Asher sat beside a young apprentice for lunch, "Ben what's going on? You've been quiet."
"My girlfriend is pregnant," Ben replied, "I don't know if Lily is my girlfriend but."
"What's going on," Asher asked.
"We were camping and now she's pregnant and it's my baby," Ben replied, "my parents threw me out and won't text me back."
"What do you need," Asher asked, "do you have a plan?"
"She's having the baby and wants to go to college but how can we," Ben said.
"My wife and I did it," Asher replied, "we had our daughter senior year of high school."
"Your wife," Ben asked.
"Allie is a surgeon," Asher replied, "we have two kids 10 and 7 months. You're in your senior year?"
"Yes," Ben replied.
"How far along," Asher asked.
"Eight weeks," Ben replied, "Lily is miserable. She can't eat, she's throwing up all the time."
"On your way home you're going to get her the clear pedialyte, Lipton chicken soup, apple juice and goldfish crackers," Asher said, "she has to be hydrated and get something in her stomach. Your not worried about balanced nutrition, she just needs calories. If she'll eat it and it stays down it's good. Allie has rough first trimesters. Anything is fair game if she'll eat. There is medication to help just ask your dr."
"She has a midwife who's about our moms age," Ben said, "Amanda."
"Then tell Amanda. You can call her and start that conversation," Asher assured, "I've had to with Allie's doctor. You can advocate for Lily and should. Bring home the food and something else little to make her smile."
"How do you know," Ben asked.
"We've done it twice," Asher replied, "Ben what do you need? Do you have somewhere safe to live? Enough food?"
"Her parents are letting us live in the basement sorta," Ben replied, "she's still in her room and I'm in their guest room."
"Allie and I did the same," Asher replied, "respect it and talk to me whenever. You have my number just text me. If you and Lily want you can come talk to Allie and I. I have to check Allie's schedule but we can always make something happen. Food? Tools? Your apprenticeship materials?"
"Her parents are feeding me and I'm working a second job on the weekends," Ben replied, "it's a lot but we'll make it work."
"It is and you will," Asher replied, "your going to be okay. It's hard but it's doable. Do you want to keep the baby?"
"I do," Ben replied, "I just don't know if we can do it. We're 17."
"So were we ," Asher replied.
"And you're still together," Ben asked.
"12 years, two kids," Asher replied, "I couldn't do it with out Allie but that's us. Do you love Lily?"
"I might," Ben said, "she's always been my best friend."
"The healthiest relationships I've seen, my in laws, sister in law and her husband were best friends for years first," Asher said, "what do you know?"
"She's Lily." Ben smiled, "positive, kind, silly. She loves a joke and board games. She plays soccer and volleyball."
"Do you want a relationship with her or friendship," Asher asked a question no one had asked him at the time.
"I want to date her but I don't know if she wants me," Ben said, "do we have to?"
"No you don't." Asher replied, "we were friends and it really slowly evolved and kept evolving after Everly our oldest was born. You can go as slow as you and Lily want or just be friends. I got kicked out of my parents place, still don't talk to them when Allie got pregnant the first time. They don't know about our son. But Allie's parents told us we didn't have to be a couple but we had to be a team for the baby. Can you do that? Can you and Lily be a team if you choose to keep the baby?"
"I can," Ben replied, "is it fair to the baby to have teenagers for parents?"
"You love them and do your best," Asher said, "we parent Andy very differently then we did Everly at the same age but Ev also has cerebral palsy so that's the main difference. You don't have to be independent right away. We slowly became more independent from my in-laws as we matured and built some skills."
"You," Ben asked.
"You'll meet Allie and Andy soon l think she's off tomorrow and often comes by when we're this close to our place and for sure next month when we go to Grey Sloan," Asher said, "Ben come talk to me any time. There will be programs and people lining up to help and support Lily and your baby but they will expect you to be okay. It's okay if your not okay and need help."
"I don't know how to tell her parents I have adhd," Ben told his mentor.
"It was Allie's parents who noticed my depression when Ev was about one," Asher said, "do you need medication? Do you have it?"
"I have to figure out our medical," Ben said, "but I can't do things I'm 17."
"You're a mature minor." Asher explained l, "you can give informed consent. Call your dr or nurse practitioner if you need help there's the free clinic at Grey Sloan."
