I don't own anything…all credit goes to ABC/Shondaland
Chapter Twenty-Two
Arizona's POV
It's a lazy Sunday morning in bed with Calliope. We both got up early to feed Sofia, but she quickly went right back to sleep so Calliope and I took that as a sign to get back into bed and cuddle. We've been talking non-stop and giving each other small kisses every now and then for a few minutes, just happy to be spending some quiet time with one another. Her father just left town a couple days ago and we've finally been able to talk about their conversation.
"I'm sorry it didn't go as planned, babe. I was really hoping for a good outcome for you." I say playing with Callie's fingers while we both stare up at the ceiling.
"I know, me too. It's okay though. Maybe it's for the best."
"It's not fair for Sofia though, she should get to have her grandparents in her life." I say with sympathy.
"Well your parents are nice and they are basically like her grandparents. Barbara asks about her all the time." It warms my heart to hear Calliope call my parents Sofia's grandparents because there is nothing more then I would love for that to happen. Hopefully that can be official someday soon… "It didn't even seem like my dad wanted to have Sofia as part of the family…I had to remind him of her name like three times!"
"That's unfortunate…"
"It really is, and that's not even the worst part. He seriously wants me to move back to Miami. He thought I could just pick up Sofia and move. He said he would find me another job at a hospital down there…it just frustrated me. He wasn't even considerate of my life here." She says letting out a heavy sigh.
"I would be really sad if you left…" I say fake pouting. Callie turns to look at me and gives me a soulful glare. I roll over to look into her deep brown eyes.
"Arizona, I want you to understand something. I would never, ever leave you under no circumstance. You are it for me. I love you so much, it's not even a possibility to move without you."
"I know…it just seems like your dad is a powerful man and if he wanted I'm sure he could get you to move…" I say unsure of myself.
"Babe, I'm not moving anywhere without you and Sofia. I mean that. I love you so much." She pleads then gives me a confirmation kiss.
"Good, because I don't want you to go anywhere, and I'm not going anywhere. We're stuck in this together!" I say affirmatively.
"That's what I like to hear!" She replies letting out a laugh.
"What else did he say?"
"Ughh, just a bunch of crap, really. He didn't understand that I could have a baby with a man and love a woman. I told him I was attracted to both men and women and he just shook his head. I understand that it's a lot for him to process, but I wish he would try a little harder for me since I'm his own flesh and blood. He believes he could find a man to love me like you love me, but he just didn't understand that I don't want that. I only want you."
"Wow…"
"Exactly…he asked me your name by the way."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah…I told him. I didn't want to say too much because he hasn't had the pleasure of meeting you, but I told him that I love you and you take such great care of Sofia and me. I told him that he should be proud that I found someone like you." She says gazing into my blue eyes.
"Aww, thank you, baby. That's so sweet."
"I meant every word." We meet in the middle for another brief kiss and just sit in silence for a little bit.
"Okay, okay…enough with the sad stuff, tell me about Addison! I can't wait to meet her." I say with excitement in my voice.
"Hmmm, well most important she's my best friend. Possibly the only person closer to me then Mark…not counting you of course." Callie says with a wink. "We grew up in Miami together and she's a doctor too. She's training at UCLA's medical school. Her middle name is Forbes so you can just imagine how freakin' rich she is. More like wealthy then rich. Her family is made of money, but she's not too bad. Not snobby at all, but she has her moments. Every secret you could ever want to know about me she already knows."
"Hmmm…that could be useful." I say suggestively.
"Hey…don't even think about asking her anything. She's fiercely loyal. I doubt she'll rat on me."
"Whatever," I say rolling my eyes jokingly, "So why is she coming in town now, it seems kind of random?"
"Uhhh, well I just called her after my talk with my dad because she knows the whole back story and I just wanted to talk to her. Plus she hasn't seen Sofia yet, and I really want them to meet. I just think it's time. Luckily she was able to get some time off. Her flight gets in later this afternoon. I also think she wants to feel you out and make sure your good for me"
"Okay, I'm just happy to meet another friend of yours. I'm just gonna be the Arizona Robbins you fell in love with and hopefully that will win her over. I know she's rich and probably already has a place, but she can crash at my apartment so you guys can be close. That way she won't have to drive back and forth between here and a hotel."
