FIC: Abandoning Ship (5/?)
A/N 3: I’ve made AZ’s mom very similar to my grandma who raised me since I was five (she passed away a year ago May 15). I would like to dedicate this chapter to her. I miss you everyday, Nana. Say hi to Mom and Sis for me!
“Is this a…. frequent thing?” Teddy leaned over Mark to see Callie passed out and taking up more than her third of Mark’s bed.
Mark chuckled softly, “No. Just on rare occasions.” He flashed her one of his famous McSteamy grins. A pager started to beep.
“I think that’s me. I’m the only one on call this morning right?” But before Teddy could finish her sentence, the other two pagers laying next to hers started their respective pager dances, beeping and vibrating their way across the nightstand.
“Apparently not!” Mark flipped over, reaching across Callie to grab his pager.
“mmmmmmmm.” A small grumble came from the sleeping Ortho.
“Yes, your pager is going off. Come on and get out of bed, you drunkard.” But Callie had other plans and covered her head with her pillow. Muffled words could be heard. Mark pulled the pillow from her grasp and yanked the bed sheet off of her.
“Let’s go! Up and at ‘em Torres.”
“MaaaAAAAaaark!”
Reluctantly the brunette rose from the bed and stumbled her way across the hall, pager in hand, to change for her shift.
**
Arizona’s eyes fluttered open and she looked around the familiar room not initially recognizing where she was. She sat up on her parents couch and put her head in her hands, rubbing her eyes.
Wow. What time is it??
“It’s 11:21 dear.” Arizona startled at the sound of her mother’s voice.
“Momma?” She turned and saw the matriarch of her family at the kitchen counter, chopping away expertly at the bell pepper underneath her knife’s blade. “Mom, you should really look at what you’re doing so I don’t have to stitch you up later,” said Arizona as she stood up and stretched before walking into the kitchen and giving her mom a big hug.
“Hi Momma.” Arizona smiled genuinely but weakly.
“Hi Sweetpea. I’m making yummy chicken faPitas for lunch.” She gave her daughter’s hand a squeeze, lingering for a moment before turning back to her peppers.
“Help me with these.” Arizona turned to the knife box and began to help her mom chop up an onion and green pepper.
The back porch door creaked open as Col. Robbins swung it open, “Well, good morning kiddo.”
“Hi Daddy,” Arizona leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“So when are you and your mom leaving for the farmer’s market?” He asks, innocently.
“Um, we’re going to the farmer’s market?”
“Of course dear! You know I go every Saturday and today you’re coming with me. ”
Arizona rolled her eyes behind her mother’s back. Shopping was her mom’s way of bringing up “conversation.” And today it was no guess what the topic of “conversation” would be. Nonetheless, Arizona knew it was unavoidable and she began to prepare herself for the inevitable interrogation to take place.
**
“Why did you let me do that last night, Mark?” Callie was not a happy camper. “Seriously, I made a fool of myself and worse, I’ve driven Arizona away and I’m not entirely sure where she went or how I’m supposed to get her back.” Callie’s head was in her hands at the lunch table, Mark and Teddy sitting next to her.
Cristina pulled a chair over next to the group and glanced at the Ortho, “Heard you had an AWESOME time last night.”
“Cristina…” Mark began.
“Whaaat?” Cristina squinted at Mark, “Don’t you have a baby or two to check up on?”
Teddy snorted, immediately covering her mouth so as to avoid detection. A futile attempt.
Mark shook his head, “You are gonna get her back. I have a plan.” Mark turned to Teddy looking as if he was expecting her to say something. When she just shrugged, he prodded her. “Hello? You’re like Arizona’s new bff, where is she? I mean, I know she went to Portland, but where did she go?”
Teddy opened her mouth to speak, hesitantly.
“Her parents’ house.” Everyone at the table turned to look at the frazzle-haired bone surgeon. “Portland, of course. Her parents’ house is in Portland. I should have thought of that.”
“Well, that’s a start!” Mark said, trying to be encouraging.
“How is that a start, Mark? What am I supposed to do? Go up there and force my way into her parents’ house? I’m pretty sure the Colonel wouldn’t be too appreciative of THAT.”
“Well, what if you called Dr. McPerky?” Cristina shoved a huge spoonful of lettuce into her mouth, too much actually. “I’ve seen you and blondie on your phones before, texting queens. She’s sure to have her phone with her.”
“Well, assuming that Arizona would even ANSWER one of my calls let alone even LOOK at a text I send her, her cell doesn’t get good service at her parents’ house.” Callie’s head fell onto the table. “That’s why she went there. ‘Cause no one can get a hold of her... So I can’t get a hold of her.”