"I have a heart thing but I don't know if I can still see dr Altman at grey Sloan," Ben admitted.
"Which Altman," Asher asked.
"I don't know she's 50ish I guess and really short," Ben said.
"Grace," Asher replied knowing Annie's legal name, "Allie's much older sister. Do you want me to mention the situation to her? She's pretty understanding."
"She wanted me to see a different doctor and was passing me to someone else after this year a dr Yasuda," Ben replied.
"Same department and if she's made the referral she trusts the dr but I've met dr Yasuda she's nice," Asher assured, "and heart thing what is it? I'm the foreman I need to know if you get hurt and I'm calling you an ambulance."
"Hypo plastic left heart and I have some artificial valves and stents," Ben admitted, "I've had 4 heart surgeries. What if the baby?"
"Tell your dr and they'll monitor," Asher replied, "and if your baby does you'll understand and I'm sure grace will take you on."
"How can you be sure," Ben asked.
"Allie's maiden name is Altman-Hunt," Asher replied, "Grace Altman is her sister. I understand more about hearts then I ever thought possible from Allie's mom and sister. Both are heart surgeons."
"Lily's parents won't like me doing this," Ben said, "they're both lawyers."
"Ben it's a solid career that you can support your family while you get your training," Asher replied, "I would worry if Ev was in this situation in a few years and the guy wasn't doing anything but you're a pre apprentice you'll be a red seal in a few years. You work the whole time and get paid for it. You're doing a man's work every day. I see you busting your ass daily. It's hard, lonely and it's fucking scary but you can do this."
That night Asher got home just after Allison and the kids.
"Something's on your mind," Allison said as she finished making dinner.
"Ben my new apprentice," Asher said, "senior year and in the same situation we were."
"What do they need," Allison asked.
"Support," Asher replied, "there's stuff for her but what about him?"
"You be there," Allison said, "mentor him. You needed someone to mentor you and my dad tried but he's never been in your shoes. I haven't either. We've done it together but neither of us has fully done what the other has."
"I want to," Asher said, "Allie I want to start some sort of like dad mentoring thing for teenage boys in our situation. So they don't feel alone. I needed someone who had done it. And Ben is on his way. He's an apprentice he has his jeep. But like me his parents aren't supportive he's living with her family but they're not together yet."
"What's the first step," Allison asked.
"I'm going to talk to Stu and Brian about keeping him attached to my crew only," Asher replied, "it'll steer him to industrial which is better money and more over time if he needs it. When Ev was born the crew filled my truck with diapers and wipes."
"They lasted us a few months," Allison remembered, "it was really helpful. Do they know yet?"
"No he said she's only 8 weeks," Asher replied, "what are you thinking."
"We have stuff from Andy we can hand down,"Allison replied, "but I like the diapers with the crew it's easy for all and size and brand doesn't matter. What about Ben? Does he need anything?"
"Your sister," Asher replied, "he has HLH and is her patient but needs to switch his insurance."
"Text Annie she'll work it out," Allison replied, "she always does. Did he have lunch and snacks? Can we feed him? Boots, clothing?"
"He had a good looking lunch and some snacks that looked home made the girls parents are lawyers," Asher answered, "he's got good work boots and all his basic tools. He's borrowed some specialty stuff from the company tools but let him work up to those things. He needs a multi meter but I'll watch for a second hand one and use the training budget to slip it in his tool bag. I'd buy it but we don't have $500 floating around."
"We don't," Allison agreed, "but we can help them. Invite them to dinner. I'm not doing saturdays for the next 6 weeks. Maybe we mentor couples like us? Carmen and Eden are volunteering with Ms Vleeming. I'll reach out and help that way and talk to her about the girl, explain what we're thinking."
"Or we just do it," Asher replied, "you don't need a program to do things."
"But if we want the young dads supported," Allison replied.
"Just let me work with Ben my way," Asher replied, "guy to guy. We'll help but I have a plan."
"Mom what do you mean by our situation," Everly asked as she set the table.
"You know dad and I were in our senior year when you were born," Allison said, "we were in high school. I was 17 when I got pregnant with you and 18 when you were born."
"So," Everly said.
"We were really young Ev," Asher replied, "to most people too young."
