Chapter 5
Friends can make everything better. They keep you grounded when you get too proud, they make you mad when you need a push, they lend a hand when you need help. They also do things like lending an ear when you need to talk or hold your hand when you need to feel like you aren't alone. Friends can make you smile when you feel like you have nothing to smile about and they are great at giving advice when you don't ask for it. Friends do so much for us and yet, they get very little credit.
Right at this second, Callie Torres is very thankful for Mark Sloan. Their friendship has survived a brief romance, intermittent hook-ups, a marriage to someone that should never have happened, distance, and a sick child. As they approach her daughter's room, Mark reaches out and grabs ahold of her hand, letting her know she isn't alone for this visit. She forgot how comforting something as simple as someone holding her hand could be.
Reaching for the door, Callie inhales, ready once again to visit her little girl. As she walks in, she see's the small brunette laying in bed. She is hooked up to the ventilator, looking so small wearing little purple pajamas with butterflies.
"Torres, she looks just like you," Mark says, taking in the sight of the little girl he hasn't seen in a few months. "I mean, she always has, but wow. More so today than ever. She is beautiful."
"Thanks," Callie says, with a sad smile, as she makes her way over to the bed, pulling Mark along with her.
They stand for several minutes, just watching the little girl. They keep an eye on the monitors and take in the information displayed.
"She should have been mine. I would have made a great dad," Mark volunteers.
"I know. Too bad the DNA test showed it was George," Callie smiles. Her paternity was never a question, but Mark had always tried to get her to tell George the baby was his. He had told her he had friends in the lab that could make her look like his easily enough. Callie might not have liked George, but she didn't want him to ever think she had been unfaithful. That wasn't her style. Mark was just always upset at how he neglected Callie and the baby at the time, making Callie carry all the weight. George was always busy with work and didn't spend any time at home. So, the talk of a DNA test just created a running joke between the two. It was always Mark's way of telling her she deserved more. What Callie didn't fully know, is that Mark would have gladly stepped in and assumed the role of dad, whole heartedly. He and Callie may not have been meant to be, but he loved her in a way that meant he would always be there for her.
"Good evening, Dr. Torres. I was already finished with evening rounds when I saw you walk in. I thought I would swing back down and ask if you had any questions," Dr. Tanner asked, as Callie turned around to face him.
"Dr. Tanner. Thank you for coming back. Um, you mentioned running a few tests this week. When I called this morning, they didn't have any results to share. Has anything come back since?"
"I'm afraid there was no change since the last battery of tests. We even added on a new type of test that was recently approved that she hasn't previously had. Unfortunately, the results there were not what we were hoping for."
"I see. I'd like to look over all the results tomorrow and sit down and go through everything individually."
"We will make sure we arrange that. I actually have some time in the morning. If you'd like, I can come and get you and go over things with you."
"That would be nice, thank you."
"With the new results confirming what we already know, our recommendation stays the same. However, that is a call that only you can make when you are ready. You need to do what you feel is best for her. "
"I'm not ready. New things are being approved and researched and, and just… she needs more time."
"I understand how you feel. We are here to help and do what we can... Present to you what we find as we continue to run tests. We have weekly meetings with the neuro and peds teams at Mayo. We will try anything they think may give us more information on how to help her."
"Thank you."
"I'll let you visit. Please let me know if I can help in anyway, and I'll plan on seeing you in the morning."
As the doctor leaves, Callie remains quiet and Mark moves back to grab a chair and pulls it closer to the bed. Callie sits and smiles in appreciation. "You know, you would think that hearing the same thing, from doctor after doctor, it would maybe sink in that she really isnt going to improve. It's just, my greatest fear is that I'll take her off the vent for them to come running in with some new test to run that could have made all the difference. And if I would have waited just a few more minutes…"
Mark kneels down by Callie and takes her hand. "And that's why you don't do it until you are at peace with the decision. As doctors, we see it all the time. Parents sometimes know more than we do."
"And sometimes, we see parents make the decision, that we as doctors, we know won't change the inevitable. I just… I just feel like I need to wait. Just a little longer."
