AN: I posted two chapters yesterday. Make sure you read Chapter 2 before you read this one!
I Saw Mama Kissing Santa Claus
Chapter 3
Christmas Eve, December 24nd, 2017
Arizona poured two cups of coffee, then slid one across the breakfast bar to her friend. The peds surgeon gave her friend one of her patented dimpled smiles.
"What do you want, Arizona?" Teddy asked warily.
"Are you doing anything this afternoon?"
Teddy blew on the hot beverage before taking a sip. "Only what you've got planned for me," she replied drily. She knew her friend only too well, and she knew Arizona wanted her to do something. Teddy could only hope that whatever it was didn't turn out to be as dangerous and irritating as the Christmas lights near-debacle.
"Well, you could stay home and wrap presents with Callie and Sofia, or you can come to the hospital with me."
"Why are you going in today? It's Christmas Eve. I thought you weren't working."
"I've been told to make myself scarce for a few hours so I thought I'd go in and help Karev. He's dressing up as Santa this year for the party for the kids in peds. Want to help?"
"You're not going to make me dress up, are you?"
"Maybe just a Santa hat, but I promise that's it."
"As long as that's it, I suppose it could be fun. But that's it. I draw the line with the hat. You're not going to make me wear any stupid antlers or elf ears."
"Would I do that?"
"I know how you work, Arizona. You flash those dimples and the next thing I know I'm up on a roof in a rainstorm or dressed up like an elf, or –"
"Okay, you've made your point," Arizona said, cutting her friend off. "One Santa hat. I promise that's it."
"So when do we need to be there?" the cardio surgeon asked with a sigh, resigning herself to another one of Arizona's requests. She really needed to work on saying 'no' to the peds surgeon.
"Alex said he was going to start passing out the presents around 1:00. That'll give us plenty of time to go to the hospital, play Santa's helpers and still be home for dinner and church."
"Church? I'm supposed to go to church with you?"
"Of course," Arizona said, nodding. "There's a little pageant the kids are in, and there will be a short service. That's it."
"I suppose…"
"Oh, don't be such a Grinch, Teddy. It'll be nice, and Sofia will be thrilled that you're there to see her."
"Fine. I'll go." Yeah, the saying no was working out really well, Teddy thought as she mentally rolled her eyes at herself.
"Well, get a move on. We need to leave soon. I've got cookies to drop off for the nurses on the peds ward and for the staff on the surgical floor."
"Let me finish my coffee first."
"Okay. While you do that, I'll let Callie know we're going out."
Arizona walked down the hallway toward the office. Callie and Sofia had holed up in the room about an hour earlier. She knew her girls were probably wrapping Christmas presents. She smiled as she listened to her wife and daughter giggling behind the closed door.
She gave a hard knock. "Callie?"
"Momma, don't come in here!" Sofia screeched. "Stay out!"
Arizona chuckled. "I just wanted to let you know that Teddy and I are going to the hospital to help Alex," she said through the door. "We'll be home in time for dinner and church."
"Okay. See you then. Call me when you leave."
"I will."
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She and Teddy loaded two large platters of cookies into the car. Both of them had worked enough Christmases in the past to know how lousy it was to be stuck at the hospital. The peds surgeon hoped that the homemade cookies would bring a little cheer to those that had to work.
They went up to the surgical floor to drop off the first platter of cookies. The staff all "oohed" and "aahed" as they crowded around the goodies. Cristina Yang spotted Arizona and hurried over. Robbins and Christmas Eve meant free cookies, and she wasn't about to miss out. She somehow managed to elbow her way through where she grabbed several cookies, stuffing one immediately into her mouth.
"You need to leave some for everyone else, Cristina. You'll get your own tomorrow," Arizona said.
"But I'm hungry now, and I've been waiting all day for you to deliver them." She snaked her hand through the crowd and grabbed two more before retreating. "Thanks, Robbins," she said as she walked off. "I've got surgery in ten. See you tomorrow."
