Allison and Leo's summer breaks didn't quite match up this year so for one of Allison's weeks off Allison, Asher and Everly flew to Texas to see Leo.
"Uncle Leo," Everly squealed, seeing her favourite uncle in the airport.
"Everly," Leo beamed runshing to to the little girl. He picked her up and spun her around letting her crutches clatter to the floor. Everly giggles as Leo spun her.
"Hi," Allison smiled when Leo put Everly down, "are you done making my daughter dizzy."
"Again," Everly asked.
"When we get home," Leo promised, "this way guys do you have a booster seat for Ev?"
"We have her booster seat," Asher said, holding it up.
Leo grabbed one of the bags from Asher and led the way to his car.
That night the three of them sat around chatting with Leo's roommate.
"Whats happening with Charlotte," Allison asked.
"I don't know," Leo replied, "she's mad at me."
"Why," Allison asked.
"I'm here she's in Seattle," Leo said, "she's working and I'm in school."
"Dump her," Allison encouraged.
"What," Leo's roommate Dillon asked.
"She's nice enough but she makes you miserable," Allison said, "you're always fighting."
"But doesn't she babysit for you," Leo asked.
"Not really," Allison said, 'she's the odd night if we want a couple hours but when do I have time for that?"
"What do you do," Dillon asked.
"I'm in Med School at UW," Allison replied.
"You're a med student with a 5 year old," Dillon asked, "how?"
"Everly was born during our senior year of highschool," Asher replied, "she goes to kindergarten in a couple weeks."
"Are you in med school as well," Dillon asked.
"No," Asher replied, "I leave studying to Allie. I'm an industrial electrician."
"What does that mean," Dillon asked.
"I work on big projects like hospitals, grain elevators, the big equipment out at the port," Asher explained, "the company I work for has a big contract that's just about to wrap up with a hydro dam then I'll be helping build a new ship yard."
"Pretty physical," Dillon guessed.
"Very," Asher replied.
"If you wanted to do like houses," Dillon questioned.
"I could and my red seal lets me but it's way less money," Asher said, "and Allie doesn't work right now. It's too much with med school and Ev. We tried but it wasn't working for us. I do a lot of OT and we get help where we can."
"How do you do it," Dillon asked, "I have to work."
"We live in my parent's basement," Allison said, ``it helps."
"But your daughter," Dillon said.
"She comes first," Allison said, "this is our vacation this year. We didn't take one last summer, we didn't have a honeymoon."
"How long have you been married," Dillon asked.
"A year but together almost six," Asher said.
"So your daughter," Dillon said.
"We were in high school and didn't think ahead," Asher said.
"Do you have a girlfriend," Allison asked.
"No," Dillon replied, "no time."
"I get the feeling," Allison replied, "we rarely get time the two of us."
"How do you make it work," Dillon asked, "I'm finish school, study, work hard."
"Parent, school, study, Ash," Allison replied, "in that order."
"She uses crutches," Dillon said, "recent injury?"
"Cerebal Palsy," Leo replied, "spastic hemispheric it's mainly her legs and left is worse than the right."
"How long," Dillion asked.
"She was diagnosed at five months old," Asher said, "when you get to the point you're giving that information to families, remember their world is falling apart."
"How did you," Dillon asked.
"We relied on my parents," Allison replied, "we were a mess. I was devastated and blamed myself."
"Blamed," Asher asked, "past tense really babe?"
"I have my moments," Allison said, "every time we have a setback."
"She was so good today," Leo said, "the best I've ever seen her move."
"I don't know about the riding adventure tomorrow," Allison said.
"That's mom and dad's treat," Leo reminded.
"Not that," Allison replied.
"I talked to the ranch," Leo said, "they have an equine therapy program and have kids with bigger limitations than Ev. They're prepared and have horses that are really good with kids with needs."
"Okay," Allison replied.
"It'll be good," Asher replied.
"We'll have fun," Leo promised.
