April 2007 - Part 1
"Staring at the lab results won't change the outcome," Teddy said to her friend.
Arizona closed the chart and sighed. "I know. I keep hoping I'll spot something that I've missed or that could change the diagnosis." She frowned as she handed the chart back to the nurse. "He needs a transplant."
"He needs a transplant," Teddy confirmed. "That's why I called UNOS last week and got him on the list." The two doctors began to walk down the corridor.
"I'm not holding my breath. With Trevor's blood type, chances are almost non-existent for a match."
"Don't give up hope yet. You're the one who always says there are miracles in peds."
"I suppose."
"Weren't you supposed to be on a plane already?" Teddy asked, looking at her watch.
Arizona nodded. "I need to leave. Callie arranged for the transportation to the airport. I think she hired a car service since there's six of us and we have all that luggage."
"So why are you here?"
Arizona looked back toward the room where their shared patient was and chewed her bottom lip worriedly. "I wanted to see Trevor again before I left. I have a feeling something big is going to happen while I'm gone."
Teddy pinned her with an intent stare. "He's in good hands. I'll have Yang monitor him closely."
"I'd like you to put Karev on his case," Arizona stated abruptly.
"Karev?" Teddy was shocked and stopped walking.
"Yeah. I want to give him more opportunities in peds."
"We are talking about the same Karev, right?"
"Yes. I know that he's a little rough around the edges - " Arizona huffed.
"A little?" Teddy scoffed.
"He's surprisingly good with kids. I'd like him on the case," she insisted.
Teddy remained unconvinced but also knew Arizona wouldn't back down about this Karev thing. "Okay, if you're sure that's what you want."
"It is," Arizona said firmly. Her phone began to vibrate and she quickly pulled it out of her pocket. "Hi, Callie... I'm done. I was just getting ready to leave… okay… I'll be in the lobby in fifteen minutes… See you then."
"Change in plans?"
"Yes, they're picking me up here." She changed direction and headed for the attendings' locker room. "Walk with me?"
"Sure," Teddy agreed. "So, how are you feeling about spending the week in Miami with Callie's family?"
"A little nervous, if I'm honest. Lucia has been very pleasant with all the phone calls she's made, but Callie's still wary of trusting them." They entered the locker room. "I don't think there will be much time for any heavy discussions either way. The itinerary that Lucia and Carlos have set is mind boggling."
Teddy sat down on the bench as Arizona began to change her clothes. "Like what?" she asked.
"Well, tomorrow afternoon is Callie's birthday party with the family, then Easter on Sunday. There's a boat ride and a trip or two to the beach, maybe the aquarium. And if that isn't enough, they've got a swimming pool." Arizona took out her phone. "Look at this pool," she told Teddy, showing her the photo that Lucia sent.
"Wow, that's huge, but the house looks kind of small."
"Oh, that's not their house. That's just the pool house." Arizona corrected.
Teddy's jaw dropped in awe. "It looks bigger than the house I grew up in."
"I know! We had smaller places when we lived on base."
"Are you staying in it?"
"No, we've all got rooms in the main house." Arizona smirked. "Though Callie did say something about sneaking off to it for a night or two."
"Yeah, I would guess you wouldn't be having fun in her parents' house. That'd be weird."
"I suppose you know all about that," Arizona teased as she closed her locker.
"What?"
"Having sex in your parents' house."
"I don't live with my parents."
"No, but you're dating Nick and my parents are basically his parents."
"We aren't having sex!" Teddy sputtered in embarrassment.
"Not yet, maybe, but you will." They exited the room and made their way to the lobby. "I suppose it's a good thing you have your own place, huh?" Arizona nudged her friend with her elbow.
Teddy elbowed her friend back. "At least we won't have to worry about kids down the hall."
Arizona frowned. "True. That does present some logistical issues at times."
"You're both smart women. I'm sure you have a solution."
"Oh, we do, we do." Arizona grinned and pushed the elevator button.
"Say no more," Teddy said. "I don't need details."
"Two words." The elevator door opened and Arizona stepped in. "Shower sex."
"Arizona!" Teddy swatted at her friend's arm as though scandalized.
"Bye, Teddy."
"Have a good trip. I'll keep in touch. Don't get sunburned!"
Arizona waved and the elevator door slid shut.
# # # # # # # # # #
"Don't say anything. You promised," Arizona whispered to her parents when they saw the jet sitting on the tarmac at Boeing Field. Private jets used Boeing Field and not Sea-Tac. A large black "T" trimmed in gold was on the tail. Callie was talking to the flight attendant whom she seemed to know.
Daniel frowned at the size of the private plane. "It just seems… excessive."
"Could you please just be appreciative?" Arizona pleaded.
"I am."
"And like I told you before, I had nothing to do with this. Carlos offered it to Callie. And I told Callie this is a one-off. No more."
"Well, it will certainly be a memorable first flight for Cam and Vivvy," Barbara commented. They looked over at the girls who stood in front of the window of the airport gate, their noses pressed against the glass, watching their suitcases being loaded onto the plane. "They seem very excited."
"They are. The plane and the pool are all they've talked about for the past week."
Callie returned to the family after the flight crew walked out to the plane. "So, we can board now."
"Will we fly very high?" Vivvy asked.
"And fast?" Cam was hopeful.
"Yes."
Callie led the group out to the jet. As they boarded the plane, the flight attendant gestured to Callie, who then brought the girls to the front of the plane. "Cam, Vivvy, this is Marisol," Callie said.
"Hi, Miss Marisol!" Vivvy said brightly. She was quite taken with the pretty woman in her black uniform with gold trim.
"Hi!" Cam said. "Are you gonna fly us?"
Marisol laughed. "No, I'm the flight attendant." She took out a small bag. "I heard this is your very first flight." The girls nodded. "Since it's your first one, we have wings for you."
She handed them each a pair of gold wings with the "T" logo in the center. The girls' smiles were broad as they inspected their gifts.
"Thank you, Miss Marisol!" they both said immediately.
"You're welcome." She opened the cockpit door. "And we have another present for you." The girls peered into the cockpit where the two pilots sat. Their eyes widened when they saw all the lights and switches. "This is Captain Peter and his First Officer Francine."
"Welcome aboard," the co-pilot said. She reached beside her seat and handed the bag to Marisol.
"Are you gonna fly us?" Cam asked. "Is that the steering wheel?" She continued to pepper the pilots with questions about all the instrumentation she could see.
The two pilots answered as many as they could, before putting an end to them. "We have to get ready for takeoff so you need to go sit down and buckle up."
"Okay."
"What's in the bag?" Cam asked Marisol.
"Your very own captain's hats." She took out two smaller versions of the hats the pilots wore.
"Thanks, Captain Peter and Officer Francine!"
The girls put their hats on and followed Marisol back to the main cabin. "Look what we got!" they shouted as they ran to their mother.
"We got wings!"
"And hats!"
