Widow Robbins II
July 2007 - Part 2
Cam stood at the window, watching all the planes land and takeoff. When she found out that they were going to the airport with Callie, she insisted on wearing her pilot's hat and had Callie pin her wings on her shirt. "I see it!" she shouted, spotting the Torres corporate jet with the black tail and gold "T". She pointed to the plane as it landed. "There it is!"
"They're here!" Vivvy nearly jumped up and down with excitement.
The plane disappeared down the runway before it taxied over to the terminal. The girls fidgeted as they waited for the two women to get off the plane. Callie stood behind Cam and Vivvy, a hand on each shoulder to keep them from running off.
"There they are!" Vivvy said, spotting Lucia and Aria as they walked into the terminal. She began to wave and called out to them. "Mrs. Lucia! Miss Aria!"
The girls wriggled free and ran to Lucia. She bent down and hugged them, a broad, warm smile on her face. Callie still marveled at how much her mother seemed to adore the girls. She hung back and let the girls greet Aria before approaching them.
"Hey, mom," she said, giving her mother a hug.
"Hello, Calliope."
"Callie," Aria greeted her with a hug.
Vivvy took Lucia's hand and Cam took Aria's hand much to Callie's amusement. Lucia seemed comfortable with it, but Aria looked a little uneasy. "Where are your bags?" Callie asked.
"Oh, they're taking them straight to the Archfield so we don't have to make a stop."
The group walked together through the small terminal to the main entrance.
"Why don't you wait here and I'll bring the car around?" Callie suggested.
"Nonsense. We can walk. It'll be good to walk after sitting on the plane all those hours."
"Okay, then."
As they exited out of the building, Lucia started to step off the curb but stopped when both Vivvy and Cam screeched, "STOP!"
"What?" Lucia froze in place at the terror in the voices of the small children, bewildered as to what could have summoned such a response.
"You hafta look both ways before crossing," Vivvy explained seriously.
"Gotta look out for cars," Cam stated as she nodded along with her sister's words.
"You're absolutely right," Lucia said, somewhat embarrassed yet also relieved. They paused and looked both ways before crossing over to the parking lot. "You two are so smart," Lucia complimented them.
The rest of the walk to the car was uneventful, aside from everyone keeping an eagle eye for any approaching vehicles. As Callie pressed the unlock button on her key fob, Aria whistled as though impressed. "Nice wheels, Cal," Aria commented a bit sarcastically. "I was expecting a minivan."
"Bite your tongue," Callie said, rolling her eyes and slapping Aria on the arm. "I will never have one of them." She was beginning to get tired of the soccer mom references.
"Whatever you say."
"Mom, would you like to ride up front?" Callie asked.
"No, I think I'll ride with Cam and Vivvy," she replied. Her answer brought big smiles and squeals of excitement from both girls and a dumbfounded look to her daughters.
"Are you sure?"
Lucia nodded. She carefully and somewhat awkwardly climbed into the back seat, maneuvering herself between two booster seats. Cam and Vivvy scrambled in after.
"I'm so happy you're here," Vivvy said.
"Me, too!" Cam was eager to let Lucia know she was also excited for her visit.
"I'm happy to be here, too, as is Aria."
"We can go on the ferry." Vivvy clapped her hands.
"And the needle."
"It's the SPACE Needle, Cam," Vivvy corrected her.
Cam stuck her tongue out at her sister. "That's what I said."
"No, you didn't. You just said the needle, not Space Needle."
"That's enough, you two," Callie said sternly. Aria snickered and recalled all the times she and Callie had bickered in a similar manner when they were younger.
Cam pouted for a moment before she grinned. "Didja see I lost a tooth?" she said to Lucia and she pointed to the gap. "The tooth fairy gave me a whole dollar!"
"I've got a loose one, too." Vivvy was not to be outdone by her sister. She wiggled the offending tooth with her tongue. Lucia struggled not to cringe at the sight and merely nodded an acknowledgement.
"Are you coming to our house?" Cam asked quickly. Lucia could hardly keep up long enough to comment with the twins jumping from one topic to another.
"Right now, yes."
"I hope you have fun."
Vivvy frowned. "But we don't have a pool."
"Or a boat." Cam kicked the back of Callie's seat. Why couldn't their house be as fun as Mr. Carlos and Mrs. Lucia's house?
Callie cleared her throat to get Cam's attention. "Feet, Cam."
Lucia tapped the young girl's arm to gain her attention. "But you do have the most important things there," she said, hoping to wipe away the sad look on their faces.
