A/N: I originally intended for this fic to be a one-shot, but I wrote this chapter as a part of a multi-chapter Calzona fic I'm writing for Nanowrimo, and I decided to publish it here as a preview. Enjoy!
Sofia groggily woke to voices just outside her bedroom door. As she opened her eyes wider and began to focus, she spotted the neon green cast covering her left leg. In a rush, the memories of the day before came rushing back to her—falling from the ropes course, waiting for hours in the hospital all alone, her mothers finally arriving, trying to hide their red eyes with big smiles.
Glancing across the room, she saw her crutches sitting by the door, resting against her bookcase. How did her Mami expect her to get out of bed? She was about to call out for help when she stopped herself, choosing instead to listen to the conversation coming from the living room.
"Thanks again for bringing her stuff by, and for all your help yesterday. You were a life saver," her Momma said gratefully, gently setting what sounded like a suitcase down on the hardwood floor. She heard her Aunt Bailey reply, "It's not a problem. Tuck broke and arm on the jungle gym a couple years ago. I know I'm a doctor and I see kids with far more serious injuries all the time, but it scared me half to death. It's different when it's your little one."
"Tell me about it," Arizona agreed instantly, "It has given me an even better understanding of all the parents freaking out in my peds ward over minor procedures like an appie." She laughed softly. Bailey continued, her voice gentle, "How is she doing?"
Sofia heard a sigh come from her mother, "She seemed to sleep through the night. I haven't woken her up yet—rough day yesterday. I figured the girl could use her rest." Hearing agreement coming from her Aunt Bailey, Sofia was just about to cry out and correct them, letting them know that she was absolutely not still asleep, when her Aunt Bailey continued, "And how are you doing?"
Arizona responded with something halfway between a sign and a laugh, the same noise she made when Sofia asked her how work went on nights when she came home late, "Me? I'm fine. She's gonna be fine, so I'm fine." There was a long pause, and then Sofia heard her mother continue, her voice much softer this time, so the young girl had to sit up to listen more closely, "Calliope told you what happened, didn't she?"
"I kinda dragged it out of her. I could tell she was upset about something—I was worried there was something worse wrong with Sofia," Bailey responded, her voice sounded almost guilty, a tone Sofia had rarely heard her Aunt Bailey use.
Sofia heard her Momma take in another breath, this one shakey and uneven, "I'm okay. Really." She supplied, though her voice sounded wobbly, Sofia scooted closer to the foot of her bed so she could listen more closely, "I just—something like this is bound to happen from time to time, being the non-birth parent. And gay on top of that. It just…" she took in another shakey breath, and Sofia could have sworn she heard a sniffle as her Momma continued, "I was so scared. And hurt and angry that anyone could tell me that she wasn't mine. Because she is! I'm her Momma! I am!"
Sofia held her breath as she heard her mother break into sobs that were soon muffled against what she assumed was her Aunt Bailey's shoulder. She felt her eyes well up listening to her Momma cry. What was she talking about? Who told her she wasn't her Momma? Why would they say that? Her Aunt Bailey then whispered to her mother, barely audibly through the door, "Of course you are. You're her Momma. She's yours. And anyone who dares to say otherwise can go suck a bag of dicks."
Sofia didn't know what that expression meant, but she figured it was naughty when she heard her Momma gasp and giggle through her tears, "Miranda! My seven-year-old is in the next room!"
"Sorry," Bailey said, but the tone of her voice told Sofia she was smiling. "You gonna be alright?" After a brief pause, her mother responded with a quiet, "Yeah." Her voice was still wet, but Sofia swore she could detect a grin. "I'm gonna go check on her. Have a seat in the living room. I can make us some coffee in a minute."
Hearing footsteps coming toward her room, Sofia scrambled back to the head of her bed and under the covers, closing her eyes as her mother opened the door—she doesn't want Arizona to know she's been eavesdropping. Hearing her mother walk slowly over to her bed, she then felt her Momma's weight sitting next to her on the edge of her bed.
