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Callie stared out the window at the picturesque Seattle skyline in the office of the best pediatric surgical oncologists on the West Coast. A few weeks ago, when Sofia had been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Callie had taken a leave of absence from her job at New York Hospital to get her sick daughter into Seattle Grace’s innovative treatment program.
Dr. Miranda Bailey had developed a treatment that combined traditional chemotherapy and non-traditional genome therapy. Sofia’s oncologist in New York had assured Callie that traditional chemo would be curative given the early diagnosis, but Callie wanted to give Sofia the best. She wasn’t taking any chances, and if that involved temporarily moving to Seattle and living out of a hotel, then so be it.
Callie had been in a state of melancholy and reflection ever since the diagnosis. She wasn’t depressed, per se, but some abjectness was to be expected.
“Dr. Torres?”
Callie blinked away her thoughts and turned her gaze to the door.
The aforementioned doctor was standing there patiently with her hands on her hips. “I thought they took Sofia for some tests?”
“They did,” Callie nodded. “About half an hour ago.”
“She’s going to be at least an hour more. Why don’t you go downstairs and get some coffee? Or lunch. It’s lasagna day in the cafeteria, and that’s one of the few good entrees the cafeteria has to offer.”
“Oh, uh… okay thanks,” Callie stood from the chair emotionless and grabbed her bag. “I will.”
Bailey had seen it before. Parents of sick children usually react in one of two ways: over or under. Dr. Torres seemed to be the under. She’d taken her emotions and stuffed them down deep. The Shutdown, as Bailey called it, was a typical reaction for single parents. They were prone to muted responses due to not having someone to share the burden with and not wanting to scare their child.
When Callie hesitated, Bailey reminded her why she came to them. “You brought Sofia to Seattle for a reason. She’s in good hands. You two will get through this, but you’ve got to take care of yourself. You need to be healthy—both mentally and physically. The next twelve weeks are going to be grueling for the both of you, but I promise you’ll see the other side. And you’ll have her home in New York by Christmas.”
“Thank you, Dr. Bailey.”
Bailey waved her off, “Don’t thank me.” She liked Dr. Torres, and she didn’t want her to spiral further into sadness. “You just go take a walk. Get some lunch. Find a distraction or this will send you into despair.”
Arizona and April walked side by side down to the hospital cafeteria. They rarely got to eat lunch together anymore, so whenever the opportunity came along, they jumped at it.
“I don’t know, April. Are you sure about this Tinder thing?” Arizona squinted at her phone. “It seems a little desperate.”
“You are desperate. You literally said the words, ‘Help me find a date. I’m desperate.’”
“I thought you’d introduce me to a friend.”
“You’re my only gay friend,” April responded. At Arizona’s look, she amended, “Okay, so currently you are my only friend, period.” She grumbled under her breath, “I hate that Jackson got everyone in the divorce.”
“He didn’t get everyone,” Arizona bumped shoulders with her friend. “You still have me. And you’re even dating again.”
“I know, and we are both prizes. Thus my introducing you to Tinder.”
“Don’t say ‘thus,’ you’ll never get a date.”
“If I filled out my profile correctly, I’ll find someone who enjoys the word ‘thus.’”
“Yeah, well, I’m still not sure about it.” But her eyes stayed on the app.
“ I know you. Once you hear that bing, you’ll love it. Besides, you can’t go back to trivia night, not after what happened with Steak Knives.”
“Her name is Heather and she was a really good kisser, just...a whole lotta crazy. And that was months ago. I’m sure by now I’m allowed to go back to the bar.”
“Yeah,” April chuckled at the memory. “Listen, just try Tinder for awhile. See if you like it.”
“Okay, okay.” Arizona continued to scroll through the app.
“Hey, get me a lasagna, will ya?” April tugged on Arizona’s lab coat. “I have to run to the bathroom.”
Arizona waved in acknowledgment, blue eyes glued to her phone as she walked toward the cafeteria.
Arizona closed the dating app and sighed. Dating was hard, but she was determined to find someone. She was tired of being lonely. And ever since the hospital had announced the upcoming charity New Year's Eve Ball, she’d hoped to have someone to go with—someone more than a one and done. Someone special.
As she slid her phone into the pocket of her lab coat, it binged. She pulled it out and, sure enough, she had a match. Eyes wide and heart racing, she turned and ran toward the restroom, bursting through the door.
“April!” she pounded on the locked bathroom stall. “It binged! My phone binged! I can’t believe it! I came to you for dating advice and it actually worked . Oh, she’s hot. You are so right, I do love the bing! Okay, okay…I’m going to send her a message and see if she’s free this weekend.”
The toilet flushed and the stall door opened, but to Arizona’s surprise, it wasn’t April who stepped out. It was a really, really hot brunette.
“You’re not April.”
“I’m sorry, no,” Callie made her way to the sink to wash her hands.
“Oh god, this is really embarrassing. I thought you were my friend. I would never have-”
“Don’t be embarrassed.” Callie shook the excess water off her hands and grabbed a paper towel. She dried up quickly, and as she moved around Arizona to leave, she glanced at the phone in the blonde’s hand. “You’re right, though. She is hot,” Callie gave her a wistful smile. “I hope you have fun this weekend.” And then she made her exit, nearly colliding with April on her way out.
“Oh my god, April! You said you were going to the bathroom! Where were you?”
“I got paged,” April shrugged. “I had to check in with Owen.”
“I got binged. ”
Week 1 - Monday October 3, 2016
Callie was a nervous wreck. It was Sofia’s first day of treatment, and Callie couldn’t shut off the doctor part of herself. She knew exactly what the chemotherapy was doing to her daughter’s little body, and it was almost more than she could bear.
She hovered and fussed and picked fights with the nurses, until Dr. Bailey came in with a young patient advocate - a child specialist - to sit with Sofia.
“I know you’re scared, Dr. Torres, but please go take a break.” She gestured toward Sofia, “Give her a break. Amy is the best volunteer we have, and you’re in luck because she’s here every Monday. She’ll come and sit with Sofia so you can get some lunch or some air…whatever you need.”
“I need to be with my daughter.”
“And you will be,” Bailey eased Callie toward the door, “ after you take a break. Amy has your cell phone number and she’ll contact you immediately if Sofia needs you.”
Callie was lucky to find a table in the crowded cafeteria. The place was full of hospital staff, gaggles of people in scrubs and lab coats everywhere she looked.
It made her miss working, but Sofia’s care was her priority and her career could wait.
Callie sighed as she pushed the salad around on her plate. Her appetite had been waning, but she knew she had to keep her strength up for her daughter and not let herself go during this difficult process. She speared a bite of the leafy greens and, as she brought it to her mouth, she saw the woman she’d encountered in the restroom last week. Callie watched the adorable blonde juggle her tray and her phone as she pushed through the crowded room looking for a place to sit.
