Callie roughly threw down her tray on the table where the rest of the doctor's were sitting, her morning had gone from bad to worse. A late start due to a stubborn little girl was just the beginning of her down spiral of bad luck. The car took multiple tries to start, Sofia refused to let go of her hand when it came to daycare. Two of her surgeries ended up being more complicated that she initially expected. To make matter even worse, she had three back to back surgeries in the afternoon. After the second one, she just wanted to go home.
"Someone's a grumpy mama bear!" Amelia Shepherd smirked as she confidently bit out a chunk of her carrot stick.
Callie shot Amelia a look "Nothing wants to go my way, two complications and three back to backs."
"That's weak Torres, try doing back to back on the brain." Amelia smirked yet again "You normally cope with back to backs?"
"Any normal day yes, but when you have a stubborn child who makes you late for work then proceeds to throw a tantrum when you leave her at day care, back to backs are the last thing you want."
"One stubborn child? Try three." Meredith piped up into the conversation
Callie nodded as she held her hands up "You win."
The foursome went about their daily conversations over their lunch, it was very rare that three or more surgeons would lunch together. On the days they did, each of them drunk up the moments they had. No one better than surgeons how quickly a hour of piece could rapidly change.
Amelia picked up her phone to check the time before turning to Alex "Hit with me with the latest gossip, you've got ten minutes before I have paperwork to fill out!"
"Word on the street is, Robbins never came home last night." Karev added as he spoke through his mouthful of food.
Amelia gave him a look and motioned her head towards to Callie, the group of surgeons knew it was still a risk bringing up the subject of Arizona to Callie or vice versa. Neither of the ex wives mentioned one another, and when they did it was brief and awkward.. not just for them but everyone around them.
"What?! You asked if there was gossip?"
"How about the latest on interns sex lives? Not that of our friend, who may I remind you, has an ex wife sat at this table, who also happens to be our friend!" Meredith reasoned with Alex as she placed a hand on Callie's shoulder.
"Mer it's okay, you all shouldn't have to watch what you say. I can handle it." The orthopaedic surgeon spoke as she pushed her salad around the bowl "I have to get used to it at some point."
"Yeah you should Torres seeing as you're the one who filed for divorce." Alex bit back. "You're allowed to move on with Penny so why isn't Arizona?"
There was a moment of silence over the table as they all picked at the food in front of them. Meredith and Amelia held a gaze with each other, Meredith raised her eyebrows at Amelia motioning for her to break the tension, she squeezed Callie's shoulder gently. A small gesture to let Callie know she was there for her.
"In that caaaaase!" Amelia shuffled closed towards Alex's chair "Spill every bit of detail you have!"
Meredith kept her hand on Callie's shoulder, she was met with a smile. Callie held her head low as she processed Alex's comment, half of her agreed with him. She was the one who filed for divorce, she was the one who initiate a separation. She still had the right to hurt didn't she? She too lost a wife.
"DeLuca told Steph and Jo that Arizona didn't come home till this morning." Alex began to reel of the gossip he had.
"Your point is? Arizona is a surgeon?" Meredith questioned.
"She was still wearing last night's clothes." This particular piece of information made Amelia gasp and portray a huge smirk.
"Yet again, your point is?"
"DeLuca said she had gone to take Sofia back and never returned." Alex sat back in the chair, he was determined to believe that Arizona was seeing someone. He had watched her hit rock bottom for the countless time, he wanted her to get back out there. He had to make her move on.
"Alex come on, you're listing all these things that is common with us surgeons!"
"But the best bit is, she couldn't of got paged apparently her pager was on the kitchen table. So where did she go after dropping Sofia off?" Alex raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "DeLuca said she was smiling from ear to ear."
"Oooooo Robbins is getting some action!" Amelia chimed as she held her hands up in the air as if she just won a competition. "Where is that perky minx anyway? I need to high five her!"
Alex turned to Callie and raised an eyebrow "Did she mention anything to you?"
"Nope, not at all...nope sorry." Callie muttered as she tried to suppress the smirk on her face. Arizona had been with her all night, had she really gone home smiling? That was an improvement in their relationship right?"
Both Meredith and Alex gave each other a confused look, why had Callie staggered on her reply?
