Owen parked the rental car at the end of the quaint street. Teddy was insistent they walked the street and had nearly screamed when she had seen the ice cream place was still there. Getting out of the car teddy zipped her coat tighter before taking Allison's hand.

"This is where mama grew up," Teddy said, "that's where I went to elementary school."

"Let's go for a walk," Owen suggested, "I think you wanted ice cream Teddy."

"Let's go," Teddy said.

They walked down the street with Teddy telling stories about her parents and her childhood. Several Owen had never heard.

They walked into the ice cream place and Teddy looked around it had been updated recently but she recognized the long counter where she had scooped ice cream for six summers.

"I had my first job here," Teddy told the kids.

"They don't need doctors here," Leo said.

"Before I was a doctor. I scooped ice cream and made sundaes," Teddy said, "to save money to pay for medical school."

"Where was Annie," Allison asked. She still didn't understand how her mother and older sister hadn't always been together. In Allison's world mama held right to her kids.

"This was before Annie was born," Teddy said, "the last time I worked here was the summer Annie was in my tummy thirty years ago."

"That's a big number," Leo said, "are you that old mama?"

"I wish I was still thirty," Teddy smiled, "I'm 51 bud Annie is 30."

"I can only count to 50," Leo said looking serious.

"Should we get ice cream," Teddy suggested.

"Before lunch," Allison asked.

"This once," Owen said.

"It's going to be way too sweet and last time I visited I shared it with Annie but I'm getting a brownie Sunday," teddy said.

"Teddy," Owen said, looking skeptical.

"Annie might have been made of brownie sundaes," Teddy said, "this is actually where I learned to make brownies that summer."

"Want to share with me," Owen asked.

"That sounds like a plan," Teddy agreed, "and coffee."

"Am I seeing the root of Annie's coffee and chocolate addiction," Owen asked.

"The chocolate was always all her," Teddy said, "I hated it before Annie."

A woman appeared behind the counter, "you folks nee in town or visiting?"

"Just visiting," Teddy said, "I grew up here and it was time to bring my kids to see it. I've only visited once in the last 2 years."

"You remind me of someone I went to high school with," the woman said, "what's your name?"

"Teddy Altman," Teddy replied, "wait Amber?"

"Teddy," Amber yelled coming around the counter to hug her old friend, "how long are you in town?"

"Today," Teddy replied, "it's just a little visit. Show my younger two where I grew up."

"Where are you living, what are you doing," Amber said, "you disappeared the summer we were 21."

"We're in Seattle," Teddy said, "I'm Cheif of surgery at Grey Sloan hospital. Just working, spending time with my kids and husband watching my granddaughter grow."

"Husband," Amber said.

"This is my husband Owen," Teddy introduced, "Amber and I grew up across the street from each other. Allison and Leo can you say hi to Mrs … "

"Amber," Amber replied, "I'm Mrs Amber. I knew your mommy when we were little girls."

"Did you know Annie," Allison asked.

"I don't think I did whoes Annie," Amber asked.

"My oldest," Teddy said, "she's 30. She lives ten minutes away from us and works with Owen and I."

"Your baby," Amber said, "but you weren't going to."

"I didn't," Teddy said, "when she was 19 she found me and we got really close."

"That was the last summer you were here, we worked for my grandparents," Amber said, "do you have pictures?"

"Just her or her and her daughter," Teddy asked.

"You have a granddaughter," Amber asked.

"I do," Teddy replied, "Ellie is 11 months. Annie is happily married."

"How old are your younger two," Amber asked.

"Allison is five and Leo is six," Owen said, "do you have kids?"

"Five," Amber replied, "24, 21, 18, 16 and 11. All boys."

"You must be busy," Teddy said, "we get busy with two at home."

"It's hectic," Amber agreed, "but I love it. It's hard to see them grow up. My oldest gets married in July."

"The wedding was okay," Teddy replied, "the day Annie told us she was pregnant I really felt old. But then holding Ellie minutes old. It was as amazing as holding my kids for the first time."

"Where did you two meet," Amber asked.

"A base just out side Baghdad," Owen said, "we served together."

"That rumor was true," Amber said.

"10 years," Teddy replied, "seven years a three year break then the other three. I left when we decided to have Allison."

They ordered their ice cream and Amber joined them at the table.

"Teddy do you remember when we got stuck out at the Callens farm because you forgot to put gas in your car," Amber asked.

"I do," Teddy laughed, "we were out there for hours before old Mr Callens found us."

"It had to have been almost midnight," Amber laughed.

"I think it was." Teddy agreed, "where was he coming from?"

"The bar," Amber guessed, "and you left me with your car and went with him to get a jerry can of gas."

"We were what 17," Teddy said.

"It was the summer after senior year," Amber said, "I was sure he was going to tie you up in his barn."

"He was harmless he was a friend of my dads," Teddy said.

"The summer I was 20 you had that older boyfriend," Amber said, "he was already 21."

"Steven," Teddy said, "Annie's father."

"He used to come to all those bonfires at the McCracken farm and would bring all that vodka or whatever," Amber said.

"He liked to drink," Teddy said, "I try not to think or talk about him."

"What happened," Amber asked not knowing the whole story.

"I got pregnant and he left," Teddy replied, "he didn't want anything to do with me or Annie?"

"Who didn't want Annie," Leo asked.

"Some one mama dated for a while," Owen said.

"But why didn't they want Annie," Leo asked.

"He wasn't ready," Teddy said, "this was when Annie was in my tummy. 31 years ago."

"That long Teddy," Amber asked.

"Annie will be 31 in October," Teddy said, "how are your parents?"

"Dad passed five years ago and mom lives with me and Troy," Amber said.

"Still with Troy," Teddy said, "you've been together since middle school."

