Friday, December 23, 2016, 8:30 AM
Arizona and Sofia were having breakfast when Callie entered the kitchen.
"Oh, hey, I didn't expect to see you up so early," Arizona said, getting up from the table. "I can make you some breakfast."
"No, sit down. You've made breakfast every morning since Sofia and I got here. I just need coffee and maybe some toast." She reached into the cupboard and took out a mug with the GSMH logo on it. It seemed like eons since they'd had the discussion about the logo. She remembered how they'd argued about it before finally agreeing on it. She smiled sadly. So much had changed since then. What she would've given to have them all together again where the biggest issue of the day was deciding a freaking logo.
"I have bagels, but they're probably not as good as those New York bagels you're used to," she lightly teased, trying to dispel the awkwardness she felt after last night's conversation. She'd tossed and turned most of the night again, wondering what it all meant. She wanted Callie back in Seattle. And she'd told herself over and over again it was strictly for Sofia. But that wasn't completely true. She wanted Callie back in her life, even if it meant that they would just be friends and co-parents. But that wasn't completely true, either. She wanted it to be more, too. She just didn't know if Callie did.
"I'm sure they're fine." Callie smiled as she poured herself a cup of coffee. "You always managed to find good bagels."
"They're in the pantry."
"Thanks."
"So what do you have planned for today?" Arizona asked while she cleaned up hers and Sofia's breakfast dishes and loaded them into the dishwasher.
Callie sliced her bagel and popped it into the toaster. "I need to go see Bailey." Arizona gave her a warning look while glancing at Sofia. "I'd like to say hi to her while I'm here," she added.
"That's nice. I'm sure she'd like to see you." Arizona filled her travel mug with coffee. "Sofia and I have a little Christmas shopping left to do. Maybe we could meet for lunch after?"
"That would be nice. Anyplace in mind?"
"We'll think about it." Arizona turned to her daughter. "Sofia, get your shoes and coat. We need to get moving."
"Okay, Mommy." She hopped off her chair and ran into the living room.
"I don't know if you're interested, but Sofia and I will be starting on the cookie making this afternoon."
"Still making cookies for the staff?" Callie didn't know why it made her warm inside knowing that some things about Arizona hadn't changed.
"Yes, and I told Meredith I'd bring some for tomorrow evening."
"Right, Christmas Eve. She asked me to go over early to help her with the food." She chuckled. "Probably a good idea that I do. Meredith isn't the greatest when it comes to cooking, especially for a large group."
"She's gotten better at it," Arizona defended. "Though she did ask everyone to bring something."
"Smart move on her part." Callie swept the crumbs off her plate into the trash, then rinsed it and stuck it in the dish drain. "You don't mind?"
"Mind what?"
"Me helping, you know, with the cookies."
"Why would I mind?"
"Well, I've been infringing on your time with Sofia."
"Callie," Arizona shook her head. "Don't be ridiculous. Sofia loves having you here for the holidays."
"And you?" she ventured in a quiet voice.
"And me what?"
"Do you like having me here?"
Arizona gave Callie a long look, trying to both hide and convey her feelings at the same time. "It's been nice having you here," she said blandly. Letting Callie know how she felt deep down was a place she didn't want to go, didn't want to be that vulnerable.
"Okay." Callie tried not to sound disappointed with Arizona's reply. She knew she shouldn't push her on anything when she herself wasn't sure if she was ready for more than co-parenting.
Sofia returned to the kitchen. "I'm ready, Mommy."
"Great! Let's go shopping," she said as she put her own coat on and picked up her wallet.
Friday, December 23, 2016, 9:45 AM
Callie lurked outside Bailey's office for ten minutes before finally working up the nerve to knock on the door. When she heard Bailey's grumbly "Come in," she opened the door and peeked her head in. "Got a minute?"
"Torres," Bailey said simply, waving her in.
Callie walked into Bailey's office, closing the door behind her, then took a seat "You don't seem surprised to see me."
"I'm Bailey. I know all." She shuffled a few papers on her desk. "I heard you were in town. About time you stopped in to see me."
"Yeah, about that." Bailey remained silent. "Do you have any openings in Ortho?"
"Maybe. Why? Do you know someone who needs a job?" Miranda Bailey had a pretty good idea that Callie was asking for herself, but she didn't want to give it away that she did.
"Maybe." When Bailey didn't respond, Callie almost began to squirm in her chair. "Okay, fine, me," Callie huffed. "I'm looking for a job."
"Why? DId you get fired from your job in New York? Because if you did, I can't ask the board to hire you."
"What? No, I did not get fired! Seriously, Bailey. Fired? Of course not. I still have a job."
"Then why do you need a job here?"
"Because."
"Because why?"
"Because Sofia needs to be here, and I need to be with her."
"And what about Blake? Do I need to find her a job as well?"
"No! No job is needed for her."
"Mmmm. I take it New York didn't work out for you?"
"No, it didn't." Callie didn't want to go into any details.
"What happened to picturing the future at the World Cup with her?"
"I lied," Callie admitted. "I wanted it to be her, but it wasn't."
"I thought so." Bailey's smile was all-knowing. "And how does Arizona feel about you coming back?" Her smile turned slightly sly. "For Sofia."
"We talked about and agreed that it would be best for Sofia."
"Right. Sofia." Bailey looked at the calendar on her desk. "Well, when can you start?"
"I have six months left on my contract."
"Then why are we having this discussion now?"
"I'm gonna see if I can break it or buy them out or something."
Bailey leaned forward, her hands folded on top of her desk. "Can I ask you something?"
