I don't own anything…all credit goes to ABC/Shondaland
Hope you enjoy!
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Callie's POV
"There's my favorite girl!" Mark says taking an energetic Sofia from my arms. "Happy birthday, munchkin!" He says tickling Sofia's stomach. "Hey Cal!"
"Hi Mark." I say taking a seat at the booth where Mark was previously seated. "How are you?"
"Better now that my two favorite girls are here." He says placing Sofia in a booster seat next to him.
"Someone's in a good mood." Acknowledging his chipper demeanor. "Any particular reason?"
"It's Sof's second birthday! That's reason enough, plus I get to see you and Lexie. I haven't seen you since the wedding. How's married life?"
"Kind of the same, you know? I was expecting there to be a big difference between girlfriends and fiancées to being wife and wife, but it's been a steady road."
"So, is that a good thing or a bad thing?" He asks while helping Sofia color on her placemat.
"I'm think it's good. We don't really fight, and if we do it's over petty stuff and usually gets resolved quickly. Everything is easy."
"Easy is good. You don't really want to work for it."
"Yea, you're right. She's at home right now with her mom and dad getting everything ready for the party later."
"Hello, can I take your order?" A perky, young waitress asks approaching the table.
"Cal, you know what you want?"
"Yeah, can I have spinach omelette with potatoes and a cup of coffee, black."
"I'll have the waffles with extra bacon and Sofia will have the kid's silver dollar pancakes with bacon and orange juice in a kid's cup. I'll stick with water."
"Sure thing, I'll get those orders in right now." She says collecting our menus and walking away.
"Back to this party, who's going to be there?"
"Some kids from the daycare and their parents, and the usual Seattle Grace crew. Aria and Addison came in town last night and they should be there too."
"I think next year we should have the party in California at my place."
"Sure, I'll think about it." I say sarcastically.
"I'm serious, Callie and I've been thinking…"
"About?"
"I think this summer Sofia should spend a month with me in California." He says looking at our daughter, "What do you think about that Sof? Want to hang out with daddy in California for a little while?"
"mmkay daddy." She says plainly before going back to coloring.
"You're kidding, right?"
"No, I'm not kidding Cal. I want to spend more then just a couple of days with her when it's convenient for you."
"Mark I'm not –"
"Here are you drinks!" Our waitress says placing the cups on the table. "Food should be ready shortly." I give her a small smile before returning to the conversation. "I'm not sending my daughter to California for a month without me there."
"First, she's our daughter, second I'm capable of taking care of her."
"I know you are, but a month is a long time Mark. She's only two…can you help her please?" I say gesturing to a struggling Sofia. He turns to help Sofia hold and drink out of her kid's cup.
"Look, I have a room for her that she's never seen. It's all set up. I'll cut back from the hospital to make sure we can spend some quality time together. I want more time with her, Cal."
"Well you should've thought about that before you took the job." I scoff.
"You said it yourself that you want me in her life, so I'm trying. I'm trying to make this long distance thing work. Every time you call I'm here without any questions. The FaceTime calls aren't enough for me. You haven't even been out to California once to visit me since I left."
"I can't just up and leave. It takes planning. I have a job, Arizona has a job…"
"I'm not blaming you guys, I'm just pointing out the facts. Just think for a second if the situation was reversed. Put yourself in my shoes, I'm not asking for her to come and live with me. I'd never take her away from you, but I'm her dad. Let me be her father."
"I get it, Mark. I really do, but—"
"Two weeks. At least give me two weeks." It's clear by the look on his face that he really wants this, and I would love to give it to him I just wish it the distance wasn't so far. I know Mark can handle Sofia, I think it's more about me being willing to be apart from my daughter for that long.
"Can we just celebrate Sof's birthday today?"
"Callie come on."
"I'm not saying no, I just need some time to think about it and process everything. At least let me run it by Arizona."
"She's our kid, Callie. I understand that she's your wife and she's helped raise Sofia, but when it comes down to it Sofia is ours. This only needs to involve us."
