Chapter 56
It was a lazy Saturday afternoon. The clinic was closed for the day and it was sunny for the first time in almost a week. It was a perfect summer day to have a pool party. Callie and Arizona invited their closest friends. They were going to go all out. It would be the first time that the twins would be getting into the pool. Naya looked so cute in her little pink bathing suit. It had little white polka dots on it. And little Levi was looking extra handsome in his shark swimming trunks. Arizona was busy in the kitchen coating them in a thick layer of sunscreen. Callie came down from the bedroom. She had just put on her new red swimsuit. She was excited to wear it. She wanted to see her wife's reaction. She had just about lost all of the baby weight she had gained when she was pregnant. She felt more confident in her body again.
Arizona looked up and saw her wife. She was an absolute goddess. Her tan skin, her dark hair. Those legs. Arizona looked down at her kids again. 'Don't tell Mami, but there is the most beautiful woman in the world in our living room.' she said as her kids smiled up at her. Naya let out a loud yell. 'Yes, baby. She is incredible, isn't she?'
Callie smiled brightly and walked over to her family. 'Hello to you too.' she said as she kissed her kids' forehead. She leaned in and brushed her lips against Arizona's. 'Nothing can compare to your beauty.' she whispered into her wife's ear. She kissed Arizona one last time before grabbing the bottle of sunscreen and squirting a generous amount into her hands. 'Now that you have them covered, let me do you.'
Arizona gulped at the double meaning behind those words. She pulled her hair over her shoulder as Callie started rubbing the lotion into the skin of her back. She leaned over Arizona's shoulder and began to make funny faces at the babies. They laughed at their silly Mami before Callie would hide behind Arizona again. She popped up over the other shoulder and made another silly face. The twins began laughing again. Arizona couldn't help but smile at her happy little family. This was what life was all about. Little moments that seem so insignificant, but would be remembered and treasured forever. Her heart swelled. She couldn't believe that there was a point in her life where she did not want this. A wife. Kids. What a fool she was when she was younger. Callie slid her hands around Arizona's stomach and interlocked her fingers together. She pressed another kiss to the side of her head. It was going to be a good day.
Derek and Meredith were the first to show up. They had been at the hospital that morning, and came straight from work. Callie opened the door for them. 'Derek, Meredith. Thanks for coming! Where's Zola?'
'She spent the night up the street with her cousins. Have you seen their new car? It's really nice.' Meredith said.
'Yeah, they bought it the other day. So, we have some food out on the back patio. Drinks are in the fridge. Help yourself.'
'Where are those babies?'
'Outside with Arizona. They are splashing in the pool.'
They walked through the house and out to the back patio. Arizona was laughing and splashing with her babies who were sitting in their pool floats. It was a cute sight to see. Arizona looked up and saw the newcomers. 'Hey guys. How's everything?'
'It's a beautiful day to have a pool party. They look like they are having a good time.' Derek replied.
'They are loving this. We have some water babies Calliope.'
'Good. We can start them on swimming lessons early.'
The get together was in full swing. Bailey and Ben arrived shortly after Meredith and Derek along with Teddy and her new boyfriend Henry. The men volunteered to handle the grilling, while the women relaxed in the pool. The twins were down for a nap, the baby monitor sat on the edge of the pool.
The doorbell rang and Arizona went to answer the door. It was Amber with the kids. Maci and Zola ran to the backyard. They were more than ready to get into the pool. 'Hey Amber. Just you and the kids today?'
'Lex will be here soon. She had an appointment today. She wouldn't tell me what for, but she texted and said that she was on her way. That she would meet us here.' Amber explained. Riley was nearly asleep and was resting his head on his mother's shoulder.
Arizona nodded. 'Come on, everyone's outside. Do you want to set him down in the pack and play?'
'No, he's being clingy today. We'll just sit on the edge of the pool. He'll be ok once he sees everyone else. I think he misses M-o-m-m-y.'
'He loves her, doesn't he?' Arizona shut the door behind the newcomers and they started walking through the house.
'Like you wouldn't believe. It's so weird how the kids just clicked with her. It amazes me. It makes the circumstances a lot better.' Amber said.
'I bet….Oh… well the girls didn't waste any time at all getting into the pool, did they?' Arizona laughed seeing Maci and Zola splashing and giggling with each other. The other adults laughed right along with them.
Arizona rejoined the adults in the pool. Amber walked over to the patio table and removed her flip flops and her shorts. She pulled Riley's shirt off and they went over to the pool to sit with Meredith on the side of the pool. 'There's Auntie Mer, Riles. Can you say hi to everyone?' Riley buried his head into Amber's shoulder more. 'Hopefully, he'll start to be in a better mood soon.'
Callie and Amber were sitting on the side of the pool facing the sliding door that led back into the house. Riley was still in a pretty sour mood and would not let anyone else hold him besides his mom. They heard the doorbell ring and saw Arizona go inside to see who it was.
