Asher pulled the truck into the campground a little overwhelmed by the number of families already there. Everly's second grade class was having a start of the year camp out in a local state park. Most of the families were attending and Allison and Asher had agreed to take Everly's friend Alexis as her parents both had to work but the little girl had wanted to go, they felt good taking the social and confident little girl for the two nights, Alexis had slept over before and it had gone well.
"Are you ready," Allison asked as she opened Everly's door.
"Yes," the two little girls cheered.
Asher opened the back door for Alexis, "do you need a hand down?"
"I've got it," Alexis replied, the spunky little little girl leapt down out of the truck. Everly frowned seeing her friend leap down, she needed help in and out of the truck, she was good on her own in Allison's car but she wasn't ready to get in and out of the truck herself.
"Okay girls," Asher said, "tent and tarps up first. You are old enough and smart enough to help us."
"I've got it," Everly said, she was used to putting the tent up with her parents, they did a lot of camping as a family.
Allison guided Alexis through helping set up the tent, the little girl had never been asked to help set up a tent before.
"Need a hand," Asher asked, walking over to one of the other dads.
"I'm just unloading the grill," the dad said, "I'm Jack."
"Asher," Asher introduced, "which one is yours?"
"I'm fostering but the twins are with me for now Danny and Benny," Jack said, "yours?"
"Everly," Asher smiled, pointing to Ev.
"The boys want to have her over to play soon," Jack said, "they've talked a lot about Everly."
"We can set that up," Asher smiled, "where do you get a BBQ like this?"
"I borrowed it from work," Jack said, "my captain is a good friend and was happy to let us use it for the weekend."
"Where do you work," Asher asked.
"Station 19, I'm a firefighter and paramedic," Jack said, "I'm guessing I'm first aid for the weekend. But my boys are probably the most accident prone. Benny can trip over his own two feet."
"Allie is a 4th year med student and brought a bunch of first aid stuff as well," Asher smiled, "she'll be happy to share it with you."
"Medicine with a little one," Jack said, "it's busy."
"It is," Asher agreed, "fostering?"
"I was a foster kid," Jack said, "they've been with my wife and I for 8 months now and we're looking at foster to adopt with them. They need a home and a family."
"Your wife," Asher asked.
"Melina is a nurse," Jack replied, "she's working this weekend or would have come."
"What hospital," Asher asked.
"Grey Sloan," Jack answered, "she's in the emergency room."
"So she works with my father in law then," Asher said, "he's a trauma surgeon there."
"Who," Jack questioned.
"Owen Hunt," Asher replied.
"You married Hunt's daughter," Jack asked.
"Yes," Asher replied, "you know Owen?"
"If we see a Hunt in the ambulance bay we know it'll be okay," Jack said.
"I've seen them in work mode it can be intimidating," Asher replied, "but then I know them at home with their kids and grandkids."
"What do you do," Jack asked.
"Industrial electrical," Asher replied.
"So the class camp out," Jack asked.
"It sounded good," Asher replied, "we like to camp.'
"And the swimming idea," Jack asked.
"Ev's favourite sport," Asher replied.
"Benny is still learning to like water other than shower," Jack admitted.
"Trauma," Asher guessed.
"Some and lack of experience," Jack replied, "he's liked playing with the fire hose. That was progress and the splash park was good."
"Maybe seeing his classmates,' Asher suggested, "we have a few different floaties and a couple extra life jackets. My sister in law and her husband have a boat so we borrowed some life jackets from them incase we needed them."
"That might help," Jack agreed.
"Ash," Allison said joining them.
"Allie this is Jack," Asher introduced, "my wife Allie."
"I've seen you at Grey Sloan when I was on one of my rotations," Allison said.
"I'm with station 19," Jack replied.
"The best in the city," Allison replied, "it's good to meet you."
"You as well," Jack replied, "Asher mentioned you were the first aid person."
"I'm a fourth year med student so I told Mrs Carrigan I would be the first aid person," Allison replied.
"I didn't know so I brought a bunch of supplies as well," Jack said.
"Lets share it," Allison replied, "but it should only be bumps and bruises maybe minor cuts."
"Thats what I thought maybe some burns," Jack replied.
"Minor though," Allison replied.
"We'll be good," Jack agreed.
"What's your child's name," Allison asked.
"Twins Benny and Danny," Jack said.
"Everly asked to have them over soon," Allison smiled, "they seem to get along well."
"Is that Everly using crutches," Jack asked.
"Yes," Allison replied.
"Recent injury," Jack asked.
"No," Asher replied, "she has Cerebral Palsy, she's doing great."
"If we wanted to have her over," Jack said.
"She's a normal kid," Allison replied, "she's a bit slower than the other kids but she does almost everything they do."
"And the two of you," Jack asked.
