AN: So, you guys left me with awesome and kind reviews yet again after last update; thank you so much. You rock! That calls for a reward…next chapter! Hope you'll enjoy it.
And oh, are you still alive after watching 9x01? The Calzona storyline will be FREAKING amazing. I cannot wait to see how they'll take it, how crazily talented Jessica and Sara will portray their characters' journeys. Bring it on!
Tonight's the night where my girlfriend's parents are visiting, tonight's the night where my girlfriend's parents are visiting, tonight's the night where my girlfriend's parents are visiting! In less than half an hour my home will be the center of a reunion between daughter and parents, but also the fact that has got my mind all crazy is I'm meeting Mr. and Mrs. Robbins for the first time ever. I've heard lots and lots about how Barbara prefers rice to pasta, how she can tell whether it'll start raining on the length of her nails and how she's been working with kids for as long as Arizona recalls. I've heard how Daniel likes his red wine cool, how he always wears his uniform and how much he still enjoys taking Arizona to the beach house to play Canasta or Black Jack light. I've heard about the couple's long stay at Barbados, or actually not really. But I know that's where they've been the last 6 months or so. I guess there'll be plenty of time to hear about sunny Barbados during dinner and coffee the next couple of hours. Jeez, hours. Hours! They're going to be here for hours. I can handle it, I can. No problem. It's only Arizona's parents. They'll have to be sweet as whipped vanilla cream with such a daughter. Anyways, I'm head deep in steaming pans and casseroles, hoping to make a delicious meal for my in-laws. In-laws, oh god! Okay, okay. Deep breath, Callie. Basil, salt, pepper, some butter… Cook, cook, for god sake, cook! After looking to the cod in the oven, I wipe my forehead with a dishcloth and then stirring the sauce, keeping myself busy and trying not to think too hard on what they'll think of me, my daughter and my home. Are we enough for their daughter? Will they see how much we love each other, how much we love each other all three of us? I sure hope so!
"Hey Mama!"
I jump, almost spilling some of the sauce on the hotplate. "Sofia! You cannot barge into the kitchen and yell like that," I whip around and catch the happy face of my daughter and immediately regretting my outburst.
"Me no yell," she rebukes, her voice going small and her face dropping.
"I'm sorry, mija. Mama's just a little…hmmm…a little behind schedule with the dinner and all."
"So you no come and see pwetty table?" Sofia's hopeful tone almost cracks my heart into tiny pieces because I'm such a wreck when it comes to meeting new people, and especially a girlfriend's parents. I know I need to come see it, because I'm that mom. I'm that mom who wants to see what has got her child glowing from pride. But the time has got me caught up in a corner; I feel like I've still got hundredth things to do before everything's perfect and they could be here at any minute now. And look what I'm wearing?! Jeez. Maybe they'll like a food spotted woman with messy hair? They do know I'm a chef, don't they? Oh god, what has Arizona been telling them about me? No, I need to change. I have to.
"In a minute, Sof. Mama needs to change first. Go show Arizona," I suggest as I turn off the stove, giving the cod one final look in the oven and then head straight for the bedroom.
"But…Mommy Av-zona alweady see. She helped me, Mama," I hear my daughter call after me before I disappear behind the bedroom door.
I quickly grab the outfit I picked out a week ago – with a little help from my girlfriend – a pair of dark as night jeans and a sophisticated purple top with no sleeves. I do look great, if I do say so myself. Arizona did say she thought I looked miraculous, so it can't be all bad. I pin the front strays of my hair into pins behind my ears to show off my jaw line and cheekbones. As I'm about to put the last add on my lips a soft knock on the door resonates in the quiet room. I don't turn my head but catch the face of my girlfriend in the mirror as she enters my bedroom…our bedroom?!...and it nearly has be keeling over because she's so drop dead beautiful; her blonde hair in soft waves and her lips glistening from the lipgloss, her naked shoulders being displayed from the casual, strappy red dress she's wearing.