"And got to see where the pilots sit! It was cool!" Cam said. "I'm gonna be a pilot when I grow up!" she announced as she stuck out her arms and made airplane noises as she circled around the cabin.
"Me, too! Me, too!" Vivvy said as she mimicked her sister's actions.
"Over my dead body," Arizona muttered.
"What? Why?" Callie questioned in surprise.
"Oh, Arizona has never been a fan of flying," Barbara interjected before her daughter could answer..
"Really? I love to fly."
"I've never understood why you don't like to fly," Barbara said to her daughter.
"Maybe because we almost died on a plane."
"Oh, nonsense. Don't be so dramatic. If you're talking about that one flight when we had a little turbulence on our way to San Diego when you were six or seven, that was nothing."
"A little?"
"Honestly, Arizona, it wasn't that bad. It was over in five minutes but to hear your version, we barely escaped a catastrophe," she tutted. "Make sure you hold her hand during takeoffs and landings," she instructed Callie. "Although given the length of the flight, sedation may be preferable."
Callie reached over to link her fingers with Arizona's. "I will." She pressed a quick kiss to Arizona's pale cheek. "I won't let go."
"Everyone needs to take a seat and buckle up," Marisol instructed. "It's time for us to leave."
Once airborne, Marisol rose from her seat and began to take drink and snack orders. Callie made sure ahead of time that everyone's favorites were available.
"So, what are we going to do with them now?" Arizona asked, tilting her head toward the girls who were currently looking out the windows. "They're going to get bored soon. You can only find clouds fascinating for so long."
"Leave that to me," Callie said with a smile as she got up from her seat. She reached into the storage bin and took out a bag she'd packed. "I have two DVDs," she said, holding up 'It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown' and 'Winnie the Pooh Springtime with Roo'."
"Thank you. What a great idea."
"And I've got coloring books and crayons packed, too."
"You are such a mom." Arizona said, kissing Callie's cheek.
A little flustered by Arizona's words, Callie blushed and stammered, "I even brought 'Peter Rabbit' to read as well."
"You've thought of everything."
"The other night, the girls asked me if the Easter Bunny wasn't going to come because they weren't home."
"What did you tell them?"
"That he was like Santa Claus and would find them."
"Are you sure that was wise, not that I'm questioning your judgement or anything."
"Arizona, my mother has a big Easter dinner planned for us, and with that comes Easter baskets for the girls. I'm sure she went overboard, too, knowing my mother."
"Great," Arizona frowned. "Remind me to leave them with your parents when they are on their sugar high."
Callie laughed. "Count on it."
# # # # # # # # # #
A supersized SUV was waiting for them in Miami. The ground crew loaded their luggage for them and Callie got behind the wheel. "It won't take long to get to my parents' house. I texted my mother to let her know. She said she'd start dinner."
"That's very kind of her," Barbara said from the back seat. Daniel was sitting up front with Callie. The girls were in the seats behind her and Arizona was beside her.
"Oh, she insisted. My mother is nothing if not a good hostess."
The longer they drove, the bigger the houses became. Callie finally pulled down a long gated driveway. "Welcome to Casa Torres."
"Oh, my," Barbara whispered to Arizona as they parked in front of the house.
"It's a castle!" Vivvy exclaimed in awe from the back seat. "You didn't tell us you were a princess."
"It's the biggest house I ever saw!" Cam chimed in.
"I had no idea," Arizona whispered back.
"This is my parents' home, not mine," Callie said as she got out of the car.
Lucia immediately emerged from the house to greet them. "Welcome! Carlos is out by the pool firing up the grill as we speak." Once pleasantries were exchanged, she led the family into the main house.
"How big is this place?" Arizona asked Callie.
"Um, well, fifteen rooms, I think, counting the seven bedrooms. There's also nine, no, ten bathrooms," she corrected herself.
"Wow! How did you not get lost?"
Callie chuckled nervously, a bit embarrassed. "You get used to it."
"So, I've put Cam and Vivvy in yours and Aria's old rooms," Lucia explained as they went upstairs. "You and Arizona are just across the hall and Barbara and Daniel are next door to you." She opened the door to Callie's old room. "Someone told me your favorite color is green," she said to Cam. The room was decorated in blues and greens, with pale green walls. Callie was shocked that her mother had redecorated. "And you have a connecting door to Vivvy's room," Lucia said, opening the door to Aria's old room, which had been redecorated in pale pink and lavender.
"These are our rooms?" Cam asked.
"Yes." Lucia affirmed with a nod.
"They're so big!" Vivvy enthused. The princess obsessed girl felt as though she had stepped into a fairy tale.
"I hope you like them." Luciai cleared her throat.
Callie noted that her mother had also placed some toys and books on the shelves in each room, along with some art supplies on the desks. Mom is really going all out for us, she thought. Redecorating the rooms, buying stuff for Cam and Vivvy. What else has she done?
Lucia then guided the others to their rooms for the week. "If these don't work for you, we have other rooms we can move you to."
"Oh, these are fine, thank you."
"Well, I'll let you all freshen up, maybe put some warm weather clothes on. Callie can bring you down when you're ready."
While Arizona helped the girls unpack and pick something to wear - Vivvy in a flowery sundress and Cam in shorts and a bright green top, and insisting on wearing her captain's hat, Callie unpacked their suitcases and changed into shorts and a top. When she was finished, Arizona darted into the room and changed her clothes as well.
"My mom is nervous," Callie stated matter of factly.
"What? What makes you think that?"
"She's trying hard to make a good impression. My mom never does that."
"Well, she succeeded in that good impression." Arizona pulled on a sleeveless top. She couldn't believe how much warmer it was in Miami. It's the first week of April, she thought. I'm not used to these warm temperatures. We don't get this kind of weather for at least a few more months.
"Ready?"
Callie brought the Robbins family back downstairs, pointing out the living room, parlor, formal dining room, her parents' separate offices, the kitchen and lanai, as well as the bathrooms. Carlos and Lucia as expected, were standing by the pool, along with Aria and a guy Callie didn't recognize.
Mindful of her duties as a hostess, Lucia began the introductions. "Barbara, Daniel, this is our other daughter. Aria, and her boyfriend. Rodrigo Acosta." She gestured to the couple next to her husband. "Aria, Rodrigo, Barbara and Daniel Robbins."
"Call me Rod," the tall, handsome man said, sticking out his hand.
"Pleased to meet you," the Robbins patriarch said.
"Arizona." She introduced herself to Aria and Rod. "And these are my daughters, Cam and Vivvy."
Vivvy smiled at the attractive couple and Cam eyed them for a moment before smiling as well. "Hi!"
"I like your dress," Aria said to Vivvy, causing the young girl to blush. "And your top is very colorful," she said to Cam.
"You're pretty," Cam blurted. "And you're tall," she said to Rod.
Callie hung back, letting her sister get to know her girlfriend and the rest of the Robbins for a bit. She finally approached her sister, giving her a big hug. "Aria, I've missed you."
"I've missed you, too, Callie."
