Chapter 8 – Rumor Weed
Callie sighed as the gentle wind of the hospital air conditioning blew past her, her feet carrying her closer and closer to her office. A chill was settling into her skin and creeping its way into her bones as the rain that ended her impromptu picnic date soaked into her clothes. She rubbed her hands across her arms, trying to thwart off the growing goose bumps peppered across her skin. One thing was for sure, she had never been so eager to change into a pair of nice warm, dry scrubs. She breathed on her hands and rubbed them together in an effort to warm them as she picked up her pace and rounded the last corner before her office. What she wasn't expecting was to see Mark leaning against the glass window next to her door.
His gaze was fixed on his phone but when he heard her footsteps, he immediately looked up and threw his phone into his pocket. He crossed his arms and leaned against the window.
"Can I help you?" Callie asked nonchalantly as she unlocked her door.
Mark checked over his shoulder then back to Callie. "What's up with you and blondie?"
Callie looked up at him suddenly, but immediately wiped away the stupid grin she knew her sudden wave of nerves caused. She cursed her cheeks for betraying her with their crimson flush as she hurried her way into her office. "What do you mean?" She threw her bag on her desk. "Nothing's going on…" She ran her fingers through her damp and tangled hair with a huff. "Nothing. Why? What's going on with you?"
Mark raised one eyebrow, clearly picking up on her nervous ticks. "Oh, sure. Nothing is going on…" He leaned against her open door and wiggled his eyebrow. "C'mon… just one tiny little detail?"
Callie's mouth dropped open in shock. "Mark!"
"Cal, it's obvious..." He shut the door behind him and with two strides crossed the floor of her office and plopped down into one of the chairs across from her. "Well, to me… it's obvious. Something's going on and I want in on it! Come on! We tell each other everything."
Callie sat down and folded her arms across her chest. "No we don't. Especially not this, Mark. You'll find out when and if you need to and not before. Now get out of here. I'm wet and cold and I have a surgery in ten minutes."
Mark stared into her eyes, hoping she would crack, but years of staring contests with her sister Aria had prepared her well. She didn't even flinch as his eyebrow rose questioningly and he leaned forward, hoping to yield some sort of response. Finally, he stood up with a huff and crossed the small room back to the door and swung it open. "Whatever it is, I'll find out one way or another." He spun around to face Callie. "I always do." He winked and shut the door behind him as he sauntered away towards his own surgical wing.
Arizona's phone buzzed in her pocket as she rushed towards her final surgery of the day. She knew it could only be one person and the thought warmed her from her toes to the tips of every golden strand of hair flowing from her head. She felt a giddy smile pull at her lips as she fumbled through her lab coat to find her phone.
Hey you :) Good luck on your surgery – text me when you get out and I'll bring coffee. XOXO Callie
She bit her bottom lip and typed out a thank you, squealing just a little bit as she put her phone back in her pocket.
As soon as she entered her OR, the walls around her crumbled away, the ticking of the clock and the steady beeping of her patient's monitor became the only sounds to enter her mind. It was here, in the silent chaos of the OR that Arizona felt truly and fully herself. This is where she belonged; where her skilled hands could perform the life-saving procedures they were trained for. Her mind could remain so focused that the stresses of her life could disappear, vanish into an ominous oblivion where it remained until she made that final closing stitch. As her deft fingers finished the final stitch to her surgery, the walls slowly rebuilt and the quiet murmur of nurses shuffling to prepare to clean up the OR and the sounds of footsteps racing down the halls to the next emergency flooded her senses. She took a deep breath as she stepped away from the operating table. Usually, this was when the stresses of her life overcame her and she had to remember to breathe, but today was different. Today her heart fluttered and a smile pulled at her lips. Today she was going to have coffee with Calliope. Her Calliope. With that thought, she practically ran for the scrub room doors, a dumb grin plastered across her face.
Callie sat at their usual table in the cafeteria, watching the heavy rain pelt the large windows facing the courtyard. She sipped her coffee, wincing at the sting of the hot liquid passing through her lips and crashing against her tongue. She set the cup down and coughed, trying to clear her throat.
"How many times do I have to remind you to not drink coffee right away when Jeremy makes it?" Arizona sat down across from Callie, wrapping her hands around the warm cup of coffee waiting for her. She settled into her seat and smiled warmly at Callie.
Callie smiled back in the way that only she ever could. Arizona marveled at the kindness and warmth radiating from that stunning smile and her gorgeous eyes. It instantly sent a shiver down her spine and she instinctively reached out to take her strong hand in her own. Callie squeezed her hand gently, her eyes flickering down to watch how her tanned olive skin complimented Arizona's pale fingers so beautifully before Arizona pulled her hand away and placed it in her lap.
Callie let her hand linger on the table for a brief moment, wishing their contact hadn't ended. "I guess just one more time." She said teasingly as she took another sip. She immediately regretted it as the hot liquid burned its way down her throat.