'So Lexie wouldn't tell you where she had to go today?' Callie asked.
'No, she said that she had a very important appointment today and that it would take awhile. She wasn't sure when she would be done.' Amber said kicking her feet back and forth in the water.
'What do you think it could be?'
'I don't know. I can't think of anything that we needed to do that would involve making an appointment on a Saturday.'
'You don't think it's anything bad, do you?' Callie asked. She didn't want to think the worst of Lexie, but she was finding that people were surprising.
'No, not by the way she was acting this morning. The ice cream was very delicious.' Amber said laughing. Her and Lexie had to come up with code. Maci had heard them talking one night and asked what sex was. They had to rethink how they talked around their kids to avoid any other uncomfortable conversations with their five year old.
'Ok then. Good for you.' Callie said laughing with her friend.
All of a sudden Riley perked up. 'MOMMY!' he screamed. He tried to wriggle out of Amber's hands to get to his other mother. Amber looked up and was speechless.
'Oh my God!' Callie exclaimed.
'She's beautiful.' Amber whispered.
Callie nudged her friend in her side. 'Go to her.'
Amber got up from the side of the pool and walked over to her wife. Riley jumped from her arms into Lexie's already open arms. 'Mommy!' he squealed again and curled into her. Amber just stared at her wife.
'Are you going to say anything?' Lexie asked.
'I…uh…You…Wow.' Amber stammered.
'Can you make words, hot stuff?'
'You cut your hair…' she said bringing her fingers up to her wife's now much shorter hair. 'You look like that woman from that Super show we watched.'
'Do you like it?' Lexie asked. She was beginning to think that it was a mistake to take her dreads out.
'You're so beautiful. Perfection, Babe.' Amber leaned in and kissed her wife. The group of adults were hooting and hollering behind them. They pulled away and started laughing.
'Swim…Swim!' Riley yelled.
'Oh now he wants to swim. He's been so cranky since you have been gone. Not even Uncle Derek could cheer him up.' Amber said.
'Let's swim then.' Lexie said as she grabbed her wife's hand.
Later that evening, once everyone had their fill of food and drink, Callie stood and cleared her throat to make an announcement. The kids swam and played until they all passed out on a pallet in the living room. The adults were all lounging out by the pool still. 'I just wanted to thank everyone for coming today. We have been a little stressed out with work and life and unexpected events going on that we just wanted to spend time with our loved ones. As you may know, there has been some craziness happening with my dad and I had to press charges against him for striking me. We have court coming up next week and I am nervous to face him again. I cannot thank you all enough for helping me keep my mind off of things today. You all are really great friends.'
Henry stood up next. 'I just wanted to thank you all for letting me join in today. I'm sorry, we lost the game of chicken Teddy Bear, but I had a great time with everyone. Unfortunately, I have to get home. Early morning tomorrow. So Teddy, you ready so I can take you home?' Teddy nodded and reached for Henry's hand. They all hugged with promises to see each other more often.
Lexie leaned over to whisper in Amber's ear. 'Come on, I'm taking you home.' she turned to the rest of the group. 'We had a really great time today. Thanks for inviting us. We are going to head out.'
'Just leave the kids. We will bring them home tomorrow. You don't need to wake them just to go home.' Arizona said.
'Perfect.' Lexie pulled her wife up off of the lawn chair and smacked her ass on the way into the house.
'They're going to have so much ice cream tonight.' Callie said into Arizona's ear causing Arizona to crack up.
The rest of the group stayed and chatted late into the evening. 'Callie, are you really ok?' Meredith asked.
'I am getting there. I am still shocked. I can't believe how long he has been trying to change me. My life was so much calmer when I wasn't speaking to him. I'm so mad at him and Tyler both. I'm mad for me and Arizona. I'm mad for Amber. I'm mad for the kids. We didn't deserve any of this.'
'No, you didn't. I couldn't believe it when Lexie was telling me about it. It's going to be ok. I know it.' Meredith said.
'I hope so. I just want to focus on Arizona and the kids. I can't focus on the negativity.'
'Then do that. Take a vacation. Maybe not right now, but once the twins are older. Take a big vacation. Close the clinic for a week and just go. Clear your head, and come back with a fresh start and just keep moving forward.'
'Thanks Mer. That's not a bad idea. I have to talk it over with everyone, but that might be exactly what we all need. How has your pregnancy gone?' Callie asked.
'So far, so good. I haven't had a lot of morning sickness, but you know that can change.'
'I know that too well. I didn't have any for the first trimester, but they sure made up for it in the second.' Callie said remembering back to the worst part of her pregnancy. 'It's all worth it though. Those kids have brought a whole new meaning to my life.'
'They really do. I remember when we went through the adoption process with Zola. I knew she was my baby. It was instant.' Meredith said.
'I can't wait to have more. Soon.' Callie said.
'Yeah, you need some little blondes running around here too.'
'Yes I do.' Callie said looking lovingly at her beautiful blonde wife.
Next chapter is the last chapter.