"Her opinion matters." I say defensively.
"So if she says 'no' is that it?" He counters.
"No, but I trust and respect her opinion. You do realize we both gave her guardianship over Sofia, right?"
"Yeah I signed the papers but that's in case of a medical emergency or we both die, extreme measures. What I'm asking is not extreme."
"Obviously you didn't read the papers, cause her guardianship applies to everything, not just emergencies, and I said I would think about it. Can we just drop it for a second? Today is not about us, it's Sof's day."
"Callie, I—"
"Foods here!" The server says. Personally I'm just thankful for the interruption.
"It's looks great in here!" I announce walking into my house. Mark is with Sofia for the rest of the morning and will bring her back when the party starts. He wanted some Sofia time and I understood. Our kid is adorable, who wouldn't want more time with her?
"I'm glad you like it! I hope Sofia does as well." Barbara says putting some finishing touches on the decorations in the living room.
"I'm sure she will, she loves anything with princesses. Where's Daniel?"
"In the basement watching something on television, I hope that's alright. I know it's like your sanctuary down there."
"It's totally fine, anything in the house if up for grabs you know that."
"Thank you, Arizona was being all moody earlier because I used the coffee maker. It just reminded her of what she can't have. I told her I'd make her some decaf, but she just huffed and puffed and went up her room. I didn't think too much of it, chalked it up to some pregnancy hormones but of course I wouldn't say that to her face." Seems odd for Arizona to be upset over something so small, when I left with Sof earlier she seemed fine. "Anyway, I'm going to the store to pick up the food platters I ordered for the party. I should be back soon."
"I can go get them if you want." I offer. She's done so much, but Arizona insists that her mother likes doing this type of stuff so I don't budge too much.
"No, it's fine dear. Maybe you can talk to Arizona? I haven't heard a peep from her since she went upstairs."
"Yeah, I'll go do that." Once upstairs I notice the bedroom is empty, but the bathroom light is on and the door is open. "Arizona?"
"I'm the bathroom." She replies softly.
"Are you okay? Your mom said you were upset earlier?" When I join her in the bathroom I just see her standing in front of the mirror with her bra and underwear on looking at herself.
"Who the hell makes coffee around a pregnant person, then drinks it! Knowing full well I can't have any!" She spits out frustrated. Now I know what Barbara meant about her change in attitude.
"There's always dec—"
"Don't say 'decaf' Callie! If I can't have the real thing then I don't want it."
"Okay, sorry…so is there a reason why you're just standing here in your underwear?" I ask standing behind her and putting comforting hands on her shoulders.
"I had a dress I wanted to wear for the party this afternoon but it doesn't fit anymore."
"We could go to the store real quick and get you a maternity dress that would fit nicely." I suggest. We have about two hours before everyone should begin to arrive.
"It was a maternity dress! It doesn't fit anymore, I'm just that fat!" She says aggressively shoving my hands off her shoulders.
"Babe you're not fat, you're beautif—"
"Don't say beautiful or sexy, or any other word like that, Calliope. Let's be honest, look at me!" She surveys herself in the mirror, turning to look at herself from different angles.
"So, you know your pregnant right? You're supposed to be…" She raises any eyebrow in the mirror daring me to say the wrong word.
"…full-figured. I'd be worried if you weren't gaining any weig—or getting larger. Our little guy needs to grow big and strong."
"Yeah well I want him out of here. I can't wait two more months. I mean I have stretch marks on my freakin' ass!" She pulls down one side of her underwear to show me exactly what she's talking about." I thought I'd get a few on my stomach or something, but on my ass?"
"I love your a—"
"And don't say you love my ass!" My wife says effectively shutting me up. "I have some on my thighs too. I put lotion on every night; I thought it was supposed to prevent this!"
"You're body is supposed to change and grow. It's part of the pregnancy." Trying to offer some kind of compassion.
"I know how pregnancy works, Calliope. I read the books. I just wasn't expecting all of this so sudden."