"Did Yang just thank you?" Teddy asked incredulously as they headed for peds.
"Yup," Arizona said. "Hold this, would you?" she asked, thrusting the platter into Teddy's hands.
"And she said she'd see you tomorrow?"
"Yes," Arizona said, carefully lifting a corner of the wrapping off the cookies. "She and Owen will be coming over sometime after noon for dinner." Arizona reached under and stole a cookie. She couldn't resist the peanut butter and Hershey kisses cookies.
Teddy's mouth dropped open when she realized what her friend was doing. "Arizona!"
"What?" Arizona smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm hungry."
She crammed the cookie into her mouth and covered the cookies back up.
"I can't believe you stole a cookie from your own staff," Teddy said with a laugh.
"No one will ever know, right?" she warned before taking a bite.
"Right."
Since it was a tradition that Arizona brought cookies in for the nurses, they were all waiting for their favorite doctor by the nurses' station. It was just one of the many things she did that made Arizona Robbins one of the more popular and beloved surgeons in the hospital.
"Merry Christmas, everyone!" the peds surgeon said cheerfully, setting the platter of cookies down.
Holiday wishes and thank yous were swiftly exchanged as the nurses clustered around the cookies.
"Make sure you save some for the night shift," Arizona admonished as the number of cookies decreased at an alarming rate.
"We will, we will," they promised.
"Where's Karev?"
"In your office," one of the nurses answered.
"C'mon," Arizona ordered Teddy. "We've got to help Santa."
Arizona opened her office door to find a grumbling, pants-less Alex Karev. Both women snorted when they saw his bright red boxer shorts covered with Christmas trees. He had already put Santa's coat on, and like previous years, was bitching about having to wear the whole costume. She knew his protest was all for show; Alex had secretly liked playing Santa the past two years.
"Suck it up, Alex," she teased as she and Teddy entered the room. "Just put on your big boy pants and get with it."
"How am I supposed to keep these up?" he complained, holding onto the waist of the overly large red pants.
"Stuff a pillow into them, just like last year," she replied, tossing him one of the throw pillows from the sofa.
"Maybe you should get your wife to be Santa. She wouldn't need the pillow," he cracked as he caught the pillow deftly with one hand.
"Are you saying my wife is fat, Karev?" she accused, her voice sharp, even though she had a smile on her face. She could hear Teddy snicker behind her.
"No, I'm not saying she's fat, dude," he answered as he held the pillow against his waist. "She'd just, you know, fill the suit out better."
"Still sounds like you're calling her fat, dude," Arizona stated as she cinched the large black belt around Alex's waist.
"Ow, take it easy, Robbins," he whined when she gave the belt an extra hard tug.
"I'm sure you wouldn't be saying that if she were here, would you?" she continued, stepping away to grab the fake, white beard from her desk.
"Look, all I'm saying –"
"Quit while you're behind, Alex," Teddy suggested.
"Whatever. It's just that your wife with her pregnant belly would make a better Santa Claus."
Arizona paused and her eyes narrowed in concentration. That would work, she thought. Callie could dress up as Santa and Sofia would be none the wiser. Now I just need to come up with a plan to control the how and when. She looked over at Teddy and grinned.
"No," Teddy said. "I know that look, Arizona, and my answer is no."
"What? You don't even know what I'm thinking."
"I don't have to know. You're planning something and I'm sure it's going to either cause humiliation or pain."
"It won't!"
"Hey, can you two quit your little lover's spat and just help me?" Alex interrupted. "Tiny humans are waiting for Santa," he added with a smirk.
"Fine," Arizona huffed, placing the hat on Alex's head and helping him adjust the beard. She turned to Teddy. "And don't think I've given up on my plan, Theodora."
"Ooh, she just full-named you, Altman," Alex teased as he reached for the sack that held the presents. "Better watch out. You know Robbins knows how to fight dirty."
Arizona nodded her head in agreement. "It's true. I do."
