I can't believe she's actually here," Annie said, "I never want her out of my sight again."
Teddy smiled, "I know."
"How did you go through that, give me a kiss and say goodbye," Annie asked, "not just the nine months but labour that was brutal."
"It was the hardest thing I've ever done," Teddy admitted, "in my head I knew it was right. My heart wanted you. It took 19 years for you to come back to me and I won't let go again. Give it time and you'll forget about labour. "
Annie whispered, "thank you for taking the chance on me and reading that first email."
"I still have the print out," Teddy said.
"You do," Annie asked.
"At home in my jewelry box. I'll show you next time you come over," Teddy said, "seeing you all grown up and happy makes those years apart worth it. I'm proud of you."
"Thanks mama," Annie replied, "I couldn't have done any of this without you."
"We needed each other," Teddy said.
Teddy had one arm around Annie and the other hand holding baby Ellie's hand. They didn't notice when Owen snapped a picture and sent it to his mom. He also wanted to print it for Annie and Teddy. This image was perfect, three generations connected. Annie and Teddy had a long road to the bond they had now, but he knew Ellie would only know the powerful love both women were capable of.
"Annie," Leo asked, "can I hold the baby?"
Annie looked at Josh, she wasn't quite ready for this yet.
"Come sit with Annie and her and your mama can help you," Josh suggested.
Leo climbed up on the bed beside Annie and looked at the baby's face, "she's sleeping."
"Babies sleep alot," Teddy said.
"Leo do you want to hold her hand," Annie offered.
Leo snached at Ellie's hand.
"Gentle," Teddy coached, "just give her your pinky."
Leo leaned down to the baby, "hi Ellie my name is Leo. I want to play with you and read stories. Your mama reads the best stories."
Tears pooled in Annie's eyes, "thanks Leo."
In a rare moment of affection from the usually shy boy Leo kissed Ellie's cheek like he had seen the adults do, "I love baby Ellie."
"She loves you too," Annie replied.
"Mama up," Allison demanded.
"Do you want to see Ellie," Teddy asked.
"Yes," Allison replied.
"Then you need to ask like a big girl," Teddy said.
"Can I see Ellie please," Allison asked.
Teddy scooted over and lifted Allison onto the bed between Annie and Teddy.
"Ali whisper," Annie said, "Ellie is sleeping."
"She's pretty," Allison gasped.
"She is," Annie smiled.
"Can I touch her Nee," Allison begged.
"One finger very gentle," Teddy directed.
Allison and Leo were both on their knees leaning over baby Ellie, Leo had his hands on his knees but Allison had put one arm on Annie's shoulder to steady herself. Owen snapped a picture of the three "kids" looking at baby Ellie. It was one of those perfect moments, the love on all three faces was clear. It was a moment that five years earlier could only have happened in Owen's wildest dreams. Sitting off to the side Teddy beamed at the small group, again amazed at how much it was possible to love another human, not just her children Annie the one that had made her mama and want to be better, Allison the one she had every day with and had brought her to Owen, Leo their little fighter and who had completed their family, now Ellie who was a fresh start and a new generation. She already loved the tiny baby fiercely.
Teddy and Owen stayed with their younger children until Nathan and Meghan popped in with Faroke after lunch. They had all agreed not to overwhelm the little family with too many people. Throughout the day colleagues and friends dropped by. Even Annie's interns came to say hello.
Walking out of the hospital Alison kept asking questions, "was I that tiny?"
"You weren't but Annie was," Teddy said, "you were a pound and a half bigger than Ellie and two inches longer."
"When can the baby run," asked Leo.
"In about a year," Owen replied.
"Can it talk," asked Alison.
"Not yet," Teddy said, " right now Ellie needs Annie and Josh to do everything for her. She can't even hold her own head up yet. For the next few months the baby is going to sleep a lot and eat a lot so she can grow."
"That's no fun," Alison said, "does that mean Annie can play with us?"
Teddy shook her head, "right now Annie needs to give all of her attention to Ellie. She's still learning to be a mommy. And mama is going to spend more time at Annie's house to help her learn."
"Why," asked Alison.
"Because mama is Ellie's grandma and that's what grandmas do. We help mommies take care of babies and learn to be mommies. Annie is my little girl just like Allison is," Teddy said.
Leo asked, "will Ellie go to daycare with us?"
Owen replied, "in September when school goes back. Ellie is too little to go to daycare now. Annie is going to stay home with her."
"What about Josh," Alison asked, "does he look after Ellie two?"
Owen replied, "he's Ellie's daddy. He looks after her like I look after you."
Leo asked, "are you Ellie's grandpa?"
Owen paused and they had talked about it but never settled on the name. Annie called him grandpa when passing him Ellie. Annie had also called Owen dad for the first time today, "I am."
Owen and Teddy stopped at the park on their way home to let the two children who had been wonderfully behaved at the hospital run around.