"I mean it's been seven months…" I meant to keep that in my head, but a slip of the tongue makes me mentally shoot myself because that's the last thing I need to say to my wife right now.
"Seriously? That's what you want so say to me right now? I'm on the verge of a breakdown and you're mocking me?"
"I didn't mean it like that, I just meant…"
"What exactly did you mean, Callie?" She says giving me a death glare in the mirror. Honestly, I'm not sure if I should say anything at all. I don't want to upset her anymore because anything I say she is going to take the wrong way. I'm helpless. I know I had a breakdown or two when I was pregnant, but I just lashed out at Mark and he took it. It's different when it's coming from your wife.
"All I meant was that we knew this was going to happen, we had seven months to prepare. What you're going through is the same thing thousands of women go through every day. I went through it myself with Sofia. Sometimes we just have off days."
"Well today sucks. I feel crappy, I have nothing to wear, and I have to put on a happy face and smile for a bunch of two year olds and their parents."
"Arizona you have a closet full of clothes, stop being dramatic." I finish with an eye roll. I don't mean to sound harsh, but she's going a little overboard with everything. I'm just trying to help and offer some type of empathy, but clearly she's not having it. "I didn't mean dramatic I—"
"No, you meant dramatic, Callie." She states directly. "I'd thought you have a little bit more compassion especially considering this is your child too that I'm carrying, but I guess that was just wishful thinking." She says throwing up her hands for added effects.
"You know what, I'm just going to give you some space." I say backing away from my wife and exiting the bathroom.
"Yeah, that would be best." She spits hastily.
"I get that you're not feeling great right now Arizona," I say turning around to face her "but there's no reason to be outright rude." She opens her mouth to say something, but decides against it and shuts the bathroom door loudly. First it was the living situation with Mark and Sofia, and now it's this. Clearly this isn't my day. I pull my phone out my pocket to text a friend to meet me out because I need to clear my head. On the way out the door I grab my bag and car keys and hop into my car to my destination.
"What brings you to a bar at eleven in the morning?"
"I could ask you the same thing?" I quip back, taking a sip of my water.
"Well I just lost a baby at thirty weeks, you?"
"A few different things." I shrug.
"Isn't there a birthday party at the Robbins-Torres household this afternoon?" Jordan asks. "I hear things around the hospital."
"Yeah, Sof is two today."
"That's something to celebrate."
"It is!" I exclaim thinking about my baby girl growing up.
"So no party planning?" She asks taking a swallow of her drink.
"Nope, it seems my mother-in-law is handling all of that. You should get one of those, they're great."
"The last girl I was truly considering marrying didn't have a great relationship with her parents, so I doubt I would have a chance to experience that." Jordan says giving me a knowing look. Deciding to leave that alone, I check my phone to see if Addison has given me any update of her whereabouts. She is who I texted earlier to meet me at Joe's it just so happens that Jordan is here too. "For what it's worth I hope this party is better then last years, I can't help but think I had something to do with last year's festivities."
"Sof had a great first birthday." Once again ignoring the dig about her. "How's the real estate agent?"
"Fine, nothing serious but we have fun."
"That's good. She seemed nice."
"She is. I don't envision myself marrying her and having two kids, but she gives good company."
"You never know. She could be the one. Give it some time."
"Callie you were supposed to be the one who I married and have kids with."
"Look Jordan I don't know what you want me to say. Should I just leave my pregnant. wife and run off with you? Give it five years and then you and me move back to Miami? None of that is going to happen. I love Arizona. We have our own family and are adding to it. I'm trying to be friends or some resemblance of friends, but you can't keep bringing up the past or making suggestive comments. I've accepted that you're here and there's nothing I can do about it. I've moved on. You trying to work you way back into my life personally is getting old. What else can I do?"
"I don't know." She says weakly. "Every time I see you I see what we could've been. Then when I see you and Arizona together with your big, beautiful house with Sofia and another one on the way. You can try and deny it all you want but we had something. Maybe I'm settling for a friendship, but it's all I have to hold on too." I don't know what else to say to her. Nothing seems to be registering with her.