Teddy sighed, knowing there was no way out. Her best friend was going to enlist her in another one of her schemes and the cardio surgeon would be unable to say no. She took the red Santa hat from Arizona and perched it atop her head. "Ready, Santa," the tall woman said.
"That's the spirit, Teddy," Arizona said, her smile wide. "Let's go spread some Christmas joy."
Even though Teddy had been reluctant to join Arizona and Alex, she had to admit she'd had fun. All of the patients and parents had been appreciative, even the surly, often difficult, fifteen year old girl who upon opening her gift and finding an iPad and had burst into tears. Arizona had remained behind in the girl's room for a few minutes while the cardio surgeon and Alex had continued. Teddy had no doubt that Arizona and Callie were the ones who made the gifts possible, and she knew Arizona was the one who had made the time to find the perfect gift for every one of the patients. These weren't generic, one gift fits all presents; they'd all been personal, every single gift wanted and wished for.
"Thank you for asking me to help," Teddy said, once the three doctors were back in Arizona's office. "I had a good time. It was great seeing how happy those kids were with their gifts."
"Yeah. I hate seeing kids have to spend Christmas in the hospital. If we can give them even a few happy moments…"
Arizona tossed her Santa hat onto her desk. "Take off your clothes, Alex," the peds surgeon said abruptly.
"What?" Alex mouth dropped open. That was the last thing he'd ever imagine his boss saying to him. "Dude, I'm not your type," he tried to joke as he took off the beard.
"Relax, Karev. I just need the Santa suit. I've got plans for it."
"Whatever," he said, pulling the pillow out from the pants. "If you and Torres have got some kinky plans for Santa's suit, I don't want to know about it," he said with a cheeky grin.
"Karev!" both women exclaimed.
"Just sayin'," he said, taking off the jacket. "I don't want to know about it or hear about it. Hell, I don't even want to think about it."
"It's for Sofia," Arizona said quickly, trying to dispel any ideas of using the Santa suit for any tawdry reasons from Alex's thoughts. "She wants to stay up and see Santa tonight, so… she's going to see Santa."
"Whatever," he said, stepping out of the pants. He quickly pulled on his rumpled navy blue scrubs. "Can I go now? I've got charts to do, and I promised Jo I'd be home for dinner."
"Fine, go, you've done your good deed for the year." Arizona had barely dismissed him before he was heading out the door. "Oh, and Alex?"
The younger man stopped in the doorway and turned around, his impatience written across his face. "What?"
"Thanks, and Merry Christmas," Arizona said warmly.
His face softened for a moment. "You, too, Robbins," he said sincerely before he darted from the room.
Arizona stuffed the Santa suit into the sack. She had formulated a plan, but she needed Teddy's help. She glanced at the large watch on her wrist. "We need to get home. Callie's going to be wondering where we are."
She picked up the sack and headed out, Teddy following her friend.
"I'm afraid to ask, but what are you up to with the Santa suit?" Teddy asked as they walked out of the hospital.
"Sofia has been going on and on about how she's going to see Santa tonight ever since Brady and Josie told her that they saw Santa last year." She slung the sack over her shoulder as they crossed the doctors' parking lot.
"I'm not dressing up as Santa Claus," Teddy blurted out. "I've done a lot of things for you, Arizona, but I am NOT going to do that."
"Relax, Teddy. That's not what I need you to do." Arizona unlocked the trunk and threw the sack into the SUV.
"But you do need me to do something, right?"
"Yes, I do," Arizona confessed as she climbed into the driver's seat. "Sofia's getting older. She probably won't even believe in Santa Claus next year. I just want to hang on… I want one more year of her being innocent and believing in Santa," the peds surgeon admitted.
"What do you need me to do?"
"Thanks, Teddy. I knew I could count on you." She started the car. "So, this is what I think will work," she explained as they drove home.
