Callie had just finished feeding breakfast to Sofia and was trying in vain to wipe her face when a knock sounded on her door. She looked at her watch and knew who it would be. She removed Sofia from her high chair and put her on the ground with a little pat on her tush. Callie opened the door with Sofia clinging to her leg from behind. As soon as they saw who it was they both smiled and Sofia all but pushed her mommy out of the way to get to Carlos, her little arms wrapping around his legs in a hug.
"Grandpa!"
"Hey Daddy."
"And a good morning to you too my beautiful girls." Carlos reached down and scooped up his granddaughter as he kissed Callie's cheek on the way into the apartment she was calling home for now. Callie put his abandoned suitcase and briefcase by the door as Sofia started to talk his ear off. Callie poured her father and herself a cup of coffee and watched the two of them interact. After a few minutes Carlos put Sofia back on the ground so she could use the big girl toilet and she could get the picture she'd done just for him in daycare . Carlos joined Callie in the kitchen and accepted the offered coffee.
"So how are you mija?"
"I'm okay. I'm trying to put the lawsuit out of my mind and focus on work at the moment. Or at least until this gets out and I lose all credibility."
"I told you I'd help you with that and I promise, you won't be disappointed with what I found." Carlos sipped his coffee. "And how are things with you and Arizona?"
Callie sighed and put down her cup. "The other day when I had to give my deposition I told her what was happening before we started the board meeting and after we adjourned Arizona stayed in there with me while I gave my statement. The rest of the board is supporting me too and they want to help me fight this so I guess at least they're not giving up on me. And then that night Arizona and I had dinner and we talked."
"Well that's good mija. Talking is good."
"I told her about the baby. We had a bit of a yelling match and Arizona told me about the promise she made to herself and that therapy was helping her understand why she did what she did. I'm happy she's getting help but there's this part of me that wonders if she'll do it again or if she'll run when things get hard." Callie looked at her father with shimmering eyes. "I still don't know if I can trust her Daddy."
Carlos took Callie's face into his hands and kissed her forehead. "Remember Calliope it took me a year to find that trust again but I did. And I could because I knew your mother and I were bigger than one mistake. A marriage is never easy, you always have to be working on it, but you never give up if it's worth fighting for."
"Arizona asked me to meet her half way. That she would prove to me that she could be trusted again and I want to give her that chance but there is that nagging part of me is wary of putting my heart on the chopping block again. I followed your advice and I said we could start with coffee. At least this way I know I've tried, no matter what happens."
"If it's meant to be it'll all work out mija. Don't rush and don't push, let it be. The universe has a plan for all of us and we have to let it guide us on our path. Sometimes we get run over but most of the time we walk hand in hand with the one's we love down the road of life."
Callie looked at her father in amusement, a smirk firmly affixed to her face. "Daddy you didn't tell me you got another job writing fortune cookies." Callie tried but she couldn't hold back the laughter at the look on her father's face.
"Calliope Iphigenia Torres. You're not too big for a spanking." Carlos pointed a wagging finger in her direction to make his point.
Callie laughed even harder, a tear rolled down her cheek and her stomach was starting to hurt. She wiped at the tear and started to calm down as Sofia ran back into the room clutching her drawing. Carlos gave Callie another look which just sent Callie on another giggle fest before he joined his granddaughter on the couch and praised Sofia's work as Callie looked on.
"That is a very pretty pony. Can I take this home and put it on my refrigerator?"
Sofia smiled at her grandpa. "Yep. You draw with me later?"
Carlos kissed Sofia's cheek. "Of course my little princess."
Callie was glad this morning have given her a moment of joy. There would be enough stress when she and Carlos could discuss the law suit after they took Sofia to day care. Callie decided to put it out of her mind and enjoy her family for now. A short time later Callie and Carlos dropped a reluctant Sofia at day care, only letting go of her Grandpa if he promised to read her a story at bedtime AND did some pictures with her when they all got home. She drove a hard bargain but Carlos happily agreed and after hugs and kisses the two adults walked to Callie's temporary office in the board room.
