So many of you enjoyed the first chapter i had to write more, enjoy and thanks for the reviews.
In New York Callie had woken up late to breakfast in bed. In was almost unheard of for her daughter to let her lie in past 9am, but it was 0915 when her phone buzzed waking her up, she silenced it, thinking it was her alarm. Before she could check the screen to confirm the bedroom door opened.
Sofia entered balancing cereal, toast, fruit and juice on a tray, more split on the tray than in the bowl but it was the thought that counted. Sofia had helped her eat the toast, and the fruit.
"Thank you Mija" Callie said, kissing Sofia's hair. "I love you"
"I know, I love you too" Sofia replied,
"Have you seen Penny this morning?" Callie asked, guessing it was her girlfriend who had put her daughter up to this.
"She got paged" Sofia shrugged; she was used to her parent's disappearing at random times. Callie frowned trying to remember if Penny had woken her to tell her she was leaving. She slept so deeply it wasn't a surprise to find her gone. Still a note would be nice. Arizona always used to leave a post it on the pillow with a message, so Callie didn't worry when she woke up. Penny was less thoughtful, instead preferring to text when she was due to return especially when she knew Callie had the day off and was home with Sofia. If Penny had Sofia, she'd text to say she had dropped her off with Mrs Graham. It frustrated Callie not to have the heads up if her girlfriend was home or not.
"I have a surprise" Sofia announced, Callie raised an eyebrow,
"You do?" She grinned at her daughter's excitement,
"Uh huh," Sofia bounced off the bed.
"Great let me shower and I'll be right there" Callie decided, Sofia nodded, running out the room.
"I got to get it ready" she said. Callie smiled at her daughter's enthusiasm, taking a leisurely shower before getting dressed. Sofia always gave her surprises, last weekend it had been a surprise princess tea, a month ago a surprise pet ladybug.
After her shower Callie headed to the lounge leaving her phone on the bedside table, she could hear Sofia singing at the top of her voice and wanted to join in. They sang let it go Sofia inheriting Callie's good voice, dancing around the living room. Before collapsing in a pool of laughter on the floor. These were Callie's favourite days, she loved spending time dancing, singing and just being silly with Sofia. Penny always turned her nose up not understanding the fun in singing at the top of your voice, or dancing in your underwear.
"Mamma, I got presents" Sofia said running into her room, returning with a card and a large box. "That one's for Penny and this is for you. I made it" she informed Callie as if the piles of glitter that was escaping the card wasn't a clue.
"What's this for?" Callie asked as she pulled the card out of the envelope. She smiled at the drawing, recognising herself and Sofia holding hands by the hair colour, enjoying the hearts and flowers around the outside.
"Mamma's day" Sofia cheered, "When we celebrate how awesome you are"
"Mother's Day" Callie repeated her heart sinking, Mother's Day. It couldn't be mother's day already! She had not prepared, she hadn't got Arizona anything, not even a hand-made card. Plus Arizona's birthday normally fell the week before mothers day, if it was mothers day then she had completely missed her ex-wife's birthday.
Panicked she jumped off the sofa fighting the urge to swear in front of her daughter, as she checked the calander. Sure enough there in tiny black ink was the writing, mother's day. She checked the week before, frowning when she saw Arizona's birthday wasn't written on. Penny had insisted on combining their calenders, she'd spent an afternoon copying the important dates across, Callie hadn't realised Arizona's birthday wasn't one of them. She had a flick through, Barbara and Daniel's birthdays were missing too.
"Open your present Mamma" Sofia begged bringing Callie's attention away from the calander, she was bouncing up and down on the sofa impatiently waiting. Callie returned to the sofa sitting next to her daughter and opened the box, to find 6 frame pictures 2 keyrings and 2 mugs. "I picked them mamma do you like them?" Sofia asked. Callie pulled the first one out, Sofia surrounded by bubbles, the second was Sofia dressed as a Princess surrounded by flowers, Callie smiled, as she debated where to put them, wondering if she could get copies for her dad. Next was Sofia lying facing Arizona their noses touching as they grinned staring into each other eyes. Callie felt her hands shake as she looked at her ex-wife. Arizona looked good. Sexy even, for the first time since leaving Seattle Callie allowed herself a moment to consider her ex-wife surprising herself when instead of the normal pain and anger, she felt fondness and love.
