Callie and Arizona spent the next couple days they had together cooped in at the beach house spending most of their time on the beach or in bed together. They barely dropped physical contact the entire time. They had thought before that they were as close as they could be, but after they had sex, another part of them clicked together and they became even more attached to each other. It made it almost impossible for them to say goodbye. As soon as Arizona got home she told her parents all about her and Callie being girlfriends. She and her mom had a special bonding day where Arizona told her mom everything about them from the start. Her mom was a little upset that Arizona hadn't told her all this until now, but Arizona promised to call her more when she was away. Besides, Barbara couldn't stay mad at her daughter when she saw the way her eyes lit up when she talked about her girlfriend. Daniel of course loved that his daughter was so happy, but he still wanted to meet Callie and make sure she was as good as his daughter believed her to be. The plan was that Arizona's family would join the Torres family at their hotel in New York City for New Year's Eve. Callie had told Arizona about her family's hotel business which had surprised her at first, but also made sense. The hotel was right by Times Square so they could watch the ball drop from the comfort of the hotel's penthouse. Tim wasn't going to be there because he was in training in Texas, but Arizona's parents would be there and would stay until the night after before returning to Boston. Callie's family would be going home as well because of business and Aria would have to get ready to go back to school. Arizona and Callie would stay for a few nights, and then go back to their respective states until a week later when they would be back at school. They had really wanted to spend Christmas with each other too, but understood why that was improbable.
Callie's family never made too big a deal out of holidays. They celebrated them and on Christmas they had a tree with presents and family members came over, but it wasn't that special for her. The Robbins, on the other hand, had all sorts or traditions and even though Arizona was older and stopped believing many years ago, it still felt like magic at her house. Every year her dad would get frustrated and grumpy trying to untangle the lights, but her mom would always soothe him and they would joke about it after. Since Teddy lived on the same block she would always participate in building snowmen and snowball fights with Arizona, Tim, and some other neighborhood kids. They would have holiday music playing pretty much 24/7 and definitely when they decorated their tree with an array of ornaments, many homemade by Tim and Arizona. On Christmas Eve they watched A Christmas Story about a thousand times and each got to open one gift. The next morning Tim and Arizona woke up to the smell of hot chocolate at their bedsides and breakfast foods wafting through the house. The two of them would dash downstairs and see their filled stockings hanging on the mantle above the fireplace and would empty them first. Barbara would convince them to break for breakfast and then they would open gifts under the tree. Later in the day all their relatives would come over and exchange gifts, play in the snow, and eat a huge meal while catching up. It was Arizona's favorite time of year and she was disappointed that Callie wouldn't be able to share in all of that with her. She hoped they could share that in the future, maybe after they hadn't only been dating almost a month, which was another thing they wouldn't be together for- their one month anniversary. It wasn't a technical anniversary per say, but they were Callie and Arizona, they wanted to celebrate everything to do with them being together. They decided they'd just make up for it when they did see each other for New Year's.
Eleven days had passed, making it Christmas Eve. Callie and Arizona had spent every day texting, calling, and video chatting each other incessantly. Even though it was Christmas Eve, Callie's parents were still busy with working in their home offices so she and Aria ended up watching Christmas movies on tv while having a little sister bonding time. Since Aria was only a year younger that Callie they knew most of the same people so she caught Callie up on all the drama of their high school and the guy she currently had her eye on. Callie told her stories about Mark and her roommate Cristina and the trouble they got into. She tried to avoid talking about Arizona so she wouldn't give anything away, but Arizona was there with her in every story. She told a couple more stories before Aria started staring at her making Callie feel self-conscious.
"What?" Aria seemed to study her closely for a few seconds making Callie feel even more unsettled.
"Nothing." Aria answered nonchalantly and gave an indifferent shrug of her shoulder. She focused back on the movie for a couple minutes making Callie think they were done talking. "I like Arizona. She seemed really sweet. Daddy likes her too which, I mean, shit you're lucky. He's never genuinely liked anyone either of us has dated. Plus, she came into it with negative points because of the whole vagina and boobs thing so it's even more impressive." Callie's body was flying through emotions and thoughts so fast she couldn't identify a single one. All she felt was burning heat pulsing through her entire body.
"Wh-what?" To Callie it sounded like her entire family already knew she was with Arizona. It would be one thing for her sister to find out, but if her parents knew why hadn't they said anything and how did they even know?
"C'mon Callie. You two made a pretty pathetic attempt at trying to hide that something was going on there. Daddy thought it first. He came in the house after talking to your girl and suggested it. Mama and I didn't believe a word of it until we saw you two together. Ma and Daddy weren't completely sure if their suspicious were right, but Daddy has been seeing Father Kevin more and I saw a book in his study about being the parent of a child who is gay. I think something snapped in Mama when Arizona called you 'Calliope.' She was being kind of a bitch before that and then after it was like nothing had happened. Seriously, I think she's gone bonkers with denial." Callie really didn't know what to say to all of that. She didn't think her family would pick up on anything between Arizona and her just because she didn't think their minds would jump to that. Apparently she was wrong.