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Sofia's excitement over singing in the church choir and Santa Claus coming was almost too much for her. The six year old was almost bouncing in her seat during supper as she chattered nearly non-stop. Her Mama didn't mind Sofia's enthusiasm as long as her daughter didn't sing.
"I can't wait for Santa to come tonight," Sofia said as she handed her empty plate to her Mama. "We have to come home right after church so I can get cookies for him."
"Don't forget carrots for the reindeer," Arizona reminded her. "They need a snack, too."
"Yes. Carrots for the reindeer!" She turned around in her chair. "Do we have some, Mama?"
"Yes. We have a whole bunch of fresh carrots for them."
"I'm gonna call Josie and Brady tomorrow and tell them I saw Santa."
"Are you sure you will?" Teddy asked.
"Yes," Sofia answered with all the confidence a young girl could have.
"I don't know, Sofia," Callie said as she picked up her glass of milk. "I think Santa only comes when children are asleep."
"I'm going to see him," she said, nodding. "I'm gonna get up and wait for him."
"Well, that's hours from now. Right now you need to go get ready for church."
Sofia jumped up from the table and started for the staircase.
"And don't forget to brush your teeth," Arizona called out.
For the next hour, the household went about getting ready for church. There were only two minor meltdowns, one from Callie and one from Sofia. Sofia had been near tears when she couldn't find her favorite red tights. Arizona had averted that crisis when she'd found them in the laundry basket, waiting to be put away. The blonde quickly moved back to the master bedroom to calm her wife when Callie had a hormone induced "I'm so fat, nothing fits" moment. Assuring her wife that she was still beautiful and sexy, Arizona found the perfect dress for Callie to wear.
"Are you sure I look okay in this dress?" Callie asked as she stood in front of the mirror.
"You look good in everything you wear," Arizona complimented, as she stood behind the Latina. "You always look so hot in red."
"I look like a giant tomato."
"You look stunning," Arizona said. She wrapped her arms around Callie, her hands, as usual, landing on Callie's swollen belly. "Sexy. Hot," she said, kissing Callie's neck as she spoke each word. "Gorgeous."
"You're just saying that," Callie said, but she was pleased to hear the words from Arizona.
"As a matter of fact, that dress makes you look so sexy that I'm not sure Santa's going to be giving me any presents this year. It makes me want to do all kinds of naughty things with you," she whispered as her hands moved up to cup Callie's breasts.
"Arizona…" Callie murmured, loving the way her wife's hands and lips felt on her.
"I've got a special present for you to unwrap tonight, Calliope," she said. "We're going to have a very merry Christmas. I promise."
Using all her willpower, Callie stepped out of her wife's embrace. "We need to get going or we're going to be late," she said, breathing heavily.
Arizona pulled herself together and curbed her rising libido. She almost felt guilty for having such thoughts before going to church, but she couldn't help it. She thought pregnant, glowing Callie was especially sexy.
"You're right. We do need to leave."
Twenty minutes later they were pulling up in front of the church. Callie and Sofia got out. Callie was going to help Sofia with her choir robe and to give her some last minute encouragement. Arizona and Teddy parked the car and went into the church, making sure to save Callie a seat. They'd arrived too late to get seats in front, but managed to find an open pew a few rows back.
"Look who I found," Callie said as she approached the pew where Teddy and Arizona sat.
"Do you have room?" their friend Ellen asked.
"Sure do," Arizona said and she and Teddy stood up.
Ellen slipped past the two women, taking a seat beside Teddy. Arizona sat between Teddy and her wife.
"Where are your kids?" Teddy politely asked Ellen.
"Josie's in the choir and Brady's one of the shepherds," Ellen explained.
Callie rose from her seat. "I'm going to use the ladies' room while I have a chance," she said. "I'll be right back."
"Do you want me to come with you?" Arizona asked.
"No, you stay and keep Teddy and Ellen company. I won't be long." She gave her wife's hand a squeeze then quickly made her way to the restrooms.
"Everything okay?" Teddy asked.
