"Ready to scrub in with mom," Owen asked when Allison found him by the nurses station.
"I think so," Allison said, "I need scrubs."
"Mom will get her resident to get you some," Owen assured, "but first you need this."
Owen pulled a scrub cap from his lab coat pocket, a deep royal blue covered with sunflowers.
"My own cap," Allison beamed, "with sun flowers?"
"Yes," Owen smiled, "you grow them in the yard every summer and have them on anything you can. I'm surprised Evs room isn't sunflower themed."
"Ash stopped me," Allison said, "dad it's perfect."
"You're 19 it's time for your first scrub cap to scrub with mom and I," Owen smiled, hugging Allison.
"Are you coming," Allison asked.
"I'll be in the gallery," Owen promised, "this is you and mom."
"Just mom and I," Allison asked.
"A couple residents but no other family, it's your turn munchkin," Owen said, "you're ready."
"Leo hasn't yet," Allison said.
"He hasn't shown us the maturity to," Owen replied, "you have."
"His cap," Allison asked.
"Hockey sticks and pucks," Owen replied, "when he's ready. You all get your first caps when your ready. This is the second time I get to do this."
"Second," Allison asked.
"I bought Annie's first," Owen said, "light blue with sea otters."
"Mom, Annie and I are all blue," Allison said.
"You are," Owen replied, "and you like plants more than you like animals. The garden is your thing."
"I didn't do much of it last summer," Allison said, "I want to do my veggies again and all my flowers."
"Do it," Owen said, "your garden always makes you smile. Teach Everly to love it and growing things."
"We have apples, plums, pears, raspberries and blueberries," Allison said, "I want to do carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, potato bags, peas, green beans, squash and a couple pumpkins to carve at Halloween."
"Flowers," Owen asked, "you like doing that and making bouquets."
"Sunflowers, daisies, my rose bushes were okay last year so were the lilacs," Allison said, "I usually just go with nana and opa and we buy seeds that the pictures on the packages make us smile."
"Go with them and Ev," Owen said.
"Another month," Allison replied, "but dad she can hardly walk and it's hard for opa to push the wheel chair a long distance, plus a cart and the stroller."
"I'll come and push my mom, put Ev in her carrier and you push the cart," Owen said, "I'll do the heavy lifting."
"None of it is heavy just bulky and awkward," Allison said.
"I'll come," Owen said.
"I have to budget for the garden," Allison replied.
"Nope," Owen said, "mom and I always buy your gardening stuff. It's our yard you do us a huge favour by taking care of it you and Asher. We can supply all the equipment."
"And Ev can really enjoy the pool this year," Allison smiled.
"She liked it last year in her baby neck ring thing," Owen said.
"Just a life jacket this year," Allison asked.
"I think so," Owen agreed.
"She loves the pool," Allison said, "in July theres parent and tot swimming lessons for kids with physical challenges at the pool near UW, twice a week for 45 min she has to be 18 months or a doctors recommendation."
"Talk to Link or Jenna I can't sign it but it sounds good," Owen said, "swimming lessons are good for kids. You used to love them."
"I like swimming," Allison said, "the water is calming."
"Then swim and take Everly," Owen said.
"When her casts are off," Allison agreed, "she moves so much more freely in the water."
"She should," Owen agreed, "other summer plans," Owen asked.
"I'm going to take one course in the summer to make up for taking 4 instead of 5 courses," Allison said, 'just one and an early morning course, probably psychology."
"General ed requirement," Owen asked.
"Yes," Allison said, "just one. One should be doable."
"It is very doable," Owen agreed, "you've got this munchkin. You look calmer this week."
"I feel a bit better," Allison said, "I'm looking forward to doing this today. Then when I scrub in with you can I touch something?"
"It depends what I have," Owen said.
"Mom said Annie did," Allison replied.
"25 years ago and it was just a retractor," Owen said, "for 5 minutes."
Owen smiled at the memory of Annie scrubbing in with him the first time and him tying the ribbon at the back of the scrub cap for Annie. It was one of Teddy's caps, a bird one. Annie had been hesitant touching the patient and the retractor, Owen remembered placing Annie's hands on the retractor and the smile in the girl's eyes when it hit her what she was doing, that she was operating.
"I want to," Allison said, "dad I want to do what Link does."
"Then we'll get you there," Owen said, "college, med school, residency. Why ortho?"
"So many people are helping us," Allison said, "I want to help families like ours."
"It's not all kids with CP yes thats something he does well but it's a lot of hip replacements, knee replacements, broken bones," Owen said.
"Do you think I could observe with him," Allison asked.
"I can ask," Owen said.
"Please," Allison said.
"Or you ask when you see him," Owen said, "tell him what you told me."
"It's silly," Allison said.
