Allison nervously paced the kitchen.
"Babe just eat," Asher encouraged.
"I can't," Allison said.
"Coffee, toast," Asher said, pushing the mug and plate across the counter to her.
"Ash I'll puke," Allison whined.
"You need the energy for your test," Asher said, "Allie you're ready.
"I hope so," Allison said, "I need a good score."
"You've taken the prep classes and all you've done in your free time for months is study for it. You've got this," Asher assured.
"How do you know," Allison asked.
"Because you're you," Asher said, "your sister took Ev for an auntie sleep over last night so you had the night because even if I said I would do all of Evs stuff so you could study it wouldn't happen."
"I can't," Allison said.
"You can," Asher said, "go kick the test's ass. You've got this. You have this."
"I'll try," Allison said.
Asher hugged her, "you can do this. I know you've got this."
"If I don't do well," Allison asked.
"You have time to retake before your applications are due," Asher said, "but you won't need to. You will do well."
Teddy let herself into the basement knowing Allison would be anxious.
"You can do this," Teddy said, "it's just a test. It's like any other test you've written. And it is one part of an application. Your interview and essay will be more important. It's one part. You can do this. You were ready last night and feeling good about it. You're ready. What fun thing do you have planned after?"
"Mitch's birthday," Allison said, "then tomorrow Ava is babysitting and we're going to a concert and for dinner."
"Good," Teddy said, "you need to celebrate your hard work. Then 21 next week."
"Nothing big," Allison said, "we can't really go out to a bar until Ash's in April. I'll wait and we'll do that together."
"We are taking you guys out for dinner and you can order a drink," Teddy replied, "I did it with Annie when she turned 21. We're going to go for dinner and all of us who are legal will have a drink. Annie and Josh want to come so do Chris and Jenna, Dan, Nana and Opa. Allison right now go eat your breakfast, take your test then find time for something fun in between. "
"Starbucks," Allison asked.
"How about Ev and I go get your favourite treats for when you get home," Asher said.
"But you have that thing with Mitch," Allison said, "his birthday paintball thing."
"It's an hour an a half," Asher said, "Your test is 4 hours. Your dad is taking Ev swimming. Eat and go take your test you have it. You've got this."
Allison forced down half her toast.
"Okay," Allison said, "I'm going to go, I have to be there early."
Teddy held out her pinkie and shook Allison's in their family's good luck gesture.
"Go rock it," Asher said, giving Allison a hug and a kiss.
Allison got to her test and signed in.
"Gapa," Everly said, "swimming?"
"I'm going to take you to swimming lessons today," Owen agreed, "let's go get your bathing suit."
Owen got Everly ready for her swimming lessons and drove to the pool.
"Who did you bring today, Everly," her teacher asked.
"Gapa," Everly smiled.
"Owen Hunt," Owen introduced himself, "I'm Everly's grandpa."
"It's good to meet you," the teacher said, "are you okay getting in the water with her?"
"Yes," Owen said, "we both have our bathing suits. Swimming then lunch and popsicles right princess?"
"Popsicle," Everly smiled.
"After lunch," Owen promised.
"Gapa splash," Everly beamed pointing to the water.
"You can jump in with her, her parents usually do," the teacher said.
"Ready," Owen said, "three, two, one."
He jumped into the water splashing Everly making her giggle.
"Where are her parents," another man asked, "who are you? We've done this class for two years."
"I'm Allison's dad," Owen replied, "Owen. Allie is taking her MCAT exam this morning and Asher had to do something with his brothers for a couple hours this morning so I brought Ev to her swimming lesson."
"The MCAT what is it," the man asked, "is it like an SAT?"
"It is for getting into medical school," Owen replied, "how old is your son?"
"Grandson," the man said, "we're the only grandpas here. Lucas is 3. We started coming two years ago when he was one. Just after we got custody. Our daughter wasn't ready. She was 20."
"Allie was 18," Owen said, "she wasn't fully ready either but we help them as much as we can and when they need."
"We took custody," the man said.
"We would have if needed or we have another daughter in her 40s and Annie would have," Owen said, "but Allison and Asher are so strong together and Everly is amazing."
"She's always so happy when we see her," the man said.
"I didn't get your name," Owen said.
"Simon," the man said.
"It's nice to have another grandpa today," Owen said.