The next frame was Sofia and Arizona again, this time Sofia lying on top of Arizona her arms wrapped around her neck. They both looked so happy it broke her heart knowing she had separated the pair. A glutton for punishment Callie continued pulling out the frames, the next one was Arizona tickling Sofia, she had her bent over giggling, laughing herself. Callie felt herself longing to be there, to be in that photo with her family.
The last framed photo was Arizona and Sofia sitting in a flower heart Sofia cuddled to Arizona's chest in a loving embrace, their hair French braided in identical plaits.
"Do you like them Mamma?" Sofia asked, concerned her Mamma was crying.
"I love them" Callie said, "Does mommy know what you chose?" She asked puzzled why Arizona had allowed Sofia to send her the photos of herself. Was she trying to make a point?
"No, I picked all by myself" Sofia replied proudly. "Mommy picked the photos for her house and for Abdula and Grandma and Grandpa R" she explained, "I was big enough to pick all by myself" she bragged, "and I wanted to have pictures of Mommy here, I miss her lots and she makes you happy" Sofia replied simply. "At least I think she did, but you're crying" Sofia lent forwards wiping her Mamma's tears away.
Callie returned to the box pulling out the keyrings and mugs, both had one picture of Sofia on her own and Sofia and Arizona together. She cradled the keyring to her chest just needing a minute.
"What in that card?" Callie questioned, trying to pull herself together.
"It's for Penny, my teacher said Mother's Day isn't just for mothers its for all the special women that help look after you." Sofia recited.
"So, you made this at school" Callie sighed with relief, Arizona would never need to know Sofia had done Penny a Mother's Day card while she had received nothing.
"No Mommy helped me, she did the spelling" Sofia explained, Callie's heart dropped, Arizona knew. She could imagine how devastated her ex-wife had been and her heart broke. For Penny to get a card and for her not to. Callie also knew Arizona would put a brave face on it, play the good man in a storm card while her heart broke into little pieces underneath.
"Mamma why you sad?" Sofia asked, patting Callie's face. "Do you not like the present?"
"No, I love the present, I love it a lot." Callie said stroking Arizona's face. "Why did you say Mommy makes me happy Mija?" Callie asked, "I'm with Penny, you like Penny"
"I know Mamma, but Penny makes your head happy, Mommy makes your heart happy" Sofia explained, "With Penny you smile like this" she did a half smile showing no teeth, "With mommy you do a smile like this" Sofia gave her biggest and brightest smile. Callie sat, Sofia was right. Penny was the safe choice, Arizona was the choice that sent her heart racing, who gave her butterflies. Arizona even miles away was her heart's choice and her heart had finally healed enough to want to try again.
Right now however she had a different priroty, today was Mother's Day, and she had done nothing for Sofia's other mother. An idea came to her. It was only 12 NY time, which meant 9am Seattle, that meant she had options, she had a plan.
"Sofia, I need you to grab your shoes." She ordered going to find her phone. Callie found her phone still plugged in, 3 missed calls from Arizona, not helping her guilt, 1 missed call from Meredith, 1 text from Penny, she was working late. Callie listened to her voicemail, Meredith,
"I was on your side, I was on your side for George, for the custody case, for moving away, but I can't be on your side for this. Callie, she still loves you and I know you've moved on, so does she, but its Mother's Day. She gave you Sofia, she let you take Sofia, even though it broke her. And she tries to hide it, but she smiles less, she works more, goes out less, but today she cried, she actually cried Callie because it was bad enough you forgot her birthday, that Sofia forgot her birthday, but today you forgot Mother's Day. She fought for Sofia; she got her heart beating when nobody else could. She is the reason your daughter is alive and today you forgot that. She isn't nothing Callie, Mark was wrong, she isn't nothing, she is the mother of your child, and she deserves at least a phone call and a glittery handmade card. She loves the handmade glittery cards. The rest of us say thank you, she keeps everyone. And today you broke her Callie, you broke her more than a plane crash, more that the divorce, more than losing her baby. Today you broke her" Meredith ranted down the phone. Callie fought more tears. Meredith was right, she just wished she had called her out sooner.
"I have my shoes Mamma" Sofia called,
"Great Mija, we need to pack, we're going home" Callie ordered. Sofia disappeared Callie making a few calls.