"Calliope…" she drawls and I know I'm either in trouble or looking absolutely gorgeous. One can hope for the latter, can't they?
"Hmmm…"
"Come see the table."
"I said I will in a minute," I tell her much harder than I wanted to as I'm smacking my lips, the lipstick fitting perfect to my clothes.
"No need to snap. Just…come see the table," Arizona says as she comes to stand behind me, her hands suddenly coming to rest on my hips and her thumbs finding their way into the gap between shirt and pants. The pads of her thumbs feel like ice because my entire body is throbbing with nerves and anticipation and a little bit of fear. "Your daughter made it beautifully…with place cards and all. Such an artist," she husks into my ear and for a moment I'm completely turned on, all the warmth in my body being from the woman touching me – but only for that brief moment because the oven timer goes off and I'm instantly brought back to real life and cod and meeting parents.
"I will see the table, I promise. And I will see which artistic things you've gotten our daughter into," I smile, earning myself a warm kiss to my cheek.
"Our daughter," Arizona mumbles as she tastes the sound of the commitment on her tongue. It sounds perfect to me. I couldn't be happier. And I've actually known it for quite some time now, I just waited for Sofia to spill the beans herself. It totally took Arizona by surprise and what a beautiful surprise; truth be told I couldn't see Sofia being raised by other than me and Arizona. We're a good team, we overlap the other when we need to, we work great together, the routine runs as if it was oiled and Sofia thrives as ever before.
"Our daughter," I state, letting a happy sigh escape.
"You'll see the table, I'll take care of the cod."
"Have I told you how much I love you?"
"Not in the last 3 hours, no," she grins, kissing me one last time on the neck and then heads for the door. As she comes to a hold at the threshold she turns her head. "And you look amazing, by the way." And just like that she's gone, I'm left with a hell of a lot of ego boost and ready to watch the art my daughter and her other mom's been doing while I've been busy.
I walk out of the bedroom and am immediately greeted by a flower table I've never seen before. I'm pretty sure no one's ever seen such table before. How I could miss it going into the bedroom is a riddle to me. It's actually so colorful that I think Mary Poppins and even all the fairies on Neverland would throw up. It's not ugly it's just…it's just very bright and…and then it hits me. It's my life. The table represents the two most important people in my life; it's utterly and completely Arizona and Sofia. All the happy colors, the pink and blue decorated place cards with small feathers and glitter letters, the high green candles in the silver sticks, the dusty green napkins, the large bouquet of purple and blue peonies and green leaves. I can't help my chuckle at the sight in front of me, I wish I'd been able to see them create all of this – which is frankly rather amazing with that little time they've had to do it in. But then again, it's Arizona…I still can't explain what it is she's got, she's just got it. So of course she'd be able to make such a world with my…no, our daughter. It's perfect.
"Hey, Sof? The table's great, honey!" I call, hoping my daughter will come out from wherever it is she's hiding…maybe in her other mother's skirts?! When I get no reply I go to the kitchen to find my heart's desire. Sofia's on her little stool watching and helping Arizona who's in the middle of preparing the cod on a silver platter with a tuft of dill and all kinds of fitting vegetables. It's beautiful. They're so in synch which always amazes me; how two people can interact as if they'd always been in each other's lives. "It's a beautiful table, girls," I softly tell them as I join them at the counter.
"Really?" Sofia asks, her eyes finding mine above the platter.
"You know it," I wink and kiss the top of her hair. "You are such artists."
"Mommy need kiss too, Mama. She glue feathers on the cards 'cause me got sticky fingers," she smiles brightly and as she says it, I feel Arizona tense a little at what I can only assume is the reference to her as 'mommy'. But she relaxes instantly while a deep breath puffs out of her in contentment.
"Oh, that's all Mommy did, huh?" I ask in a playful tone. "Then she certainly deserves a kiss."