"My sister teaches riding there," Dillon said, "I told Leo to go there. She's a physical therapist doing horse therapy with children in wheelchairs."
"Okay," Allison said, "I'm a bit protective. Ev is 5 and she's been through so much."
"She seems like a pretty happy little girl," Dillon said, "she liked cooking with me."
"Sorry about that," Asher said.
"No," Dillon replied, "I love kids. I get it. She's really sweet. My son is 6."
"Where is he," Allison asked.
"We gave him up for adoption," Dillon said.
Allison said, "we considered it."
"I wish we hadn't," Dillon said, "but Sasha wasn't ready to be a mom. I wasn't ready. I see him at least once a month. I'm Uncle Dillon. He's a great kid. We go do things, I babysit sometimes and play with him. We chose an open adoption. Sasha moved away for school so she sees him less often but calls him. Preston is great. Having your Everly around is great."
"How do you do it," Asher asked, "I have to work out of town every few months and not being home kills me."
"It's hard," Dillon said, "but Preston is thriving. He's happy and so smart. He loves aeroplanes and anything that flies. He reads all the time and makes funny jokes."
"I can't imagine," Allison said, "that was a tough decision."
"It was," Dillon said, "people think we took the easy way out but the easy way out would have been for Sasha to have a termination."
"It was never something I considered," Allison said, "she had to live. And adoption isn't an easy choice. Our mom gave our oldest sister up for adoption and mom and I talked a lot about how she made that choice and her thought process when we were trying to decide. I almost did."
"Your oldest sister have you met," Dillon asked.
"We know Annie," Leo said, "Annie was my resident when I was first brought into the hospital at Grey Sloan. I'm adopted. Annie has always been around."
"Mom and Nee connected when Annie was 19," Allison replied, "she's been around my whole life. She knew about me before our dad."
"Do all three of you have the same dad," Dillon asked.
"No," Leo replied, "we all have the same mom. Annie has only met her birth father once a couple years ago. We know the dad who adopted her."
"Your family is really open," Dillon said.
"We have to be," Allison said, "total honesty."
"How old were you when you had your daughter," Dillon asked.
"18 but we were still in highschool," Allison said, "your son?"
"19," Dillon said, "I had just started college and it was Sasha's senior year."
"Senior year like that is hard," Allison said.
"Mommy," Everly whined.
"I;m coming," Allison replied.
Allison went into Leo's room and sat on the air mattress beside Everly, thankful that Leo had offered his room and that he would stay on the couch while Allison and Asher were in town.
"I'm scared," Everly whined.
"I know it's a new place princess," Allison soothed, "lay down and close your eyes."
"I'm scared," Everly repeated.
"Lay down, close your eyes," Allison repeated, "I'm right here."
Everly did what her mom told her. Allison began to sing the lullabies Annie had taught her, the old french ones and moved into the ones Teddy used to sing. She stroked her daughter's hair back from her face as she sang.
"She okay," Asher asked when Allison came back into the living room.
"Just an unfamiliar place," Allison assured.
They chatted for a while before everyone went to bed.
The next morning after breakfast they made their way to the ranch to go riding.
"Ponies," Everly smiled, "lots of ponies."
"We're going to ride the ponies," Asher said.
"Me," Everly asked, "I can ride a pony?"
"You can," Leo said, "I talked to them, they have a special saddle that will help your balance."
"Really," Everly asked.
"Really," Leo promised.
"Do you want your crutches, walker or us to carry you," Asher asked.
"Walk," Everly said.
"Walker or crutches," Asher asked.
"Crutches please," Everly replied.
Asher got the crutches out of the back of the car and put them beside the door for Everly to use to get herself out of the car. They were on a mission to make her as independent as possible.
They signed in and got set up for their trail ride. The instructor took a rope on Everly's pony to help guide her and to control the horse.
"Wow," Allison smiled looking at her daughter.
"I know," Asher replied.
"She's riding," Allison said, "maybe we look into horse therapy? Look at her smile she loves it."
"We can ask," Asher replied.