"Then… you wait." Mark leans down and pulls her in for a hug. They sit like that until Callie finally pulls back, allowing him to stand.
"Thank you. For coming. For understanding. It means a lot. My parents don't understand. They keep saying they hate to see me suffer. And dad, he thinks he can throw money around and make something happen. It doesn't work that way though. So just… thank you. For being here."
"Anytime, Cal."
Mark and Callie sit in her room all evening. Watching the little girl and making small talk consumes their evening, before they make their way to a hotel nearby. They get settled for the night, each taking a separate bed.
Mark turns the last light off and they lay there, asking the odd question every so often, to lull themselves to sleep, when Mark asks, "So, tell me, have you had any more run-ins with Dr. Robbins?"
"Several. She really doesn't like me," Callie chuckles. "So much so, I sent her flowers today to try to smooth it over."
"Torres, you sent her flowers?"
"I'm pretty sure they were going to make her mad too," Callie chuckles.
"How's that?"
"Well, the whole week we have had this back and forth thing going on. Everything I do gets under her skin. Sometimes I have to admit, I've done it on purpose. But then today, the contractor for the renovation managed to knock the electric out, which really made her mad. So, I sent flowers at the end of the day, after the electric was back on. apologized that I caused her to short-circuit today and it wouldn't be a problem again."
"Yeah, I can see where maybe you just should have said something like a simple 'sorry' and left it at that. Why are you trying to aggravate her?"
"I don't know, really. For some reason, I love to see the look on her face when I do. It amuses me."
"I see."
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Spit it out. I can hear your wheels turning," Callie chuckles.
"It's just, sending flowers might send a different message than what you want to send. So just don't forget she is into the ladies."
"Oh yeah. I've seen her with two different women. She was on a date at the restaurant when you and I were there. Then the next night, she went home with someone different she was dancing with at the bar. And... I may have referenced her ability to have plenty of people make her happy and she didn't need me for that, which ticked her off," Callie says, chuckling again. "And the flowers... nothing romantic about that, whatsoever."
"Hm."
"What, Mark?"
"In all the years I have known you, you have never even looked at a woman."
"I'm not looking at a woman."
"You are."
"You are being ridiculous. I am not."
"Let me reword it. You are flirting with a woman."
"I am not! I can't believe you would say that. I am... just messing with her because she makes it easy. You should see her face!"
"Whatever you say, Torres," Mark says, grinning to himself.
"That is what I say. I don't flirt with anyone right now, let alone a woman," Callie huffs.
"Ok, you aren't flirting. Now, get some sleep if we are going to be over there by morning rounds."
XXXXXXX
"Arizona, I thought you said this was a lake cabin?" Teddy asks, looking out the window at the small pond.
"Well, maybe saying lake was a stretch. There is water out there though. And for a private pond, it's quite large."
"Whatever you say. At least it has a small dock with a few chairs down there. I guess that's all we need. Oohh, and I see a fire pit. Ok... Let's get things unloaded and get down there. I'll load the cooler up."
"We don't need a cooler full," Arizona warns.
"Yes, we do," Teddy says in disbelief.
"Whatever. I'm going to go change into something a little more comfortable," Arizona says as she makes her way upstairs carrying her large duffle bag.
Teddy and Mandy get themselves situated as well, then true to her word, Teddy gets the cooler ready with a few add-ins from Mandy. As Arizona comes back down the steps in joggers and a hoodie, she sees the girls standing looking off the back deck, so she walks out to join them.
"We could just stay up here if you want. It's just as pretty."
"Nope. I want that fire pit, let's go," Teddy insists and gets a nod of agreement from Mandy.
Once situated by the fire pit next to the pond, Teddy reaches over to open the lid on the cooler, passing each of her friends a drink. They opted for some beer and wine coolers-nothing too heavy.
"So, who owns this place?" Mandy asks, looking around. "Because, it's pretty freaking nice."