Mark crunched his eyebrows together as if in deep contemplation. He looked up at the lunch line to see Karev perusing the salads. “Hold, please.” The women at the table watched curiously as the plastic surgeon crossed the cafeteria to the resident standing in line. They could see a scared look on Karev’s face when Mark patted him on the shoulder in what would otherwise seem like a friendly gesture. Almost immediately, Karev produced a piece of paper and handed it to Mark who grinned like a Cheshire cat before sauntering back to the table of perplexed women and plopping down onto the chair.
“And boom goes the dynamite.”
“What?” The women all said in unison.
“Arizona’s parents’ phone number. Courtesy of your friendly neighborhood Sloanman”
Cristina groaned and everyone chuckled at the exasperation on Cristina’s face.
**
“Well, 7 dollars for a crate of strawberries? Who do you think you are? Godfarm? That’s preposterous! God wouldn’t even charge 7 dollars for strawberries!” Dana Robbins was in a huff with some poor farmer under the tent of his booth. Arizona stepped up next to her mom and paid the farmer, nodding her apologies as she pulled her mom away moving onto the next booth filled with all sorts of grains and pastas.
“Arizona, you do not have to coddle me. He was being ridiculous. I was merely pointing it out to him for his own benefit. No one is going to buy 7 dollar strawberries organic or not!”
Arizona stood and stared at her mother for a moment before shaking her head and nodding. “Whatever you say, Mom.”
Dana looked at her daughter, taking in her tired posture and exhausted voice. But mostly, she fixated on her daughter’s eyes normally so bright but now muted and dark. She took Arizona’s arm in hers and began to walk through the crowd browsing but not stopping at any of the booths. “So how are things at Seattle Grace?”
Arizona sighed. Normally, that would seem like a NORMAL question. But this was Arizona’s mom we were talking about. Someone who could draw anyone into a potentially undesired conversation subtly without the person realizing exactly WHAT it was they were being dragged into until it was too late. But, she would indulge her mother… to a point.
“Things are … fine. I told you about Dr. Sheppard becoming chief and what a shocker that one was.”
Her mother shook her head curtly, “Honey, that was months ago. What about … recently?” Arizona could recognize when her mother was digging for information from a mile away.
“Moooom…” Arizona groaned, just like she used to when she was a teenager.
“Sweetpea, I’m just worried about you. I mean, you call us while you’re at work randomly and tell us you’re coming home for a couple of days, no explanation and you’re lost, you’re…. you’ve lost the light in your eyes.” Dana held her daughter’s face in her hands as if looking for the lost light. “I just, I want to make it better if I can. That’s my job, hun.” She smiled at her daughter and anyone passing by could never doubt that these two blonde, dimpled, blue-eyed women were mother and daughter.
Arizona closed her eyes, feeling moisture building behind her eyelids. “Mom, I… I’m…” She paused, opening her eyes and looking at her mother who nodded her encouragement with a gentle smile and empathy in her eyes. “I broke up with Calliope.”
**
“Give her a couple days!” Callie huffed at Mark’s advice, picking up the intensity of her pacing in the on call room.
“Mark, I have this piece of paper burning a whole in my pocket. I don’t want to be a second without her let alone…. Well, THIS.” She threw her hands up, exasperated and on the verge of another breakdown. “Why can’t I just call the number?”
“Because. You. Need. To. WAIT.” Mark itierated slowly. “Arizona needs some space which is why she left. BUT she gave Karev her parent’s phone number.” His smile had a smug look of self-satisfaction plastered on it. Callie’s face was quite the opposite - filled with utter confusion.
“Aaaaand…. That means what??” She shook her head.
Mark shook his head, obviously expecting the connection to be much more obvious than apparently it was.
“Well, for one of us to get a hold of it! She knows no one can keep a secret in this hospital. She could have given it to Derek for him to get a hold of her in case one of her kids take a turn for the worse. But no, she gave it to Karev. KAREV OF ALL PEOPLE.” His body language was very animated. “And THAT is because she WANTS you to chase her and fight for her.” Mark pumped his fist in the air. “And BOOM goes the dynamite. THAT is how women operate my friend.”
Callie’s expression was completely neutral for a moment. Then she turned, shaking her head, and walked out of the on-call room.
“Torres! That’s sound logic right there” but Callie was already walking out the door of the on-call room, “YOU CAN’T DENY THAT’S AWESOME LOGIC!” Mark stood there for a second congratulating himself before following her out the door.
**
“Mom, I don’t… I don’t want to talk about it right now.” Arizona was being dragged by her mother throughout the Farmer’s Market.