"Thank you so much for the Christmas card," she whispered. "You have no idea how much it helped."
"Anytime." She stepped out of the hug. "Anything for my hermanita."
Cam tilted her head in thought as she heard the foreign language. "Why did you call Callie her-mee-ta?"
"Hermanita, It means little sister in Spanish. Callie's my little sister."
"She's taller than you. How can she be littler?" Cam had a serious look on her face.
"I'm older."
"Oh, me and Vivvy are both five."
"I'm older," Vivvy proclaimed. "I was borned before you, Cam. That makes me the big sister."
"But I'm taller, so I am."
Aria laughed out loud. Callie's got her hands full with these two, she thought in delight.
"Can I get anyone a drink?" Lucia asked.
"And what would you like to eat? I have steaks, burgers, chicken and mahi-mahi," Carlos added.
Once the drink and food orders were made, the group sat down at a large table in the shade. The girls looked longingly at the pool. "Can we go swimming?" Vivvy asked.
"Not tonight. We have to eat and it's late. It's been a very long day. You'll need to go to bed soon." Arizona answered.
Vivvy and Cam both huffed. The big pool sparkled in the setting sun and they both wanted to swim. They'd never been in such a large pool outdoors and they couldn't wait to jump in. "Can we at least put our feet in the pool?" Cam asked, still trying to get in the water. One stern look from their mother, and their pouts quickly disappeared.
"So, Rod, what do you do?" Callie hadn't even known her sister was seeing anyone. Aria had never dated any guy seriously enough to bring to a family gathering.
"Rod works for the Miami Marlins in the front office," Aria answered proudly for him.
Callie's eyebrows arched in surprise. Aria wasn't interested in sports, other than tennis and swimming. "How in the world did you meet?"
"A mutual friend introduced us." Aria smiled at her boyfriend and Callie instantly knew Aria was in love. Never had she seen Aria look at anyone that way. Her smile was sincere and full of affection.
"How long have you been dating?" Callie asked.
"Six, no, eight months," Rod answered.
"What is this? Twenty questions?" Aria said. "Do I get to do the same with Arizona?"
"What's that?" Arizona asked, having heard her name.
"Oh, nothing. Aria's just being all big sister," Callie dismissed. She decided to give Aria a break and grill her later. "So, what's Mom really got planned for tomorrow? Did she listen to me and keep it small?"
Rod got up from his seat and sat down with Arizona and Daniel. He was more interested in getting to know them than listening to the two sisters gossip.
"Surprisingly, yes."
"Who's coming and what time?"
"Everyone is supposed to be here at three o'clock. As for guests, um, let me think. Aunt Josefina and Uncle Javier, Marcella and her husband Mike and two kids." She listed off Lucia's younger sister and family.
"How old are they now?" Callie interrupted. She hoped there would be some kids around for Cam and Vivvy to play with.
"Four and six."
"Who else?"
"Uncle Berto and Ramon." Callie smiled at that news. "Mateo and his wife Paula and new baby." Callie again smiled, this time at hearing one of her favorite cousins had a child. "Uncle Augustin and Aunt Maria." Aria then listed off several more cousins.
"Are they all okay with me being with Arizona?"
"Mom said if they weren't accepting of it, they were not welcome in their home."
Callie's jaw dropped and her eyes widened. "Seriously?"
"Yes. Shocked the shit out of me."
"Maybe Mom is really okay with it all." She looked over at her mother who was sitting at the other end of the table talking with Barbara while Vivvy sat in her lap. Cam was standing near Carlos and asking him a ton of questions about the food and how to grill.
"I think they both are." Aria took a sip from her drink. "The twins are absolutely adorable, Callie."
"They are," Calie's smile broadened instinctively whenever the twins were mentioned.
"How did you two meet?"
"At work. I treated Vivvy for a broken wrist from a roller skating mishap. And then I met Arizona."
"Love at first sight, huh?" she teased.
Callie blushed. "Not exactly. It took us a while to get there. We were friends first." She eyed her sister carefully. "You and Rod are serious," she stated.
"We are," Aria replied, looking at her boyfriend.
"That's great, Aria!" Callie was genuinely happy for her sister. She seemed happy, content and seemingly more at ease, calmer. She was glad to have time to spend with her sister. It had been far too long since they'd spoken or been close.
"It is. I never really thought I wanted to settle down, but with Rod…"Her voice trailed off as a sappy smile graced her lips.
Callie knew that look well. She'd been called out on it herself many times over the past year. "I understand." She looked around, hoping to see her parents' long-time employees. "Where are Hector and Carnella?"
"Oh, mom gave them the week off."
"What?" Callie asked incredulously.
"Mom wanted to make your week here with Arizona's family to be as normal as possible, whatever that means. I think she said something about cooking with Barbara, maybe?"
"That should be interesting." Callie rattled the ice in her glass. "I really wanted to see Hector and Carmella."
"They're coming to the party tomorrow, but they've been instructed not to help with anything. Mom said they're coming as guests, not staff."
"Well I'm glad to hear that. Is Mom making all the food?"
Aria burst out laughing. "Not a chance. She's having it catered."
"Of course she is," Callie said with a roll of her eyes.
# # # # # # # # # #
Lucia Torres was a morning person. She had been all her life. It was a trait that neither of her daughters had inherited. She quietly got up and dressed without disturbing her husband. As she walked down the hallway, she heard voices coming from one of the twins' rooms. She opened the door to the first bedroom. The bed was empty and the connecting door between the rooms was open. "Good morning, girls," she said as she stepped into the adjoining room. Cam and Vivvy were both on Cam's bed. Each girl was clutching a stuffed animal and they were whispering secretively.
"Hi, Mrs. Lucia," Vivvy said brightly.
"G'morning," Cam mumbled.
"Would you two like some breakfast?"
"Yes!" Cam said, throwing back the covers and hopping out of bed.
"Yes, please," Vivvy echoed, gracefully slipping off the bed. When they were in the hall, Cam and Vivvy stopped, looking from one closed door to another.
"Is something wrong?"
"Which room is Mommy and Callie's?" Vivvy asked.
"We always get them up on Saturday morning," Cam added.
As much as it would amuse Lucia to see her daughter woken up so early on a Saturday morning, she decided that they needed their rest. She knew Callie and Arizona had stayed up late talking with Aria and Rod. Knowing her daughters were spending time together pleased her to no end. "Your mommy and Callie were up late last night. They're on vacation, too, just like you. Let's let them rest awhile longer."
"Okay," they both said with a sigh.
"Why don't we start fixing breakfast?" Lucia suggested as they walked down the stairs. "And then maybe by the time we're done, everyone else will be up."
"Do you know how to cook?"
"Can you make pancakes?
"And French Toast?"
"And waffles. Mommy likes waffles."
"And Grandpop likes eggs and bacon."
"Don't forget sausage."
Lucia laughed, mildly overwhelmed by everything the girls requested. "Let's see what we can do."