"Callie how did you find this dive bar?" Addison says coming up to us at the bar.
"It's like the hospital bar. Everyone comes here after a tough shift or a long day. It's basically open twenty-four seven."
"I see…is everything okay here?" She asks looking between Jordan and myself.
"It's fine." Jordan says downing her drink in one big gulp. "Nice to see you again, Addison. I'll talk to you later, Callie." I give her a tight smile and Addie takes her seat once she leaves.
"That looked a little tense."
"It's nothing I can't deal with."
"Hmm, I'll let you handle that. So why did you want to meet me here?"
"Should we start with Mark wanting to take Sofia or Arizona getting pissed off at everything I say."
"Geez, that's a tough decision. I need a drink, what are you sipping on?"
"Water."
"You invite me to a bar for water? Bartender?" Addie says getting the young mans attention. "Can I have two vodka cranberries please?"
"Sure thing." He says grabbing two classes and starting to make the drinks.
"I promised Arizona I stay sober with her during pregnancy, not to mention I have Sof's birthday soon."
"Exactly why you need a drink. Hanging around little kids is stressful enough, at least take the edge off a little. I'm sure Arizona's had a coffee or two without your knowledge. Besides, what she doesn't know can't hurt her."
"Here you go ladies."
"Thanks…here take a sip." She says passing me a glass. "Do it! It'll be our little secret." I accept her glass a take a small sip.
"God that's good. I didn't realize how much I missed alcohol."
"I knew you needed it. One drink won't kill you. Now what's this Mark situation?"
"He wants to spend more time with Sof, which is honorable, but he wants to take her to California for two weeks. That's a long time. The honeymoon was bad enough, but two weeks is too much."
"Let me play devil's advocate for a second."
"Addison…"
"Just hear me out, yes two weeks is a long time to be away from your daughter, but she's going to be with her father. You're not shipping her off to your dad's or Aria's. In the grand scheme of a year two weeks is a drop in the bucket. You want Mark to be in her life, so she needs to be around him more. You've always said Mark is a great father; so let him continue to be that. I live in California, if you want I will personally stop by his house everyday to check on the kid, but you and I both know that won't be necessary. Is it a Mark issue or time and distance issue?"
"Mark."
"Okay now give me the honest answer."
"Time and distance." I grumble out.
"Maybe make a trip out of it. Take the family to California for a few days. Get Sof settled, check out Mark's place and soak in some nice weather."
"I'm not sure how much traveling Arizona will be up for this summer."
"So you and Sof come, just drop off Sofia and have dinner with me, of course, then hop on a plane and go back to your wife and baby." It's something to think about. It's rare that Addison is the voice of reason, but she does bring up some good points. "Assuming you have a wife to come home too, what happened today?"
"When I left this morning she was fine and then when I come home her mom said she was moody. I tried to talk to her and I think I made her more upset."
"What exactly did you say?"
"I may have called her dramatic."
"Callie!"
"I know, I know. Bad word choice."
"Horrible! You never call a pregnant woman dramatic. Under no circumstances."
"You should've heard her! She was going on and on about how she looks and everything. I get it, I really do but she was knocking down anything I said. It was a different Arizona."
"She's your wife so deal with it. Is it right? No. But is it easier then starting a trivial fight? Yes. I've heard some of the things pregnant people say to their partners, it isn't pretty but it's worth it in the end to welcome a baby and usually nothing serious."
"So basically I should just let her talk to me however she wants?"
"Within reason, yeah." She says finishing off her drink.
"Enough about me, how's your life?"
"Professionally it's perfect, personally it's boring. Maybe I should switch to women."
"You don't just "switch" Addison. You're not into women, you like men. There are millions in California, maybe you're just not looking in the right places."
"I find men to sleep with, but I want an actual relationship. It's been a year since I've gone on more then three dates with a guy."
"Wait, you sleep with guys before reaching the third date?"
"Yeah, that three date rule is nonsense. Why wait for the inevitable?"
