Allison was now a fourth year resident and on a plane with Annie and Teddy.
"Why me," Allison asked.
"We're doing a couple surgeries at Columbia," Teddy said, "we needed a familiar resident so why not make it a mother daughter trip."
"She did it to me two," Annie said.
"Did you have to leave your 2 year old and 12 year old for 4 days," Allison asked.
"Yes," Annie replied, "I did. I know you miss Andy and Ev. She also made me go to Columbia as her fellow 6 months pregnant with Matt. "
"That's mean," Allison said.
"Tell me about it," Annie agreed, "but it's good for the three of us. We've never done this a mother daughter trip."
"I like it but my kids," Allison said.
"I know," Annie agreed, "it gets easier as they get older bean."
"What about you," Allison asked.
"I'm excited to see El," Annie smiled, "I miss Ellie with her being there. My boys are in college, it's only Heather at home now. So I get to go see Ellie. You didn't tell her, did you?"
"I didn't," Teddy replied, "Allison?"
"No," Allison said, "why don't you want her to know?"
"Just a little fun we're having. Like mama did to me when I was in med school," Annie smiled, "show up and surprise her by appearing in her class."
"It's hard," Allison said, "and I'm applying to be chief resident but how will I balance it with three kids."
"The same way you've done the rest of residency," Teddy said, "dad and I are scaling back even more so we'll be around. We love babysitting. We've gotten to be so much more hands on with your kids. Did you say three?"
"We're thinking of trying for another, I don't want another huge age gap and it took a while with Andy. It's more a when do we start trying not if . I want to be the one taking Ev to swimming practice but Ash does it," Allison said, "he doesn't have to do as much over time now."
"Only when the project needs it," Teddy agreed.
"He's the foreman on his crew," Allison said.
"And you have a year left before fellowships," Annie said, "where are you applying?"
"I'm going to try to stay here. There's the ortho fellowship and the work with the Fox Foundation's CP program that I want to stay involved with," Allison said, "they've done so much for Ev and we still go to their family support groups. Because I work for a Fox Foundation hospital they still assist with what insurance doesn't cover for her mobility aids, physio and surgery. They have spots at UW or Grey Sloan and I'd be good with either."
"Will you apply elsewhere," Teddy asked.
"No," Allison said.
"I didn't," Annie admitted.
"You were pregnant with Ellie and Maggie and I had already decided to keep you," Teddy replied.
"Things are getting serious with Ellie and Caleb," Annie said, "they are applying to Grey Sloan and will live together. She's talking about weddings and kids. She doesn't want to wait. They've been together for three years."
"Ellie could," Allison said, "they live together now, Annie. Ellie would be a good mom and she has us."
Allison and Ellie had been talking that Ellie and Caleb wanted a baby sooner than later. They knew residency with one would be a challenge but hoped for family support and Caleb was aiming for emergency medicine which would give him more availability then Ellie's surgical residency. Ellie was applying to surgery because she felt like she had to as the third generation she really wanted to be a pediatrician. Both were doing family medicine as their back up. Allison knew that they were planning on stopping any form of birth control once they started residency they had applied to go together. Allison had told Ellie that residency with kids was a challenge but doable even if she didn't think intern year would be the best year for it.
"I'm not ready to be grandma," Annie said, "I'm 55."
"I was 50," Teddy said, "but the day I'm great grandma I'm going to feel like a dinosaur. I get it. I'm 76 and still operating and teaching."
"But not full time," Annie said, "you mentor and approve and guide. When was the last time you did more than a valve or pacemaker?"
"I don't have the stamina to do that everyday and I did a cabag last week," Teddy said, "I don't feel the need to prove myself with 16 hour surgeries anymore."
"36 hours personal and hospital record " Annie said.
"And then you slept for 2 days," Allison teased, "I drove you home."
"It's my last year," Teddy said, "Owen and I are retiring when Ellie finishes her intern year. I saw the list she's high priority for us. It depends where else wants her."
"It's time mama," Annie agreed, "you're ready you have been for a while."
"I have," Teddy agreed, "heathers in high school what's next for you?"
