AN: I was hoping to get this in before midnight as a little Mother's Day surprise, better late than never right? Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms out there. I hope you had a great day :) As always, thank you for every review, favorite, and follow. They are truly appreciated and I look forward to reading them. I hope this finds you all happy, safe, and healthy. Happy reading.
Chapter Twenty-Three
It was 10pm on Thanksgiving before Callie called her family again. The few days leading up to Thanksgiving had been hectic and heartbreaking. The baby Arizona and Mark had worked on died on Monday and Arizona had taken it especially hard. On top of that, Erica had gone behind Arizona's back and signed the discharge papers for Bahiri which meant either Arizona would have to sign off on Taara so they had a chance of staying together or she separated them and left Bahiri to fend for himself. Callie had been furious with Erica but an altercation had been avoided at Arizona's pleading. She knew Arizona was devastated, though they both knew this was inevitable, she still had hoped she could find some family member to take them.
Needless to say, it had been a rough week but as they would be leaving for Christmas break in less than 2 weeks, Callie needed to get arrangements made with her family. She waited impatiently for her family to answer their skype call. She smiled as she saw her entire family gathered at the large table in her parent's formal dining room. Her nonna and her abuela were sitting on either side of Aria and her parents were across from them. Various aunts, uncles, and cousins filled the rest of the seats down the long table.
Callie sighed, she wouldn't get the conversation she had hoped for with her mother. She smiled and made small talk with her family. She was truly happy to see them all. "When will you be home mia nipote?"
Callie smiled at her nonna and said, "Well I was hoping to talk with my parents about that. I will be going to Boston to visit the Robbins and then I thought I would come to Miami after that."
"Yes, of course, Mija. I have so many plans for when you come home." Lucia smiled.
"What day are you coming?" Aria asked.
"I'm not sure yet. What do your plans look like?"
"We will work around whenever you can be here, Calliope." Carlos said.
"Is Arizona joining you?" Aria asked. Lucia and Carlos both inhaled deeply and looked at each other. Callie looked back and forth between her parents and felt her heart sink. It was clear that Arizona was not included in the invitation.
"Who is Arizona?" Callie's Abuela, Maria asked.
"She's a friend of Callie's." Lucia replied quickly.
"I think Arizona is going to stay in Boston with her family and then they might all fly to Miami for a few days before we all head back to Afghanistan." Callie replied sadly. Her sister picked up on the tension in the room and her sister's sudden sadness.
"Well Cal, I really hope I get to meet her and that she decides to do that." Aria said, trying to support her sister. She and Arizona had shared a few texts but with Callie and Arizona being in Afghanistan, keeping in touch and getting to know each other wasn't exactly easy.
"Of course, Aria. She is looking forward to meeting you as well." Callie addressed only her sister then turned to the rest of her family, avoiding both her parent's eyes, "Well, it looks like you have a delicious feast to get to and it's actually quite late here. Happy Thanksgiving, love you all."
She heard a slew of "I love yous", "take cares", "be safes", and "see you soons" before she signed off and headed to find the only person that could make her feel better.
"She watches me when I sleep, Teddy." Arizona whispered as they followed the other three through the terminals of Boston Logan International airport to baggage claim.
"I texted mom that we're on our way to baggage claim, she and dad are ten minutes out." Tim called over his shoulder to his sister and Teddy.
"Oh Dunkin Donuts!" Arizona exclaimed as they passed by and she couldn't resist as she practically jumped up and down.
"You guys go ahead, we'll catch up." Teddy yelled.
"Oh, get me an iced vanilla extra cream." Tim shouted.
"Coconut for me, Tempe." Nick yelled his order.
"What about you babe?" Arizona asked Callie.
"Just a large black coffee."
"No cream?" Tim asked, baffled.
"Or flavor?" Nick asked.
"Or ice?" Tim added.
"It's like twenty degrees outside." Callie replied.
"Callie likes her coffee hot and straight up guys, leave her alone." Arizona replied. She kissed Callie's cheek before she watched her walk away with Nick and Tim.
"So she watches you sleep? It's kind of adorable."
"No, I mean she watches me. And I can feel it. And it is so hard not to let her know that I know that she's watching me. Because if I open my eyes I know what is going to pop out of that beautiful mouth of hers and I'm just not ready."
"So, you haven't brought up the moving in thing?"
"Teds, I pretended to be asleep, how can I bring it up? And even if I could, I don't want to burst our bubble."
"Trust me, you want to burst the bubble." Teddy replied as she snatched their tray of coffees and Arizona grabbed her box of donuts and her own caramel swirl coffee full of sugary goodness. They walked leisurely to the escalator that took them to baggage claim and rejoined their group.
Arizona watched Callie as she laughed and joked with Nick and Tim, sipping on her coffee. Even after the twenty-four hours of travel, she looked radiant. Her skin was glowing and her dark hair was in a messy bun high on her head, ringlets falling down into her face and resting on her upper shoulders. Her eye caught Arizona's from a few feet away and she flashed her megawatt smile at her and winked. Arizona's heart skipped a beat and she sighed. Maybe living together so soon is exactly what she wanted, maybe she was just a big ole chicken shit.
Teddy looked at her friend who was clearly in Callie dreamland where she usually resided and she bumped Arizona's shoulder with hers, "You want to pop that bubble."
Everyone grabbed their luggage and stepped out into the frigid Boston air. For December 2nd, it could be worse but it was still bitterly cold as the wind whipped through their hair and nipped at the bare skin of their faces and hands. "Calliope we're going to have to get you a warmer coat."
"But my leather coat is badass, and that, that is not." Callie said as she looked Arizona up and down, teasing her over her knee length bright blue puffy coat that matched her eyes.
"Well we can get you a red one or a black one. And you'll always be badass to me." Arizona smiled and leaned in for a quick peck on the lips as she saw her parent's vehicle approach.
Barbara's passenger door was open before the vehicle had completely stopped and she had Teddy, who had been standing closest, already wrapped in a warm hug. She made her rounds, hugging each of them while Daniel set about loading their luggage into the vehicle with the help of Nick. Releasing Arizona, she turned to Callie and exclaimed, "Oh my God, Callie, you are so beautiful."
Callie was pulled into a tight hug by the surprisingly strong, petite mother of her girlfriend. Callie smiled over Barbara's shoulder to let Arizona know she was alright but Arizona still said, "Ok mom, let's let Callie get in the car, you can admire her beauty later."