"So you've all known since then?" Callie's head was reeling, yet there Aria sat still talking as if this was all casual everyday conversation.
"We've suspected since then, we've known since a few nights ago. Daddy overheard you talking to Arizona and simply told us that our suspicions were correct. I don't know what he heard, but he seemed okay. Mama just walked away saying she had paperwork she needed to finish." This wasn't exactly how she wanted her family to find out she was dating Arizona, but she didn't want to do a whole announcement of her sexuality either. Her parents already knowing did take some pressure off, but it also made it feel strange. They all knew, but no one was saying anything yet. "So, what did Dad overhear?"
"I'm not sure; we talk for at least an hour every night." Callie took a minute to think back. There was a lot her father could have overheard and pinpointing one moment that would confirm their relationship wasn't easy. "Umm…I don't know. We were talking about me meeting her parents so I probably just referred to her as my girlfriend. She loves when I call her that." That was what Carlos heard. He also heard Callie say how much she missed kissing her girlfriend which is when he thought it best to walk away.
"Aww, you guys are so cute." Callie really loved being able to talk to her sister about this. Since Addie lives so far away and Cristina doesn't do emotional she mainly just had Mark to talk to. Mark was a really great friend to her, but sitting down and talking to another girl about it was a nice change.
"Thanks, I like to think so. Oh! I have some pictures on my phone, do you want to see?"
"Uh, duh!" Aria loved this as much as Callie. She was honored that Callie was sharing this huge part of her life with her. Callie took out her phone and showed Aria some pictures of her and Arizona starting with a couple from when they were just friends hanging out or at school events to when they were a couple. She showed her a picture she took of Arizona sleeping after their first night together, the night they decided to be together and had their first kiss. The next was a picture of Arizona and Tim from later that day when they had lunch together. There were a lot from the zoo so she flicked through them quickly, but made sure to stop at the one of Arizona with the butterfly on her nose extra-long. She showed her the picture Teddy took of Arizona before their first official date and a couple she and Arizona took the day they officially became girlfriends. Aria oohed and awed and made little comments as Callie went through them and told the stories behind them.
"I'm happy for you Callie. You seem happy, at least when you're talking to her or about her. I try not to take it personally. She's smokin' hot too, so well done there." Aria winked at her sister making her bust out laughing.
"Trust me, I know. Being away from her is killing me. When we talked earlier she sounded like she was trying not to cry which made me want to cry. It's like I hurt whenever she's hurting."
"Who's hurting mija?" Carlos' voice snuck up on them from behind and made them both freeze. Callie took in and slowly released a big breath and made a decision. Now is as good a time as any.
"Arizona, Daddy. Arizona and me. We miss each other." Aria decided this would be a good exiting point and murmured "I'm going to go now" as she left the room. Carlos took her spot on the couch and locked his arms around his older daughter making Callie fall into his embrace.
"It's okay. It's okay, mija." Callie pulled back enough to look him in the eyes and her eyes started to glisten. Her father moved his hands to her shoulders and gave them an encouraging squeeze as he looked into his daughter's eyes.
"Arizona's my girlfriend. She is the first woman I've ever been attracted to and I plan on her being the last person I'm ever with. She is the one I'm going to spend the rest of my life with. She's my one and only and everything. She's it for me Daddy, please be okay with this."
"Calliope, sweetheart, you don't ever need to explain yourself to me or anyone else. I'm glad you told me though, and I am happy for you. Arizona is an outstanding young woman." He held her hands as he continued. "We've been trying around here to get used to this change, but that's not on you, it's all on us. I've been able to find my way to understanding, but it is taking your mother a bit longer. She will get there, she just needs time." Since talking to Aria none of this was much of a surprise but her father's outright acceptance was still something she didn't expect. It was a huge relief that this brought no bad blood between them since they've always been so close. Callie also wasn't upset that her mom needed more time because she hadn't really come out to her yet, her mom already knowing gave her a head start. Besides, her dad didn't have a problem with it so she hoped when she told her mom she would have to face it head on and would accept it too.
"I'd like to tell her that I'm with Arizona. That when you guys meet Barbara and Daniel Robbins you're meeting my girlfriend's parents. Arizona is the most important thing in the world for me and I want to be able to share that with my family, so I want to tell her."
"Si, mija, I understand that. Just wait here one second and I'll get her." A minute later Carlos returned with a wary looking Lucia. He sat back down but she remained standing, looking straight ahead at neither her husband nor her daughter.
