"Annie this is a bit much," Jenna hissed as they stood on the dock in the predawn gloom, her watch showed 4:15am.
"Five hour boat ride," Annie said, "it's the water taxi, think of it as a floating bus. You sit, chat and cuddle Tyler."
"You're okay with this," Jenna asked.
"You and I got out of loading the boat last night," Annie laughed, "this ride watching the sun come up over the mountains and the first rays across the water was one of my favourite views."
"How are you so perky," Jenna grumbelled.
"I'm a morning person and excited. Plus Ellie didn't fight sleep last night," Annie replied, "Tyler is still nocturnal from the sound of it."
"Last night was bad. Strange place and out of routine I guess," Jenna replied.
"Still eating often," Annie asked.
"Every three hours ish around the clock," Jenna replied, "how's Ellie doing being away from home?"
"We're getting some behaviours we had stopped and she's clingy," Annie said shifting Ellie to her other hip, "but we've been gone 5 days now. She'll drink water from a sippy cup but is back to refusing any milk in her cup."
"She'll probably do it if you're not there," Jenna said.
"Maybe," Annie replied, "today like this I'm not fighting it. We've had five days away now and will be in camp 7. It gives us two days to get home before we work."
"Took all your time off in one go," Jenna asked.
"We get 3 weeks so we took two now," Annie replied, "then a week between our birthdays somewhere warm."
"Where are you thinking," Jenna asked.
"Mexico maybe," Annie said, "something just the three of us. Ellie will be almost 18 months by then."
"Annie are you really coming," asked a cousin.
"Morgan," Annie Greeted, "yes with my husband and daughter."
"I didn't even recognize you until I heard your friend use your name," Morgan said.
"This is my sister in law, and best friend, Jenna Silverstone," Annie introduced Jenna.
"Sister in law," Morgan asked.
"Chris's fiance," Annie replied, "he's going on one of the little boats with Dan and my husband."
"Josh is going," Jenna asked.
"So is Owen," Annie replied, "women and children in the taxi, so you and I mama and the 4 kids."
"How old is your daughter," Morgan asked, "who is Owen?"
"Ellie is 14 months," Annie replied, "Chris and Jenna's son in 9 weeks. Owen is my step father technically, he's married to my birth mom."
"I heard you left BC," Morgan said.
"We're in Seattle," Annie replied, "Josh, Jenna and I work together."
"Where do you work," Morgan asked.
"Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital," Jenna replied, "with Annie's mama."
"What about me Jenna," Teddy asked.
"We all work together," Annie replied.
"What do you do," Morgan asked.
"We're surgeons," Annie said quickly.
"I talked to Jessica," Morgan said, "about a year ago. She said you do something with hearts."
"Mama and I are cardiothoracic surgeons," Annie replied, "Jenna is the brains of the operation, she's a neurosurgeon."
"I heard you and your husband were doctors," Morgan said.
"Josh is a trauma surgeon," Annie replied.
The captain got their attention and guided the loading of the boat. Annie knew Jenna was possibly more anxious than she was.
"This is really open," Jenna whispered, looking around the cabin which was lined with rows of benches facing forward, "Tyler will be hungry soon."
"You're at the front with everyone behind you," Annie said, "use his blanket."
"Ellie," Jenna asked.
"Trying her sippy cup," Annie said, "but if she won't take it I'm not fighting her on it. It's still early for her, she hasn't had milk yet today."
"What will you do," Jenna asked.
"Feed her," Annie replied, "we have her cozy blanket in the bag."
"Annie does the boat go fast," Leo asked.
"Faster than the canoe," Annie said, "not as fast as Dan's boat when we go for boat rides on the lake."
"Why didn't you go with Josh and Daddy," Allison asked.
"Because Ellie isn't big enough to go on the little boats for that long in the wind," Annie replied, "I love the little boats and the long run but not today with Ellie."
"Your arms look full, can I take something," Teddy asked, as they made their way to their seats.
"I want my backpack and the diaper bag here," Annie said, "can you get her fuzzy blanket out? It's in my backpack."
