"Welcome home," Teddy cheered from the porch as Asher lifted Everly out of the back of the truck.
"We need to be home," Allison said, grabbing a bag from the back seat.
They walked down stairs and found Leo in the kitchen.
"Leo," Allison asked.
"I made lunch," Leo replied, "grilled cheese and chicken soup."
"Chicken soup," Allison asked.
"I heated it but it has sea creature noodles," Leo said.
"When did you become a softy," Allison asked.
"I don't know," Leo shrugged, "and Char made the soup but she's working today she got an extra shift at the rec centre for some special event."
"Oup," Everly asked.
"Do you want some soup," Allison asked.
"Oup," Everly said, "icken oup?"
"Chicken soup," Asher said, "I'll get you a bowl."
They sat at the table, the four of them enjoying their soup.
"She needs a nap," Allison said, watching Everly's eyes droop.
"Still sleeping lots," Leo asked.
"She is," Asher agreed, "healing is tiring. She's cranky."
"Poor princess," Leo said.
"It's been a hard couple weeks," Allison sighed, "I need to be home."
"Do you work this weekend," Leo asked.
"I took a couple weeks my manager understands," Allison replied, "she knows about Ev and that sometimes I need time with her. I've been there 3 and a half years, I work hard and I pick up when I can. I willingly do Saturday and Sunday's. I do Friday night's by choice, she likes me."
When they finished eating and put Everly down for her nap making sure the safety rail on her bed was in place so she couldn't wiggle out. That had been hard for Allison converting Everly's crib into a child's bed but they needed to if they ever wanted her to be more independent, while she had never tried to climb out she was nearly three and it was getting harder for Allison to lift the ever growing girl over the side of the crib, it wasn't that she was too heavy, it was that Everly was tall like her parents and Allison had worried about being able to lift Everly's casts over the side safely.
"You okay if I run for diapers and milk," Asher asked.
"Go," Allison said, "I want a shower while she sleeps and to start our laundry."
Asher left and Leo knocked on the open door way, they hardly actually closed the door but everyone was in the habit of knocking on the door frame when they came down and Owen made his footsteps extra heavy having walked in on Allison and Asher making out on the couch when they had first moved downstairs. Now the heavy footsteps gave warning that he was coming. Allison usually texted before going upstairs to see her parents and as Allison and Asher gained more confidence they spent more and more time as their family of three down stairs. The backyard was a free for all space that everyone enjoyed, this spring they were putting in a ramp from the sun deck to the patio so Everly could go up and down on her own in her walker or wheelchair. They were leaving the pool inaccessible to Everly because the determined little one would get in the water on her own if they changed the stairs to a ramp, so for now the stairs and the gate were staying. For her birthday Owen and Asher were building a new play house at ground level for Everly that she could access because Allison and Leo had a treehouse in the oak tree.
"Leo," Allison whispered.
"She's sleeping," Leo asked.
"She is and Ash ran for some stuff we need," Allison said.
"Can I hang out," Leo asked.
"I'm tired and stressed," Allison warned.
"I know," Leo said.
"So you and Charlotte," Allison said, "what's happening there?"
"I love her," Leo said.
"You look happy together when you come to see us," Allison replied.
"I am," Leo agreed.
"So you and Charlotte," Allison asked, "would you marry her?"
"I'm not you and Annie," Leo said, "I'm not in a rush to settle down after college and med school. I'm going to serve."
"What about Charlotte," Allison asked.
"She knows my plans," Leo said, "she's supportive. We're going to share an off campus apartment when we get back to LA. how does it work?"
"It's never just been Ash and I," Allison said, "we've had three nights just the two of us ever. Two were when we got engaged."
"But the day-to-day living stuff," Leo asked, "money?"
"Our money has been mixed since highschool," Allison said, "we've always had a joint account for family and Ev stuff then we each have separate accounts for fun and spending. We have a joint credit card and the back up from mom and dad."
"He has one," Leo asked.
"I do," Allison said, "but he always knows when I use it. We try not to use them. Can you even afford it?"
"I don't know," Leo said, "rent is a lot. How do you do it?"
"We pay our share of the utilities," Allison replied, "have you talked to mom and dad?"
"They said they would help but I don't know," Leo said, "do you know if Annie had help?"
"Dan paid her rent in college," Allison said, "she managed in med school through student loans and jobs and scholarships. Mom helped her when Annie was broke and needed food."
"They offered to pay rent," Leo said.
"I would take it," Allison said, "we don't qualify for student loans with their income. I will for med school because I'll be married and it'll be on Ash and mine combined. Are you ready to live with Charlotte?"
"I stay at her apartment most of the time anyway," Leo said, "just paying part of the rent now."
"Food, groceries, laundry," Allison asked.
"How do you work it," Leo asked.
"We have our joint account and do laundry as needed," Allison said, "we have our own washer and dryer down here. Personal space is non-existent when you live together. What about when you both need to study?"
"I don't know," Leo said, "what do you do?"
"Bedroom if he's up, sometimes I use mom and dad's office if I need Ev to leave me alone. If I'm studying for an exam and need to be left totally alone I go up," Allison said, "I started that when she was a baby so I was close if she needed to be fed but I was out of sight."
"She gets normal food now," Leo asked.
"Since September," Allison said, "well people food only since then, she's had. Have you and Charlotte talked about kids? If you're living together?"
"One day but not yet," Leo said, "we love Everly and being with her but I've seen how hard it's been for you."