"I don't know seems like common courtesy, plus you actually get to know the person you're about to lay down with."
"So I'm guessing you and Arizona waited?"
"It wasn't about waiting, rather it just being the right moment. It just made the sex that much better."
"I wish I had what you guys had." She says dreamily. "Arizona has a brother right?"
"No, that is not happening."
"We could really be sisters!"
"Yeah, I'm good with just being best friends, we don't need to take it any further."
"Torres! What are you doing here?" Alex says slapping me on the back. "Aren't you off today? Isn't your party starting soon? I just came to down a beer before hanging with a bunch of toddlers."
"Shit, what time is it?" I unlock my phone to reveal the time and the missed calls and texts I have.
I don't know where you went but we need some more napkins and plates can you pick them up? – Arizona
The party starts in twenty minutes, where are you? – Arizona
Seriously Callie? Ten minutes! - Arizona
"Crap Addie we need to go." I throw some bills on the counter top and send my wife a quick response and then we head out. After a quick stop at the store, Addie and I sneak into the party ten minutes late and I run up to freshen up.
"Do I even want to know where you went for so long?" Arizona asks coming into the room while I'm changing.
"I was out with Addison, we just lost track of time."
"You magically lost track of time and lost your phone in the process?"
"I'm sorry I was late, Arizona. I'm sorry about earlier, truly I am. You can be mad at me if you want but I'm going to go downstairs and enjoy our daughter's birthday. I would love for you to join us. Whatever this is we can deal with it later." The rest of the afternoon went off without a hitch and most importantly Sofia had a good time. There was a nonstop smile on her face all afternoon and in light of everything her happiness is the only thing that matters. By the end, she fell asleep and most of the people went home. Only Aria, Addison, Mark, and Arizona's parents stayed back.
"Cal, can I get an answer before I leave?" Mark asks cornering me in the dining room.
"Yes Mark you can have two weeks with her this summer alone."
"Wait, you're serious!?"
"Yes, but we seriously need to plan this. I want to see her room and some sort of schedule. Actually spend time with her, don't just drop her off in daycare for fourteen hours a day while you're at the hospital."
"I won't, I'll request time off."
"You better, Mark. We'll decide on details later, but you'll get your time with her. I promise."
"Thank you, thank you, Cal so much!" He says wrapping me up in a bone-crushing hug. "Blondie your wife is the best." He says to Arizona when she walks into the room.
"I know that's why I married her. Can I talk to her for a sec?"
"Yeah, yeah I'll finish cleaning up." Mark says giving us the room.
"What was that about?" She says walking up to me.
"We're going to California this summer."
"Hmmm, seems like a busy summer. A baby and a vacation."
"Arizona I'm sorry about the whole bathroom thing. I didn't mean to diminish your feelings." I say sincerely.
"You didn't. I was being a little unreasonable. I used you as a punching bag. I had a mini freak out."
"You're allowed that."
"I know but I could've handled it better. My mom basically told me I was being a bitch earlier so clearly I wasn't myself."
"Don't call yourself a bitch, babe."
"She had a point though."
"Well your outfit tonight looks great." I say giving her a good look up and down. She settled on a loose fitting top and jeans.
"Thank you, Calliope."
"Am I allowed to say your beautiful now?" I ask smiling.
"Yes, but I'm not sure I believe it right now."
"You better believe it. You're beautiful and I love you." I say leaning in to give her a kiss. It's not hasty, but the emotion and love is there. When I move a hand up to cup her cheek and hold her close a grunt interrupts us.
"Ladies, your mother wants you all in the kitchen."
"We'll be right there dad." Arizona says. Daniel gives us a nod of confirmation and leaves.
"I don't care how old I get, getting caught kissing you in front of your parents will always be weird to me."
"Then it's a good thing we have our own bedroom, Calliope. Especially for the moments when we do a lot more then just kiss." She says giving me a flirty wink.
Thanks for reading!
AN: Thank you for the name suggestions. Still deciding on what I'm going to use.