AN: So, here it is. The epilogue. I hope you've enjoyed the journey I created for Arizona and Eliza. Thank you for your big support. It's really been a pleasure writing this story. I couldn't have done it without you and your feedback, though. So, THANK YOU!
It's raining, go figure. It's drizzling, and I'm sitting on a hard bench watching as a bunch of 8-year-olds sprint after a ball. I'm dressed in rain proof clothes, of course. Being Arizona's wife and Sofia's bonus-mom, I've gotten used to this kind of clothing. Arizona's working this afternoon, so I'm doing the parent thing. Everybody's working but me today which gives me the opportunity to be at Sofia's soccer game. We always make sure that at least one of us is present when Sofia plays. It requires good communication between the Minnick-Robbins household and the Torres and Blake household. We're doing perfect, actually. It works. We are adults, after all… although it's not always a guarantee that all will work out. It is, though. We all want what's best for Sofia. All four of us are interested in her being happy and safe. That brings me here... sat in rain while watching Sofia fight to get the ball. I don't mind. Not one bit. And I'm not by myself, really. There's lots of other parents doing the exact same thing as me. Freezing our butts off but having no intention of getting off of the field. After all, I know my wife will have soup ready for us when we get home.
My wife. Yeah, it still resonates so beautifully in my heart whenever I think, say or type that word. Being Arizona's wife is like the best thing I've ever been. I can't imagine not being her wife. It's like I've been waiting to become her wife my entire life without even knowing it. Luckily, I found out. Luckily, I found her. I can only imagine one thing better than to be Arizona's wife. It's having Arizona as a wife. Seriously, I knew she was an awesome date and an amazing girlfriend. She took it up one notch when she became my fiancé… my perfect, perfect fiancé. But then… then she became my wife. I didn't think she could take up more room in my heart and in my soul than she already did, but somehow her being my wife has escalated every scale ever made. Arizona is an amazing wife. She's just so damn cute and thoughtful, so caring and respectful. She's always one step ahead of me with planning and stuff like that, but that's just a bonus. She's always ready to communicate and listen. She's just perfect… even when she isn't. She tries but not too much. She gives and takes just the right amount. And she loves me unconditionally which is the best feeling in the whole world. It beats everything, really.
I'm pulled out of my thoughts by a shrieking whistling, the game coming to an end. Sofia's team won 2-0 with Sofia being the one to score the first goal. She's awesome like that.
Clapping my hands, I fall into a cheering rhythm with the other parents as we all stand, applauding our girls. The teams are quick to leave the field and grabbing their bottled waters, trying to catch their breaths as the coaches shoots encouraging words their ways. I catch the eyes of my girl and send her a proud smile. Sofia waves at me. I assume she asks permission to leave the field, shouldering her back and then using the last of her energy to sprint towards the benches.
"You saw me? You saw me winning?" she asks excitedly as she sucks the water of out her bottle. She's soaked and real dirty but it doesn't matter. I'll run her a hot bath when we get home.
"I did, sweetie, I did," I lift my hand for her to come and give me a high-five. "You're the best!"
"I am," she grins, sashaying her way up the steps of the benches. She slams her hand against mine, causing both of us to howl in joy. Sofia pulls me in for a big hug, looking up at me as she rests her chin against the upper part of my stomach. "Thank you for being here."
"I like soccer, you know that," I tell her genuinely.
"But you hate rain," she chuckles.
"I love you, though," I smile, tousling her wet hair. "So there's that."
"I love you, too, P," Sofia smiles sweetly, nuzzling her face into my rain proof jacket. "You think Mommy's made pizza for us?" she asks hopefully, pulling out of the hug. We walk the stairs down to get her bag and the last words from her coach before heading off home.
"I really don't," I laugh. My wife's only just got off of work, so she couldn't possibly have made pizzas for us. Tomato soup, though. It's quick and easy, and right now I could really do with some very hot liquid to warm me up.
"Boo-hoo," she sighs, grabbing her bag.
"Go say goodbye to your coach and your team mates, Sof," I pat her gently on the shoulder. Sofia does as I'm suggesting, and I give the coach a friendly smile when he looks in my direction.
Sofia returns with a couple of the other girls as they are headed in the same direction as us. I follow the herd of young girls, making sure to stay behind them and not making myself noticed too much. I remember how I felt about my parents being nosy and all when I was in that age. They're cute, though. Animatedly talking about the game. When one of the girls suddenly asks Sofia why her mothers wasn't at the game, I stiffen my ears, really wanting to hear what comeback my feisty little lady's got.
