Arizona woke up at 8 a.m., not feeling rested at all and already worried about the talk she was going to have with her parents. She thought the sooner she got it out of the way, the sooner she could start studying and hopefully stop worrying. Her mother was sure awake, in Colorado being already 9, so she unplugged her phone from the charger and picked it up, dialing her mother's number.
She picked up almost right away. Arizona could picture her mother sitting on the couch sipping coffee, her smartphone on the couch's armrest, suddenly ringing very loud. She and her brother Tim always made fun of her loud volume and sometimes their dad joined them in their playing around.
"Hey sweetie, you up already? I missed talking to you these days, were you that busy?"
"Hey mum… Yeah, lots of things going on… But now here I am!"
"I'm glad you called honey! So, what do you want to talk about?", Barbara asked, curious to get to the point.
"Well, it's quite a big thing, actually…", Arizona started, hesitating, "I… uh… What would you say if I went to law school in LA?", she asked then, all in one breath.
"LA? Why is it? I thought you wanted to stay in Seattle…"
"Well, let's say I would be moving there with someone…"
"What? Arizona, when did you get in a relationship without telling me?", Barbara asked, kind of hurt to be left out from her daughter's life.
"It's new, mum… And I know it's kind of rushed, but everything happened so fast, and then applications for university there start in a couple of weeks and I have to decide soon if I want to get in…"
"I don't know, honey… We don't really care if you are in Seattle or in LA, I guess… It's a decision you have to take on your own, I'm just worried you would be moving to there for the wrong reasons…"
"I know… You're right… But I really need your approval, it's important to me! Besides, it's not that I can't live without your money…"
"Oh, no, honey, it's not a matter of money, we would never withhold money from you! We just want you to be happy and if you think that LA would do it for you, then LA is it… I know that I can't have you living nearer to home anyway, so it doesn't really make any difference where you are, as long as you are happy!"
Arizona had tears in her eyes. She was so happy that her mother trusted her so much.
"Thanks mum, really. I'll think this trough and then we will talk about it when I come home. In ten days I have another exam, then I'll be there for a few days, so that we can talk".
"Oh, honey, I'm looking forward to seeing you again. But now, tell me about this guy who made you fall madly in love with him…"
Arizona pondered if she could tell her mother or not, she wanted to talk about that in person with her, fearing her reaction, but she knew she had to tell her right away, she couldn't hide it and then tell her once she had already applied for LA, it wasn't fair!
"Well, about that… I think we need to talk about it when we see each other…", she tried to buy time.
"Why, honey? You know you can tell me anything, right?"
"Yeah, I know, mum… But… This time it's different…"
"Is it someone worse than Jackson? You know I never liked him, yet I was fine with it because I knew he made you happy! It can't be worse…"
"It's not that…"
"Then what is it, honey?"
"I want to tell you, but I fear your reaction… I want to explain everything to you, but face to face, not through the phone… I don't want you to be mad or disappointed and not be able to talk you into it and change your mind".
"Arizona, please, you're worrying me! Spit it already!", Barbara uttered, starting to lose her temper.
"You promise you won't hang up on me?"
"Arizona…"
"No, promise me!"
"I promise…"
"And promise you won't get mad and you will give me a chance to explain once I come back home in two weeks".
"I do… Arizona!", Barbara pushed her.
"Well, you're sitting, right?"
"Yeah, I'm on the couch… God, I swear I'm going crazy! What is it?"
"The person I fell in love with… The one for whom I'm ready to move to LA… It's… Uh… Callie…"
"Callie?", Barbara asked, not quite getting what that meant.
"Yes, mum, Callie… A girl… She is… Amazing… But… She… Well, she is a she…", Arizona dropped the bomb and then squeezed her eyes, waiting for her mother's reaction.
"Oh, Arizona, that's not what I was expecting… You don't need to worry, though, I'll come to terms with it… We will talk about it and if I see you're truly happy with her, I won't come into the way. It's a lot to process for me, you were right… But you're my little girl and I love you no matter what! Besides, it really isn't about the gender, it's just about your happiness, Arizona…"
"Thank you mum! I wish you could meet her, I'm sure you would love her!"
"I will, honey, sooner or later! I just ask you to talk to me about these things, you know you can, right?"
"Yeah… I'm sorry if I waited to tell you, I was just confused myself and I was overwhelmed and needed to sort out my feelings before talking about her with anyone. Thank you, mum, I hope you can mention something to daddy for me, then I'll tell him and Tim too when I come back, okay?"
"Sure thing, Arizona… I'm happy for you, but now you need to focus on your last exams and your application for LA!"
"I know and I will… Thank you again mommy, I'll talk to you soon! Love you!"
"Love you too baby girl, I'll call you tomorrow!"