An hour later, Barbara entered the kitchen to find Vivvy and Cam sitting at the massive kitchen island while they watched Lucia make freshly squeezed orange juice. The surface of the island was covered with various bowls containing batter, cartons of eggs, and a platter of fruit and pastries. Two pans were on the stove and from the smell, Barbara detected both bacon and sausage.
"Good morning," Barbara greeted, kissing the top of the girls' heads.
"Good morning, Grandmom."
"'Morning! We're watching Mrs. Lucia squish oranges."
"Can I give you a hand?" Barbara offered.
"Would you check the bacon and sausage?" Lucia asked before putting another orange in the juicer.
"I'd be happy to," Barbara answered, immediately stepping up to the stove. "You really didn't need to go to all this trouble. We are all perfectly content with cereal."
"I don't mind. It's been a long time since I've had anyone to cook breakfast for." Lucia smiled. "I've missed it, and it's always nice to have someone else to share the cooking, too." The two women went to work on preparing breakfast. Watching the two at work, one would have thought they were old friends.
Carlos soon entered the kitchen with Rod, who had shown up just before Carlos came downstairs. Rod knew better than to spend the night at the Torres mansion. He wasn't a stupid man, and Carlos Torres could be very intimidating. No need for him to get on his bad side. Arizona came into the kitchen shortly after that.
"Where's dad?" she asked after greeting everyone.
"Out for his run," Barbara responded. "Callie?"
"Still sleeping," Arizona answered as she poured a cup of coffee.
"Aria?" Rod asked.
"Sleeping no doubt," Lucia said.
Carlos chuckled. "I guess I should be glad my daughters haven't changed too much since they last lived here."
"It'll be a race for Callie and Aria to be last up," Lucia added. She saw Cam's face scrunched up in confusion. "Is something wrong, Cam?"
"Last? Callie will be last? When you race you want to be first." Her lip stuck out. "I don't want Callie to lose."
Carlos got a sly look on his face. "Well, what can we do to make sure Callie doesn't lose?"
Vivvy and Cam turned to each other and whispered back and forth. "We can get her up now. She won't be last."
"We could."
"But we don't 'member what room she and Mommy are in."
"Across from Callie's old bedroom," Lucia offered.
"Well, why don't you two and I go wake Calliope up?" Carlos suggested.
"We always get Mommy and Callie up on Saturdays," Vivvy said as she and Cam hopped down from their perches.
"Not always," Arizona said.
"Nuh huh." Cam and Vivvy disagreed.
"Sometimes Callie or I are working."
"C'mon, girls, let's go get Callie up," Carlos encouraged. The girls dashed from the rom and ran up the stairs, Carlos following at a more sedate pace. When he arrived upstairs, he saw the girls standing in the hallway, unsure which door to open. He smiled at them and tapped lightly on one of the bedroom doors before opening it. He spotted the lump under the covers and chuckled, knowing how his daughter liked to burrow under the covers, even in Miami. "Go ahead, girls," Carlos said with a grin.
"Callie! Callie!" they shouted as they ran into the room. "It's time to get up!"
Callie rolled over and pulled the pillow over her head.
"You hafta get up!" Cam said as she jumped onto the bed.
"It's time for breakfast!" Vivvy added as she joined Cam on the bed.
"We have French Toast!"
"And pancakes!"
"And waffles!"
"Nooooooo," Callie groaned. "I'm sleeping. I'm on vacation," she protested.
"We can't have breakfast without you."
"And we can't go swimmin' until we have breakfast."
Carlos watched from the doorway as the girls climbed over Callie until she removed the pillow and sat up. She grabbed Cam and then Vivvy, hugging them and then tickling them. Despite his misgivings about his daughter's relationship with Arizona, he could plainly see how much she loved the two little girls and how much they loved her. And when he really looked, he could see the love between Arizona and Callie. And there was no mistaking how happy Callie was. It was all a father could really ask for - his daughter happy and healthy.
"Don't be late, Calliope," he said in a mock stern voice.
Callie huffed and let go of the twins. "I'll be right down. I just need to change."
"Promise?" Vivvy asked.
"I promise, as long as you promise to save me some waffles and bacon."
"We promise!"
"Thank you."
"Let's go, girls. Callie needs a few minutes." He smiled. "You may want to comb your hair, Calliope," he teased.
Twenty minutes later, Callie exited the room to see Aria entering the hall from the room she'd slept in. They exchanged a look before both bolted for the stairs. Neither wanted to be last to breakfast so they raced down the staircase. Their old competitive spirit from childhood had kicked in. A well-timed hip check from Callie prevented Aria from beating her into the dining room.
"Girls!" Lucia admonished them.
"Callie won!" Cam yelled.
"She wasn't last!" Vivvy cheered.
"Honestly," Lucia said with a shake of her head, a small smile on her face which she quickly hid. "That is not the example you should be setting for small children."
"Sorry, Mom," a duly chastised Callie mumbled and Aria echoed her apology.
"You two can clean up the kitchen." Lucia's word was final and neither of her daughters protested.
"Can we go swimmin' after breakfast?" Cam asked as she stabbed at a slice of French Toast.
"We've been waiting forever," Vivvy said with a dramatic sigh.
"After you finish eating, and we wait a little bit, then you may go swimming."
Lucia and Carlos weren't used to having such a lively gathering around the table for breakfast. Usually it was a quiet time with Lucia checking her phone and Carlos reading the paper. They enjoyed having both their daughters with their respective partners with them as they teased one another. Barbara and Daniel Robbins were a lovely couple and more than friendly. And the girls? Lucia thought her heart would melt. The girls were a delight, so full of life. She could truly understand why Callie had fallen in love with the entire Robbins family.
# # # # # # # # # #'
Callie sat at a table in the shade with her parents. She looked over at the pool where Arizona and Aria were seated with their feet dangling in the water. They were engrossed in what looked like a deep conversation until Arizona threw her head back in laughter. Aria's probably telling her stories from when I was a kid, or worse, a teenager, she thought with a scowl. She turned her attention away from the two women, and on to the others in the pool . Cam was currently standing on Rod's shoulders and moments later jumped in Daniel's direction. She bobbed to the surface and half swam-half dog paddled her way to Daniel.
"Way to go, Cam!" Callie called out. She set her iced tea down and clapped.
"I want a turn!" Vivvy pleaded as she splashed her way over to Rod.
"They're such spirited little girls," Lucia mused as the trio watched Rod lift Vivvy to his shoulders.
Callie nodded. "Life is certainly not dull with them around." She took a steadying sip of her iced tea. "Speaking of life and the girls, I wanted to let you know that Arizona and the girls asked me to move in with them and so I did. Move into their house."
Lucia smiled broadly. "I didn't think it would be too much longer."
Carlos' expression remained stoic. "Is there something more?" His wife pinned him with a glare. "I mean, you're unmarried, living in sin."
"Dad-"
"Carlos Antonio Torres, we discussed this," Lucia stated sternly.
"No, we discussed our daughter being involved with a woman with children, not them living together without being married."