"What?"
"You and your sister and your mommy and Callie."
In the front seat, Callie smiled and felt a tear form. She'd dreamed of her mother being this accepting and close with Cam and Vivvy, and so far she hadn't let her down.
"Are you gonna stay with us at our house?" Vivvy asked.
"No, not this time. Aria and I are staying at the Archfield."
"The what?"
"The place with the doorman and the sparkly lights," Callie called over her shoulder from the front seat.
"I remember that place!" Cam exclaimed.
"We went swimming there," Vivvy remembered.
"And had room service."
"And slept in a big bed."
"It was fun."
Lucia smiled broadly, glad they had a good experience at one of her family's flagship hotels. "I bet it was. Maybe while we're here, we can all go swimming."
"Yes!" Cam pumped her arm with excitement.
"Can we, Callie?" Vivvy asked with her own nervous excitement.
"We'll see. There's a lot going on this week." She looked over at her sister who was suppressing a grin with the back of her hand. "What?"
"You're such a mom."
Callie smiled as she looked in the rearview mirror at the twins with her mother. "Yeah, I guess I am."
# # # # # # # # # #
A few days later, Callie sat in one of the chairs by the patio table sipping on a large glass of red wine and taking a moment to enjoy the silence and solitude. It had been three weeks since she'd stopped working at Seattle Grace. She wasn't going to kid herself. She missed surgery and her friends. But, she'd also been surprisingly content in being a mom to Cam and Vivvy. It'd been like a dream to spend all that time with them, getting to know them even more. She sensed her mother, and even Arizona, were a little disappointed that she wasn't looking for a new job with any kind of urgency. She'd applied to a few in town, and even had a few calls with some. She just really wasn't in any kind of a hurry. Not with everything that was going on with their lives right now.
She sighed and took a sip from her glass. Ever since her mother and sister arrived, it felt like she was constantly being rushed from place to place. In four days, this was the first opportunity she'd had to simply breathe. She pinched the bridge of her nose to ward off the impending headache. Her solitude was disrupted by her sister stepping onto the patio.
"Ah, there you are. I wondered where you had holed up," Aria teased as she sat next to her.
Callie leaned her head on the back of the chair and turned slightly to face her. "If you knew I wanted to be alone, then why are you here?"
"Cuz that's what sisters do. We bug each other."
Callie rolled her eyes and sipped her wine.
"It's okay to be overwhelmed, Cal. Mom is a lot to handle on a good day, nevermind when she's in planning mode." She paused for a moment then started laughing. "She met her match with that friend of yours though. Bailey, was it?"
Callie straightened and gave her impersonation of Bailey from earlier in the day. "I don't do floof or bows or anything remotely resembling pink so don't even bother."
Aria guffawed. "And then mom gave her a dress with a big bow on the butt right away!"
"She almost got away with it, too, until Vivvy spilled the beans."
"You know, Mom was even a little intimidated by Bailey. She told me later if Bailey had been a lawyer she would've hired her, just to keep from having to face her in court."
They laughed some more and eventually quieted. "So what else is going on? Why haven't you found a new job yet?" Aria inquired.
Callie slowly released a long breath. "To be honest, I'm enjoying being a stay-at-home mom. It's given me a chance to get to know the other parents in the kids' friend group and activities. It's weird though. I miss Arizona more these days. I thought I'd feel closer to her by picking up the slack with the kids, but instead, it feels like I never see her."
"I miss you, too." Arizona's voice came from the doorway. "Aria, your driver is here."
Aria looked back and forth between the pair and the unspoken conversation which was taking place in their expressions of longing, She stretched and stood. "That's my cue to leave you two lovebirds." She gave Callie and Arizona quick hugs as she left them alone on the patio.
Arizona took the seat Aria had abandoned. "Can I say something without you getting mad?"
"I hate when people start conversations like that."
"Callie."
"You're just going to say that I'm wasting my talent and my schooling and that I need to get back into the OR like yesterday."
"Not exactly."
"I'm enjoying being a stay-at home mom. I'm beginning to think I might start a daycare instead of going back to a hospital setting."
"Callie, can we just…"
Callie got up and started to pace. "And who do you think you are to come and tell me what I should be doing with my life?"
"I never said any of that. You're making assumptions about what I wanted to talk about."
"It's my life, Arizona."
"It's my life, too. It's our life. Which we should discuss, not make rash decisions based on…" Before she could finish her though, Arizona's pager blared from her pocket. "Go figure." She stood and started for the door.
