Chapter 7 and Epilogue
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Cuddy called Bridget and asked her to stop by her office at some point that day. Bridget decided to go and get it over with.
"How are you doing?" Cuddy asked as the other woman sat down.
"Fine."
Cuddy eyed her questioningly.
"I've been seeing the counselor and working on my issues. I'm going to be okay," Bridget said sincerely.
"I want to…" cuddy said, looking upset. "I want to keep thanking you, but I don't want to-"
"You've thanked me enough, Lisa. Just take good care of her."
"I've named her," Cuddy said.
"I thought you might," Bridget smirked.
Finally Cuddy smiled.
"I named her Orah."
"That's beautiful, Lisa," Bridget said.
"House will make some joke…"
"He always does," Bridget said.
Cuddy looked off to the left and then back at Bridget.
"So… Foreman, huh?"
Bridge let out a breath.
"I know… I know. It was unprofessional to make out in the office. It was just this spur of the moment thing…"
Cuddy's eyes went wide.
Bridget blanched.
"You didn't know?"
Cuddy shook her head.
"But now all the chatter at the nurse's station in the clinic makes sense."
"What chatter?"
"That House lost his girlfriend."
Bridget shook her head.
"Sometimes you want to correct them and sometimes it's just not worth it."
"I wouldn't worry about it. I hear your boss likes you a lot."
Bridge smiled.
"But seriously, try to keep it in the supply closet like Chase and Cameron."
"That's just wrong…"
Cuddy smirked.
"From the woman who made out with a doctor in a glass office."
Bridget stood up, still smiling.
"I'm going to go do some work, I think."
"Later," Cuddy called as Bridget headed out.
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Epilogue
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Orah Cuddy was 14 years old. She was an only child, but not alone. Her mother's co-workers were an especially tight knit group, even though House liked to pretend otherwise.
Cameron and Chase married briefly and produced Jenna, who was just 3 years younger than Orah. They divorced amicably enough and shared custody, though Chase took a job at another hospital. Neither of them would say what specifically brought on the split. When pressed, Cameron would say something about it just not working out.
Wilson remained a bachelor, with the occasional girlfriend, after Amber's death. House was the same, prompting the odd gay joke. The staff was unaware that Cuddy had dropped the pretenses with House a month after Orah was born and they'd been 'together' in a non-specific way ever since.
Orah just called him House and he'd called her turkey baster. Cuddy put an end to that before Orah was old enough to get the meaning.
That left Bridget and Foreman. They had a son, Michael, that was about 11 months younger than Orah. And despite the brown skin and other racial differences, after a while, Orah saw similarities between herself and Michael.
By 14 Orah knew House was her biological father, she also knew the woman who raised her was not her biological mother, though Cuddy wouldn't discuss it. But after spending as much time as she did with Michael, Orah started looking at Bridget.
Foreman and Bridget also had Soraya, 8, and Corina, 4. And if Orah squinted hard, she could almost make out a family resemblance with them as well.
Finally, the day came. Orah turned 15 and felt grown enough to approach Bridget, who she was sure was her biological mother.
In fact, those were the first words out of Orah's mouth when Bridget opened the door. Bridget dropped the plate in her hand and then went into Mom-mode. Ushering Orah around the shards and cleaning it up before little feet could possibly get hurt.
"What's your logic?" Bridget asked, finally seated on the couch with the girl.
"Observation," Orah said. "Michael and I have a some family resemblance. One that might be more noticeable if you didn't like the chocolate."
"You need to stop paying so much attention to House…" Bridget said.
"The chocolate comment? Because that was all I got from him. He's conspicuously closed mouthed on the subject of my biological mother. And you know him, he lays everyone's shit bare."
"Orah…"
"Sorry about the language. I just couldn't think of anything more apt."
"Not about your choice of words… And your vocabulary? Creepy for a fifteen year old."
"I have good genes," Orah said.
"Please tell me you don't say that in front of House…"
"I know you're my biological mother. We have facial similarities, we're almost the same body shape. Or will have when I'm grown. Despite the fact that Michael is the closest to my age and one of the coolest guys I know, you and Mom actively keep us from…"
"Enough… Thank you, Orah. Have you talked to Lisa about your suspicions?"
"I don't want to upset her. And I don't want to announce it to the world. I just want to hear you say the words. I want to know for sure. In the long run, it doesn't matter. I have a mom, a great mom. Just… say the words."
Bridget stared into her lap for a few minutes and then looked into Orah's eyes.
"It's not particularly shameful… We just… We wanted it to be-" Bridget stopped. "I wanted it to be a clean break. I was still going through… things that I can't even explain to you. Not because of your age, but because of how personal they still are to me. We just agreed to not tell you. Then we just kept not telling you.
"We should have known better. If you had an ounce of our curiosity and perseverance you would have figured it out eventually. I just didn't think it would be so soon."
Orah took a deep breath.
"Please… It doesn't change anything. My mom is still my mom. Just-"
"I'm your biological mother. My egg, House's sperm, and then there was Orah."
The two sat silently for a long moment.
"Is it enough for you? Are you going to talk to Lisa about it?"
The girl just shrugged.
"I don't want to hurt-"
"You won't hurt her feelings. She wasn't worried about keeping it to ourselves in the first place."
Bridget paused, then smiled.
"And you can't date Michael, he's your half brother," she said.
Orah stood.
"I'm going to go talk to my mom."
Bridget stood and followed her to the door.
"Tell her you lover her first, always softens her up," Bridget said.
Orah smiled and left.