"When did you get so sassy?" Barbara asked her daughter with a teasing tone. As Arizona followed Callie into the vehicle she felt her mom swat her butt playfully. Teddy joined Arizona and Callie in the back while the boys took the middle row.
"I wasn't sure how tired you all would be so I just made a big pot of clam chowder and a pot of corn chowder. There's also salad and fresh bread waiting for you guys. I assumed you would just want to eat, shower, and sleep tonight." Barbara said as she turned her head to address the newly arrived group.
"That sounds amazing Mrs. Robbins." Callie said, her stomach grumbling. Arizona offered the box of donuts to her but Callie shook her head and placed a hand over the box preventing Arizona from getting one for herself. She eyed her girlfriend curiously and Callie whispered, "After dinner."
"It's Barbara, dear." Barbara said from the front seat as Arizona shot daggers at her girlfriend with a cute little pout on her lips.
"Callie, it's Dunkin Donuts."
"You can't fill up on crap, Arizona. We haven't eaten a real meal since dinner last night."
"I can't wait for Mama B's chowder." Nick replied happily. He was staying two nights in Salem with them before he would travel on to New Hampshire to spend the rest of his time with his mom and sister.
"I knew you would approve Nicholas." Barbara said with a smile, "Arizona are you giving Callie a hard time about those donuts? She's right you know, you're sweet enough, save them for dessert."
"Your cooking is the best, mom but it's Dunkin Donuts." Arizona smiled, Callie was in for a treat and she couldn't even pretend to be annoyed, she was so happy to be home and with Callie.
"You heard me, Arizona. Callie, dear, I spoke with your parents. They will be in Boston on Sunday and will join us for dinner. It was your mom's idea." Barbara replied.
"What? Really?" Callie had called and spoken to her family on Thanksgiving and they had said they definitely wanted Callie to come home during her break. Callie mentioned visiting Arizona's family in hopes that her parents might request to meet Arizona but they had not. So Callie had made arrangements, she would be with Arizona and her family for eight days and then the last six, she would spend in Miami with her family. She had been tempted to just stay in Boston the whole time but Arizona insisted she visit her home, she knew how much Callie missed it. Arizona, Nick, Teddy, and Tim would fly to Miami for the last weekend of their vacation, arriving on Thursday morning. They had booked a hotel suite and the five of them were splitting the expenses.
"Your mom didn't tell you?" Barbara asked. Arizona placed a comforting hand on Callie's thigh and looked at her to gauge her emotional state.
"No ma'am." Callie said, shaking her head.
"Well, it was sort of last minute, I suppose. I just got the email last night. They will be here late Saturday night and I think they were just going to have you return to Miami with them on Monday by the sounds of it."
"Callie, this is a good thing, I think. They want to meet me and my parents, in person." Arizona whispered and Callie nodded, she knew Arizona was right but she was still hurt that she had been left out of the loop. She was exhausted, she just needed to sleep and then she would call her mom and find out what all of this was about.
The car was filled with excited chatter as Callie leaned her forehead against the cool glass and took in the sights as they drove. It was too dark to make out anything but lights and buildings but Callie felt herself get excited about exploring with Arizona. True, it was cold but that wouldn't stop them from bundling up and doing some touristy things or enjoying the time with Arizona's family. Arizona reached over and laced her fingers through Callie's, bringing their joined hands up to her lips and brushing her lips over the back of Callie's hand gently.
As the seven of them scrambled out of the vehicle a short time later, Callie could smell the crisp salty air and knew the ocean couldn't be far. The house looked as though it was cream color with dark shutters and window pots on the first floor windows, though in the dark it was hard to tell. They entered the house through the kitchen and Callie smiled brightly. To the left was a small mud room where they all hung their jackets and removed their shoes. The kitchen was a large, long gallery style kitchen that was bright white with up to date stainless steel appliances. Straight ahead, Callie could see the formal dining room on the other side of the kitchen off to the left and off to the right on the other side of the kitchen was a staircase, half going up and half going down. Callie watched Nick and Tim make their way up the staircase with their luggage while she followed Arizona and Teddy to the staircase going down. She followed them down the stairs to find a small landing with a small seating area and a bookcase against a brick wall and a large antique cabinet. Arizona turned to the door on the right, Teddy to the one on the left. Callie followed Arizona and got her first glance at Arizona's room.
It was not anything like she had pictured. She had expected an explosion of pink with butterflies and rainbows but what she found was how Arizona must have decorated it as a teen. A poster of Cindy Crawford was on the back of her closet door, a red sock hat hanging from the hook of the same door. The bed and furniture were white and her bedspread covering her full sized bed was a baby pink, white, and grey checkered quilt. The walls were a light grey and the trim was the same pristine white as the furniture. There were two large bookcases overflowing with books ranging from Nancy Drew to her medical books and between them sat her desk under the high window with a microscope sat on top of it. Above her bed was a panoramic framed photo of the Boston skyline and she smiled as she noticed the initials BSR in the corner of the photo. A rocking chair sat in one corner of the room and on the remaining walls were pictures of different images taken very close; A hermit crab in the sand, a gram positive bacterium under a microscope, a tulip with a butterfly perched perfectly on it, and colorful stones just under the surface of blue-green water. On the back of her bedroom door was the periodic table of elements and yet another Cindy Crawford poster.
"Wow." Callie said with a smile.
"I took those pictures as a project in high school photography. My mom is a photographer and she really loved them so she had them put on canvas for me. She took the skyline photo actually."
"Your room is so not how I pictured it but also, so you somehow. Both you and your mom are very talented, Arizona."
"Thanks, you like?" Arizona asked.
"I really do."
Teddy came walking through a door to the left of where Callie was standing and she realized it was a joint bathroom. "You guys ready for dinner? I'm starved."
"Absolutely, I just need to go to the bathroom first." Callie said. She peeked into Teddy's room on the other side of the bathroom and smiled. Her walls were littered with Army paraphernalia and yet there was still a feminine vibe to the room. Her walls were painted a pale yellow and her bedspread was white grey, teal, and yellow chevron covering it. A quote by Ruth Bader Ginsberg adorned the wall between the Army posters, "Women belong in all places where decisions are made...It shouldn't be that women are the exception." Callie smiled, the room was just so Teddy, it even smelled like Teddy. The bathroom was large and feminine, painted lavender with a long vanity that housed a sink on each side of it. The shower curtain had butterflies plastered all over it and it made Callie think of Arizona's scrub cap. She shook her head with a smile on her face as she washed her hands. If they ever did live together she was going to end up living in an easter basket.