"Her name is Arizona and those girls…"
"It's not right to share a roof without being wed, particularly when there are small children involved. Living together entails more than just sharing a house. Marriage displays a united front to all," he insisted fervently.
"It's not our place to force marriage upon them," Lucia responded just as fiercely.
Callie interrupted her parents. "You do realize that we can't marry, not legally, and certainly not in the church."
"Of course we do."
"Because marriage for us right now is Arizona and I putting on rings and making promises to each other. There is no one standard paper we can sign, no license we can get, no legal protections granted to us. The words we use might be the same but the context is deeply different of how we use them."
Carlos scowled. "Then you should still have that before living together. There should be something."
"Look, I don't know where Arizona's head is beyond today, but I know I want to spend my life with her and I plan on asking her parents for their blessing while we're here. Whatever kind of wedding or marriage we can have." Callie stood abruptly. "It doesn't matter if you like the way we've gone about it or not, because I'm always going to do what's best for the family we've created. I just wanted to let you know what's happening in our lives And if you're not all in with us, then we'll pack our bags and leave."
"Callie, no, please stay. Carlos!"
Callie ignored her parents and walked over to a nearby lounge chair to remove the robe she wore over her swimsuit. Without warning, she dove into the pool and began swimming laps, changing to a new stroke on each new lap.
"Uh-oh," Aria remarked to Arizona. "Callie's rage swimming."
"Rage swimming?"
Aria nodded. "When we were growing up, anytime Callie got mad about something, she'd come out here and swim laps til she puked. Or got over whatever made her angry. Or both." Aria looked over at her parents, who were obviously having a heated argument. "Did you two get engaged?" she asked directly.
"What would give you that idea?" Arizona sputtered in disbelief. Sure, she had thought of it privately, but she hadn't told anyone of her intentions to ask the Torres parents for permission to marry their youngest daughter.
"You've both been jumpy since you arrived. Like you're waiting for a bomb to detonate."
Arizona shook her head. "No, we're not engaged. Callie did move in recently. I know she was planning on telling your parents while we were here. I didn't expect it so soon." She watched as the twins yelled for Callie to join them as she swam past ignoring them. Arizona slipped into the pool and took a position at one end where Callie would run into her. When Callie came within reach, she held her hand out causing Callie to bump into it and be dunked.
Callie broke the surface, sputtering and gasping for air as she tried to figure out what stopped her. "What the hell?!"
"Stop."
"Arizona!"
"Stop." She wrapped her arms loosely around her lover's neck as they tread water.
Callie felt her anger subside and her shoulders slumped. "My dad…"
Arizona pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "We can talk about that later. Right now, there are two little girls trying to get your attention."
Callie turned to see Cam on her grandfather's back and Vivvy on Rod's, both waving wildly at her. She unlooped Arizona's arms from around her neck and tugged lightly. "Come with me." The duo swam over to where the girls were playing. "We're here! We're here!"
"Callie, watch us!" Cam scrambled onto Daniel's shoulders and Vivvy onto Rod's. On the count of three, the girls jumped towards each other but landed quite a distance apart. They squealed in delight and paddled towards the opposite man.
"Again! Again!" shouted Vivvy.
Callie noticed the worried crinkle near the corner of Arizona's eyes. "That looks so fun, but your mommy and I can't do that. How 'bout we play Marco Polo instead?" She noticed the tension in Arizona's shoulders immediately dissolve. She swam over to where Cam and Daniel were treading water. "I think Arizona should be it first."
As everyone swam around trying to dodge the blonde, the earlier disagreement was forgotten in favor of fun and laughter.
# # # # # # # # # #'
After a light lunch by the pool, Arizona gathered the girls to take them upstairs for a bath and to get ready for the party.
"Why do we have to have a bath?" Cam complained as they walked away. "We just got outta the pool."
"Because you smell like pool water and we need to wash your hair and brush it."
After laughing at the girls walking away with their grumblings, Lucia rose to her feet. "I think I'm going to get ready now as well. I want to have everything ready for when the caterers arrive."
Aria and Callie immediately rose from their seats and began to clear the table before Barbara had a chance. "Well, since you girls have everything in hand, I think I'll do the same," Barbara said.
"Who's catering?" Callie asked Aria when they entered the kitchen.
"Pequeña Cuba," Aria answered.
"Really? I haven't been there in years. I loved it when Abuelo used to take us." Callie smiled at the memory of riding to the restaurant in the T-Bird with her grandfather.
"Mom is going all out for your birthday this year."
"Why?"
"Well." Aria set the plates into the sink. "When was the last time you celebrated your birthday with the family?"
"I don't remember. Years ago, I guess. High school, I think. Maybe college?"
"Exactly. Besides, she wants to make a good impression on Arizona and her family."
"I don't get it." Callie rinsed a plate and handed it to Aria who proceeded to place it in the dishwasher. "I mean, I don't recognize her at all. She is all for Arizona and I and she really likes the twins. You should've seen her when they came to Seattle. One minute she was totally against it and then it was like a switch flipped. She saw pictures of the girls and me and pictures of me and Arizona and that was all it took. I don't trust the swift turn around."
"She's changed over the past few years. She's not working as much and she stopped spending her free time with those society snobs that you hated so much."
"God, I really did hate those women. I was so afraid you were gonna become one."
Aria made a face at her sister, then shrugged her shoulders. "I grew up, I guess. There are more important things in life than sitting around gossiping with a cocktail in hand."
"I'm glad," Callie said, giving her sister a hug. "I like this version of my sister."
"I like me better, too." She turned to put a glass in the dishwasher. "You need to marry Arizona," she said simply.
"Wait, what?" Callie whipped her head around and stared at her sister. "Daddy said the same thing, thinks we shouldn't live together without marriage, which is so confusing. It's like he's okay with Arizona, but not okay with us living together."
"Is that what that was all about earlier?" Aria placed another plate in the dishwasher.
"Yes," Callie sighed with a roll of her eyes.
"Well, you should marry her." Aria picked up a dish towel as Callie began to wash the few pans that were in the sink. "Mom wants grandchildren so badly. With Aunt Josefina having two grandkids, and Aunt Inez has one, Mom is almost desperate."
"I should marry Arizona because Mom wants grandkids?" Callie shook her head in disbelief. "I don't want Mom to accept my relationship with Arizona because she wants grandchildren."
"She does accept you, Calita. She's been singing Arizona's praises for weeks."
"And Daddy?"
"He sees what we all see." Aria took the pan from Callie and dried it.
"Which is?" She released the drain for the sink and focused on cleaning it.
"That you're happy and in love, and that Arizona loves you."
"Doesn't seem that way," Callie muttered. "He's so hot and cold. I think he likes Arizona and her family."
"He does." Aria interrupted insistently.
Callie released a breath she didn't know she was holding. "You sound so sure."
"Because I am. It just took him some time, and Mom arguing with him constantly. He's still trying to wrap his head around it."
"Why can't he just let me live my life on my own terms?"