"They are working. Because they are both doctors. Awesome doctors. My moms save people, so they can't always be here," Sofia tells the girl. It's a speech she's rehearsed, that's obvious. Having doctors as moms, Sofia's heard those words too many times to even count.
"Um... okay," the girl puffs. "Anyway, my mom's always watching me play. She's working for a real estate firm, so she will always be here. She doesn't want me to go all by myself," she continues, spinning her bottle between her hands.
I watch as Sofia contemplates on what to say. When she finally lets out a deep breath, she crosses her arms in front of her. I stop in my tracks, waiting the situation out. "Look, Melanie. I'm not by myself. My other mom's here, too," Sofia states as she points her finger right at me. All the girls turn their heads in my direction, looking at me through the drizzling rain.
My heart beats... hard. Sofia's never referred to me as her other mother. And I haven't used that title myself, either. I'm just... well, me. Eliza. Her mother's wife. I love Sofia as if she was my own flesh and blood, and I'll do anything for her. We just haven't established the mom title, I suppose. Not until now that is.
They look back at Sofia who's giving me a proud smile, waving at me as I start approaching the group. I'm cold and I'm hungry, and I need to get both of us home before we catch the flu or something like that. Reaching the girls, they give me a gauging stare.
"You're Sofia's mom, too?" One of them asks me.
"You can't have three moms!" Another one states.
"I so can, Mel, but I don't. I have four moms. And I'm lucky," Sofia exclaims firmly, taking my hand. "Right?"
Her brown eyes are penetrating my soul just as her mom's blue ones always do. I love this little girl so much. "Right, Sof!" I squeeze her hand, smiling at her and the rest of the group.
"So which mom are you?" The first girl asks again, pursing her lips.
"I'm married to Sofia's mother, so you can call me Sofia's stepmom or her extra mother, I suppose," I shrug, my voice friendly. "I prefer bonus mom, though."
"Me, too!" Sofia exclaims enthusiastically. She's completely soaked as is her bag. It's really time for us to get home and get into some comfy clothes.
"Me three!" A girl adds with a laugh.
"Wait," a short, blonde girl who hasn't said anything yet puts her hand on my elbow. "Are you… Pocahontas?"
All eyes are on me again, impatiently waiting my answer. Sofia hasn't dropped the nickname. It's just stuck ever since she came up with it all those years ago. Arizona's going to go crazy when she finds out that Sofia is still telling people that her mom is married to Pocahontas. It'll be fun, that's for sure. Nothing like a good Sofia-Arizona banter. Anyways, the girls are awaiting some answer to the blonde girl's question, but Sofia beats me to it.
"Duh!" she scoffs. "Look at the hair!" Sofia pulls the end of my wet hair just a bit, making the entire group of friends laugh.
"Speaking of hair," I cut through the rain and the laughter. "Let's go home and dry it."
The girls accept my proposal and splits up, saying their goodbyes and waving at each other. Sofia and I walk hand in hand towards the car. I press the button of the key, making a soft sound appear when the car is unlocked. Sofia quickly throws her bag in the back, climbing inside the car and buckling herself up. I, too, slide inside the driver's seat and fire up the engine. It's just… it's easy, you know? The parent thing and having a child thing, it has just settled down inside of me. It just comes naturally now, I guess. And I wouldn't have it any other way. I pull out of the parking lot when Sofia all of a sudden lets out a soft gasp. I watch her in the rear-view mirror, her forehead slightly creased as she thinks.
"What's wrong, Sof?"
"Um… nothing," she hesitates.
"You're a terrible liar… just like your mom," I chuckle. "Spill the beans, missy."
"Eliza," Sofia lets out a nervous sigh.
"That's my name, yeah," I smile at her in the mirror as the car comes to a stop in front of a red light.
"I know," she snorts, chuckling. "But… you're not mad at me, are you?"
"What? Why would I be mad at you, sweetie?" I ask in confusion. This was definitely not what I expected to hear. When the green light appears, I turn the corner and hit the street where our house is placed. Where our home is. Where my heart is.
"Because I called you my mom. But Melanie is just so annoying and she always thinks she knows everything, and that just bugs me. And it is really like I've got four moms, really… but not in a bad way or a weird way or anything. I know I've got two moms, but you're kinda like my mom, too, right? And Penny. Because you love Mommy and Penny loves Mama, and I just… I don't call you mom or anything because, because, because well, you're P. But I feel like you're my mom, too. Because we do fun things together and you watch me play footie, and you make me awesome food and you tease Mommy with me," Sofia rambles while her hands are all over the place. She's definitely Arizona's kid, no denying there.