"Come on girls, wash up and come eat." Barbara yelled down the stairs.
"Oh my God." Callie moaned as she took her first bite of corn chowder. The seven of them sat in various places of the living room with the tv on an old movie that no one was paying attention to.
Arizona's head shot up from the footstool where she was sitting just in front of and to Callie's left, her eyes landing on Callie's. Callie could see her eyes darken and a smile crossed her pink lips as she said, "Mom's chowders are the best."
"Do you like it, dear?"
"Mrs. Robbins you would give our chef, Consuela a run for her money and that is saying something." Callie replied as she took another large spoonful. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until she had smelled the food.
"Call me Barbara or Barb or mom, dear. Mrs. Robbins was my husband's mother."
"Sorry Barbara."
"So, what are sleeping arrangements?" Daniel asked suddenly. Everyone looked to him, seemingly confused as they had already taken care of their belongings but Arizona made eye contact with him with a knowing glare.
"Nick's bunking with me in his usual bed." Tim said. His room was the entire third floor of the house. It was converted from the attic and was basically a man cave. He had a television set, his gaming system, a futon, and an extra twin bed for when Nick or one of his other army buddies crashed there.
"Callie is sleeping in my room with me, dad. We already took our luggage downstairs." Arizona said, not breaking eye contact with her father. She knew he wasn't asking about Nick's sleeping arrangements.
"Teddy has the trundle under her bed. I don't think she would mind sharing her room. Or if Callie would prefer, we do have the guest room upstairs next to our room." Daniel replied, his eyes glued to his daughter's.
"I don't mind." Teddy replied to which Arizona flicked her eyes up and glared at her.
"Dad, I'll be twenty eight on Tuesday. Callie is staying in my room."
"Arizona…" Daniel started but was cut off by his wife, "Daniel, I think we could make an exception, this is the first time Arizona has ever brought anyone home. And they aren't kids anymore."
"A ring on her finger earns them the right to sleep in the same bed under my roof. Nothing less." Daniel said firmly.
"I don't mind bunking with Teddy." Callie replied, though she minded very much. She also wanted to be respectful of Daniel's house rules. And she definitely wanted to remain on the Colonel's good side. Arizona crossed her arms over her chest and huffed.
"Sorry squirt." Daniel replied as he got up and collected empty bowls from everyone.
"Anyone want seconds?" Barbara called.
There was a collective content groan of "no" from the five travelers who now, having full bellies were beginning to feel the fatigue tugging at them. Barbara smiled as she watched the sleepy faces of her children and their friends, eyelids heavy, bodies slumped in their seats. She walked around the room, placing a kiss on each forehead, including Nick and Callie's, "You all go get some sleep. Dad and I will clean up tonight."
"Are you sure?" Callie asked.
"Yes dear. You guys have all had a long day, go get some sleep."
"Night mom, love you." Arizona said as she stood and hugged the other woman tightly. Callie smiled at the sight. Arizona was maybe an inch shorter than the other woman and the older woman's frame wasn't quite as petite but there was no doubt the two were mother and daughter. Barbara stroked her hands over her daughter's cheeks before patting them lovingly with her hands.
"I love you too, Zozo, so very much." Barbara replied emotionally before she pulled Arizona in for a very tight hug. Arizona relaxed into her mom's arms and smelled the familiar scent of mint and honey that was just her mom. It was comforting and something she had missed. Daniel re-entered the room.
"Can I get a hug too squirt or are you still mad at me."
"Still mad, but you get a hug anyway." Arizona smiled as her mom released her and her dad pulled her in for his own embrace. His hand stroking her blonde locks before he placed a gentle kiss on her head. Callie smiled as she witnessed the exchanges between the Robbin's and their children. They were truly cherished and it made Callie's heart swell as she watched Barbara now saying goodnight to Teddy, Nick, and Tim.
"Don't think you're getting out of this." Barbara said, making her way to a still seated Callie. Callie stood and allowed the shorter woman to embrace her. "I'm so glad you're here, Callie and don't worry, I'll work on Daniel regarding the sleeping arrangements."
"Thank you for inviting me. And it's ok, I don't mind following your rules. I want to be respectful of your wishes, especially in your home." Callie replied and Barbara just smiled as her husband approached.
"Goodnight Callie, it's very nice to meet you. I'm glad you could come and spend time with us." Daniel said.
"Thank you Mr...ahhh Colonel Robbins." Callie fumbled and flushed a brilliant shade of red to which Daniel chuckled, he enjoyed making Callie nervous. He wanted her to be nervous, Arizona was his little girl, his only one and he wanted to make sure whoever she was with was going to treat her with respect, kindness, and love. He had an inkling she had found that in this blushing brunette standing before him but he enjoyed watching her squirm, just a little.
"Teddy, you and I are switching rooms tonight." Arizona whispered at the bottom of the stairs.
"I already figured that was the plan." Teddy replied with an eye roll. When Owen had come to visit, Arizona had been forced to give Owen her bed but as soon as her parents were asleep, Teddy would sneak over to Arizona's room to sleep with him then creep back through in the morning before the Colonel woke up. Arizona had made Teddy buy her a new mattress pad and sheets after that visit.
"What? No! Arizona, I want to make a good impression. Your dad already looks like he's going to murder me in my sleep and I don't want to give him any reasons to actually do that." Callie hush shouted in a half panic.
"You're cute, Calliope." Arizona said.
"Relax, he doesn't actually check the occupancy of beds. He just assumes we do as he says. Besides, even if he did, Arizona and I are both blonde and it's dark, he will see a blonde in each bed. We did it all the time. Well, Tim and I did it all the time, Arizona didn't bring girls home, you're the first." Teddy said. The three of them entered Teddy's room as Teddy gathered her pajamas. "I get the bathroom first since I'm doing the switcharoo for you, Riz."
"Arizona, I really think we should respect your parent's wishes." Callie said once they were alone.
"Do you want to sleep without me?"
"No but…"
"Ok then, tonight all we will do is sleep. We are both exhausted and I just want to hold you. Then I will get in Teddy's bed and hold your hand and nothing more. And we will discuss everything else tomorrow. But on my birthday…"
"I rented us a room." Callie said with a giant smile. "I know you wanted to go skating in Boston and take me to some museums. I figured we could just stay in the city for the night."
