"Allison, can we not get into this today," Annie said.

"Your kids aren't home," Allison pointed out.

"I have a couple things to do before Josh and the kids are home," Annie said.

"Like what," Allison asked, "can I help?"

"Not telling and no," Annie replied.

"Come on, I'm your sister," Allison tried.

"You're avoiding being home alone," Annie said, "half way through Ashers work trip you can do it."

"It's lonely," Allison said.

"Go enjoy Everly, call a couple girlfriends do your own thing," Annie said, "you can't depend on him for everything. He is your partner and you love him but you need friends and things of your own. Allison full dependence on Asher for social interaction is not healthy long run! You need your own friends and things to do."

"But my friends don't get it," Allison said.

"Try," Annie snapped, "Ava, Olivia, Eden, Carmen."

"Nee," Allison pleaded, "mom and dad went away for the weekend Asher is out of town I don't want to be alone."

"Too bad," Annie replied, "you've been lucky to be home. Starting second year I was going into my second year on campus. At your age I had already had my sister try to murder me and she stopped me from going home unless mama was with me. I moved to the cottage for a summer with someone I had known less than a year. Yes you have Everly so it's different but you have to learn to be your own person to do things on your own. Spending two nights alone will not hurt you."

"Can I stay here," Allison asked.

"Not tonight," Annie said, "Josh and I are going out and have a hotel room for the night. My dad is staying with our kids. You could come tomorrow afternoon and spend the day with us and stay tomorrow night."

"Nee I can't," Allison said.

"You can but you don't like being home just you and Ev," Annie said, "call your friends and invite them over."

"I want to be with you," Allison said.

"We're going out with some friends from Med school," Annie answered, "we're staying in a hotel downtown tonight. We're not home."

"Please," Allison begged.

"If Josh and I were home I would say yes but it's a lot for my dad," Annie replied, "come tomorrow and you can spend tomorrow night but tonight doesn't work."

"I can't be alone with Ev at night, it's not safe," Allison whined.

"I know you're scared," Annie said, "you can put the alarm on and they have the cameras you're okay. You're a good mom. She's happy and healthy, she's doing well. You can do this."

"Please can I just stay here," Allison begged.

"Not tonight," Annie said, "you can do it. You're okay."

"Please Nee," Allison begged.

"Allison I said no," Annie snapped, "I need to go get ready, my dad will be here any minute, I'm not dressed or packed, I need to do my hair and make up. Go call your friends and set up a plan for tonight or tomorrow."

"I want to stay here," Allison whined, "I don't like being alone."

"Get used to it," Annie snapped and began walking towards the stairs.

"Annie," Allison said.

"Take Everly and go," Annie snapped.

"Please," Allison said.

"We can't tonight," Annie said, "Josh's med school room mate is in town with a couple other old friends. We're going to go in about 45 minutes. I'm going to get ready."

"I thought you and Josh always lived together," Allison said.

"Not in Boston," Annie said, "I lived with Steph Mitchell and Josh lived with Brian. We were all friends. We're going for dinner, drinks and dancing downtown then staying in a hotel tonight. I'm looking forward to it."

"Your kids," Allison asked.

"Are happy for a night with grandude," Annie smiled, "I'm going to go get ready. We'll see you tomorrow."

"Nee please," Allison tried, "I have Ev's jammies and all her stuff."

"No," Annie said, "I don't know what game you're playing but I'm not doing this. Allison you are 19 years old, you are a mother. Take your daughter home and act it. "

"Annie," Allison whined.

"I said no," Annie said, "I'm going to go get ready. I have plans. You're acting like a 12 year old and a spoiled brat. You want everyone to do it all for you. Figure out your plans so you're not alone. Meal plan for you. Allison, you are a 19 year old woman and a mother, grow up! You are the only one that can decide what you're going to do and what will make you happy. Make a decision and stick to it. Put on your big girl pants and do your own thing."

"Fine," Allison snapped, "be a bitch. You are the worst big sister ever! You can never be cool. Easy for you Mrs Perfect. Annie never messes up but you pushed another sister away that's why I don't remember Jessica. If she was your sister she would have been around like Chris. Maybe she was right if she hated you."

"Stop," Annie hissed, "you have no idea. You need to go home now. I will see you when you are calm and ready to be respectful."

"Fine," Allison yelled, "I don't need you and I don't want you."

"Okay then you figure out Fridays then for daycare if you don't need me," Annie snapped "good luck."

"What," Allison asked.

"If you don't need me then I'm not doing your daycare on Fridays," Annie replied instantly becoming cold and detached, "have fun figuring it out."

"What," Allison asked.