"Mama, would you sit down, please?" Lucia walked further into the room and sat in the chair adjacent to the couch and looked over at them stoically. She nodded her head slightly signaling to Callie that she was ready to listen. "I just told Daddy and now I'd like to tell you so here it goes…Arizona and I are girlfriends." Lucia looked away again and fought to maintain her frigid posture through her discomfort, but she stayed so Callie quickly continued. "We have been for almost a month and she makes me so, so happy. We met in class just like you and Daddy, I mean that could be a sign right? And I know you might struggle accepting this since I've only dated guys before, but Arizona Robbins is the love of my life and she's going to be around for a long time, forever if she'll have me." This was all too much for Lucia. She knew her daughter well and before this she thought it was a phase, but Callie's words and her eyes told her that this was it for her, Arizona is it for her. She couldn't sit here and listen to this, what would their friends think, their family, their god? She stood up as Callie continued, sounding desperate now. "That's why I'm hoping you'll try to keep an open mind about this, about me, for me." Her daughter was going to spend the rest of her life with a woman, that was the part Lucia kept hanging on to. Right now it didn't matter if that woman was Arizona, whom she genuinely liked when she met her, in her mind she wasn't a person, she was a woman. She needed to process and didn't want things to get out of hand the night before Christmas, so ever the diplomat she simply made her way out of the room saying that she'd had a long day and needed her rest. Callie sat there dumbfounded. She would have loved a positive reaction, she could have dealt with a negative one, but she didn't know what to do about getting no reaction at all. Were they supposed to pretend this conversation never happened, or was it okay as long as they didn't talk about it, or what? She looked over to her father for guidance, but he just gave her a sad smile.
"What was that?! I just poured my heart out and I don't even know if she heard a single thing I said!"
"She heard you mija, I know she did. She'll come around after she takes some time and everything will be great. Don't worry about it now, we need to go to sleep or Santa won't come." Callie reluctantly smiled as her dad helped her up and they started walking to their rooms. Keeping this off her mind would be hard, but now they knew. All and all she made out a lot better than she would have suspected. Her father and sister were both thrilled for her and she trusted that her mom would come around, she had to. They parted ways and said goodnight, both hoping that tomorrow would be better.
Arizona woke up the next morning to the smell of hot chocolate and the sound of Christmas music like she did every year on this day. The first thing she did was grab her phone from her bedside table and call Callie who picked up after a few rings. All Arizona could make out was mumbles, but she knew they were her girlfriend's.
"Good morning, my beautiful Calliope." Even though Callie was not a morning person she didn't mind being woken up to this voice.
"Mm morning pretty girl."
"I'm sorry I woke you, but I wanted to be the first to wish you a very Merry Christmas."
"It's okay, and a very Merry Christmas to you too, Arizona. Did you drink your hot chocolate yet?" Arizona's heart warmed at Callie remembering the first tradition for the day and wished even more that she was there.
"Nope. I just woke up and the first thing I did was call you; it's my Christmas gift to myself. Plus it's the next best thing to waking up next to you."
"One more week and we'll be kissing at midnight. Then we have a couple days together and we'll wake up next to each other for all of those." They both couldn't wait for this. They had spent their few intimate days together at the beach house and immediately had to leave each other. It made being apart even harder, but they could never regret something that made them feel stronger for each other and that they both enjoyed so very much.
"And we'll be going to bed together…I can't get our last couple nights together out of my head. All I do is think about your lips all over me and your soft hands squeezing and skimming all over my bare body. How you looked at me like you wanted to eat me and then you did." Arizona's voice got progressively lower and she was turning both herself and Callie on.
"Arizona are you trying to have phone sex on Christmas morning? Is this the part that's your gift to yourself?" While Callie was turned on by Arizona's words, she was also amused and decided to tease the blonde. She would probably have to go downstairs soon to open presents or Aria or her dad would come in to wake her and she did not want them walking in on her touching herself to Arizona's voice. Arizona let out a small growl since she knew Callie was right.
"I'm sorry, I know. My mom will probably be in here any minute to make sure I woke up to the coco she left. I just miss you. And this is totally all your fault!" Callie couldn't help but laugh at Arizona's tone. She sounded like a kid who was so sure of herself even though her logic was nonsense.
"What exactly is 'all my fault'?"
"Me, being so horny all the time. You're too sweet and thoughtful. Oh and too hot, obviously, like dangerously sexy. You are addictive. That's what you are. Yup, that's it. It's like you're this drug that makes me super happy…and horny. But not a bad drug because even though I'm so very addicted, I'm better for it. You make me better, and happier and hornier of course." Callie face literally hurt from how big her smile was right now.
"Arizona?"
"Yes, my drug love bug?"
"You just drank a very large mug of hot cocoa didn't you?" Callie's suspicions were correct. In the last couple minutes that they were talking Arizona had downed the chocolaty drink and may have gone a little hyper from the sugar rush.
"I may have, and it may have been a big mug of delicious white hot chocolate with tiny little marshmallows floating around in it. It's a thing of the past now 'cause it's all in my tummy. I love when you kiss my tummy by the way. It makes me feel protected in a kind of way and adored. Then I feel heat pulsing through my body. At the same time my stomach gets filled with butterflies and it's like they're trying to break out the more you kiss me there, but in a good way." Callie made a mental note to give Arizona a mug of hot chocolate every morning since this seemed to be the result.
"I feel that way too when I see you mi Mariposa. Now, I know you have a whole day of Robbins Family fun ahead of you so I'll let you get to it. I don't want your parents to think I'm taking you away from them already. Call me later if you want though, if you're not too busy or whatever."
"I will absolutely call you. Maybe after both our families are gone we can watch one last Christmas movie together over the phone?"
"Deal. You think of one and tell me when you call later. Have a Merry Christmas day, Arizona."
"You too, Calliope."