"I love your way of thinking." Arizona said, kissing her girlfriend hard. Callie swiped her tongue across Arizona's lips and Arizona parted them, granting the brunette entrance. She ravished Arizona's mouth with her tongue, nipped at her lips, then soothed them, leaving Arizona breathless and her panties a bit wetter than they were a few minutes before.
"Don't start anything you can't finish, Torres." Arizona growled. Callie smiled sweetly and winked at Arizona as Teddy exited the bathroom with a, "Bathroom's up for grabs."
Callie took the opportunity to grab the bathroom. Not trusting her sneaky girlfriend, she locked the door on Teddy's side of the bathroom and made her way to Arizona's room to retrieve her night necessities from her luggage before returning to the bathroom. She performed her nightly routine and changed before exiting the bathroom to find Teddy and Arizona sitting on Teddy's bed giggling over some story Teddy told. Callie's heart swelled as she watched Arizona not just giggle but full on belly laugh, throwing her head back and then resting it on Teddy's shoulder as she squeezed her arm. Teddy was laughing equally hard, Callie hated to break up the moment.
"What's so funny?"
"Oh just remembering when Tim got caught sneaking a girl in and he panicked and pushed her out the window but her foot got caught in the tree and she was hanging upside down with her dress over her head right outside my parents window, screaming and cursing Timothy." Arizona explained through her giggles. Callie joined in the laughter, she couldn't help it with these two and the image of Tim doing just that.
"He pushed her out a second story window. I mean, she was supposed to climb down the tree like she had climbed it coming up but he rushed her so much and gave her an extra shove that she fell. I thought your dad was going to kill him." Teddy laughed harder.
"How old was he?"
"It was just before we moved to Salem so he must have been around fifteen, maybe sixteen. I miss that house." Arizona replied, her laughter dying down. She hopped off the bed and stepped up to Callie, running her hand up her arm, she kissed her cheek and said, "I'm going to go change and use the bathroom."
Teddy also got off the bed and pulled out the trundle that was beneath it. Though her bed was a full, like Arizona's, the trundle was only a twin. Teddy set to work getting fresh linen from the wardrobe in the hall on the landing and the two had the bed made up with Callie laying in it, half asleep before Arizona returned. She vaguely felt Arizona climb into the twin behind her, pulling her close and nuzzling her face into her hair before she fell into a deep sleep.
Callie woke the next morning to an empty room. After using the bathroom, she checked Arizona's room and noted that Teddy too was missing. She made her way up the stairs and found Barbara in the kitchen cooking breakfast. "Morning dear, coffee?"
"Yes, please. Where is everyone?" Callie asked. It was barely 7:30, she would have liked to sleep until at least 8 or 9 but once awake, she couldn't fall back asleep in the strange bed alone.
"They all went for a run. The Colonel doesn't go easy on them just because they're on vacation. He's had Arizona and Timothy up with the sun for a run since Tim was five and Arizona was four. He never left Arizona out because she was a girl or because she was smaller. He always had the same rules and expectations for both of them. Thankfully that girl had the sense to get up before her dad this morning so he didn't find her in bed with you." Barbara said with a smirk and a wink.
"I'm sorry Mrs. Robbins."
"No, don't apologize. First, I don't agree with Daniel's rules, I find them outdated and unnecessary these days, it's not like you can get her pregnant." Barbara said with an eye roll and Callie nearly spit her coffee through her nose. Barbara didn't seem to notice as she continued rambling, "Secondly, I know my daughter. You didn't stand a chance. Daniel set you up for failure and he knew it. Arizona isn't a rule breaker but we both knew if she was bringing you home to meet us, she's serious. Which meant she would fight her dad on this and if he didn't cave, she would bend the rules to her will."
"She can be stubborn and persuasive." Callie replied with a smile.
"Mmmm. She's been that way since birth. You should have seen her as a toddler. She's the reason we stopped at two." Barbara laughed but she was kind of serious.
"That bad?"
"You might want to second guess children with my Arizona if you're considering it. I've cursed her to have one just like her."
"I kind of wouldn't mind that." Callie said with a smile, picturing a little baby with tufts of blonde hair, dimpled chubby cheeks, and those eyes.
"No doubt they would be beautiful children." Barbara smirked at the far off look on Callie's face. "Would you like to see baby pictures of Arizona?"
"Yes!" Callie said immediately, without a second of hesitation.
Barbara grabbed a book from the counter as though she had been planning this all along and handed it to Callie before she led her to the dining room table. The book was thick and pink with butterflies all over it. It was a scrapbook Callie realized and smiled as she saw the careful scrawl with Arizona Monroe Robbins written. Her birthdate was written below that. Callie traced her fingers carefully over the letters before she flipped it open and saw a very pregnant and much younger version of Barbara in a hospital gown. On the next page was Arizona's first picture, hospital bands, foot print, birth height and weight, and the little hospital hat she had worn. She scrolled through pages of Arizona's infancy and her heart was full of emotion at the prospect of having a baby that looked like her someday.
"She was a beautiful baby." Barbara said as she sat down beside Callie, "I know I'm her mom but everyone always commented on it. And she had this charm, even that small. It got her out of a lot of trouble with Daniel. She's had him wrapped around her finger since the day she was born. We were expecting another boy and surprise, here was this tiny, feisty, beautiful little girl."
"Tim's been telling me some stories about Arizona." Callie said with a smile as she entered the toddler years of Arizona's life. She laughed out loud as she saw picture after picture of Arizona with tiny blonde pigtails covered in something, flour, mud, lipstick, paint, toilet paper. "She was a handful, wasn't she?"
"She was, still she is also fiercely protective and loyal and so loving. You just couldn't stay mad at her for long and that infuriated me to no end. My big blue eyes and Daniel's dimples should be illegal. Timmy got Daniel's eye color, it's a little bit darker blue than the blue Arizona inherited from me and Timmy's dimples aren't quite as deep as Arizona and Daniel's. Gosh, the two of them were quite the little pair of heartbreakers. Poor Nick and Sara didn't stand a chance. Although, I think Sara might be Tim's secret girlfriend now. Last time Tim was home, I noticed a few things. Sara has always had a crush on him but it was never reciprocated but now, I think it might be." Barbara schemed.