"She's cold," Teddy asked.
"I am," Annie admitted, "I'm going to wrap it around both of us."
Ellie was confused why she was up so early and was being clingy and shy with her arms around Annie's neck and her face hidden in Annie's hair. Annie rubbed her baby's back as she settled back into her seat and wrapped Ellie's blanket around both of them. She sat in silence holding Ellie watching the sun rise over the water.
Behind her the cousins and aunts in the boat began to sing one of the old fishing songs. Annie joined in leaving Jenna and Teddy looking very confused. They sang a couple of the old sea shanties as the boat cleared the harbor and began to head towards the rising sun. The songs turned to quiet conversations.
"What's a coho," Leo asked.
"A type of salmon we'll catch a lot of them," Annie replied.
On Dan's boat Owen zipped his hoodie and jacket tighter.
"Not used to the wind," Dan said.
"It's new," Owen agreed, "I've spent more time in the desert than on the water."
"Want to drive," Dan offered.
"If you don't mind," Owen said, "this boat is a lot smaller than your other one."
"It is," Dan said, "I'm not sure how we'll get everyone out. Chris has his boat but Jenna wasn't sure about coming out on the water. I can take 4 adults and two or maybe three kids. Depending on who wants to go out but it's crowded. So I can probably do Annie, Josh, Teddy, you, Allison, Leo and Ellie. It'll be crowded."
"Annie wants to," Owen said, "more than Josh. Annie will want to be with Chris and Jenna."
"I want to get Josh fishing," Dan said, "I want to do one trip with Chris, Josh and you."
"Teddy is nervous," Owen said.
"She said the surf boat was the smallest she's been on," Dan said, "Jenna has never been on a boat."
"Jenna grew up in Beverly Hills," Owen pointed out.
"They seem like such an unlikely pairing," Dan chuckled.
"Chris or Annie," Owen asked.
"Both," Dan said, "were Annie and Jenna close before Chris was involved?"
"The sunshine twins," Owen said, "Jenna was Annie's maid of honour."
"Sunshine twins," Dan asked.
"They got the nickname as interns," Owen explained, "the two of them were always positive and bubbly no matter how hard we pushed them or how tough the sift they stayed positive. I'd find them singing disney songs to stay awake on 48 hour shifts. They've been good friends for years. The sunshine twins are a good team; they work together on a lot of NICU babies."
"It's been a busy year," Dan said.
"It has," Owen agreed.
"Two grandkids, it feels old," Dan said.
"One and I'm not 50 yet," Owen replied.
"You're not 50 yet," Dan said, "I knew Teddy in her early 20s with Annie and I assumed you were the same age."
"She's 52 the day we get home," Owen said, "I'm 49. Two would do it to feel old. As long as it's only Annie's kids before I'm 70 we're good."
"I was 68 with the first grandchild," Dan said, "still young."
"I'm the old guy in trauma," Owen said, "the wise old man there."
"Young man's game," Dan asked.
"Trauma guys move to general so it's more scheduled or move into teaching and administrative roles," Owen explained, "I was chief of surgery for a few years then stepped down Annie's second year of medical school. I missed the ER and the OR."
"I know I should have asked Annie but it's too late now ,how does training as a surgeon work," Dan asked.
"They do a year as an intern and it's the hardest year of your life," Owen said, "working every second night, 48 hour shifts twice a week minimum. Second year residents get a slightly better load and can start doing solo surgeries as they are ready, Annie was in the first third of her class for that. Josh was the first to go solo. In the first half of their third year they declare they work with that department most of the time but still rotate through other specialties and trauma. They all do trauma through their fifth year. Annie could do peds trauma if she wanted, she's a good trauma surgeon, calm and steady, she sees the possibilities and solutions. Fourth and fifth year they mainly work in their specialties with one or two mentors. Nathan Riggs and Maggie Pierce trained Annie with Teddy. Meghan and I trained Josh."
"That's high pressure being trained by your father in law," Dan acknowledged.
"I'm head of trauma," Owen said, "Annie has been under huge pressure being Teddy's daughter but she's stepping out of Teddy's shadow slowly."
