A/N...Just wanted to let everyone know that this will my last chapter...for a little while...but never fear...I will be back soon...I am just moving across the state and won't have internet access for about a week...so be patient...be thoughtful...and begin leaving your comments about this chapter!

CHAPTER NINE…THANKSGIVING DAY…NOVEMBER 23, 2006…BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS.

The past six months have been brutal on me…and here today…at my parent's Thanksgiving Day dinner table…my mother wants everyone to say what they are thankful for this past year. She starts with herself saying "Even though our son Timothy cannot be here with all of us today…I am grateful for his return home from Iraq". Then my father begins to speak as his turn is next. The advantage of this little soiree conversation is that since this talking session started with my mother and working its way around the left side of the dinner table that my turn will be last so I at least have a chance to think of what to say because truthfully…I am not sure I have anything thankful to say to my relatives…but then I see her.

Calliope and I have had conversations over the phone and on our computers but since she moved to Seattle over six months ago, our time together has become rather distant. I knew deep down inside that things would change between the two of us once she left Miami and followed her dream to Seattle but I just never expected it to hurt this much. So I sit here and watch my family talk about what they are thankful for and I honestly cannot think of one fucking thing I am thankful for this year but then I see her smile at me and my heart melts. I am so dreading my turn that is about to come up soon…just two more folks…and then it's my turn…Yea…but then she speaks about her life…and we all listen to every word…about her cancer…and about her reaching her second year as a survivor.

Then my turn to tell what I am thankful for arrives and I stand and look across this family dinner table and all I can say is "I love you all from the bottom of my heart". Then as I look at my favorite aunt and raise my wine glass high in the air "I love you Aunt Jodi and you too Uncle Kevin. I am thankful for spending this wonderful time with the two of you this weekend as you, my Aunt Jodi, as we all here tonight share and celebrate the beginning of your second year of being cancer free". Everyone stand and raises their glass to my aunt and uncle as my father says "Here…Here".

After the Thanksgiving Day feast has been eaten, the leftovers have been placed in their respective containers and put in the fridge, the dishes have been washed, dried and placed back in the cupboard and all of this day's guests have gone home with the exception of Aunt Jodi and Uncle Kevin. My mother and father and I along with my aunt and uncle put on our winter outdoor garments as we all take a walk into the cold night Boston air. With a path being flawlessly carved out on the landscape of the two lawns that connect each other to one another, the five people of my family begin their walk to my aunt and uncle's home as we talk and share this wonderful completion to this evening.

My mother and my aunt tell me about the way they have bordered this glorious pathway that my father and uncle designed for them with all kinds of different flowers and small bushes in the spring. With some of the remnants of the small bushes still in effect in the snow covered walkway, both women tell me of their handy work and their green thumb as it delights me to no end to see the smile on my Aunt Jodi face and hear the pleasure in her voice as she describes her time spent these last two years with her sister. I have to think, for a moment, what would have happened to her enthusiasm, her will to live and her ability to fight this awful disease if my mama and daddy had not come back to Boston to live and to be with my aunt in her time of need. I will be forever grateful to my parent's decision for their move across this great country as it has brought out the fighter in my aunt.

Sharing a cup of hot cocoa in the kitchen of my aunt and uncle's home with my family with a hint of holiday spice in the air takes me back to when Tim and I were children and we got to spend some quality time in this house when my parents went out of town. My mind wanders back to happier times when our aunt and uncle taught my brother and I how to play some musical instruments and our aunt taught us both how to sing. Thinking I am humming to myself my favorite Christmas tunes "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and We Three Kings" but when I hear my Aunt Jodi's angelic voice begin to sing the words out loud, I come realize that I was humming these song a little too loud for my own good.

With Aunt Jodi's voice taking the lead vocal as she sings these traditional Christmas songs in the way of The Bare Naked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan version with the four of us taking a harmonic and a rhythmic back seat tone to my aunt's beautiful voice, we all sing and shout this favorite Christmas song of mine from inside my aunt and uncle's home as no one has noticed that my Uncle Kevin has set up his video camera to record our family time together. Then the five of us partake in a couple of different board games as our evening comes to a close. With the promise from my mama to my aunt and uncle stating the three of us will be back a five a.m. to pick them up to go Christmas shopping on Black Friday, I kiss my aunt and uncle goodnight as the three of us walk back to our home along this glorious pathway that was built with love by the four of them.