"Yeah? It would be nice for Tim to find someone. He's a good guy." Callie replied with a smile.
"So, Callie, tell me. What are your intentions with my Arizona?" Barbara asked, suddenly serious. The lightness in the room was suddenly gone and Callie was momentarily caught off guard by Barbara's question.
"I love her and I respect her. She is one of the most beautiful people both inside and out that I've ever met. I know I want to support her and protect her. I'm in this for as long as she will have me, Barbara." Callie replied, looking Barbara straight in the eyes.
"Good, I'm glad to hear you say that. Because let me tell you, my husband, he's a big ole softy. Arizona was right, all bark, no bite that one. Me, I'm not one to bark but I do bite on occasion and when I do, I go straight for the throat. Very few people have ever seen that side of me. Teddy's dad, he was one of them so really, I'm the one you should be worried about. Lucky for you, I believe you and I don't think you would ever intentionally hurt my daughter."
"I wouldn't." Callie gulped.
"I know. What concerns me though are the phone calls and emails I've received from your parents. They are religious people and are therefore struggling with this because of their beliefs. Arizona has been down a road like this before. The physical injuries she sustained at the hands of Teddy's father were nothing compared to the mental and emotional ones. It took her a long time to recover from those, I think she still struggles at times. I won't let anyone put her through that again."
"My parents are struggling to come to terms with this but they're good people and they love me. They just need some time to adjust. I've never dated a woman before Arizona."
"Teddy's parents were good people who loved their daughters too. Good people still make bad choices, hurtful ones."
"I won't choose between Arizona and my family. Mainly because if it came to that, Arizona would walk away, she wouldn't want me to choose. I know she would take herself out of the equation and that would kill me. But I will choose myself, I will choose myself over them. I hope that Arizona is it for me, I see a future with her but if it doesn't work out with her, I will still be interested in dating women. It's not about Arizona, she's just who I happened to fall in love with. It's about me, I want to be free to be who I am and to love who I love. And please trust me when I say, I will protect Arizona, even from my own family. I would never allow them to disrespect or hurt her."
"Ok, that's all I needed to know." Barbara said and as abruptly as the topic had been brought up, it was dropped, "Would you like some breakfast? Everything is being kept warm in the oven."
"I think I'll shower and eat with everyone else when they get back." Callie said, needing to get a bit of distance from Arizona's mom and think about what they had just talked about. She knew both Arizona and Teddy had suffered from some mental and emotional trauma following Andi's death and the fight with Mr. Altman, but Callie had never known there were physical injuries.
"Callie, I hope I didn't upset you. And I hope that this doesn't change anything between us because I really adore you already. I just needed to have "the talk" with you and now I have. I will also be having a talk with your parents just so you have full disclosure."
Callie couldn't help but smile. She had been so terrified of a conversation like this from Daniel but had been blindsided by Barbara. Still, she was already very fond of the woman and if anything, that made her like her more. It was so something Arizona would do. "I'm very fond of you as well, despite the talk. It was very Arizonaish of you. And I can't fault you for wanting to protect her, I want to as well."
"My daughter is blonde, petite, believes in fairy tales and magic, and is basically a disney princess so it comes as a shock when she gives ya the left hook her father taught her. She gets that from me." Barbara said proudly before she patted Callie's hand, got up from the table, and went back to the kitchen. She hollered from the kitchen as she began gathering items from the refrigerator and oven, "Go shower, the troops will be back soon and they will be hungry."
"Yes ma'am."
"Gosh, it's so beautiful here." Callie said as she shivered.
"It really is. I wish everything wasn't closed for the season. The shops are really cool. We could still do the Peabody Essex Museum and there might be a random shop here and there open." Arizona said as the two walked the streets of Salem that afternoon. It hadn't snowed yet that season but Arizona could feel and smell that it was coming.
"Are you excited for your birthday tomorrow?"
"To be honest, I am because you're here and I know you're excited to make a big deal of it. And I am really excited to take you to Boston tomorrow and show you around. But I'm not excited about my birthday. It's just another day, I usually don't celebrate it unless I am home because my parents insist."
"Why?"
"I'm not really sure. I've never really cared for it. It was always during the school year and trust me, I did not need another reason for kids to stare at me. If it wasn't my name, it was my accent or something equally ridiculous. I never had a best friend in school. I had Andi for a little while but I was bumped ahead in school so that didn't last long. By the time I was in Tim's grade I was just focused on my studies. Tim got it, he never made a big deal of it. But he would always sneak a birthday treat under my pillow the night before my birthday so I would know he hadn't forgotten, he was just being supportive of my lack of interest in celebrating it."
"I would have thought you would be popular."
"Why?"
"You're just so beautiful, Arizona. Inside and out. You're smart, funny, sweet, and sexy. I just can't believe that no one else saw that."
"Boys did, later on, which made me even more unpopular with the girls. I just never had a home, Callie. Nowhere that I felt secure. I would just be getting warmed up to kids, starting to show them that despite the name and the accent and the fact that I loved reading and science and never complained about homework, I was funny and good friend material; and then it would be time to pack up and move again. After a while, I just stopped trying but I always had Tim and usually some combination of Nick, Andi, Teddy, and Sara."
"I'm glad you had them. No wonder you're so close. Though if Nick kisses you again, he may need a nose job from Mark."
"I did warn him that you break bones for a living and enjoy that. Who told you?"
"Teddy."
"I'm sorry I didn't. I should have. I wasn't trying to keep it from you, honestly, I just didn't think about it again until now. Are you mad?"
"No. I'm not happy he kissed you and I wish you had been the one to tell me but I realize you didn't because it wasn't something that was a big deal to you. You love him like a brother, though I know he definitely does not look at you like a sister."
"What? Callie, of course he does. We used to take baths together for goodness sake."
"Arizona, Nick is madly in love with you. I'm surprised no one has said that to you before now."
"Is this you being jealous?" Arizona asked, curiously. She wasn't accusing, she honestly didn't know what this was about or where it was coming from.
"No, I'm not jealous, honey. Because I can see that you are completely oblivious and on your end, the relationship with Nick is completely platonic." Callie said. The two sat down on the wall next to the Derby Wharf lighthouse and stared out at the water. Arizona had loaned Callie a pair of leather gloves, a scarf, and a hat, which she refused to wear. Barbara had also insisted she wear long johns under her multiple layers of clothing but the chill off the water was still frigid and she couldn't help but shiver.