"It is what it is," Asher replied.
"Mom," Everly called.
'Coming," Allison replied jogging over to where Everly was playing with a few friends.
"Can you walk us to the bathroom," Everly asked.
"I can," Allison replied, "I have sanitizer in my pocket. Do your parents know where you're going?"
"No," the other kids said.
"You have to tell them first," Allison replied, "I am happy to walk you over if your parents know."
"Allison it's good," another mom called, "we see you."
"Just checking," Allison replied.
With the campsites set up Everly's teacher lead all of the families down to the beach to play in the water.
"How's the year going," Allison asked.
"We haven't met yet," the teacher replied.
"Allie Blouin," Allison reached to shake the other woman's hand, "Everly's mom. We've emailed. I just haven't made it in yet."
"Everly said your a doctor," the teacher said.
"Medical student it's my final year," Allison replied.
"So not around much," the teacher asked.
"Not as much as I want to be," Allison admitted, "but I'm home most evenings and take her to before school care most mornings."
"And her dad," the teacher asked.
"Ash works early mornings then picks her up from after school care," Allison replied, "we've been together her entire life. She doesn't know life any other way."
"How did you meet," the teacher asked.
"Middle school," Allison smiled, "we've been together since high school."
"And Everly," the teacher asked, "her challenges."
"Her medical needs are improving as she gets older," Allison replied, 'she's doing better than they told us she would."
"I'm surprised when you said you were coming," the teacher replied.
"We love camping and do a lot of it," Allison smiled, 'she wasn't even two months the first time we took her camping. I sat in my chair with her while my sister coordinated the whole campsite but we went and Everly has always loved it."
"Mom,' Everly called, 'let's go to the raft."
"We can swim out to the raft," Allison agreed.
Allison walked into the water with Everly and was followed by a few other kids.
That night the parents sat around a campfire after the kids had been tucked into bed in their tents.
"You okay," Asher whispered.
"Too many people," Allison replied.
"It's okay," Asher said, taking Allison's hand and giving it a squeeze.
"I'm going to check on the girls," Allison said, " Alexis was having a hard time falling asleep and Ev was fidgety."
"Allie let them be," Asher replied softly, "they're okay. Ev was just excited."
"I'm checking," Allison said, "and I want my other hoodie, this isn't warm enough."
"Okay," Asher replied, looking at her skeptically.
"Hoodie and I'll be back," Allison replied. She took her flashlight and walked into the tent.
"Mommy," Everly whimpered when Allison came in.
"Yes baby," Allison asked.
"My left leg hurts can I have medicine," Everly asked.
"I can get the pain medication from the truck," Allison agreed, "from 1-10?"
"6," Everly said, "I can't sleep."
"I'm going to get tylenol and we'll take a big dose," Allison replied. She went into Asher's bag and got the keys before going to get the medicine, in the truck she pulled up the full dose for Everly's height and weight. She grabbed a bottle of water as well to wash it down.
"Ready," Allison asked, sitting beside Everly.
"Ya," Everly whispered.
Allison gave Everly the medicine.
"Allie," Alexis whispered.
"Yes sweetheart," Allison asked.
"I miss my mommy," Alexis replied.
"Do you want me to sit with you for a bit," Allison asked.
Alexis nodded in the dark.
"I can sit with you and be quiet or I can tell a story," Allison offered.
"Story please my mommy always reads until I fall asleep," Alexis whispered.
"What type of story," Allison asked.
"Can you tell one of Uncle Chris's stories about whales," Allison asked.
"I can," Allison replied before starting one Chris and Dan had told many times over the years about whales in an undersea kingdom. Soon both girls drifted off to sleep.
Allison went back to the camp fire.
"Everything okay," another mom asked.
"One sore knee and one needed a bed time story," Allison smiled.
"You're brave bringing Alexis," the mom said.
"She's a nice girl," Allison smiled, "they're good friends."
"But on top of everything Everly needs," the mom said.
"She's not that needy," Allison replied, "we adapt but she's Everly and it's our life for our family."
"She's an only child," the mom said.
"She is," Allison confirmed.
"Would you," the mom asked, "or is her condition genetic."
"We would when I get some of my residency done," Allison replied.
"Residency," the mom asked.
"I'm in med school right now," Allison replied, "I'm trying to get into paediatric orthopaedic surgery."
"Why," the mom asked.
"Kids like Ev," Allison smiled, "what do you do?"
"Human rights attorney," the mom replied.
"That must get heavy," Allison replied.
"It can," the mom agreed, "but it makes a difference."
"It does," Allison agreed, "were thankful for the people who came before us to fight for families like ours."
"It's doing the right thing," the mom said, "solving problems a little at a time."
"One problem at a time," Allison agreed.
They continued chatting as the campfire died down before the adults all made their way into their tents.