"Hiding in the shadows," Dan asked.
"Teddy is a force to be reckoned with at work and in the OR," Owen said, "she's an incredible surgeon. At work she is the boss but it's just an act Teddy puts on at work. The Teddy you see at home, the one you know is the real Teddy. The real Teddy is loving, gentle, brilliant, a great athlete, has the biggest heart and the best sense of humor."
"How does it work working with Annie," Dan asked.
Owen replied, "Annie thinks she has to be perfect to please Teddy and I at work, we just want her to be happy. But Annie is making big steps right now. She's coordinating her own study on non cancerous heart tumors."
"She's doing what," Dan asked.
"She's researching and finding less invasive ways to remove tumors from kids' hearts," Owen said, "a patient she worked on a few months ago inspired it. Henry's nephew."
"Henry, like Teddy's Henry," Dan asked.
"Teddy's first husband," Owen confirmed, "he had a rare genetic condition that produces heart tumors. Annie wants to find ways to remove them that are less invasive. She has guinea pigs. Literal rodents. She's named them after chocolate bars."
"Do you understand it," Dan asked.
"We do," Owen said, "Teddy more than me, she learned more about VHL than I did."
"Sharing two grandchildren," Dan asked.
"One," Owen replied, "they use Uncle Owen for me with Tyler. Do you think Teddy will be okay on the boat?"
"On the water taxi," Dan said, "Teddy, Allison and Leo will be fine. My parents are there, my sisters, two of my brothers. The older kids are being flown in or on the second taxi run."
"Is Annie okay," Owen asked.
"You know her better," Dan said.
"You've been trying," Owen said, "Annie came, she was excited to come. I meant on the boat with Ellie."
"She used to love it," Dan said, "babies and toddlers usually sleep on the taxi."
The boats docked at the fishing camp hours later after a smooth ride across the early morning seas. Ellie had slept in Annie's lap most of the ride lulled by the sound of the motors and the motion of the boat. Annie chatted with the cousins sitting near her and Jenna.
At the camp the water taxi docked first on the main dock and they began to unload. Annie paused on the gunnel before stepping onto the dock.
"You okay," Jenna asked from behind Annie.
Annie wrapped Ellie's blanket tighter around her.
Doug reached for Annie's hand, "welcome home Annie bear."
Taking her grandfather's hand Annie stepped onto the dock for the first time since she was 18.
Annie took a deep breath smelling the cedar trees mixed with the salt of the ocean.
"Ellie bug this is the place that part of our family came from," Annie whispered, "where papa and grandmere met."
"Come on bear," Grandmere said, "you're in the far cabin with Teddy's family and Chris's."
"The one with three rooms," Annie asked.
"Yes," Grandmere said, "go put your diaper bag down in the house and help me get organized."
The family formed a work party to unload the water taxi and haul everything up. Annie strapped Ellie into the carrier so that she had her hands free to help her Grandmere and aunts in the kitchen organizing food and getting things ready for the week.
"You do that well," Auntie Wendy commented.
"What," Annie asked.
"Working with Ellie in the carrier my girls didn't do that," Wendy commented.
"She likes the carrier," Annie replied, "she's pretty clingy with me and Josh."
"She was playing shy this morning," Wendy smiled.
"It's a lot of new people Auntie," Annie replied.
"It is," Wendy agreed, "she was pretty happy last night."
"She's a happy girl," Annie replied, "just mommy's girl."
"How are you finding being a mother," Wendy asked.
"I love it," Annie replied, "she's the best thing I've ever done."
"You look happy Annie," Wendy said, "the most relaxed I've ever seen you."
"I am," Annie agreed, "auntie I made the choices that make me happy and work for me and my family."
"Mommy," Ellie lisped.
"Yes baby bug," Annie replied, "are you hungry?"
"Milk," Ellie said.
"I'll get your cup," Annie replied.
"Milk," Ellie echoed.
"We'll get your cup and some milk," Annie answered.
"Milk," Ellie said again this time trying to grab Annie's shirt.