"It's going to snow." Arizona said, changing the subject abruptly. Their current line of conversation was making her uncomfortable, mainly because as she thought about it, she had to consider the fact that Callie was right.
"I hope so."
"Come on, let's head back. First thing tomorrow, I'll let you take me to get one of those ridiculous coats." Callie said as she stood then turned to help Arizona up. This cheered Arizona considerably, she smiled and practically jumped up and down, "Really?"
"Yes." Callie smiled, though she had a feeling she might regret this.
"Can I pick the color?"
"No."
"But tomorrow is my birthday."
"Which you don't celebrate."
"So does that mean we can just ignore it? No cake, no presents, no dinner."
"Absolutely not. I promise not to do anything extravagant or embarrassing but I definitely want to celebrate the birthday of the woman I love."
"Then I get to choose the color of your coat."
"How about, I give you three colors to choose from and you will get the final say."
"Deal." Arizona said, placing her hand out in front of her to shake on it with Callie. Callie smiled at the absurdity of it but obliged. Once the handshake was completed and the deal was struck, Arizona looped her arm through Callie's and practically skipped as they walked the few blocks back to Arizona's family home.
"You're back just in time for dinner." Barbara announced as the couple entered the kitchen.
"It smells amazing." Callie replied. "If you would let me, I'd love to make dinner for all of you one night."
"You're our guest, Callie, you don't have to cook."
"Mom, trust me, you want to make her cook." Arizona said.
"Ok, well if you want to, you're more than welcome to." Barbara said with a smile. "Will you two wash up and set the table for me please?"
The two set the table as their stomachs growled from the smell of whatever the delicious meal was that Barbara had cooked. "I'm pretty sure mom made stuffed shells and prosciutto asparagus."
"That sounds amazing."
They all sat for dinner together in the formal dining room and caught up on each other's lives, something they usually only did on special occasions and holidays. It wasn't until the fruit pizza dessert was being served that the topic of Arizona's birthday came up. "So squirt, you're taking Callie into Boston tomorrow?"
"Yea, Dad. I want to take her to the Boston Museum of Science and then to The Commons to ice skate on frog pond. But first, we have to get her a warmer coat."
"Will you be coming back home tomorrow night or staying in the city?" Barbara asked.
"We're going to stay in the city."
"Well, if you want to do your birthday dinner, we could come into the city and have dinner with the two of you. I know all of us have been wanting to go to Legals." Barbara said.
"Yea." Tim said, dropping his napkin in his enthusiasm.
"I would kill for some mussels and lobster." Teddy agreed. Arizona looked to Callie who nodded enthusiastically.
"I would love that, thanks mom. Can we forgo telling them it's my birthday though, please?"
"Of course squirt." Daniel replied with a mischievous smile and a pair of crossed fingers under the dining room table.
"Thank you."
"We will all just sing happy birthday ourselves as loud as we can." Tim teased.
"Watch it Timothy. I plan on Christmas shopping for you guys tomorrow and you might just end up with a lump of coal or worse, a Yankees jersey."
"Ha, good luck finding one of those in Boston." Tim laughed.
"What's wrong with the Yankees?" Callie asked. She really had no interest in baseball but she had lived in New York for four years of her residency and everyone seemed to love the Yankees. Six sets of eyes fell on her and she gulped. Arizona placed a protective hand over Callie's and said, "Go easy on her guys, she doesn't follow baseball."
"The only thing you need to know about baseball is that the Yankees suck and anyone who beats the Yankees are alright in our books." Nick explained. Tim nodded his head enthusiastically in agreement.
"Callie's getting red sox gear for Christmas." Tim said matter-of-factly.
"Welcome to the family babe." Arizona whispered with a giggle, knowing once her brother started buying her red sox gear there would be no escaping for the latina.
"Good morning, baby. Happy birthday." Arizona woke up to the sound of her girlfriend's voice and the feeling of her breath on her naked thigh for what was promising to be a very sexy way to wake up.
"Mmmm, morning. Are you giving me a birthday present already?" Arizona smirked as she arched her back to stretch, causing her mound to collide with Callie's already very close lips. They both moaned at the feeling.
"I thought breaking the rules just for your birthday would be crazy romantic." Callie replied. She nuzzled her nose into Arizona's panty clad clit and kissed the fabric covering the rest of her womanhood. She slipped a finger into the side of her panties and gathered some moisture, bringing it to her lips. "Mmmm, I'll never get tired of that. Even in another twenty eight years."
Arizona's heart skipped a beat, both at the act of Callie licking her juices from her finger and at the implication of her words. "So, you're planning on being stuck with me for that long?"
"I am." She was too busy removing Arizona's panties to answer further. Tim and Nick were keeping the Colonel busy with an early morning round of basketball and Teddy was standing guard in the kitchen with Barbara on the pretense of assisting with Arizona's birthday breakfast. Callie didn't have much time and she didn't want to waste it with idle chatter. She sat on her heels for a moment, taking in the sight of Arizona before she dove in. She wasted no time bringing her tongue up Arizona's slit and finding the engorged clit peeking out from the hood. She circled it with her tongue softly and slowly at first, her tongue picking up speed and adding pressure as Arizona began to moan quietly and whimper as she writhed beneath her.
Callie felt Arizona's hands wrap in her hair and she threw an arm across slender hips to prevent her from bucking. Callie could tell she was close as fluids began to spill out of her and her movements became more frantic. She doubled her efforts as she heard Teddy stomp three times upstairs, signaling their time was nearly up. She smiled as Arizona whimpered, "Callie." And the blonde's muscular thighs closed tightly around her head and her back arched off the bed with Callie's free hand covering her mouth. Callie sat up and wiped her face, smiling down at the perfection that was her girlfriend. Blonde curls in disarray over Teddy's pillows, her shirt lifted up so one flushed breast was exposed and completely bare from the waist down. She was regaining her composure as Callie slipped her sleep shorts back up the blonde's hips and made her way to the bathroom.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Arizona asked, suddenly sitting up as she realized Callie had redressed her and was now leaving.
"Teddy stomped, we're out of time. I'm going to jump in the shower." Callie said and the shower started a split second before Teddy's door opened and Barbara walked in without knocking, a pink frosted donut with a single candle in it on a plate. Callie smiled as she heard Barbara wishing her daughter happy birthday.