"The baby's pushing on Callie's bladder again," Arizona said. "She'll be right back." She leaned across Teddy to speak to Ellen. "Have you heard them sing yet?"
"Not the whole choir, no. I have heard Josie and Sofia practice."
Arizona winced in sympathy causing Teddy and Ellen to both chuckle.
"I know it's a horrible thing to say, but I hope Josie sings better than Sofia," Arizona said. "The last few weeks have been downright painful."
"Josie's not much better," Ellen said with a empathetic smile. "They both seem to think that louder is better."
"I'm holding out hope that Sofia gets to be one of the sheep next year. It's either that, or I'm getting a really good set of earplugs."
Ellen and Teddy laughed at Arizona's comments. Arizona laughed along with them. She was glad she could finally joke about it. Her friends didn't need to know how guilty and horrible she'd felt the past few weeks when she'd stressed over Sofia's poor singing.
"You and me both," Ellen agreed. "Looks like there'll be some stiff competition for the animals in the manger next year."
"Is she really that bad?" Teddy asked.
Arizona nodded. "She's as bad at singing as Callie is good."
Callie slipped back into the pew beside Arizona. "What am I good at?" she asked having heard the tail end of their conversation.
"Singing. We were just discussing how Sofia didn't inherit her singing ability from you."
Before Callie could respond, the choir director entered, followed by more than a dozen children dressed in red robes with white collars. Sofia and Josie were in the front with their friend Emma, Michael and Charlie standing behind them. Sofia saw her moms and waved, causing the parishioners to chuckle. Callie and Arizona both reached for one another's hands, their faces shining with pride for their daughter.
As the minister began to read the story of the Nativity, a boy and a girl appeared, acting out the part of Joseph and Mary. At key moments, the cherub choir sang the appropriate song, staring with 'O Little Town of Bethlehem'. As each moment played out, more children joined in, their roles ranging from the animals in the manger to the three wise men.
Arizona would never have the faith her wife or her friend April had, but she couldn't help but be moved by the earnestness of the children. Sofia didn't even sound that bad, especially when surrounded by a choir of her friends. As tears came to her eyes, she squeezed Callie's hand tightly. Callie looked at back at her, one eyebrow raised as if to ask Arizona if she was okay. The blonde nodded once and gave Callie a small smile.
Sitting between two women with tears in their eyes had Teddy wondering what was so great about going to church. Arizona hadn't let go of Callie's hand since Sofia had appeared, and Ellen to her left had frequently wiped a tear off her cheek. Maybe it was just motherhood, the cardio surgeon thought. After a thankfully short sermon, Ellen and Arizona both took a moment to compose themselves.
"So, what'd you think, Teddy?" Callie asked as they waited for Sofia.
"It was pretty sweet, all those kids," Teddy replied. "I guess it was a preview for my Christmases in the future; one of those duties as a godmother, no doubt."
"You bet," Arizona said with a nod.
"Mommy! Mama!" Sofia yelled as she ran over to them.
"Not so loud, kiddo," Arizona said. "We're in church."
"Sorry," the little girl apologized in a slightly less loud voice.
Arizona bent down and picked her daughter up. "Ugh! You're getting so big, Sofia. Maybe you should be picking me up," she teased.
"That's silly, Mama," Sofia giggled. "I'm still a little kid."
"Not for much longer," the blonde said somewhat sadly. She knew the day she could no longer pick Sofia up was just around the corner.
"Did you see me?" Sofia asked.
"We sure did," Callie said, kissing her daughter's cheek. "You were wonderful."
"You were great, Sofia," Teddy added. "And you looked so pretty in your red robe."
Arizona set Sofia down and took her hand. "Are you ready?"
"I was born ready, Mama!"
Teddy burst out laughing. Arizona may not have given birth to Sofia, but she was clearly her Mama's daughter.
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For once, Sofia didn't have to be told to get ready for bed. The Christmas Eve service had run a little late and it was after her normal bedtime. As soon as they walked into the house, she was running up to her room to get into her pajamas.