"You've still got five minutes, what other gossip is there?" Amelia pushed his shoulder.
"Shepherd lets be real, you wont be doing that paperwork for another hour."
"He's right!" Callie agreed as Amelia faked a hurt expression.
All four adults started laughing, it was known that Amelia hated doing her paperwork. Just like every other surgeon in the hospital, each mountain of paperwork required at least three cups of coffee... and that's a small mountain.
"Hey Torres isn't that your kid?"
Callie whipped her head round to see Sofia coming towards them on what seemed to be a new scooter. Sofia was displaying a huge smile on her face.
"LOOK WHAT MOMMA BUYED ME." Sofia screamed, she screamed loud enough for the entire room to stop and turn their attention to the child.
"I can see that" Callie spoke with a forced smile, turning to Arizona she lent back in her chair "I thought we agreed you weren't going to buy it for her till her birthday?"
"I thought she deserved a pick me up, after all our little girl does start Kindergarten next week." Arizona reasoned as she looked down at the little girl who was so engrossed at looking at every aspect of the scooter in great detail.
"She may of deserved it but her behaviour was less than rewarding this morning!" Callie sternly told Arizona.
"Look mami it has pink handles and the ribbon is sooooooo pretty!" The little girl beamed as she lifted a strand of the sparkling pink ribbon that hung from the edges of the scooter.
Amelia had gotten onto her knees by the point, her face was lit up as Sofia babbled on about her brand new scooter. She twirled the ribbon round her fingers endlessly.
"I've never seen Amelia so engrossed in anything other than a brain!" Alex joked as the four surgeons watched the neurosurgeon's excitement levels grow with each second.
Double checking that Sofia was distracted Callie lightly brushed Arizona's shoulder and motioned for them to take a few steps away from the group.
"I know you have Sof all weekend, but could you keep her a bit later on Sunday?"
"You don't have to ask Callie, she's my daughter too." Arizona smiled back as they both looked back at their daughter, who had now perched herself on Amelia's lap.
Callie sighed with relief "Thank you! Penny and I are going for dinner, and I don't know what time we're expected back."
Oh Penny.
Arizona wasn't a fan of her ex wife's new girlfriend. Arizona wasn't a fan of "Perfect Pretty Penny". Yes she made Callie happy, but she still disliked her. She got to be with her family in the ways she wanted. Early morning conversations over teeth brushing or late night fort making when there's a thunder storm. Whenever Penny was brought up in the conversation, Arizona tried to make a light response and fake a smile but there was always someone who caught out her fake happiness.
"Date on a Sunday? Wow you've changed your tactics." Arizona joked, she tried to make light heart of the situation. There was only a small handful of times she and Callie went on a Sunday date. Callie always picked Saturdays, it was their day. They would spend the day together, before trying out a new restaurant. In their many years of dating and marriage, they only managed to order dessert three times. The energy bouncing of one another got so intense, they would pay the bill before their plates had been cleared, the rest of the date would occur at home in the comfort of their own bed. On most occasions, neither of them would leave the bed till the following morning.
"Penny has a full shift tomorrow, and I have my own date with a new novel I picked up."
Arizona nodded her head "Well, I hope the date goes smoothly."
"As long as I don't get paged then it will go smoothly."
Arizona nodded again, she really wanted this conversation to be over. The thought of perfect pretty Penny spending a romantic evening with Callie made her stomach turn.
"I guess I better take Sofia home, we've got an early morning tomorrow." Arizona gestured as she began to walk back towards the table.
"Oh really? Where you off to?" Callie questioned, she didn't know her ex wife had anything planned for Sofia. When it came to Sofia's time with each mother, they each tried to take her out or dedicate the whole day to doing something the little girl wanted.
"I have no idea yet, she's yet to make a decision between but I think Woodland Zoo is high on our list."
"Oh the zoo, I haven't been back there in forever."
"Sofia's second birthday" Arizona muttered quietly.
"Yes! I remember now! Man she did not like giraffe!" Callie laughed as she replayed the memory in her head.
"Calliope don't laugh! Her poor face when the giraffe started going for her ice- cream!" Arizona tried to hold back the laughter but seeing Callie laughing and the image of Sofia's reaction in her head she couldn't help but laugh.
