Chapter 7
She had her phone on the side awaiting Callie's call. Her stomach was in knots waiting for the confrontation. Anytime now. She knew the warrant had been served at 1900 New York time. Penny should be home from work, Callie too. The police were going to serve the restraining order at the same time, and arrest Penny for questioning. Maybe Callie had been arrested too, or maybe she hadn't been home. Arizona paced up and down the living room her mind racing with possibilities. She was just glad Sofia was distracted in her room.
The doorbell rang, Arizona opened it, Alex stood there holding a bottle of wine.
"Soph, Uncle Alex is here" Arizona yelled, a brown-haired girl whizzed past her jumping onto Alex who easily caught her.
"How is my favourite Rugrat? Sorry Jo is on call" Alex carefully lifted Sofia up to sit on his hip.
"I'm good, I'm playing princesses, do you want to play, I'll let you be Elsa" Sofia offered,
"Elsa is badass," Alex agreed easily. Taking the offered doll, Alex sat on the floor beginning to play. Arizona sat on the sofa, Sofia had given her Cinderella, while she was Belle.
"I hope you like Mac N cheese," Arizona said standing up to go back to the kitchen.
"Yummy" Sofia jumped up following Arizona in Alex following. They just sat down to eat when Arizona's phone rang. Alex could tell by her face who it was.
"Go take the call, we are good here" he offered. Arizona nodded walking outside before pressing answer.
"Arizona what the hell" Callie screamed, "I thought you were over this, I thought you were the better person, the good man in the storm. They said you think I've abused my daughter, that i hurt Sofia, Arizona you know I'd never hurt you. How could you say such a thing. Impedir que una madre vea a su propia hija. ¿Por qué, porque estás celoso? ¿Porque eres egoísta? Si Sofía estuviera herida, lo sabría, soy su madre." Callie ranted
Stopping a mother from seeing her own daughter. Why, because you are jealous? Because you are selfish? If Sofia was hurt i would know, i'm her mother
"Callie" Arizona tried interrupting, trying to defend herself, trying to explain,
"No Arizona, you don't get to do this, you don't get to have Penny arrested, it could ruin her career, it could ruin my career. I was dragged out in handcuffs. Handcuffs! Una orden de restricción en realidad. es tan egoísta"
A restraining order really. It's so selfish.
Callie ranted. Arizona had heard enough; it was typical Callie jumping in headfirst without hearing the counter arguments. Jumping to conclusions without the facts. Arizona knew if she responded now they would both regret it. She needed time to cool down they both did before they both said things they'd regret.
"Callie is that how low you think of me, that I'd do this to hurt you, to get back at you." Arizona was furious, it took a lot to wind her up.
"I don't know Arizona I got home from work to find the police searching my apartment, my girlfriend arrested, and the police demanding I went with them. I was escorted to the police station, and was asked questions, they say you accused us of abusing her. Me abusing our daughter! Arizona you know I'd never hurt Sofia, I don't even know you anymore, I don't even recognise this person you have become" Callie screamed not even asking if Sofia was okay, or why Arizona thought she was being abused. If there was a reason. Arizona knew that in Callie's mind she was just a terrible person who made up lies to get back at her ex, she had made it clear at the court case she held her in poor regard. Heart broken and exhausted Arizona finished the call.
"I thought I knew Callie, I thought I knew everything about you too, I guess we were both wrong. Calm down, think it through, I'll call you tomorrow, for now Sofia needs me" Arizona hung up the phone sadly. It was clear Callie wasn't going to let her explain tonight, they'd just argue more. It should never have come to this. she'd wanted Sofia to have 2 happy moms' but more importantly she'd wanted Sofia to be safe. Callie rang back again Arizona sent it to voicemail.
Going inside both Alex and Sofia had finished dinner and were battling on the PlayStation. Not hungry Arizona emptied her plate into the bin after talking with Callie she really wasn't hungry. Instead, she sat on the sofa watching as her child and brother fought over Mario kart. Neither were related by blood, but both were family. Callie kept ringing nonstop each time Arizona sent the call to answer phone. Her home phone was also off the hook. She was to emotionally exhausted to talk to Callie again tonight.
Checking the time Arizona noticed it had gone passed Sofia's bedtime.
"Hey Sof, bath time then bed" she ordered,
"But mommy I'm beating Uncle Alex." Sofia protested.
"Bath now and Uncle Alex will read you a story" Arizona bargained, knowing Sofia loved it when Alex read her stories.
"Okay mommy, Alex you gots to pick a story" Sofia demanded already running down the hall removing her top, showing Alex for the first time the full extent of her bruises and welts.
"Take a breath" Arizona warned "Trust me I want to fly to New York and beat Penny senseless. But Sofia need's her Mommy and Uncle Alex here and not in prison" Arizona repeated her mantra trying to calm Alex down
"Mommy I need my bath soap" Sofia yelled.
"Her majesty summons me, and you need to pick a story" Arizona reminded him, "Not too long, its late"
After Sofia was in bed Alex opened the wine pouring 2 glasses waiting for Arizona to finish tucking her in.
