A/N: So, there has been some problem with Fanfiction and viewing stats since the beginning of this new year because of which I have been reluctant to upload a new chapter. I had this written a long time ago and to be honest, this is my favorite chapter of the whole series. Okay, maybe one of them.
Chapter 34: Callie
Present Day
Today has been a great day. My post-ops went smoothly and might I say perfectly. But that is not why I was happy. I got to spend some quality time with Arizona. Sure, I was a little anxious about my dad's flight and had to make conscious efforts not to actively think about anything going wrong. But Arizona served as a great distraction.
She suggested that we watch a movie together to take my mind off of my phone. It was some dumb movie about boy meets girl and falls in love with her but then no, it isn't going to be so easy and then they figure out their feelings for each other and some more crap. Arizona loves rom-coms, it was her cocaine and I absolutely hated it. But to be honest, I… if I could get to spend some quality time with her, I didn't mind the sappy stuff.
Most of my attention was on her anyway. The way she laughed when something funny happened and gasped when a plot took her by surprise, even though I saw that twist coming from a mile away, I loved it. I love… No, it's too soon for that.
Throughout the movie I couldn't help but lean in and squeeze her shoulder or plant a kiss on her head. This closeness felt great. But as usual all good things come to an end. I found out that Sofia was at the daycare center.
Based on how Finn and Sofia had reacted to each other during dinner… I was scared for the both of them. So, I waited outside for Arizona to get her leg back on so that we could go and sort out that mess, together.
Even though Arizona told me that she had gotten comfortable with her leg, I can tell that there were some things that were still bothering her. Before, I didn't understand why she made a big deal out of it, but I guess that was the orthopedic surgeon in me who didn't think much of it.
I loved her, leg or no log, didn't matter. But I failed to notice that somewhere along the way I failed to make her feel beautiful, feel cherished or important. I was grieving Mark and dealing with the fact that my wife wasn't my wife anymore, I forgot to… be her wife. She needed someone and I wasn't there for her.
"Oh, I thought you already left," Arizona said as she stepped outside of the room.
"I told you that I'd be waiting for you"
"I'm sorry I totally missed that. Come on let's go" Arizona said as we started walking towards the elevator, an awkward silence taking over us.
Something was clearly bothering Arizona. I turned to look at her and saw that she was in pain. Damn, that leg was really bothering her huh? And it must have been going on for a while.
Classic Arizona, doesn't say anything until it becomes a huge problem. "I know you'll probably say no, but do you want me to get you crutches or maybe a wheelchair?" I asked.
"What?"
"You're in pain Arizona, it would take what? At least tomorrow afternoon for your new leg to arrive? Till then why don't you take it easy?"
"No, I'm not in pain! I can walk, I don't need a wheelchair!"
"Arizona-"
"No Callie! I can walk! I don't need your help!" Arizona yelled.
Okay, I guess I should shut up then.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell" Arizona whispered as we walked inside the elevator.
I sighed "It's fine, I was just trying to help, but yeah I get it"
"No, I… I don't like using crutches or a wheelchair, it makes me feel trapped like I can't move or do anything without assistance"
I nodded.
I knew that, she told me that about a billion times, hell Bailey told me about it too. She told me to give Arizona some space and that Arizona would ask if she needed help. But like always I choose to ignore Bailey's advice. Wrong choice!
I don't know why I suggest a wheelchair, I guess I just didn't want to see her in pain. Arizona was stubborn and hated asking for help. So, that's why I felt like I had to offer it to her even if she didn't need it. If we were giving this thing between us another chance, then I guess I really have to stop doing that.
"I'm sorry too Arizona. You must have told me what a million times that you don't like using crutches and here I'm trying to shove it down your throat"
Arizona chuckled. I swear to god it was one of the best sounds I have ever heard. "You know Calliope, you can give me a massage after our date to help alleviate some of the pain. That is if-if we are still on?"
"Yeah, that sounds awesome actually" I smiled too.
But then the elevator doors opened and our reality crumbed. I could hear Finn and Sofia yelling at each other from here. I quickly exchanged a look with Arizona. I guess this was way worse that we thought. I mean we didn't really smell smoke, so at least they hadn't set the hospital on fire.
"Callie, go! I'll catch up" Arizona said we both stepped off the elevator.
I was a little confused. What did she mean by catching up? That's when I saw that even standing on her prosthetic was killing her. God, she was in so much pain! Why does she do this to herself? I get the whole 'I'm a Marine's daughter I have a high threshold for pain' and all, but why…
I gently cupped her face, I hated to see her in pain. But she smiled before she encouraged me to go.
I took off running towards the daycare center. What have my children done now!
My children.
I had two kids, two beautiful kids! A boy and a girl, one of each. Who apparently hated each other.
In my haste I almost missed the turn towards the daycare centre before coming to a halt in front of the door. All the kids had formed a circle around the two of them, while all the adults were either trying to calm Finn and Sofia or break up the circle.
"What's going on?" I asked as I entered the room.
"I want to spend the day with grandpa too" Sofia replied as she crossed her arms. What does she mean by spending the day with her grandpa? Was Daniel coming too or was she talking about my dad? I don't think she remembers him. She was way too young when she last saw my dad and I guess Arizona would have told me if her dad was coming to town as well.