"That's right. Run away when we're arguing," Callie sneered. Where is this vitriol coming from? she wondered to herself.
"I can't just ignore my pager, Callie. Kids wind up in tiny, dream haunting coffins if I do. Maybe you'd remember that if you weren't playing Happy Homemaker."
Callie stood there in stunned silence. What the hell just happened? One minute, she's talking and joking with Aria and the next she's yelling at Arizona about her job situation. She gulped the rest of her wine. How in the world was she going to fix this? She trudged inside and stopped abruptly when she realized Arizona was standing at the stove waiting for the teapot to whistle. "You're still here," she said dumbfounded.
"One of the new residents had some questions about a patient's stats. They're within normal range but very elevated. If they get any higher, I'll head in but there's no need at the moment," she responded, avoiding Callie's gaze. She waited a few moments, while Callie placed her empty wine glass in the sink. Callie was about to leave the kitchen when Arizona turned around and spoke. "Can I just say how ridiculous it is that you got mad at me for a conversation you had entirely in your head?"
"No, you said…"
"I asked you to listen and not get mad and you jumped headfirst into putting words in my mouth and getting mad over something you imagined I was going to say, not something I actually said."
"I did not. I…"Callie stopped as the realization of Arizona's words fully sank in. She reflected on the actual conversation. "Honey, I'm so sorry." She stepped forward to wrap Arizona in her arms. "What were you going to say earlier?"
"I was just going to say that I know you enjoy the extra time with the girls. That's why we dropped the daycare down to one day a week. But I feel like I barely get to see them or you now. I was going to suggest you guys join me for lunch a couple days of the week. " She pulled away to turn the heat down on the whistling teapot, then poured the hot water into her awaiting cup and teabag.
Callie felt rightfully chastised. Arizona wasn't trying to run her life; she just wanted to spend time with her and the kids.
"I need to be able to speak my mind, Calliope, without you jumping to the worst case scenario or deflecting your fears into putting words in my mouth."
"I'll try."
Arizona nodded. "That's all I ask."
Callie looked around, suddenly away the house was quiet. "Where are the kids?"
"They wanted Mrs. Lucia to tuck them in, so they willingly went to bed early tonight." She finished making her tea and took a sip.
"I'm surprised they didn't ask to go swimming at the Archfield. Mom suggested it on the drive from the airport and they've been asking daily when they can go."
"Yeah she mentioned that tonight. We're going to do a family swim Friday afternoon since I only work a half day."
Callie walked up behind Arizona, wrapped her arms around her waist, and nuzzled her neck. "Are we okay?" she whispered against the skin under her ear.
Arizona turned and looped her arms around Callie's neck. "Yeah but I think some apology cuddles are in order." She wiggled her eyebrows cheekily. Callie grasped her hand and pulled her away from the stove and led her upstairs to their bedroom. The calming tea was left forgotten in favor of more amorous activities.
# # # # # # # # # #
Callie didn't know why Cam and Vivvy were almost bouncing with excitement at getting to swim at the Archfield. They'd been going to the Y for swimming lessons for months so it couldn't be the pool. They'd seen Aria and her mother several times since they'd arrived six days ago. Maybe it was the combination of getting to do both. Callie was still getting the hang of parenting and sometimes figuring out what the girls were thinking was hard.
"Hi, Mr. Soldier Doorman," Cam called out as he opened the door for the foursome.
"Good afternoon, ladies," he greeted them, a small smile on his face. He lifted his hand to the brim of his hat in a half-salute.
Cam and Vivvy stood up straight and saluted him back the way their grandpop had taught them. From just inside the doorway, waiting in the main lobby, Aria smiled in amusement. Spotting her, the twins forgot about their mother and Callie.
"Guess what, Miss Aria," Vivvy said breathlessly.
"What?"
"We walked through a dungeon," Cam continued.
Aria looked over at her sister, who mouthed the words "parking garage" back at her.
"You did? Were there any dragons?"
"No, but I'm a knight," Cam stated. She waved an imaginary sword in front of her. "I would protect everyone from the dragon."
"And I'm a princess, like you, Miss Aria. I can cast a spell to make the dragon go away."
"Good to know." She led them to the private elevator. "And you don't need to call me 'Miss Aria'."
The girls looked at each other confused. "What are we supposed to call you?"
She knelt next to them. "Well since your mom is marrying my sister, that would make me your aunt, your tia in Spanish, so I'd like it if you called me Aunt Aria or Tia Aria works for me."
