Callie checked her watch, she was running a few minutes late for day care, hopefully Sofia would forgive her. Checking in with the day care worker she found Sofia pouting at her from the colouring table.
"Hey Sofia, sorry I am late" She apologised bending down lifting her daughter up hugging her, inhaling her scent, despite seeing her briefly that morning when Arizona dropped her off, she had missed her daughter greatly. Exchanging an awkward moment with Arizona was worth it for a few extra seconds with her daughter.
"I wanna go with mommy tonight" Sofia sulked, Callie felt her heart break, she knew it would happen, she knew this split would create tension and Sofia would suffer but still, it sent a stab of pain through her heart as Sofia chose her other mother. Callie knew Arizona and Sofia had a special bond, she liked to think she had special bond of her own with Sofia, that Sofia would never choose Arizona over herself. She knew from friends who'd gone through divorce children tried to play one off against the other but never thought it would start so young.
"Well, it's me tonight, mommy tomorrow, but we can have pizza and watch Frozen" Callie bribed, Sofia sighed, as if spending any time with Callie was a chore.
"But I wanna play with Edna" she sulked, Callie frowned, who was Edna? And why was she playing with Sofia, was Arizona dating again, it had been a few months since they had broken up and Callie had been on a few dates, most recently with a brilliant and beautiful young Surgeon called Penny. She didn't care who Edna was, or why Edna was more fun that here. No that didn't bother her at all. The thought of Arizona dating, being touched by other women, being intimate with other women, that was fine, Arizona deserved to be happy, so it was fine.
Carrying Sofia out the hospital Callie was determined she was going to be the fun parent, she was going to be the best, never mind competing with Arizona, she was no competing with Edna, whoever that was but that didn't mean she wasn't going to scope out the competition.
"Hey Sof, what does Edna look like?" Callie asked casually as they got into the car.
"She has eyes like me mommy, and black hair, and she likes smiling, she is really fun to play with and she knows lots of fun games," Sofia told her kicking her legs,
"And does Edna do sleepovers?" She asked curiously, telling herself she was worried about Sofia, not digging information on her ex-wife.
"Uh huh with mommy in her room, and sometimes I cuddle to, she wakes us up with kisses" Sofia said smiling at the memory. Callie frowned, there was one thing to have a partner stay over with Sofia there, it was a whole other matter for a stranger to be sharing a bed and kissing her daughter, let alone Arizona. She hadn't even discussed Sofia meeting anyone, let alone a new woman.
"What does Edna do for work?" Callie asked, trying to keep her voice calm, even as she felt the rage build up.
"She doesn't work mamma" Sofia giggled, "she is a princess like me, mommy looks after her".
Callie bit her lip, imagining the jobless bum living with Arizona taking advantage of her ex-wife. It wasn't on, they hadn't even discussed others meeting Sofia. Yet it seemed Arizona had taken that decision, had moved on, and didn't need Callie anymore. All those swapped dates, for 'work' had that just been an excuse.
Arriving at the house Callie tried to ignore the anger inside her and the desire to drive over and give Arizona a piece of her mind, instead ordering pizza, and doing a dance party, then playing frozen. Arizona could do what she wanted; it was only Sofia she cared about.
That night she even let Sofia share a bed with her determined to one up Arizona and Edna. She would be Sofia's favourite. Waking up she made sure to give Sofia lots of kisses waking her daughter up gently, then cooking pancakes allowing her to have extra syrup.
At the hospital Arizona was waiting outside day care.
"Mommy" Sofia called wiggling away from Callie running to hug her mommy,
"Hey goose" Arizona greeted lifting her daughter up hugging her closely.
"Mommy, where's Edna?" Sofia asked looking around expectantly.
"She is at home," Arizona said, "But you'll see her tonight, I know she was looking forwards to seeing you" Sofia's face lit up, "Right now it's time for day care I love you," Arizona said,
"Love you too mommy, love you three mamma" Sofia said hugging them both dancing into day care.
"Arizona a word" Callie ordered grabbing her ex's arm dragging her down the corridor to the nearest empty room.
