Allison walked into the cottage to hang out with Ellie, Catrina and Ava.
"Why am I always surrounded by pregnant ladies," Catrina asked.
"Your cousin and roommate," Ava said, "another friend."
"Don't feel like you have to stick around," Ellie said.
"The three of us haven't hung out in ages," Catrina said, "I can go with out wine."
"Allie doesn't drink anyway," Ellie pointed out.
"She does," Ava laughed, "just with me and when her kids aren't around."
"What once a year," Allison asked.
"About," Ava agreed, "how does it work with kids?"
"I never have more than one or two," Allison replied, "Asher will but never gets drunk. You technically can and breastfeed but I don't want to. I don't trust it."
"I want to try but I think I'll have to combo feed," Ava said, "I only can take 12 weeks. What are you taking?"
"12 weeks," Ellie agreed.
"Six months," Allison replied.
"Nice to have a husband to support you," Ellie snapped.
"No," Allison stopped her, "Asher and I are a team. I earn more than him. We planned this and will tap into savings so I can have that extra few months."
"But you have that choice," Ellie said.
"I knew I wouldn't get long," Ava said, "I might be able to do four months if I clean out my savings but I don't know if I should."
"I've loved my time with my kids and being home," Allison smiled, "Annie pushed me to take as much as I was allowed with Andy."
"Mom wants me to take the six months," Ellie replied, "but I can't afford it. Even if they're not charging me rent while I'm off. An intern salary as a single mom."
"Intern year is still tight," Allison agreed, "we're all lucky we get spots in the hospital daycare and it's open 25/7 to be flexible around our shifts. Both littles will be there."
"How are both of you really showing and I'm not," Ava asked.
"Third baby," Allison replied, "I was like 24/25 weeks before it was clear with Ev and I never got big with her. And Ellie is 5'2" she has no where to hide a baby. You're tall and it's your first."
"I want it to look like it not that fat Ava got fatter," Ava said.
"Not fat," Catrina argued.
"Really then why am I single," Ava asked.
"Because no guy is good enough for you," Allison replied, "you seem to go for cowards."
"You have a husband who worships you," Ellie retorted.
"We've had our ups and downs," Allison replied, "always when we have a new baby. I'm not looking forward to the way we argue post partum."
"Just argue," Catrina asked.
"Ya we argue and yell," Allison replied, "it was better with Andy than Ev but it's a thrid we're out numbered. It's going to be a lot of arguments. Ev regressed last time so I'm not sure what's happening there."
"What do we need to know other than the medical," Ava asked.
"Give yourself grace," Allison replied, "what we did with both was so different and it's okay if you don't feel like yourself. I never felt like I did before with either."
"That's it," Ellie asked.
"Ask for help it's not weak," Allison smiled, "and we stick together."
"Relationships," Ellie asked.
"It's always been Asher he's my only," Allison replied, "but it takes a few months after before I feel ready for the physical side and until I stop breastfeeding before I actually want it."
"Do you now," Catrina asked.
"That is still off limits," Allison replied, "I don't talk about specifics with anyone."
"You have at least three times," Catrina laughed.
"We'll go with that," Allison agreed, "Ellie you can date once your little boy is here. It's okay to need time for your self and down time not to be mom."
"How will I," Ava asked.
"I think I owe you 13 years of babysitting," Allison smiled, "you take time for yourself and take care of yourself."
"Do you," Ellie asked.
"I was better with Andy than Ev," Allison admitted, "ev I thought I had to be perfect and do it all. I had a hard time letting Asher help but with Andy I was better about just doing our best."
"But," Ellie started, "I'll never be as good as my mom."
"She fakes it," Allison laughed, "Annie is a good actress. She doesn't have it all together. Why do you think she only worked 4 days a week until Heather was in high school?"
"To have time with us," Ellie replied.
"No," Allison shook her head, "to be able to do all the other mom crap when you were at school and not lose her mind. Laundry, groceries, house work, all your drs appointments."