“We’re almost done here sweetheart and then we’ll talk.” She placed her finger on Arizona’s lips as they were opening in protest. “ ‘Zona, you need to talk about this.”
Arizona dropped her head and the words she spoke came out as a whisper, “I don’t know if I CAN, Mom.”
The Farmer’s Market was busy and people were laughing and being cheerful all around them. Kids were running to and from booths accepting the free samples with mischievous giggles and being chased by their parents.
Dana took her daughter’s hand and squeezed it, “Let’s take a walk.” The two women left the Farmer’s Market and bags in hand walked in the direction of the nearby park.
Arizona made her way to a bench nearby wanting to get this over with as quickly as possible. She sat down next to her mom and began to watch the children in the sandbox chase each other around, laughing and giggling.
“It’s terrifying.”
Arizona turned her head to look at her mom. The tone in her voice was one that she was not accustomed to hearing from her mother. Usually her mom would beat around the bush before getting into any serious discussions but this tone was serious right off the bat.
“You spend 9 months totally excited and hopeful but scared too. Waiting for this thing that you KNOW you’re not prepared for, to come and take over your life. To completely change your routine and way of doing things. It’s scary.” The older woman paused, knowing that her daughter was fully aware of this. “And then the day comes and it’s completely terrifying. Your whole life changes in a moment.”
Arizona’s body was stiffening up at the memory that her mother was bringing back to her. The two Robbins women sat on the bench for a moment staring at the kids going down the slide.
“You never talked about him with us. After he died, you didn’t talk to anyone about it. Why?”
Arizona stared at her hands in her lap, playing with her fingers and knuckles. “I … didn’t know what to say… I hadn’t felt that way in such a long time - since Danny - and I knew that nothing you could have said would make me feel better.” Arizona looked at her mother, “And I didn’t want to remind you of what you went through with Danny. I didn’t want to upset you. So… I dealt with it myself.”
Dana looked at her daughter and she squeezed her hand. “I’m listening now, hun.” And Arizona looked up at her mom and sighed. Then the two of them began to talk.
**
“You knew this all along?!?!” Mark was yelling, well… whisper-yelling at Teddy in an empty patient room.
“Mark, she told me this when she was upset. She obviously did not want to share that with Callie and so neither should YOU.” Teddy was kicking herself on the inside. She had been talking to Mark about Callie and Arizona earlier and Mark had mentioned that something had to be up with Arizona, something deeper. And Teddy had accidentally thought outloud a comment she perhaps shouldn’t have made. And now Mark was interrogating her.
“Teddy. My friend, my BEST friend is hurting and trying to get the person who means the most to her in the world back. If I can help her do that, I will.”
Teddy grabbed Mark’s arm to ensure he didn’t leave quite yet. “Mark, please wait. You need to give Arizona the opportunity to tell Callie on her own.”
“But you said she wasn’t going to tell Callie because she wanted to protect her!” Mark didn’t understand.
“Mark, Arizona knows she needs to tell Callie, ok? So just… WAIT. For me?”
Mark pursed his lips together before nodding curtly. “Fine. But if Arizona doesn’t tell her, I will.” Just as he was turning to head out the door, they heard the last voice they expected to hear.
“Tell me what?” Callie stood in the door, powered doughnut in hand.
**
“And you really haven’t spoken to ‘Liv since?”
Arizona shook her head gently.
“You know, she called me once.” Dana Robbins spoke softly. Arizona’s head popped up.
“Olivia called you? When?”
“Just after you moved to Seattle. She wanted to make sure you were ok. She told me that you two … weren’t communicating. That it was hard but that you both were moving on.” Dana smiled, “She just wanted to make sure you were ok.”
“How was she doing?”
“You should call her and ask her yourself.” Dana turned towards the bags sitting on the bench next to her and pulled out a piece of paper, handing it to Arizona.
Arizona took the piece of paper tenderly.
“It’s a terrible thing to lose a child. It’s not right. But I would regret it if that grief, that possibility of grief had somehow prevented me from having you as my daughter.” Dana reached over and held Arizona’s hand. “You are so worth that risk, hun. And that’s why when something awful happens, you grieve…then, you move on. I will never EVER forget Danny but your father and I, we’ve moved on. It still hurts everyday but each day is a little less. Then you get to the point where you’re celebrating with the rest of your family and it’s like he’s there with you and it’s not sad anymore. You’ll get to that point Arizona Robbins.” Dana’s eyes began to water ever so slightly. “ ‘Cause you’re a Robbins. And you know THIS family - we’re good men in a storm. We stick by the ones we love and fight for them no matter the cost…”
Dana paused, waiting for Arizona to look up at her and make eye contact, “Even if we have to bend our own ideals in the process.” Dana reached over and cradled her daughter’s head in her hands, “I think you know that better than anyone else in this family, Arizona. Just remember that.”
