Go Baby Grow

Chapter 39 – What's the Scoop?

Monday, June 8th

"Yesterday was so amazing," Amelia smiled as Owen brought her a magazine and a glass of water with a straw. She'd been snuggled on the couch since breakfast, hoping to at least catch glimpses of any activity. In the two hours she'd rested there, she'd watched Lucas run by at least four times, heard Anna and Olivia arguing, and talked Ria into cuddling with her for an hour.

"It was," Owen agreed as he sat down and set Amelia's head in his lap. "I'm still blown away by Ryder's speech. I'm so proud of him."

"He'd like us to think he's a troublemaker, but he's pretty damn brilliant and gifted underneath all the mischief," Amelia mused.

"He is a troublemaker, Mia," Owen corrected with a chuckle. "and he's pretty damn brilliant and gifted."

Turning her head and looking up at her husband, Amelia gushed, "Thanks again for making yesterday happen. All the prep and clean up… I'm so sorry I couldn't help with the party."

"I loved doing it," Owen assured her as he stroked her hair. "However… I have to be honest, I'm not so sure about trying to pull off a 4th of July party this year. We'll just be back from taking Ryder to Annapolis. We'll be tired from travelling and grieving the brilliant troublemaker."

"Makes sense," Amelia agreed. "Don't try to pull it off for my benefit. A nice quiet 4th might be a nice change."

"We'll need to let Lucas know," Owen considered. "We can think up something extra special to do with him in place of the party. Maybe we could go to the waterpark in Federal Way."

"Mom," Ryder called down from the open portion of the upstairs hallway.

"Ryder," she echoed.

"Have you seen my short-sleeved green and navy plaid shirt? I can't find it," Ryder asked.

"Did you check the laundry room?" Amelia suggested.

"Yes and my closet," Ryder assured her.

"What about your dresser?" Amelia wondered.

"Why would it be in there?" Ryder scoffed.

Amelia reminded him, "Anna helped with laundry. She might have folded it instead of hanging it."

Ryder returned to his bedroom and called out, "Found it! Thanks, Mom."

A few minutes later, Ryder bounded down the steps. His hair was styled and he had a smile on his face.

"All dressed up," Amelia noted. "What's the plan, Stan?"

"I'm taking Heather out to lunch then we're going to either come back here and hang out on the dock or go see a movie," Ryder detailed.

"Heather…" Amelia attempted to recall details about Heather.

"She's the one who was checking out my junk when I ripped my pants," Ryder reminded her.

Owen raised his eyebrows high and cautioned, "Ryder…"

"It's true, Dad," Ryder retorted.

"There's a way to reference people and a way… to avoid," Owen pointed out. "Before you leave, what time are you working out with Julie today?"

"4:00," Ryder responded. "I think her brother is going to hang out with us too. He's leaving sometime this week, so Julie's spending every second she can with him." Trying his luck, Ryder threw out, "I'll take the Boxster today?"

"You'll take the SUV or the truck, Romeo," Owen scoffed. "Nice try. Actually, I'm taking the Boxster in to be detailed today. Maybe you can pick me up at the shop when I drop it off."

"Probably. Text me," Ryder stated. He walked over and gave Amelia a kiss on the cheek then headed out the door.

Owen's phone rang as Ryder departed. Owen answered and heard the familiar voice of one of his trusted colleagues. "Dr. Hunt, Dr. Miche here. Dr. Torres and Victoria's physical therapist sat down with me today to map out a strategy for her pre and post-surgery routine," the doctor said.

"Let me tell you about the timing we are considering," Dr. Miche shared. "The swelling and bruising are significant and we want to try to address those through time and PT before operating. Dr. Torres mentioned you had an important trip planned at the end of this month."

"Yes, my wife and I will be away June 28 through July 2nd," Owen explained.

"That timing is ideal. We were leaning toward a surgery date after July 4th. That allows Victoria four weeks to rest her leg and to undergo some pre-operative PT," the doctor explained. "How about Wednesday, July 8 as a surgery date?"

Owen jotted a note on a napkin, handed it to Amelia, and responded, "I have that date noted."

Dr. Miche inquired, "How has she been since the last appointment?"

"She's in quite a bit of pain today. I gave her a naproxen but it's not helping as much as I'd hoped," Owen reported.

"I'll call in a prescription for Flexeril. Shall I call downstairs for that or another pharmacy?" Dr. Miche inquired.

"The hospital pharmacy works. Thank you," Owen responded.

"Between now and July 8th, keep her leg elevated as much as possible. She should use either full or elbow crutches to walk in order to minimize the use of the injured muscles. At the same time, she should remain physically active in ways that are low impact: swimming, bicycling, and roller-skating are wonderful options for children. If you have access and she's interested, you could also explore yoga, rowing, rock climbing, or elliptical machines," Dr. Miche instructed.