"No," Owen said, "you want to help kids like your own daughter."
"I can't help her even if I was a doctor they wouldn't let me," Allison said, "but I can help others. I wish one doctor, therapist or nurse had been me. Not the teen mom part but the special needs mom part. Some one who understood more than the medical."
"Someone who has done it with their child," Owen agreed, "Allison that will be a huge gift for you and your patients you've been in those parents shoes. You understand."
"No one does fully," Allison said, "you don't watch her cry and scream through physio daily and do it to her anyway. To watch her struggle to move her legs. To see other babies the same age crawling and standing and we're still sitting."
"After the casts we'll see her skills jump," Owen said.
"She was just starting to put weight on her legs when I put her feet on my legs," Allison said, "she's pushing down a little now."
"Good," Owen said, "that's a good sign."
"There you are," Teddy said rounding the corner.
"Mom look," Allison beamed showing Teddy the scrub cap.
"Do you want help with it," Teddy asked.
"Dad," Allison asked.
"Always munchkin," Owen said.
"After you put scrubs on," Teddy said, "I have them for you. We'll try smalls."
"Resident scrubs," Allison smiled seeing the light blue scrubs in Teddy's hand.
"Yes," Teddy beamed, "now go change and find an empty cubby for your bag."
Allison dashed off to the resident's locker room and changed into the scrubs Teddy had given her.
"Are you sure Teds," Owen asked, "she's still a freshman, Annie was a sophomore."
"She is," Teddy replied, "she's also way more independent and mature than Annie was. She's ready."
"She is," Owen said, "and she's had more exposure."
"She's been in the gallery and in the hospital her whole life," Teddy agreed.
"She has," Owen agreed, "can I watch in the gallery?"
"Of course," Teddy smiled.
Allison met her parents back at the nurses station.
"You look like a resident," Teddy smiled.
"You look like your mom," Owen beamed.
"Dad can you take a picture," Allison asked passing Owen her phone.
Owen took Allison's phone and took a picture of Allison and Teddy together.
"I'll get the three of you," Annie said walking past, "I love the sunflowers Bean."
"Dad," Allison smiled.
"My otters," Annie replied.
"I get to buy all of my kids first scrub caps," Owen replied.
"Our traditions," Annie smiled, "bean you look like you should be here everyday."
"Seven years," Allison said.
"It'll go fast," Annie replied.
"Ev will be 8," Allison said.
"That's harder than school years watching them grow up," Annie replied, "she's with Meg today?"
"She is," Allison said.
"Mama, it's a 16 year old for your valve," Annie said.
"I'm good," Teddy said, "16 is nearly an adult he's adult size and you got your first scrub in with me and Christina."
"And Lexie," Annie remembered.
"That was a surprising day," Meredith said, "your first trip Grace."
"I was still using Annie everywhere," Annie said, "I was 19."
"We didn't know Teddy had a kid," Meredith said.
"They didn't know," Allison looked surprised.
"Your dad and Christina did," Teddy replied, "a few people I had arranged for her to work with but the residents didn't. Dr Grey, Dr Karev, Dr Avery and Dr Yang were residents then."
"And Kepner," Annie replied.
"That was a good week," Teddy remembered.
"I have clinic so I'll see you two later," Annie replied, "have fun bean. Once you get in there you won't want to leave."
"That's what we were hoping for," Owen smiled.
"She'll get bit by the surgical bug," Annie smiled.
"It's time to scrub baby girl," Teddy said, "you're going to do exactly as I do."
"Mom I can wash my hands," Allison rolled her eyes.
"Theres washing your hands and theres scrubbing," Teddy replied, "this is up to your elbow."
Allison followed Teddy to the scrub room and copied her movements to scrub.
"Ready," Teddy asked holding both hands in the air, "now don't touch anything."
"I won't," Allison said copying Teddy.
Teddy beamed at her youngest, it was time to bring her baby into the OR to start her journey as a surgeon. Allison had been asking recently and watching from the gallery when she picked Everly up from family members.
Gowned, gloved and in her spot at the head of the OR table Teddy turned to Allison, "okay one step to my left and two steps behind me so you can see what I'm doing. If something doesn't go according to plan I will ask you to scrub out and Dad will meet you in the scrub room."
"Okay," Allison said.
Teddy turned to the patient and held out her hand, "10 blade."
Teddy opened the patient's chest and began the surgery explaining to Allison what she was seeing. When she got to the valve she was replacing she took it out and asked Allison to step closer.
"Allie," Teddy said, "this is what Ev's valve looks like."
"Why are you changing it," Allison asked.
"It's starting to cause him some problems so we're fixing it before its worse," Teddy said.
"Can I touch it," Allison asked.
"Go ahead," Teddy said holding the old valve flat on her palm.