"We weren't a couple when you were conceived," Allison said, "dad and I were friends and made a choice that we didn't understand the consequences of fully. And I got pregnant. And it's been tricky to get ourselves stable for you and Andy and make sure your happy and healthy because we didn't want you to miss out on anything. We lived with grandma and grandpa in the basement for so long so that you could do your activities and sports and have things."
"Why are you talking about it," Everly asked.
"There's a boy in my crew he's 17 not a ton older than you and him and his friend Lily are doing what mom and I did," Asher said, "mom and I want to help their family. Spend time with Ben and Lily and mentor them."
"Are they having a baby," Everly asked.
"They are," Asher replied.
"Are you allowed to have a baby in high school," Everly asked.
"We did," Allison replied, "if you had been born earlier in the school year you would have had to go to daycare so I could go to class. But it's not recommended. It wasn't when you were born or even when grandma had Annie."
"Grandma has Auntie Annie in high school," Everly asked.
"College she was 21," Allison replied, "dad and I were very very young and scared. It was hard but we would do it again for you in a heart beat."
"Because my legs are broken," Everly asked.
"No," Allison said, "because of your brain and your beautiful spirit and how deeply you love everyone around you. Your CP is such a tiny part of you Everly. You are so much more than that, it does not define you."
"But will it happen to that baby," Everly asked.
"Likely not," Allison said.
"Everly it is nothing you did or we did," Asher assured.
"What if I," Everly asked.
"Then we do what grandma and grandpa did," Asher replied, "we love you and your baby and support you. Mom and I will always be here. No matter what you choose or where you go mom and I will always love and support you."
"Andy," Everly asked.
"Him two," Allison assured setting the last couple things for dinner on the table.
Asher's phone buzzed as he did the dishes so Allison could spend time with the kids.
"Mom," Asher greeted hearing the voice on the other end.
"I left your dad," Michelle said, "I want to talk to you and Allison. I heard you have a son. Congratulations."
"His name is Andy," Asher replied, "you left dad?"
"I should have seen it 15 years ago and got you kids out," Michelle said, "he's not a well man Asher."
"Mom he beat us," Asher replied.
"Asher he's not well and he won't get help. I'm the only person left in the house me and Renee," Michelle replied.
"We still will have no contact with Renee," Asher replied.
Michelle replied, "your father was unfaithful and has a secret second family. John knew. Renee told me last week but I was preparing to leave for awhile. Renee was diagnosed a year ago with Borderline Personality Disorder and is receiving treatment."
"Dad cheated," Asher gasped, "after all he said."
"I know," Michelle replied, "I'm still in shock but I wanted to tell you and I want to see you and Allison. I know you'll likely get a babysitter for your kids. I will explain face to face."
"Can i text this number," Asher asked, "or will dad?"
"I moved out," Michelle replied, "your dad doesn't know about this phone."
"Let me talk to Allie and we'll set something up," Asher replied, "mom I'm sorry."
"I'm not," Michelle said, "our marriage was over 10 years ago. I was finally strong enough to leave him. I miss you. I miss Mitch, your dad cut me off from most of my children as you all grew up and moved away."
"He threw me out at 17," Asher replied.
"I know," Michelle replied.
"I was a 17 year old kid, scared out of my mind and he threw me out," Asher replied, "so much for loving people and treat people how you want to be treated. What about forgiveness. Everything he preached he never lived."
"I know and it's wrong," Michelle replied, "I would like to make it right with you and Allison."
"I have to talk to her," Asher replied, "i want to see you but it will be years before you can be alone with my kids. Mom you didn't know about Andy. you never reached out when he was born."
"Did things go better," Michelle asked.
"Emergency c-section at 38 weeks but we had one planned for 39 so we were expecting the surgery just not when," Asher replied, "Allie was more comfortable than me. She's an orthopaedic surgeon now. Mom we did it. I run huge crews and am half way through my project management diploma on top of my red seal and Allie is a surgeon. We have two beautiful kids and we own our house a real house for our family."
"I'm proud of you," Michelle replied, "you go talk to her and let me know. I love you."
"Bye mom," Asher hung up the phone.
"Ash," Allison asked seeing his expression.
"My mom left my dad," Asher replied, "she finally saw it. She wants to see us."
"Just us no kids," Allison replied.
"Just us for now," Asher assured.
"Call her back and set it up my schedule is on the fridge with the kids," Allison replied, "you should talk to her."
"Why now," Asher asked.
"I don't know but we can ask," Allison replied.