“Dammit,” Arizona grumbled under her breath. She hated when she got to the cafeteria right at the twelve o’clock lunch rush. Her eyes scanned the room looking for a friendly face she could sit with. She momentarily thought about going back to her office, but she didn’t feel like eating alone.
She spotted an empty seat, but hesitated when she saw who occupied the small table. It was the woman Arizona had made a fool of herself in front of, and her instinct was to turn away. That is, until the two made eye contact. The brunette smiled at her, and though it carried an air of melancholy, the smile was breathtaking. Arizona found herself mesmerized, and her feet started to move of their own accord toward the beautiful stranger.
“May I?” she gestured to the empty chair.
“Of course,” Callie nodded politely.
“Thank you.”
They ate in slightly awkward silence, both unsure if a conversation between strangers merely sharing a lunch table was warranted. Arizona could feel the other woman’s eyes on her, but when she tried to make eye contact, the brunette had looked away.
The awkwardness of their non-interaction was becoming comical, and Arizona was amused at the thought of what they must look like to the people around them.
When their gazes finally met, Callie couldn’t help but notice the warmth and joy that radiated from the blue eyes staring back at her. That kind of mirth was something she’d been severely lacking since Sofia’s diagnosis, and being in the presence of it made her feel warm.
“Arizona.” The blonde supplied.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“You were wondering my name. I could tell.”
“I wasn’t actually. I already know your name, Dr. Arizona Robbins .”
“What? How?”
“I’m very smart. I can read,” Callie pointed to the name embroidered on the blonde’s lab coat.
Arizona glanced down and could feel the blush rising on her skin. Of course that was how she knew her name.
Callie chuckled, she enjoyed seeing the blonde go from confident to flustered.
“Well then, you seem to have me at a disadvantage, as I don’t know your-”
“How was your date?”
“My what?”
“The date. With your bing.”
“My bing?”
“Your bing. From the bathroom?”
“Yeah, I remember,” Arizona blushed. “I was kinda hoping you wouldn’t.” Arizona usually wasn’t this flummoxed around strangers, but this woman had her off balance.
“In addition to being able to read, Dr. Robbins, I also have a good memory. Besides, it was a pretty memorable first impression. So how was it?”
“I’ll tell you about my date, if you tell me your name. And you can call me Arizona.”
“Torres.”
“Torres? Hmmm...Miss or Mrs?”
“ Dr .”
“Doctor? Do you work here?”
“No,” Callie shook her head. She didn’t want to talk about why she was really here. It was too personal, too real. Dr. Bailey suggested she find a distraction and discussing her daughter’s illness was anything but. “Tell me about your date. I could use a happy distraction.”
“Well, I’m afraid I’m going to have to disappoint.”
“What? I told you my name. You promised.”
“I didn’t actually, but that’s not the disappointing part―the date was. Julie was boring. Hot, but sooo boring. Couldn’t hold a conversation to save her life.”
“I’m sorry, you seemed very excited.”
“Meh, it’s okay. I’m just kind of getting back into the whole dating thing. I’m enjoying playing the field a little; looking around for that someone special. The hospital is having a huge New Year’s Eve Ball for charity, and I’d really like to take a date with long-lasting potential, you know?”
Callie nodded, she understood the other woman’s desire for something real.
“Besides, I have another date this weekend. Noelle. I think we’re going to hit it off.” Arizona wasn’t sure why she felt so comfortable talking to this stranger, but she looked so warm and inviting that she found herself wanting to share. “I mean, she has to be a better conversationalist than Julie, right?” She looked up in anticipation of Callie’s response, only to find the brunette studying her.
“What?” Arizona asked. “Do I have sauce?” she started wiping at her mouth.
“Bad break-up?”
“What?”
“You said you were just getting back into dating. I’m wondering why you were out, and I’m guessing you just got out of a longterm relationship.”
“Oh, no… no. Nothing like that. I spent two years in Africa at my clinic, where there wasn’t a whole lot of time for dating. When I came home I had some fun, but work seems to be my mistress. No one was in it with me enough to put up with the hours, especially after I started a new and extremely difficult time-consuming fellowship. But now that I’m done and my schedule has settled, I’m ready.”
“Good for you,” Callie smiled. “I hope Noelle’s-” suddenly her phone lit up, interrupting her comment. The brunette’s browline creased as she read the message.
“Is everything okay?” Arizona asked.
“Fine, but I have to go.” Callie gathered her things in a rush. “I’m sorry, I really enjoyed talking to you. Maybe I’ll see you around.”
“I thought you didn’t work here?”
“I don’t, but I still might see you. Good luck on your date, Dr… er, Arizona .”
“Thank you, Dr. Torres.”
“Calliope… uh, Callie.”
Arizona smiled. “Thank you, Callie .”
Week 2 - Monday October 10, 2016
Arizona strolled into the cafeteria, her eyes making a cursory glance of the tables looking for her usual lunchmate, April. And, like every day for the past week, she searched for a certain brunette. Dr. Torres, Callie, had said ‘see you around’, but Arizona had yet to see her again. She did, however, spot April sitting by the soda machines completely engrossed in a tattered paperback book.
Grabbing her tray and the usual Monday lasagna, she made her way toward the red head who failed to notice Arizona’s approach.
“Hey,” Arizona dropped her tray on the table, startling April. “What are you reading?”
“Nothing,” April blushed, hiding her book under the table. “Just an old book I got off the cart.”
“Those are for patients!”
“I know, but I thought your surgery was going to take longer and I didn’t want to sit alone with my thoughts.”
“What is so wrong with your thoughts that you couldn’t possibly be alone with them?”
“Jackson and I had a fight, and I…”
“Needed to read dirty fiction to get your mind off of him? Ohhh… or were you keeping your mind on him?”
“NO! That ship has sailed, we’re over. Divorced. And how did you know I was reading a naughty book, anyway?”
“I can read you like a cheap dime store romance novel.” She teased.
A group of doctors walked into the cafeteria, and April watched curiously as Arizona leaned forward to get a better look.
“I can read you like a book, too.”
“Hmm?” Arizona turned back to her friend. “What are you talking about?”
“You’re looking for the hot brunette from last week.”
“What? No I’m not.”
“Yes you are.”
This time, Arizona didn’t argue. “Her name is Callie.”
“And you want to ask her out,” April surmised.
“I know we only talked for a few minutes, but there was more of a connection in those few minutes than either of the dates I’ve been on lately. I just really enjoyed our conversation. But she’s probably never coming back, so there’s no point in getting my hopes up.”
“Hope is good, Arizona. It’s okay to have it.”
“Yeah, I suppose. We’ll see...” she took bite of her salad. “What was your argument with Jackson about?”
“Which of us gets Harriet for Christmas. Being her first, we both want her.”
“Oh, that’s a tough one. I’m glad I don’t have kids to worry about.”
“I just feel that she should be with me because…,” April’s pager went off, stopping her explanation. “Crap. It’s the pit. I gotta go.” She gathered her lunch and dropped the book in front of her friend. “You can have this.”