"Words have an impact now it's time for you to go," Annie answered, "I told you your options. You have the same choices for tomorrow night. I will see you and Everly soon when you are prepared to be respectful."

"Don't be a bitch," Allison yelled.

"I told you we have plans. I'm going to be late if I don't get ready now. Good bye Allison and I will see you soon Miss Everly," Annie said, opening the front door.

"Seriously," Allison asked.

"Seriously," Annie said, "I'll see you Sunday for dinner at Megan's."

Allison shoved her feet in her shoes, grabbed the diaper bag and stormed out the door. Annie slammed the door behind her.

Allison drove home and texted Teddy and Owen, "Annie is being a bitch."

Teddy, "what happened?"

Allison, "she won't let me and Ev sleep over tonight then she said she won't babysit on Fridays and to find day care."

Teddy, "you two have never fought what happened?"

Allison, "she said no to me sleeping over and I got mad. She doesn't care that I'm scared and Asher is away. She just said that at my age she was in a dorm. She kicked me out. She told me to grow up and called me a baby. She said I wasn't acting my age or some crap like that."

Teddy, "I know her and Josh are seeing some med school friends tonight and going out. Annie was excited, they have a hotel booked for the night and Dan is staying with their kids."

Allison, "I don't want to stay home alone."

Teddy, "you're not alone. You have Ev."

Allison, "but she's in bed at 7:30."

Teddy, "learn to be on your own. It's an important skill. Don't rely on your sister or your aunt."

Allison, "it's not fair Annie just said no."

Teddy, "I am not getting in the middle of you two. If your sister said no she had a good reason. It's Annie, she doesn't say no to you or Leo."

Allison, "she's the worst sister ever! I told her that."

Teddy, "that's the one thing you can not say to her ever. You crossed a line."

Allison, "she deserved it."

Teddy, "you don't know the history with that. She was doing you a favour with Everly. You crossed a line."

Allison, "she's not being fair."

Teddy, "I'm not getting in the middle of this. You crossed a very painful line with your sister. You have to fix it. I can't fix it for you. This will be a lot of work on your part to fix. This to Annie will be unforgivable. She loves you and that won't change but she'll be hurt."

Owen, "what were your words?"

Allison knew she couldn't lie to her parents, "I called her a bitch and told her I don't need or want her."

Teddy, "she's mad then and hurt. Give her time then you have to make the first move."

Allison, "she's older."

Owen, "you messed up."

Allison, "she kicked me out of her house!"

Owen, "she won't let you push her around and talk to her like that. Did you do it in front of her kids?"

Allison, "they weren't home. Josh took them to get treats for tonight."

Teddy, "so she's pissed. Give her space. When Annie is mad and you've pushed her too far she needs space."

Allison, "but she's not being fair."

Owen, "she has plans tonight. You can't expect everyone to drop their plans for you."

Allison, "it's not fair she has a life and I don't."

Teddy, "she didn't always and this is rare for her; they do this once or twice a year."

Owen, "call your friends and leave your sister alone."

Allison, "I want to be with her. I like being with family."

Owen, "you were told."

Allison, "can you make her?"

Teddy, "we can't make Annie do anything. Your sister does what is best for her and her family. She loves you and is very supportive of you but she is older she's closer to my age than yours and she needs to do what is best for her family. It's date night for her and Josh."

Owen," do you want your brother or sister when you and Asher go on a date?"

Allison, "it's not fair."

Teddy, "we're not doing this. Call your friends and figure out something fun for you and Ev."

Annie got into Josh's truck slamming the door.

"What pissed you off," Josh asked.

"Allison," Annie snapped.

"What happened," Josh asked.

"She called me a bitch and told me she doesn't need me and I'm the worst sister," Annie yelled, "so I failed again with my sister. Funny how I can get them to their late teens before they hate me. What does this mean with our kids? Will they hate me two?"

"What happened before that," Josh asked, "why did Allie get mad?"

"She wanted to sleep over tonight and I said no because my dad is with our kids and it's too much for dad to add Allison and Everly," Annie said, "then she got mad. She was also asking some very personal questions before that I wasn't going to answer things that are between you and I."

"Please don't talk to your siblings about that part of our relationship," Josh said.

"I don't," Annie replied, "the little two especially."

"Little," Josh laughed, "they've been taller than you for years."

"Shut up," Annie said, "Allison is pissing me off with her wanting everyone to do things for her and her thinking she can't be independent. This month of Asher away she can learn to be independent. She doesn't need us or mama to do everything for her. She asked me to go through her meal plan with her and approve it. She can do it, she's 19, almost 20."

"She does it all with him," Josh said, "she can't stay tonight we're out."

"That's what I told her," Annie groaned.