Teddy asked, "you've been really quiet since she passed you Ellie what's up?"
Owen replied, "Annie called me dad."
Teddy smiled, "she's wanted to do that since Alison was born. But was scared of how you would react."
Owen nodded, "she's been my daughter for years. I've never known how to tell her. She's been family since she was 19."
"I know," Teddy replied, "it was at some point in that summer she was in Surrey Memorial."
"Sitting in the ICU with her. You were talking with Dan and Leslie. Annie was scared and weak but she finally told me what was happening. Then again when she finished at UBC. Our oldest kept throwing us together," Owen said.
Teddy laughed, "Annie knew years before we did. She offered to off Christina at one point."
"She likes Christina," Owen said.
"As a surgeon but not as a person," Teddy said, "calls her the heartless heart surgeon. I think last week she said Christina has no soul, only a brain."
"We did well with the oldest," Owen said, "I can't believe in 10 years how much she's changed."
Teddy replied, "I know from the first email to now she's a different person. She looked happy today. Once they're home I'll go over and talk with her but I think she's happy. Right now she's overwhelmed and exhausted . That was at least 30 hours of labour Josh figures it started late Friday night but she didn't wake him or tell him right away. today's Sunday she was exhausted when I saw them just before seven this morning. She pushed for almost two hours. She was determined to do that naturally. I'm glad she had sleep and a shower. Poor girl was totally exhausted by midnight."
Owen replied, "she looked worn out. But she was so happy. She'll crash once Meg and Nathan leave. I sent mom a picture I snapped of the three of you and one of our three kids with Ellie."
"I'm so proud of her," Teddy said, "Annie has come through so much and to be the person she is amazes me. I'm glad they're staying next year. Her and Josh belong here this is home."
"Speaking of Josh did you notice how he couldn't keep his eyes off her today," Owen asked.
Teddy laughed, "you did the same thing when Alison was born. The silly smile, hovering, one hand always touching me or her."
"They're good for each other," Owen said.
Teddy laughed, "always have been but were afraid to show it at first. She watched me and learned from me. I was afraid to let you in because you were my best friend and I didn't want to ruin it."
Owen agreed, "we were both scared to let the other in. You knew everything about me but I didn't know how to love you. Your love is different and intense, you care deeply and fight for the people you love. "
Teddy laughed, "so do you mr grand gesture. You've been family since the day I walked into that desert."
"Our first CBAG," Owen said, "then you held me together when Meghan disappeared."
"We've been through a lot," Teddy agreed, "but that's behind us. We won't go back to a battlefield or the army. We have an amazing life in front of us. I just can't believe we're grandparents."
"We are," Owen grinned, "I wanted more baby time. But Annie won't let her go for very long."
"It's her first," Teddy said, "she'll be possessive. I doubt Josh is getting much time with Ellie."
"Is she okay," Owen asked.
Teddy replied, "I think so. Right now she's so in love with that baby that's all her brain can handle. But she'll need us as she adjusts."
"Her anxiety," Owen asked.
"Will flare," Teddy said, "she's fought it the whole pregnancy. That's our Annie, her trauma comes out as anxiety."
"I wish we could take it away from her," Owen said.
"We both know PTSD. But she also knows her triggers," Teddy said.
"Did they tell them Ellie is here," Owen asked.
"He texted them a few pictures," Teddy replied, "nothing beyond basic baby details. Name, length, weight, arrival time. That Ellie and Annie are healthy. He used his phone to do it. He doesn't want them calling or texting Annie right away. He sent them to Marie and Doug as well. They've been talking everyday. Marie has been checking on Annie daily and texted me in a panic last night that she hadn't heard from Annie all day. Marie knew around 8pm that Annie was in labour."
"Same generic baby announcement we got at six thirty this morning," Owen asked.
"They sent it to all parents, Nate and Meg," Teddy said.
"They forgot my mom," Owen said.
"I'm sure they didn't mean to," Teddy said.
"The picture I sent of the three of you and the one of our kids kneeling on the bed to see Ellie with Annie were the first she had seen," Owen replied, "she wants us to take her by after dinner."
"It will be good to check on Annie again," Teddy said, "deliver more apple juice."
"She's not sick of it yet," Owen asked.
"You don't want to know how much juice I personally delivered yesterday," Teddy said, "it was all she would drink."
"I'd like to check on them again," Owen said, "hold baby Ellie again."
"I want to hold Ellie," Teddy said, "I forgot how tiny and delicate they are and that baby smell."
"We'll ask Meg to take our kids so we can go," Owen said.
"Once she's discharged and has a day or so at home I'll go over and help out," Teddy said.
"Will she let you," Owen asked, "you didn't accept help."
"I missed my mom," Teddy admitted, "I wanted my mom and didn't know how to let yours in."
"Annie will want her mama," Owen said.
"She will," Teddy agreed, "but we should get these two home and start dinner. I promised Leo we could make brownies. It would be good to take some to Annie and Josh."