Arizona looked at the cover—a shirtless man with bulging muscles and windswept hair clutching a damsel in distress—and rolled her eyes. Gross .
She took a bite of her lasagna and chewed in silence, poking at the overcooked part and pushing it to the side. Arizona hated eating alone in a room full of people. She glanced at the book again and scoffed, turning it over to avoid looking at it’s cover.
Callie held her tray with one hand and filled her soda with the other, her cup nearly overflowing as she watched her accidental lunch mate from the week before reading what looked to be a trashy romance novel. The blonde was so involved, she failed to hear Callie’s greeting as she approached the table.
Arizona’s eyes moved back and forth across the page she was reading, her expression going from curiosity to one of utter puzzlement. She turned her head sideways, as if trying to picture what she was reading, until her eyes widened in shock at the images brought forth from the words on the page. She shuddered involuntarily and slammed the book closed.
“That bad, huh?”
Arizona looked up, finally noticing Callie’s presence. “Horrible,” she grinned. “And likely not humanly possible.” She gestured to the empty spot next to her. “You wanna sit?”
“Sure.”
“I’ve been secretly keeping an eye out for you since last week,” the blonde confessed.
“Really?”
“Well, you said ‘see you around’, so I assumed that I would.”
“And now you have.”
“I have.”
“I uh… I actually asked around and no one knew a Dr. Torres, so I was starting to think...”
“You asked about me?” Callie grinned.
“I did.”
“I told you I didn’t work here.”
“I just thought that maybe you meant you weren’t on staff, like a consultant.”
“I’m not.”
“I know. I asked Chief Webber.” At Callie’s surprised expression, Arizona elaborated. “He’s my friend—we used to play trivia together. And he said I should mind my business.”
Not wanting to intrude, the blonde paused before asking, “But I am curious... Are you a patient?”
Callie smiled sadly. “I’m not,” she swallowed the lump in her throat, not wanting to talk about Sofia. This was supposed to be a distraction from everything, but she also didn’t want to lie to her new acquaintance. “My daughter is.”
“Oh...daughter. I’m sorry. Is it serious? I specialize in maternal-fetal now, but I used to be a damn good pediatric surgeon and I can-”
“No, Dr. Robbins. Thank you, but no. She has her physicians and her treatment is well planned.”
“Do you mind if I ask who?”
“Dr. Bailey.”
Arizona knew what that meant: Cancer. She could also see it in those brown eyes.
“It’s okay,” Callie said. “We caught it early. I’m here because Dr. Bailey is the best, but my daughter’s prognosis is good. Barring any complications, we all expect a full recovery. But, we’ll be here every Monday for the next month or so for her treatments.” Callie let the information settle between them. People reacted differently to hearing the word cancer, even those who are trained to treat it.
After a moment of awkward silence, Callie decided to change the subject, “I don’t really want to talk about that. I want to hear about Noelle.”
“Noelle?” Arizona was distracted by Callie’s circumstance and was still trying to process.
“That was her name, right? Your date? Tell me about it. Are you going out again?”
Arizona shook off her oncoming disquietude as she realized what Callie wanted. She didn’t want to talk about her sick daughter. She also didn’t need Arizona asking her out, and frankly the logical part of Arizona’s brain wasn't sure how involved she should get with the mother of a sick child. She remembered what Callie said last week about needing a happy distraction, so that’s what Arizona would give her.
“Oh, Noelle. Yeah, no…that didn’t go as planned.” She laughed. “She couldn’t hold her liquor.”
“You like a woman who can drink?”
“Well, not to excess, but two glasses of wine and Noelle was sliding off the barstool. It was embarrassing. I didn’t call her back.”
The two women spent the next half hour chatting and laughing about Arizona’s disastrous date with Noelle and her prospects for the next.
“Tia is a nurse here, so I’m not sure if I should. I’d like to keep my dating life away from work. My best friend, April, is going through a tough divorce with a fellow surgeon and it’s been difficult for her at times.”
“Let me see,” Callie held her hand out for Arizona’s phone. “Do you plan on marrying this… Nurse Tia?”
“No. I mean…,” Arizona was looking for special, but not marriage. She shook her head, “No.”
Callie examined Tia’s Tinder profile. “She’s cute and sounds fun. You should go for it. Maybe lay out some ground rules for work—keep it separate. So unless you really start to hit it off, then you shouldn't worry about the fallout from a hypothetical breakup.”
“You’re right. I’ll call her and see if she’s free this weekend.”
“And you can tell me all about it on Monday.”
“Yeah,” Arizona smiled. She watched, almost longingly, as Callie gathered her belongings. “I’m looking forward to it,” she whispered, knowing full well she meant her lunch date with Callie and not the date-date with Tia.
“Thank you for sharing this with me, Dr. Robbins. You don’t know how much I need the normalcy that comes with adult conversation right now,” Callie confessed.
“I’m happy to.” Arizona replied truthfully. “I’ll see you next week?”
“Yeah. Same time, same place?”
“I’ll be here.”
Week 3 - Monday October 17, 2016
“Tia talked about her sister the whole time!” Arizona leaned forward conspiratorially and whispered, “She called her hot. Who does that?”
Callie nearly choked on her soda as Arizona shared the details of her latest hapless date. “Her sister?”
“I wasn’t sure if she wanted me to date her or her sister. Or if she wanted to date her sister. Either way, another one bites the dust.”
Callie’s laughter filled the bustling cafeteria, and Arizona realized she could easily become addicted to the sound.
Week 4 - Monday October 24, 2016
“What do you mean her nose whistled?” Callie asked, her fork paused at the precipice of her mouth.
“Every time she laughed, her nose made this whistling sound. It made the date very boring because I tried my best not to make her laugh all night.”
“Describe it.”
“What?”
“The sound. I want to know what Carly’s nose whistle sounded like.” Callie knew her question was ridiculous, but she enjoyed keeping the blonde on her toes.
“Okay, um...it was like the wind-”
“Wind?” Callie struggled to maintain her straight face. “Did you have her breathing that heavy?”
“No, of course not! Maybe ‘wind’ isn’t the right word.”
Callie bit her lip to keep herself from dissolving into laughter.
“Oh! I know! It was like a tea kettle, but softer and not as shrill.” She tried to imitate the whistle, but it wasn’t quite right. “That’s not it,” she frowned. “It was definitely some sort of nasal obstruction. She should probably see an ENT...” Arizona narrowed her eyes at the giggling brunette, who’d lost the battle to keep her mirth in check. “And you are laughing at me.”
“I am. Is that okay?” Callie warmly challenged with a raised eyebrow.
“Yeah,” Arizona stared into Callie’s magical brown eyes. “I like when you laugh.”
Week 5 - Monday October 31, 2016
“Colleen was super clingy.”
“Arizona,” Callie admonished with a shake of her head. “I’m starting to think you are making excuses not to like these women. You’ve only had one date, how could she possibly have had time to be clingy?”
