"Leo it goes over there," Annie pointed, directing her little brother.
"Bossy," Leo teased.
"You didn't help us with Mama's and Allie wasn't much help neither was Ellie," Annie said, " so you can do it."
"So your talk with Theresa." Leo said.
"And," Annie asked.
"Was it necessary," Leo questioned, "your timing."
"Pregnant with twins or not it's not an excuse," Annie replied, "and better me than Mama. You don't have to deal with in-laws. They're not fun. Especially when your not good enough for their precious baby boy. It's easier to come from your sister in law than your mother in law. I talked it through with Jenna first."
"Not Jenna," Leo groaned.
In the living room Theresa whispered to Allison, "the whole feeding thing what did you do for all three?"
"I've only had singles," Allison replied, "Everly was exclusively breastfed. Andy was 50% formula and Carly is 75% breastfed. Ev I was too scared to use formula and we couldn't afford it even if I had wanted to. Andy, my milk never fully came in because my thyroid was really out of whack postpartum and Carly I like having some breathing room. Exclusive was really hard on me physically and mentally with Ev. What are you thinking?"
"I'd like to do 50/50," Theresa said, "I don't think exclusively feeding both is do able or safe for me and my mental health but I want them to have at least some."
"There's not one way to do it," Allison said, "don't listen to Ellie. She's trying to make it seem like it's the only choice to validate herself."
"And she's a walking skeleton and not doing well at work," Theresa said, "she gave up her surgical residency."
"Because she didn't like surgery," Allison replied, "have you worked with her as a diagnostician? Have you seen her solve puzzles and put seemingly unrelated symptoms together? She's going to be a phenomenal peds internal medicine doctor or endocrinologist."
"I haven't," Theresa said, "have you?"
"Well I was her chief resident but we still work together now," Allison said, "she's better than lots of the attendings and most of the fellows at putting the weird cases together and planning how to treat the pieces and pull the right consults. Right now she's got me, endocrinology, cardio and nephrology on this really rare case. She's found her niche. She just doesn't like scalpels. And likes 8 hour shifts with fewer 24 hour calls. She's a single mom."
"How does she do it," Theresa asked.
"Annie helps a lot," Allison explained, "Cat is still her roommate and basically co parents Ben. I've had Ben over night and just put him in the pack and play in Carly's room."
"But feeding him," Theresa asked.
"She pumps and sends what she can but her and I will feed each others babies," Allison replied, "so have Ava and I in a pinch. It's not as weird as it sounds. We're all nursing moms and babies are hungry. Ben has a really hard time with the bottle in the middle of the night when she's working. He wouldn't take it no matter what we tried and had been sobbing for over an hour. So I texted her and offered to just feed him and she was cool with it. I know Annie pumped some for Cat when Ellie and Cat were babies."
"Why though," Theresa asked, "it seems so personal and intimate."
"It is," Allison agreed, "it's a very personal bond with the baby. But women have fed each other's babies since the dawn of time. You just make sure it's someone you know well and know is healthy and not consuming anything that can transfer. It's no different then getting donor milk from a milk bank."
"If it was ours," Theresa said.
"I would in a pinch if you and Leo were okay with it," Allison assured, "I'd rather give a bottle but if the bottle is being refused I'm not going to let a baby scream and starve. And I would only ever consider it for family or Ava."
"Emergency only," Theresa asked.
"Yes," Allison replied, "and baby wipes are baby wipes just get the Costco or store brand ones. Cloth diapers are insane. We've always used disposables. I know Ellie does cloth at home and disposable at daycare but she's an over achiever and making it harder on herself."
"I'm not washing them," Theresa agreed.
"No time," Allison replied, "and the smell of the dirty ones sitting in the bucket. I know she washes them every other day but with disposables a bad poop and we can just take the garbage out and be done with it."
"When do you potty train," Theresa asked.
"Around 2," Allison replied, "Ev was closer to 4 but she needed the extra time."
"If there's problems with the twins," Theresa asked.
"We help," Allison assured.
"Have you done what we talked about," Theresa asked.