Arizona laughed as Callie entered into a coughing fit and rolled her eyes. "You're a lost cause, Calliope."
Callie laughed and purposefully scooted her coffee away from her hands. "Well, maybe. But I'm your lost cause… just remember that."
Arizona chuckled and leaned forward onto her elbows. "Oh dear God… you're right. What was I thinking?"
Callie smirked and raised one eyebrow. "That I'm hot."
Arizona's cheeks flushed a deep red and she involuntarily licked her lips. A tension rose into the air with every passing moment that Arizona allowed the silence between them to build.
"Who's hot?" Mark sat down in the chair beside the girls at the end of the table and took a bite of his apple.
Callie shook her head and looked at Mark with guilt written all over her face.
"The coffee… it's too hot and yet she insists on still drinking it before it has a chance to cool down," Arizona stated confidently.
Mark took another bite. "Jesus, Callie. How many times are you gonna burn yourself on Jeremy's stupid coffee?"
Arizona threw her hands up. "See, Calliope!? Even Mark knows not to drink Jeremy's coffee right away!"
Callie's eyebrows furrowed in disbelief as chuckles erupted from deep within her chest. "You guys are absolutely ridiculous, you know that?"
Mark and Arizona traded a look of surprise then looked at Callie with an expression full of betrayal. "Who? Us?" Arizona pointed towards Mark and herself. "Never!"
The trio sat and chuckled as a comfortable silence settled around them. "So, any plans this weekend?"
"No," "Yes," they both shouted simultaneously. Arizona and Callie locked eyes, each shaking their head slightly at the other.
"Yes," "No," they said, their voices blending. They locked eyes again, agitation building behind each woman's eyes.
Mark looked at Callie and then at Arizona, then back at Callie, a mischievous grin pulling at this lips. "Right. Well, while you two figure it out, I have a surgery to get to. Bye ladies!" Mark pushed away from the table and left the cafeteria feeling very proud of himself.
"Did you say anything to him?" Arizona spat in a low whisper as soon as Mark left the cafeteria.
"No! I swear!" Callie shrunk closer to Arizona. "He came to my office earlier asking questions, but I didn't say anything!" Arizona eyed her suspiciously. "I promise! Arizona… I promise I didn't say anything."
Arizona watched Callie carefully then leaned back with a huff. "Okay, I believe you. He just makes me so nervous!"
"Why?" Callie asked.
"Because… because he's Mark!" Arizona stated as if it were an observation of the color of the sky at midday.
"So?" Callie cocked her head to the side. Arizona laughed sarcastically and stood to leave, but Callie grabbed her arm and pulled her gently back down to the table. "We can trust him. I trust him."
Arizona's smile fell from her lips as she looked Callie in the eyes. "I don't. I trust you and that's it."
Callie watched as Arizona's typically carefree eyes filled again with sadness and pain. She couldn't help but have a part of her heart break for her and she wanted to do nothing more than just wrap her arms around her and protect her from ever having to be hurt again. She nodded slowly. "Okay," she whispered.
Arizona dropped her gaze as she walked out of the cafeteria. Callie followed her into the empty hallway. "I have to get going, my shift ended almost an hour ago," Arizona said as she looked over her shoulder and back at Callie. "Thank you for the coffee."
"Anytime, babe," Callie said with a small smile.
Arizona gave a wide smile, her dimples showing for the first time all afternoon. She never thought she could ever have a pet name make her so instantly happy. But the way Callie called her babe made her heart race. She leaned in and brushed her lips quickly against Callie's. "I'll see you Friday."
Callie's heart dropped as she realized that their date on Friday would be the next time they saw each other. "That long?"
Arizona nodded. "It'll be over so fast, it'll be like you blinked and the week disappeared."
Callie groaned. "I highly doubt that. I can't stop thinking about you."
"I can't either." Arizona leaned in to kiss Callie again, this time lingering for a moment longer so she could try to memorize the feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was new, something she had never felt before, and she was quickly becoming a hardcore addict.
"Okay. I can do this. Friday. That's only a few days… it won't be too bad," Callie said as she wrung her hands nervously.
Arizona turned to walk away. "Yes it will be."
"Yeah. It will be," Callie muttered to herself as she watched Arizona step through the front doors and into the pouring rain.
Arizona turned as the sliding automatic doors closed behind her and blew a kiss. She smiled as Callie pretended to catch it then waved. It was going to be the longest week of her life.
AN: I'm so sorry! Just want to get that out of the way. I never intended to leave my stories this long and I can't apologize enough for having such a long break!
That being said… This is a shorter chapter just for me to get back into the swing of writing. So, let me know what your thoughts were on this chapter and where you think the story should go! Or just tell me how much you hate me for leaving this story for so long :P
For my Awakened readers – expect an update on that story by the end of the week!
As always, thank you for reading and being such amazingly faithful readers. Loves and stuff! - Tina