"Tia," Vivvy tried the new word slowly, looking to Callie to see if her pronunciation was right. When Callie nodded, she said it again. "Tia Aria, I like it."
Cam tugged on Callie's hand. "When can we call you mama, Callie?"
Callie looked over their heads at Arizona, who shrugged. "Well for sure after your mommy and I get married, but if you want to before then, that's ok with me. Or if you just want to keep calling me Callie, that's ok, too."
"Is Mama Callie okay?" she asked timidly.
"Whatever you want, sweetie." Her heart warmed that they actually wanted to call her mama, not just be their other mother.
Cam turned her attention back to Aria. "Tia Aria, are you gonna swim with us?"
Aria beamed at the sound of being referred to as tia. "I am and so is my mother."
"Really?" Cam asked in surprise.
"Yay!" Vivvy exclaimed as they stepped into the elevator. "I 'member swimming at Mrs. Lucia and Mr. Carlos's house."
"I had fun," Cam added.
"And we'll have fun today, too," Arizona assured them.
"I can't wait!"
"Me neither!"
Lucia was waiting for them in the hotel suite she was sharing with Aria. She'd already changed into her swimsuit and she wore one of the plush Archfield robes. The girls ran to her, greeting her like they hadn't seen her "in forever", forgetting that she and Aria had been over for dinner the night before.
"I'm so glad you're all able to come for a swim," Lucia said. "And especially you, Arizona."
"My apologies, Lucia. Things have been a bit hectic at work since the merger."
Lucia waved off the apology. "It's quite alright, Arizona. I know how busy you surgeons are. Calliope told us all about your fellowship."
"She can work all the hours she needs to," Callie said, an arm going around Arizona's waist. "Just as long as she has time off for the wedding."
"Mommy, can we go swimming now?" Vivvy asked.
"Let's get you into your suits first. You don't want to swim in your clothes, do you?"
Cam shook her head from side to side. "No. I wanna show Miss Aria and Mrs. Lucia my new swimsuit. It's got SHARKS on it."
"My new suit is better. It has NEMO and DORY on it."
"You can use my room to change," Lucia offered.
"Let's go, girls," Arizona said, and the girls, backpacks in hand, followed her.
"Dory? Nemo?" Aria asked. "Who are they?"
"Ask the girls," Callie laughed as she picked up her and Arizona's bags. "They'll be more than happy to tell you all about them."
"There are robes for all of you on the bed," Lucia called out as Callie left to go change into her own swimsuit.
"Thanks, Mom."
Once the girls were in their suits and little Archfield robes on, Callie sent them out to wait with her mother. "Vivvy, Cam, be sure to tell Aria about Nemo. She doesn't know who he is," she said.
"She doesn't?" Their eyes were wide in disbelief.
"Nope, so you be sure to tell her."
The girls skipped out of the room and Callie turned around, only to see Arizona disappear into the ensuite with her bag. Shrugging her shoulders, Callie quickly shed her clothes and put on her red one-piece swimsuit. She'd brought it with her because she knew how much Arizona loved it when she wore red.
She was disappointed when Arizona came back into the room wearing a modest blue one-piece. That disappointment faded in an instant when Arizona turned around to put something in her bag, revealing a plunging back. Callie stepped over to her immediately, standing behind her. "You're killing me, you know," she whispered against her neck before kissing it, her hands landing on her hips.
"Hmm?"
"Your suit," she murmured, her hands sliding up, then inside Arizona's suit and around to her breasts.
"Callie!" Arizona reached behind and grabbed Callie's wrists, forcing her hands away. "Not that I don't appreciate your… appreciation, but now is not the time."
"Yeah, you definitely appreciated it," Callie responded cockily, her mind still on how those hardened nipples felt in her hands.
"Callie…"
"You're no fun," she grumbled and picked up her robe.
"I'm fun," Arizona protested as she put on a robe. "Just not that kind of fun right now."
"Later?"
"Oh, definitely later," Arizona agreed, eyeing Callie's form in her swimsuit.
"Good."
As Arizona walked by Callie, she pinched her ass, causing Callie to turn around. "Hey!"
"Behave yourself today."
Walking back into the main area, they found Cam and Vivvy almost cornering Aria as they chattered excitedly about Nemo and Dory. Both women laughed at the look on Aria's face.
"Are we all ready to swim?"
"Yes!"
"I arranged for some, I think they're called pool noodles," Lucia said as they rode down in the elevator.
"Great. Thank you."