"I signed up for an Asian food cooking class," Allison replied.
"But," Theresa said.
"I love cooking," Allison reminded, "your about to see it all change. Two at once will be busy."
"I won't lose my self in it," Theresa asserted.
"Don't be so sure," Annie replied, "I feel like I'm just getting some elements of me back and Heather is graduating this year."
"But," Theresa said.
"It's a good change and you don't notice it in the moment," Annie explained, "the first overwhelmed newborn days yes but after that it calms down. You focus on what's best for your family. When the kids are in calm periods of life you have time to play a sport or dance or explore a hobby. But the kids get busy and they should have all those opportunities. I had Ellie my 5th year of residency and then Matt right after I finished my fellowship. Having them as an attending like you are is easier. Your demands are lower research and study wise. It's a good time to step back and focus on your family. There's nothing to prove about your abilities."
"Are we ready," Leo asked.
"Almost," Annie agreed, "I'm so glad we got this one catered. It's less personal but Owen is doing a bigger celebration that Mama did so it's a relief."
"Next one is," Allison teased.
"Megan first," Annie laughed, "and your not getting rid of me any time soon. You'd miss me."
"Are you okay with it," Allison asked.
"It's time," Annie answered, "but I miss them. Having them there. Mama and I being in the same specialty we bounced a lot of ideas around at work. I used to hide in and nap in her office when I was pregnant."
"No," Theresa said.
"Ellie and Matt for sure," Annie replied, "then with Henry and Heather I had my own office but it was a desk and chair."
"She didn't care," Allison asked.
"No and who has napped in my office eight months pregnant," Annie asked.
"Me," Allison admitted, "and stole your snacks."
"I thought it was Ellie," Annie laughed.
"It was both of us," Ellie said.
Teddy arrived with her car full of trays.
"Leo, Josh, Asher come help me," Teddy smiled.
"Coming," Asher replied.
"Just finishing the coolers," Leo answered having been given the job of filling the coolers with ice then forced to lug them around anytime Annie changed her mind on the set up.
They finished setting up then everyone went their separate ways to get ready.
"You okay," Asher asked Allison.
"I think so," Allison replied, "still feels like Theresa is judging me and I don't like it. She thinks she knows it all and is going to do it better than we do."
"She has no clue," Asher assured, "and we are not boring. We're not the most exciting but Jonah and Eden are way more boring than us. She doesn't have hobbie and neither does he. We do more than them."
"We do," Allison agreed, "we also have younger littles. Their kids are close in age to Ev and Joshua."
"They are," Asher agreed, "and play so many sports. You see that group soon?"
"A month or so," Allison replied, "we've grown up and drifted apart. I really only talk to Eden and Carmen now. I got to work with Carmen this week. Crush injuries involving a mother at 35 weeks and OB had to do a crash C-section, Carmen was the L nurse."
"You see her, Ava and Ellie most," Asher agreed.
"We also all work in the same building," Allison smiled, "and have babies with in six months of each other. Carmen is stepping back and going to work casually for a year or so."
"Oh," Asher said.
"Paul makes good money and she's going to do her nurse practitioner to be the nurse midwife so she's going to work part time and do that part time with the kids."
"Is it only the three of you that did anything beyond high school," Asher asked.
"We just all grew apart except for that little group and Ava joined us now Ellie and Cat," Allison replied, "I started being left out in med school then when I started residency the girls who did nothing after high school decided I was too stuck up until kids get sick then they text me."
"What do you do," Asher asked.
"Rest, fluids and nsaids," Allison replied, "if it doesn't get better in a day or two send them a pass for the clinic at grey Sloan. They get it free anyway most are on Medicaid but the passes fast track them."
"What happened to Olivia," Asher asked.
"I don't know," Allison admitted, "her parents have custody of her kids. I've treated her little boy in the last year. But she's gone. She doesn't keep in touch unless she's pregnant. And it's about time her youngest is almost two she'll show up 6 months pregnant swearing to do better but won't."
"Why do you take her back every time," Asher asked.