First was a check of flights the first commercial flight the next was that had space was 2100, that wasn't going to work. Sighing Callie made a call, she hated to do this but had no choice if she was going to make it to Seattle in time to celebrate Mother's Day.
"Hello Mija, how are you?" Carlos greeted his daughter.
"Hello daddy, I need a big favour, where's the jet right now I need to be in Seattle ASAP" Callie begged desperately.
"You finally getting rid of that Penny chick and going back to Arizona? I liked her she was strong, she made you happy" Carlos told her daughter, "You need someone strong enough to hold you, that's not Penny. I know Arizona hurt you, and I know you hurt her, but she is the one, she is your soul mate."
"I know daddy," Callie replied,
"The plane is in Washington; I will get it fuelled now it will be there in 90 minutes" Carlos promised. Ever since Callie had left Seattle and fought Arizona for custody, he had been trying to reunite the two, warning Callie not to be so hasty. Advising her to take some time, reminding her that he had once forgiven an affair, that if he hadn't, she would have never been born. Callie hadn't been ready. Today she was ready to forgive Arizona, to try again, she could only hope Arizona was ready to forgive her back. Ever since the divorce Arizona had made sure he was a part of Sofia's life, she allowed Callie to take her, she sent him photos, via text and a wonderful photo package for his birthday. In fact Arizona sent him more photos of his grandchild than his own daughter did, something Carlos was grateful for.
"I'm packed Mamma" Sofia returned carrying her backpack and a case. "Let's go" she ordered excitedly jumping around the living room. Callie laughed,
"Sure Mija, I need a few minutes" Callie began packing her own belongings. She had her case packed and was walking to the front door when it opened.
"Oh my God you should have seen it Callie, we thought we had lost everything, we had a power cut in the lab and the samples…" Penny said walking through the front door her face falling as she noticed the packed cases and Callie's guilty face. "Your leaving?" she asked, "Arizona" it wasn't a question, more of a statement. "I've been expecting it since the day you moved out here. Your heart was never in it. I always hoped, I was wrong, but I knew." She closed her eyes taking a moment, stepping instinctively towards Penny for comfort, before remembering she couldn't.
"Penny" Callie cried, tears running down her face, "I never meant to hurt you"
"I know" Penny replied, "It still hurts though, but I knew" Tears were running down Penny's face too now. "I saw the photos, I heard the stories, the legendary Calzona" she laughed
"Calzona?" Callie questioned,
"That's what they call the two of you, Callie and Arizona, Calzona, everyone is rooting for you, and I hoped I was wrong, that our love could overcome it, but I knew. And when you agreed to move to New York I thought that was a sign, when she gave you custody I thought we could survive it, but I knew." Penny held out her arms, hugging Callie tightly.
"I'm sorry, I am so sorry" Callie apologised, unable to believe how understanding Penny was being.
"I know, and you need to go because I'm about to lose it and smash everything, cry my eyes out and eat my weight in ice cream." Penny half joked. "And this time, don't let her go, don't make my pain be in vain. Don't let anyone else get hurt."
"I promise" Callie said. "Thank you, for not getting angry, for understanding, for being a better person than I ever could be" Callie leant forwards hugging Penny one more time, feeling a strange sense of relief that it was over.
"Sofia" Callie searched the room finding her daughter missing, Sofia ran down the corridor.
"Are we going to see Mommy now?" She asked excitedly,
"Yes Mija"
"Yay" Sofia cheered. Callie could see Penny tense, turning away from the happy family in front of her. Sofia ignored her body language. Penny felt little arms wrap around her stomach. "Goodbye Penny, thank you for being nice" she said, grabbing her backpack again. "Let's go Mamma" she ordered. Callie smiled taking one last look around her apartment, they'd sort the rest of her stuff later. Right now, they had a plane to catch and a Mommy to surprise.
So i based Callie off my dad, dates just aren't his strong point, every year he'd be surprised Christmas is on the 25th December. He's the person in the petrol station 9pm Christmas eve trying to find Christmas presents. He's the person who after 23 years still forgets when my birthday is. So now we just make sure we tell him outright when it is, literally daily text messages, Xy's birthday 4 days, Xy's birthday 3 days.
Hopefully Callie can make it up to Arizona.
I think one more chapter, thanks to the reviewers, i decided to continue to explain why Callie ignored the dates.