"I don't think she's ever dropped an ice-cream so quickly in her life! My little baby!"
Back at the table, Sofia was happily sitting on Amelia's lap still talking to the older woman about her new scooter.
"Hey Mer, look at Robbins and Torres." Alex spoke as he slyly pointed towards the ex wives.
Both Arizona and Callie had their hands over their mouths trying to stop the laughter from escaping. When either of them opened their mouth to try and talk, a new wave of laughter hit them. Callie gripped Arizona's forearm in an attempt to steady herself.
Meredith turned to Alex and smiled "That's the most I've seen them talk since the divorce."
"It looks like nothings changed between them." Alex confessed as she he too smiled.
Sofia had finished talking to Amelia and stared at the other remaining doctor's at the table "Why you smiling at the air?"
Amelia bounced Sofia in her lap before turning the little girl to face the direction in with her mother's were in "They're smiling at your mommies!"
"Why are they smiling at my mommies?" Sofia asked.
Amelia looked at the other two, neither of them were willing to answer the little girls question. "They're smiling because your mommies are smiling."
"Oohhhhhh." Sofia replied still feeling confused, adults were strange. "They're smiling because we had blue pancakes this morning?"
"That was nice of your mommies, bringing you pancakes in daycare." Meredith smiled at the little girl, there were many times she would stop by the daycare to have breakfast with her children.
"Noo Auntie Mer, we had them at home."
Sofia's comment caught the intention of all the adults at the table.
"You had them at home?" Meredith asked.
"That's what I said." Sofia looked at Meredith with wide eyes.
"You and your mommies?" Alex asked this time.
"Me and mami made blue pancakes while momma was sleeping." Sofia answered as she played the little doll she had brought with her.
"Momma was sleeping?" Alex pried a little further.
Sofia sighed, why were they asking her questions?
"Momma sleeped for a long time, she even stole my ted!" Sofia loudly spoke to the group, she couldn't get over how much her momma had hogged her favourite teddy.
"No way Sof! She hogged Ted!" Alex reacted in the same mannerism as Sofia. He knew how much the little girl was attached to that bear. She refused to let Alex do her yearly medical check up unless he performed on the bear too.
"I woked up and she had him right under her arm.. Uncle Alex I couldn't get him out!" Sofia demonstrated how her momma had held her bear. Her little voice made the story even more cute, she had both the women smiling at her.
Meredith put her arms on the table and she tried to get more information out of the little girl "So Sofia, momma was there when you woke up right?"
Sofia nodded.
"Was momma there when you went to sleep?"
Sofia nodded.
The three adults gasped.
"Why you make that noise? Did I do something wrong?" Sofia worriedly asked.
"Amelia tightened her grip on the little brunette. "You didn't do anything wrong honey, we didn't know you had sleepovers with Momma at Mami's house."
Sofia's lip fell, she felt like she had done something wrong. She eagerly slid of Amelia's lap and went in the direction of her mothers.
"Robbins and Torres' spent the night together!" Alex spoke first. Meredith was just sitting back in her chair watching over in Callie and Arizona's direction. The two women were both crouching down to Sofia's level as the little girl bowed her head. Arizona had picked up Sofia and held her tightly. Callie rubbed her back as the trio made their way back over to the table.
"Hey guy, I'm going now little miss Sofia is getting upset." Arizona smiled to the group as she picked up the scooter that was leaning against the spare chair.
Callie sprung herself forward and grabbed the scooter out Arizona's hand. "You carry Sof, I'll carry this to your car." The ex-wives shared a smile between them before waving the other doctors off.
"Was it me or did I feel like they were married again?" Alex questioned as she picked up his drink and stared at Meredith and Amelia.
"If I didn't know that they were divorced, I would of said they were still married!" Amelia admitted.
The three surgeons sat there in silence trying to comprehend what had just happened. They went from gossiping about Arizona's possible new love life to discovering she had played happy families with her ex wife. What was going on?
Hello it's me! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I'm still undecided on the exact route this storyline is going but I hope I don't disappoint. Thank you for all the reviews, follows and favourites – it really means a lot. Again, I hope you enjoyed it!