"We also got some kickboards and some other pool toys," Aria added.
"Yay!"
Callie pondered that information. She knew that pool toys were not allowed in the Archfield pool, but apparently those rules didn't apply to the owners of the hotel. Additionally, it appeared that her mother had reserved the pool just for them because it was deserted. She noticed a large stack of towels sat on one of the tables along with some bottles of water.
It didn't take long for them all to get into the pool. The girls were eager to show off their improved swimming skills as they paddled from one adult to another. Lucia's praise had them beaming with pride.
"I'm ready to hit the hot tub," Aria said after the fourth game of Marco Polo.
"I'm with you," Callie agreed, climbing out of the pool.
The sisters each grabbed a bottle of water before stepping into the hot tub. They looked back at the pool. Cam was currently jumping off the edge of the pool toward Arizona, laughing as she swam to her mother, then swimming to the steps and doing it all over again. Vivvy was floating with a pool noodle near Lucia, a smile on her face as she told Lucia some story.
"Mom looks good," Callie commented. Her mother was still trim and fit, especially for a woman of her age.
"That will never change. She still turns heads at the club, you know." Aria took a sip from her bottle of water.
"You still go to the club?" The revelation surprised Callie. For some reason, she had assumed Aria had eschewed the country club and all its trappings.
"Only if it's business related or some big birthday or anniversary for one of mom and dad's friends," Aria explained. "I don't go unless I absolutely have to."
Lucia's high pitched laugh as she lightly tossed Vivvy in the water caught their attention. Callie shook her head in disbelief . "Wow. I don't think I've ever seen Mom like that."
Aria's tone hardened slightly. "She's changed, Callie. You'd know that if…" She stopped herself from saying something she might regret.
Callie had the decency to accept the barb for what it was, an admonition to do better by her family by giving them a little grace. "I see that."
"She's even talking about retiring."
"Retire? Mom?"
Aria nodded. "Everyone thought it was a bunch of bluster initially, but she's already cut back on her workload."
"I thought she was just doing that for the wedding."
"No. She started working less in February." Aria grinned. "Right after they got back from Seattle, actually. I think nearly losing a daughter and the possibility of losing out on being an abuela really shook her up."
Another shriek emerged from Vivvy, and then one from Cam as they ganged up to splash Lucia, much to her delight though her squeals would suggest otherwise.
"How can you resist the cuteness of those girls?" Aria wondered with a faraway look.
Callie laughed. "They're not always this cute. They can be a handful. But it can be hard at times. It's those damned dimples they inherited from their mother. I can't say no to any of them when the dimples are out."
"I wish I could see them more often," Aria said a little wistfully. "I wish I lived closer so I could spend more time with them."
"What's stopping you? You travel all the time so you could live here and travel from here."
"Daddy likes me close, and in the office when I'm not on the road. And…"
"And Rod," Callie finishes for her.
"And Rod," Aria agreed, a blush appearing on her cheeks. "His job is with the Marlins."
"Maybe he could get a job with the Mariners." Callie said with a sly smile.
"We're not that serious!" Aria protested.
"Sure you aren't," Callie said knowingly. "Aren't you getting close to taking the next step? You're not getting any younger, you know. And Cam and Vivvy need cousins."
"Not you too! You're supposed to be taking that pressure off me for a while. Mom was relentless before you and Arizona got engaged and now she seems to have forgotten."
"I'm sure she'll be putting that full court press on you by Christmas." Callie reconsidered. "No, by Thanksgiving. She'll expect some news from you by then." She unscrewed the lid to her bottle of water and took a sip.
Aria shook her head, exasperated, then got her own sly smile on her face. "Well, Mom and Dad have talked about getting a place here to be closer to you and your family-to-be."
"What?" Callie almost dropped her drink.
"Not all the time, but someplace they can stay when they visit and can host your family, maybe watch the kids. Mom even talked to a realtor the other day."
Before Callie could wrap her head around that idea, the twins called out for Callie and Tia Aria to come back into the pool.
Aria nudged her sister's shoulder. "Last one in has to buy dinner."
Before she could register the challenge, Callie found herself submerged in the warm water of the hot tub. As she broke the surface gasping for air, she noticed Aria was already halfway to the pool. She slapped the water in frustration. How much longer 'til they go back to Miami? She mused silently, fully knowing the answer. How much longer 'til life goes back to normal?