"Is it too early to get Santa's snack ready?" Sofia asked when she came skipping back downstairs.
"I don't think so. What do you think, Mommy?" Arizona asked.
"I think it's time," Callie replied.
Teddy gave Sofia a lift up onto a stool while Arizona brought a tray of assorted cookies out.
"You need to pick which cookies you think Santa will want," Arizona said.
Callie set another plate out to put 'Santa's snack' on. "I think Santa would like one of each."
"Okay," Sofia said, carefully selecting the cookies and placing them on the plate.
Arizona added an extra one of her personal favorites. "I think these are Santa's favorites, Sofia. Let's give him two."
"Okay, Mama."
Teddy and Callie both rolled their eyes at Arizona. They knew that Arizona would be responsible for making sure Santa's cookies were eaten.
"Don't forget the carrots, Mama," Sofia said. "We need one for every reindeer, even Rudolph."
The peds surgeon reached into the refrigerator and took out a bunch of carrots. She made sure to place nine carrots on the counter next to the plate of cookies.
"I hope the reindeer are as hungry as Santa," Callie teased. "I expect to see them all gone, just like the cookies."
Arizona gave her wife a playful scowl. "Not nice, Calliope," she hissed under her breath.
Teddy laughed, but while she was laughing, she was also hoping that Arizona didn't expect her to help eat all the carrots and cookies.
"Are you going to read to me, Mama?" Sofia asked as she climbed down from the stool she'd been perched on.
Arizona and Teddy's eyes met, and Callie watched the two women. She was immediately suspicious. They were clearly up to something.
"Um, Sofia, Aunt Teddy wants to read to you tonight. Is that okay?"
"I guess so."
"Mommy and I will be up later to say goodnight," Arizona called.
Once Sofia and Teddy were out of earshot, Callie turned a wary eye on her wife. "What are you up to?"
"Nothing," Arizona replied quickly. "Why?"
"I don't trust you, Arizona. You and Teddy are planning something, aren't you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Arizona said nervously.
"Mmmhmm," Callie said, a skeptical look on her face. "You know I will find out, don't you?"
"There's nothing to find out."
"I do have ways of making you talk, you know," Callie said, stepping closer to Arizona, her hands on the blonde's hips.
"Oh, do you now?" Arizona flirted back. The blonde was definitely liking the turn in the conversation. "And what might they be?" she asked as she looped her arms around Callie's neck, Callie's protruding belly pressing up against her.
Callie tipped her head down and planted a kiss on her wife's soft lips.
"I'd make a terrible spy if you were my interrogator," Arizona said as Callie's lips moved down the blonde's neck.
A sharp clearing of a throat caused the two women to put a halt to their kissing. With Callie's back to her, Teddy flashed a quick 'thumbs up' to Arizona.
"Don't mean to interrupt, but I thought I'd let you know Sofia's ready for her goodnight kisses."
"How'd it go?" Arizona asked.
"I only had to read 'night before Christmas' once. Sofia had started to get a little sleepy by the end."
"Thanks, Teddy. We'll be right back."
"Take your time. I'm going to get my pajamas on and pour myself a big glass of wine."
"Did Aunt Teddy have a long day?" Arizona teased, following her wife and Teddy up the stairs.
"Yes, she did," Teddy shot back. "See you back downstairs?" she asked as she opened the door to the guestroom.
Arizona nodded, then she and Callie went into Sofia's bedroom. Callie sat on the edge of the bed, the blonde standing beside her.
"Are you ready for Christmas, Sofia?" Callie asked, tucking the covers around her daughter.
"Mmmhmm," she said with a sleepy nod. Arizona smiled, seeing how much Sofia looked and acted like her Mommy.
"We have a plan to see Santa," Sofia said, her eyes shutting. "Me and Aunt Teddy."