All those words the soon to be 9-year-old girl just voiced are words that hits me straight in the heart. They melt me, and they once again assure me that I've done right, that I've chosen right. That I'm just where I am supposed to be. That loving Arizona and Sofia is the main reason for why I'm still breathing.
I pull the car into a stop, parking just outside our garage. Turning in my seat, I come eyes to eyes with the dark haired beauty in the back seat of the car. I'm sure I'm smiling alarmingly much, but I just can't help it. Having those words thrown at you without any warning… that's just amazing and completely overwhelming.
"You can also be mean," Sofia continues, screwing up her face.
"Is that so, why?" I arch my brow.
"You want me to always put my dirty clothes in the hamper," Sofia rolls her eyes. "Even though I'm just so tired."
"That is mean," I chuckle, winking at the dramatic child.
"It is. But that's what Mommy and Mama does, too," Sofia shrugs. "That's why."
"That's why you called me one of your moms in front of your friends today?" I ask softly, placing one hand at her bouncing knee… again, so much Arizona's daughter. Sofia nods her head yes, giving me a toothy grin. "Sofia, it made me really happy. Not mad."
"You don't mind?" her eyes are wide, her voice hopeful.
"Nope, kiddo. You made me really happy. You made me very proud today," I tell the child honestly, because that is the truth. The way she stood up for herself and her family… it was just amazing. "I love you," I squeeze her knee, blowing her a kiss. "Let's go see if Mommy has some nice dinner ready for us, shall we?"
"Oooh, pizza!" Sofia exclaims, lifting both hands up in the air.
She bolts out of the car, running towards the main door. I sit back, just taking in the afternoon's happenings. It's quite overwhelming, actually. The good kind of overwhelming, though. It's really simple, isn't it? When you see the world through a child's eyes, it all becomes so simple and amazing. Sofia doesn't question her mothers and their love lives. She doesn't question the fact that her two moms are now married again. It just makes for more love, if you ask Sofia. And that's the amazing part of being a part of Sofia's parenting team. Of course, Arizona and Callie are the captains, but my say and Penny's matters, too. That is something I didn't think I'd be experiencing in my life, but I am. And I am perfectly fine with it. Because I've got my wife and I've got my bonus-daughter, and that's all that really matters in the end. Them, us… and our family.
My stomach rumbles which pulls me out of my thoughts. When I look at my house, my eyes fall upon the ones of my wife's. She's standing in the kitchen window and looking at me, waving her hand for me to come inside. Even though her eyes are far away and I'm watching through the pane of the car, the glass of the kitchen window and a thick layer of rain, I still feel it. I feel how she's able to pull me in just with the softest of looks. And it amazes me, it gives me life. It is those feelings I live for. Suddenly Sofia's little face comes into view as well, Arizona placing both hands on her shoulders. Sofia waves at me while she says something that makes my wife laugh. Deciding it's time to join my family inside the warm house, I brace myself for the hard rain and climb out of the car, slamming the door shut behind me and press the button on the key that locks the car. It's Seattle. It is pouring down. I'm home. I'm most definitely home.
"Eliza?" I hear my wife call from the bathroom. "Honey, can you come up here?"
I remove my hands from the piano keys, calling it a night. Closing the lid of the piano, I run my fingertips against the beautiful wooden surface. I remember when Arizona got me this. I remember how speechless and happy it made me. I remember how her love once again surprised me. Smiling at no one, I shut off all the lamps on the first floor. Sofia's been asleep for a couple hours now, the soccer game making her exhausted. And now I get the feeling that my wife wants to go to bed as well. Looking at the grandfather clock, I watch as Thursday becomes Friday. I love Fridays. I love this one even more. It is a special one after all.
Approaching the bathroom, I pop my head in between the door and the doorframe. Arizona's brushing her teeth, her hair messy from having had a band tied around it for the entirety of the day. Quickly entering the bathroom, I snake my hands around her midsection and kiss her on the neck.
"Mmmh, hi," Arizona speaks around her toothbrush. She leans back into my front, locking her eyes onto mine in the mirror. I continue to kiss up her neck which causes my wife to whimper. "Mmmmf… datfeessognood."
"Spit," I smirk against her skin, my hands gently caressing her stomach beneath the fabric of her nightgown. Because, yeah… she's wearing a freaking nightgown tonight. I love Fridays… especially this Friday.
Arizona giggles when I nip at her earlobe, leaning forward to spit the toothpaste foam out. She tilts her head, leaning down to catch the water running from the tap. Her butt… her almost naked butt, I might add… presses against my center. Did I mention that I in particular loves this day? When Arizona deems her mouth rinsed, she spins around and laces her arms around my neck. The smile on her face says everything I need to know. It broadcasts her happiness and her love for me, and it still surprises me how much our love continues to evolve and expand. It really shouldn't be possible, but it is… our love just keeps growing.
