AN: this was going to be uber-serious then it turned to fluff. Brush it regularly, and use conditioning shampoo to keep it lush. (Yeah I know...what?)
Music: "I Loves You Porgy" by Nina Simone
The door opened to let the doctor step into the cafe. She looked around the room and saw the back of the person she was there to meet, who apparently was trying to decide which table was best to sit at. Possibly angling for a window where she could see her ex-wife approaching.
"Control freak," the newly-arrived one stated, as she walked out of the cafe, stepped out of (what she assumed to be the other woman's) view and took a few deep breaths.
"You can do this, Callie. You are sober, you are intelligent, you are ready. And you practised in front of a mirror. This is not a date: this is strictly business with a smattering of familiarity."
"Are you...ok?" A man asked as he stopped in front of her.
"Why, you a doctor or something?" She made it a point to lace her answer with a thick accent just to toy with his perceptions.
"I might be."
"Well so am I," she huffed and walked back into the cafe.
Across the room to where the blonde woman sat. And then folded her arms across her chest at the gesture that happened next.
"Really? We shake hands now?"
"Humor me, Callie."
Both palms were warm. Not as soft as they used to be. But slightly friendly, for the brief moment their hands held each other.
When they were both seated, the Latina noticed the pen and notepad next to a menu. Arizona had come prepared.
"We have enough time for coffee, right?"
"Yeah...sure. But just coffee. I don't think I can eat anything."
"Neither can I, to be honest," the Peds surgeon agreed.
Sofia was in school. Which was the first thing they had to discuss.
"How's she going to handle being in different cities if she's going to get a formal education?" Callie asked.
"I was thinking home school," Arizona began, "and since we're both financially stable, I was also thinking boarding school when she's old enough."
"What?"
"We can't keep jetting her back and forth all the time. She's going to need some kind of stability in her life."
"And you think she'll get that in boarding school? When she's completely separated from the two of us and left alone in the world?"
"Do you want me to join the military, Calliope? Because if I did we'd have the school thing settled. Who knows, maybe she'd even want to serve her country, like her uncle and-"
"Tell me you're joking."
The blonde looked serious. And then burst out laughing.
"Oh frickin' A, Arizona!" Callie complained.
"You should see your face right now," the blonde went on, as a young waitress carefully approached the table.
"That's not funny!"
"May I...uh...take your orders?"
Arizona saw the labrys tattoo on the waitress' forearm and grinned. So did Callie.
"Just coffee," the blonde replied.
"Extra sugar for hers," the black-haired one insisted.
"A hint of cream for hers," the Peds surgeon added.
The waitress scribbled things on her notepad and began to wonder just how well the women at the table knew each other. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but...could they be?
"So," Callie ventured when their order was being prepared, "you were kidding about the military thing, right?"
"Of course I was," Arizona stated, "I mean: between The Colonel and his grand-parenting style she'll have all the discipline she needs. And I'm NOT keen on operating on people when there are bombs going off in the background. I've already lost one limb. Not keen to leave more bits of myself all over the world, thank you very much."
"Maybe I should join up," Callie thought, "I mean: everyone needs an Orthopedic surgeon, right?"
Arizona let herself picture her ex-wife in dress blues. And didn't like the idea at all.
"You won't win a Harper-Avery in a war zone." And the other doctor was convinced.
Not like she'd win one anyway if she was staying at Grey-Sloan.
"So: home school?"
"Home school doesn't sound viable," Callie disagreed, "she's probably swimming in science genes, what with me and Mark. And you, of course. And Amelia, teaching her about the human brain. She's not going to get the environment she needs to be excellent at home, no matter how hard we try."
"So I'm going to put some brochures on the table. And you're probably going to disagree with my choices. But you're welcome to bring out your own."
"I came prepared," Callie stated as she reached into her handbag.
They sorted through the colorful range of options. Some intersected, but that was to be expected. Some were either really good or too new to be as good as they claimed.
"If only Grey-Sloan had an all-ages school attached to it then our lives would be so much easier," Arizona remarked.
"Amen to that," Callie grumbled.
"Fuzzy side up," a memory suddenly shot into the blonde's brain, "fuzzy side up. Not down: up. My way, my way. Mine, mine!"
"Maybe we should judge by extra-curricular activities," the Peds surgeon suggested. "Does the school have an equestrian program, for example. Or music classes."