"Ow, Callie what the hell?" Arizona asked rubbing her arm when Callie released her, but after stewing all night Callie was too angry to care.
"Edna?" Callie yelled, "Why is she kissing my daughter? Sharing a bed with my daughter? Why didn't you think it was important to discuss her meeting her?" Callie raged,
"Your daughter!" Arizona retorted, "What happened to our daughter? Edna is great with Sofia and Sofia loves her. And you know what, there used to be a time when you trusted me with our daughter, when you considered me her other mother" Arizona said her volume rising.
"That's not what I meant, and you know it" Callie screamed, "I just don't think introducing our daughter to every fling is healthy".
"You're the one having a fling, dating the killer of Derek Shepard, I'm not having any flings," Arizona screamed back,
"Don't lie to me, I know all about…."
The door opened, Bailey stormed in, "Enough, half the hospital can hear you fighting".
There was a silence, cold blue eyes met defiant brown, neither willing to apologize or back down.
"Excuse me, I have patients to round on" Arizona said storming off. As soon as she was gone Callie screamed frustrated, why was it every time she spoke to her ex it ended in a fight.
"Wanna tell me what that was about?" Bailey asked, knowing that Callie would likely need to talk, and although she didn't do personal, she also didn't tolerate staff fighting.
"Arizona is dating, a jobless bum, who is sleeping over, kissing and playing with my daughter and didn't even bother to tell me" Callie ranted.
"You're dating too" Bailey pointed out watching her head of Orthopedics pace,
"Yeah, a surgeon, well a resident but she will be an attending, and she hasn't met Sofia yet, let alone slept over while our daughter is home." Callie continued, "I mean, Sofia seems attached to this new person, she'll be heartbroken if they split, it's not fair, we can't do that to her,"
"And that's the only thing that's bothering you, Sofia," Bailey checked disbelievingly, "Sofia will be fine, she is strong, and what if they don't break up, what if Arizona is happy, what if this new girl is the one" Bailey replied, "She has been smiling more recently".
No, Callie wanted to deny, Edna couldn't be Arizona's one, she was Arizona's one, and Arizona was her one, but that was before.
"Look, you're dating, you're happy, Arizona is dating, she is happy, Sofia is adjusting well, this is what you wanted right?" Bailey checked, "Because if it's not, you better figure it out what you do want, and quickly".
"I'm happy, I just don't want Arizona introducing Sofia to strangers" Callie insisted, going to the door, opening it storming out. She needed to find Arizona make sure she knew that this Edna wasn't to see Sofia again, not until Callie had vetted her for herself.
Arriving on Peds Arizona was nowhere to be seen instead Alex was at the desk charting,
"Where is she?" Callie demanded, "Karev, don't mess with me, where is she?"
"Robbins, operating, what's up, I'm guessing you're the reason she looks like someone pissed in her cornflakes" he said crudely.
"She is bringing women home to Sofia, without asking, strange women are sharing a bed, and kissing my daughter, without me knowing" Callie ranted,
"You're jealous" he said grinning, calling her out directly.
"No, why would I be jealous of a whore called Edna" Callie lied. Alex spat out the coffee he was drinking,
"Edna, this is about Edna" he grinned,
"You've met her" Callie asked, desperate for information,
"Uh huh, she is awesome, you have competition, Robbins is smitten" Alex continued, "She is gorgeous, I mean you stop on the street to look, she is everything you'd look for in a girl. Loyal, and cute, and she adores Robbins, I mean they only met 2 weeks ago, and she is basically living there." He explained, "Which is good as you're not jealous".
"I'm not, I'm just worried about Sofia, and her influence on our daughter" Callie lied, feeling sick, this is what she wanted, she wanted Arizona to move on to feel happy, so why was it killing her inside.
"Edna is amazing with kids, I wouldn't worry, in fact I was thinking about talking to Bailey trying to get her a job in Peds, maybe she could help in day care too." Alex suggested, Callie glared at him, why was he trying to help this Edna steal her life. "Look you left, and after Robbins cheated you had every right to, but it broke her, for months, she didn't smile she went through the motions, now Edna is making her smile again, and you don't get to ruin that, not until you decide what you want" Alex lectured.