"A lot of our stress is Ev's CP," Allison said, "a typical kid would be easier."
"I don't want to see Char as miserable as you were," Leo said.
"I was scared,I didn't fit in anywhere and" she trailed off.
"I made it worse," Leo said.
"Having a fit at me and calling me names the night before my daughter was born wasn't cool," Allison agreed.
"I'm sorry," Leo said.
"I'm over it," Allison said, "I know you were high. Have you done that again?"
"No," Leo said, "I don't want to. I learned my lesson that's not who I want to be. Mom and Dad didn't trust me, Annie wouldn't let me be with her kids unless they were around, Chris didn't talk to me, Auntie Megan gave me the disappointed look, you yelled at me every time we were in the same room."
"I didn't do that summer well," Allison said, "I was scared, tired and overwhelmed. I had a newborn and a new relationship."
"I think I want to adopt like I was," Leo said, "do what mom and dad did for me. Do you think they'd hate it."
"No," Allison said, "she's always supported adoption. If I had chosen that for Ev she said she would have been with me every step of the way. Annie would have adopted Ev so I could be in her life as Auntie Allie. Mom and dad would support it, so will Nee, I understand why you want to but you and Nee understand being the kid. Have you seen your grandparents again?"
"A few times," Leo said, "it's weird. I think if it had been my birth mom I would have tried more but I don't feel a connection to them."
"What do you mean," Allison said.
"She didn't want me," Leo said, "but she was trapped. You always loved Ev you knew that but Brittney didn't want me. Her parents did. She took me with her to spite them. Mom always wanted and cared about Annie. Annie was wanted by all. Mom and dad have always wanted me we know that story."
"I don't like the idea of you serving," Allison said.
"Mom and Dad did," Leo replied, "Chris did."
"But you could get hurt or captured," Allison said, "I can't lose you."
"You won't," Leo assured.
"You can't say that auntie Megan was gone for 10 years," Allison said, "dad almost died so did Chris."
"Allie I have to and it's after med school it's at least 5 years away," Leo said, "who knows if I'll even deploy."
"I don't want you to be further away," Allison said, "Ev needs to know you."
"She will and so will your other kids," Leo assured.
"Other kids," Allison said, "what other kids?"
"You'll have another some day," Leo said.
"After med school," Allison said, "it'll be a big age gap but not us and Annie."
"What if," Leo asked.
"We'll make it work if it happens," Allison said, "we're careful. We know we can do it. But I'm not ready yet."
"After med school what about residency," Leo asked.
"Grey Sloan is my first choice but we move if we have to. I'm a legacy at GSM," Allison said, "and we work with the Fox foundation for Evs stuff they would take me at any of their hospitals. Perk of being a second generation surgeon. What about you?"
"Maryland like dad or George Washington like mom," he said, "Asher though what does your fiancé say?"
"He wants me to," Allison said, "he knows it'll make me happy. He loves me."
"Are you setting," Leo asked, "are you sure this is what you want?"
"I'm not settling," Allison assured, "Leo this is what I want. I'm happy."
"Wedding," Leo said.
"Next summer," Allison said.
"What's next summer," Asher asked coming in with a case of diapers and a couple bags of groceries."
"Our wedding," Allison smiled, "legally be a family."
"We are a family," Asher argued.
"But on paper," Allison said, "we're common law but it's not the same."
"It's not," Asher agreed, "another year."
"One more," Allison said, "did Leo tell you him and Charlotte are going to live together."
"No," Asher said, 'you ready?"
"I think so," Leo replied, "I think we're ready."
"It'll be good," Allison said, "I like her. We like her."
"Are you sure," Leo asked.
"Leo I like Charlotte," Allison assured, "she's good for you."
"I'll have to talk to you about proposing Asher," Leo said.
"What," Allison gasped.
"See how the school year goes then propose," he said.
"You'll need a ring," Allison said.
"I've mentioned it to mom," Leo said, "she said I can use her mom's when the time is right. She's held on to her mom's engagement ring for me. I though all of Grandma Altman's jewellery was between you and Annie."
"Ellie got a piece for her 16th," Allison said, "but Annie and I have most of it. Mom kept a few pairs of earrings and necklaces for grand kids to have something two."
"How does that work," Asher asked.
"If it's a set she's given me the necklace and Annie the earrings or vice versa," Allison said, "mom has her reasons."
"Everly," Asher asked.
"Mom has a piece for each of the girl's 16ths," Allison said.
"You don't wear much jewellery," Asher said.
"What you bought me," Allison answered, "day to day. My ring, earrings. I don't do necklaces often and Ev pulls on them."
"Do I need to get Char jewellery," Leo asked.
"Necklace or earrings is always nice," Allison said, "birthday, christmas, anniversary. It doesn't have to be big and showy. None of my favourite pieces are. Little and meaningful."
"You're sure you're okay with me and Charlotte," Leo asked.
"Allison hasn't hit her," Asher tried to joke.
"Once," Leo said, "and you'll never let me live it down."
"Nope," Asher replied, "we're good but I'm going to bug you about it."
"I know," Leo said.
Everly began to whine in her bed.
"I'll go up," Leo said, "the princess needs you."
"She does," Allison agreed, "maybe in a couple weeks when she's perked up we can ask Nee or Mom to baby sit and the four of us go out?"
"Sounds good," Leo agreed, "I'm going to go over there she should be done work."
"Have fun," Allison and Asher said at the same time.
Allison walked into Everly's room and changed her diaper before bringing her into the family room to play on the coffee table with her lego.