Callie hadn't spoken to Arizona in a week. She passed off Sofia through other people and took a leave of absence from work. Arizona tried to call and text, but no response. It was now Saturday morning and she was signing papers to a beautiful new house. Next stop renovations. She wanted the perfect house for Calliope, but nothing fit, so she would make it fit.
She designed their master bathroom and kitchen exactly the way she knew Callie wanted. She added a treehouse in the back and a huge deck with a hot tub that she hoped to use with Callie someday. It took a few weeks. Callie still barely spoke to her, but she thought maybe the grand gesture would help. After her last inspection, she took off for the apartment. Knocking nervously she went over and over her words in her head.
"Mama!" Sofia said excitedly as she opened the door.
"Hi baby," Arizona said scooping her up, "Where's mommy?"
"In her room."
Arizona put her daughter down and slowly walked into their bedroom. Callie was sitting at her makeup table crying. Arizona immediately went to her and wrapped her arms around the woman.
"Calliope, please don't cry."
"I can't stop."
"I'm sorry. I hate seeing you cry."
"I just, I found our vows," Callie said holding out a napkin. Written on it were their vows in crayon. Arizona started crying now.
"I meant them you know."
"Yeah, well you broke them."
"I know, but I still mean them."
"I always meant mine."
Arizona didn't know how to respond so she changed the subject instead, "Come on, get dressed, I have a surprise."
"Arizona, I'm not in the mood."
"Come on, please," she said using puppy dog eyes.
"Fine."
They drove and as Arizona pulled into the driveway Callie asked, "where are we?"
"Home," Arizona said.
"What?"
"I bought it. For us."
Callie got out of the car and eyed the house. Arizona unlocked it and gave the grand tour. Wow, the kitchen was perfect.
"This is exactly what I said I wanted," Callie breathed out.
"I know, I had it remodeled for you."
"Wow."
"Yeah, just wait till you see our bedroom," Arizona said excitedly.
Callie entered the room and it was beautiful. There was a huge window that looked out on the backyard. Two huge walk in closets and a bathroom with a Jacuzzi and glass shower. It was literally perfect.
"It's perfect," she said.
"A perfect lady needs a perfect house."
Outside Sofia ran up into the treehouse and called down to them, "We live here?"
"Yeah baby, we will live here," Arizona said.
"Arizona, um. You will live here."
"What?"
"You will live here and Sofia on your nights, but I won't be living here."
"Calliope, I know we aren't there yet, but we will get there."
"No Arizona, we won't. I can't keep stringing you along. We're over."
"No, no don't say that."
"I'm sorry. I tried, but you want to get married again and have babies. And I wanted that, but not with you anymore."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying I can't forgive you."
"I, I," Arizona started hyperventilating. It felt like someone had punched her in the gut.
"Arizona breathe."
Finally, she calmed down. As if it could get any worse, Callie dropped another bomb on her.
"I filed for divorce."
"You what?"
"I filed for divorce. You will be getting the papers soon."
"How could you?"
"It isn't going to work out. We have to stop kidding ourselves. It's time to move on."
"But I can't move on."
"You will."
"No, Calliope," Arizona pleaded grabbing her hands, "There isn't any getting over you. I don't want a divorce."
"I'm sorry, but I can't trust you and if I can't trust you, we can't work."
"Please, I'll do anything."
"Sign them and move on."
Arizona started crying so hard it broke Callie's heart.
"Come on Sofie bear, time to go."
"But we live here!"
"No, Mama lives here. You will be able to come back soon."
With that Callie turned around to leave, then she looked back at Arizona, "please just sign the papers. Don't make this harder than it has to be."
Arizona was served the next day, but she threw them in the garbage. She wanted to do what Callie wanted, but she couldn't give her a divorce. She found Callie in her office later that day.
"I'm not signing them. I can't sign a piece of paper that says irreconcilable differences."
"Arizona, its just legal shit."
"Its not irreconcilable to me."
"That's cause I didn't fuck someone else."
"God Calliope what do I have to do? I won't sign away our marriage. I want another 50 years. I want babies and chickens and grandbabies."
"Well you can have all that, with someone else."
"No, I can't have it with someone else. Because the little ones in my dreams look like you and I could never be happy with someone else."
"Well sometimes dreams die and there is nothing you can do about it."