"Grandma," Ellie asked.
"Lost it many times and used to order grocery delivery or take out," Allison replied, "we had a housekeeper come once a week for years and do the deep clean of the kitchen and bathrooms."
"Will you," Ava asked.
"If we need to," Allison agreed, "we do once a month now."
"Wow," Ellie said.
"I do it," Ava replied, "once a month is great just for all those things I don't always get to. Baseboards, ceiling fans, the bottom of the oven."
"Exactly," Allison agreed, "behind the fridge."
"You do it once a month," Ellie asked.
"I do," Catrina replied, "and my mom always had someone come every week or 10 days. You got it done then just maintained it."
"I wish," Ellie sighed.
"I do it and you don't notice," Catrina replied, "you're in your own world."
"Isn't it expensive," Ellie asked.
"She comes for 5 hours once a month and it's $150," Allison replied, "we budget for it it's worth it."
"Cat," Ellie asked.
"We can talk," Catrina agreed, "miss messy. How are you going to deal with the bin of dirty diapers? You never take out the garbage."
"I did before," Ellie replied, "but I didn't in New York because Caleb and I were living together and he liked having pink and blue jobs. I didn't do garbage and recycling. And when was the last time you cleaned grout, or took the fridge apart to clean it all?"
"You two need a chore chart," Allison shrugged.
"Why I no longer do roommates," Ava replied, "It'll be more work but it's my way."
"You might luck out there," Allison replied.
"Try figuring it all out with your jerk of an ex," Ellie groaned, "he wants to be here when baby boy comes. But I don't want him here. I don't trust him."
"Who would you want," Ava asked.
"I want my mom," Ellie replied, "she's done it four times. I'd like to ask Allie but she's due the day before so chances are."
"I'll be home with a new born," Allison replied, "I am spending the first three weeks on the couch cuddling and feeding my baby and being with my kids. I'm not feeling rushed to go out and show off baby girl and like I owe people a visit. I will invite when I'm ready."
"Me," Ava asked.
"You'll be home bonding and busy," Allison replied, "but text me and ask. It's about the people not in this room, people who aren't family."
"What will I do," Ellie asked.
"You vegetate on our couch cuddle and feed your baby," Catrina replied, "I help as much as I can. Ellie I want to help with your baby and be there. You don't have to do it all alone. I have limits like I'm not getting up at 2am with your son every night but I will help. I'm Auntie Cat."
"But he's my baby," Ellie replied.
"You take the help you're offered when you can," Allison replied, "Cat is good with kids and even if you take her up on meals and house work so you can focus on baby boy."
"Do we have names," Ava asked.
"Asher and I are going to wait to tell anyone," Allison replied.
"Caleb and I are arguing but it's my final decision," Ellie replied.
"Hannah," Ava smiled.
"I love it," Allison smiled, "baby Hannah."
"Name ideas," Ava pressed Allison.
"We like Carly, Alexandra and Morgan," Allison replied, "Ellie?"
"I like John, Benjamin or Peter," Ellie replied, "but Caleb wants his last name and stupid names like Zander and Xavier."
"What will you do for last name," Allison asked.
"Hypneate," Ellie replied, "taking the Riggs side because Leo will use Altman. Faroke and Nisha use Hunt."
"We used Blouin from the start because I was hyphenated and I couldn't pick a side," Allison replied.
"I want to cut Caleb out totally and use Altman-Hunt," Ellie replied, "but he'd never go for it. I don't know how to manage it if he goes back to Canada. He still doesn't have a job here. He wants to go back to his community and I don't have a clue how to manage cross border custody."
"What do you want to do," Ava asked.
"Get Caleb to terminate his rights or not put him on the birth certificate at all," Ellie replied, "but I can't and it's mean."
"It is," Ava agreed.
"Says the one who gets it all her way," Ellie replied.
"You didn't pay $30,000 over the last couple years for medications and donor sperm, three rounds of IUI," Ava replied.
"Insurance," Ellie asked.