"Yes, that's all I did because someone hogged all the crayons and glitter pens," Arizona explains as she straightens out her back and surveys her work; she could actually be very nice to have around the restaurant with her talent for the little details…No, Torres, no. Working with your girlfriend in your kitchen might cause a lot of cuts and tongue biting. Nonetheless, she's pretty damn good. I give her a soft kiss which she deepens by twirling her left hand in my hair to it rests at my neck, pulling me in and firing up my need to soon be with my woman again.
"That 'cause you best at glue-ing, Mommy Av-zona, you da best," Sofia grins, tugging both of our arms. We part our lips because Arizona starts giggling at Sofia's words, tickling every fiber in my body.
"Really, Sofia? You give me glue?" she raises an eyebrow in play. When Sofia eagerly nods, Arizona pokes her nose. "Alright then. I can handle glue-ing, Bluebell." Just then the doorbell rings and suddenly I go from being happier than I've ever been to feeling sick to my stomach from nervousness and stress. "Ooh, they're here!" my girlfriend exclaims a little too perkily.
"Y-yes."
"Don't be nervous, they're going to love you," Arizona smiles, brushing her thumb over my cheekbone before leaving me alone in the kitchen as my daughter, too, leaves me behind to collect myself. Traitors! Or is it me? Shouldn't I be the one opening the door? Or… no, I'll be in charge of the drinks. Wine. Red wine…cool, for everything in the world, let it be cool but not too cool. I find the bottle in the door of the fridge and it might actually have the right temperature. 1-0 in Callie Torres's favour.
I hear voices coming from the hall, small laughs and chuckles, even Sofia's squealing to what I can only guess is Arizona's parents already spoiling her rotten with things. I place the wine bottle on the counter, inhaling a deep amount of air and then exhales – now prepared to go welcoming two new people into my life.
"…and this, mom, dad. This is Calliope," the look of pride and love written all over Arizona's beaming face is heartstoppingly beautiful. It makes me feel everything all at once; and in this moment I could very easily be pulled into a world only containing myself and my extremely hot, sexy, lovable, glowing, cute and exceptional girlfriend. But I don't! I have to show off from my best side which wouldn't be drooling over their daughter… that'll come later, when they know me. I extend my hand and smile.
"Welcome, Mrs. Robbins. I've been looking forward to be meeting you. Arizona's been talking so-"
"Oh, cut the formal rubbish, dear," Barbara cuts me off with a warm chuckle, and a wink to her daughter's grinning face. "It's so nice to finally see who's been the one making our sweet girl all mushy and at times obnoxiously loveydovey."
"Oh, mom…that's not how I've been acting," Arizona tries to smoothen out the revelation but fails as a bright blush creeps onto her cheeks.
"But it is," a voice booms from behind Barbara. A big hand extends itself towards me and I grab it, shaking it firmly. "Pleasure to meet you, Calliope."
"Callie. Callie's just fine," I smile. "Only Arizona calls me Calliope."
"I see," Daniel nods.
"Well, come on in, guys," Arizona claps her hands. "Callie's made a lovely dinner for us…and Sofia's made a great table," she quickly adds when Sofia stamps her foot hard into the floor, clearly not too fond of being left out of the grownup talk already.
"Yeah, come see. Mommy help me do it," Sofia tells them excitedly as she trudges into the living room where the set table is waiting for us.
The conversations are flowing freely, Sofia once and again being the eternal buffer. That's a total upside to having a child; their craving for being the center of attention all of the time. The little girl babbles on about her daycare, the games she plays with Arizona, the times she's been out shopping with me for the restaurant and all her toys and dress-up clothes. I swear, if that girl doesn't breathe a time soon, we'll have to use one of Arizona's play-first aid kits to resurrect her again. I'm surprised no one's asked her to stay silent yet. Anyway, I'm enjoying how we all interact, drinking wine and talking about my job and the Robbins's Barbados stay. Arizona jumps in here and there, also being a great buffer – and once awhile resting her hand on my thigh and squeezing it gently to give me some energy to run on. Did I tell her how much I love her today? If not I hope my eyes are telling her every time she looks at me.