“ She followed me to the bathroom, Callie! She followed me and continued our dinner conversation through the stall door. That’s not normal first date behavior.”
“Yeah, that’s a little…”
“And then,” Arizona continued, anxious to prove to Callie that she wasn’t just making up these faults, “when I tried to leave for the night, she gave me a hug that lingered .”
“Lingered?”
“A hug that was longer than is within the normal boundary of personal human contact— especially with someone who is clearly not into it.”
“You’re adorable.”
“What?” Arizona’s heart started beating harder in her chest at Callie’s words.
“I said,” Callie swallowed what she really wanted to say, covering up her slip-of-the-tongue with a lie, “I’m sure Colleen just lingered because she thought you were adorable.”
“Oh.” Arizona’s disappointment was evident, but she hid it quickly. “That’s still no excuse for inappropriately long hugs.”
“I give. You are right. Inappropriately long, lingering huggers shouldn’t get a second date.”
“That’s all I’m saying!” Arizona grinned and watched as Callie took a bite of her lunch. Not wanting to get caught staring, she continued, “Now I just need to avoid the Orthopedic Department until she forgets about me.”
“Mmmm,” Callie chewed and swallowed her food. “She’s in ortho?”
“Yeah. She’s a surgical nurse here.”
“I’m in ortho.”
“Wow, you’re an-”
“Orthopedic surgeon. It’s hot, I know. It worked very well for me until I became a single mother.”
“Super hot,” Arizona agreed with a grin. “I didn’t know that.”
“Well, now you do.”
“I like knowing that. Tell me more! Where did you do your residency?”
Arizona pressed the button to the elevator that would take them to their separate floors, neither woman wanting their time together to end.
“Listen,” Arizona broke the silence that had fallen over them. “I’m sure you know today is Halloween.”
The elevator doors opened and a group of interns dressed in costume stepped off.
“Yep, I’m aware.” Callie giggled, indicating the young doctors dressed for the holiday.
“In the Pediatric Department, we do a kind of reverse trick-or-treating thing where we dress-up and bring treats to the kids. I was wondering if it’d be okay if I stopped by the chemo-room in oncology and visited you and Sofia?”
Callie didn’t speak for a moment, trying to decide if she wanted to mix her distraction with her reality.
“You don’t have to tell her we’re friends or anything,” Arizona pressed. “I just-”
“Are we friends?” Callie asked.
“I’d like to think so.”
Callie swallowed the lump in her throat. She hadn’t realized how much she’d needed a friend in all this. It felt amazing to think of Arizona as more than just a distraction. “Of course we’re friends, Arizona. And…yes, I’d love for you to meet Sofia.”
Week 6 - Monday November 7, 2016
Arizona quickly entered the cafeteria, more excited than ever to see Callie. After meeting Sofia and seeing the two brunettes together, she was more intent than ever to be the light that Callie needed during this dark time.
She didn’t even grab her lunch before going directly to the table where Callie was sitting. She sat down without so much as a hello and grabbed Callie’s hand, dimples popping as she could barely contain her smile.
“What?” the blonde’s smile was infectious, and Callie felt her own spreading across her face.
“Tia’s sister !”
“I’m going to have to say ‘what?’ again, Arizona.”
“My date this weekend? Turns out it was Tia’s sister!”
“Oh my god!”
“I know!”
“Was she as hot as Tia said?”
“She was,” Arizona nodded. “She was also just as into herself as her sister was. The whole date, all I could think about was that I couldn’t wait to tell you. I almost wished...”
“Wished what?”
“That I had your number so I could text you.”
“Oh,” Callie wasn’t expecting that. “I guess-”
“But then I realized, if I could talk to you anytime, it might make our Mondays less special. And right now, Mondays are the highlight of my week.”
“Mine too.” Which made Callie feel immensely guilty considering her reason for being at the hospital.
Arizona somehow sensed what Callie was feeling, and knew she needed to change the subject. “So, tomorrow’s election day… Are you ready for our first female president?”
“Oh, am I ever!” The lunch-less blonde grinned and settled into her chair, attentively listening to Callie talk about the pending election. She’d get her food in a few minutes, because Callie on a full-on political rant was a thing to behold.
Week 7 - Monday November 14, 2016
Callie watched Arizona slowly make her way to the table.
Arizona slid her tray onto the surface, releasing a heavy sigh as she flopped into the chair directly across from Callie.
“How was Meg?”
“A republican.”
“Eww.”
“Yeah, our date didn’t even get started. She came to pick me up and had one of those bumper stickers on her car. I refused to get in.”
“I don’t blame you.”
The post-election melancholy seemed to have a hold of both women, and for the first time in weeks, their conversation was muted and sparse.
“You know what?” Arizona poked at her rapidly cooling lunch. “I’m tired of lasagna. Next week, let’s go out and get a burger.”
“Away from the hospital?”
“Yeah, I know a great place just across the street. You could be back in minutes if you had to be. I promise.”
Callie took a deep breath and jumped. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yeah, next week...let’s go get a burger.”
Week 8 - Monday November 21, 2016
The two women stepped out of the crisp November air into the warm atmosphere of the Emerald City Bar.
“You’re taking me to a bar, Dr. Robbins?”
“A bar that has the best burgers and cheese fries in Seattle,” the blonde defended. “And it’s right across from the hospital.”
“Okay, okay. Let’s sit. I’m starving.”
“Booth or bar?”
“Booth. More privacy.”
“Oh, you wish to have me all to yourself, Dr. Torres?”
“Arizona,” Callie warned.
They were finally at the point in their friendship where Arizona felt comfortable enough to allow a tiny bit of her attraction and desire for the brunette to show. She played it off as mere teasing banter, but it was all too real for her―and, at times, it almost felt as if Callie felt the same. There were looks and smiles that Arizona felt meant something, and she couldn’t imagine that Callie didn’t feel it, too.
“Booth it is,” she relented. “Joe,” she called out to the man at the bar. “Can we get a couple cheeseburgers and an order of your special fries?”
“Sure thing, Dr. Robbins. Are you on, or do you want a beer with that?”
“I’ll have my usual.” Arizona turned to the brunette, “Callie, do you want a beer or...?”
“You aren’t working today?”
“Dressed like this?” She motioned to her dark skinny jeans and casual blue shirt.
“I thought maybe you changed for lunch.”
“No, it’s Thanksgiving week. I’m headed to my parents for the holiday.”
“So you came to the hospital just to go to lunch with me?”
“No,” Arizona lied. “I had some paperwork to finish up. And my flight isn’t until tonight.”
Callie studied Arizona carefully, trying to reconcile her emotions. She knew the blonde was lying and that she had gone in just to see her, and it made her insides do somersaults. Callie finally looked away and addressed the waiting barman. “I’ll have whatever she’s having.”
Joe nodded and grabbed two pint glasses, filling them from the tap with frothy dark liquid.
“I’m just having one, though,” Callie warned. “So don’t go trying to get me drunk.”