Arizona hung up and felt suddenly really happy, looking forward to telling Callie and to starting her new life. Her mother really was an awesome woman! Now she was slightly worried about her dad, but she knew there was nothing her mother couldn't talk him into. She went about her morning routine, having breakfast and getting ready to study, then she shot a quick text to her girlfriend to set up for that afternoon.
'Morning, Calliope! Talk with mum went fine… Now I'll study! When do you want to meet up? Have a good day. Love you. X'
She patiently waited for the reply.
'Hey you… I'm glad it went fine! How about 4 p.m.? Let me know… I'll study now too. Love you too. X'
'4 is fine, see you later. X'
And she switched off her phone.
Callie spent her day studying, she couldn't really focus, but anything was better than thinking about that afternoon and the job offer. Arizona had texted saying that the talk with her mother went fine, still, she wasn't sure about what she should do.
She had lunch with her parents, who asked her what intentions she had. She told them she was going to accept the job and her mother tried to ask subtly about what she intended to do with Arizona, but they didn't get to talk because Callie's father was there and didn't know anything about the blonde yet.
At 3.45 Callie exited her house after spending more than an hour picking an outfit and doing her hair and make-up. She went to the railway station and waited for Arizona's train to arrive. When the train stopped she looked up and down the platform to spot her blonde girlfriend, and not long after she saw her, wearing a white, knee-length dress. She was stunning.
"Arizona!", she waved, to catch her girlfriend's attention.
"Calliope!", the blonde squealed, almost running towards her and hugging her tightly.
Not giving a damn about people in the station, Callie planted a loud kiss on the blonde's pink lips. Arizona cupped Callie's face with her hands and pulled her in for another kiss, this time more passionate.
"God, I missed you!", Callie said, when they broke the kiss.
"I missed you too! You look miraculous, by the way", Arizona said, winking.
"Thank you! You don't look too bad yourself!"
"So, where to?", Arizona asked, curious to know their plan.
"Now we are heading to my car, then we're driving to the agency and tell them I accept the job! After that, we are free to do whatever my girlfriend wants until about 9 p.m. when we meet at the pub with Amelia, Maggie and another friend of mine who I don't think you know, Addison. She is my best friend, she lives here and studied in Portland, you will like her!", Callie explained.
"Oh! So you told them about me?", Arizona asked, feeling slightly uncomfortable.
"Well, no, I didn't… They know you will be there with us but they don't know you are my girlfriend… We will tell them tonight!"
"Okay…", Arizona answered, taking the passenger seat in Callie's car and looking outside the window.
"Is it okay for you?", Callie asked, sensing something was off with the blonde.
"Yeah, sure!"
"Then what is it?"
"I don't know, Calliope, I'm worried that they might not like me… Or the fact that I'm your girlfriend… Probably I'm being paranoid, but… I mean… It's not possible that everybody is on board with our relationship, is it?"
Callie moved her right hand to rest on Arizona's bare knee.
"Of course it's possible, Arizona! It's not that we are doing anything wrong whatsoever… Besides, Maggie and Amelia already like you, and Addison is my best friend, so she is going to love you. Maybe they are going to be a little pissed at the beginning because I waited so long to tell them, but they will be pissed with me, not you. You don't have anything to worry about!", Callie tried to sound convincing.
"Okay…"
"Look, Arizona, if you don't fell ready for it, I'm going to cancel and we stay in, it's no big deal. Whatever makes my love feeling comfortable".
And with that Arizona was a goner. She took Callie's right hand that was still resting on her knee between both her hands.
"Thank you, Calliope, you're so lovely and thoughtful. I'm still a little bit worried to meet your friends, but I want to do it, I want them to know".
"Okay, I'm glad you do! If you want, I can ask them not to give you the whole 'hurt her and I'll hurt you' speech. Addison is sure going to give it to you".
"No, Callie, it's fine, really, it's good to know that your friends look out for you. We all need that kind of friends in our lives".
They soon reached Callie's agency and got off the car. They entered the small office and April, the secretary, welcomed them, removing her reading glasses and switching her gaze from the computer to the two girls.
"Hi Callie!", she said. Then she hesitantly looked at Arizona and asked: "and you are?"
"I'm Arizona, Callie's girlfriend".
"Oh, nice to meet you Arizona, I'm April. I thought you wanted to work for us too!"
"Oh, no… I'm just here with Callie".
"Okay… If you change your mind though, I think you'd make a pretty model! So, Callie, what did you decide?", April asked, fixing her gaze to the brunette.
"I'll take the job!", Callie said, without any hesitancy.
"I'm so happy you do! Vanessa and Marie came in yesterday to fill in the forms, I'm so proud that our three best girls are going to work there. Do you mind coming here behind my desk to fill in the forms?"
Callie reached for Arizona's hand, but Arizona just gave it a firm squeeze and then nodded her head to encourage Callie to do what she was told. Meanwhile, she took a sit in one of the three chairs in the hallway.