"What?"
"Are you truly serious about coming back?"
"Yes," Calle said emphatically.
"What about Sofia? Is she going back with you after Christmas?"
"I thought maybe she could stay here with Arizona."
"Why"
"She could finish the school year out here in Seattle? It would be good to have her be with her friends again, prepare her for next year. That'll give me some time to get things straightened out in New York."
"Are you sure that's wise - uprooting Sofia twice in six months?"
"What if I get my contract ended next month or any time, for that matter, before it's scheduled to end?"
"Good point," Bailey agreed. "Better to do it during a holiday break, I suppose."
Callie had given Sofia a lot of thought before she'd even gone in to see Bailey. It made sense, but she still wasn't sure if she could survive alone in New York. It had been hard enough with just the two of them. She sighed. Bailey, of course, was right. It wouldn't be fair to Sofia.
"I think it's best for her to stay, even though I'll miss her."
"And you can always fly here for a visit, or have Arizona and Sofia visit you." She paused. "Though I don't know about Robbins flying. She was a bit of a wreck the last time she flew to New York and back." She shook her head from side to side slowly. "The things she does for her daughter."
"I never thought about it. Why did she even let me take Sofia if it meant getting on a plane to see her?
"I don't know. You'd have to ask her." Bailey's pager went off and she glanced at it. "I have to go. I have surgery. Keep in touch and let me know when you can start."
"I will. Thanks, Bailey."
Bailey stopped at the door. "And Torres, there better not be any more drama in my hospital when you come back."
"There won't. Not from me. I promise."
"Good."
Callie sat for a minute after Bailey left. She certainly wasn't planning on any drama She never had in the past. It seemed to come looking for her, like she attracted it like a magnet.
Friday, December 23, 2016,, 12:30 PM
"What do you think, Sofia?" Arizona asked as she held up a pair of blue flannel pajamas with snowflakes on them. "Do you think Mama will like them?"
"Do they match ours?"
"Yes."
"Then she has to wear them."
"Then we'll get them," Arizona confirmed, dropping them into the shopping basket. "Anything else?"
"I don't know."
"Do you know what your Mama wants for Christmas?"
Sofia stuck her lip out and pondered her mommy's question as they wandered around the department store. Arizona didn't know if she should get something for Callie. It seemed like she should, even if it was something small. Everyone needed something to open Christmas day.
"I know what Mama wants," Sofia said after some thought.
"What?"
"You," she said seriously. "She misses you."
"And I miss her. Almost as much as I've missed you." Arizona bopped Sofia on the nose. "I have an idea for Mama," she said, realizing they were standing near the perfume counter. "Why don't we get Mama a bottle of her favorite perfume? We'll say it's from both of us."
"Can we?"
"Yes. Let's see if we can find it."
Arizona hoped that Callie was still using the same perfume. She'd always liked it when Calie wore it. She selected a medium sized bottle, not knowing if Callie still wore it or if she even needed more if she was wearing it. While the sales clerk rang up their purchases, Arizona looked across the store and saw the jewelry counter. Her hand instinctively went to her throat for the necklace that she no longer wore.
"Mommy?" Sofia's voice broke through the silence.
"Yes, Sofia?"
"I'm hungry."
Arizona thanked the sales clerk and tucked the bag under her arm, then took Sofia's hand. "Well, maybe it's time we sent Mama a text and see if she's ready for lunch, too?"
"Good. I'm super hungry."
Friday, December 23, 2016,, 9:30 PM
Callie leaned back in her chair and stretched. From across the table, Arizona's gaze fell on the tight red shirt Callie wore, and she admired the view for a few brief moments, then quickly averted her eyes.
"Tell me we're almost done," Callie groaned.
"Just a few more."
They had been decorating the cookies for hours. Sofia had grown bored after the first hour or so and after watching another Christmas movie, had gone to bed. Not all of the baked goods had to be decorated, only the plain sugar cookies. Arizona had also made mint brownies, sugar cookies with red and green M&Ms, and peanut butter cookies with Hershey's kisses. She'd put the baskets together in the morning.
They had been decorating the cookies in silence, letting the Christmas music fill in the silence.
"So, what did Bailey have to say?" Arizona asked.
"Well, we talked about something that I wanted to discuss with you."
"Oh? What's that?"
"She did agree to hire me, once I'm free of my contract in New York."
"That's good. I knew she would," Arizona said confidently.
"But we don't know when I'll be able to get out of it and come back to Seattle." She set the last cookie in the "done" pile. "How do you feel about Sofia staying here with you until I return? It would probably be a good idea for her to start back at school here after the holiday break," she further explained.
"Callie, are you sure?" Arizona stopped cleaning up the mess, stunned with Callie's offer.
"Yeah. The more I think about it, the better I like it." Callie rose from her chair and began to clear the table off to help Arizona.
"But what about you?"
"What about me?"
"Won't you be lonely without her?"
"Good incentive to work even harder to get out of my contract," she replied. "I can always come here to visit. It's easier for me to fly out than for you to bring Sofia," she said understandingly. "Less disruption for Sofia, too."
"You know I'd love to have Sofia with me, but are you really sure?" she repeated.
"Yes," she said, nodding. "It seems only fair that you should have her for the next six months since I had my time with her."
Arizona set the bowls down and immediately went to Callie. She wrapped her arms around her ex-wife. "Thank you, Calliope."
Callie nearly burst into tears at hearing her full name fall from Arizona's lips. She thought she'd never hear that again. And having Arizona hugging her and hugging her back, well, it all felt so right, like it was where she always belonged.