It was noon and Callie and Arizona had been at the Boston Museum of Science for the last two hours. They were currently sitting in the cafeteria eating a very overpriced lunch while they chatted about the exhibits they had seen and the ones they had yet to see. They planned on leaving the exhibit by two and then heading to Boston Common for ice skating on the frog pond before they would take the T across Boston to Legal seafood.
The couple spent the next two hours in the dinosaur exhibit and then the butterfly exhibit. Callie felt like she was back in elementary school being the science geek again but the best thing about that was Arizona geeking out right next to her. As it was in the upper 30's and Barbara had taken it upon herself to drive out early that morning and buy Callie a puffy coat that matched Arizona's only it was a deep plum, much to Callie's dismay, the couple decided to walk from the museum and cut through Beacon Hill to the Commons. It was a leisurely stroll and the two were lacing up their skates before 3pm. Callie was unsure about this but Arizona took off like a rocket doing a complete circuit around the rink with some tricks before Callie had even managed to stand.
"Have you ever skated before, Calliope?" Arizona asked as she did a fancy little skid and stopped right in front of Callie.
"I grew up in Miami, Arizona and after watching Aria nearly bite her tongue off playing street hockey in roller blades, I never felt the inkling to try it out."
"Come on, I'll skate with you, I won't let you fall." Arizona said, helping Callie onto the ice. Arizona held both of Callie's gloved hands in her own that were covered with fuzzy mittens and began skating backward. Her nose was pink and her cheeks were red from the cold and wind, her blonde hair hung down under her fuzzy hat with a little ball on top of it and Callie just couldn't help but fall more in love with her. She was absolutely adorably stunning, there was no other way to describe her.
Arizona looked Callie up and down as she skated backwards slowly trying to let Callie get comfortable with the ice. She was wearing leather gloves and a black fleece scarf. She had refused a hat but had used the scarf over her ears to block the wind many times as they walked. Her silky black hair was wind blown and cascaded down in soft curls around her pink, wind burned cheeks. She looked radiant and Arizona stopped them suddenly to lean in for a kiss. She just had to taste the perfect plump lips of the gorgeous woman holding her hands tightly. Unfortunately, Callie didn't get the memo and collided into Arizona who caught her balance and was able to keep Callie on her feet just barely.
"I'm sorry." Arizona apologized.
"Trying to kill me? Wait until we're married at least then you'll get my fortune." Callie said in jest, meaning it as a tease but it stopped Arizona in her tracks. She stared intently at the brunette, making the normally hard to shake latina feel a bit unsettled, "Hey, hey, I was only joking."
"This is serious. You're serious about this." Arizona replied, her eyes squinting slightly to blockout the sun. Callie raised her sunglasses so she could look in Arizona's intense blue gaze.
"I am. I mean I know it's too soon to propose but I hope someday that's where this all leads."
"Come on." Arizona said, dragging Callie off the ice at a pace that was much too quick for her liking.
"Arizona, slow down, I'm going to fall." Callie said, now grasping the smaller woman with both hands. Her left hand was tucked tightly into Arizona's right one and her right hand was clutching the sleeve of Arizona's puffy blue coat so tightly she was sure her fingers were white, though she couldn't see them through the leather gloves. Arizona looked back at Callie and pulled her slightly forward, placing her hands on Callie's hips and guiding her safely off the ice. They were barely off the ice when Arizona tossed Callie her boots and started unlacing her own skates.
Once they were both skate free and redressed in their own boots, Arizona grabbed Callie once more, leading her away from the pond. She stopped abruptly next to a tree a few yards away and pulled Callie in for a searing kiss. "Do you want to move in together?"
"What?" Callie asked, startled by her girlfriend's weird behavior.
"I heard you say we should move in together that night at our shed but I was scared so I pretended to be asleep. I was scared that I was more in this than you. I was scared we were moving too fast. I was scared this was just a fling to you. But you told your family and you're here in Boston meeting mine and you're talking about marriage. You're serious about this, you're in this."
"Arizona, of course I'm in this. Have I done something to make you feel like I wasn't?"
"No. No, you've been amazing, I just, I don't know what to think or how to act in this situation. I've never gotten this far with anyone. And I've certainly never moved this quickly." Arizona confessed.
"We can slow down if that's what you need." Callie said with a loving smile. It was not what she wanted at all but she also wanted Arizona to feel comfortable at their pace. And as long as they were moving forward and she knew that someday they would move in together, she would be alright with slowing down for Arizona.
"Ask me again."
"Ask you what?"
"To move in together."
"Well, I never actually asked you in the first place."
"Callie…"Arizona said as she actually stomped her foot like a toddler and Callie smiled brightly as she pictured blonde pigtails and a toddler sized body doing just that.
"Arizona, do you want to move in together?" Callie asked with a large smile on her face.
"Mmm, I'll think about it." Arizona smiled coyly as she leaned up and brushed her lips across Callie's lips, "I thought about it and yes, let's move in together."
"We are talking about Seattle right?" Callie asked just for clarification.
"Yes Callie. When I get back from Malawi we can look at some places. You still have a lease on your current place and I kind of want to pick it out together. Is that ok with you?" Arizona asked.
"Arizona, you and me living together in Seattle, just the thought of that makes me so frickin happy." Callie said, surprising Arizona as she wrapped her arms around her waist, picking her up and swinging her in a wide circle. Arizona threw her head back and giggled , holding tightly to Callie until her feet hit solid ground again.
"Let's not tell anyone yet. It's not that I want to hide it, in fact, I want to tell everyone I see that I'm shacking up with The Calliope Torres, badass Ortho Goddess. But you just told your family we're dating, I want to give them some time to adjust to that. And my mom is going to drive us both insane if we tell her. Is it ok with you if we keep it our little secret for now? I mean I don't care if you tell Addie and Mark if you want."
"I appreciate your thoughtfulness. Of course we can wait to tell our families but I am definitely telling Addie and Mark about this because I'm so frickin happy." Callie squealed, spinning the blonde once again.
"Should we go for a quick stroll around the park and then get a taxi to Legal? I don't feel like taking my super hot girlfriend to ride the train."
"It's your birthday, love. We can do whatever you want."
The couple strolled hand in hand through the park, laughing and sharing stolen kisses. As the sun went down, the temperature dropped drastically and the two bought some hot chocolate before catching a cab to take them to Legal just across town. Callie had rented a room for them in the penthouse suite of the Lenox Hotel for Arizona's birthday. She had paid extra to have the room set up with flower petals, candles, and lots of bubble bath at the ready when they arrived.