# # # # # # # # # #
Arizona had a long day and night. After she'd gone to the tuxedo shop with Nick, Mark and Cam, she'd gone straight to work. She was in an emergency surgery ten minutes after she'd arrived, then she'd had two more scheduled surgeries. Dr. Griffin was handling most of the administrative work, for which she was immensely thankful, but the accelerated fellowship was keeping her at the hospital a lot more than she'd ever been. Not quite intern hours but close.
She had hoped to get out of work reasonably early but she ended up back in the OR, this time with Owen. The ortho attending on call had never shown up so Owen stepped in. Arizona liked Owen, but she'd rather have had Callie in the OR with her. At least they'd see one another and have a chance to chat. The day had been so busy that all she'd managed was a few short text exchanges.
After locking up behind her, Arizona trudged up the stairs in the darkened house. She was surprised, and pleased, to see a light from under the door to the master bedroom. She wondered how Callie's day had gone. She didn't know what she'd do without Callie, but she hated that Callie was turning into a stay-at-home mom. Not that there's anything wrong with that, she thought. It's just Callie needs to be working. She's a gifted surgeon and it's a waste of her talent.
"Hey, you're still up," she said in mild surprise as she entered the room and saw Callie sitting up, a medical journal in her hands.
"Hey you."
Arizona immediately went over to her fiancee and kissed her. "I missed you today."
"Mmmm," Callie murmured, going in for another kiss. "I missed you, too."
After another quick kiss, Arizona stood up. "How was your day? Everything go okay?" she asked as she began rummaging in her dresser drawer for her pajamas.
"Yeah. We made it to soccer practice in time. Good thing it was later than usual. Cam, of course, shined on the field." They both smiled. "Vivvy's dance class went well. They're planning a recital for early October."
"That's good." Arizona tossed her pajamas on the bed and began changing her clothes. "Won't we be on our honeymoon?"
"We'll be back in time. Barely, but we'll be here." Callie readjusted against the pillows. "How was your day?"
"Busy," Arizona answered as she disappeared into the ensuite. She didn't want to mention the missing ortho attending. It would only make Callie mad. "I had two emergency surgeries on top of two scheduled surgeries," she said when she returned to the bedroom.
"They're really working you hard," Callie commented.
"Yeah, but at least Griffin is freeing me up from a lot of the paperwork, and I've been passing off my charts as much as possible to Karev." She rolled her eyes. "I'm sure he's passing them off to other residents and interns."
"No doubt but that's just part of being a resident," Callie chuckled. "How'd it go this morning?" she asked.
"Pretty good." Arizona set her phone and her pager on her nightstand. "Of course, Mark and Nick had a good laugh when the salesman asked who was the groom and who was the best man."
"I bet they did. Did either claim to be?"
"Nick said he'd already married me once and didn't want to do it again. That's when Cam informed him that I was marrying another bride." Arizona laughed. "There was some confusion with that but we managed to straighten him out."
"Did you find what you were looking for?"
"Yes. I hate to admit it, but they both looked so handsome in them."
"And Cam?"
"Oh, Callie, she was so excited when she got to try on her outfit." Arizona picked up her phone. "I know I'm biased, but she was adorable," She scrolled through the pictures of Mark and Nick and then stopped at one of Cam. "Look at her," she stated, handing the phone to Callie. She stood next to the bed removing her jewelry while Callie scrolled through the pictures on the phone.
Callie took in the view of a beaming Cam, proudly wearing black trousers, a white shirt, a blue vest and red clip-on tie. "Very cute," she agreed.
"Told ya'. She looks so happy,"
"She does." Callie handed the phone back to Arizona. "I know I was the one who suggested Cam be the ring bearer, but do you think..." She hesitated.
"Think what?"
"Well, she never wants to wear dresses and she's crazy about all sports."
"What are you saying?"
"That, well, do you think Cam might be gay?"
"She's five, Callie." Arizona rolled her eyes. "And that's not how it works."
"It's…"
"It's what? She fits the tomboy stereotype?"
"Well, yeah."
"Not all tomboys are gay, and not all feminine acting girls are straight. Look at me. Do I look gay?"
"Well, no," Callie admitted.
"And you don't have the best gaydar," she joked. "I don't think you really have any idea. I mean, you didn't even know about your Uncle Berto until you were in college."
Callie blushed. When she was growing up, she'd been clueless about her favorite uncle. It wasn't until college that she'd figured it out, with Aria later confirming it.
Arizona slid beneath the covers and wrapped her arms around Callie. "Why does it bother you so much?" she questioned softly.
"It's not that it bothers me,,,"
Arizona pinned her with a disbelieving look. "This isn't the first time you've mentioned Cam and her tomboyish behavior. So again, why does it bother you?"