"Music classes?" The Ortho goddess countered, while deliberately ignoring the horse-riding suggestion. "You want Sofia to play an instrument?"
"Everyone should play an instrument. She might hate it when she's younger but she'll thank us for it when she's more neurologically-developed, creative and coordinated than other people her age. Also, if she's making music then maybe she won't be thinking about making babies."
"Control freak," Callie chuckled. "But I agree. Musical instruments. She'll be badass when she slays her guitar solos."
"Calliope Iphigenia Torres," Arizona scoffed, "our daughter will play the piano, like her Mama and grandfather and his father before him."
The waitress placed their coffee on the table and smiled to herself at the revelation.
"No she won't," Callie rejoinded, "maybe she will later. But she'll START by playing the guitar. Guitars are cool, Arizona. Aren't they cool, Jessie?"
The waitress was surprised the woman had read her name-tag.
"I um...I play the drums."
"Can I get a chicken pie?" Arizona asked suddenly. Somehow it only seemed fair to make sure the girl got a larger tip. And she was hungry.
"Yeah, can I get one too?" Callie added.
"Sure."
OMG. Cutest lesbian couple ever at-lecafe. #PRIDE. Went the tweet when Jessie was behind the counter.
"So. Drums it is," Arizona stated. Callie didn't object. Drums were badass too. And tended to build up coordination in both arms.
Who didn't want an ambidextrous orthopedic surgeon?
"Get that out of your mind, Calliope," Arizona protested, having read her mind. "She wants to be an astronaut."
"There's no drum kits on the International Space Station. Sure, there's a guitar, but-"
"Let's worry about that when she's suiting up for takeoff, okay?"
"Agreed. Now let's talk about pets."
"She's gonna want a hamster," Arizona stated.
"What? Hamsters are boring. Nothing in cages: cages are depressing," Callie disagreed. "Let's get a kitten. Or a puppy. But puppies are work. Let's rescue a dog from a shelter. They're always the best."
"And dogs can get used to traveling, if we get a good-tempered one."
"Golden retriever," Callie began.
"No. we're either getting a husky, pitbull or german shepherd."
"I want a dog that can think, Arizona. A companion and a protector."
"Border collie, then."
"What?"
The Peds surgeon took out her phone, did an internet search and showed her a video.
"Oh my GOD. If Sofia can't have one of those then I'm getting one for myself."
"No fair: it was MY idea. I'm getting one for myself."
OMG now the lesbian couple's arguing over doggies. at-lecafe #GOALS #PRIDE.
"What if Penny doesn't want one? Or what if she's allergic or something?"
"She'll get injections. Oh look how cute their puppies are!"
"Calliope. That's my phone."
"One more one more one more!" The Latina said before turning the screen to face her.
"Awwwww," both women gushed.
The pies were placed on the table.
"If you don't mind my asking," Jessie ventured. "How long have you two been like together?"
"Oh we're divorced," both older women chorused, and caught the girl by surprise. "Awwwww."
Evidently another puppy was on the screen.
"Doctor Torres, Doctor Robbins!" A woman wheeled a pair of twins up to them and they were both elated to see their former patients so happy.
Jessie went off to tweet something else. OMG plus they're real-live doctors! at-lecafe #PRIDE #GOALS #LESBIMEDICINE.
By the end of their meeting they had decided on a few things. Visits to Mark's grave at least twice every year. A dog, a cat (Maine Coon, if you please), a drum kit in whichever house Sofia picked to place it in, two identical bedrooms. No phone until she was double-digits old. And both parents would have to get brushed up on tech before then. Spanish all day every day on every other day. Chinese in class, maybe. Their little girl needed a serious edge.
Birds-bees-and-special-hugs would have to wait until she was 11. Or unless the dog (or cat) got too friendly with one of Sofia's stuffed animals.
The biggest unresolved issue was, of course, which school their daughter would attend. They would need a second meeting to figure that out.
"Can I, like, get a selfie for our happy wall?" Jessie asked the pair while they squared the bill.
"You have a happy wall?" Arizona looked at it. "That's kinda like our graduates wall in the peds wing."
"Awwwww," Callie and her chorused.
They took two: one with just the doctors and the other with the girl who was generously tipped.
Of course, a certain red-head didn't like it when the photos went viral. At all.
Planning on adding another chapter. Gracias.