Go Baby Grow
Chapter 15 – All Sorts of Babes
Earlier in the day ~ Friday morning, April 30th
Amelia stretched her body lengthwise, pointing her toes toward the bedroom door. One of the realities of pregnancy she had forgotten about was having to wake up to pee throughout the night. After making her way to the toilet, she returned to bed even though she knew she wouldn't be able to fall asleep. The sun was peeking through the blinds and morning routine would soon be at full tilt at the Lake House. It was 5:45 am.
Sitting with her back against a stack of pillows and the headboard, Amelia smiled softly and watched Owen sleep. His red eyelashes matched his hair and always captivated her. They were so light, yet so expressive. She thought about all of the twists and turns their life together had taken and reflected on the challenges and joys. Shock had been a common feeling – shock about impulsively buying the Lake House; being pregnant with twins, having Ria's prenatal surgery and living in the hospital until the twins were born. Shock about Owen's deep calling to return to the field and leaving her temporarily with three children, two babies, and a bun in the oven as well as Lissa's tumultuous teen years, Larry's abuse, and assuming temporary guardianship of Lissa. There had been arguments about Owen's return to the field, Owen's behavior and attitude during his recovery and re-entry, Nolan's desire to attend college at 16, Nolan and Lissa's pregnancy; and everyday struggles of life. The joy, though, made Amelia's heart burst: the births of each Little, their first steps, the soccer games and dance recitals, the successes professionally, the 4th of July parties, and, of course, the surprise wedding that was one of the most treasured days of Amelia's life.
Owen, barely awake, sensed he was being watched. Since he was almost always awake before Amelia, he assumed one of the Littles had wandered in. Opening the eye that faced away from the bed, he was surprised to not see anyone. Slowly, he closed that eye and peeked through the one facing Amelia. With a dreamy and wistful air, Amelia appeared to be a million miles away. With a croaky voice, Owen mumbled, "Morning, Mia."
She reached out and stroked his hair gently, following the curl of each tuft she touched. "Good morning," she whispered in response.
With a soft chuckle, Owen shared his observation, "You seem far away. What's on your mind?" He shifted onto his side and rested his head on his right hand while stroking her leg with his left.
"I started pondering life. Our life. The highs and lows, the joys and sorrows. You name it. My mind wandered through so many memories," she explained. She leaned down to kiss him and added, "I'm so grateful for you and for our family."
"Even this one?" Owen asked hesitantly as his hand shifted to where her baby bump would soon emerge.
With a soft frown, Amelia's eyes fell onto the empty space on the bed between them. She didn't want to lie. "I'm trying. I'm really trying, Owen."
"I know," he assured her.
"I feel guilty about not being enthusiastic," she confessed.
"Believe me, I understand," Owen admitted without making eye contact.
"I would never in a million years abort or anything…" she began.
He interrupted, "No, no, of course not."
"But I wish I wasn't pregnant. This wasn't what we had planned," she voiced.
"I've fought the same feelings," he discosed.
Focusing her eyes on his, Amelia disclosed, "I don't want to step back eight and a half years, Owen. I don't want to do the baby thing again. I want to revel in being a Grandma, not be embarrassed to have a baby younger than my grandchildren."
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about," Owen reassured her.
With a soft giggle, Amelia pointed out, "I'm fairly adept at finding ways to embarrass myself and this sure feels like one of them."
"I know neither of us expected this to happen," Owen stated. "We'll make the best of it."
"Is that fair? To make the best of it? To talk ourselves into welcoming this child into our lives?" Amelia challenged.
With an uncomfortable scoff, Owen backtracked, "I think when we hold him, we'll feel differently."
"Him?" Amelia note with curiosity . "What do you know that I don't?"
"Nothing," Owen shook his head. He raised one shoulder to his cheek and commented, "It just slipped out."
"Do you want a boy?" Amelia smiled.
"Sure," he grinned, attempting to not show a preference.
"Why?" she wondered aloud. Clarifying, she continued, "Not that either gender is good or bad. I'm curious."
Looking down at the floor, Owen mumbled, "I suppose I feel like I could use more practice at being the father of a son."
"Mmmm?" Amelia leaned close to him. "Owen…"
With a small chuckle, he added, "Having sons seems to bring out the ass in me. Girls… they might try my patience at times, but they soften me up… make me more tender…"
"Oh, Owen… you're a wonderful father," Amelia insisted with concern.
"Let's be honest with each other, Amelia. You're better with the boys… probably a better parent overall. We can acknowledge that," Owen stressed as he raised his eyebrows slightly and pursed his lips.