"Let it go tonight," Josh said, "you held boundaries with Allison. You give into her so easily when she whines. You've always given into her. You give our kids boundaries but Allison has always been able to make a face at you or whine and you give in to keep her happy. Annie she needs boundaries with you."

"I might have overreacted," Annie said.

"What did you do," Josh asked, "did you smack her?"

"No," Annie said, "when have I ever slapped anyone?"

"Never," Josh agreed.

"I told her that if she didn't need me she could find her own daycare for Fridays," Annie said.

"She needs to know that when she lashes out and yells at people her words have consequences," Josh said.

"I've never fought with her," Annie said.

"She wants to be treated like an adult and you treat her like one of our kids," Josh said.

"She's more a kid or a niece then a sister in a lot of senses," Annie said, "she's just so much younger. I was the first person to find out she was born, the first name besides mama and dada she learned."

"Nee," Josh remembered, "she was our flower girl."

"I wonder if she'll get married," Annie said.

"Maybe," Josh said, "people don't get married like we did or our friends did."

"True," Annie agreed, "did I do the wrong thing telling her no?"

"No," Josh said, "it's not fair to your dad."

"What do we do," Annie asked.

"You're going to breathe and we deal with it Sunday when you're both calm," Josh said, "tonight we're just us and no kids."

"Hotel room, wine, new pjs," Annie teased.

"I like how you think," Josh said.

They pulled into the hospital and Josh grabbed the bags from the back seat.

Once they got to their room Annie read a text she had ignored.

Teddy, "what happened with Allison?"

Annie, "not respecting that Josh and I are downtown tonight. We're meeting up with med school friends and staying down town. We need to be a couple. I overreacted and will apologise and babysit but I want her to sweat it out for a few days."

Teddy, "I'll leave it to the two of you."

Annie, "she needs to be independent. Let her work it out. I'm not going to put you in the middle and I'm not dealing with this tonight."

Teddy, "she's upset but it sounds like she pushed some buttons."

Annie, "I did two. I told her to grow up and be independent. My tone was awful. And she brought up Jessica. But I told her she was acting like a spoiled brat."

Teddy, "that would do it. Your plan?"

Annie, "when we are both calm Allison and I will talk but not now. Later in the week I need space."

Teddy, "don't let it ruin your relationship with her."

Annie, "I won't I've learned how to manage conflict now but I think a cooling off period would be good."

Teddy, "make sure you talk to her. You're the adult here she's still a teenager with an underdeveloped brain you have to make the first move."

Annie, "I know but I'm going to forget about it tonight and have fun with my friends and enjoy a night with my husband and no children."

Teddy, "before next Friday please."

Annie, "Sunday dinner."

Teddy, "you two work it out."

Annie, "if you want us to stop putting yourself in the middle."

Teddy, "okay just wanted to touch base."

Annie, "thank you I'll talk to her when I see her."

Josh asked, "is everything okay?"

"Just mama checking in," Annie replied, "Allison called her to complain that I'm unreasonable. I'll talk to Allie on Sunday."

"What's your plan," Josh asked.

"See her on sunday and work it out then let her sweat tonight and tomorrow," Annie replied, "but I should put my shoes on and we'll go?"

"We will," Josh said.

Annie put her shoes on and the walked to meet their friends.

"Riggs, Altman," a man called.

"Brian," Annie smiled, "it's been 5 years."

"At least your youngest boy had just started to walk," Brian said.

"Henry is 10 now," Annie said, "you missed our youngest daughter."

"I've only seen Josh," Brian said, "you don't do much of the conference circut."

"Four kids," Annie smiled, "they all need mom and it's a shit show if we both go."

"Tonight," Brian asked.

"My dad can manage one night," Annie said.

"Wait I thought you were an only child and it was you and your mom," Brian said.

"No oldest of 5," Annie said, "Chris is a year younger, we lost Jessica 12 or 13 years ago to cancer, Leo is 20 and Allison is 19."

"You never said in school," Brian said.

"Two different sides, mama's and dad's," Annie said.

The rest of their group joined them and they spent the rest of the night catching up, drinking and dancing. Josh slipped away and requested an old song from the DJ. Annie beamed when he lead her onto the dance floor as "Amazed" started to play, it was their first slow dance, first kiss and their wedding song. 20 years later the song was still special to them. Annie smiled up at Josh as they swayed slowly.

"It's more true today then the first time we danced to it," Josh whispered.

"It is," Annie agreed, "I love you so much."

"I love you too," Josh smiled before kissing her.

"Those two," Brian said.

"They were like that in med school," a woman agreed.

"It's Riggs and Altman," another man said.

"They're the lucky ones," Stephanie said, "very lucky."