Callie's eyes shot up to look at Arizona. The blonde immediately looked away, unable to meet the dark brown eyes.
"You do?"
"Uh huh. We're gonna see Santa tonight," the little girl replied as she drifted off to sleep.
The two mothers leaned over and gave their now asleep daughter a kiss.
"Arizona."
"Ssshh. Don't wake her," Arizona said, closing the door behind her.
"Arizona," Callie persisted. "I know you're involved with this. It's got your fingerprints all over it," Callie commented as they walked back down the stairs.
"Maybe," said the blonde with a shrug of her shoulders.
Nodding her thanks to Teddy, Arizona picked up the glass of wine sitting on the breakfast bar before joining her wife on the sofa. Teddy settled into the recliner, her favorite chair in the room. There were many occasions during her visits where Sofia had climbed up onto her lap and the two of them snuggled while they watched a movie or read a book. Teddy knew she probably would never have a family of her own and she was eternally grateful that Arizona and Callie had decided to include her in theirs.
The three women chatted as they unwound from the day's activities. Arizona and Teddy told Callie about their afternoon at the hospital. Callie for the most part, spent the time trying to get her wife or Teddy to tell her about their apparent plan. Despite her best efforts, neither woman would tell the Latina what Arizona had planned.
Around eleven-thirty, Teddy made a show of yawning and stretching.
"I'm going to turn in."
"Goodnight, Teddy," Callie said. "I think I'm ready to call it a night as well."
Taking her wife's hand, Callie and Arizona went down the hall to their own bedroom.
"So, do I get to unwrap my present tonight?" Callie asked as she took her nightgown out.
"Um, in a little bit," Arizona said somewhat evasively. "I have something special for you to wear first."
"Oh yeah? Sounds good to me," the Latina said with a suggestive smile on her face. "What are you wearing?"
"Uh uh," Arizona said shaking her head. "That comes later."
The blonde went into the bathroom, locking the door. She quickly stripped and put on the dark green lingerie that was trimmed with red lace. She tied her robe tightly shut before opening the door.
"So, what do you have for me to wear?" Callie asked.
"This," Arizona said, handing her the sack.
Callie grinned, thinking about all the possibilities of what Arizona could've picked out for her to wear. Her smile soon turned to a frown when she pulled out the red Santa suit.
"What's this? Do you have some sort of a weird Christmas fantasy I don't know about?"
"It's for Sofia," Arizona said in a rush. "We're going to play Santa and surprise her."
"I am not putting this on."
"Please, Callie. It's just for a little while. Teddy's going to wake Sofia up and tell her she heard Santa Claus. All you have to do is wear just long enough for Sofia to see you."
"Arizona…"
"Please, Calliope. It won't be long before she doesn't believe in Santa anymore. I want to do this for her. She has her heart set on seeing Santa Claus."
Callie couldn't deny her daughter or her wife. Sighing, she slowly dressed into the Santa suit.
"So what's the actual plan?"
"You need to go out to the living room and fill the stockings and put some of the presents under the tree. Teddy's going to get Sofia up and she'll keep Sofia from coming downstairs."
"That's it."
"Yes," Arizona said nodding. "That's all you need to do." She gave Callie a sultry smile. "Once Sofia's back in bed, you'll get to unwrap your Christmas present."
"Oh yeah? What is it?"
"I'll give you two hints," the blonde said. "Think lace and lingerie."
Callie's eyes narrowed and she licked her lips as she imagined what Arizona could be wearing under her robe. "Does that mean we'll be getting naughty later?"
"I guarantee it."
With Arizona's help, Callie finished putting the outfit on. She felt ridiculous wearing it, especially the scratchy fake beard. Arizona put a few of Sofia's gifts into the sack.
"Ready?" the blonde asked her wife.
"I suppose so."
"Go get started and I'll let Teddy know to wake Sofia."
"I suppose the only thing you have to do is eat Santa's cookies, huh?"
"Do a good job, 'Santa', and that's not all I'll be eating," Arizona answered with a smug smile.