"Gapa swim," Everly said.
"We are swimming," Owen said, "can you blow bubbles Ev?"
Everly blew bubbles in the water and giggled, Owen ducked down and blew bubbles with her making Everly laugh.
Asher met his brothers for the game of paintball Mitch had wanted to play for his Birthday.
"I can't believe I'm doing this while Allie writes the biggest exam of her life," Asher grumbelled.
"Don't let your wife do that," another guy said.
"Allie wants to be a surgeon," Asher said, "I want her to. It's what will make her happy."
"They're not married yet," Mitch said, "I don't know why."
"Our education," Asher said, "we have Everly. I had to ask Owen to take her to swimming lessons today. I missed her swimming lesson to do this."
"Don't mom's do that," another of Mitch's friends asked.
"We're both Everly's parents," Asher said.
"I still don't know how dad hasn't killed you living in sin for how long," Mitch said.
"How well do you even know Sierra," Asher asked, "what cheers her up when she has a bad day?"
"I don't know," Mitch shrugged, "do you know that about Allie?"
"School stress, make dinner and bring her tea and chips when she studies," Asher began, "Everly's sick or hurt hold Allie and let her cry, don't leave her alone then. Just over tired or worn out get Ev to bed, bubble bath, tea and cuddle."
"You know your girlfriend that well," a fourth guy asked.
"Fiance," Asher corrected, "we've been together 3 years. We have a two and a half year old daughter."
"Wait so you've," a fifth guy said.
"Micah," Asher groaned, "I have a daughter. You know how that works."
"Advice," Mitch asked, "for the wedding night. Your the only one of us who has."
"Just because it's your wedding night doesn't mean you have to," Asher said, "get to know her. Know her well. Know everything about her."
"But the wedding night," Mitch said.
"Let her decide how far to go," Asher said, "don't push her. She doesn't owe you that. Make her feel good."
"Bachelor party for Mitch," Micah asked, realising Asher wouldn't give them the dirty details.
"I can't go out of town without Allie and Ev," Asher said.
"You went away last summer," Mitch said.
"We went to England, Germany and France with Allie's family," Asher replied, "there were 12 of us. We go to their cabin and camping the three of us or with friends but not for a bachelor party. One night and I have to be home with my fiance and daughter at the end of the night."
"Asher will be 21 by then," Mitch said, "beers for us."
"No," Asher said.
"Why," Mitch asked, "you drink."
"In europe where I was legal I had a couple but not at home," Asher said, "Allie and I were drunk that night. If we had been sober we wouldn't have Everly. I won't buy you beer."
"It's all guys," Micah said.
"No," Asher said, "I don't like drinking or being drunk."
"Buzz kill," Mitch said.
"Figure it out for yourself," Asher replied, "I won't. Ask dad, you're dad's golden boy."
Allison walked out of her test feeling relived, she texted her parents and Asher.
"It's done baby girl," Teddy smiled seeing Allison walk in.
"I did it," Allison agreed, "now we wait."
"How did it feel," Teddy asked.
"Good," Allison said, "just like we practiced.
"Next step," Teddy asked.
"Applications," Allison said, "mom can I do it?"
"You will baby girl," Teddy assured, "you can do it. Dad and I will support you how ever you need. You have Asher and I know he will be your biggest supporter, he has been this whole time."
"Mommy," Everly smiled.
"Hi princess," Allison smiled, "did you have fun with grandpa?"
"Gapa go swim," Everly said.
"You went swimming with grandpa thats fun," Allison smiled, "dad how did she do?"
"She's getting good," Owen said, "the problem was getting out."
"Always is," Allison agreed, "she likes to swim."
"Me swim," Everly said.
"Tuesday," Allison said, "we go again on Tuesday. Did you go for a walk?"
"Popsicle store," Everly said.
"You walked to the corner store for a popsicle," Allison smiled, "lucky girl. Did you say thank you to grandpa?"
"Tank you gapa," Everly smiled.
That night Allison and Asher walked into his parents house with Everly. They changed Everly's boots for her inside sneakers and put her walker down infront of her.
"Up," Everly said, she knew that this house was hard to move in.
"Give it a try," Allison encouraged, "you can do it."
"She still doesn't walk," Renee said.
"She can with her walker," Asher said.
"But she can't really walk," Renee said.
"That's two," Asher said.
