"Five minutes late in NY doesn't really count, I'm sorry" – Arizona joked.
"It's nice to see your good mood didn't change. How have you been?" – Meredith asked.
"Busy, tired and anxious. But happy, too, at the same time" – Arizona chuckled.
"Start from the beginning, please" – Meredith requested.
"Well, tell me how much time you have to hear me out" – Arizona joked, making Meredith laugh harder than she did in a long time.
"I actually have the rest of the day just to hear you. Go on, start from the day you left Seattle" – Meredith requested again.
"Callie and I were getting closer and closer, even before she and Penny broke up. She was confused; she got me confused, too. We decided to try again, mainly for Sofia. We had a first good year and that was it. We knew it wouldn't last, we were just pushing that aside hoping for a miracle to come" – Arizona started, getting Meredith's full attention.
"And then you broke up? I was wondering if she was also moving in here" – Meredith said.
"She's not. We're separated for more than 2 years now, and even before that we just shared the same roof. God, two stubborn souls." – Arizona blurted.
"And how is that working?" – Meredith was interested.
"I think that's the best place we've ever been since the divorce. It was a mutual decision. Sofia is older now, so she understand it better. The truth is I think we were done way before we split up the first time. We've tried and tried but the only thing we had left was love. You've been married, you know it's not enough most of the times" – Arizona explained, hoping Meredith would understand it.
"And there's a difference between love someone and being in love with someone" – Meredith pointed.
"Exactly. I wasn't in love with Callie for so long. And she wasn't in love with me either. But she's Sofia's mother, she'd been my rock and my friend for so many years, so it was hard to realize that we wouldn't work as a couple anymore, and that turned my world upside down. I left Seattle, we've failed again, and I didn't know what to do from that moment on" – Arizona confessed.
"You haven't failed. It didn't work, it happens. It's not a failure, you two are wonderful women and it takes courage to give it a try after everything you went through as a couple" – Meredith said, squeezing Arizona's hand.
"Thank you. Those are very nice words to hear. Specially from you" – Arizona said, without realizing her words.
"Why 'specially from me'?" – Meredith asked, a little confused but she didn't sound mad or angry.
"Well, I know Callie is your friend and I had myself to blame for our divorce. It was only natural that her friends would think the worst of me once again" – Arizona confessed.
"I never thought anything bad from you. And for the record, I'm your friend, too" – Meredith smiled.
"That's nice to hear" – Arizona smiled, too.
"Tell me how you ended up moving to Boston. I've heard you are a hard one to please" – Meredith joked but Arizona misunderstood the tease.
"What? I'm not hard to please. I'm actually pretty easy going, if you must know. I just didn't have good luck with the women in New York" – Arizona exclaimed.
"I wasn't talking about women, but good to know you're easy" – Meredith teased – "I was talking about work"
"Oh. Ohhhh" – Arizona took a few seconds to get it – "Jackson is a big mouth, isn't he?"
"He is. Tell me everything. What are you going to do at the Foundation?" – Meredith asked.
"Catherine wants to start a women-health program, especially now with those anti-abortion laws coming back again everywhere in the country. I needed to expand the clinic outside NY and it seemed the perfect opportunity to have my business growing and also build something relevant with the Fox signature" – Arizona explained.
"That's really great. I'm really happy for you. And also for me, I don't have much friends in Boston" – Meredith confessed.
"I've heard you left Grey Sloan but didn't know the details. What are you doing at the Foundation?" – Arizona asked, taking a sip of her coffee that arrived a minute before.
"Mainly researching about Alzheimer's. But that wasn't the main reason I have moved. Zola needed this change, to find a school that she fit in. Jackson made a proposal and, just like it was for you, seemed like the perfect opportunity to both my personal and professional life" – Meredith explained.
"Well, your work with Parkinson was outstanding. It is truly great that you're into new researches right now. I think it's going to be groundbreaking soon" – Arizona commented.
"I hope so. And you're moving in by yourself? Or is Sofia coming too?" – Meredith asked.
"She's staying in NY with Callie, but it'll be easier now. It's a 4 hour drive to NY. We asked her where did she rather live and she'd chosen NY. It's fair, though" – Arizona said, a little sadness coming out of her voice.
"I can't imagine how hard it is for you. I mean, sometimes I wish Derek was still alive just for me to drop of the kids for a week and have a normal life for a bit. But I can't imagine living without them. You're really brave" – Meredith squeezed Arizona's hand.
"I don't actually have a choice. If I'm prioritizing Sofia's happiness, I have to accept this. I just don't think NY worked for me. I wasn't happy at all, I needed a change, but this time something a little closer" – Arizona said.
"Did Callie agreed easily?" – Meredith asked, curious.
"She did. I mean, she actually prefers to have me far enough so she can actually date" – Arizona chuckled.
"What do you mean? I thought you two mutually decided to separate" – Meredith was a little confused, and weirdly bothered about this information.
"We did, and I'm in peace with this. Callie, though, not so much. I mean, she wanted to break up, but she thinks that if I'm around, she doesn't feel free to explore the dating scene" – Arizona explained.
"But why? Do you get jealous or something?" – Meredith couldn't hold back the words and felt her stomach burn inside, even though she didn't know why.
"Me? Not at all. I even tried to introduce her to a nurse at the clinic. But Callie believe in this kind of stuff… energy, karma, whatever. I don't actually dig in this because I don't want her to get the wrong idea" – Arizona explained.
"I see. Well, I'm really happy to have you in here. I don't get enough time for myself but I'm glad that now I'll have an excuse to try harder" – Meredith affirmed.
"I'm glad, too. And whenever you need help to babysit the kids so you can use a little time for yourself, count on me. I know how hard it is to build a village" – Arizona offered, making Meredith flash a cute smile.
"Even though I really appreciate your offer, I meant that I would love to use a free time to hang out with you" – Meredith felt like a teenager with absolutely no control of her words.
They were there for a little more, talking about expectations about work, reminiscing old times and making promises to hang out again soon.
Meredith got inside her car feeling the weirdest ever. Why was she so tender and even a little jealousy about Arizona? Sure, she was fond of her; they knew each other for too long and shared one of the hardest moments of their lives together. But this feeling was something different. Meredith didn't remember the last time she felt her stomach turning upside down over something. And the worst is: she didn't know what this "something" was.