"In your cup," Annie replied, she grabbed Ellie's sippy cup from the box she brought, and filled it with milk.
"Why do all your sippy cups say Altman-Riggs," Wendy asked looking in the box.
"Her last name," Annie replied, "Josh and I hyphenated for her. We have to have them labeled with the last name for daycare."
"Do you have a good daycare," Wendy asked.
"It's good," Annie said, "all bachelor degree trained staff during the day and ECE at night. It's in the hospital so I get lots of time with her. I've always done most of her meals with her and go feed her."
"I'm so glad you found your way and came back to see us," Wendy beamed.
"Baby steps auntie," Annie replied, "I will come visit but my life is still in Seattle."
"I understand bear," Wendy replied.
Annie sat Ellie in a high chair in the kitchen with her sippy cup of milk and a few rice puffs.
Everyone unloaded and rooms organized the whole family gathered in the main living room around the table to go over the rules and guidelines for everyone living together for the time they were at the camp. Uncle Brian explained the procedure for if someone got hurt, to see one of the paramedic uncles or Shannon who was a nurse.
"Respectfully," Owen interrupted, "you have five surgeons here why wouldn't you use us?"
"We didn't know if you would want to help," Brian said.
"We do," Teddy spoke for the group.
"Do any of you have experience with bush medicine," Brian asked.
"Seven years in Iraq," Owen said, "as a field surgeon."
"Six years in Iraq," Teddy replied, "three in Landstuhl running medical command. Annie and Josh have field experience in Haiti, a few incidents at our cabin and the stadium collapse."
"Then we'll go with the surgeons," Brian said, "Owen, Teddy, Annie and Josh."
"You forgot Jenna," Chris said, "she's a neurosurgeon."
"What type of surgeon are the others," Katie asked.
Teddy replied, "Josh and Owen are Trauma surgeons you want them for injuries, that's their thing. I can do trauma but that's not my speciality. Annie and I are cardiothoracic surgeons."
"That's settled," Grandmere said, "while they're anything medical goes to the Seattle group."
"Boats need to go in," Jim said, "traps need to be set for crab and prawns, we need firewood, dinner has to be made."
"Annie, Josh," Dan said, "my boat is ready. Do you want to come drop the crab and prawn traps?"
"Ellie," Annie said.
"Put her life jacket on," Dan said, "you weren't one yet the first time papa and I took you out there."
"Dad we'll run the other half," Chris said, "Owen, Teddy, Ali and Leo with us."
"Too many on your boat," Dan said, "I need Teddy or Owen and one of the kids."
"Mama," Annie said, she wanted Teddy.
"Leo," Teddy said.
"I want to go with Chris," Leo said.
"Okay I'll go with my girls," Teddy said, "rain gear and life jackets."
Annie bundled Ellie into a pair of leggings and a fleece sweater before zipping her into her all in one rain suit. They put Ellie's life jacket on top and carried her to the boat.
"Big wave looks good," Annie commented, stepping into the boat.
"She runs well," Dan agreed, "Josh can you drive so I can drop traps?"
"Sure," Josh agreed.
Everyone seated, headed across the bay to drop crab traps then to deeper water to lay prawn lines. Dan explained the process to Teddy and Allison inviting the little girl to help with the tasks Annie had enjoyed as a child. Annie sat in the bow of the boat with Josh and Ellie pointing out her favourite spots as a kid, the islands where they had dug for clams and collected mussels and oysters, the crooked tree marking the island where her and her cousins had played in caves.
"You okay," Josh asked.
"This is good," Annie smiled.
"You look like your far away," Josh commented.
"Just remembering," Annie replied, "it's been 12 years. It's changed but it hasn't changed."
"You've changed two," Josh said, "last time you were here was before you met Teddy."
"I know," Annie smiled, "I was a kid."
Suddenly Annie pointed into a cove, "Dan take us in there."
"What did you see," Dan asked.
"An otter," Annie smiled.
"We will go see the otter," Dan agreed.
They pulled into the cove and the boat slowed.
"Look at the end of my finger," Annie said, pointing to the pair of otters holding hands.
