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Sorry translation can be rough, I'm French and my English is not so good

Chapter 3 The First Night

Arriving at the apartment, Sofia turns into a guide to introduce her mother to the place. This one, stops in the entrance in front of the photo taken on the day when Callie and Sofia returned home, after their long months of recovery. The cheerful faces of Marc, Arizona and Callie with Sofia in her arms, testify to the happy days. Sofia doesn't fail to point out that it was identical to Arizona's home in Seattle, and Callie smiles at this coincidence. When they lived together, before the tragedy, they often had the same thoughts at the same time, as if they had only one brain for two. Arizona and Callie remembered their live at that time, it was perfect happiness, idyllic and then... Sofia interrupts the mother's daydreams, pulling on the Arizona's arm

- Mommy, come and see my room

She follows the child who holds her hand and enters the bedroom. She discovers the exact replica of the room they set up together for their daughter, in their home in Seattle, which was supposed to be "the new start" home. On the walls are hung many pictures of the two mothers with Sofia, Marc and Sofia, on the child's nightstand, next to the bed, an Arizona's portrait is posed. Arizona touched by Callie's thoughtfulness to have wished to maintain the memory of their family for Sofia. She can' t suppress the hope that Callie might have needed memories too.

- Wow that's beautiful, but it's me in this picture. I do not remember it!

- Mama gave it to me. I liked looking at it when I was asleep, but now you're here, I won't need it anymore.

The words stuck in her tight throat, she can only nod her head to respond positively to her daughter. Yes, she had really made the right decision because Sofia had really suffered from the separation and as for her, she was determined not to miss a minute of her daughter's life, nothing was more important to her.

The meal takes place in a relaxed atmosphere, Sofia overexcited, monopolizes the conversation which is not to displease the two adults still a bit embarrassed by the situation.

Arizona noted that Callie had prepared an excellent chicken piccata, her specialty and Arizona's favorite dish, she refrained from pointing it out to avoid bringing back a whole bunch of memories that could be awkward.

At the end of the meal, the two women start tidying up the kitchen, naturally as if it were an old routine that had never stopped.

- Sofia baby it's time to go to bed now! You won't be able to stand up tomorrow.

Sofia's not answering. Callie rehearses louder as Arizona moves closer to the couch. The child fell asleep in front of the cartoon that she had just installed for her.

- Poor baby, she is worn out, she had an exhausting day, and she did not want to sleep during the trip, she wanted to hold my hand all the way, in case I got scared.

- It's so cute! Wait, I'm going to carry her to the bedroom without waking her up. Can you please go get the blankets out her bed.

Arizona has always been impressed by Callie's thoughtfulness and kindness. In a few hours she already realized that with her artificial limb she has more and more difficulty to carry Sofia become too big, but she makes sure not to draw attention. Although she is not fooled, she still finds it's adorable that Callie still cares about her ill being in relation to her disability. Yet now all these feelings are overcome. Arizona handle the amputation, she learned to live with it, there's not much she can't do. In any case, this leg will no longer prevent her from enjoying fully her life.

- So I go, follow me with her

Callie gently puts the child in bed while Arizona placed on the opposite side, pulls up the blankets on her daughter and installs her blankie. They both bend over, to kiss the sleeping girl's forehead. This moment, brings back in each of them memories that they had to bury deep, to try to continue their lives separately, to turn the page and even to change the book. As Arizona gets up to leave the room, Sofia grabs her wrist and whispers half asleep.

- Mommy, thank you

- Thank you? why sweetie?

- Thank you for coming with me to New York, I'm so glad you're staying with me now.

Arizona moved to tears answers to her daughter who goes back to sleep

- Me too, me too sweetheart

The two women come out of the room. Arizona's misty eyes cross Callie's weepy eyes, apparently as troubled as her ex-wife.

- I don't know where you got this crazy idea that you weren't meant to be a mother. You are the best mother I've ever met. Sofia is lucky to have you as a mother and I am lucky to have you as my daughter's mother. I'm not sure I'm really allowed to say that, but I'm glad you're here, Arizona.

For Arizona it was too much emotionally this evening resembles the roller coaster coupled with the scenic railway and Space Mountain, in the same time. In a few hours so many repressed memories, have risen to the surface. Higgledy-piggledy moments of happiness as well as worst moments of her life jostle in her mind. She cannot help thinking of what had been said in court, she shakes her head to drive away her negative thoughts and still manages to let out a shy

- Thank you

Taking over, after a deep inspiration she declares:

- The day was rather hectic, I'm exhausted I'll go to bed too, I need a good night's sleep

Arizona's reaction doesn't escape Callie, she already blames herself, for having pushed a little too far, a little too fast. She knows her flaw, this constant impatience. She always wants everything and right away, she is always in action-reaction mode. This, has often played tricks on her and she has sometimes paid the high price. She knows full well that Arizona needs time and space to manage emotions. As much when she is in an operating room, she is a machine, she makes decisions without hesitation, as much on the emotional level she's always fearful, indecisive, hesitant. Callie had sworn to stop falling into this trap and to respect this Arizona's character trait, which inevitably intensified with the terrible setbacks that life inflicted on her. But here from the first evening she failed. How could Arizona forget the fight for Sofia's custody? She had been so unfair, she was ashamed of what she had done and could not stand Arizona's look any longer. So it's angry with herself that while retiring precipitously in her room she throws

- Oh! of course, I understand very well, if you need anything don't hesitate.

She leaves Arizona standing in the middle of the corridor not knowing what to say except a sarcastic

- Uhh… have a good night too !

But Callie's already disappeared into her room, hearing nothing of the irony of her daughter's mother.

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