"Faster," Everly giggled.
"Mom, dad," the instructor asked.
"If it's safe," Allison agreed.
"Go for it," Asher confirmed.
"Leo," the instructor asked.
"It's up to you," Leo agreed.
The instructor gave her horse the signal to move faster and the group picked up their pace making Everly giggle as she rode. They rode for two hours before turning back to the barn. Back at the barn Everly got to help brush the pony she had ridden and feed him apple slices.
"This was a good idea," Allison smiled, "thanks Leo."
"She got to feel normal," Leo said.
"She did," Asher agreed, "I'd never been on a horse before I liked that. I would go again."
"So would I," Allison agreed.
That night Leo and his room mate both had to work, Allison and Asher hung out at his place with Everly happy to use the buildings pool to splash and play.
"Can we go ride ponies again," Everly asked.
"We're going to look into it," Allison said, "see if there's something like this close to Seattle that daddy and I have the money for."
"No money," Everly asked.
"Until Mommy is working again there's not a lot of money," Allison said, "we have all the food, and clothes we need but we don't have extras like trips or horse back riding."
"We have food, clothes, you can still go swimming and to music," Asher promised.
"Music," Everly asked.
"I know you like music class," Asher said, "I did too."
"Daddy's guitar," Everly said, "me too?"
"When you're bigger," Asher said, "your hands are too small right now. But you'll go to music two times a week this year."
"Two musics," Everly asked.
"Yes, two music classes," Allison promised, "Tuesday and Thursday. Swimming on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and physio on Monday."
"No OT," Asher asked.
"No she's been released from weekly. We have a once a month check in," Allison said, " I told you."
"But you're the schedule master," Asher replied.
"Ash this year of school is supposed to be heavier," Allison replied, "can you take some of managing the schedule off my plate?"
"What part do you want me to do," Asher asked.
"If you could coordinate when we have help driving her or picking her up," Allison said, "my mom is only work 2 days a week, one in the OR and one in clinic. Dad's down to three. We have mom Monday-Wednesday and Dad Monday and Friday. Nee has every other Friday. Nisha is off until April."
"I've got it," Asher said, "you put her schedule and yours into that app we use."
"I have to I don't have my whole schedule yet," Allison replied, "kindergarten in 8:45-2:45 for her."
"I can't believe we're getting ready for kindergarten," Asher said.
"I know," Allison said, "six years Ash."
"I know," Asher smiled, "she's so grown up."
"She is," Asher agreed.
Leo came in late that night and sat with Allison and Asher.
"So I need to break up with Charlotte," Leo said.
"You do," Allison agreed, "she's nice enough but she's not right for you."
"How do I," Leo asked.
"I don't know," Asher said, "I've only ever been with Allison."
"I've never dumped anyone," Allison said, "I've been dumped. Talk to Ellie I guess she's dumped boys."
"Just be clear with her," Asher suggested, "when are you home next?"
"Thanks giving," Leo said.
"Thats too long," Allison replied, "and she keeps telling me she wants you to propose. You need to shut that down."
"I've told her I'm not considering it until I know what happens with the army and my residency," Leo replied.
"Tell her," Asher said, "we've always had open clear communication. No secrets."
"We're always open with each other," Allison said, "no secrets. You have to tell Charlotte what you need. Leo, the only one you're hurting here is you. If your not happy don't make yourself miserable because you think it's what others want. Leo do what makes you happy. You can leave her."
"Would you," Leo asked.
"Leo my marriage is not your relationship with Charlotte," Allison said, "but no I wouldn't. I would fight with everything I have."
"So would I,' Asher agreed, "we also have more at stake. We always have. And no matter what we will always be a team for Everly. Leo if you don't love Charlotte end it."
"I love her but I don't know if she's right," Leo said.
"She controls you," Allison replied, "you can't go out without her getting mad. Leo she doesn't let you be you. Just think about what's going to be right for you. We can't decide for you."
"If I did," Leo asked.
"We'll always be on your side," Allison promised.