"Two what," Michelle asked.
"Renee has insulted and put down my daughter twice in the 5 minutes we've been her," Asher said, "one more person puts down Everly, Allison or I and we leave."
"Your going to play that game," mark asked.
"It's not a game," Allison said, "we have boundaries and have decided how we will accept being spoken to. Anyone makes a negative comment about everly and her disability we will leave. She does not need to be spoken to or about that way. Everly is amazing and god made her the way she is. God had a plan when he made her."
"Everly is perfectly made," Asher said, "she is fearfully and wonderfully made. God has a plan for her and for us. We don't take that lightly. A wedding isn't a promise of happiness, can you honestly say you both are happy? Knowing each other, being best friends first. I know her as well as I know myself."
"Our relationship is real," Allison said, "our relationship is based on spending time together. Building trust and understanding."
"You weren't even dating when," Mark snapped.
"We weren't," Asher said, "then you kicked me out instead of helping. Owen and Teddy guided us and taught me how to help and support Allie while she was pregnant. Let us take the time to become friends first then make it more when we were both ready."
"They moved you into their house," Mitch said.
"Because mom and dad didn't let me come home," Asher replied.
"You were in her room," Mitch said.
"No," Allison replied, "I was upstairs in my childhood room and Asher was in what's now Everlys room. My parents checked that I was in my own bed alone. We weren't allowed in each others rooms until after Everly was born. Then he was only up to help with her at first. We made the decision together when we were ready. We chose when we were ready."
"But good girls," Renee tried.
"Good or bad isn't tied to that," Allison argued, "waiting doesn't make you better than someone else. You aren't better than me because you haven't been kissed yet."
"But," Sierra said.
"No," Allison said, "we got to know each other. We got to spend time together and learn about each other. We spent time just us well before Ev was born."
"You were alone," Sierra gasped, "no chaperone?"
"Not like they needed one," Renee said.
"Final warning," Asher said.
"If you can't control your actions you have bigger problems," Allison said, "my parents would work late or go out and do their thing. Asher and I walked home from school together, we went for walks or ran errands. We hung out at home and played board games, we cooked together and got ready for Everly. We spend time together. We still go on dates once in a while."
"But your daughter," Sierra asked, "you leave her?"
"Sometimes we need to for us," Allison said, "time for the two of us to be together. Everly goes to bed at 7. Often we get her to bed then my parents will watch TV or read in our living room. Everly doesn't feel left out because we put her to bed and she has grandma and grandpa. My sister loves to baby sit and Leo likes to when he's home."
"Why were you writing a test today," Mitch asked.
"My MCAT to get into medical school," Allison said, "hopefully I got the score I need for UW."
"UW," Renee said, "you already go there."
"Medical school is separate from college," Allison said, "the test felt good. I have to figure out my essays and references now."
"What do you write about," Michelle asked.
"Most programs are two," Allison said, "a challenge I over came and that's going to be being a teen mom and raising a special needs child. Then why I want to be a doctor. I have to do that perfectly with my last name. My mom ran Grey Sloan for a long time, dad is a well known trauma surgeon and Altman-Hunt in the medical world gets attention. My sister does a lot of research and teaches and publishes."
"If you were married," Renee said, "you would be Blouin."
"I will change it after the wedding," Allison agreed, "we're good to get married next summer."
"Why such a long engagement," Sierra asked.
"We're paying for part of the wedding," Asher said, "so we need time to save and with Ev and Allie in school it's taking time."
"You're parents won't pay," Sierra said.
"They're doing the same thing they did for my big sister," Allison said, "dress, venue and food. My Opa is going to do the ceremony."
"Why your Opa," Sierra asked.
"He's a pastor," Allison said, "he baptised me, christened Everly, I want him to marry me. Opa is retired or mostly but he wants to do our wedding."
"David is a senior pastor," Mark said, "I would like to do it or you use the church."
"We can't use the church," Asher said, "you saw Christmas Eve. dad there's too many stairs for Everly she can't use her walker on the stairs. And our daughter will be in our wedding. It's about our family."
"Enough of this," Michelle said, "no more arguing let's grab drinks and something to nibble on."
They all followed Michelle to the living room. Everly got shy and pulled herself into her dad's lap. Allison passed her a book and the little girl slowly turned the pages looking at the pictures.