Chapter 2
Arizona was standing at the nurse's station writing her notes from her last case, a 10-year-old appendicitis she had just operated on when her ex-wife approached. Automatically Arizona knew Callie was pissed, she could read her moods as easily as the newspaper. Thus, she wasn't surprised when Callie grabbed her arm dragging her to her office, shutting the door.
"Edna has to go" Callie ordered, "she is a bad influence on Sofia, and if you want to see Sofia she won't be there" she said, Arizona felt her mouth drop open.
"What?" she replied confused and hurt. Why did Callie think she had any say who she hung out with and why didn't she trust her judgement.
"You heard me," Callie said, "I'll sue for custody if I need to, and I don't think any judge is going to think that a naked, jobless hippie makes a good environment for a child."
"What?" Arizona said again, even more confused, "Callie, I think you've gotten the wrong idea".
"No, I heard you talking to Alex, and our daughter has been telling me all about Edna, the sleepovers, the naked kisses, no, it's enough" Callie ranted,
"Callie, meet her" Arizona invited, knowing when Callie was like this she wouldn't listen, and also confused why Callie seemed to care so much, "Tonight, come to mine, meet Edna for yourself, please" Arizona invited, Callie sighed, still struggling to say no to those blue eyes.
"Fine but I won't change my mind" Callie replied stubbornly,
"Great, I'll order pizza you and Sofia can stay for tea" Arizona invited, Callie sighed,
"Sure, it will be nice for Sofia to say goodbye," Callie said stubbornly walking out leaving Arizona angry and still confused. What did Callie have against Edna?
She arrived home early, determined to tidy up the mess Edna had made in the day and take her out to try get rid some of the excess energy. Arriving home she plonked on the sofa, Edna sitting next to her offering silent support, only jumping up when the door knocked. It was great having Edna there, she could always sense when Arizona was upset.
"I think you should stay here" she advised Edna standing up, "we don't want to annoy Callie more than we have" brown sad eyes followed her to the door, as Edna huffed, "I know, it's going to be along night but please be nice," Arizona begged as she opened the door.
"Mommy," Sofia squealed giving her a quick hug, before running past her into the house, "Edna" she greeted, "I missed you and I drew you a picture".
"Callie," Arizona greeted watching Sofia jump on the sofa instantly cuddling into Edna. Callie stood on the porch, this was the first-time stepping foot in her ex-wife's new place, it was beautiful, a one-story wooden house, painted a white on the outside with a dark timber frame, "Are you going to come in?" Arizona invited, Callie nodded, inside was a bright airy pale green living room with soft cream curtains and a huge fireplace, on the black sofa lay her daughter and a huge chocolate Labrador.
"Callie, please meet Edna" Arizona introduced, Callie felt her mouth drop open, the Labrador was standing over her daughter licking her giggling face,
"No Edna, no kissy" Sofia giggled,
"Edna enough" Arizona ordered, instantly the Labrador stopped, "heel" the Labrador jumped off the sofa plodding over to Arizona and sitting,
"Edna is a dog!" She exclaimed,
"Of course, who were you expecting" Arizona asked confused,
"Your girlfriend" Callie admitted, Arizona let out a choked laugh, almost disbelieving,
"Who'd want to date me?" she asked quietly, intending for Callie not to hear it. "Anyway, come in, have a seat" she invited walking away.
"I would" Callie whispered to herself and an empty room her heart breaking, did Arizona really think that badly of herself?
"Edna water" Arizona ordered, the dog trotted off to the fridge using a rope attached to open the door gently taking out a bottle of water and bringing it to Arizona, "Good girl" Arizona praised,
"Wow, she is very clever" Callie praised,
"Yeah, she picks up things I drop and can help with chores, like loading and unloading the washer" Arizona explained,
"Look mamma she can play hide and seek too" Sofia said excitedly, "Edna stay" she ordered putting her hand up before running off, from outside the room they heard a little voice, "okay come find me" she ordered Edna was off like a shot and a few seconds later was a bark and more giggles.
"How long have you had her?" Callie asked curiously,
"3 weeks now, her original owner was training her up to be his disability dog, but he can't take care of her anymore, nobody else in my group could take her and I didn't want her to go to a shelter." Arizona explained,
"Group?" Callie enquired, Arizona blushed,
"I go to an amputee support group" she admitted shyly, blushing as she said it.
"That's great" Callie cheered, she'd be encouraging Arizona to go to one while they were together, but Arizona had always refused, "what changed your mind?" she asked curiously, Arizona sighed,
"Dr Wyatt recommended it" Arizona said, "she said I needed people who understood me, she recommended Edna too".
"You still see Dr Wyatt?" Callie replied surprised, she hadn't been back not since she had left Arizona there.
"Yeah," Arizona replied simply, embarrassed to tell Callie anymore, not wanting her ex-wife to know just how broken and messed up she was.
"Is she helping?" Callie asked curiously, unable to help herself,
"Yeah, I think so, I mean I'm still messed up, but she helps" Arizona confessed. "She doesn't think I ever dealt with Timmy dying, not really, and Nick brought it all back. Plus, my childhood, always leaving all the time, it seems I have abandonment issues" Arizona let out a hollow laugh, "Plus my leg is a huge thing, I was always a little vain" she joked,
"No" Callie denied, as Edna ran in jumping on the couch licking Arizona's arm and rest her head on her lap. Arizona instantly began running her hands through her thick fur.
