A few days later Teddy sat in the hospital bed on the cardio floor reading to Leo and Allison. The kids had curled up on either side of her happy to be back with their mom.
"When do you come home," Leo asked.
"Soon sweetheart," Teddy assured, "a few more sleeps."
"How many," Leo asked.
"Five or six I think," Teddy replied, "not too much longer. Then I'll have a few weeks at home with you two."
Teddy gently kissed the top of both kids heads.
"Theodora," Caterina called from the door.
"Cat I didn't know you were still in town," Teddy replied, "these are my kids Leo and Allison."
"Mommy who is she," Allison asked.
"This is my little sister Caterina," Teddy replied, "your Auntie Cat."
"Like Auntie Megan," Leo asked.
"Yes," Teddy assured.
"Can I," Caterina asked.
"Come sit with us," Teddy invited, "we're reading Dr. Seuss."
"Janna loved," Caterina started.
"She did," Teddy replied, "that's why I read it to my kids. Come read with us."
Allison snuggled closer to Teddy seeing the strange woman approach.
"You had two kids," Caterina replied.
"Three soon enough," Teddy smiled, "I'm 9 almost 10 weeks with our third. Leo we adopted, Allison and Peanut are biologically ours. This is the life I want Cat. I want you around and in our lives but not trying to over power Owen with legal language. Owen and I make decisions for our family together. Him and I will decide things together. Owen knows my medical history better than you do, him and I have had more discussions about what I want in an emergency and how I want my care handled. I am a donor but I also want everything done to save me if there is something that can be done I want it done. I will be here for my kids and raise them. They will have a different life then we did, no nannies, no boarding school."
"We had nannies and boarding school because of Janna," Caternia replied.
"Story ," Allison said, smacking the book in Teddy's lap.
"We will finish our story later," Teddy promised, pulling her daughter closer.
"What does that mean," Caterina asked, "I'm your next of kin."
"No," Teddy replied, "I took you off years ago. When I went to Germany. Owen has had my medical POA for 15 years."
Owen stepped into the room, "Leo, Allie give mommy a hug then you two need to go to daycare."
"No," Allison whined.
"I'll see you later baby girl," Teddy promised, "In a couple hours daddy will bring you back up to see me before you go home. And we can read two stories."
"Promise," Leo asked.
"I promise," Teddy assured.
Teddy said goodbye to the kids and Owen walked them to daycare.
Caterina took the chair beside the bed, "married with three kids, Theodora?"
"I want this life," Teddy assured, "it took longer than I expected but it's the life I want. That Owen and I want. We love our kids and I want my marriage."
"But if," Caterina started.
Teddy shook her head, "we both know Janna was a small risk. The risk of downs is small and yes with my age and Owen's we're at a higher risk for it. But medically what happened with Janna is a very small chance. We lost her almost 30 years ago. Cat we both went into our fields because of our sister. I've poured over her case hundreds of times. I have her records and scans. The VSD now is treatable. I could treat it, I could have done it during my fellowship. When we lost Janna the medicine, the science didn't exist to save her. Now it does. There was mal practice in her case as well especially now. But we can't change it."
"How can you bring a child into this world three times knowing the possibilities," Caterina asked.
"Twice this is my second pregnancy," Teddy replied, "Leo is adopted. I know he looks like us but we adopted Leo."
"But how," Caterina asked.
"Love," Teddy replied, "I love my kids. I want a big family. I know the risks but it's something we want."
"What would mom and dad," Caterina asked.
"I'm chief of surgery. I run this hospital," Teddy replied, "I've had leadership positions here and in the military that have taken me all over the world doing good. Helping people and saving lives. You see when it goes wrong. You see the worst possible outcomes. I see the miracles, the saves, giving someone a heart transplant and turning around their whole life. Holding a life in my hands and saving them."
"But Seattle," Caterina questioned.
"It's not New York or the East COast," Teddy replied, "but it's home now. Owen is here, my kids. Owen's mom is here so is his sister."