Callie sighed, why was everyone suggesting she was jealous, she wasn't jealous, why would she be jealous? She was the one who had ended things, who had set Arizona free so they could both be happy. Callie was happy, Penny made her happy so why wouldn't she be happy that Arizona was happy, she was happy that was the aching in her heart, happiness and worry about Sofia. She had left because she was suffocating. She needed a fresh start, she could be happy for Arizona and Edna, even if Edna sounded like an old lady.
She huffed at Alex, leaving the Peds floor, if Arizona was operating then this could wait until later. Then she could discuss it rationally with Arizona, prove to everyone she was happy that her ex had met someone, and was just concerned about Sofia. For now, she had a surgery to get to. In surgery she knew she wasn't performing her best. It still went flawlessly but she knew this wasn't her normal level, she was distracted. As soon as she was finished, she left the OR returning to Peds she needed to talk to Arizona. As she approached Arizona's office she found the door ajar, without meaning to she listened in,
"So, Callie was here earlier asking about Edna. How are you guys getting on?" Alex asked, Arizona sighed,
"Really good, I mean I wasn't sure at first that I was ready for the commitment, and the mess but it's working out perfectly. She is helpful with my crutches or getting my leg, and Sofia loves her, plus its nice having someone always at home, and she is always excited to see me" Arizona mused,
"And she is cute" Alex added laughing,
"Well, there is that" Arizona agreed.
"You have a type, brown hair, brown eyes, sharing a bed with both".
"Alex!" Arizona cried, "Its completely different".
"Sure, it is…. Both are warm, loyal, good with kids…."
"Alex, I'm not comparing Callie and Edna," Arizona said firmly. "It's not the same, I mean…."
"But if you had to, whose is better to cuddle up to?" Alex interrupted,
"Alex" Arizona groaned, "At the moment Edna, at least she doesn't hate me, even if she does hog the bed more than Callie and has more bony elbows that dig in."
"And the kisses…." Alex poked, Callie heard Arizona nearly growl,
"Callie obviously, Edna's are just wet. Now stop asking me to compare the two, Callie doesn't want me anymore, I suffocated her, Edna isn't a replacement for Callie, although she is good company."
Callie stepped away from the door, maybe Edna was good for Arizona. Maybe this was something to be happy about.
With that in mind Callie pulled out her phone, calling Penny, maybe they should both move on and be happy, that's why they split after all.
The next morning Callie waited outside day care, as per their tradition,
"Mamma" Sofia called gleefully running towards her. Callie easily scooped her up,
"Hey bug, how are you?" She asked, squeezing her daughter tightly,
"Hey Callie, I have to run, would you be okay to check her in?" Arizona interrupted her pager sounding 9-11 already,
"Of course, go" Callie replied, "So Sofia, how was mommies?" she asked her daughters face lit up and she began giggling,
"It was really funny mamma, I was playing in the bath and Edna wanted to play so she jumped in and got mommy wet, then we started jumping on the bed, and got it wet, then mommy had to dry us but she had to catch us cus we were nakey, and we had a sleepover in a fort cus the bed was to wet to sleep in," Sofia regaled gleefully, Callie grinned, how could she not, that sentence had taken her daughter ages to get out between giggles, before the penny dropped,
"Is Edna nakey a lot?" She asked trying to keep her voice level, even as she felt her temper rise,
"Yeah, she only puts on clothes to go outside" Sofia giggled, nakey was funny to the 5 year old, if only her parents would let her be nakey all the time too, Callie smiled and nodded biting her tongue signing the required day care forms, she needed to find Arizona, Edna had to go or there was no way she could let Sofia go back there, a jobless hippy who thought indoor clothes were optional that was a no.
Fuming Callie began hunting for her ex-wife, Arizona had a choice to make, Edna or Sofia.
Let me know what you think?
Will Arizona choose, will Callie let Arizona date?