Been a long time since I updated, Sorry! was caught up with College work and trying unsuccessfully to complete reading Lord Jim :(
I hope this one's worth the wait.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Shonda, I'm just playing with them.
I hate days like these. I should have been at home, having dinner with my kids, listening to them babble about their day, tucking them into bed after a story or two, and finally sitting curled up in the couch, with a book in hand, maybe wine too, and waiting for Callie to come home. Instead, I'm still stuck at the hospital, operating on one sick kid after another. And not just operating and making them healthy, if that was the case, there would be some solace. But today, was just not my day. I had been paged in early, and since then had lost two patients. To say, I was tired, was like saying Bill Gates is rich. I was Exhausted! Drained! Lost!
I walked towards the cafeteria as fast as my legs could carry me. Where were those stupid heelies when I needed them most? I hoped Callie hadn't taken the kids home yet. I checked my watch again. 20 minutes since her last text message. Damn it!
As soon as I stepped into the cafeteria, I scanned the place for Callie. She wasn't there. But before I could despair, I spotted April sitting at one of the corner tables bouncing a blond baby in her arms.
April spotted me coming towards them "There's mommy" she announced.
Sofia momentarily looked up from her colouring pad and Timmy's head bobbed around till his eyes finally spotted me and he let out a loud wail even as Sofia sang out a "Hello Momma"
"Gotchya buddy." I cooed as I plucked him out of April's arms. "I missed you too. I did." I whispered softly in his ears as he rested his head on my shoulder with a shuddering breath.
"He was fine till a minute ago, , I swear." April began clarifying. I smiled at her.
"I know April. He just hasn't seen me all day." I wrapped him closer to myself and let his healthy-baby scent invade my senses and wash away all the nauseating surgical smells clogging my nasal passage.
"Hey Sof" I waited for my busy 4 year old to look up "you think you can take some time out to give momma a hug and a kiss?"
"Of course momma" she rolled her eyes in the Torres-way, scampering up on the chair and leaning across the little table to kiss me as I lowered myself.
"One more" I demanded when she pulled back. She giggled and then placed two wet kisses on either of my cheek before settling back in her chair.
"And put away that book and please begin eating your sandwich" I said pushing her plate of tuna sandwich closer towards her.
She scrunched up her face. I gave her a "Don't" look. "Yes ma'am" she grumbled before shutting her book. I don't let her catch me smiling at her antics.
"Thank you April" I said looking at the pregnant woman silently observing our little exchange with a smile on her face. She shook her head "No problem, Dr. Robbins. They are a pleasure." She stretched her hand to tousle Sofia's hair. "Besides I felt I must get in some practice" she continued as she unconsciously began rubbing her swollen belly. I smiled back at her. She would make a great mother. That reminded me,
"Umm where's Callie?" I turned my head around trying to spot her.
"She had to take a call" April supplied as I settled down on the chair opposite her. I placed a babbling Timmy on my lap and pulled his plate towards me. He immediately lashed out his hand, not to pick up the food but the fork. I placed a piece of boiled carrot in his hand before lifting my eyes to speak to April "So how long before you go on leave?"
"Another 3 weeks" she replied, reaching out to pick up a dried tomato from Timmy's plate. Right before putting it in, she looked up shyly "Do you mind?"
I laughed. "Not at all" After two kids, I knew all about pregnant women and their unusual eating patterns.
"How long have you been up and about?" I asked gently.
"Apparently longer than allowed. That's why Yang and Torres got me into the cafeteria" she replied picking up another nibble.
At the mention of her godmother Sofia chirped in excitedly "Tina says we call the baby May if it's girl" She smiled with food stuck in her teeth. "And August if it's a boy" she finished. Timmy nodded his head up and down and babbled as if in assent. I couldn't keep my laughter in. A vivid April shook her head.
"Noooo" she almost screeched. Sofia looked confused. "But Tina said…" and she looked towards me.
"Baby, Cristina was joking." I tried explaining to an oblivious Sofia. "The baby is going to have a beautiful name. And we will know what, when the baby is born" I winked and then gave an apologizing smile to April.
"Yeah, a beautiful name like Sofia" April added and her obvious flattery worked, for my daughter happily nodded her head "Yay!" and took another bite of her sandwich.
"I'll get going" April said standing up.
"Bailing already?" I teased.
She laughed. "Nah. Got to check my patients" Ruffling Timmy's hair, she smiled and then walked away.
We continued our little conversation as we ate our dinner, Sofia excitedly telling me about her day and Timmy babbling about his. Whenever Sofia said something funny and we laughed, Timmy would clap his hands and join in too. Seeing my two, laughing, healthy children, I couldn't help but let my mind wander to all the not-so-lucky ones under my care at the hospital. I was broken out of my reverie by Callie who plonked into the available chair "Hey" she smiled beatifically.
"Hey" I replied a little breathily.
"Sorry, Addison needed a consult." She said, picking up her own Sandwich. "Long surgery huh?" she asked me taking in my tired countenance. "We missed you" she said as a soft sad smile played on her lips.
"I missed you guys too" I replied although my answer got muffled by Timmy's mop of hair.
Callie understood nonetheless. "Another one?"
"Yeah" I replied letting out a sigh. "Tanner kid needs an emergency Liver transplant"
"Didn't he come in for seizures?" she asked, taking a sip from her cup.