"I guess being surrounded my females all my life has made me more partial to males," she smiled. "Our daughters and granddaughters are fantastic too, though."
With a soft chuckle, Owen agreed, "They are. Each one of them is a keeper." I only wish we weren't adding another baby into this glorious mix, they both thought secretly.
With her smile fading fast, Amelia glanced at Owen's hand atop her womb. She slowly placed her shaking hand on his and shook her head. "Owen… I'm not the better parent. Don't paint me that way. I really… really do not want this baby. How does that make me a fantastic mother?"
Owen's shoulders sunk and he repositioned so he could embrace Amelia. He whispered, "It's ok to cry about this pregnancy… to regret it, to be angry about it…even furious. These arms won't let go. This shoulder that's collected so many of your tears has room for more. I am here with you in this, Mia."
As she cried, she emphasized, "But I'm mad about even having a this to cry about."
"Tell me all of it, Amelia… all those dark or scary feelings. I'm here. We are in this together," he assured her as he kissed the top of her head.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'
Down the hallway, Ryder tossed and turned in bed. From the time he turned in at 10pm, he hadn't slept. At first, he was steamed about Owen insisting on a bed time. Yet, at the same time, Ryder knew their arrangement clearly: arguing was a sure sign to Owen that Ryder shouldn't have moved back to the house.
When Ryder returned from the hospital a little over a week prior, Owen had sat down with him in the office. Leaning on the desk with his arms folded, Owen shot out his clear and firm conditions for Ryder's return. Amelia was not in the room. Unbeknownst to Ryder, Owen and Amelia had spoken about Owen's list. She was clear with her husband that she felt he was expecting perfection where perfection was unattainable. His rules, Amelia believed, were vengeful and informed by unresolved anger and frustration. Even so, she promised to stand by his side and support his choices.
"This isn't a negotiation," Owen had begun as he bored his eyes into Ryder's. Ryder already knew Owen wasn't particularly fond of the idea of his return. They'd already exchanged stinging words about that. Ryder also knew he wouldn't be sitting with Owen if Amelia hadn't advocated for Owen to give him a chance. When Owen huffed his opening words, Ryder pursed his lips and nodded rather than scoff or grumble.
"Curfews, not sleeping in all morning on the weekends, being awake when expected on school days, respecting homework times and our routines – your rules won't be any different than they've always been. The motorcycle? You need to sell it by the end of May. You're welcome to use the SUV or truck. Mom and I have expectations – do the chores assigned to you and finish them on time. We all take turns and we all rely on each other – if one of us lets the others down, the dominoes begin to fall. Those are the basics, understand?" Owen sought to confirm.
"Yes, Sir," Ryder agreed seriously.
"I expect you to set the tone with your younger siblings. Copping an attitude, arguing, cussing… keep them to a minimum. Let's define my stance as a zero tolerance policy. You have a choice, Ryder. Move back in and comply or stay in the apartment. It's your choice. If you come here, it's your responsibility to rise to the occasion," Owen concluded. To Ryder's surprise, Owen then stood, patted Ryder's shoulder and left the room. Not only was the meeting not a negotiation, it was not a discussion whatsoever.
Ryder sat still in the office for five minutes. He knew in his gut that he needed to be home, even if he wasn't thrilled by the conditions. He reasoned that Owen's way of life would help prepare him for the rigid expectations of the Academy. Wishing for a glimpse of freedom before heading to Annapolis, Ryder knew he'd only eat poorly, drink, and regret his choices. He decided to move back home.
After recalling the recent past, Ryder's mind drifted to his plans for the day. He listened for signs that Owen and Amelia were awake. Without a doubt, he wanted to speak with them before the three of them went about their days. Even though it was only 6:00 am, he made his way out of bed and headed to the shower.
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At 6:20, Ryder made his way to the kitchen for breakfast. He was famished and attributed it to being awake all night. Freshly showered, his hair was wet. He had the beginnings of his school uniform on: slacks, socks, and a collared shirt.
Owen was already in the room, making coffee and perusing the news using his phone. "You're up early," he smirked at his son.
"Yeah… didn't really sleep. I figured I might as well eat," Ryder yawned.
With a chuckle, Owen commented, "Eating is almost always a great option."
"What about you? Isn't this early for you too?" Ryder inquired.
Owen glanced at the clock. "I'm usually awake by now but not downstairs." Shaking his head, Owen added, "This morning is different." His voice trailed off as he continued in his head, Your mom and I needed to cry about this unexpected baby we're having. Neither one of us have come to terms with it. We're having a tough time accepting reality.