Actually, it was more like a war room. Callie set up x-rays, scans and anything else she could think of to prove she wasn't negligent and had done everything by the book. She'd gone over everything twenty times and all she did was drive herself back to the hamster wheel, around and around. Carlos put an arm around her waist and guided her to a chair.
"Sit down mija." He opened his briefcase and handed a stack of papers to Callie. Callie picked up the first page and scanned the words, then the second page and then the third. She looked up her father, her brow furrowed in confusion.
"Daddy, how and where did you get these?"
"I told you I wouldn't let anything happen to you Calliope and I meant every word. As soon as you showed me the court documents I put my two best investigators on it. They've been flying non-stop around the country for two days without sleep. Everything is above-board and legally obtained so you don't have to worry about that coming back to bite you in the ass."
Carlos picked up the first page. "This is everything you need to kill this law suit dead in its tracks. Calliope, this solves everything."
Callie leaned her head on her hand and sighed. "I just can't believe this. How could he do this to himself, to me?"
"Only he can answer that mija. I think we should call the lawyers for the hospital and have them set up a settlement hearing."
"But Daddy I did nothing wrong and I sure as hell don't want to settle, especially after what you uncovered."
"I know Calliope. But if we can get this Travis guy in the room we can finish this once and for all. He'll back off once you tell him what you know."
Callie wiped tiredly at her eyes. "I'm just having a hard time digesting all of this. It doesn't feel real. Only an hour ago I thought my career might be over and now it's like I can breathe again."
Callie stood and pulled her father into a tight hug. "Thank you Daddy."
Carlos kissed her cheek and pulled back from the hug. "I will always catch you Calliope, it's my job."
Callie pulled out her phone and called Greg, giving him a brief outline of what her father had uncovered. He nearly dropped the phone but composed himself and asked Callie to fax the documents to his office ASAP so the lawyers could verify what she was telling them.
"It's not that I don't trust you Callie but we have to make sure this is absolutely on the up and up before we go ahead. Give me until this afternoon and I'll have the meeting set up. Let's finish this so you can get on with your life."
"Thanks Greg. I'll see you this afternoon."
Greg disconnected the call with a goodbye and while he and his associates had a busy day in front of them Callie sat down heavily in the chair. She really did feel like she could breathe again and it felt so good. Her professional life appeared to be safe and her personal life, while still up in the air, looked a little better everyday. Callie turned to Carlos and put her hand over his.
"How would you like to accompany me on rounds Daddy? See what that expensive education paid for?"
"I would love to mija. Lead the way."
Carlos followed his daughter around the ward, marvelling at the way she put patients at ease, seeing the respect and trust on the faces of the people she'd helped and the lives she'd changed. It only made him angrier that someone would pull this crap on his baby.
Callie didn't have any surgeries scheduled so she and Carlos shared a quiet lunch in the cafeteria and it wasn't long until it was finally the afternoon and time for her meeting with the hospital lawyers and Travis Reed's. Carlos went back to the apartment while Callie sat opposite the man suing her, his wife Alice sitting beside him with a comforting hand on his arm. Sure she felt sorry for the guy but Callie wasn't going to let him know how she felt until this was all said and done. Travis sat fiddling with his watch, looking nervous and not meeting her eye. Callie put it out of her mind as Greg began with the proceedings.
"So, thank you for coming."
Travis' lawyer, a smarmy looking gentleman, interrupted Greg before he could continue. "Let's cut to the chase. How much are you offering?"
Greg cleared his throat. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing."
"WHAT! Then why the hell did you drag my client down here and waste our time? What kind of game are you playing?"
"Some information has come to light and we believe it's in the best interest of you client to drop the suit and do it now. We don't want to drag his name through the mud but if we have to you can bet we will."
"You're lying. You're so gonna regret this little stunt when the court gives us a huge settlement. Come on Travis, let's go."
Travis' lawyer rose and tried to move his wheelchair but to no avail. Travis looked up at him and put the brakes on, his wife giving him a small smile knowing what he wanted to do.
"No. I want to speak to Dr Torres alone."
Everyone on Callie's side of the table was taken back and all of them looked in her direction. Callie blinked a few times and looked at Greg who shrugged his shoulders and then at Travis who was finally meeting her eyes.