Feeling her mother gently stroke her hairr from her face, Arizona gently planted a kiss on her forehead, whispering softly, "I love you so much, bug. To the moon and back." Placing, Sally, her stuffed Salamander, gently beneath her arm, Arizona raised herself up from her daughter's bed and left the room, closing the door gently behind her. Sofia stayed still until she heard the click of the door before opening her eyes. She squeezed Sally tightly against her, inhaling deeply as she pondered the conversation she just heard.
"Bless my soul! Herc is on a roll! Blah blah blah hmmmmmmmm…. Bigger than a troll!" Callie sang along cheerfully as Sofia shrieked with laughter, "No! Mami! Those aren't the words!" she giggled gleefully. Callie feigned shock, "Of course they are!" which only made her daughter laugh harder. Since coming home from camp in a cast a couple days ago, Sofia had spent most of her time on the couch with her leg elevated, watching Disney movies with one or both of her mothers. At the moment, Arizona was at the hospital, so it was Callie who was home watching Hercules with their girl.
"You don't know the real words to any Disney song," Sofia stated smugly. Callie gasped, pretending to be offended, "Sure I do!" But Sofia wasn't having it, "You do not!"
With a casual shrug, Callie relinquished her fake argument, "Well, we can't all be like Momma, and her gift with Disney lyrics. Although, she is at a slight advantage working in peds and getting to practice with her patients all day long."
"And with me!" Sofia added proudly, "I'm her little protégé!" Callie beamed at her daughter's enthusiasm, "That you are."
However, her smile faded as she saw worry cross her daughter's face, "Mija, what's wrong?" Sofia hesitated for a moment, before looking up at her mother, concern etched clearly on her small features, "What happened at the hospital the other day?"
Callie's face froze as she attempted to reel in her panic. She had no idea what her daughter knew and where she heard it from. Trying to gauge how to respond in the most neutral way possible, Callie posed her own question, "What do you mean, Sofia?"
Sofia's concern deepened, "I heard Momma talking with Aunt Bailey yesterday. She said something about someone telling her that she wasn't my Momma. She was crying." The young girl brought her eyes up to Callie's, pleading with her to tell her what was going on.
With a deep sigh, Callie tried to figure out where to begin. How was she going to explain this to her seven year old? It broke her heart—Sofia shouldn't have to learn about cruelty and injustice just yet, and yet here they were. "Momma got the hospital a few hours before I did. I was in surgery, so she drove up ahead of me."
"But you and Momma both arrived at the same time," Sofia interjected, confusion crossing her face. Callie nodded, and tried to continue as calmly as possible, "That's because when your Momma arrived, they wouldn't let her come in to see you."
Horror filled Sofia's eyes, "Why not? She's my mom!" the young girl responded indignantly, and through all the heartbreak, Callie couldn't help but feel proud of her daughter for recognizing this injustice. She continued carefully, trying not to let her still burning anger at the doctor get away from her, "That's right, mija. She's your mom, and the doctor was wrong to do that. Some people think that because she didn't give birth to you, Momma isn't as much your mother—"
"That's not true!" Sofia exclaimed, tears of rage filling her brown eyes. Callie nodded vehemently, "It's not true. The doctor was wrong and he did a bad thing, and it hurt you and your Momma." Reaching out and grabbing her daughter's hand, Sofia kept fuming, "He should get in trouble! You're supposed to get in trouble when you hurt people!"
Callie swelled with pride; this sure was her kid, "Well, we're filing complaints with his boss. We can't guarantee anything, but we're hoping he gets in a lot of trouble." Sofia nodded in satisfaction, "Good."
Wiping her tears hastily from her cheeks, Sofia continued softer, "Is Momma okay?" Callie smiled at her daughter's protectiveness of her mother, "She's okay, mija. She was just scared, that's all. But she's okay."
Sofia nodded, diverting her attention back to the movie. A moment passed, with Hades' comical blue flames filling the screen, "That doctor is worse than Hades." Sofia mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest in fury. Callie couldn't help but laugh at the comparison, "Way worse than Hades. Way worse."