By the clock and the date on the bottom right hand corner of my father's computer, it is now 3:32 a.m. on November 24, 2006. I cannot sleep as I know that my parents and I are about to engage in this very expensive Christmas ritual of going shopping the day after Thanksgiving. But right now, at this time of the morning, I am checking my emails on my father's computer as I have just finished reading one email in particular from my friend Calliope. Reading this one meticulously written email description of how my friend spent her Thanksgiving holiday makes me kind of sad. Then I hear the sound of someone rustling in the kitchen and I know for a fact that my mother is up and awake. Then I smell the faint smell of coffee brewing and hear the oven door open and close. But it is when I hear the soft footsteps coming from the kitchen down the hall I quickly close the email that I have open.

Placing this email in the folder I have marked "Calliope", I turn in my seat to see my mother's smiling face as I hear her say "Good morning, baby girl". I try to put on my best smile for my mama after being saddened by my friend's latest email but this woman before me…my mama…knows me better than I know myself as she asks me with so much love in her voice "What's wrong my sweet baby girl"? I offer my mama a seat next to me as I tell her about the events that have happened in my life lately. Then I let her read the latest email that my friend Calliope has sent me from Seattle. When my mama finishes her reading all she can says is "I am so sorry Arizona. I know what Callie has meant to you since you both have come home from Africa. I do not know what to advise you or tell you to do my sweet girl in this situation. Do you think, in hindsight now, not telling her how you really fell about her was the right move on both of your parts because I am positively sure that she loves you too"?

Before I can even think of an answer or even respond to my mother's question we both hear the one single clap of my father's hands together as he enters his study and says "So, how are the two favorite women in my life on this glorious morning"? I hear my mama giggle at my father and I think how the sound mirrors my own giggle as I close the email once again. Then I see that I have received an email from Uncle Kevin entitled "Our Thanksgiving Day Video" and I open it and then tell my parents to come and watch with me. My father takes the seat that my mama recently vacated as my mother sits on his lap and he wraps both of his favorite women in his big strong military arms. I push play as the three of us watch my Aunt Jodi and my Uncle Kevin begin the video with a speech.

Aunt Jodi begins by saying "To our favorite nephew, Timothy Daniel Robbins the second, your uncle and I along with some of our family members would like to say hello to you as we all wish you a Happy Thanksgiving Day in Seattle". Then Uncle Kevin says "We know that you cannot be with us on this holiday but we want to reassure you that you are sorely missed today but we all respect your decision to stay and help those who are sick and in need of your special talent as a trauma surgeon. You are truly blessed my son not only for your talent as a surgeon but for the love this family has for you and you have for us in all of our hearts".

Then my uncle brushes away an offending tear as my aunt completes their introduction to the video by once again speaking as she says "We love you Timothy and here is the rest of your family telling you that simple fact. Hopefully we will see you at Christmastime but for today I want to say a big…Hoo…rah!…because for the first time in NFL history a third football game was added to the Thanksgiving Day lineup tonight…and who in this family does not love some Thanksgiving Day football as you will see later in this video with our family playing outside in our annual fall winter classic. We love you Tim with all of our hearts…stay safe my son".

My dad is the first to speak after the three of us watch the video when he says "Well ladies, that Jodi and Kevin sure have a way with words and they both make a pretty good video for our baby boy". My mama and I wipe a few tears away that have trickled down our faces as my mama says "The coffee and cinnamon rolls should be done by now so we probably need to eat something before we head out shopping". The three of us leave my father's study and make our way throughout the house to grab some cups of coffee to eat the freshly baked rolls and get ready to go and pick up my aunt and uncle.

Fifteen hours later…fifteen frickin hours later… Fifteen hours of shopping with eating lunch in between stores and having some dinner together with my aunt and uncle before we called it a night. My mama along my father and I walk back into our home dropping all the packages be bought today along the wayside and then the next thing we all do together is plant our tired and sore asses on the large sofa in the living room propping our aching feet on the coffee table. Mama usually does not like anyone to place their feet there but today she makes an exception. With each of us taking a long sighing breath, one after the other, I say very sternly to my parents "For as long as I live I am never doing that shit again". My mama and daddy laugh out loud at me as my daddy says "Amen, baby girl".

My parents and I share an after dinner piece of my mama's homemade apple pie as we talk a little then I excuse my tired ass self to take a hot bath and go off to bed. I gather up my portion of presents that I purchased today because I will wrap them before I leave on Sunday so they are here to place under my parent's tree and so they can be opened on Christmas Day by my relatives. I told my mama and daddy when I arrived two days ago for this holiday that I will not be joining my family for Christmas in Boston because I have agreed with Dr. McHale and Dr. Brennan to share this holiday with my family so they may enjoy the holidays with their families on Christmas Day. Both doctors' are taking their families on a destination vacation for Christmas this year.