"Alright. Let's talk, alone."
Greg shuffled his papers and stood up, looking and speaking in Travis' direction. "Anything said is off the record." He turned to Callie and spoke quietly into her ear. "You sure you want to do this?"
Callie nodded. "It's fine, I'll be fine."
"Alright. Let me know when you're done."
The hospital lawyers left the room followed by Travis' very pissed off attorney and his wife who smiled one last time before she left the room. As soon as the door was closed Travis spoke.
"I'm sorry about him, I think I should explain. He's not just my lawyer but my agent, publicist and my cousin. He's only trying to look out for me like he's done for most of our lives so I apologise if he comes off as a bit of prick to you. He has as much to lose as I did."
Callie tiredly waved him away. "I get it, you can't choose your family. So what did you want to talk to me about?"
Travis twisted his watch around his wrist again. "So I guess you know the truth now."
Callie's hackles raised and her voice along with them. "Oh, you mean how you lied to me about your extensive DVT history when you told me it only happened once. Or is it because you saw seven other ortho surgeons around the country on the sly and when you told every one of them about your DVT every one of them said no. How could you do this to yourself, to me? I know you were desperate to play but to put your life in danger and my career as well, are you insane? If you had told me the truth I wouldn't have done the operation but we would've come up with an alternative. It didn't have to end like this."
Travis nodded and looked apologetically at Callie. "I really am sorry Dr Torres. I didn't want it to come to this either but you have to understand something. Everyone, my coach, my family and especially my cousin, was desperate for me to continue my career. I was too and I honestly didn't think this would happen. I was stupid and arrogant and I thought I knew better than the doctors. I sometimes wish I had just quit when the first doctor told me to."
"Why didn't you?"
"I love baseball, to me it's life. But the last couple of years it became a job, a chore I do everyday to please all the people around me. I mean, since this happened it's amazing how many of my so-called friends have stopped calling and coming around. I knew they were a bunch of yes men and hangers-on but it felt so good to be admired and in a way, worshiped. At least now I know who my real friends are. And my wife Alice is standing beside me even if I can't stand beside her anymore."
Travis laughed a little at his own joke as Callie offered him a small smile in return.
Callie sighed. "I really am sorry this happened to you Travis, you seem like a good guy."
"I'm dropping the suit, I just wanted the chance to tell you face to face how sorry I am."
"Please, call me Callie."
Travis nodded and twisted his watch again. "You see this watch Callie?" Callie nodded. "It was my father's. He worked his whole life to provide for my family, he did everything to support my baseball career. He'd stand out in the yard and help me practice after he worked a ten-hour day. He gave me this before he passed away from cancer and told me to wear it with pride, to always be an honourable man. I failed him when I lied to you and for that I am so deeply sorry. I can't change what I did, all I can ask is if you'll forgive me for lying to you and putting you and your family through this."
"Travis, I forgive you but please do me a favour and forgive yourself too. You made a mistake but at least you're still alive and you have a beautiful wife who loves you. Move on from this and be the man your father wanted you to be, the person you know you are inside."
"Thank you Callie." Travis motioned his head to the door. "Should we let them back in the room now?"
"I think I might get out of Dodge before your cousin finds out you're not pursing this."
Travis frowned and swallowed hard. "Shit, didn't think of that part." Travis sat up straighter. "It's time I manned up to him anyway. He might've looked out for me but he's also made plenty of money off my career and he's the one who pushed for me to lie to you and have the surgery and file the law suit after I kept telling him no. It's him I should be suing. Go on, get out of here while you still can." Travis finished speaking with a grin.
Callie stood, walked around the table and put her hand on Travis' shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "It always works out the way it's supposed to, even if we don't recognise it when it's right in front of us." Callie muttered under her breath. "Crap, I sound like my Dad."
Callie walked towards the door, stopped at the entrance and turned back to Travis. "Good luck Travis."
Travis smiled. "Thanks Callie."
Callie exited the room and pulled Greg aside as Travis' cousin stormed into the room, followed by his wife who gave Callie one last smile. She very quickly gave Greg a run down of what had transpired just as the lawyers voice came booming out of the room.
"YOU DID WHAT!"