"She always knows when I'm upset" Arizona explained.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you" Callie said sincerely, Arizona nodded, she could see the honesty in Callie's words, "Where does Edna go in the day?" she asked curiously,
"She is still in training so goes to puppy school, in another few weeks she'll come to work with me" Arizona explained,
"She is beautiful" Callie praised, reaching out to stroke the soft shiny fur for herself.
"Thanks, so are you okay with her staying, I mean Sofia loves her, and I promise she is great with kids" Arizona said nervously. Edna was a huge help to her and even in the short time she'd had her she had fallen in love with the lab. Also, she had just settled, and to rehome her again seemed mean, but if Callie was going to sue for custody of Sofia if she didn't get rid of her, it would be a hard decision.
"No, I mean of course not, Edna is great," Callie said, feeling strange. She felt relieved Edna was a dog, but why when she wasn't jealous, she had Penny. "I should go, Sofia can stay here tonight," she said flustered,
"Are you sure you are okay?" Arizona asked worriedly,
"Yeah sure," Callie said, "Sofia, I'm going come say bye" she yelled, hugging the whirlwind of her daughter, before Sofia ran off to go play with Edna some more.
Callie left, trying to put a name on her emotions, as she drove home. Penny was there,
"Hey" Penny said walking over. Callie winced pushing off her advances.
"I have a headache, sorry, I need to go to bed" she lied wanting space. She needed to think, and she couldn't do that around Penny or Arizona or even Edna.
Lying in bed Arizona's words kept haunting her, the dejected way she had bent her head forwards, her shoulders dropped, biting back tears as she had bitterly said, "who'd want to date me?" Could Arizona not see how amazing she was, beautiful, funny, talented, caring, could she not see how anyone would be lucky to have her, she was perfect.
Startled by that thought Callie sat up, trying to remember why they'd broken up. Arizona had cheated, but she'd forgiven her for that, right. Confused Callie tossed onto her left side. Arizona going to counselling still, and a support group, that was good, it meant she was getting better and that's what she wanted, so why was she so jealous ever even the thought of Arizona having a girlfriend?
She knew she needed to explore her feelings more, and that she couldn't do that currently. Even thinking about Arizona like that felt wrong when she was dating Penny.
Not one to think about things for long, trusting her gut Callie stood finding Penny in the kitchen.
"Feeling better?" Penny asked, Callie nodded.
"We need to break up" she blurted out, before desperately trying to cover her tracks, "I mean, today I was at Arizona's and I'm confused, I think I still love her and I've been thinking about her, and that's not fair to you, I need time to work out my feelings, and I can't I won't ask you to wait" Callie finished, wincing at the devastation on Penny's face,
"What if I offer to wait," Penny asked desperately, Callie paused,
"That wouldn't be fair" she said slowly, she felt better breaking up with Penny and that had be mean the relationship was over.
"Why, I'll wait, your worth waiting for" Penny cried, Callie sighed,
"I know, but I'm not coming back" she said firmly. "you should go" she said, glad Penny had her own place to go too.
"You don't have to do this" Penny said desperately,
"Penny, you are great, and anyone would be lucky to have you, but not be, I'm already lucky, I have my great love. I just didn't realize it" Callie said when she said the words she knew it was true. Penny said nothing grabbing her bag storming out. It was clear she wasn't welcome here.
Callie watched her go with regret, not that they had broken up but that she had caused so much pain but knowing in her heart it was the right thing to do.
It was early the next morning when Callie decided she couldn't lie in bed anymore, all she heard was Arizona's haunting words, she got up getting dressed, before she knew it she was knocking on Arizona's front door,
"Callie?" Arizona said surprised, Callie noticed she was still in her nightie on crutches, Edna was by her side,
"I'm sorry, it's too early" Callie said feeling guilty, she knew how much it took for Arizona to get up, "I should go, I can come back" she offered.
"No, it's okay, I'm up now, come in" Arizona offered, "Edna, water" she ordered, the chocolate lab trotting off, bringing back a bottle of water.
"I want to date you" Callie blurted out, "you asked yesterday who'd want to date you, it's me, well kind of, I mean I want the whole package, you, me, Sofia, even Edna, I want the good days, and the bad. When I heard you were dating, I thought I'd feel relieved that you were trying to find happiness, but instead I felt jealous, I felt wrong. Because I want you, I want to date you, I want to help you give Sofia a bath, I want it all" Callie rambled.
Arizona frowned puzzled, and slightly confused, wasn't it just months ago Callie had told them they were over, that she was suffocating her, now she was back begging for a second chance. It was everything she ever wanted, a second, well third, maybe fourth chance with Calliope.
"Yes"
"To what?" Callie asked,
"Everything, the good days, the bad days, the in between, everything" Arizona said stepping forwards, "but I think we need therapy, both of us, I'm working hand on me, but you need to work on you, and we need to work on us. Sofia is older this time, we can't let it destroy her like it did us" Arizona bargained hoping it wasn't a deal breaker.
"I agree," Callie said easily, having come to the same conclusion. Edna walked on carefully carrying 2 water bottles, passing them both to Arizona who gave her a treat in return, she passed a water to Callie unscrewing the lid.
"To our future" she said as a toast, Callie copied her action,
"To forever" she agreed.
I got the idea for this fic after talking about my dogs with a work colleague, another walked in halfway and thought i was dating. I think i said,
I'm knackered Max stole the bed last night, he takes up so much room, and first thing in the morning when your trying to lie in all he wants to do is kisses and playing,
Anyhoo, well done to those who guessed Edna was a dog.