The digital clock on my nightstand reads 9:32 p.m. as I laugh at myself thinking that it is way too early for me to be going to bed at this hour on a Friday night. In my world lately it seems that I never get to bed before midnight but after the day I have just had a nice warm comfy bed sounds like a wonderful idea. After a long hot bath I am lying in my bed under the covers trying to stay warm as I am checking my emails. I see that Calliope has left e two emails and according to my phone she has left me a voice message too. I push the listen button on my phone as I hear her voice message to me as she says "Arizona, please call me back when you get this message. I know you are still upset with me about what I told you last week but can we just talk about it please. I also want to know how your holiday turned out and I want to tell you about mine. Please baby, call me back".

Frankly I don't want to call my friend back because all I can think about this weekend and since last week is how Calliope told me that she has met someone. This someone is a second year intern named George O'Malley. My friend has decided to spend her Thanksgiving Day today with him and his family in Seattle to get to know him better. From what Calliope has told me it seems that this new friend of hers has failed his intern exam while he was at Seattle Grace Hospital so he has left that program and his former friends and colleagues behind and has taken the opportunity to try his hand at becoming a surgeon at Seattle Presbyterian Hospital where he has met my friend Calliope. How can I really dislike a fellow doctor that I have not even met yet or am I really just the jealous type?

Debating about this matter in my head trying to convince myself what I should do when I decide not to do anything tonight but go to sleep. I place my phone on my charger on the nightstand as I place my laptop back on top of my desk in my bedroom I drift off to sleep. Opening one sleepy eye when I hear the aberrant noise that my phone is making as I see the smiling face of my brother on the screen I answer the phone and say "What could you possible want at this hour Tim"? My brother's laughter fills the silent air in my bedroom as I hear him say "What the hell are you doing asleep at eleven o'clock on a Friday night dear sister? Besides it's only eight o'clock Seattle time". I roll onto my back as I am now wide awake and say to my big brother "Well since our mama and our Aunt Jodi insisted that all five of us all go Christmas shopping at the butt crack before dawn this morning, I am kind of tired so that is why I am in bed so early. What about you my dear brother…how was your holiday"?

My big brother and I talk for quite a while before he says to me "Arizona, I have to ask you something special and serious so please tell me the truth". I tell my brother suspiciously "I always tell you the truth Tim. Since when don't I tell you the truth"? I hear my brother take a deep breath before he says anything else to me because I know he is being cautious about telling me something. Then Tim speaks again as he says "Arizona, I want your opinion on something. I have ten days of vacation time that I just found out I have to use before the end of the year. I want to know what you think about me asking Teddy to join me for Christmas in Boston. I want her to meet mama and daddy and the rest of our family. I know that you are not able to come home for Christmas this year so I would also like to know if you think it is alright for me to ask Teddy to come to Baltimore to meet you too"?

I tell my brother that I would be honored to meet Teddy and that our parents would too. I make him a promise not to tell our parents about him bringing Teddy to Christmas in Boston next month. Tim tells me that Teddy will be home soon, as he has made dinner for the two of them, and I tell him that when he definitely knows the specific details of his plans to give me a call. My brother tells me that he will talk it over with his girlfriend, as he slips and calls her that while he is talking to me, and he will get back to me asap. I tell him that will be fine but that I am going to do some more shopping with our mama and our aunt again in the morning so if I do not answer my phone just leave me a message about their plans. My brother tells me he loves me as I do the same to him as we say goodnight.

Without me even looking at the caller ID on my phone, thinking that it is Tim calling me back with the details of his upcoming visit for Christmas to Boston, I place the phone to my ear and ask my brother in my most jokingly voice "So big brother did you convince that girlfriend of yours to meet the family yet"? There is a moment of silence as say "Tim" and then I move my phone from my ear to see who has just called me as I see my friend's smiling face back at me. I whisper the word "shit" as I hear Calliope say "Arizona" in her hurt but sweet voice. I place the phone back to my ear and say "Hey" and my friend says "Hey" back to me. Calliope begins to say "Arizona, can we just have a conversation please. Can we just talk about the changes in our lives because no matter what happens from now on I still want to be your friend and I want you to be mine"?

Is she really fucking serious about this shit right now? She wants to talk about the changes in our lives. Please tell me I just did not hear her say that to me. Changes…the same changes that she has made…she has made all on her own…because I'm still here…she left me to travel to Seattle…she left me…she left me. These are my selfish thoughts going through my head right now while I am on the phone with my friend. Then I hear my mother's voice call up to me to tell me she is ready to leave. That is when I say to Calliope "I would live to talk to you but my mama is awaiting for me because we are going shopping. I'm sorry Callie but I need to leave right now". I smack myself in the head as I just realized that I called my friend "Callie". I have never called her by her nickname and I wonder if she even noticed my mistake…my callous dreadful mistake.