Ryder sat down at the table with a box of cereal, bowl, spoon, and milk. While he waited for the coffee to brew, Owen sat down and asked, "How's life, Ryder?"
Suspiciously, Ryder peeked out of the corner of his eye. "Ummm… good."
"It's not a trick question," Owen scoffed with a grin. "Just conversation…an honest question."
Amelia came padding into the kitchen in her bathrobe. "No coffee yet, Handsome?"
"Brewing, Mia," Owen smirked as he looked over his shoulder.
"Good morning, Other Handsome," Amelia offered as she kissed Ryder's forehead and sat between he and Owen. "What's up?"
"We were about to catch up," Owen explained. Amelia gazed back and forth between Owen and Ryder, waiting for them to resume their conversation. Chewing a bite of cereal, Ryder said nothing until he sensed Owen's anticipation. Knowing he needed to say something, it spit out what he was hoping to share with them before the day unfolded.
"I'm asking a date to the prom today," Ryder shrugged nonchalantly.
"Really?" Amelia oozed. "Who?"
"Julie," he threw out casually.
"Are you and Julie…?" Owen began to investigate.
"We'll be friending, not dating. We're friends. Best friends," Ryder half-smiled as he caught Owen's eye. "I mean, c'mon Dad. Dating Julie would be like dating one of my sisters."
"She'd probably be far less of a Princess," Owen joked.
Narrowing her eyes and tilting her head, Amelia pushed, "What is it between you two? I mean… you and Julie have similar interests. You have a great time being together. You trust each other. You talk…"
"So?" Ryder shrugged with clueless confusion.
"Why won't you date her?" Amelia prodded.
Ryder shuddered. "Mom…" He looked at Owen and requested, "A little help here, Dad?"
"I don't get it, either, Ryder," Owen shook his head. "I'm with Mom."
"First, even if I was interested in dating JJ, her dad would probably scare me away. That guy… well, her dad and even her brother… are trained to kill. I wouldn't fu…. Ummm, mess with them. Second, how do I explain this?" he pondered. "Mom, would you date Aunt Addy or Aunt Charlotte?"
"In a hot minute," Amelia emphasized honestly, "They're both incredible. If I were into girls, yes, I'd date them." She whistled as she imagined her attractive friends.
"Oh…" Ryder acknowledged with surprise. Up and ready for school, Olivia joined the group and sat next to Ryder. Not having a uniform, Olivia wore bright colors, scarves, and unique shoes on a regular basis. Owen liked to joke that Eclectic, rather than Elise, was her middle name. As she arrived, her red and purple peasant scarf with thin silver threads woven subtly throughout flowed around her dancer's body and atop a white tank dress that hit mid-thigh. The outfit was accessorized with her $245 Irregular Choice Alice in Wonderland heels she'd saved money to purchase. The heel was a figurine of the White Rabbit with a black lacy upper that was adorned with small red hearts.
Ryder mustered all the self-control he could to avoid a comment about the shoes. Had he responded in any way, he would've either asked her if she'd raided the toy box and found a glue gun to create them or tried to tip her over as she balanced on the ridiculously high heels. Instead, with one ear waiting to hear Owen's reaction, Ryder focused on his cereal and said nothing.
Clearing his throat, Owen began, "Olivia…where's the rest of that dress?" Bingo! Ryder laughed internally.
"Oh, Daddy!" she giggled. She bent over to kiss his cheek, nearly exposing her own cheeks, and then sat down.
"Livie, are those the shoes?" Amelia asked with glee, trying to celebrate along with her daughter. Owen was disgusted that Livs had paid so much for them, but Amelia reminded him that it was Olivia's money to spend.
"Yes! Aren't they the best?!" Olivia celebrated. She took one off and handed it to Amelia across the table.
"Look at the detail. I didn't notice that the front toes had silver glitter when you showed me the picture," Amelia commented. "And I love the White Rabbit's huge pocket watch!"
"Right? It's so fun," Olivia agreed as Amelia handed the shoe back to her daughter.
"Is it inappropriate to ask that you keep your shoes on your feet at the table?" Ryder voiced to the air.
"Good idea," Owen echoed. "And, Olivia, I wasn't kidding about the dress. It's too short."
"Come on, Dad. It is not," she protested.
"Dress? I thought it was a long shirt," Ryder quipped, guessing Owen wouldn't mind the back up.
Amelia shot Ryder a look of warning and suggested, "Why don't we discuss the dress after everyone here has either eaten or had coffee."
"Deal," Owen mumbled reluctantly.
"You guys are constantly trying to inhibit my artistic expression of who I am," Olivia pouted. Owen nodded and winked at Amelia as she handed her daughter the milk.