Callie quietly trudged out to the living room, sack in hand. Her first stop was Sofia's stocking hanging from the mantle. In order not to wake Sofia up too soon, Arizona sent a text message to Teddy. She then found a spot where she could listen for Teddy and Sofia and keep an eye on Callie.
Moments later, Teddy crossed the hall and went into Sofia's room. She gently shook the little girl's shoulder. She hoped Sofia was more like her Mama than her Mommy when it came to waking up. For years she'd heard the stories from Arizona about how deeply Callie slept and how hard it was to wake her up.
"Sofia? Sofia, wake up. I heard Santa Claus."
The dark haired little girl slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes.
"What?"
"Santa Claus is here. We need to hurry before he leaves."
Sofia threw her covers back. Teddy took her hand and led her to the stairs. "We need to be extra quiet, okay? We don't want him to know we can see him."
The wide-eyed girl nodded. Teddy led the way, making sure Sofia didn't get away from her. They crept down two steps and stopped. From there they could see 'Santa' hanging Sofia's stocking back up.
"It's him," Sofia whispered loudly. "It's Santa Claus."
Teddy held her finger to her lips, letting Sofia know that she needed to stay quiet. They watched in silence for several minutes as Santa started to take presents out of his sack. When it appeared that Santa was almost done with his tasks, Teddy led Sofia back to her bedroom.
"I got to see Santa!" Sofia exclaimed as she climbed back into her bed.
"You sure did, Sofia," Teddy replied, pulling the covers back up. "You can tell your moms all about it in the morning."
Sofia nodded. "I will."
"Good. Now go to sleep," she said, tapping Sofia on the nose.
"Thanks, Aunt Teddy."
"You're welcome, Sofia. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas."
Teddy close the door and quietly tip-toed down the stairs. Spotting Arizona by the plate of cookies left out for Santa, she quickly joined her friend.
"Operation Santa Claus is a success," she whispered.
"Thank you, Teddy," Arizona said, giving her friend a hug.
"You're welcome. That was actually kind of fun," she said as she watched Arizona put the uneaten carrots back into the refrigerator.
"Cookie?" Arizona asked, holding the plate out.
"Ho, ho, ho. I believe those belong to me," Callie said, intercepting the plate.
"I'll pass. I'm going to bed," Teddy said. "Merry Christmas, you two."
"Merry Christmas, Teddy. Goodnight."
After Teddy went back to bed, Arizona took out a piece of paper and a pen.
"What are you doing?" Callie asked.
"Writing a thank you note from Santa for the cookies."
"Seriously?"
"Of course I am."
"Hurry up."
"Why? Is Santa eager for something besides cookies?"
"Santa is definitely more than eager," Callie said with a growl, her hands reaching for the tie on Arizona's robe.
"What are you doing?"
"Unwrapping my Christmas present."
"Not yet, Santa," Arizona said, grasping Callie's hands. "I need a kiss first," she added.
Callie pulled her hands free from Arizona's, then pulled the blonde as close as she could.
"Tell me, have you been a good girl or a bad girl this year, Arizona?"
"I've been good, Santa, but for you, I can be bad," she flirted. She wrapped her arms around Callie's waist. "Kiss me, Calliope," she whispered.
The fake white beard tickled and scratched Arizona's face and lips. She gently tugged on the beard. "I've never been much for facial hair, Santa, so this has got to go."
"You won't get any complaints from me," Callie agreed. "This thing is nasty."
While the two women stood in the kitchen and kissed, Sofia had gotten out of bed. She wanted to know if Santa had remembered the cookies and the carrots. She quietly left her room and went down the stairs. She stopped in her tracks. Santa was still in her house, and he was kissing her Mama! That couldn't be right. Mama only kissed Mommy. Why was she kissing Santa Claus?
Stunned, and in tears, the young girl ran back up the stairs. She crawled into bed and pulled the covers over her head.