"But Mommy he's my grandpa, not hers! I get to spend the day with him, not her!" Finn replied.
I guess that answers my question.
"Says who? I can do whatever I want! He's my grandpa too!"
"No he's not! You haven't even met him!"
"I have!"
"No you haven't! He never said anything about you! You don't even know Spanish that means he's not your grandpa"
"I can speak Spanish!" Sofia argues.
Why are my children having a fight about who gets to spend the day with my dad? Did it ever cross their mind that they can both spend time with him? But I think Sofia isn't mad about her grandpa, she's mad about Finn getting to have fun with him and not her.
Just then I felt someone tapping my shoulder.
"What's going on?" Arizona said as she leaned into me.
Wait, why is she leaning into me, oh her leg! Yup! I saw a chair at the corner of the room. But now, I'm not sure if I should offer her the chair or keep quiet.
Normally, I would have asked one of the nannies in the room to get me the chair and helped Arizona onto the chair, even though she would have said no and fought me every second of it. I guess it was worth it in the end when I would see that her leg was bothering her less, even though she'd be mad at me later for forcing her into doing something that was clearly making her feel better.
I can't do that now. So, I did the other thing that I know would take some pressure off her prosthesis and wouldn't make her mad in the process. I took her hand and guided it under my coat around my waist, while I steadied my hand around her.
Arizona was confused for a moment but then when I felt her leaning onto me, I saw her face relaxing as all of her weight wasn't on her fake leg anymore but rather on her other leg and on my side.
"They are fighting" I replied after making sure that she was in minimal pain or as minimal as it could get.
Because her hand was shielded by my coat, I don't think it looked like she was resting on me, but rather she was just standing really close to me.
Arizona sighed, I guess it was working. Her pain was not intense anymore, I helped and that too in a way that didn't make her mad or lead to fights. "Yeah I can see that" she replied.
"Finn told Sofia that my dad was coming and now they are fight about who gets to spend the day with him"
"What?"
"Yup"
"Do they not understand that the two of them can spend time with him?"
"Nope" I replied rather quickly since I too went through the same thought process.
"Mommy can you tell this dum dum that I too speak Spanish" Sofia asks Arizona.
"Sofia you don't speak Spanish" Arizona replies as she smiles.
"See, even Arizona agrees with me!" Finn replied as a smile took over his face "Also my name is Finn Torres! Not dum dum!"
"Dum dum suits you! And don't you dare call yourself a Torres! You are not one and you will never be! She's my Momma not yours!"
"SOFIA!" both Arizona and I yelled.
I don't think Arizona understood what Sofia said. Yes, she was rude, very rude, but she just used his biggest insecurity against him. Poor Finn. A while ago, kids used to tease him for using him my last name because in their tiny heads and an even tinier homophobic world, the dad's name should always be their child's last name.
I felt Arizona leaning away from me, as her attention shifted from Sofia to Finn and then back to Sofia.
I watched Finn for what he'll do next. Finn was a vocal child and he too switched to Spanish when he felt frustrated. But Finn just stood still for a while before he turned and looked at me.
Oh honey.
He had huge tears pooling around his eyes before he started running. I knelt down to scoop him in my arms. Finn rarely ever cried, but Sofia just had to say the exact words to trigger him.
Finn ran towards me but at the very last moment he deflected and ran around me. I turned around to look where he was going, but before I could chase him, I saw my dad at the door as he picked Finn up in his arms before he rubbed the tears off his face.
"What's going on?"
"Daddy, that's a very popular question today" I responded but before I could explain to him what had gotten Finn so riled up.
I saw him looking at Arizona and then he looked past her.
"Calliope… is that-is that her?" he asked as he looked at Sofia. I appreciate that he didn't complete his sentence, maybe because he knew that Sofia wouldn't recognize him or because of the fact that the last time he spoke to me about Arizona, I yelled at him and now, Arizona was here too.
"Yeah, that's Sofia"
I saw my dad's face breaking out in a huge smile, but it was short lived as my son clung on to him. I wanted him to meet his granddaughter again, but it wasn't just my decision to make.
So, I turned towards Arizona and pulled her away so neither Sofia or Finn can hear us.
"Arizona, you know my dad really loves Sofia and he did ask me if he could see her and I was going to ask this before, I just didn't expect that they'd run into each other here. Can… Can Sofia spend time with him? I understand that he's practically a stranger to her and even to you and it can totally be on your terms, but-"
"Of course he can Calliope. I mean I'd like to be there with her just in case, but he can"
"Oh! Great" I said before I looked at Finn, he was having a hard time and my dad was having trouble calming him down. I looked at Sofia, who was on the other end of the room pouting. "I need to get to..."
"Yeah um, I need to talk to Sofia, she can't just… I'm so sorry, she's never like this, I don't know what's gotten into her"
"Hey, you don't need to be sorry, it's my fault. I caused too much pain, to you, to Sofia"
"Callie, we can save this for later, in the meantime…"
"Finn"
"Sofia"
"Yup" I replied before I made my way towards my son. God! This just makes it look like I'm choosing him over her, but I have no choice. He needs me right now.
There go our four seconds of paradise.
A/N: I know it feels like I'm dragging the story. But I feel like if I don't tend to these issues, then I won't be doing justice to the story.