"Rock climbing? Really?" Owen sought to confirm, surprised by the suggestion.

"The hands bear much of the weight. The movements are slow in rock climbing, so the impact and stress on the muscles is minimized," the doctor explained. "Of course, she shouldn't have Flexeril in her system during rock climbing or, really, during any exercise."

"We'll consider the options and do our best to find a balance between resting and exercising," Owen agreed before ending the call. He glanced at Amelia and commented, "I'm losing people to bedrest faster than I can blink."

"She's going to be so frustrated," Amelia sighed.

"Doc's calling in some Flexeril prn, so she probably won't mind a bit," Owen grinned, knowing the muscle relaxant would make Ria sleepy. "He also mentioned low-impact exercise, like bike riding and swimming. At least she'll have some time to play this summer. I jotted down his other suggestions."

Owen handed Amelia his chicken-scratches, which she had somehow learned to read over their years together. "Yoga? Rowing? Elliptical? Does he think we have a private gym in our non-existent basement?" Amelia questioned with a chuckle.

"She could use the hospital workout facility – she's a patient, after all. They have kid-sized machines, too. Maybe I can talk Nolan or Ryder into helping out with that part. They're down at the gym quite a bit," Owen pondered aloud.

Sitting up and placing her hands on his cheeks, Amelia declared, "You are brilliant. Great idea."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"'

Ryder decided to take Heather to a casual yet nice restaurant at the mall for lunch. Although the two had both attended St. Frances for years, they had never really come to know each other well. He was still attempting to sort out Julie's kiss on prom night and her flirting with Nate. Feeling conflicted, he decided to keep the plans he'd made with Heather. Finding himself more anxious than usual, Ryder tried to make jokes to ease his stress.

"I didn't know your story until graduation," Heather commented with care before taking a bite of her salad.

"It's quite a story," Ryder chuckled nervously. "Lots of parents, lots of siblings, a couple countries… you know, nothing abnormal at all."

Heather giggled in response. "Your story makes mine seem pretty bland," she observed.

"Tell it to me," Ryder smiled warmly.

"My story?" Heather sought to clarify.

"Yeah… we're not in any hurry," Ryder encouraged. "At least give me the highlights."

With a small grin, she shared, "I'm a Seattle native with native Seattleite parents, the second of two daughters, and a good but not stellar student. I've lived in the same house and even in the same bedroom my entire life, and I'm starting at UW in the fall. Pretty uneventful."

"Don't sell yourself short. It's all in how you frame it," Ryder grinned.

"Rephrase it and impress me," Heather challenged.

"Heather comes from a long line of native Washingtonians with roots deeply planted in the heart of Seattle. Her family has been a steady, nearly unchanging, influence in her life. Their long-term home and the love of family serve to form the core of her identity," Ryder threw out off the top of his head. Then he added, "…oh, and Heather loves Washington so much that she's headed to its premier university in the Fall."

Laughing, Heather pointed her empty fork at Ryder and praised him, "Not bad. I'm impressed. You should consider a career in advertising."

"Nah… then I couldn't pilot airplanes," Ryder shrugged.

"You've been into airplanes as long as I've known you. Why airplanes?" she wondered.

Ryder stopped cold. The what had always been so clear that he'd never deeply considered the why. He took a bite of his lunch to stall. A minute later, he responded, "Nobody has ever asked me that… I suppose it's partly about freedom – breaking the boundaries by being off the ground and flying in the air. The thrill and danger – I've always been the kid who climbed or jumped where he wasn't supposed to go. I'm sure there's more to it than that… I'll have to think about it."

"What to hear my theory? I know we don't know each other really well, but I've been around since you came to St. Frances. I wonder if part of it has to do with invincibility or… don't be offended… escape," Heather pointed out. "Or maybe it's about independence – trying to stand on your own without depending on anyone else."

Ryder fixed his eyes on his date and suddenly felt emotionally naked. She'd discovered what Ryder most preferred to hide: escape from pain fed by bravado and humor as well as a yearning to be as self-reliant as possible. After all, if a young boy couldn't count on his parents to be at his side, who could he trust? Relationships were fun, but with the exception of Julie, Nolan and Amelia, Ryder seldom leaned on anyone for anything. Even with his inner circle, he was hesitant to let down his guard. Softening his thoughtful face into a sly smile, Ryder responded, "And you said your major at UW is psychology?"

"Ha! No… no major yet. I'm going in and focusing on gen ed," Heather explained.

The rest of lunch was enjoyable, but Ryder steered the conversation away from any topic that might lead to vulnerability or depth. When given the choice between a movie or the dock, Heather chose the dock. Ryder warned her about the curious and annoying crowd of siblings they might encounter, but Heather wasn't worried.