"Josh is applying for the deputy chief position and I may consider the chief of peds position and run the peds building," Annie replied, "we'll see Heather still really needs me. I'm liking the time with just her. I didn't get the one on one when she was little so I'm savoring it now."
"When she's opinionated," Allison laughed.
"That's H for you," Annie smiled, "she's learning to drive soon."
"Have fun," Teddy laughed.
"That's Josh's job," Annie replied, "he teaches them to drive."
"We have to figure out if or how she can," Allison replied, "she's cognitively able to but I don't know if her reaction times are fast enough."
"Get it tested," Annie replied, "take her for the drivers physical and her drs have to sign off. Let them make the call then you're not the bad guys."
"It's hard," Allison said, "just when I think we're in a smooth patch something comes up with it. It's hard and not fair to her."
"It's never been fair to any of you," Teddy replied, "you fight so hard. You advocate for her and Allie you've sacrificed so much."
"I have," Allison admitted.
"Are you sure you want to stay for fellowships," Annie asked, "you could look."
"This time I am," Allison assured, "I more didn't want grey Sloan because of the family connections as an intern. But I will leave GSM. I'm sure I'll still have surgical privileges and admitting privileges but I'm going to work with one of the CP programs as an orthopedic surgeon. I just needed to feel like I was able to stand on my own two feet then. I was living in my parents basement with my husband and daughter, I hadn't had a real job, I was driving another of moms old cars."
"I know," Teddy nodded, "you needed to feel like an adult. It was better once you bought your house and moved out. And you got your SUV new."
"Still have car payments but that's okay," Allison sighed, "it's the only vehicle we own. Asher has a company truck. We're allowed to use it as needed but pay the gas for personal use."
"You guys do well," Teddy assured.
They were called to board the plane and each of them settled into her own reading for the cross country flight.
Getting to New York and settled into the hotel Allison and Teddy went to explore museums while Annie met up with an old friend from residency.
The next morning Allison, Annie and Teddy waited class room for Ellie's medical leadership class.
"Good morning ladies and gentlemen," the professor greeted, "today we have a very dynamic trio to present on the role of women in hospital leadership. These three ladies come from Grey Sloan Memorial in Seattle."
Ellie looked confused, it couldn't be anyone in her family they would have told her.
"Speaking this morning and doing some advanced cardio with you before doing a two demonstration surgeries tomorrow we have former chief of surgery and current director of research Dr Theodora Altman. We are also joined by chief of cardio and director of paediatric cardiology for the Fox Foundation Dr Grace Altman."
Ellie blushed.
"The third is a fourth year resident from Grey Sloan Memorial Dr. Allison Blouin," the prof finished.
Ellie waved as the three took the stage.
"Surprise Elizabeth," Annie called to her oldest as she took the podium to speak first, "you have no idea how hard keeping this visit from you has been. I'm Dr. Grace Altman and I've been a surgeon in a variety of capacities for nearly 30 years now. What we do isn't easy, leading in our field isn't easy and it is a whole family commitment."
They continued to share their stories each taking a turn to describe how she had taken on leadership roles and been part of the leadership team even Allison who frequently took the lead as a resident and organised her classmates, she was currently the front runner for chief resident.
After the lecture Annie took Ellie for lunch and snuck into the back of her lab to watch. She shook her head Ellie didn't look like the surgeon she claimed she wanted to be. She was struggling in her surgical skills lab, she had mentioned it being hard to Annie and Josh and she wasn't very involved when she scrubbed in at home on breaks but Ellie said she wanted to be a surgeon. Seeing her in class Annie didn't see it, she wanted to push her daughter towards her backup plan as a paediatrician, when Ellie talked about that she seemed more exited about it, Ellie could be a fabulous paediatrician and could still work in the hospital setting like she wanted to. Annie decided to hold onto her thoughts about it and not say anything, it was up to the residency matching service and Ellie's own decision making. She had hated being pulled to trauma or cardiac trauma by Mama and Uncle Owen, she had struggled making the decision to take on the peds part that she loved the most about her work because of the fear of letting her mama down. Annie wouldn't pressure Ellie either way and was proud her boys had chosen their own paths free from medicine and had the courage to decide what they wanted to be for themselves.