"So, you and your mom made the nice cards with feathers and all?" Barbara asks Sofia, taking her own personal place cards in her hands once again, turning it around to look at it closely…again. "It's really pretty, Sofia. You're quite the little artist, ain't she, Daniel?" she smiles a smile so much similar to the one of my girlfriend which makes me looking forward to our future even more.
"She sure is," Daniel winks at Sofia while taking a sip of his wine, comfortably humming with pleasure as the liquid runs down his throat. Sofia giggles and tries to imitate him, taking her own glass of elderflower lemonade and sipping it neatly without spilling a single drop.
"Yeah. Mommy glue, Sofia glitter and Mama cook," Sofia states matter-of-factly after placing her glass back on the table, grabbing her fork and stuffing a bite of carrot into her mouth.
Barbara's head whips around, her eyes locking with the ones of her daughter. A hopeful smile ghosts upon her lips as the elder woman waits for Arizona to confirm her silent question.
"She calls me that," Arizona says, a big and loving smile plastered to her face. It's magnificent and if I wasn't already totally head over heels in love with this woman, I would've been right this instant.
"Griiihdgjf," Barbara squeals in excitement, patting her husband on his thigh. "You hear that, Daniel? You hear that? Our daughter's finally become a mother. Oh, that's precious, sweetheart."
Arizona giggles and Sofia joins her. "Av-zona is my Mommy now 'cause she think I'm pwetty, she like Peter Pan and she want me like Wendy. Wendy gets lots of babies and Av-zona say she doesn't have babies of her own, so she got me. Av-zona is my Mommy, she forgot my ducky rain clwothes but that's totally okay 'cause she's my Mommy, and me ax-axi…axi-dently took Mommy's lipstick so we are okay now."
The room goes silent, everybody watching Sofia as she has finished her rambling and dives into the last piece of cod on her plate, not noticing all the adults' eyes on her. When she kills the last bite of her dinner, she looks up from her plate and catches up on all the attention she's drawn to her. She only gives us a big grin and then asks to be excused.
"Of course, honey," I tell her, clearing my throat from the silence. "We'll come get you when dessert is ready."
"Did anyone get any of that?" Arizona says after downing half of her glass of white wine in pure surprise.
"All I got was some rain clothes with ducks, a lipstick and a baby some Wendy person didn't have…and somehow…somehow Sofia made you that Wendy person? Am I totally lost?" Barbara asks, her grey hair brushing her shoulders as she gently shakes her head in confusion and amusement.
"I think that's about it," I throw in with a chuckle.
"What was that about my lipstick?" Arizona tilts her head and looks at me, a grin threatening to be born onto her lips.
"Umm, nothing," I brush it off with an innocent smile and a kiss to her temple, not wanting to tell her about her lipstick being snatched from the bathroom sink and smeared onto the big Teletubby yet.
"But…how's all that information ending with you suddenly becoming that sweet little girl's other mother?" Barbara asks again, her elderly head trying to keep up with the evening's development.
"Barbara, honey. Arizona's been in almost a quarter of Sofia's life already, she's been the stability we've raised her to be and it's pretty clear that the two of them already has created a world where only they know the rules," Daniel explains her wife, and once again the room is left in silence and…awe, too. "And maybe there's room for Callie some of the time, too," he finishes with a wink to me. And right there I know I love Arizona's dad. I know that the two of us will be very good friends in the future, Barbara too.
"Oh, Daniel. You're always right. Of course, you're right. What I'd do without you is frightening to think about," Barbara chuckles and kisses her husband on the cheek. "But I've always thought if Arizona ever got her head out of her butt that her child would be named Penelope and not Sofia…things change, huh honey?" she smiles, leaving me with a lot of questions.
"Penelope?" I ask what would probably seem very stupid to the rest of party.
"She hasn't told you about Penelope?"
"No, she hasn't. Who's Penelope and why would you name your child after her?"
...aaaaand there it was! :-) It's been quite a time since I left a chapter with a cliffhanger...
Hope you'll have a great week - and buckle up for Grey's 9x02!