"Callie"…she has never called me Callie…even when I told her that my father was the only person to call me Calliope…She has always called me Calliope…and I have let her because I love the way it sounds rolling off her tongue and from her mouth…but now she calls me "Callie". I take in an intake of air as I say to my friend "Callie huh" and then I continue to say to Arizona "I understand that this weekend is a family weekend for you. But I ask you to take a moment to promise me that you will call me back. I want to talk to you more about our situation and what has been happening with my life. So please Arizona, promise me you will call me back"? I listen and wait for my friend to say something and then I hear her say to me "Calliope, I am so sorry for calling you Callie and I would love to talk to you about everything. Just let me get through this weekend with my family and I will call you as soon as I arrive back in Baltimore. I miss you deeply and I especially miss our talks so please give me some time". I tell me friend "I will wait for your call when get back home. And I accept your apology for the use of my nickname. I will talk to you soon my friend" as we both end our phone conversation.

SUNDAY…NOVEMBER 26, 2006…HEADING BACK HOME TO BALTIMORE MARYLAND

My parents have dropped me off at the airport as I sit and wait to board my plane to Baltimore. With a severe winter storm looming over Canada and a threat of a winter snow storm warning heading towards Boston, I change my flight from leaving later tonight to first thing this morning. My phone rings in my coat pocket as I see my brother's face on the screen and I quickly answer my phone. Telling Tim "Yea I thought it would be better to get out of dodge before the snow hits Boston". Tim then replies "Yea mama told me that she and dad just dropped you off at the airport when I called to tell them of my Christmas plans. Arizona, Teddy is joining me on my trip home. She and I are flying out of Seattle on December 22nd and staying in Boston for a week. Then we will fly to New York and stay three days with Teddy's family and then fly to Baltimore to see you for a couple of days. We have to be back in Seattle by the 4th of January. So you got some time to spend with your big brother and his girlfriend after the first of the year"?

I smile my big Robbins smile back into my phone as I say "Yes I do Timothy". We talk some more about semantics of my brother's travel plans as we both make notes in our calendars on our phones for me to make sure that I am off the three days Tim and Teddy are coming to see me. Tim tells me how he and his girlfriend watched the video that our aunt and uncle made for him and how seeing our Aunt Jodi looking all healthy and shit really made him happy and homesick at the same time. Then we talk about the annual Thanksgiving Day family football game.

Tim has missed the last three annual games because two of the three years were due to his tour in the Marines and then this year's with him moving to Seattle. He laughs about my roadblock tackle of our cousin Steven as he was trying to run for a touchdown when he says "You do remember Arizona it is touch football and not tackle. But you did me proud by taking out that ass of a cousin of ours". I laugh to as I say "Well Steve was being his arrogant typical self by saying that girls should not be playing a man's game. So I had to show him who was boss". We both laugh again as I hear my flight beginning to board. I tell my brother "I'll see you and Teddy after the first of the year. You both have a wonderful Christmas and New Year in New York. Take lots of pictures of Times Square and I love you Tim".

The first thing I do when I walk into my apartment after arriving home in Baltimore is put my luggage away then I sit on my comfy sofa and place a phone call to my friend. Checking the time of day first to make sure that I do not call too early because of the three hour time difference between our cities, my friend says a groggily "Hello" into my phone. I quickly ask "Oh my goodness Calliope, have I called too early"? But my friend says in a hurry "No…No Arizona…I need to be getting up anyways. How are you? I guess you survived your holiday weekend". I chuckle a little and say "I am fine Calliope and yes I did survive my holiday with my family that even included our annual family football game. How about you…how are you doing? You seem to be adjusting well to the move to Seattle". I hear my friend rustling around in the background as I say "Calliope"?

I stop moving around as I hear my friend say my name as I sit up straighter in my bed as I say "Sorry Arizona, just trying to get comfortable by sitting up to talk to you". Then after a brief silence I say to my friend "Where do I begin"? Hearing my Arizona say "Why don't you start by telling me about you and George and how you both met"? I tell my friend about how George and I first met when he arrived to SeattlePresbyterianHospital. Being a mostly one sided conversation on my part as I continue to tell Arizona about my falling in love with George and spending the last six months with him and how we shared this Thanksgiving Day with his family. I go into great detail about my love affair as I ask every once in a while to my friend if she is still listening and she replies "Hmm". Then when I finally finish telling Arizona about my recent love story I ask her "Are you alright, Arizona"? My friend asks me "You love him Calliope"? And when I say "Yes…yes I do, Arizona" I hear my friend begin to cry and I say "I am so sorry Arizona, I never meant to hurt you please believe me when I tell you that was never my intention but you said we were just friends and then I met George". Arizona says with such tearfulness in her voice "I am happy for you Calliope…really I am".