"Callie, Arizona, you made it, just in time." Barbara said with a smile as she saw the two women enter Legal Seafood just as the hostess came to lead them to their reserved table where the rest of the party was already seated.
"Sara! Nora! It's so good to see you both. I didn't know you were coming." Arizona exclaimed as she hugged Nick's mom and sister. "Sara, Nora, this is my girlfriend, Callie. Callie, this is Nick's sister, Sara and his mom, Nora."
"It's very nice to meet you both. I've heard so much about you, Sara." Callie said, shaking each woman's hand. Both women were tall and thin, the older woman's hair was long and auburn, streaked with gray and she could see the resemblance to Nick. The younger woman wore hers in an elegant inverted bob that was high on her neck in the back and followed the angle of her slender jawline in the front, it was absolutely stunning on her. Her eyes were hazel, unlike her mother and brother and her hair was more red than auburn like her mom's.
"Yea that's my kid sister." Nick said, wrapping his arm around Sara's neck and attempting to ruffle her hair when both Tim and Nora shouted for him to leave her alone. Arizona and Barbara shared a knowing look as the group finally sat down.
Arizona took a seat between Callie and Sara. Tim quickly took the other seat beside Sara while Nick and his mom took the other two seats beside Teddy and Daniel. Callie found herself seated between Arizona and Barbara and she was very much enjoying the banter that was occurring at the table. It took awhile for them to all calm down but they finally got their orders placed and their drinks had been served. While they waited for their food, Callie carefully observed Tim and Sara with a slight smile on her face before she whispered to Barbara, "You know, I think you're onto something with Tim and Sara."
"I know I am." Barbara said with a wink and she patted Callie's hand.
Once dinner had been served and dessert ordered at Daniel's insistence, Arizona opened her presents from her family and friends. Daniel and Barbara got her a fancy new briefcase and a nameplate for her desk that read Arizona Robbins, M.D. Head of Pediatric Surgery on it. Sara gave her a framed picture of the six kids for her new office. Nick and Tim got her tickets for a red sox game in the fall. Teddy got her a girl's day gift certificate for the two of them for the following week when Callie would be in Miami. Callie had brought one of Arizona's presents with her and Barbara had helped her with another one which she had brought from home, having finished it only an hour before they had to meet Arizona and Callie for dinner.
Arizona opened the long rectangular gift box that Callie handed her and she smiled as she saw the necklace inside. It was a sand necklace with sand from the beach where they had stayed in Spain. The necklace was a circular pendant with a wave in the center, the sand poured into the glass making up the wave to mix with it. "Callie, this is so thoughtful and beautiful, I love it."
Arizona turned so Callie could clasp it behind her neck for her. It fell down and rested on her chest above the heart necklace she was already wearing. She never took that necklace off. When Arizona turned back around, Callie was holding another gift. Arizona smiled and took the bigger, square shaped box from her with a raised eyebrow.
"This one is from both your mom and I. It was my idea but without her there was no way I could execute it. I also had some help from the Chief, Alex, and Lexie." Callie said. Arizona lifted the lid to see a purple scrapbook with Dr. Arizona Robbins scrawled across the front center of it in a child's handwriting. In different handwritings there were all sorts of other nicknames, "Dr. Sweetheart", "McDimples", "Battleship", "Dr. Arizona", "Phoenix", and "Riz" were among them. She opened the book and gulped as emotions flooded her. The front inside cover had the names of all the children she had treated starting with Maliha being the first name, right at the top. There were pages of pictures of her kids in Malawi and Afghanistan, letters from children and parents thanking her, and messages from her friends and fellow surgeons. Pictures drawn by her tiny humans telling her how much she had helped them and how much they had loved having her as their doctor were scattered throughout. She saw a drawing from Taara of herself and the little girl with Taara's very carefully written words saying, "My hero" next to it. All resolve was lost and Arizona slammed the book shut as all eyes watched her. She felt embarrassed by her emotional outburst and took a moment to compose herself. She would finish looking through it later when they were alone.
"This is so sweet, Calliope, I absolutely love it. It's just so special, I don't even know how to thank you for this. And thank you mom, for helping her with this." Much to Arizona's dismay, the dessert arrived at that time and everyone began singing happy birthday to her. But all eyes diverted quickly to Callie as the brunette joined in and everyone, besides Arizona, heard the latina sing for the first time. Callie quickly noticed she was the only one singing and looked around self-consciously.
"Arizona didn't tell us that you could sing, dear." Barbara said as she openly stared at Callie. Saying Callie could sing was like saying the ocean was big. The statement just didn't do it justice.
"She doesn't like to sing in front of people mom." Arizona said, quickly coming to Callie's aid as she saw the panic in the poor woman's eyes.
"Don't be embarrassed, Callie, that was seriously awesome." Tim replied, trying to help but instead, making Callie feel more on display.
"Can we just move on? Y'all are making Callie a little uncomfortable and I think we should all just enjoy our desserts since all you big fat fibbers told me there would be no happy birthday singing at this little gathering."
"Oh, Arizona, you know we can't not sing Happy Birthday to you." Barbara said as she dug into her own dessert. It seemed to work and Callie took a forced deep breath as Arizona squeezed her thigh beneath the table.
"You're going to owe me a solo version of that song later." Arizona whispered with a smile and a wink.
"I'll give you a full performance." Callie whispered back.
As they stepped out of the restaurant, the snow started to fall. They all said their goodbyes, hugging and kissing each other. Callie and Arizona promised to be back in Salem by dinner the next night and then the two were off to their hotel in the cab as the snow fell around them. Arizona couldn't remember the last time she had actually celebrated and enjoyed her birthday so much. Maybe things were changing for the better for her and it had all started with a kiss to the beautiful woman sitting next to her holding her hand in hers tightly.
"Thank you for today, Callie. It was perfect, I really had a great day. Even dinner felt different. And my presents were perfect and so thoughtful." Arizona said, still clutching the scrapbook.
"The day isn't over yet, Arizona, and I still have a few surprises up my sleeve." Callie said with a wide smile.
"Hmmm, maybe I'll start looking forward to my birthdays." Arizona replied as she kissed Callie affectionately on the lips just as the taxi pulled up to the Lenox hotel.
I hope you are enjoying some family time. Arizona's birthday is next.