Allison examined and inspected the valve Teddy held asking her questions and sharing her observations.
"Okay he's on bypass so I'm on a clock," Teddy said, "Cadwell you can sew the new valve in."
"Yes mam," the resident said.
Teddy supervised and directed as the resident sewed.
"Cardio," Annie whispered to Owen in the gallery, "Allie will follow mama, look at how interested she is."
"She says ortho but I wouldn't rule out neuro," Owen replied, "I want her to consider trauma."
"No she doesn't like giving bad news," Annie said.
"Leo has said no cardio or trauma because your mom and I got you and Josh in cardio and trauma so your siblings can choose," Owen said.
"Fair," Annie chuckled, "she looks like she belongs down there. And her sunflowers are so Allison."
"They are," Owen said, "her favourite and they always grow up and reach for the sun."
"I like that you kept the blue background," Annie said.
"I debated blue or black and she would have liked either," Owen said.
"But you wanted her to have the same colour base as mama," Annie cut him off.
"I did," Owen said.
"She has green two in the leaves and stems," Annie said, "both of you."
"Your otters I choose because you told me they were your favourite animal," Owen said, "but as I got to know you more I understood how they fit you. They have a playful side but they're loyal and care for eachother, I looked them up a few years ago and the people around Goose Bay say they symbolize friendship, family, peacefulness, playfulness and I believe love. That's your personality and what matters to you."
"I like that you've picked for me and Allison," Annie said, "what about Leo?"
"I have a hockey one but I'm not sold," Owen said, "I'd like an animal or symbol."
"What would represent Leo," Annie thought out loud.
"I've thought about a lion but it's so obvious," Owen said.
"You would be a bear," Annie said, "mama can keep her birds but you would be a bear. I remember learning in highschool that the bear fights for others and stands up for people. Bears are strong, protective and brave."
"Not your mom," Owen said.
"Mama yes but her birds are so personal to her," Annie said, "she's told me stories when her and I went to teach in New York a few times. Little bits but I think I understand it better now."
"I think I'm the only one who knows everything," Owen said.
"Probably," Annie agreed.
"Allison I want you to look at this," Teddy said, "watch how the heart restarts."
Allison watched fascinated.
They scrubbed out and Allison hugged Teddy.
"What did you think," Teddy asked.
"Can I do that again," Allison asked.
"Soon," Teddy said, "more once your semester ends to make getting day care easier.
"Okay," Allison agreed, "can you ask Link?"
"More time with me dad, Annie, Meg and Josh first," Teddy said.
"I want to see ortho," Allison said.
"You will," Teddy promised, "dad and I have a plan Allie. We're modifying what we did with Annie. We kept her with the two of us the first six months or so then as she got to know people and figure out who she liked and was comfortable with I would go with her to scrub in with them for short things. She liked Torres who was ortho before Link."
"Who was she with most," Allison asked.
"Me or dad," Teddy said, "we didn't see her every day like we see you. I talked to her every day but I didn't see her so I kept her on a shorter leash. And she didn't have the exposure to it you have. You know how to be in the hospital."
"Can I volunteer her to get into med school," Allison asked.
"It would be a good idea," Teddy agreed, "doing what?"
"I don't know but I need observation time and volunteer time maybe on the surgical floor," Allison asked.
"Let's finish this semester then look at what we can do," Teddy said.
"I'm looking at summer jobs," Allison said, 'but they don't pay more that safeway and I can up my hours there."
"Safeway is flexible with your schedule," Teddy agreed, 'they know about Ev and you've been able to sign up for open shifts beyond your normal schedule when you want them. It works for you."
"I can work in the evening so we need less daycare," Allison said.
"Then you don't get time with Asher," Teddy replied, "you have a daycare system figured out."
"We do," Allison agreed, "she's pretty flexible. She's happiest on days she's with you and dad."
"She's home," Teddy said, "we move through the house but we have her nap in her bed."
"You clean when she naps," Allison said.
"Just let me," Teddy said.
"I appreciate it," Allison smiled.
"It's a way I can help," Teddy agreed.
"Thanks for doing this today mom," Allison smiled hugging Teddy.
"We're not done," Teddy said, "post op check up lets go."
Allison followed Teddy through the post op check up beaming the whole time.
That night Teddy sat on the couch with Owen and smiled, "one more surgeon."
"Ortho," Owen said, "she has a personal stake in ortho."
"She does," Teddy agreed, "I liked having her."
"So did I," Owen said, "all three?"
"Two of the three," Teddy said, "the girls. Leo will be our brave one two go out on his own. The girls are more likely to run to me."
"They are," Owen agreed, "Leo is our independent one."
"Allison lit up in there today," Teddy said, "I haven't seen that type of light in her eyes in a couple years. It was good."
"I saw it," Owen agreed, "she was happy."