Callie raised her eyebrows and chuckled to herself. "I have to go. I'll let you and the other members of the dream team deal with that guy." Callie pointed her thumb at the room and put her hands in her pockets.
Greg grimaced but let out a small smile as he offered his hand for Callie to shake. "Nice knowing you Dr Torres. I hope I never have to see you again and I mean that in the nicest possible way."
Callie laughed, a satisfied sigh leaving her body. "Me too."
Callie walked away, her coat billowing behind her as she texted her father to meet her at the day care to pick up Sofia. He replied straight away and let her know he'd be there in five minutes. Callie smiled knowing she couldn't have done this without her father. Who else would put two seasoned private eyes on a plane to fly around the country, checking every single hospital where Travis could've gone to seek out a qualified ortho surgeon like herself and get all seven doctors to sign statements about what Travis had told them about his medical history and most importantly, the fact they'd all said no. Callie personally liked Greg and his fellow lawyers but she also was under no illusion that would never have gone to the extent her father did and would've pushed her to settle.
As she stood in the elevator Callie thought about the advice she'd given to Trevor. Sure, he made one mistake and now he was paying the price. Then Callie thought about Arizona, how she'd made one mistake too and was most definitely paying the price. Callie knew she still loved her wife, knew deep down she wanted to give her that one last chance to prove she wasn't going to run or hurt Callie ever again. But she also knew to trust her wife again she would need time and patience, something they both needed to give to each other if they were to start again and make it work.
The elevator dinged as she arrived at her destination. Callie walked through the door of the day care to find not only had her Dad beaten her there but Arizona was there spending some time with Sofia too.
"Hey."
"Mija." "Hey Cal." "Mommy!"
She smiled at the three different greetings and sat down with her family as Sofia crawled into her lap and snuggled in.
"How did it go Calliope?"
Arizona looked between Callie and Carlos. "How did what go?"
Callie hugged Sofia and kissed her temple. "Daddy found out that Travis Reed had snuck around asking other surgeons to perform the operation and they all said no and the only reason I said yes was because he lied about his DVT. I actually just finished speaking to him and he's dropping the law suit against me and the hospital. It's over."
Carlos beamed. "I'm so happy for you Calliope."
Callie leaned over and kissed her father's cheek. "Well I couldn't have done it without you Daddy."
"We should celebrate mija. Have dinner tonight, my treat."
"That sounds great doesn't it Sof?"
"Yep. Can we go home? Grandpa and me has to draw."
Callie laughed and smiled at her adorable daughter. "Of course baby."
Arizona had stood silently watching the exchange and feeling left out but she guessed that was to be expected. Arizona cleared her throat.
"I guess I should get back. It was good seeing you again Carlos and Callie, I'm happy for you too. Congratulations."
Callie nodded as Arizona gave Sofia a hug. "Good night big girl. Be good and I'll see you soon."
"Love you Mama."
"Love you too." Arizona looked back at Callie and Carlos again. "Enjoy your dinner."
As Arizona walked away Callie couldn't help but watch her go. Carlos took Sofia in his arms and gave Callie a nudge. "Go on, you know you want to ask her to come."
Callie rolled her eyes but knew her father was right. You have to start somewhere and dinner was a good as coffee. She hustled after Arizona and caught her at the elevator banks.
"Arizona, wait."
"Something wrong Callie?"
"No, nothing's wrong. I just wanted to know if you would like to join us for dinner tonight? You know, to celebrate. You and my Dad have done so much to support me through this and I want you to come too, to say thank you."
Arizona bit her lip and smiled, her dimples popping out for the first time in weeks. "I would love to."
Hello. Apologies for the delay but I had some scam artist call me trying to tell me they were from my internet provider and that if I didn't let them into my computer remotely I would be cut off because I was screwing up the server. I hung up and had to ring my REAL provider and confirm that it definitely wasn't them ringing me. They advised me to have my computer checked by a tech to make sure they hadn't planted any viruses in my computer so I had to wait a couple of days to get it back. DRAMA! Back to the story, I decided against a trial so I could get the law suit out of the way and back to the relationship. Apologies for the long note. Tigersforever.
