Okay, here we go, a new round of chapters! This will be the last part as I feel like I have no more to offer with these characters.
If you haven't read part one ("NEW BEGINNINGS" and part two "NEW BEGINNINGS – A SEQUEL", read them before diving into this one).
Let me apologize up front. There's going to be some angst in this third part of the story. But they will probably make it through ;-)
We pick up right after the birth of the couple's first child, Sofia.
Enjoy!
CHAPTER 1
They spent the night and half of next day in the hospital. In the evening one of Arizona's colleagues came to give them the okay to go home.
Arizona was breastfeeding their daughter on the hospital bed and Callie was standing next to them, trying to take in every second of her newborn daughter's life.
"You're okay to leave" the doctor said "Just remember; No heavy lifting. No excessive exercise. And to avoid infection, you can't have sex until your postnatal check"
"Okay" Arizona nodded.
"Uhm…when is the postnatal check?" Callie said, trying to not sound too desperate.
"Usually a month and a half after birth"
Callie swallowed.
Arizona looked up at her and raised an eye brow. Arizona's colleague chuckled and left the room.
"What?" Callie whispered.
"Callie…" Arizona started, but simply shook her head at the brunette and looked down at the tiny human in her arms "Can we just go home with this little one, and not think about postnatal checks?...Or sex?"
"Of course" Callie said. She felt suddenly stupid and insensitive "I'm sorry"
"It's okay. I'm just…a little overwhelmed"
They got their things together. Tim came, helped them to the car, and drove them to The Mazatlán.
The apartment was dark and felt slightly cold. There were a bunch of balloons in the middle of the room but that was it.
"I'm sorry…the place isn't very festive" Callie said "I…I didn't really have time to set up things for a 'welcome home surprise'"
Arizona smiled at her wife and then looked down at the little sleeping bundle Callie was carrying in the carrycot.
"It's okay. I'm just happy to be home. And I'm happy she's finally here"
"Me too" Callie said.
They took Sofia to the nursery and placed her in the crib. She didn't wake up.
As they stood there by the crib, looking at the sleeping baby, Arizona felt tears welling up.
Callie grabbed her hand and squeezed it.
"I'm terrified" Arizona whispered.
Callie lifted a hand and put a stray of blonde hair behind Arizona's ear.
"Don't be. You're amazing" she then said and leaned in and gave the blonde a soft kiss "Now let's get you to bed"
Twenty minutes after Arizona fell asleep, Callie heard the baby. Sofia wasn't crying, but she wasn't sleeping anymore either. Callie got out of bed slowly as to not wake up Arizona, and went to Sofia's room. She picked up her daughter. She looked down at the tiny human in her arms. The baby was beautiful, as she resembled Arizona. But Sofia was darker than the blonde as they had picked a latino donor. Someone with Callie's height, hair and eye color, and Mexican roots. Even though Callie wasn't biologically connected to the baby, Sofia would still look like a mixture of her and Arizona.
"Hey baby" she said with a soft voice and lifted the baby out of the crib "Let's let your mommy sleep a few minutes longer before you get to eat"
She was holding Sofia in her arms, rocking the baby lightly, and pretty soon Sofia closed her eyes again and dozed off.
Looking down at the child, Callie's heart was so full of happiness that it was ready to explode in her chest.
"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you" she whispered as she looked out over Manhattan. She was hoping that her dad could see how wonderful her life had turned out.