Callie filled in the forms and thanked April. They agreed upon meeting the following week together with Vanessa and Marie to start getting ready for September. April also gave her a list of events taking place during the summer where Callie could go. Callie and Arizona left the agency and drove back to the brunette's house.
The car drive was silent but not uncomfortable, both girls lost in their thoughts.
"So, what does my pretty girlfriend want to do now? We still have 3 hours before we have to meet with the girls!", Callie said, pulling over in her parking.
"Uh, I… I would love to just cuddle with you, Calliope!", Arizona answered.
"Well, I would love that too, but my parents are home, so if we go upstairs we need to stay with them, there is no way my mum lets us slip into my bedroom and doesn't force us to eat… You know, she looks out for me, sometimes even too much".
"I see…", Arizona said, not even trying to disguise her disappointment.
"I'm sorry, Arizona! If you want, we can go back to your place and stay there", Callie proposed.
"We could, but what about drinks with your friends?", Arizona retorted.
"I can tell them something came up and not go…"
"No, no, Calliope, we are going!"
"Really, Arizona, tonight is about us, I want to celebrate with my girlfriend, I don't really care about them…"
"No, Callie, you don't say that you don't care about your best friends, I'm not turning you into that kind of person, I don't want you to stood up your friends for me".
"It's really thoughtful from you, Arizona. Thank you, it really means a lot!"
"You don't have to pretend with me, Callie, just tell me how you feel. Don't pretend you don't want to see your friends to be with me. I know you would have if I told you so, but don't, really. Talk to me and we can just come up with a solution or whatever!"
"You're right, I'm sorry! So, how do you feel about dinner?"
"I think it's a good idea… Pizza?"
"I would love it! I'll take you to my favorite pizza place, so you can also tell me about the talk with your mother".
Meanwhile, they decided to walk to the pizza place, which was within 5 minutes' walk. They entered the small, cozy place and placed their order right away. They seated facing each other on a small table near the entrance.
"So, tell me, what did your mum say?", Callie chanced.
"Well, she said I can do what I think makes me happy, so I can go to law school in LA if I want to…", Arizona explained.
"Wow, that's awesome! And… About… You know, about me, what did she say?", Callie asked, concern evident in her voice.
"Uh, not much, actually. She said we need to discuss it when we see each other… She said she wasn't expecting that, but she will come around sooner or later…"
"Well, I think it's good, isn't it?"
"Yeah…", Arizona answered, starting to play nervously with her napkin.
"But you seem worried, what is it?", Callie asked.
"I don't know… It's my dad… And my brother… I know if my mum is coming around, eventually they will too, but I don't know…"
"They seem like reasonable people, Arizona, they sure will come around. Besides, they let you decide what is good for you by yourself, that is quite a big deal…"
"It is… Well, now enough with the worrying, we can do it later! Tonight it's about celebrating your new job!"
"Exactly! And the fact that you MIGHT well come to LA with me!"
They clicked together the two tall beer glasses the waitress just brought them and looked into each other's eyes.
"I love you, Arizona!", Callie said, her voice thick with emotions.
"And I love you, Calliope!"
They intertwined their hands on the table, not caring about who was there and waited in silence for their pizza. When the pizza got there, they started eating, making small talk. It was already 9 p. m. when they left the place, but they were enjoying its coziness too much to leave sooner.
Callie texted her friends in their group chat to wait for them because they were running just a couple of minutes late. They walked hand in hand to the pub, which was in the center of the small city, and when they spotted Amelia, Maggie and Addison standing next to the door waiting for them, Arizona tried to slip her hand out of Callie's, whereas the brunette tightened her hold on the blonde's.
"Hey guys!", Callie said, smiling.
"Hey!", the three other girls answered in unison.
"So, girls, for the ones who don't know her…", Callie started nervously, tightening her hold on Arizona's hand even more, until her knuckles turned white. She looked at Addison, who really was the only one who didn't know her. "She is Arizona…", she went on, moving her gaze to look at her girlfriend.
Addison stretched out her hand in Arizona's direction and the two girls shook hands.
"Nice to meet you, Arizona, I'm Addison", the redhead said.
"Nice to meet you too", Arizona answered, nervously.
"So, shall we go in? It's already packed…", Maggie said, turning around and heading towards the door.
No one commented on their hand-holding, but Callie was sure they noticed. She knew it was kind of 'now or never', she had to tell her friends before they started drinking and talking, she wanted to avoid embarrassing topics or worse to put Arizona in an unpleasant situation.
"Hey guys, stop!", Callie asked.
Now the attention was all on her.
"I need to tell you something… Arizona here… She… Uh…" Callie glanced at Arizona, who just nodded slightly, "She… She… She is my girlfriend", she was finally able to say.
So, cliffhanger. Are Callie's friends going to be on board too? What is going to happen in the pub? You want drama or smut next? :)