"What is it," Allison asked.
"That's a sea otter," Annie explained, "the animal on my surgical cap."
"Why are they holding hands," Allison asked.
"So they stay together," Annie explained, "Ellie that's mommy's favourite animal. Can you say otter?"
"Ot," Ellie tried.
"Otter," Annie said slowly.
"Otr," Ellie tried again.
"Pretty close Ellie bug," Josh smiled.
"We have to drop the prawn lines next," Dan said, "I need to drive and will need Annie to lay the lines. Do you remember how?"
"Weight, ten or twelve feet, trap, line, trap, line, trap, line, weight, spool it out, float," Annie thought out loud.
"Do you want me to do it," Josh asked.
"No," Dan said, "you can prep the traps with the bait."
"Dan you can't have Josh and I both working," Annie declared.
"I'll take Ellie," Teddy replied.
A look of panic crossed Annie's face.
"Annie breath," Teddy said, "she's in my lap and wearing a life jacket. I've held her on the other boat so you and Josh could tube."
"Hold her tight," Annie demanded.
"Sweetheart it's okay," Teddy soothed, "you're anxious up here why?"
"Can we talk later," Annie asked.
"We can," Teddy said, "right now you're the only person that can help get the prawn traps down. Ellie is fine with me."
They laid the three lines of prawn traps and headed back to the dock. Dan shook his head as they docked, last time she was up Annie had loved laying trap lines but today she was anxious and with drawing. He wanted to talk to her but she had asked to talk to Teddy.
"I'm going to put Ellie down for her nap," Annie said as they got to the dock.
"I need to organize our room," Teddy said, following Annie up the ramp.
Annie lead the way back to the little cabin they were staying in, she walked into the room she was in with Josh and Ellie and closed the door. Teddy was stunned she wanted to talk to Annie and make sure she was okay.
Teddy knocked on the door to Annie's room , "are you okay?"
"Ellie needs a nap," Annie replied.
"What are you doing," Teddy asked.
"Nap routine," Annie replied, "milk, snuggle, tuck in and she's down for a couple hours."
"Do you need a sippy cup," Teddy asked.
"Transitioning," Annie replied, "she gets what she wants before she sleeps and first thing."
"I'm going to make our beds if you need anything," Teddy replied.
"I need to do ours once Ellie is napping," Annie said, "I need some quiet time anyway."
"It's a lot," Teddy agreed, "come talk to me when she's down? I wouldn't mind giving Allison and Leo some quiet time as well."
"Auntie Wendy was going to do an art project with the kids from 3-10 she used to do one with us every summer that we worked on all week. She teaches child development at SFU they're in good hands," Annie said.
"She asked them to go do art with her," Teddy said.
"Let me feed Ellie then maybe we can sit in the main room and talk," Annie suggested.
"I might go grab a bottle of water if you want one," Teddy offered.
"Please," Annie replied, she just wanted to get rid of Teddy for a while. She really just wanted to be alone to think. She leaned back against the pillows cuddling Ellie.
"Milk," Ellie asked.
"Yes baby," Annie smiled, "then your nap."
"Milk," Ellie demanded.
"Did you have fun on the boat," Annie asked.
"Boat," Ellie echoed.
"We had two boat rides today," Annie smiled, "I've missed being here but it's a lot."
"Annie," Josh called from the door.
"Just getting Ellie down for a nap," Annie replied.
"Can I come in," Josh asked.
"Yep," Annie replied.
"Hungry baby," Josh asked as he came into the room.
"Yes," Annie replied, "it's the first milk she's had today. I was able to get her to drink from her cup on the boat and when we got here."
"It's slowing down," Josh said.
"It's waking up and before sleep," Annie replied.
"She's not our baby is she," Josh said.
"She's growing too fast," Annie said, shaking her head.
Teddy walked into the kitchen building.
"What are you making," Teddy asked Allison and Leo who were at the table doing a craft with some other kids.
"Fish," Leo said.
"Mama they have glitter glue," Allison said.
"Do they," Teddy asked, "what type of fish are you making?"