"Callie…"
"Whatever." Callie took the towel from Aria and dried her hands. "I'm gonna go see if Arizona needs any help with Cam and Vivvy."
When she entered what used to be her old bedroom, Callie found Arizona helping to pull a sundress with flowers of every color over Vivvy's head. Cam was sitting quietly on the bed in a pair of bright blue shorts and what could only be described as a Hawaiian print shirt.
"Need any help?" Callie offered.
"Would you brush Vivvy's hair? I need to brush and braid Cam's."
"Ponytail for you, Miss Vivvy?" Callie asked, picking the brush up.
"No, I have a headband. It's purple!" Vivvy held it up for Callie to see. "And it matches the purple flowers in my new dress!"
"New dress?" she asked Arizona.
"Yes, I wanted something nice for them to wear, and they've outgrown almost all of their summer clothes from last year."
"No dress for you, Cam?"
Cam scowled. "No. I hate dresses."
"We compromised on a new shirt and shorts," Arizona explained.
"Well, you both look great."
Daniel knocked on the doorframe. "Are you ready?"
"All set," Arizona said as she finished braiding Cam's hair. "You two go with Grandpop so Callie and I can get ready."
The girls skipped over to Daniel and the trio headed downstairs.
"Shower together?" Callie suggested as they entered their room.
"Only if it's just showering," Arizona answered. "We really don't have time for anything else."
"We can't make time?" A disappointed Callie frowned.
"Not now." Arizona began to lay out the outfit she was going to wear.
Callie came up behind her and wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's wait. "Is that new?" she asked in reference to the blue and white dress on the bed.
"Yes. I got something for me when I took the girls shopping."
"I love when you wear blue."
Arizona turned her head and kissed Callie's cheek. "I know you do."
Callie returned the kiss and reluctantly removed her arms from around Arizona. She began to take out the clothes she had brought. "So, are you ready to meet some of my crazy family?"
"How many will be there?" Arizona pulled her top off and stepped out of her shorts.
"Um, maybe twenty? It's not everybody from both sides as a lot of them don't get along."
"Twenty?" Arizona stopped as she began to pull down the straps to her modest one-piece swimsuit.
"I think. Something like that. There's Uncle Berto and Ramon, Aunt Josefina and Uncle Javier, their daughter Marcella and her husband Mike and two kids. Uncle Berto is my father's much younger brother, and Josefina is my mom's youngest sister. Aunt Inez is my mother's other sister. Uncle Augustin and his wife Maria. He's my mother's only brother. their kids won't be here. Aria said they're all out of town. My father's other brother, Nestor and his wife Rosa and their kids, Mateo, Ava and Ellan. Mateo and his wife Paula have a baby and Ava and her husband Anton have two kids. I think all the kids are close to Cam and Vivvy's age."
"I hope they're all wearing name tags," Arizona said with a shake of her head. "That's a lot of people."
"You'll be fine." Callie peeled off her clothes and joined Arizona in the ensuite. "They all work for the company, or at least some of them do."
"How big is your family's empire?" Arizona asked as she turned on the water in the large shower.
"Well, there's the Archfield chain. There's only like twenty or twenty-five of them, I think, in the US and there's maybe ten in Europe. Uncle Nestor runs the Miami Archfield and Mateo works there, too. Ava and Anton both work at company headquarters here in Miami. Uncle Berto and Ramon run the hotel in Key West."
"There's an Archfield in Key West?" Arizona stepped into the shower, Callie right behind her. She'd been to Key West when she was in college and didn't recall seeing an Archfield hotel there.
"No, we have another chain of hotels and we have one there." Callie stuck her head under the shower to wet her hair.
"Another chain?" Arizona was incredulous.
"Yeah, the LARCA chain."
"LARCA? They're like everywhere."
"Probably four or five thousand worldwide, so I guess you could say that," Callie laughed as she reached for the shampoo bottle. "They're not as luxurious as the Archfields but they're still pretty nice."
"Pretty nice? I've stayed in them. I would have called them a luxury hotel, until we stayed at the Archfield."
"Yeah, the LARCAs are on par with the more high-end Marriotts." Callie began to wash her hair while Arizona washed hers. "And then we've got resorts around the Caribbean and in Hawaii. I'm not sure about all the real estate. Uncle Javier oversees the resorts."
"Wow! I had no idea."
"Yeah, it's a lot. I think Aria is going to take over when my dad retires, if he ever retires."
Arizona rinsed her hair and washed her face in silence, mulling over what Callie had said. That's a lot of hotels, she thought. I was only kidding when I said empire.
"Why are they called LARCA?" Arizona asked as Callie washed her back.
"My dad named them after my mom, Aria and me. L for Lucia, AR for Aria and CA for Callie."
"This is all a little mind boggling for me."
"It's my family, Arizona, not me."
"Still…"
"Really. Don't think about it."
"Right," Arizona muttered as she began to wash Callie's back. "Don't think about the fact that my girlfriend, the woman I live with, is a hotel heiress."
"Arizona, I am an orthopedic surgeon, or I will be once I pass my boards," Callie said, turning back around. "Yes, I have money, but I'm the surgeon you fell in love with."
"You are," Arizona agreed. She looked up and down at Callie's naked body in front of her. "The beautiful, hot, ortho surgeon I fell in love with."
"If you keep looking at me like that we will be late to the party."
Arizona bit her lip. "So we'll be late. We are celebrating your birthday today and I think you deserve a special birthday treat." She pressed Callie's body up against the wall of the shower, "What do you think?"
Callie's answer was a hard kiss as she slipped a thigh between Arizona's.
# # # # # # # # # #
Arizona decided to wait out by the pool while Callie, Aria and their parents greeted their relatives. Cam and Vivvy were on their best behavior, but they had both been staring wistfully at the pool. Once the caterers had arrived, though, Cam's focus turned to the food, especially at what Arizona assumed was the dessert table.
"Who are all those people?" Vivvy asked when they heard more shouts and squeals from inside the house.
"Callie's relatives," Arizona said. "Some of her aunts and uncles and cousins."
"What's a cousin?"
"Good question," Arizona said but she was sad that Cam and Vivvy had no real aunts or uncles, except Nick, who was sort of an uncle, but definitely had no close cousins. Jillian had no siblings and with Tim gone, the girls really didn't have any extended family.
"Mommy?" Cam surprisingly was the first to be aware of Arizona's sudden mood change.
"Oh, right. Cousins." Arizona thought for a moment on how to explain it. "So, if Uncle Tim were alive and had children, they would be your cousins."
"Do you have cousins?" Vivvy asked.
"A few, but they live far away and I don't get to see them very often."
Vivvy thought hard for a few minutes. "So,when Cam and I growed up and have babies, then our babies will be cousins?"
"Yes."
"I'm not having no babies," Cam said, her voice strong and sure.
"Any babies," she gently corrected Cam, who reminded her so much of herself as a child. "And you may change your mind."