"Here" he grunted, passing her the extra-large glass. Arizona sipped it,
"So how are you really?" he asked
"I have no idea, I'm so angry with Penny, with Callie, with myself we should have noticed, I spoke to Sofia nearly every night and I didn't notice. I'm a Peds doctor and I couldn't even see the signs of abuse in my own daughter." Arizona cried; Alex put his arm around her.
"You are a good mom, so is Callie. Sofia is lucky to have you both fighting in her corner. She has a village"
"Then the whole village let her down" Arizona said resolutely, she wasn't going to let herself off that easy. She was never going to forgive herself.
"Why didn't you come to me, I could help?" Alex asked trying not to sound hurt that Arizona had gone elsewhere for a Ped's problem.
"Because we are friends, I'm your boss, I own the hospital you work out, I don't want some smarmy defence lawyer making out you faked reports for me. So I went to Pres, and Susan. That way Penny will pay. Susan is good and I have no influence that anyone can object too. I would have come to you if it had been anything else. You're the best, well after me,"
Alex just patted her shoulder aware nothing he could say would make it any better. Instead, they sat drinking wine. Arizona more than Alex. With 3 bottle emptied Alex carefully lifted Arizona up feeding her aspirin and water before carrying her to bed slipping off her jeans and removing her leg. Too drunk to drive home although considerably more sober than Arizona Alex helped himself to a blanket before crashing on the couch.
It was early when he felt a small hand gently shake him awake. He opened his eyes to see Sofia standing there.
"Hey munchkin" Alex greeted,
"I wet the bed" Sofia whispered tears running down her face. Alex hid his groan, he really didn't want to spend the night changing sheets, still he wasn't going to make the traumatised kid feel bad.
"It happens, come on let's get you changed then you can sleep with Robbins" Alex offered thinking that way he wouldn't have to change the sheets. Sofia nodded, he lifted her up carrying her to her room.
"How come Penny didn't like me?" Sofia asked sounding broken "I tried to be good, I really did, I didn't disturb her and Mamma time" Alex sat down on the cuddle chair in her room, lifting her nightie up putting a clean one on finding the pull-on pants and putting them on too wondering why they hadn't done that last night, he guessed Arizona had been to distracted by Callie's call.
"When I was your age my dad, he used to hit me, he'd spend all our money on booze, so we had no money for food and I thought it was me. That I was bad or cursed or whatever" he shrugged, "Now I know I was a child it wasn't my fault. There was nothing I could do to stop him I was so much smaller. It's like lion king, Scar is the baddie we don't know why he wants Simba to feel sad, but he likes hurting him, but I had to be brave, to not let the baddie win, to prove I was the good guy"
"Can I be Ariel?" Sofia asked, Ariel was her current favourite although who knew what morning would bring
"Sure, and Penny can be Ursula, fat, ugly, untalented and extremely jealous and when you grow up you will find your Prince or Princess and live happily ever after" Alex promised,
"Like you and Auntie Jo,"
"Like me and Auntie Jo"
"Right now, let's get you to bed" Alex lifted Sofia up carrying her to Arizona's room, Arizona didn't flinch as Sofia was carefully placed next to her burrowing into her warmth.
Alex smiled at the cuteness, not that he'd ever tell his boss he found her cute. Exhausted he returned to the couch he could catch a few more hours.
He woke again to see brown eyes staring at him,
"You snore" Sofia commented,
"Sofia, leave Alex alone your breakfast is ready" Arizona called from the kitchen. "Alex if you're awake I made bacon sandwiches"
The promise of bacon got Alex off the couch into the kitchen the smell of bacon watching across the house.
"Hmmm" he greeted Arizona with a nod biting into his sandwich, for cooked breakfast in the morning he'd move in.
"Morning, sorry if Sofia woke you up" Arizona apologised
"No problem I helped her change and put her in with you, I didn't touch the sheets though" Alex explained.
"Don't worry we have an easy day,"
"Good I need to go, or I'll be late" Alex scoffed the rest of the sandwich down before quickly leaving, planning to shower at work.
Sofia and Arizona sat eating pancakes with bacon. Sofia watched cartoons as Arizona showered and dressed before heading out shopping. Sofia had only arrived with enough clothes for 2 weeks she needed a lot more, and she deserved to be spoiled a little. Plus, Sofia loved shopping with Mommy.
After eating a chicken nuggets and chips it was bath, then bedtime. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day.
Sofia woke in the night again, this time pulling off her wet pull ups changing herself and going to her mom's room crawling in the bed. Although her sheets weren't wet, she felt safer cuddled up.
Okay so Callie knows and is angry, so is Arizona, will they ever talk?
Don't hate me, especially Callie fans. This was really hard to write and get right.
I know some of you might not like Callie at the moment but i find in the show often she jumps to conclusions and doesn't always listen. This is made worse by Arizona not wanting to bother her with feelings and explanations. Aren't they just frustrating!
Plus from experience, a lot of parents hate finding out someone has been abusing their child, their anger isn't always expressed at the right person. Some parents deny it fully think that physical evidence is wrong, some parents get angry at the child for being abused, for letting it happen and some are really angry at themselves.
Plus Callie has no idea who has been abusing Sofia, and is only hearing one side of the story and that side isn't Arizona's or Sofia. Don't worry Callie is a good guy, and we do get her side of the story. I just have to write it.