"Let's try this discussion about Julie from another angle, Ry," Owen suggested as he returned to the previous subject. "What is it about Julie that doesn't make her attractive to you?"
"She's attractive in her own way, but that's not what I love about Julie," Ryder chuckled. "She's… umm… I tend to date pretty girls, you know, girls with expensive hairstyles and perfect makeup. Girls who aren't focused on school and AP tests. Girls who are interested in military guys, not ones who want to be in the military. Julie calls them Barbie Girls."
"She's not your type. Is that what you're saying?" Amelia asked.
"She's my best friend type. No doubt about that," Ryder nodded. "She's smart, she doesn't put up with my crap, we have a blast together, we both want to be pilots. What would I do with her as a girlfriend?"
"What do you do with your other girlfriends… besides, well… spare me the intimate details," Owen questioned with conditions.
"They laugh at my jokes, tell me I'm cute, I tell them how beautiful they are," Ryder reported as if he were taking a history test and filling in the blanks.
"That's not dating, Ryder," Amelia scoffed. "That's showing off arm candy and being adored."
"Right… add the intimate details and there you go: dating," he grinned.
Olivia pointed her empty spoon toward the center of the table, "I agree with Mom. That sounds like it's all about you, Ryder."
Exhaling heavily, Ryder grumbled, "I don't recall asking you, Olivia."
"You didn't," she smirked with confidence. "But I'm at the table, so I'm joining the conversation. I'd never date a Barbie girl. That's just… fake, Ryder. Empty."
"Right," Owen weighed in with pride as he affirmed Olivia.
"Barbie Girls are a blast, Olivia," Ryder scoffed.
"You obviously haven't met Gwen. Gwen is beautiful and smart. She's fascinating and a blast," Olivia declared.
"Gwen?" Amelia wondered.
"My girlfriend," Olivia announced casually before taking a bite of cereal. Owen raised his eyebrows and looked over at Amelia, who raised her shoulders slightly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'
Early that afternoon, Owen was almost ready to close the trauma patient who had been injured in a car accident. He patiently instructed his residents, "Alfaro, when you work with that stitch, try shifting your left side closer to the patient and your right side further away. Seems like a minor difference, but your hand will have more stamina." Glancing at O'Leary's work near the pancreas, he advised, "O'Leary, you'll have been visualization if you use more suction. You're putting yourself at a disadvantage." Both residents readily accepted his advice.
Knocking on glass in the gallery, Amelia waited for Owen to catch her eye. When he looked up, she motioned to the phone in an attempt to ask him if she could interrupt him on the speaker. He readily nodded.
"Chief Hunt," she began with the hint of a breathy voice. She loved taunting him with a flirty sounding nod to his title.
With a slight chuckle and without glancing toward the gallery, he simply stated, "Dr. Shepherd."
"I'm heading to the coffee cart. I have two hands and only plan to buy one drink. Can I pick something up for you?" she offered.
"Please…" he began as he requested that the nurse adjust his headlamp, "Mary, my lamp is at a bad angle."
"Let me adjust it, Doctor," Mary replied readily as he bent his knees so she could reach the lamp.
"Thank you," Owen acknowledged before answering his wife. "Shep… how about an iced coffee, please."
"You bet. Meet you in the hall in…" she wondered.
"15 minutes," he finished.
When Owen made it to the hallway ten minutes later, Amelia smirked and commented, "You're early."
"I knew you'd be waiting," he smiled. She handed him the iced coffee and he put his arm around her. They began walking toward his office.
"Olivia…" Amelia began.
"…has a girlfriend," Owen interrupted. "Did you know?"
"Had no idea," Amelia admitted. "You?"
"Knew nothing," Owen mentioned as he sipped his coffee.
"Should we do anything about it?" Amelia wondered.
Owen thought for a moment, "What can we do? Set some clear guidelines, I suppose. Beyond that, we'll have to trust her."
Amelia briefly rested her head on Owen's arm as she wrapped her arms around his and hugged.
Owen focused on his wife with a soft grin. "I love you, Amelia Shepherd."
With twinkling eyes, she glanced upward with a wide open smile, "I love you, too, Owen Hunt." She held her gaze and giggled, "What was that about?"
"About loving you," Owen smirked. "I adore you, and… you're glowing."
"I'm glowing?" she inquired with disbelief.
"You have that pregnancy glow," Owen whispered as he bent toward her ear. "Honestly, it makes me want to re-route to the 8th floor."
She patted her bump and joked, "Thanks, Kid." Steering Owen toward the elevator, she looked forward to some afternoon action.