"Uh uh. Babies cry all the time and they smell." Cam's nose crinkled in disgust. "My friend Sarah has a baby sister and told me."
Arizona laughed and tweaked her nose. "Yes, they do, but then they get bigger and don't cry as much."
Before they could continue their talk, the crowd in the house came out to the patio. She and her parents both stood as the large group joined them. Wary, Cam and Vivvy stepped closer to Arizona, but quickly brightened when they saw four other kids, two boys and two girls. Arizona had to swallow hard when Callie appeared with a baby in her arms. She'd never once thought of expanding her - their - family and she was not prepared at all for the feelings that rushed through her.
She shook her head once to clear the vision of a dark haired baby in their future when Lucia led the boisterous group over. Once introductions were done, Callie came up to her, still holding the baby.
"This is Alejandra, my cousin Mateo's baby girl. Isn't she just delicious?" Callie beamed as she gently rocked the sleeping baby back and forth in her arms.
Arizona found herself swallowing hard once again. "She is," she croaked, then cleared her throat. "She is adorable," she agreed, taking a closer look at the infant.
"Did you meet everyone?"
"I think so. Your mom introduced everyone to me and my parents."
"Good." Callie paused for a moment, then asked warily, "How did she introduce you?"
"What do you mean?"
Callie mimicked her mother. "And this is Arizona Robbins, Callie's friend."
Arizona nodded understandingly. "Oh. No. She introduced me as your girlfriend."
"Really? Wow." Callie couldn't hide the amazement in her voice nor stop her eyebrows from raising toward her hairline. "I guess she really is okay with us being a couple."
Lucia came over to them and directed them to the crowded room. "Go mingle with your guests, Calliope, and stop being a baby hog." she said, reaching for Alejandra.
"Mom," Callie protested, but her mother was persistent and now cradled the baby. "Go show off your girlfriend, let the family get to know her."
As Arizona took one more look at Alejandra, the baby opened her eyes. With her dark hair and eyes that matched Callie's, Arizona was enamored of the child. As she turned to follow Callie, she caught Lucia watching her, and the older woman gave her a knowing smile.
"So, did you really meet everyone?" Callie asked as she took her hand and walked toward her Uncle Berto and his partner Ramon.
"I did. I don't know if I remember all of their names, but your mother did take us around." She looked around for Cam and Vivvy and saw them sitting at a table with Barbara and the four other children. Lucia had placed crayons, paper and coloring books, as well as other crafts on the table so they had something to do. "The kids all seem to be getting along."
"For now. I can't imagine Cam sitting quietly and coloring for too much longer. I think Rod said something about taking them out to the yard to play soccer."
"Cam will definitely love that."
They stopped in front of two impeccably and very fashionably dressed men. Arizona guessed they were both in their early forties and her gaydar had pinged when Lucia had first introduced them.
"Please, sit down and have a chat with us," Berto said, patting the spot next to him. "We want to hear all about the woman that swept our Callita off her feet." Both Arizona and Callie blushed, but did as they were asked. "So, how did you two meet?"
"Work," Callie said quickly.
"My daughter Vivvy broke her wrist roller skating and Callie treated her."
"And sparks flew between you, no doubt." Ramon interjected.
"Sort of." Callie blushed once again.
Arizona nodded. "It took us a little time before we both realized that sparks were what we were feeling." She took Callie's hand. "And now here we are, living together."
"Wonderful!" Ramon exclaimed.
"We were quite displeased when Carlos came back from Seattle and told us he'd cut you off," Berto confided in them. "It took quite a bit of prying, but Aria finally spilled what had happened. She was not happy either."
"Your Christmas card…" Callie's eyes filled with tears. "I can't thank you enough. You have no idea what it means to me."
"Pfft," Berto said with a wave of his hand. "It was nothing. You know we'd do anything for our favorite niece."
Carlos called Callie over to where he was standing with her other aunts and uncles. She excused herself then got up from the divan. "I'll be right back. Be nice, Uncle Berto."
"I'm always nice, Calliope."
She tossed her head back in laughter before walking away.
"Lucia said you have twins?" Ramon asked, looking around.
"Yes, twin girls, Cam and Vivvy. They're over with the other kids."
It wasn't hard to pick out Cam and Vivvy as they were the only blondes at the table. Cam was sitting on her knees, leaning over the table, her tongue peeking out one side as she concentrated on her drawing. Vivvy was seated beside her new best friend, Nicola. She was Marcella's daughter and just a few months younger than the twins.
"What lovely little girls. Lucia is quite taken with them. I can see why."
"Thank you." Arizona leaned back and relaxed. "Callie told me you run the hotel in Key West?"
Berto chuckled. "Yes, Carlos couldn't disown me. Mother would never allow that to happen. So he stuck me down in Key West to run the family hotel there."
"Stuck you there? You make it sound like he exiled you there," Ramon teased. "It was not a hardship for you to be there."
"No, it wasn't. And it was where I met Ramon." The two men smiled at one another.
"Does Callie know?"
"About us? Well, Ramon was always referred to as my special friend. She figured it out eventually."
"And did she know about Key West?"
"That it's a mecca for gays?" Arizona nodded. "She didn't. I don't know if she does now. Despite her bluster, Callie can be a bit naive."
"She always used to ''run away' by coming to stay with us for a few days. I'm surprised she never connected the dots."
"Maybe because she always came during the off-season"
"Oh, Berto, there is never an off-season in the Keys." Ramon said dramatically.
Callie returned with a small frown on her face. "I need to circulate more, according to Daddy." She waved her hands as she said the word circulate. "But we'll be back." She held out her hand and helped Arizona to her feet. "Maybe we can sit together when dinner is ready?"
"We'd love to. Now go be a good dutiful Torres girl," Berto said while shooing Callie and Arizona away with his hand.
"I like them," Arizona said as they walked away.
"Yeah, Ramon and Uncle Berto are the best." Callie grasped Arizona's hand and first led toward an older couple. "There's somebody, two somebodies, that I really want you to meet."
"Miss Calliope, Happy Birthday!" the woman said. She and the man hugged Callie "Who's this?" she asked, smiling warmly at Arizona.
"Hector, Carmella, this is my girlfriend, Arizona Robbins. Arizona, this is Hector and Carmella. They practically raised me."
The woman startled Arizona with a big hug, then turned to Callie. "Miss Callie, don't you say such nonsense. We did no such thing."
"You did. More than mom was involved, that's for sure."
"Callie!" Arizona admonished her. "She's trying now. That has to mean something."
"She is." Callie admitted begrudgingly..
"Miss Robbins, you come find me later. I can tell you some stories about Callie as a little girl."
"Oh, please, don't," Callie said, her cheeks turning a faint pink.
"I'd like that very much." Arizona smiled.
Callie gave Arizona a half-hearted glare. "Time to meet the cousins," she said, steering Arizona away from a chuckling Hector and Carmella. She did not want Arizona to hear any stories, especially the embarrassing ones, about her childhood.