They drove to the Lake House and headed directly toward the water. Ryder sent a text that read, Please, please keep the urchins at the house. At dock with my date.

Amelia laughed as she read his words and responded, No promises. They're faster than me. Will do my best.

Within five minutes, Anna popped in from the porch and asked, "Who's down at the dock with Ryder?"

"That was quick," Amelia observed. "They just arrived."

"I know. I watched them walk down there. Does he have another girlfriend?" Anna wondered.

Amelia smiled, "I think she's a friend from school."

"He's gonna have a funny suntan," Anna added randomly.

"What do you mean?" Amelia inquired.

"He's lying on his side on a towel talking to her, and she's on another towel next to him," Anna reported.

"Are they wearing swim suits?" Amelia asked.

"Mmm Hmm…they're just lying there talking. What a boring date. I thought he was Mr. Boyfriend Guy. I wouldn't date someone who took me to a dock and all we did was sit there and talk. That's stupid," Anna commentated.

"Yeah," Amelia emphasized, "Any guy who wants to put his arm around you or touch you or kiss you or pay attention to you… stay away from those until you're at least 25."

"Very funny, Mom," Anna scoffed.

As Amelia hoped Anna would delay dating as long as possible, Owen returned from having the car detailed. He came in the garage door with a frown. Initially, he tried to disguise his foul mood. "I stopped and bought the items on your list, Mia," he announced as he emptied the bags.

"Thanks, Handsome," she called over. "Is the Boxster all clean and shiny now?"

Popping his lips, he came back with, "That's one way to describe it."

"Uh oh. What happened?" Amelia inquired, worried the car had been scratched or damaged in some way.

Owen nodded toward Anna, who could not see him, and crowed, "Later." He called out Anna's name and continued, "Annabelle, you and Livs are going to help with dinner tonight. Ria and Mom are out of commission and Ryder's working out until just before dinner."

"What about Lucas? How come he doesn't have to help?" Anna popped off.

Walking toward his daughter and bending down to her level, Owen explained, "He and Ryder have clean up. I'm guessing you don't want to trade with Lucas."

"Nope," Anna grinned. "What are we making?"

"Pizza," Owen sighed. "And Nolan, Lissa and the girls are coming over."

"We're making pizza?" she asked with a puzzled tone.

"You girls get to go with me to pick it up," he winked.

"That's an easy way to help with dinner. We should do that every night, Dad," Anna proposed.

While Owen and Anna celebrated their plans for pizza night, Olivia approached Amelia looking guilty. She whispered, "Mom, can we talk?"

"Sure," Amelia responded at normal volume.

"Shhh. Quietly," Olivia emphasized.

"What's up," Amelia whispered.

Olivia's eyes darted around the room, keeping especially close tabs on Owen's location. "Ryder… umm… well, he's gonna tell you and Dad something about me tonight that isn't true."

"Why would he do that, Olivia?" Amelia pressed, suspicious about Livie's motives and statement.

"He's always trying to find ways to get me in trouble, Mom. You know that," Olivia emphasized.

"What makes you think he's planning to do that tonight?" Amelia quizzed.

Oliva's eyes widened as she disclosed, "He told me. He said he hated that I'm gay and that he's going to make up something about Gwen and me. Then do you know what he told me? He said that I'm just pretending to be gay to get attention."

"Ryder wouldn't say that, Livs," Amelia countered. "None of what you just said sounds like him. He's never had a problem with your orientation."

"That's what he wants you to think," Olivia nodded. "I've never said anything before, but he's been mean about it to me forever."

"Hmm," Amelia acknowledged without defined comment.

"So whatever he tells you guys tonight… it's a huge, made up, completely untrue lie," Olivia shared as if she was disclosing a National security secret.

"If he tries to talk to us, we'll pull you in so everyone has a chance to share what they want to share, Olivia," Amelia promised. Olivia thanked her mom and slipped away after hugging Owen and calling him 'Daddy.' Frustrated to be put in a position of having to assess what was becoming a complex situation, Amelia set her head on a pillow and napped.

A couple hours later, at 3:15pm, Ryder slowly awoke from his snooze. He smiled as he gazed at Heather. She was napping peacefully beside him. Thankful that the dock had been shaded most of his nap, Ryder grabbed his phone and noticed the time. Crap. I'm gonna be late for our workout.

Sweetly, Ryder nudged Heather and whispered, "Heather… hey, it's 3:15."

She opened her eyes and blinked, commenting, "Don't you need to be somewhere at 4?"

"I do," Ryder grimaced. "I need to run up to the house and change. Do you want to come up and change too?"

"I'll just throw my clothes over my suit. Meet you where we parked?" she asked.