Arizona answered with mocked offense, “I wouldn’t dare.”
Callie watched as Arizona took a sip of her beer. She wasn’t normally a fan of stouts, but she couldn’t help but enjoy the sight of Arizona licking the residual foam that clung to her lips.
Arizona looked up and caught Callie staring, which made her dimples pop. Callie didn’t care that she got caught, and instead brazened her way through it. “Where’s your family? Where are you from?”
“All over, but for now Arlington, Virginia. My dad is a retired Marine Colonel and works at the Pentagon as a civilian contractor. He tried being fully retired but he drove my mom crazy, so she made him go back to work.”
Their server placed their food on the table, momentarily bringing a pause to their conversation. Arizona noticed that Callie hadn’t asked about her date yet, and she was hoping maybe it was some progress and the brunette didn’t need that buffer between them anymore.
“What about you?” Arizona ventured. “Do you have family back in New York? Friends?”
“Not really,” Callie answered honestly. “My parents are in Miami. We’re close, but they’re both very busy people. My dad is out of the country a lot, and my mother is a corporate lawyer. We talk all the time, but I haven’t seen them in months. I broke up with my girlfriend in June and haven’t spoken to her since. She was...not really what I needed in my life. I thought she was, but she was young and I guess I expected too much from her. And my best friend, Addison, left New York and moved to Los Angeles two years ago.”
“Addison...,” Arizona’s face twisted, trying to remember where she knew that name from. “Wait, you don’t mean Addison Montgomery, do you?”
“Yes,” Callie nodded and smiled. “When you said you were in Maternal Fetal, I was kind of wondering if you knew her.”
“I’ve read some of her stuff in medical journals, but I’ve yet to meet her. I’d love to though.”
“You’d love her.”
“Is she…?”
Callie laughed, shaking her head. “She is not. She’s into men.”
“Unfortunate.”
“It is.”
“Tell me about Sofia,” Arizona tentatively asked. She knew Callie was generally quiet about her daughter, keeping that part of her close to the vest, but she had to try. “Why are you going through this alone?”
“Sofia’s father died three years ago.”
“I’m sorry. Was he…?”
“More than a donor, he was a fantastic father. We were... our relationship was unique. I loved him, and I miss him, but we were never a couple. He would have been here every second of her treatment.”
“Tell me about her.”
Callie shook her head and changed the subject, “Tell me about Nancy from Path.”
“Callie…”
“I want to know how your date went.”
Arizona wanted to know more about Sofia and her diagnosis, and Callie’s life in New York, but she relented and stuck to her vow to be what the other woman needed.
“Oh, well…,” she swallowed her desire for more and put on a happy face, “Nancy smelled like roses.”
“That’s nice. I like roses.”
“Yeah, but I think this was to cover the stench of death.”
“Arizona, stop it.” Callie chuckled. “Just because she works in Pathology…”
Arizona grinned. She loved that she could make Callie smile, especially with what she was going through. “I know, I know. But roses make me sneeze. Like really, really sneeze. I sneezed so much she thought I was getting sick, and then she kept offering me rose-scented hand sanitizer, which made me sneeze even more.”
“Oh my god,” Callie laughed. “I love hearing about these dates.”
Arizona laughed with her. “And I love telling you about them.”
Week 9 - Monday November 28, 2016
“Hey,” Callie smiled in greeting as Arizona walked up to what had become their usual table in the cafeteria. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be here today.”
“You know I wouldn’t miss one of our lunches.”
“Well, I didn’t know if you were still in Virginia.”
“I got back yesterday, and not a moment too soon.”
“Bad trip?”
“No, I just missed…,” You . “Home.”
“I’m glad you’re back,” Callie admitted. “Guess what happened while you were away?”
Arizona was intrigued. Callie rarely volunteered information. “What happened?”
“Addison flew up and surprised me for the holiday. She had dinner catered to the hotel suite so I wouldn’t have to compromise Sofia’s immune system by taking her out. It was nice catching up. I hadn’t realized how much I needed something like that.”
Arizona nodded. “Yeah… that’s…that’s great,” a little jealously seeped through, even though she tried her best to keep the green-eyed monster at bay. “I’m going to grab my food, I’ll be right back.”
Callie frowned as she watched the other woman silently admonish herself.
“Arizona,” Callie stopped her before the blonde could get too far. “You know that this ,” she gestured between them, “what we have every Monday... I wouldn’t have made it this far without you. What we have is special, and I...I treasure these moments.”
Arizona’s eyebrows rose at the phrasing.
“God,” Callie shook her head and smirked. “That sounded like a greeting card, didn’t it?”
“It did,” Arizona nodded. Taking a deep breath, she confessed, “but I feel the same way. I treasure these moments, too.”
The smile on Callie’s face lit up the room. “Go get your lunch, and then you can tell me all about your trip home.”
“I saw my ex, Joanne, while I was there. We went out for drinks.”
“Really? I thought you said you lived all over, how is it you happened to run into an ex?”
“She was in town visiting her dad, also a former Marine who lives in the area. Mom invited both her and her father over for Thanksgiving dinner. She’s trying to get me settled down, so it was kind of a fix-up.”
“How did it go? Was there still a spark?”
“It was okay, but all she wanted to do was talk about the past. Plus, she lives in Boston. I don’t know how my mother expected me to have a meaningful relationship with someone who lives so far away.”
Arizona’s pronouncement gave them both a little food for thought. What were they going to do when Callie went home to New York? Would that be the end of their friendship?
Week 10 - Monday December 5, 2016
Arizona sat in the cafeteria waiting almost a half an hour for Callie, when she seriously started to worry. Callie hadn’t said she wouldn’t be here, but then again they’d never discussed the timetable of Sofia’s treatment. She’d been tempted several times to pull up the girls chart, but she respected Callie’s privacy too much.
She looked at her watch again and sighed.
“Dr. Robbins?”
Arizona was surprised to find Miranda Bailey approaching her table. They were friendly coworkers, but not nearly what you’d call friends. “Dr. Bailey, is everything okay? Oh no… is Sofia okay?”
“You know I can’t discuss my patient with you,” Bailey admonished.
“I know, but Callie...”
“Has mentioned her ‘friendship’ with you, but I still can’t discuss her daughter.”
“Then what is it you want?”
“I just thought I’d share with you that the patient advocate, Amy, is out sick today.”
“Amy? I don’t understand...”
“She works quite a bit with the children who end up in my department, but she’s not availble today. I thought you should know, in case you used her with any of your patients.”
“Oh… OH! I get it. Thanks.” She immediately started clearing up her lunch. “I’m going to grab her a sandwich and take it up there. Do you think she likes sandwiches?”
“She looks like more of a pizza girl to me,” Bailey replied. “Not that I know who or what you are talking about. HIPAA and all.”
“Yeah, yeah…pizza. I’ll bring her some pizza,” Arizona nodded. “Thank you, Dr. Bailey.”