"You moved here for him," Caterina asked.
"I did," Teddy replied, "for my family. I'm happy here. I like it here and being with Owen and our kids."
"Can I get to know them," Caterina asked.
"Yes," Teddy assured, "and Cat there's no malpractice here. I was too busy and stubborn to go to the dentist. Something I would have done for my kids in a heartbeat I didn't do for myself. Yang, who did my surgery, was my student. I taught her and she became better than me. Christina Yang is an incredible surgeon that I had brought in to teach my residents for a couple weeks. I'm here for monitoring for a few more days just because of the baby. If I wasn't pregnant I'd be home on my couch."
"They didn't do something wrong keeping you this long," Caterina asked.
"No," Teddy replied, "this is doing it right. Mal practice has taught you to look for problems."
"Theres no problems," Caterina asked.
"No problems," Owen replied, "a couple more days and she'll be home on the couch and I'll be waiting on her hand and foot."
"Do I get a real shower," Teddy questioned.
"You could now," Owen said.
"But here they have nurses supervising and it's awkward," Teddy complained, "at home it's you."
"What if I helped you here," Owen suggested, "no nurse is going to say no to the head of trauma."
Teddy nodded, "I need a shower. I think I felt cleaner after I had Allison."
"We will get you a shower today," Owen promised, "I know you and your 45 minute showers."
"That includes doing my hair," Teddy argued.
"That I don't know how to do," Owen replied, "I can brush it and that's about it."
"I'll just brush it," Teddy agreed.
"How did you not make her," Caterina turned to Owen.
"I had called our dentist to book her an appointment," Owen replied, "I was watching her. She knows her body best. I didn't think it was as serious as it was, her face wasn't swollen she was in pain but Teddy works through pain."
"Why," Caterina asked.
"Because people count on me to be there," Teddy replied, "Cat, my husband, kids, patients, staff count on me to show up and do my best for them. I have always done so and always will."
"Why," Caterina asked.
"For Janna," Teddy replied, "so no family goes through what we did. No one else watches their sister die if I can help it."
"Tell me about her," Owen said, Teddy had hardly ever spoken about the sister she lost far too soon.
"She was the most positive person I ever met," Teddy replied, "she was happy and affectionate, even when she was sick and dying she was always happy to see us. She loved Dr Seuss books."
"That's why you bought the whole collection for our kids," Owen said.
"Yes," Teddy agreed, "Fox in Sox was her favourite."
"I never saw her sad," Caterina replied, "she just wanted us to read to her and draw and play playdough."
"She was a bit older than Leo mentally," Teddy replied, "we played a lot of dolls and house and playdough. Then when she passed our parents were shells of themselves."
"How can you risk that," Caterina asked.
"Because I love my kids," Teddy replied, "I want and love my children. Get to know them."
"Bring them to see me," Caterina said.
"Come see us," Owen replied, "Leo hates flying and you're in Boston now."
"Come see us," Teddy replied, "without bullying Owen. Megan told me."
"I can't lose you two," Caterina replied.
"You won't," Teddy promised.
"Theodora you put yourself in harms way for years playing hero," Caterina said, "the army really? Really?"
"Then we would never have met," Owen replied, "I want to get to know you for you to be in the kids lives but we make our decisions as a couple for our family."
"You can't let her get hurt or sick," Caterina replied.
"We'll get sick and hurt," Teddy replied, "it's life. It's hard and scares us but we get though it."
"How," Caterina asked.
"Together," Teddy replied, "I know Owen is here and he won't leave. You've been alone too long."
"You used to be okay being alone," Caterina said.
"Because I had to," Teddy replied, "it wasn't my first choice. I always wanted love and a family. Come visit more and get to know mine. Come see the kids. Play with them. They love stories and playdough."
"I'll think about it," Caterina agreed, "and you have to come to Boston."
"When I come for work we can catch up," Teddy agreed, "but our next family trip will be to Disneyland. Leo and Allison will love it."