"Sounds good," Ryder smiled as he leaned in and gave her a peck on the cheek. He ran up to the house, flew through the back doors and zoomed up the staircase. As he hurried into his room, he changed at lightning speed and ran back downstairs. As he descended, he heard Owen call out, "Ryder, we need to talk."

"Late for my workout, Dad, and I need to take my date home first. After dinner?" Ryder grinned.

"I guess," Owen huffed as Ryder slipped out the door and drove away with Heather.

After spending too much time saying goodbye to Heather and then encountering a traffic jam, Ryder finally arrived at the park at 4:15pm. He hated to be late in general, but this was worse. He knew Nate would have some particularly nasty consequence for him.

The only parking spot he could find was at the far end of the park. Ryder grabbed it and began jogging across the grass. Although he wasn't yet close to the picnic table where the trio usually met, he could see it in the distance. A couple was sitting on the bench making out. Ryder's first thought was, Damn…if that couple's sitting there, where are Nate and JJ?

As he came closer, he stopped mid-step and screamed internally, F #$! That is Nate and JJ! I want to beat the shit out of that guy. How dare he take advantage of her and make moves on her. She's a virgin, Dude, keep your slimy hands to yourself. Before he resumed walking, the couple pulled away from one another. They were chatting and giggling. As Ryder stood frozen, Julie happened to look over and see him. She smirked awkwardly, then spoke to Nate. The expression on her face shifted from dreamy to worried.

"Call him over here. We'll pretend he didn't see what he saw," Nate suggested. "Besides, JJ, he doesn't have any right to have an opinion about us." He rubbed his hand along the back of her calf and encouraged, "Take a loop and I'll deal with him." Julie did just that.

When Ryder approached Nate, he stated, "Man… so sorry I'm late. I was stuck in tra…"

"No excuses, remember?" Nate sneered with narrowed eyes and glanced at his watch. "Pull that at the Academy and you'll be crying for your mama's arms."

"No excuses, Sir," Ryder nodded.

"Why don't you start with 25 up-downs. We'll go from there," Nate scoffed.

"Sir, I thought Lt. Caldwell was joining us today," Ryder said as he flew to the ground for his first push up.

"No talking. If you have time to talk, you can clap after each push-up," Nate drilled. "Can you handle that?"

"I'll find out, Sir," Ryder responded, using one of the five acceptable responses for plebes: yes, no, I'll find out, no excuses, and a correct answer to a question.

As Ryder worked his ass off and added the claps to most every effort without faltering, Nate told him, "Lt. Caldwell is meeting us here at 5."

Ryder stood up, having completed the 25 up-downs. He was already drenched with sweat, and Nate glared at him as he scanned Ryder from head to toe. "100 Crunches. Go," Nate ordered.

Julie approached and ran slowly in place. Nate winked at her, which Ryder saw out of the corner of his eye, and praised, "Nice time. Good run. Drop and stretch those leg muscles. You don't need to develop shin splits.

Stretch? Are you f !#ing kidding me?! That's never been part of your repertoire, Santini, Ryder grumbled internally.

"You got a problem, Hunt?" Nate grilled.

"No, Sir," Ryder responded promptly.

"Then wipe that scowl off your face. It's ugly," Nate hammered. He knew that if he was a complete ass, Ryder wouldn't challenge him about the kissing. "Are you at 100 yet?"

"96… 97… 98… 99… 100. Yes, sir," Ryder answered.

"Run, two laps. Fast," Nate shouted.

"You're being so mean to him," Julie pouted playfully. "Be nice to my BFF."

"He was 15 minutes late!" Nate protested. "Do you know what that would get him in Annapolis? Absent without authority for fifteen minutes? Up to 15 hours of EMI, loss of privileges for up to a month, and up to fourteen 45 minute tours of marching. And that's just officially what he'd get. It'd be worse than that."

"What's EMI?" Julie inquired.

"Extra Military Instruction," Nate detailed. "Special assignments that tie to the infraction. I once saw a plebe who couldn't make his rack worth shit. Company Commander threw the guy's sheets and blanket in the shower, turned on the water, and had him make his bed with those… multiple times."

"Yikes," Julie, wrinkling her forehead, gasped. "How'd the guy sleep on wet sheets?"

"CC gave him two choices: sleep on the wet sheets or make his rack perfectly ten times," Nate shared. "He chose the ten times and learned quickly how to make a rack properly."

"Holy crap," Julie shook her head.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'

Nolan and Lissa, 22

Molly 15 months

Emily and Elizabeth (born 3/15) 12 weeks

Ryder 18, Julie 18 (High School graduates)

Olivia 15 (Sophomore in high school in September)

Ria and Anna 10 (starting 5th grade in September)

Lucas 8 ½ (starting 3rd grade in September)

Baby Hunt – due October 25. 20 weeks gestation.