“No, thank you ,” Bailey softened. “You’re doing a good thing.”
Reclined back in the large fluffy chair provided to patients receiving chemo, Callie held her sleeping daughter. When she found out that Amy wasn’t available to sit with Sofia today, she’d been upset and had snapped at Dr. Bailey. She didn’t want to miss lunch with Arizona—it was the one selfish thing she allowed herself. And although Callie had quickly apologized to the commanding doctor, who accepted the apology with a wave of her hand, she had remained in a funk ever since. She missed Arizona and desperately wanted to see her, but she couldn’t leave Sofia long enough to go downstairs for lunch.
The brunette sighed, kissing her daughter on her pink beanie.
A few minutes later, she glanced toward the entrance, and her heart nearly jumped into her throat. Standing with her face pressed up to the the rectangular windows of the double doors was Arizona—who smiled softly and waved.
Callie, surprised and elated, waved back.
Arizona disappeared for a second and then returned to the window holding up a slice of pizza and a soda, eyebrows raised in anticipation.
Callie kissed her daughter again. “I love you, Sof, but Mommy needs a break,” she whispered. Carefully slipping out from underneath the sleeping girl, she made her way to the waiting blonde.
Once outside, Callie pulled Arizona into an unexpected—but very welcomed—hug. Arizona melted into the feeling as best as she could while holding the brunette’s lunch. She closed her eyes and inhaled, this time hoping the hug lingered.
When Callie finally pulled back, she pointed to the pizza. “Is that for me?”
“It is.”
“Thank God, I’m starving!” Callie grabbed the pizza and soda, their fingers brushing lightly during the exchange. “Is there someplace close by we can...?”
“Oh, yeah, there’s an on-call room just around the corner. I already cleared it out for you.”
“You’re amazing, you know that?”
As Arizona lead the way to the private room, she cheekily replied, “I’ve been told once or twice. Mostly by old girlfriends, if you know what I mean.” She bumped shoulders with Callie to let her know she was teasing.
Callie took a deep breath and looked deep into those blue eyes she’d come to rely on. “I’m serious, Arizona. You. Are. Great,” she swallowed the lump in her throat and continued, “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Arizona stared back, unsure of how to respond. She knew what she wanted, but wasn’t sure it was what Callie needed. “Come on, let’s get that food in you.” She pushed the door to the on-call room open, and offered up what she knew Callie wanted. “Did you know that the soap-making process is called saponification?”
“I did not!” Callie didn’t expect that random bit of information. She took a bite of her pizza, waiting for Arizona to elaborate.
“Oh, I heard all about it on my date this weekend with Artisanal Soap.”
“Artisanal Soap? Doesn’t she have a name?”
“Probably, but she talked about making soap so much.”
“Arizona! Tell me you didn’t forget the poor woman’s name?”
“Callie, I…” she hung her head in shame. “I did. I forgot her name. I’ve been trying to remember it all morning, and I keep drawing a blank.”
“But you remembered ‘saponification?’”
“Well, yeah… that part was interesting.”
Week 11 - Monday December 12, 2016
“Come on, Callie. I know you’re just as sick of the hospital food as I am. This food truck has the best tacos in all of Seattle, and the park is only a block away.”
“It’s December! And all I have is this leather jacket.”
“Yeah, but thanks to climate change, it’s unseasonably warm. Your leather jacket will be enough, I promise. And if it’s not…I’ll put my arm around you and keep you warm.”
They sat on a scenic park bench overlooking the city eating their tacos. “This view is amazing.”
“It is,” Arizona replied, but her eyes weren’t on the city laid out in front of them.
“So,” Callie turned to her companion, “tell me about this week’s date.”
“She wore a jean jacket.”
“That’s it? She wore a jean jacket?”
“ With jeans . Denim on denim is way too much...denim. Besides, I’m partial to leather.”
“Yeah?”
“Oh yeah,” Arizona nodded, taking a moment to admire Callie in her leather jacket. “Leather is way cooler, and as a matter of fact I-”
“Sofia’s last treatment is next week.” Callie blurted.
“That’s great, Callie!” Arizona reached over and took Callie’s hand in her own. “I’m so happy for you.”
“It is,” Callie looked down at their entwined fingers. “That means we’ll be heading back to New York soon.”
“Oh,” Arizona let Callie’s hand drop, her heart sinking to the pit of her stomach. She didn’t know what to say, so she stood up to create some distance and offered as much excitement as she could, “That’s great. I’m sure you and Sofia will be happy to be home. We, uh… we should head back. It’s getting late.”
“Right,” Callie knew exactly what Arizona was feeling, because she was feeling it too. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Don’t be. It’s good news.”
“Yeah,” and it was. But in that moment, neither woman felt the joy.
The walk back to the hospital was unusually quiet. The two women always found something to talk about, but the realization that their time together would soon be ending had them both at a loss for words.
It was Callie who broke first. “We still have one more Monday.”
“Yeah, I know,” Arizona forced herself to smile.
“Do you…”
“What?” she turned to Callie hopefully.
“Do you have a date this weekend? You didn’t say earlier, so I wasn’t sure.”
Arizona swallowed her disappointment again. “Richard is trying to set me up with an educational consultant that he brought in to shake up the residency program. He thinks she’s pretty great and that we’d hit it off.”
“You should go.”
“I don’t know, Callie. I…,” she stopped walking and turned to the brunette. “Do you really think I should?”
“I think you’ve been trying to find someone to take to the New Year’s Ball for months now.”
“That’s what you think I’ve been doing?”
“Isn’t it?” Callie knew exactly what Arizona had been doing, and now she felt completely selfish for having taken advantage of the blonde’s time. She had allowed herself to take comfort in someone who wasn’t hers—and who wasn’t ever going to be hers—because she lived across the country.
“Yeah,” Arizona nodded. “I guess it is.”
“Then yes, you should go out with her this weekend. And hopefully,” Callie forced herself to continue, “she’ll be the one.”
“Okay,” Arizona tried her best not to sound hurt, but was sure she failed miserably. “I’ll have Richard set it up. I guess I’ll see you Monday.” She turned and walked away without looking back.
Week 12 - Monday December 19
Callie sat in the hospital cafeteria for what was probably the last time. She wasn’t even sure if Arizona would show up, considering how they left things last week. But then there she was, right on time.
“Callie.”
“Arizona, hi…I wasn’t sure if-”
“Can we... take our lunch to my office? Or somewhere more private? If it’s our last, I want it to be-”
“Of course. I’d love to see your office.
They sat side-by-side on the small sofa in Arizona’s office, their lunch mostly untouched on the coffee table in front of them; neither had much of an appetite.
“How was your date?” Callie ventured, hoping for another laugh to break the tension that had taken over the room.
“She was awesome,” Arizona answered honestly. “Smart and funny― a great conversationalist. She wasn’t overly clingy or too into herself. She had a normal amount of admiration for her sister. She didn’t smell like roses or vote for Trump. Her nose was cute and didn’t make any funny noises. She wasn’t stuck in the past, nor did she over do it with the denim. I didn’t ask her opinion on artisanal soap, but I’m sure whatever it is isn’t a deal breaker. We actually had a lot in common. She was everything Richard said she’d be.”