"Covered 50%," Ava replied, "I want this and it's worth it."
"Showers," Catrina asked, changing the subject.
"I'm doing Ava's with her mom," Allison replied, "and I'm helping Annie and my mom a bit with Ellies."
"You," Catrina asked.
"No not for a third," Allison replied, "we might be okay with a sip and see when she's 4-5 weeks old. But family will still come visit and celebrate. Close friends will be involved. It's too close to my boards."
"Okay," Ava replied, "I get it. But I want to celebrate your little girl."
"We will with our little besties," Allison smiled, "I just want to do this quietly."
"You're chief resident it's obvious," Ellie replied.
"Can you ask the other interns to make my job easier," Allison asked.
"They don't listen to me," Ellie replied, "they all want to be like my mom or Yang."
"Too competitive and they rush," Allison replied, "warning on Monday you're all getting a shit ton of scut."
"All," Cat asked.
"All," Allison replied, "and don't make me talk to your chief resident. The ER interns are just as bad for over testing, overmedicating, calling too many surgical consults. Do your own sutures."
"Why when we have surgeons," Cat asked.
"Because sewing up a small lac isn't a good use of a surgical resident," Allison replied, "the one you called me to yesterday was two sutures and could have been glued. But you over medicate."
"No work debates," Ava laughed, "how do we know what we do and be parents?"
"It made me less anxious with Andy," Allison replied, "but I had been through worst case scenarios with Ev."
"But when they get sick," Ellie asked.
"The first time with both I lost it," Allison admitted, "I worry and don't sleep."
"But knowing what we do," Ava asked.
"It helps knowing what to look for and when to stick it out at home and when we need to go in," Allison replied.
Later that night Allison walked into the house to find all the lights off, typical of Asher to turn everything off when he went to bed before she was home. She used the flashlight on her phone to avoid tripping on the inevitable shoes in the entryway and toys in the hall. Asher never remembered to put the toys away before bed.
"Your home," Asher smiled when she opened their door.
"Ya," Allison giggled, "I missed you."
"How was it," he asked.
"Lots of baby talk," Allison replied, "it's nice to have again this time. People in the thick of it with me."-
"Ellie and Ava are okay," Asher asked, "do they need help building cribs?"
"Ava would like help with the furniture but Josh and my dad are doing Ellie's and I think Chris will help," Allison replied, "we have to do ours."
"All new," Asher confirmed.
"Ya," Allison replied, "Andy still needs it all. The crib he has becomes his toddler bed. I'm going to get ready for bed. Wait for me?"
"I will," Asher smiled, he knew what she was hinting at.
Allison quickly got ready for bed, pulling her waist length hair into a braid, brushing her teeth and taking out her contacts. She slipped her nightie over her head, she hadn't worn one of the cute little spaghetti strapped ones in a while but she knew Asher would like the deep V neck and that it was barely long enough to cover her bum now.
"You are in a good mood," Asher chuckled as she got into bed.
"Shut up and kiss me," Allison laughed wrapping her arms around him.
He pulled her close and kissed her passionately. She felt his excitement against her hip and smiled. He wanted her. Asher made his way down to kiss her collarbone and then her chest while she stroked him.
After Allison snuggled close to Asher and draped her leg over his.
"Getting me to hold you on your side," Asher laughed.
"I love you," Allison smiled into his chest.
"I love you too," Asher whispered kissing the top of her head, "you're okay?"
"Ya," Allison smiled, "tired but good. Once little miss settles I'll fall asleep."
"We woke her up," Asher asked.
"Ya," Allison replied.
Asher's hand drifted to Allison's bump gently rubbing where he could feel the kicks drumming through her skin.
"That always helps," Allison sighed.
"You just like it," Asher teased.
"I do," Allison replied, "I need physical contact."
"I know you do," Asher assured, "I'll hold you or rub your back you fall asleep."
"Just hold me like this," Allison murmured.
"Go to sleep," Asher soothed.
"Night," Allison yawned.
"Good night," Asher whispered.