"Because she," Allison started.
"Ya we had a baby in high school but we grew up and did our best and got our lives together," Asher said, "we have three. And they're amazing."
"They are," Allison said, "I'm proud of us. We did it Ash."
"We did," Asher agreed.
Allison knocked on Everly's door, "hurry up we have to go in ten."
"I can't decide what to wear," Everly called back.
"We had a dress laid out this morning," Allison replied.
"But people and my braces and ugh," Everly groaned.
"Family, family friends and medical staff," Allison countered, "Ev Can I come in?"
"Yeah," Everly grumbled. Allison shook her head, teenagers.
Allison stepped into Everly's room and looked at the dress and the black pants.
"What do you want," Allison asked.
"I like the dress," Everly said, "but will people look at my legs?"
"No," Allison said, "people know and you make a bigger deal out of it than anyone. Ev kids seem to be getting better at school."
"No one asks anymore," Everly said, "some people stare but no one says it."
"There will always be looks," Allison agreed, "but people grow up. You're going out with friends a lot."
"Now," Everly said.
"Your school years are not supposed to be the best years of your life," Allison said, "mine weren't. Mine came in residency, I think I'm still in them, with you and your siblings and some stability."
"Can I have people over next weekend," Everly asked.
"Yeah," Allison replied, "thats cool. Hot tub?"
"Yes," Everly replied.
"Get your dress on," Allison replied, "it's Annies and indoor you'll be fine in AFOs and flats."
"I can do that and less obvious than KAFOs," Everly agreed, "the new pink ones almost match my dress."
"Then get ready," Allison said.
A large group gathered in Annie's kitchen and living room for Owen's retirement celebration. A few old military friends, many people from the hospital and trauma surgeons from around the country that Owen had trained and mentored.
April was the first to give a toast, "30 years ago I walked into Seattle Grace Mercy West after the hospitals had merged and didn't know where I would fit. But this commanding army trauma surgeon took me under his wing, saw past a facade to what truly mattered to me, helping people in their worst moments. Owen Hunt is the best teacher and mentor I could have asked for. His mentorship determined the path of my career. Looking around the room I see many of us who have been trained by Owen and had the gift of being mentored by him. Owen is an incredible teacher, who pushes his students hard and always gets the best out of each of us. I'm happy for Owen that he now gets to enjoy his retirement and his growing group of grandchildren and great grandchildren. To Owen."
To Owen the room echoed.
Josh did the formal speech as the chief, "tonight we are celebrating Hunt's retirement, the ending of a chapter and the beginning of something new. Owen has been a teacher and mentor to many, a friend and supporter to all. His career has spanned decades and included multiple tours of duty with the army as a field surgeon where he gained insight and creativity as well as flexibility in the OR skills he taught to many."
Josh continued describing Owen's career.
This was followed by Annie, Allison and Leo reading a story book to the group a tradition Annie had started years ago that was happily continued by all and was only getting more special as more little ones joined the family.
Teddy spoke as well but kept a lot of what she really wanted to say to herself for now, she would tell Owen when they got home.
The party thinned out around midnight although Theresa had slipped out earlier and Asher had taken the kids home, Ellie had tucked Ben into a pack and play in her old bedroom, she would spend the night.
That night Teddy snuggled next to Owen in bed, they were both tired but happy.
"So we're done," Teddy smiled giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"We are," Owen agreed.
"You okay," Teddy asked.
"It's time and you took the leap first," Owen replied, "we should have a while ago."
"But the kids," Teddy finished for him, "but it's time we live for us and do old people things."
"I'm old you're still very sexy," Owen said.
"We're old," Teddy laughed, "none of the speeches tonight really said the important things about your love and loyalty. How deeply you love your family and everything you do for us everyday."
"It wasn't a funeral Teddy," Owen said, "it was a retirement. It should have been all about my career."
"But its true," Teddy said, "you've done a ton and haven't gotten the awards and recognition you deserved. What you've done for so many people so many families. I love you. I've always loved you."
"I know," Owen smiled kissing her, "I love you too."