Chapter 52
Callie and Arizona had been back to work for two weeks now. They were both busy setting up their offices in the new clinic. They were located right next to each other and had a door that connected the two offices. It was the same on the other side of the clinic for Lexie and Amber. They were working steadily. Everything was coming together when they heard raised voices coming from the other side of the building.
'Why don't you want to celebrate your birthday? It's your fucking birthday!' Lexie yelled.
'I just don't want to this year. Will you please drop it?' Amber yelled back.
'I just want a fucking reason Amber. I don't want to is not a damn reason.' Lexie argued back.
'I don't want to talk about this anymore. I don't want to celebrate my birthday. I don't want a damn party. I just want to stay home and be with you and the kids.' Amber said. They had been arguing back and forth the entire morning.
Lexie huffed and turned to leave the office. 'Where are you going?' Amber asked.
'Out.' Lexie stormed off.
Callie and Arizona had popped their heads out of their office doors in all the commotion. They looked to one another. 'I'll take Lexie if you want to talk to Amber.' Arizona said.
Callie nodded and started in the direction of her friend's office.
Arizona started running after Lexie. 'Lex!…Lexie, wait up!' Arizona called.
Lexie stopped walking and waited for Arizona to catch up with her. 'What's going on?' Arizona asked once she reached the other woman.
'Why doesn't she want to celebrate? She was adamant that we have this big party for me. I want to do the same for her.'
'I don't know. What does she say her reason is?'
'She doesn't have a fucking reason! She says it's because we are already going to Meredith's for the Fourth of July and her birthday is too close so she just doesn't want to celebrate.' Lexie said. She was upset. She wanted to do something nice for her girlfriend and she was being so stubborn about everything.
'I can't speak for her, but I know that she loves you. I know that since she has met you, she has been on cloud nine. I think she really just wants to spend her birthday with the ones she loves the most. That isn't too awful is it?' Arizona asked softly. She was not a fan of birthdays either.
'She said that last year, she went out with Callie. They went wedding dress shopping and had this great time. I just want her to look back to this one and think of the great time that we had.'
'I think she will. You have changed her life, Lex. Look at where she was when you met her and look at where you two are today. And she will look back and think about the time she spent with you. You are her world. I see the way she looks at you. She loves you.'
'I know she does. I want to give her everything, you know? I've never felt like this with anyone I've ever been with. I never even wanted kids until I was with her. Those kids… I can't imagine being without them. Your cousin is a fucking idiot, by the way. I don't know how he ever walked away from those two. From any of them.'
'If I ever see that asshole again, it will be too soon. Look, there are many many many other birthdays, holidays, special occasions… whatever to celebrate over the years. You just had Riley's party. We have Meredith's party coming up. Just give this one to her. Just make the next one that much more special.'
Lexie nodded. 'I guess you are right. We better get back in there. I can't believe we are going to open the clinic in a few weeks.'
'I know. I feel like we have been running since we came back to work. Our surgical schedules have been light, but we are making up for it with this place.'
'Have I told you that Webber hired a film crew? They are doing a news special about it. Dress those babies up. We are taking family photos and everything. It's gonna be in the paper also.' Lexie said.
'Oh geez. Thanks for the heads up. Calliope hates speaking about her work in front of people. The cameras are going to make her so nervous.' Arizona said. To be honest, she was a little nervous about this new information. 'Let's head back in.' Arizona linked her arm with Lexie and they walked back to the clinic.
Callie and Amber were in a hushed conversation at the soon-to-be reception desk. As soon as they heard the other women approach, they stopped talking. Callie and Arizona left the other two women by the desk and went to finish their offices. Lexie started picking at the papers that were laying on the counter. Amber wrapped her arms around her girlfriend and gave the side of her neck a kiss. 'You still mad at me?' she asked softly.
'Kind of. I want to celebrate with you. Your birthday only comes once a year.'
'You will be celebrating with me. Don't you see, Lex? I only want to celebrate with you. You are my everything. I want YOU for my birthday. As long as I have that, I am a very happy woman.' Amber said squeezing the other woman just a little tighter.
'Ok.'
'Ok?'
'Yeah, ok. I get it. I just want to give you what you give to me. You threw me a big party, I just wanted to do the same for you.' Lexie said turning in Amber's arms.
'Lexie, Babe, we are not in a competition to see who can do the most for each other. Birthdays are about getting what you want, right?' Amber asked. Lexie nodded her head. 'Ok, so what I want for my birthday is for my smoking hot girlfriend, and my two goofy kids to curl up on the couch with me and watch a movie. Pop some popcorn. Then we put our kids to bed.' Amber began kissing up Lexie's neck again. Once she got up to her ear, she leaned in and spoke softly. 'Then I want you to wear that pink nightgown that I love so much. We get the whipped cream and the chocolate syrup, and we make love. All. Night. Long. That sounds like the perfect birthday to me.'
'I can do that.' Lexie breathed out. Amber leaned in and kissed Lexie softly.