Callie wasn’t prepared for how awful it would feel for Arizona to have a date with someone she actually liked. Someone with potential. She felt like she was going to vomit.
Clearing her throat, she did her best to sound supportive. “That’s great, Arizona. Did you ask her to go to the New Year’s Ball?”
“No.”
“Why? From what you described, she sounds...amazing. What’s wrong with her?”
Arizona reached over and took Callie’s hand in her own. “She’s not you.”
“Arizona,” Callie breathed, her tone already giving away her intent to balk. “I-”
“No, don’t. Before you say anything, just listen to me. I’ve gone on twelve dates with twelve different women over the course of these past twelve weeks. I’m tired, and it’s almost Christmas, and all I want is you. I just want you .”
“ I’m leaving. ” Callie replied, her voice thick with emotion.
“When?”
She swallowed the lump in her throat so that she could speak clearly. “As soon as Sofia is cleared to travel. A couple days, max.”
“Do you have to?”
“I have work, and an apartment…my whole life is in New York.”
“Your whole life is one floor down in oncology.”
“And when she’s finished here, there is no reason to stay.”
“No reason? You can’t think of a single reason you might want to stay in Seattle?” Arizona scoffed, letting go of Callie’s hand.
“Arizona, stop, don’t be like that. You know what I mean. You’ve always known that I live in New York, that we were only here for Sofia’s treatment. What did you expect to happen when it was finished?”
“I don’t know, okay? I don’t know what I thought would happen, but I hoped you’d feel the same way. I had hope for us, Callie.”
“Even if I did feel the same way, it wouldn't change the fact that my life and my job are in New York.”
Arizona sighed and dropped her head in her hands. Of course Callie was right. She knew that, had known all along that their time was temporary. Callie had never pretended otherwise.
She looked up to find Callie staring at her with just as much pain as she was feeling. She couldn’t let this moment be their last together.
“Give me one date.”
“What?”
She took Callie’s hand again, clasping it firmly between hers. “I know it’s a violation of your privacy, and I could get into so much trouble for this, but I looked at Bailey’s schedule. I know Sofia has a follow-up with her next friday. So just...stay.”
Callie started to pull away, but Arizona held on, not wanting to let the other woman go.
“Stay through the new year and go with me to the Ball. I wanted to take someone special, that was my goal…and you are. So very special. Even if nothing comes of us, give me that night. Please?”
“I…I don’t know,” Callie stumbled, unsure of how to answer. She wanted to say yes, but knew it would only lead to more heartbreak.
“Look, don’t answer me now. Go home for Christmas, see your family and friends, and think about it. When you come back for the follow-up on the 30th, tell me then.”
“But that wouldn’t give you any time to ask someone else if I-”
“I’m not going with anyone but you,” Arizona clarified. “So if you decide it’s too much for you, then that’s fine. I’ll go alone. And if you do go, no expectations. I just want to finish the year with you.”
“Arizona, I don’t know what to say.”
“Just say you’ll think about it. All I want is for you to think about me. About us. Us going to the New Year’s Eve Ball together.”
“Okay.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, I’ll think about it.”
Week 13 - Monday December 26
Callie thought about it the whole flight back to New York... and then in the car ride to her apartment... and while she decorated their small Christmas tree... and when she baked cookies with her daughter...
She thought about it on Christmas Eve when her parents took her completely by surprise, showing up with more warmth and joy than she’d felt from them in a long time.
She thought about it on Christmas morning while Sofia opened her gifts and proudly displayed them for her Abuela and Abuelo.
She thought about it so much, it drove her to distraction. She couldn’t get Arizona off her mind, and as she tried to set up the new iPad her parents had gotten Sofia, she let her inner frustrations loose.
“Dammit!” she cursed.
“Sweetheart,” Lucia soothed. “You’ll wake Sofia. What’s the matter?”
“I can’t get this stupid thing to upload her old apps! She’ll be upset if she loses all the progress she’s made on her games.”
“We’ll take it to the store later and get them to do it,” Carlos suggested. “You don’t need to do everything yourself. Take a break.”
“I don’t want to take a break, Daddy! I want to get this done so it’s ready for when we fly back for her follow-up.”
“Are you nervous about it?” Lucia asked.
“Yes.”
Carlos put the newspaper he was reading down. “Do you think there’s reason to worry?”
“No, no...it’s just...Sofia sailed through this. Don’t get me wrong, it was hard at times, and she was very sick for awhile. But there is a reason I took her to Seattle. Dr. Bailey is the best in the country, and I have complete faith that her tests will be clear.”
“Then what has you all twisted in knots, mija?”
“I met someone.”
“That’s good, that’s good,” Carlos encouraged, while Lucia gasped in surprise.
“Yes, but she’s in Seattle. She... uh, she asked me to go to a New Year’s Eve party with her, and I want to, but...”
“But what, dear?” Lucia asked. She loved her daughter and wanted to see her settled down and happy.
“She’s in Seattle, Mama!”
“And won’t you be there for the New Year?” Carlos inquired.
“Yes, I guess, but…”
“But nothing! You’ll go,” he declared. “You deserve a night out and to have a little fun.”
“Who’ll watch Sofia?”
“Your father and I will, won’t we Carlos?”
“You’ll fly to Seattle just to babysit?”
“Of course we will, Calliope. Happily,” her father agreed. “I know you said you didn’t need us for this, but we regret not being there for you during the course of Sofia’s treatment. You needed the support.”
“I had support. I found what I needed there.”
“With this woman?”
“Yes, Daddy. She’s amazing and supportive and...a really good friend.”
“And she wants more?”
“I think so, but I live in New York.”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why do you need to stay here? It’s just you and Sofia, and you can get a job wherever you want. Any hospital would be lucky to have you.”
“It’s just...not that simple, Daddy.”
Callie had only been back in Seattle for one day and, in an unexpected way, it felt like coming home. The city and it’s people―one person in particular―had definitely grown on her over the past few months. Her heart leapt at the thought of seeing a certain blonde surgeon, and she couldn’t wait to get through this follow-up appointment so she could find Arizona and tell her that she would indeed be her date for the New Year’s Ball.
Bailey walked into her office with a smile on her face. “I don’t want to make any kind of pronouncements, but the scans and blood are clear. Everything looks good.”
“Oh, Dr. Bailey, thank you! Thank you so much.” Callie leaned down to her daughter, who was still caught up in her iPad game. “Did you hear that, Sof? Dr. Bailey said you’re doing well. What do you say?”
Sofia looked up from her game, “Thank you, Dr. Bailey.”.
“You are very welcome, sweetheart. Nothing makes me happier than to help little girls like you.”
“So what’s next?” Callie asked.