Callie felt flustered as she struggled for an answer. How could she put into words her desire to shield Cam from the heartbreak that might lie ahead? Then she thought more. Arizona was gay and had been out a long time. Maybe she had heartbreak but she also had joy. She shrugged her shoulders as she laid her head against Arizona's chest. "I guess it really doesn't bother me as it's an observation."
"Bullshit."
"Arizona, I'm new to the whole - " She waved her hands. "Gay thing. All I've known is stereotypes."
Understanding dawned upon Arizona. "This is about your dad and how he reacted."
Callie huffed, a part of her hating how well Arizona could read her emotions when she, herself, could not. "I know he's come a long way with accepting us and our relationship, but what if Cam comes out and it brings it all up again? I don't want her to go through that."
"If she is or isn't, it's her truth to live. She'll still be who we raise her to be. When the time is right, she'll tell us herself. Regardless, we are going to love her and support her." Arizona yawned widely. "Besides, she's almost six, not sixteen. We've got a lot of time before we need to worry about the girls bringing dates home."
Callie nodded against her chest. She knew Arizona was right, but a part of her still wondered about Cam's future. Is this what it's like to be a parent?
# # # # # # # # # #
Arizona paused in the doorway and looked out at the driveway where the girls were happily roller skating. Callie had parked her SUV on the street and the driveway was clear for them, along with the sidewalk in front of their house. She smiled when she remembered that it was a little over a year ago that she'd met Callie, and all because of a roller skating mishap.
"What's got you smiling like that?" Callie asked from the porch swing where she kept a close eye on Cam and Vivvy. She'd insisted on all the necessary padding to protect them, despite the grumbling from the girls.
"Just thinking," she replied and handed Callie a glass of red wine before sitting beside her with her own glass of white wine.
"About?"
"It was just over a year ago that we met, and it was all because of roller skating."
Callie's smile matched Arizona's. "That's right." She took a sip from her glass. "You don't think we would've met and gotten together without that?"
"Oh, we would've met because of work, but I would've pined after you from afar without ever making a move." She took a drink. "And now look at us. We're getting married in almost two months."
Callie leaned over and kissed Arizona's cheek. "And I couldn't be happier."
"Me, too."
They sat in contented silence, each thinking about the past year. Arizona couldn't remember the last time she'd just had a moment to just sit and have a glass of wine with Callie. Even today had been a little crazy. Brunch with Lucia and Aria at the Archfield before they flew back to Florida had been okay. Her parents had taken the girls home so she and Callie had some privacy while shopping for wedding bands. That thought brought another smile to her lips. "We have wedding bands."
"We do." Calie stretched her arm behind Arizona, resting it on her shoulders. "I really like them."
"So do I. Simple, classy and elegant." This time it was Arizona who kissed Callie's cheek. "And I can't wait to slip it on your finger."
"Me, too," Callie repeated, then whispered into Arizona's ear, "Almost as much as I can't wait to slip you out of your wedding dress."
"Calliope!" Arizona scolded as though scandalized.
"I can't wait to have you all to myself," she continued in a low, sultry tone. "No kids, no family, no work. Just us. It's been too long."
"Callie, I want to apologize for not being very… present for all the wedding plans. I don't know how you've done it. Between taking care of Cam and Vivvy and the house… And all of that with the moms… I mean, I only had to do a few things." She didn't mention her absences for meals with Lucia and Aria. She'd tried to apologize for that already but Callie had dismissed it. She understood that work came first right now.
"It's okay, Arizona. Stop apologizing."
"But you've had to do so much and had to deal with your mother and mine," she protested.
Callie sighed and finished off her glass of wine. "I love your mom. And my mom, too. But the two of them? They are relentless."
"I can only imagine."
"Don't get me wrong. They make a good team. Your mom softens them up with all that Southern charm and then my mom moves in for the kill." Arizona snorted into her glass. "It's actually kind of fascinating to watch them in action," she said thoughtfully. "Nobody stood a chance with them tag-teaming some poor salesperson."
"My poor baby," Arizona commiserated.
"It wasn't all that bad. It did provide Aria and I a chance to get in some sisterly bonding," she chuckled. "Especially when we snuck off a few times to grab a drink or two."
Arizona playfully slapped Callie's arm. "You didn't!"