"Yeah, turned out to be Alper's syndrome" I answered, the sadness dripping into my voice unconsciously. Sometimes it was just too damn difficult separating the personal and the professional.
"That explains the developmental delays" said Callie, before leaning forward to place her hand on my mine "Sorry honey"
I wordlessly, accepted it. She was sorry for my loss. Or the eventual loss anyway. Alper's was incurable. Maybe now with a liver transplant, 5 year old Lee Tanner would survive, but he was bound to lose the battle in the long run.
"They should have brought him in earlier, when they saw the delay in developmental milestones" I said a little angrily.
"They were just hopeful" Callie said softly. "No parent wants to accept that something's wrong with their child. They waited it out, like normal parents" she leaned back in her chair and took another sip.
"And look where it got them" I realized my anger was irrational, but right now I needed to let it all out.
"Timmy hasn't started teething yet, and we're fine with it." She said it out loud before she even realized the magnitude of what she had said.
Immediately, my hold on Timmy strengthened. I looked down at my 11 month old son. He had Mark's ash blond hair and my blue eyes, or how Callie liked to call them "impossibly blue". He was a healthy baby, or wasn't he? He was crawling, he was sitting up, he was beginning to recognize people. But he hadn't begun teething yet. What if he had faulty genes?
"Arizona, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that…" Callie began almost immediately, leaning forward once more.
I didn't let her complete "What if he has faulty genes? What if he develops some of those syndromes later. Maybe we should have a complete…"my ramble was cut off by a sharp "Arizona" from Callie.
"Arizona" she continued a little more gently, cupping my cheeks "Our son is healthy. We know that some kids take longer to start teething. said it's normal. And besides he has excellent genes from two good-looking, healthy, intelligent parents." I let those words sink in as I blink away the tears from my eyes.
"Sofia was born a preemie and still she caught up with her developmental milestones didn't she?" asked Callie with a small smile. "We are lucky parents Arizona. We are blessed with healthy children" She raised herself out of her chair to reach forward and kiss me gently. I tasted her grape juice on her lips. She only let go of my face when I nodded my head.
"I'm sorry" she said settling back down.
I nodded my head once more. I realized I was freaking out unnecessarily. "I'm sorry too." I tried smiling. "Sometimes, some cases get to you" I offered my weak explanation.
"I know honey, I know" Callie replied lovingly. I know she understood, and I was, am, and will always be grateful for that. Some days when I reach home exhausted, she demands no explanations; but silently and assiduously gets down to fixing me back in her own special way.
Sofia decides in that moment that she has allowed her mothers to have enough adult conversation. "Can we take Zola with us when we go ice-skating next week?" she asks excitedly.
"Skating?" Callie squeaks. She looks from Sofia's eager face to mine, demanding an explanation.
And just like that, when I had given up freaking out, my wife was there to take up the mantle. "I may have mentioned something of that sort" I supplied sheepishly.
Callie shakes her head. "No Sof, you aren't going skating. But maybe, we could have Zola over for a night spend, what say?" she tried to barter with her.
"Why can't I go skating?" Sofia pouted.
Callie huffed. "Because" and she drew out the word "you could fall and break your bones when you wear those dangerous shoes and walk out on hard ice" she said crossing her arms across her chest. "So no. No skating."
"But I fall because of the law of gratity, mami" Sofia argued, her face still scrunched up.
I laugh out loud. "Gravity, baby" I correct, handing her a cup of juice.
"Yes momma. Gravity. That's what makes me fall" she gives her infallible reason.
Callie cannot but let out a chuckle at that. "I think a little more than just gravity is responsible for you falling. Where did you learn that anyway?" She directs the next words at me "See, the little one's already a little too smart for age."
I smile. And this time it's a full-blown smile, one that reflects my pride and love for my little girl.
"We can discuss it at home, ok?" I try to find a solution. I can almost hear the emphatic "no" falling out of Callie's mouth, but then she sees Sofia's face and relents "Yeah, maybe we can reason it out"
Sofia nods. "You will" she pauses briefly to find the right word, "advocate for me, won't you momma?" she asks her big, pretty, brown eyes trained on me.
"You bet baby" I answer as we hi-fi.
"Adorkables!" my wife snorts before she takes up my hand in hers. "Arent they Mi'jo?" she asks the bouncing blond in my arms. Timmy claps his hands in answer.
"At least I have Timmy on my side." She mock sighs, then catches my eyes.
The happy moment is interrupted by my pager going off. I look at it. It's from Karev telling me that they are prepping up for surgery.
"Time's up" I announce, as I stand up and hand over Timmy to Callie, but not before I've placed a few sound kisses on his face. He doesn't fuss too much and settles happily into his mami's arms.
"Best of luck" Callie whispers before capturing my lips in a short but intense kiss. "I'll wait up for you"
I mouth a "Thank You" and place another chaste kiss before straightening up.
"Sofia" I say going over to her chair "Be a good girl for mami. Don't stay up too late, ok?" I pepper her with kisses, while she giggles and hangs with her hands around my neck.
"Yes momma. Just one story today, momma" she grins. I smoothen back her hair and lower her into her chair.
My pager sounds again. I pick up Callie's left-over sandwich and wave bye to my family. Right before I exit the cafeteria I hear my daughter shout "Go be Awesome, momma!" and suddenly I feel all charged up for my next surgery.
So how was it? Let me know. As always I love reading your feed backs :)