They walked toward a small circle of Callie's cousins and spent the next two hours chatting with them, ending with her cousin Mateo, his wife Paula and their baby. This time it was Arizona who held Alejandra and Callie who couldn't take her eyes off the two of them.
"She is such a good baby," Arizona said. "She's so calm."
"She's not this way with everyone," Paula observed.
"Arizona's like the baby whisperer at work. Kids and their parents love her," Callie bragged.
"Callie, that's not true."
"Sure it is. I've seen it with my own eyes."
"Paula's right. She's usually a lot fussier. Especially at two AM," Mateo chuckled. "That's when she is her loudest."
"Oh, that's not possible, is it?" Arizona cooed to Alejandra as the baby seemed transfixed by Arizona's smile. "You're a good baby girl, aren't you?" Feeling the baby lightly paw at her, Arizona handed the baby back to Paula. "I think someone is hungry." she said with a smile.
Paula and Mateo excused themselves so she could breastfeed their daughter.
Callie had to fight with herself not to blurt out that she wanted a baby, wanted one with Arizona. Instead, she asked, "What were the twins like as babies?"
"Well, I was deep into my internship when they were born so I didn't get to spend a lot of time with them," she answered, sadness creeping into her voice. "What I do remember is Cam was the cranky one, but if Vivvy was fussy and upset, Cam would whimper and try to calm Vivvy down."
"Cam's still like that," Callie said. "Always looking out for her sister."
Callie's comment drew a smile from Arizona. "Yes, she is." She looked around. "Speaking of which, where are Cam and Vivvy?"
Vivvy and Nicola were still sitting at the 'crafts' table, making some sort of friendship bracelets. Cam came barreling around the corner from the backyard, trailed by two boys and another girl. One of Cam's braids was beginning to come undone, and one of Mikey's shirt tails was untucked. Tommy was sporting a grass stained knee and Darcy had lost one of the ribbons in her hair.
"Didja see us?" Cam asked running up to Arizona and Callie. "We were playing soccer with Mr. Rod."
"Did you have fun?"
"Uh huh."
"Why don't we sit down and get you something to drink and I can fix your hair."
"I am thirsty," Cam said, plopping down beside Arizona on the bench. "We was playing hard."
"I see that."
Callie poured Cam a glass of lemonade, reminding her not to drink too fast.
"When are we eating? I'm starving."
"Soon," Arizona promised.
"Actually now," Callie said, seeing the covers being lifted off the food on the table.
"I hope there's something to eat that Cam and Vivvy will like. I don't think we've ever had Cuban food."
"Both girls are pretty good about trying things. I think they'll be okay."
The children were first to get in line for the food. Cam and Vivvy were hesitant at first with food they didn't recognize. All it took was their new friends to tell them what was good and they were piling it on their own plates. Once they were served and seated together at a table just for them, Callie was waved up to be first in line.
"C'mon," Callie said, taking Arizona up to the table.
"Everything smells so good. I don't know what to get."
"Do you trust me?"
"Of course I do, Calliope."
"Then go sit at one of the smaller tables and I'll fix you up a sampler plate."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
Before finding a table, Arizona stopped at the bar where she had the bartender pour a rum and coke for herself and Callie. Drinks in hand, she found a small table for four off to the side. She waved to Ramon and pointed to the table. When she was sure he saw the spot, she sat down and sipped from her glass.
A few minutes later, Callie maneuvered her way through the scattered tables, two plates in hand, Berto and Ramon close behind. She set the plates on the table, kissed Arizona's cheek, then sat down.
"Callie, I can't possibly eat all of this!" Arizona's eyes were wide at the amount of food on her plate.
"Sure you can," she laughed.
Arizona looked doubtful, but picked up her fork. "I know what rice and beans are, and I've had empanadas before, but what exactly is all this?"
"Ropa Vieja, the national dish of Cuba," Callie said, pointing with her fork.
"Slow cooked beef with a marinade and seasonings," Ramon explained.
"Mojo pork," Callie continued. "Pork with citrus and garlic."
"That's vaca frita," Berto said of the food currently sitting on Arizona's fork. "Crispy shredded beef."
"And that's fricase de pollo," Ramon added helpfully.
"Okay, pollo I know is some sort of chicken."
"Oh, girl you are in for a treat. This is the finest Cuban food in Miami." Berto said. "My mother, Callie's abuela, was a great cook, the best, and this was the only place she'd go for dinner."
"That's true," Callie nodded in agreement.
Before they could take a bite, Carlos tapped his glass with his fork and stood up. The guests quieted down and he cleared his throat.
"Oh, no," a panicked Callie groaned to her tablemates. "What is he doing?"
"Carlos always liked a good speech," Berto chuckled. "Especially with a captive audience."
"Well, I'm not sticking around for it," Callie said, attempting to get up.
Arizona gently grabbed Callie's arm. "Sit."
"Our little Callie never liked being the center of attention. We had so hoped you'd outgrow that," Berto admonished lightly.
"I…"
"Your father and mother have invited my, our, family into their home, and invited all these people to celebrate your birthday. The least you can do is sit here and listen," Arizona said, her voice half-stern and half-cajoling.
"Fine, but don't expect me to get up and say something." Callie started to cross her arms across her chest and turn her back to her father, but one look from Arizona and she stopped.
Ramon and Berto were delighted at how Arizona had handled Callie's near pout. "Oh, our Callita has met her match," Berto snickered quietly.
"I first want to thank you all for coming here to celebrate my daughter Calliope's birthday." Carlos smiled. "Some of you were here for her fifth birthday."
Callie put her head in her hands and groaned again. One table over Aria began to laugh and Berto joined in.
"Before my time," Ramon whispered to Arizona.
"For those who weren't here, or don't know the story, we had a beautiful cake. About this big," he gestured with his hands. "White with pink flowers. When it was brought out to the center of the room to have the candles lit, the backside of the cake was missing a significant amount of frosting. Our Calliope had been sneaking around behind it all afternoon and kept dipping her chubby fingers into it and eating the frosting." The family laughed and Callie's face turned red.
"Oh, Calliope, and you say I have a sweet tooth?" Arizona teased.
Carlos continued. "On her sixteenth birthday, we gave her a car, Nothing too fancy as it was her first car. Do you remember that Honda Accord, Calliope?"
"Yes, Daddy," she muttered.
"She was so excited and went to drive around the block but hit the trash can at the end of the driveway in front of the entire family." More laughter erupted from the family. "She refused to drive again until her eighteenth birthday."
"Where she ditched the party and drove down to spend it with us in Key West," Berto explained to Arizona.
"Yeah, that was a pretty good birthday," Callie admitted, "once I escaped Miami."
Carlos began to conclude his toast. "We finally have her back to celebrate her first birthday since then." He paused. "And let's hope this birthday will be uneventful." He raised his glass. "To Calliope. Happy Birthday."
"To Calliope!" the family echoed.
Arizona leaned over and kissed Calie's cheek. "Early Happy Birthday, my love."