"Oh, a surgeon I worked with at Mayo. It's actually her dad's. He lives in Florida but bought this so he would have somewhere to stay when he came to visit. He's a surgeon too, so they have plenty of money with plenty of houses stashed across the states. So, I knew this would probably be empty."
"So, a 'her', huh? Is this 'her' someone you have... you know..." Teddy leans in, waiting for the answer.
"You know? You mean, slept with?" Arizona asks.
"Yep, pretty sure that's what she means," Mandy says, chuckling.
"As a matter of fact, no. I don't sleep with everyone I know, Teddy. She is about 10 years older than I am. She was an amazing surgeon and took me under her wing. I learned a lot from her. Her and her husband both, are doctors," Arizona says, stressing the husband part.
"So, how did you go from being a surgeon to a pediatrician? That usually doesn't happen." Mandy asks. She had always wanted to know but never wanted to ask. Now seemed like the perfect opportunity. She had worked with Arizona for about two years now and just didn't know the whole story.
"Oh, I started out being a pediatrician... was actually working as one. Then I decided I wanted to keep pushing myself. So, I went back and became a surgical intern at the hospital I had been working at. As time went on, I excelled and they recommended I transfer to Mayo. They saw a lot of potential and pulled some strings. So, that's what I did. I'm not trying to toot my own horn, but, I was pretty amazing at it," Arizona recalls.
"So, if you were so good, why aren't you still doing it?"
"I'd like to say it was some earth-shattering case or some sob story that happened, but it was neither. I finished at the top of my class, achieved what I set out to achieve, and was offered an attending position there. I actually took it and worked there for a year. Then, I don't know. I kind of got tired of the fast pace and was just overworked. I think after going through school and both internships, I was just exhausted. I needed to decompress. So, like I said, nothing tragic to cause me to leave, it was just me. The way I see it, I went to school for both, so going back to being a pediatrician wasn't about having a fall back, it's something I enjoy, you know?"
"So, it was first choice anyway, you just happened to excel at surgery too?"
"Yep. I still consult with them, every now and then. Usually nothing too exciting. Sometimes they like to have something other than just a surgeon's perspective. I could sometimes look at something and see a different approach, depending on what the problem was to begin with. They are only about cutting. I was about healing and cutting. I could see the bigger picture better, if that makes any sense. They had only been trained to do nothing but cut."
"Makes perfect sense," Mandy says, nodding her head. "Do you miss it though, the cutting?"
"I do. You know... I could expand my practice," Arizona says, lighting up. "I could actually serve some of my patients better and not have to send them all to someone else. It's been a nice break from it but maybe this trip down memory lane is what I need to get me back to doing everything I'm capable of."
"I'd say we need to drink to that!" Teddy reaches in the cooler and passes out another bottle to everyone. "Ok. So, how about those flowers? Did you put them in water?" Teddy asks, looking to Arizona.
"Yes, I put them in water. I wasn't going to just let them die."
"Of course. Not when they come from a woman as beautiful as Callie," Teddy says, looking back to Arizona, who surprisingly doesn't say anything and just works on peeling her label back on her bottle. Teddy and Mandy share a look.
"Yeah, she is a pretty lady..." Mandy says, watching for a reaction from Arizona. When she doesn't get a reaction, Mandy says, "she has a beautiful head of hair, beautiful smile, gorgeous eyes..."
Teddy and Mandy both keep their eyes on Arizona, who still hasn't said a word. "Mandy, I think she is picturing that woman, underneath her, writhing in pleasure..."
"Will you stop it!" Arizona finally says, being snapped out of her thoughts. "I was not thinking about her like that. I was just letting you two go because it seems like you both have the hots for her."
"Totally not our type," Mandy says, smirking. But... you didn't disagree with me.
"Well, I can't stand the woman. Doesn't matter whether she is hot or not... I don't like her. She just... she just makes me mad."
Mandy and Teddy share a knowing smile and let it go. It's not worth pushing their thoughts on the woman, because whether Arizona realizes it or not, Callie Torres is on her mind more than she wants to admit.