Arizona's POV :
It felt like the air had been knocked out of me. I couldn''t breathe. Everything around me started to spin. I quickly grabbed a chair and sat down, unable to do much about the glass which had been filled with water a second ago, shattered on the kitchen floor, dropped from the shock of my latest discovery.
Yes, Callie and I had been apart for the last 10 years. However, in my thoughts and in my heart, I held hope that some day we would be reunited. That someday when I look at my cellphone it would be her calling, it would be her texting, it would be the sound of her husky voice that left a message. That despite how severly I had hurt her, she could overcome the fact that I had cheated on her with Lauren. That despite being 3000 miles away, our love would grow.
I did the only thing that I could – I swept the shattered glass so that my daughter wouldn't hurt herself in the morning and returned to bed. I creeped into our bedroom, knowing that Rose, my girlfriend for the past 3 years, was a light sleeper.I climbed into bed, turned away from Rose, and let out a breath that I didn't know I was holding. As I closed my eyes, I willed my heart to forget. But the words which had caused immeasurable pain refused to lessen its grip. The words which brought finality to our relationship and now what seems like a feeble hope of being reunited :
" You are cordially invited to the wedding reception of Jenniffer Hill and Calliope Iphigenia Torres".
My heart was in physical pain.
Roses's POV :
Earlier :
"Amanda Robbins-Perring! You get back down here right this instant before I come up there and get you myself!".
I hear the unmistakable slam of Amanda's door. This riled me up and as I was getting ready to climb the stairs, two at a time, to my daughters bedroom, Arizona walks in.
"Hey babe… You're home early? How did it go" she asks as she gives me a kiss on the cheek.
Today was "bring a parent to school" day at Amanda's school. Arizona was supposed to attend but unfortunately she got in pulled into an emergency surgery at 3am so I gladly filled in for her, especially since I have some free time at work. I had looked forward to the spending some time with Amy, that was until the end when she had insisted that she wanted to visit her new friend's home. And by insisted I mean she threw a temper tantrum along with all her lunch which Arizona had packed for her the night before. You would think at the age of 6, she would have grown out of it. Unfortunately, her ability to accept "No" as an answer is one of the few good (and bad) traits she has inherited from me. I wouldn't expect less, seeing that she's my biological daughter.
"Your daughter is a real pain" I reply without missing a beat.
"Yyyeaahhh.. but she's cute" Arizona replies with a chuckle.
"What went wrong?" she asks as she plops herself on the couch, no doubt exhausted as she had been at the hospital since 3am.
"Ugh.. you are way better at this than I am. It was fine in the morning" I reply as I turn on the kettle to boil, knowing that cup of coffee would do us both some good.
" Then when it was time to take her for her swimming lessons but she said she wanted to spend some time with her new friend instead".
"Who? Sophia? The one who moved here a month ago?" Arizona replies.
"Yeah.. She's such a sweet girl. Has the biggest brownest eyes…. Anyways, we paid for her lessons in full and I wasn't about to allow it go to waste. Especially since the kid who was brought into your ER died because he did not know how to swim." I reply.
"Mhhmm" Arizona replies. Arizona's reply usually means one of two thing – she is either preoccupied with work or she is falling asleep on me.
"Arizona!" I snap.
"Sorry babe.. I am awake.. I am totally awake" she replies while trying to stifle a yawn.
I know that I shouldn't have snapped at her and let her fall asleep but we havent had an adult conversation in a while. She always gets pulled in to surgeries at odd hours. I just.. I just miss her.
I decide to let this one go and change the topic.
"Hey.. We've been invited for Sophia's parents wedding on Saturday. I think I left the invitation on the kitchen counter"
"Really? Didn't know we were that close to warrant an invitation?" Arizona replies
"I've sorta been spending time with Sophia's mum, Jennifer. Her fiance is also a surgeon in Seattle and she's only moved down this week for the wedding so she has a lot of free time on her hands and needed some help easing into the Maryland society. I guess this is her way of saying thank you and will you be my friend"
Arizona chuckles and rises out of her seat. "I am going to check on Amy and bring her down for supper".
"Hey, you know, Jennifer's fiance and I have something in common – surgery! At least we can have proper conversation at the wedding and not make awkward small talk"
I laugh out and get started on dinner. My mind drifts back to how I first met Arizona – Amy had broken her hand while playing on a swing. I rushed her to the ER and Arizona had fixed her. But more than that, she fixed me. I remember how sweet and kind she was to me and my daughter. She had a past and I had a past. We decided not to question or delve into it. Just live to create new memories. A year into our relationship, Amy called Arizona "Mama". I had never seen Arizona more happy than that day. As a birthday present, I decided to add her name to Amy's and legally change Arizona's status to guardian.
I am lucky.
Callies point of view :
Arizona. At my wedding. Wait. What.
Those are the thoughts that run through my head as my wife, Jennifer and I walk down the aisle after reciting our vows and being declared married.
We are sitting at our table at the reception when there is an announcement for our first dance as a married couple.
Jennifer pulls me out and holds me close as we share our first dance. I didn't realise that Jennifer would remember me telling her that this was my favourite song. I listen to the words as I stare at Arizona.
It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart
Without saying a word you can light up the dark
Dancing with Jennifer makes me want to dance with Arizona even more. Arizona and I stare at each. I remember how insanely happy I was when we got married. Remembering that this was OUR wedding song.
Try as I may I could never explain
What I hear when you don't say a thing
"I love you, I will always love you" The last words she said before she left reverberated through my mind. Tears trickled down my face. My wife held me close but those tears were not out of joy for marrying her. Those are tears for what I can hear Arizona say to me as she stands there and tears as well. It all becomes too much and I wipe the back of my hand against my face and whisper to my wife that I needed to go to the bathroom. Instead I find the nearest room, slam it shut and breakdown. "WHY?! This was supposed to be a happy day I think to myself." Then I hear the door open and Arizona walks in.
Arizona walks towards me and stops when she is mere inches from me. Without permission, she pulls me into her, while our wedding song plays in the background.
All day long I can hear people talking out loud,
But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd.
Arizona held me close as we swayed back and forth. I closed my eyes, trying to soak up this feeling, knowing that this was probably the last time I will be held this intimately by her. How natural it felt for both of our bodies to mold into one was not lost on me. I want to tell her how much I hate her for doing this to us. But the truth was, I loved her. Despite it all, I loved her. We were now victims of the passage of time, our choices and circumstance.
The smile on your face lets me know that you need me.
Arizona pulls back and smiles.
Her smile. God, her dimples. I was a goner whenever she pulled those out. Whether it was to get out of trouble or to simply convey how happy she was to see me.
There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me.
Those blue eyes. I will never forget the effect that they used to have on me. It was those eyes that looked at me with such love. Those eyes that showed concern and care whenever I had a bad day. Those eyes I fell in love with and those eyes I wished our kids would have.
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall
Arizona raises her hand to my face. It sends electricity shooting through my body and makes me weak at the knees. It makes my heart pount faster.
She rests her forehead against mines. And very quietly asks : "Does she make you laugh?"
And I reply in a quieter voice : "She doesn't make me cry".
At my words, I feel Arizona's body slump a little bit against me. She brings her other hand that was on my hip and cups my face. She gently lays a chaste kiss on my lips. It lasts for about 15 seconds and I almost lose my willpower not to crumble.
When I open my eyes, she looks at me intensely. As if trying to engrain this moment into her memory. She gives me a sad smile and without a second glance, walks out.
"I will always love you too" I whisper to nobody.
You say it best when, you say nothing at all.