"We did." Callie grinned. "Aria had a flask with her at all times. She came prepared, She knows what my mom can be like in that mode. I'd been away from her so long I'd forgotten." She sighed again. "My mom and Aria can be exhausting, even more than the girls. I'm kind of glad they're gone." She looked at her empty glass as she nervously fingered the envelope that her mother had slipped her before they'd left.
"What's that?" Arizona asked.
"Something my mom gave me before we left. I'm afraid to open it. It's probably a task list for me to complete before she returns next month," she said with a scowl. "Too bad we can't elope. Marriages aren't legal for us."
"Not yet, but…"
"But what?"
"It is in Massachusetts. We could always go there," she jokingly said.
"Can we?"
Callie's tone was serious, almost hopeful, which caught Arizona by surprise. "Really? You want to elope?"
"Yes." Callie answered quickly, then reconsidered. "No." She shook her head and sighed. "Maybe?" She started tapping the envelope on her thigh.
"You're just stressed right now." Arizona placed her hand over Callie's hand, stilling it. Then she plucked the envelope from her hand and held it firmly in front of her. "Open it."
"Why?" she whined. "I'm sure it's a to-do list of all the things I have to do before she comes back."
"Callie, you don't know that. Open it."
Callie frowned and took the envelope back. She opened it, and her frown slowly turned to a smile.
"What is it?
"My mom gifted us a two night stay at a B&B. Her note said we deserved a weekend away, just the two of us."
"That's very thoughtful."
Callie grinned. "Think we could cash it in and use the money to fly to Boston?"
"Callie!"
"Just think about it, okay?" she said, rising from her seat. "What do you say to us all going out for ice cream?"
"We have the fixings for making sundaes here."
"Even better."
"Best way to end the week - with our family," Arizona said, standing up.
"With our family and ice cream," Callie teased.
# # # # # # # # # #
As she buckled her seatbelt, Arizona wondered not for the first time if they really should be leaving. Callie had been cranky and irritable for the past two days and it didn't seem like she truly wanted to get away to the B&B. Then again, maybe this is just what she needs, Arizona thought. Some time away from the girls and being home all the time. She needs to just forget about everything, particularly the wedding plans and Lucia's impending visit.
The first half hour of their drive was in silence, except for the music playing softly. Arizona was now beginning to get worried. Are we already turning into an old married couple before we even get married, unable to talk unless it's about the kids? She glanced over at Callie whose eyes were shut, leaning her head against the window. Every few minutes, she repositioned herself as though she couldn't get comfortable
"Calliope?"
"Hmmm?" Her eyes remained shut as she pressed her head against the cool glass..
"If you don't want to go away, I can just turn the car around. It's not too late."
"No, no, it's fine. I just have a headache." She scratched the side of her neck just under the collar of her t-shirt.
"You know, if you can hold on for another hour, I have a cure for that headache," she flirted.
That elicited a small chuckle from Callie. "I'm sure you do."
"Do you want me to let you sleep until we get there?" she offered solicitously.
"I'm sorry. I'm just tired."
"And cranky."
"I'm not cranky," Callie protested.
"You have been, and it's completely understandable. Having to take care of two rambunctious girls, taking care of the house, and wedding plans. You need this break. We need this getaway."
Callie began to fidget more regularly in her seat. At first, she started scratching behind her knee. Then, her scratching moved back to her neck. What the hell is in that detergent?
"Can't you sit still?"Arizona asked.
"Not since you changed the damned laundry detergent," Callie snapped. "Everything has been itching since last night."
"I haven't bought any laundry supplies in months. You've been doing the shopping since we got back from Florida."
"Then I must have got poison ivy."
"What? How?"
"One of Cam's teammates came back from summer camp with it. He tripped at practice the other day and I checked out his ankle. He was fine, except for the oozing poison ivy all over his lower legs." She mulled it over for a few more minutes. "Or maybe it was mosquito bites. We were bit quite a lot at that practice."
Arizona began to consider Callie's symptoms. When the next exit appeared, she took it, then pulled over in the first parking lot she could find.
"Um, what are you doing?"
"Just wait a sec." She put her hand on Callie's forehead and instantly knew she was running a fever. "You're hot."
"Yeah, I know," Callie joked. "I mean, I'm all for having a quickie, but pulling over next to a busy BP in broad daylight just to have sex when we're only a half hour from our B&B?"
"Stop. Just shush a sec." Arizona began to check Callie's arms and neck. "Oh my God," she exclaimed in horror.
"What?"
Arizona pointed to the small red bumps on Callie's forearm. "You have chickenpox. It's not poison ivy. It's chickenpox!"