"That's thoughtful of you. When she gets in I'll ask her. I bet she'll say yes. By the time she gets in town I bet she'll be hungry so I'll make us a nice dinner. Trust, she will love you. She's not hard to please, she just puts up a façade, but it crumbles in like five minutes." She finishes with a laugh.
"If you want I can pick up some groceries when you go out and pick her up from the airport?"
"Why are you so perfect? I love you, Arizona Robbins. That would be very nice of you." She says cupping my cheek.
"I'm perfect and I'm awesome!"
"How modest of you…I think Sofia's up. I'm going to go get her and bring her into our room. I'll be right back."
"Okay, I love me some Sofia snuggles." I say giving her a quick peck before she gets up. Not even five minutes later, Callie is back with her mini twin and she lays her down between us in the bed.
"Good morning again, Miss Sofia." I say kissing her little belly and getting a grin in return.
"Babe, her two front teeth are starting to show. I can't believe my baby girl is growing up so fast! Her birthday is in a few weeks."
"I know! What are we going to do for her?" I ask while laying Sofia on my chest.
"I'll probably just invite the people from the hospital, plus Mark, Aria, and probably Addison. Cake, we must have cake and take a picture of her stuffing it into her mouth. I think every kid has a picture like that of their first birthday. Hopefully we'll be living in the house by then. That way Addison and Aria and sleepover and help out."
"That would be nice…we have a little work to do, but I'm sure we can get it done." I say reassuringly.
"Have you finished picking out all the furniture yet?" Callie asks. Calliope has given me complete control over the design and layout of the house. I just think she's too lazy or doesn't care enough to do it, but regardless I'm more then happy to help. I've been going over catalogs and looking at different magazines to get ideas and start ordering stuff.
"I'm almost there. Some stuff is starting to get delivered next week. I've requested two days off so I can be at the house when the people come to deliver everything. I'm sure the students won't mind having a substitute teacher for a couple of days. Teddy might come by and help after work." I finish while rubbing Sofia's back and kissing her forehead.
"That's good. Let me know when you want to pack up everything in this place. I'll take off if I need to. Hopefully we can move everything out of here and into the new place in one day. I'll hire as much help as we need so it's not a complete zoo."
"Thanks, babe. Sounds good. Are you excited, Sofia? You're going to have your own big room. We can decorate it however you like! It's going to be a little princess palace!" I say in a baby voice.
"Arizona…"
"What?!"
"She's our princess, but I don't want her to be living in a make believe palace. I want her room to be geared towards learning, innovation, and adventure, not pink puffy dresses and prince charming's."
"Calliope, she's almost one, not going into middle school. Let her live in a fairytale a little bit longer before you hit her with the harsh cold facts of reality."
"But—"
"Ah ah ah" I quip back, "You gave me complete control of every room in the house except the entertainment room; so let me handle Sof's room. I promise it won't be too girly for you." I say hitting her arm lightheartedly. I put Sofia back down on the bed and Callie and I sit up so our backs are against the headboard.
"Fine…anyway I was thinking…"
"Hmmmm…carry on…"
"I think you should use Mark's check exclusively on Sofia's room. Everything else we will work out." She says sheepishly and takes Sofia into her lap with her back leaning on Callie's chest.
"Calliope, I'm not spending ten thousand dollars on a toddlers room. That's just simply outrageous."
"Oh come on, it's her money. I have nothing else to use it on."
"Still that's a lot of money for one room…"
"How about half?" She says trying to compromise.
"Maybe…I'll think about it. I mean she doesn't need a lot of new stuff because we're taking everything from her room now."
"True, but maybe we can get her some new things. I want this to be a new, fresh start for all of us. We will be living here for probably the rest of our lives unless we need to move or have like ten kids and need a bigger house." Callie says.
"I'll take it into consideration…I think you're going to like the stuff I've picked out so far. It's a perfect combination of you and me. A little dark and mysterious, with a hint of perky and happy. It's sleek and sexy. Very modern." I say boosting up my ego.
"Well you seem mighty sure of yourself," She says raising an eyebrow at me.
"Oh I'm babe…I'm very sure of myself." I say smugly. "You know Sofia and I have something in common about you."