"A rainbow unicorn fish," Allison declared.
"There's no such thing as unicorn fish," a boy of about 10 declared.
"She can make one if she wants to Donny," Wendy scolded.
"Thank you for doing this Wendy," Teddy smiled.
"I love it," Wendy said, "I miss being with the kids. I spend my days teaching university kids how to connect with kids."
"Surgical residents how to talk to people," Teddy replied, "did you teach Annie to work with kids?"
"Never got the chance," Wendy said, "I would have if I could."
"Watching you with the kids she picked it up," Teddy smiled.
"Is she good with kids," Wendy asked.
"She is," Teddy said, "not just her siblings and daughter."
"Annie looks like a very doting mom when we see them," Wendy observed, "so opposite of how Leslie was with her and Chris."
"I only saw Leslie with Annie a few times," Teddy said. She didn't know Wendy well but something told Teddy she could trust the woman. Wendy's deep blue eyes and greying brown hair in a ponytail, she was shorter than Teddy but taller than Annie.
"We will talk this week," Wendy promised, "theres some things I know and I saw that one day Annie needs to know but I don't know if I should be the one to tell her."
"Annie is stronger than any of you know," Teddy assured, "Marie has said a few things over the last year. Annie is piecing things together."
"We all see it," Wendy said.
"She wants all of you in her life but she's cautious," Teddy said.
"After what happened how could she not be," Wendy agreed, "where is she?"
"She was feeding Ellie then putting her down for a nap," Teddy said, "she wanted to organize some of their stuff and do something on her research while Ellie slept."
"What is she researching," Wendy asked, "I didn't think surgeons did much research."
"We're a teaching hospital," Teddy said, "fellows and attendings research with help from residents."
"Does she have people to encourage her," Wendy asked.
"Owen and I, Josh, Meghan and Nathan, Jenna, Chris, Dan is learning what we do," Teddy said, "thank you for including my younger two."
"It's the kids and our family up here Teddy," Wendy said, "grab a seat. Do you want tea? The kettle is about to boil."
"Tea would be good," Teddy smiled, "black is good."
"I can do that," Wendy smiled.
Wendy made two cups of tea and joined Teddy on the couch.
"Auntie Wendy," Donny called, "can we show Allison and Leo the water fall?"
"No," Wendy said, "but you can go to the net loft."
"Where is that," Teddy asked.
"The second floor of the old cannery building," Wendy replied, " they have a whole bunch of sports equipment out there. The men are all on the main floor getting the boats and equipment ready."
"Ali and Leo," Teddy said, "you may go with the other kids. Find daddy out there and tell him you're there."
"Is daddy there," Leo asked.
"He is with Dan and Chris," Teddy replied, "Annie, Josh and Jenna are in our building with the babies."
"Are the babies sleeping," Allison asked.
"They should be," Teddy replied, "Annie and Jenna both wanted to read."
The two littles followed the other kids along the boardwalk to the cannery building.
"Where are you two going," Josh asked, joining the herd of kids.
"To play soccer above the boats," Leo said.
"I'll walk with you," Josh said, "do your parents know?"
"Mama does," Allison replied.
Teddy and Wendy made small talk for a few minutes until the other aunts cleared out.
"How is Annie really," Wendy asked.
"Good," Teddy said, "she's happy."
"You and her father have always been together," Wendy asked.
"No," Teddy said, "Owen is her step father but they're close. She's known him since she was 19."
"Owen isn't her father," Wendy said.
"No," Teddy said, "her biological father left me when I was about 9 weeks pregnat with her."
"Have they met," Wendy asked.
"No," Teddy replied, "it's her choice. She doesn't want to know."
"Has anyone talked to you about Leslie," Wendy asked.
"Not really," Teddy replied.
"We should talk to Annie about it," Wendy said, "is she ready?"
"She hasn't talked to Leslie in months," Teddy replied, "she's choosing not to have contact."
"It's for the best," Wendy agreed.
"Its my fault," Teddy said, "I chose them for Annie."