"Happy anniversary," she grins.
"You remembered," I play, nuzzling my nose against hers as my fingers are occupied with fondling her messy hair.
"Have I ever forgotten?" she fakes shock, her eyes wide and playful.
"Never," I breathe out, bringing my lips to hers. The kiss is soft and passionate, it's sweet and caring. Just as my wife. "But it's only been two years, you might forget in five years or so," I continue to tease her, pecking her lips again and again as she giggles ever so cute.
"I could never forget the day of our wedding, Eliza," she tells me seriously which makes me stop my kissing and pull back an inch to look her in the eyes. "It's one of the most important days of my life."
"I love you," I smile, cupping both of her cheeks, my thumbs running over her cheekbones. "I love you so much."
"And I love you," Arizona nods, her eyes shining brighter than the first summer sun.
"Thank you," I pull her in for another kiss. Arizona's arms around me tighten as her tongue asks for entrance to my mouth. When I finally give it to her, she takes over my mouth as she's done my heart. It's… again… overwhelming, life-altering and just perfect. I was made for loving Arizona and she was clearly made for loving me. We just had to find each other. "Thank you for spending the last two years of your life as my wife."
"Don't ever thank me for being your wife, Eliza. It's the easiest thing in the world," Arizona smiles as her hands ghost up my sides. "Loving you, being your wife… it's all about nature, really."
"What?" I chuckle, running my hands through her hair, being careful not to pull it when my fingers once and again come to a stop in the messiness that is Arizona's hair.
"It comes natural, you know. Loving you, being your wife. I don't even have to try… because it's meant to be. It's natural. You and me."
Could she be any more perfect and cute and heartstoppingly adorable? I think not. If I wasn't already married to her, I'd marry her in this spot. Right now. "Marry me?!" I blurt out, surprised at my own words.
Arizona chuckles, her dimples popping and her eyes shooting rays of joy right into my own. "Yes! A thousand times yes."
I decide on sealing the deal with another kiss. Arizona's hands roam my back as our tongues start a frenzied battle of love and lust. I don't know who's winning and frankly, I don't care either. I'd lose every time if it meant that I'd have Arizona's mouth on me. Every time. I'd give up everything for having her loving me day in and day out for the rest of my life. Everything.
Then it hits us. Then I feel my entire body shaking… and it's not from the love Arizona pours inside of me, no. Unfortunately, when it rains it often leads to something more violent and horrific. Yup, yup… it bellows above us. The bathroom is suddenly lit by a bright light coming from the small window. Being my wife and all, Arizona knows how I get during this kind of situation. Placing her hands on my shoulders, she looks at me adoringly.
"Breathe, baby, breathe," she soothes me. "It'll soon be over."
"Stop saying that, you don't know that," I whine, feeling how my jawline sets.
"Eliza, breathe with me, come on, breathe."
"I'm not in labour, you know," I try to lighten my own mood while Arizona scoffs. Then the roll of thunder pierces through the air, my body instantly freeze along with my eyes.
"Try and blink, honey," Arizona smiles playfully, stroking my collarbone with her thumbs. "Let's get into bed, okay?"
"Let's just stay here for a moment, can we?" I chance because I don't think I'm able to move just yet.
"If you want," she nods, her voice soft and caring. Then another thunder roars. I immediately launch myself at my wife, clinging to her for dear life. "Sssh…" she soothes, caressing my back in lazy circles. "Just breathe. I'm right here."
"Thank you," I mumble into the neck of my wife. "I know it's silly, I know but-"
"No, honey. No, it's not. We can't control our fears, so just… live it out, I'm right here."
"No wonder I love you," I smile into her neck, leaving soft kisses on the skin in my reach.
Arizona giggles which almost makes me forget why we're standing like this in our bathroom. But then the thunder clasp vibrates through my body. I'm okay, though. I've got Arizona protection me from my own thoughts… and the thunder. I've got the woman I love standing here, holding me, as Sofia sleeps soundly in her room. I've got everything I could ever ask for. Throw in a thunderstorm now and again, and I'll be able to pull through anyway… because I've got them. I've finally found my place. I've found my place, my home and my heart. And I've come to learn that for any of us to have the joy of experiencing the sun, we need the rain.
AN2: Again, thank you, thank you, thank you so much for reading, following and reviewing. It's been all kinds of amazing sharing this story with you. For now, take care and be good. Spread the love.