"Hmmm, and what is that."
"We both love your boobs." I say looking at Sofia's little hands grabbing at Callie's chest over her pajama shirt.
"Arizona…" She scoffs out lightly.
"What? It's true! We both get pleasure out of them."
"Arizona, for her is was nutritional, for you its—"
"It's pleasurable...let's face it Calliope you have great boobs. Any women would kill for them, I'm just lucky enough to see them and play with them whenever I want." I say shrugging.
"Oh my gosh," Callie says blushing, "I'm sorry you had to hear that Sofia, your other mommy is just so crazy." She says teasingly in a baby voice. Wait; did she just call me Sofia's other mommy? Maybe it was a slip up? I kind of liked it though. I kind of think of myself as her other mother. I look over to Callie and she's just playing with Sofia and waving her little arms getting a drool filled grin out of her. I want to say something, but I don't want call her out on it, especially if she didn't mean it. Crap. There isn't a perfect way to handle this. I wouldn't mind being called her 'mommy' because Callie is 'mama'. I want to say Sofia is my daughter when I talk about her to people.
"Her other mommy?" I ask with slight reservation.
"What?" She says giving me her full attention again.
"You-you said I was her other mommy. We were talking about boobs then you said I was her mommy. D-did you mean it?" I ask clearly flustered, not trying to get my hopes up.
"Oh, I didn't even realize it…I mean I definitely think of you as her other mother, but if you don't like it or not ready for it, it's okay. I know I told you that you don't have to be a parent to her, but I mean—"
"Calliope. I want to be her other parent. I want to be responsible for her just like you and Mark, even more now since Mark isn't here. I know I have no official paper work or anything, but I love Sof like she's my own. I would love to be her other mommy." I say getting emotional.
"Really? Are you sure?"
"Of course, babe. I think it's bound to happen. I mean we're moving into a new house together, and I have a heavy presence in her life already.
"Okay then, it's settled. You're her other mother! Sof you are so lucky to have TWO mommies and a father. Not all kids can say that, baby girl." Callie says letting Sof stand up on her thighs. "Now we just have to get her to say 'mama' and 'mommy'. Can you say 'ma-ma, Sof?" She says wiggling Sofia and moving her head up and down 'ma-ma' I know you can do it!"
"Calliope…patience. It's just like when she walked. It's gonna happen on her own terms."
"Uhh, fine I guess you're right."
"It's time you learn that I'm always right, babe…isn't that right Sof?" I say taking Sofia from Calliope.
"Since you guys are ganging up on me, I'm gonna take a shower and then I'll make us some breakfast." Callie says getting up from the bed and walking into the shower.
"Want to help mommy make some coffee?" I ask Sofia. She just shows me her two front teeth that are beginning to come in and a little drool falls from her mouth. I take that as a 'yes' and get up and head over to my dresser with Sofia on my hip. I run a brush through my hair quickly while Sofia is fascinated with her reflection in the mirror. I hear Calliope turn on the water and take this moment to show Sofia something.
"Sofia can you keep a secret?" I say looking at her in the mirror, "Mommy is going to ask mama to marry her soon, just waiting for the right moment. I even have her ring in my drawer. Do you wanna see it?" I take any movement from her as a 'yes' and open my drawer and reach behind all my clothes in there and pull out a black velvet box. "Look, Sof! It's all shiny and big? Do you think mama will like it? Do you think she'll say yes? I think she will, but I'm so nervous to ask her. Your uncle Tim helped me pick it out. I love you and you mama so much it hurts!" I give her a kiss on the cheek. "Alright, let's go make some coffee." I tuck the ring back in the drawer and exit the room. Ten minutes later Callie comes out of the room in her robe.
"Mhmmm, coffee smells amazing." She says pouring herself a cup and sitting on a stool next to Sofia in her high chair.
"I just gave Sof some banana, I'm going to take a quick shower. Make a grocery list for what you need me to pick up from the store later."
"Okay, french toast will be waiting for you when you get out. Addison just texted me and said she boarded her flight so she'll be here soon."
"Can't wait! Chop chop on that breakfast!" I say clapping my hands and tapping her ass on my way out the kitchen into the bedroom.