'Good. Now get your ass back to your office. We have a clinic to set up.' she pulled back and swatted Lexie's ass as she started to walk away.
The Fourth of July party was in full swing as Callie and Arizona arrived. They got out of their SUV and grabbed a baby carrier each. They were a well oiled machine at this point. The twins were two and a half months old and getting bigger every day. It was going to be their first big party. They were at Riley's birthday party, but it was just a small gathering of a few parents from the daycare. This. This was a party. Doctors, and nurses from the hospital were scattered everywhere on the property.
They walked into the house and towards the other kids in the living room. Maci and Zola were playing with another little girl they did not recognize. The girls seemed pretty familiar with the other so they assumed it was Lexie's niece from her other sister.
'Arizona, Callie. Hey you two. Glad you could make it.' Meredith said.
'Hey Mer. Looks like you had a great turn out. The house looks great!' Arizona said to the other woman.
'We are happy with it. Susan and Thatcher have agreed to diaper duty. So you can set those two down with them and I can give you a tour.'
'Are you sure they don't mind?' Callie asked.
'They insisted actually.' Meredith said.
'Ok then.' They made their way to the older couple who were more than happy to keep Levi and Naya entertained for the evening. The older girls made a big fuss about the new additions to their play group.
Lexie had been busy changing Riley's diaper. She appeared from the back bedroom with a chattering little boy on her hip. 'Ma, cah vroom!' Riley yelled. Cars were his latest obsession.
'Yes, baby. Cars go vroom.' Lexie kissed her son's head and placed him back in the play area. 'Hey guys.'
'He is just talking up a storm isn't he?' Callie asked.
'He's a smart boy. Maci are you behaving for Grandma and Pop Pop?' Lexie asked.
'Yes, Mommy.' Lexie smiled at her little girl before heading back out to the yard.
Meredith smiled. She had grown quite close to the other Greys since they found each other. 'Are you two ready for the tour now?'
Callie and Arizona nodded and followed Meredith towards the back of the house.
The party was in full swing. Callie and Arizona were having a great time. They were busy catching up with the other doctors from the hospital. Their time had been stretched pretty thin between the birth of their babies and the set up of the clinic. It was nice to have the time to just have a conversation.
Callie turned to Arizona to whisper into her ear. 'I'll be right back.' Something had caught her attention on the other side of the yard.
Arizona nodded and went back to her conversation with Alex. He had been doing a wonderful job keeping the PEDS department on track since her maternity leave. Arizona knew that he would one day be taking over her department, especially if the clinic was the success that everyone thought it was going to be. She still had her department head duties, the only thing that suffered was her time in the OR.
Callie came back a few minutes later. 'Come on. We have to get everyone gathered out here.' she told Arizona and Alex.
'Why?' Arizona asked.
'You'll see…' Callie said.
They went inside and called for everyone to gather in the yard. It took a little bit of time, but they managed. 'Alright, Calliope. We have everyone out here. Now what?'
'Watch.' she said nodding to the person across the yard.
'Watch what?'
'She's gonna do it.' Callie said.
All of a sudden, the music was cut and a voice came over the speakers. 'Alexandra Caroline Grey. Where are you, Gorgeous?' Amber was standing on the makeshift stage in the center of the yard. Lexie was very confused as to why her girlfriend was calling her to the middle of the yard, but she made her way over to the waiting woman. Amber grabbed her girlfriend's hand and pulled her in for a peck on the lips.
'What is going on?' Lexie whispered.
'Trust me.' Amber told her. She raised the microphone to her mouth again. 'I love you Lexie. I know you were mad at me because I didn't want to celebrate my birthday. I didn't want the big party and the cake or anything else. I didn't want to celebrate it because I have something much bigger that I want to celebrate with you and I want to start celebrating with all of our friends and family around. I would like to celebrate the rest of our lives together. So Lexie Grey…' Amber lowered down to her knee. 'Will you do me the incredible honor of marrying me?'
Lexie gasped. Tears spilling from her eyes. She didn't have to think about it. She nodded her head up and down.
'Yes?' Amber asked.
'YES! A million times yes! I will marry you.' Lexie said. Amber placed the ring on her finger and kissed her girlf… fiancee. The crowd cheered as the women got lost in each other.
'I knew she could do it.' Callie said pulling her wife in close.
'You knew she was going to ask? And you didn't say anything to me?'
'She told me when you were outside with Lexie. That's why we stopped talking as soon as you two came up to the desk. She was really nervous.'
'That was over a week ago, Calliope! You knew for an entire week?' Arizona was outraged.
'I knew longer than that. Amber and I talked about it weeks ago when I invited them to the party.' Meredith said. The other women turned around at the new voice.
'I'm glad that she found someone. She has her own family now.' Thatcher said as she wrapped an arm around his daughter.
'Our family is growing that's for sure.' Meredith said as she rubbed her stomach.
'You mean… you're…' Arizona trailed off.
Meredith nodded. 'Almost four months.'
'This day keeps getting better and better.' Callie said.
We've had a couple of really happy chapters. Everything is coming together. What could possibly go wrong?