"You chose all of us," Wendy said, "Tammy, Joan, Peggy and I would take Annie and give her all that positivity as much as we could. The week she was up here every summer she came alive. Teddy you chose the whole family. Leslie was incredibly manipulative and controlling of Dan and those kids. She would tell Annie and Chris they were worthless and useless and push them to be perfect."
"I knew that," Teddy replied.
"What you don't know is that I started once a week cousin nights to build them up. Peggy never had kids, she would take Annie to do things to make her feel special. Annie was Leslie's show pony, still is."
"Annie won't take it any more," Teddy replied, "she's making her own name for herself now. She'll pass me one day, just watch the Altman they'll remember in the text books will be Grace Annabeth Altman. She'll do it when she's ready."
"She's always been special," Wendy agreed, "thank you for loving her and letting her back into your life."
"That was the easiest decision I've ever made," Teddy said, "answering her email. I had loved her and prayed for her for 20 years at that point. Of course I was answering my daughter. The first time I met her and she hugged me it was right. I didn't want to give her up, I didn't see a way to raise her with the situation I was in. Giving her up, her coming to this family was her best chance. My only regret with it is that I didn't push for it to be more open, for her to be able to have contact with me when she chose. Wendy I never stopped loving her, she was always my baby girl, she always will be even if she's 31 in a couple months."
"When things got bad with Leslie and she lost a baby," Wendy said, "I offered to take Annie and Chris while they got back on their feet. Tammy offered to take Jessica. Leslie refused because it was weak. I really wish we would have pushed harder. Peggy wanted to take all three. We should have pushed for it. If I had stood up we might not have lost Annie for 11 years."
"Annie needed to go to Boston," Teddy said, "it was time for her to spread her wings."
"We let ourselves be manipulated into not seeing her," Wendy admitted, "she was alone in Boston."
"She was with Josh," Teddy smiled, "they've been together ten years now, they met in med school orientation. She never went long without seeing me or Owen."
"How you were in Seattle," Wendy said.
"Most of her first year," Teddy said, "I did just over three years as chief of staff in Landstuhl Germany running hospitals for the army in Europe and the middle east while Annie was in med school. We texted or talked every day. All her breaks she came to me. Any leaves I had I went to her. Owen and I were not together yet he was still my very best friend, that's why he was around for her and Uncle Owen he chose to call her his niece when she started spending time with me. Owen on his own decided to go to every trauma surgery or trauma related conference in Boston while Annie was there to go check on her. It was never more than a couple months where she didn't see one of us. She texted or Face timed me daily. Her and Owen emailed. It was an unconventional family, we still are but we cared about each other and Annie knew she had people in her corner."
"Thank you," Wendy said, "that makes me feel better about what happened."
"Thank you for being there for her," Teddy smiled, "she talked about her auntie a lot."
"I was always just auntie," Wendy smiled, "I can remember her being about 8 or 9 and we were up here in a brutal storm, the worst we've ever seen. She had come in from being sent to shower and her hair was down the her hips even then, it was soaked and tangled. I remember making her a cup of cocoa and wrapping her in a blanket infront of the fire before brushing and french braiding her hair. I taught her to french braid up here."
"She does french braids a lot at work to keep it back under her scrub cap," Teddy replied.
"She was such a little thing," Wendy smiled, "our little bear cub. Tiny but a fighter. She missed nothing and nothing got past her. Hard to believe she's 31 in October and has a one year old. Will they have more?"
"She hasn't said anything yet," Teddy replied, "I think she wants to be closer to being done with her fellowship first. Ellie is only a year it would be fast, her body really hasn't had enough time to rest yet."
"Still," Wendy asked.
"Slowly stopping," Teddy replied, "they did the research and decided it was best for Ellie."
"It's better for the kids two to have more time with mom and dad," Wendy said.
"They both spend tons of time with Ellie," Teddy agreed, "I may go check on them and set up our beds."
"I need to make our bed too," Wendy smiled, "thanks for talking with me."
"Thanks for telling me that," Teddy smiled, "one day Annie will ask you, it's a hunch but I'm not usually wrong about this."