"We have been," Amber smiled, "married 26 years now."

"Almost five years," Owen said.

"Tell me about your boys," Teddy said.

"Carter is 24 and in his second year of medical school," Amber said.

"Has he thought of a specialty," Teddy asked.

"He likes surgery or pediatrics," Amber said.

"If he wants to apply for one of his out of town rotations in Seattle I'd be happy to have him," Teddy said, "Annie is a pediatric cardiothroatic surgeon could shadow her. What about your other boys?"

"Jamie is 21 and an apprentice electrician, Justin is 18 and at Columbia studying engineering, Tyler is 16 and a junior at Riverside and Braden is 11 and at Cornerstone. He has Mrs Wentzle for math."

"She's still teaching," Teddy said, "she must be a dinosaur."

"We were her first year teaching," Amber said, "this is her last year."

"Theodora you must show all your work," Teddy laughed.

"Amber you can not do math in pen," Amber answered.

"Does she still play that game with the flash cards," Teddy said, "e used to race against the boys."

"Yes," Amber replied, "all my boys have played."

"I was the class champion," Teddy remembered.

"Only one of our grad class to get out of here," Amber said, "and stay out."

"I burned to many bridges," Teddy said, "my last summer I was here."

"Teddy we all wanted to be there for you," Amber said, "you were going through something but none of us knew how to reach out to you."

"I wasn't ready," Teddy said, "I know I shut every one other than my mom out. It's what I do. There were a few years that it was just me and Annie."

"Are you and Annie close does she know your other kids," Amber asked.

"We're very close to Annie," Owen said, "I consider her one of my kids. She's never lived with us but we've trained her from a surgical intern right out of med school. "

"I don't understand," Amber said.

"Annie reached out to me when she was 19 that was the deal I made with the couple that adopted her that when she turned 19 they would give her my information and let her decide. I spent a year getting to know her before she started calling me mama. Once she started med school we got really close. She's closer to us than the parents that adopted her by her choice. We see the man and her adoptive brother. Dan is around a lot lately. And Chris the brother and Annie are really close. Chris lives in Seattle with his girlfriend and they're part of our family."

"How does that work," Amber asked, "it sounds confusing."

"It's complicated," Owen admitted.

"But I knew if I wanted Annie in my life I had to be open to the family that adopted her and we'd all have to be flexible and let her lead," Teddy said, "Owen walked her down the aisle at the wedding."

"Mama," Leo asked, "can I play with your phone?"

"We'll go soon buddy," Owen said, "let mama catch up with her friend."

"I have your coloring book and crayons in my purse," Teddy said, "and that bag of lego."

Leo dug through Teddy's purse for what he wanted.

"I don't miss this phase," Amber said.

"Their fun," Teddy said, "I get to enjoy these two."

"Very well behaved," Amber said.

"Two military parents, they don't have a choice," Teddy said.

"Both of you," Amber said.

"Trauma surgeon," Owen said, "we ran a team together with my sister and her husband."

"Are you close to your family," Amber asked.

"We see them most days," Teddy answered, "how's Troy?"

"He's good," Amber said, "teaching PE at the high school. We have a reunion for 125 years of the high school in the summer you should come."

"Maybe," Teddy said, "see a few things. It's hard for us to get away and we're planning a trip up Vancouver island this summer. With Annie and Josh's family."

They chatted with Amber until the kids got antsy.

"We should go walk," Teddy said, "these two need to move."

"It was good to see you Teddy," Amber smiled, "don't go away for 30 years again."

"Well see," Teddy replied, "my life is on the west coast now."

They said good bye before walking the Main Street.

"You were a wild child," Owen teased.

"You only know half of it," Teddy laughed.

"I want to," Owen replied.

Teddy pointed to a stand of trees by the high school, "the first time I got drunk I was 18 with Amber, and. Pattie in that park. Ambers older brother got us a bottle of vodka. My 18th birthday."

"She knew Steven," Owen said.

"You know how I feel about talking about him," Teddy replied, "he's not in our lives for good reason. Annie has never seen him."

"Do you want to do the Vancouver island trip," Owen asked.

"I do," Teddy said, "they have a plan we're just along for the ride. Dan is meeting us for a couple days to take us fishing. You and the other guys. Annie won't take Ellie deep water yet."

"You okay," Owen asked.

"I miss my mom," Teddy sniffed, "20 years and I still miss my mom. I can't come back here because I see her around every corner."

Owen held her tight, "I know Teds."

Teddy burried her face in his shoulder, "she should be here. She should know you and our kids and Ellie."

"Mama why are you crying," Allison asked.

Teddy knelt down, "I just miss my mom today. Being here reminds me of my mom. "

"Where is she," Leo asked.

"She died almost 20 years ago," Teddy said.

"Did she see us," Allison asked.

"No baby girl," Teddy said, "she only got to see Annie the day she was born. My mom died when Annie was in sixth grade."

"Where's your daddy," Allison asked.

"He died a year before my mom," Teddy said, "I really miss them today. I wish they would have gotten to see you and know you. They would have loved you so much both of you."

"Teds should we go," Owen asked seeing how emotional she was getting.

"Lets walk back to the car then I want to drive past the house I grew up in," Teddy said, "show you where I grew up."

"You'll have to drive," Owen said.

"I know," Teddy answered, "I want to anyway."

As they walked back to the car Teddy told more stories about her childhood. They drove quietly with one of Teddy's playlists on low, songs she had sang with her mom, a playlist she always had on her phone to keep her mom's memory alive. She put the car in park across the street from her childhood home. Staring out the window she thought she could hear her mom's piano playing Somewhere Over The Rainbow. The thought made Teddy smile, as much as she still missed her mom and always would, she knew that her mom was watching over them and would be happy for her.