“Next, you go by the appointment desk and schedule a follow-up in three months, though I do want you to have her primary care physician in New York do bloodwork monthly. I’ll send everything we’ve done over for them to review, just get the info to Sara out front. She’ll take care of everything.”
“Thank you again, Dr. Bailey. For everything you’ve done.”
“It was nothing. Just doing my job.”
“Still, you changed my life and I’ll never forget it.”
Callie shook Bailey’s hand, and the two brunettes made their exit.
“Maybe more than you know,” Bailey uttered as the door to her office closed.
Finishing up with the appointment secretary, Callie grabbed Sofia’s hand and was about to go look for Arizona when she felt a tap on her shoulder.
“Dr. Torres?”
Callie turned to find Richard Webber, Chief of Surgery at Seattle Grace Hospital.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but would you mind taking a moment to have a few words with me before you head back to New York?”
“What is this about? Is Arizona okay?”
“Oh, yeah, she’s fine. In fact, she’s off-site for an emergency surgery on a pregnant woman at the- ” he stopped abruptly, realizing he was sharing too much information. “She won’t be in today.”
“Oh,” Callie hung her head, disappointment apparent.
He wasn’t sure of their relationship, but it was clear to him that there was something going on. “She’ll be back tonight, though,” he offered. “When’s your flight?”
“It’s scheduled for Monday afternoon.”
“Well,” he lead them toward his office. “You might want to change that.”
Arizona stood at the bar in the Grand Ballroom at Seattle’s classiest hotel. Her nerves were getting the best of her—unsure if it was the excitement of Callie showing up, or in apprehension at the possibility never seeing her again.
She saved two lives yesterday but regretted missing Callie while she was at the hospital. She also regretted never getting the brunette’s phone number. At the time, it had seemed romantic to have their special Monday meetings, but now it just felt stupid. Stupid and unfortunate that she didn’t have a way to contact her.
So she waited. And waited.
The room was crowded with donors, doctors, board members, and the Seattle elite, and as the crowd parted: the one person in all of the world that Arizona wanted to see.
Across the room, in a shamefully form-fitting black off the shoulder gown, was the most gorgeous woman Arizona had ever seen. They made eye contact, and Callie lifted her hand and waved.
Arizona turned to the bartender and ordered two glasses of their best champagne, grabbing them quickly and making her way through the crowd to the waiting brunette.
“Calliope,” she breathed once she arrived by the brunette’s side. “I wasn’t sure you’d make it.”
“I told you I’d think about it.”
“Well, I’m glad you did.”
“There was no way I was passing up a night with you. Listen, about-”
“No, we aren’t going to talk about it. We are having our night. No talking about leaving, or the future, or anything like that. Tonight, we are both Cinderella. Okay?”
Callie nodded, “Okay.”
Arizona held up the glass, “Champagne?”
“You don’t want to save it for a midnight toast? It’s a New Year’s Eve tradition.”
“Yeah, that’s true, but,” Arizona leaned in close, “there is another midnight tradition I’d rather engage in.”
“Oh really? Aren’t you being a little presumptuous?” Callie teased.
“Probably. But if I only have tonight, I’m going to make it count.”
Callie took a large sip from her glass of sparkling wine and then took Arizona’s out of her hand, placing both drinks on a nearby table. “Let’s dance.”
“Really?”
“I’m pretty sure Cinderella dances, Dr. Robbins. And I plan on dancing until the ball drops. Think you can handle that?”
Arizona held out her hand, “Lead the way, Dr. Torres.”
Callie took her hand and pulled them onto the crowded dance floor, spinning the blonde in the process.
Callie and Arizona swayed slowly, their bodies pressed close as the soft music played in the background. They’d long ago left the crowded dance floor for the terrace on the unseasonably warm night. They looked into each other’s eyes as the melodic song wound to a close, and they heard the noise of the countdown spilling over from the ballroom.
“It’s almost midnight,” Callie breathed.
“Yeah,” Arizona swallowed, her throat tight with anticipation.
“Five, four,” Callie whispered.
“Three, two...,” Arizona breathed.
At ‘one’, their lips met; the kiss soft and sweet, intense and real. The moment was perfect. Fireworks exploded behind them, crackling across the city skyline and igniting their hearts.
Week 14 - Monday January 2
Arizona drug her feet as she made her way to the cafeteria. It was about to be her second Monday without Callie, and she wasn’t sure she could even stomach lunch. If not for a surgery this afternoon, she wouldn’t even bother to eat.
She stood in line, absentmindedly ordering her Monday usual: lasagna and a bottle of water. Her eyes roamed the room, going from table to table watching her friends and coworkers interact with various levels of energy and enthusiasm.
Paying the attendant, Arizona turned to head to her office when, she saw her—sitting at their table, patiently waiting to be noticed.
“Calliope?! What are you doing here?”
“I, um, received a job offer and...I’m here today to accept.”
“You…,” Arizona almost couldn’t think with the sound of her heart exploding in her chest. “You’re coming to work here?”
Dr. Bailey and Chief Webber sat a few tables away from the reunited couple.
“I’m glad you took my advice and hired Torres, but I thought you said there wasn’t money in the budget for a hot-shot ortho surgeon?”
“I fired the consultant.”
“What? I thought you loved her! You said, and I quote, ‘she’s going to turn this hospital around. I want us to be top ten again.’ Was all that just talk?”
“Oh, no. We’re going to be top five —and Dr. Torres is going to get us there.”
Bailey narrowed her eyes at her mentor accusingly, “You know something.”
“Just that my close friend, Catherine Avery, said that Dr. Torres was on the short list for a Harper Avery nomination last year before she took her leave, and that she’s a shoo-in for 2017. This hospital needs her.”
“Huh,” Bailey smiled. “I had no idea she was that good.”
“Then why did you recommend her?”
“Because, look at them, “ she nodded her head toward the blissful pair. “They are in love, and I didn’t want to see that torn apart.”
“I thought I was the only matchmaker around here,” Webber chuckled.
“Well, clearly I’m better at it,” Bailey said matter-of-factly, her gaze settling on the two women who only had eyes for each other.
“I got my own lab, and a promise of department head when Dr. Chang retires next year. It’s a pretty sweet deal, to be honest. Great salary, great city. I get to be near Sofia’s doctor, which will make her continuing care much easier. Plus, Seattle has other special things to offer.”
Arizona’s smile was so big, it lit up the entire room. “I still can’t believe it.”
“It’s true. Now, sit,” Callie patted the chair next to her. “It’s Monday, and I want to hear about the date you had on New Year’s Eve.”
Blue eyes shown bright, “It was like a fairy tale. She was... miraculous . Breathtakingly stunning.”
Callie’s heart took off in her chest, and she inhaled a deep breath in an attempt to quell her bubbling emotions. “Wow, sounds like thirteen was your lucky number. Do you think you might ask her out again?”
Arizona leaned in and gave Callie a kiss on the cheek, whispering in her ear, “I think you’ll know.”
END