Arizona looked at her mom for an extra moment. Her mind flashed back to that day so long ago when she told had told her father she was a lesbian. She had cried so hard before she walked into his office, fists clenched in her pockets, convincing herself she was ready for the storm about to hit. But it hadn’t. Instead of running or yelling, he had stood there with her and asked her a simple question.
She smiled at her mom. “Thank you for reminding me of that.”
“Anytime sweetpea.” Her mom jumped up from the bench and took Arizona’s arm, leading her back to the car. “Come on. Let’s go fix dinner.”
SEVERAL HOURS LATER
“Well, I’m calling it a night, you two don’t stay up too late.” Dana Robbins placed a kiss on her daughter’s forehead and patted her husband on the shoulder before heading back inside. They had had a lovely dinner on the porch looking over the water, the Colonel with his pipe in his hand.
“I can’t believe you still smoke that Daddy. After all of my efforts to get you to stop.”
Daniel Robbins Sr. tilted his head to look over his glasses at his daughter. He didn’t have to say anything before Arizona threw her arms up in the air, mocking exasperation.
“So you and your mom talked today?” He says, knowing fully well that they had.
Arizona nodded.
“So I take it you’ll be leaving us tomorrow? Going to set things right?”
Arizona looked her father in the eye and smiled. “Yes, Daddy.”
“Good.” Daniel rose from his chair and knocked his pipe clean of tobacco before turning towards the patio door. “Goodnight, kiddo.”
“ ‘Night.” Arizona pauses, watching her Dad turn the handle. “Daddy?”
Colonel Robbins stopped and turned. Arizona got up from her chair and walked over to her father and looked into the eyes she inherited, “Thank you Daddy, for being a good man in a storm.” He smiled down at her and placed a kiss on her forehead, “now don’t mess it up.” Arizona smiled the first genuine smile she’d had in days.
“I won’t Daddy.”
**
OMG, so what did you guys think of Thursday night's episode? The "don't" that Arizona says to Callie sounds so ominous to me. Like, "don't ruin our relationship" or "don't make me have to break up with you!" Ugh! How would you all fill in the blank??
And is it just me or does Arizona need a freaking hug?!
“Is this a…. frequent thing?” Teddy leaned over Mark to see Callie passed out and taking up more than her third of Mark’s bed.
Mark chuckled softly, “No. Just on rare occasions.” He flashed her one of his famous McSteamy grins. A pager started to beep.
“I think that’s me. I’m the only one on call this morning right?” But before Teddy could finish her sentence, the other two pagers laying next to hers started their respective pager dances, beeping and vibrating their way across the nightstand.
“Apparently not!” Mark flipped over, reaching across Callie to grab his pager.
“mmmmmmmm.” A small grumble came from the sleeping Ortho.
“Yes, your pager is going off. Come on and get out of bed, you drunkard.” But Callie had other plans and covered her head with her pillow. Muffled words could be heard. Mark pulled the pillow from her grasp and yanked the bed sheet off of her.
“Let’s go! Up and at ‘em Torres.”
“MaaaAAAAaaark!”
Reluctantly the brunette rose from the bed and stumbled her way across the hall, pager in hand, to change for her shift.
**
Arizona’s eyes fluttered open and she looked around the familiar room not initially recognizing where she was. She sat up on her parents couch and put her head in her hands, rubbing her eyes.
Wow. What time is it??
“It’s 11:21 dear.” Arizona startled at the sound of her mother’s voice.
“Momma?” She turned and saw the matriarch of her family at the kitchen counter, chopping away expertly at the bell pepper underneath her knife’s blade. “Mom, you should really look at what you’re doing so I don’t have to stitch you up later,” said Arizona as she stood up and stretched before walking into the kitchen and giving her mom a big hug.
“Hi Momma.” Arizona smiled genuinely but weakly.
“Hi Sweetpea. I’m making yummy chicken faPitas for lunch.” She gave her daughter’s hand a squeeze, lingering for a moment before turning back to her peppers.
“Help me with these.” Arizona turned to the knife box and began to help her mom chop up an onion and green pepper.
The back porch door creaked open as Col. Robbins swung it open, “Well, good morning kiddo.”
“Hi Daddy,” Arizona leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“So when are you and your mom leaving for the farmer’s market?” He asks, innocently.
“Um, we’re going to the farmer’s market?”
“Of course dear! You know I go every Saturday and today you’re coming with me. ”
Arizona rolled her eyes behind her mother’s back. Shopping was her mom’s way of bringing up “conversation.” And today it was no guess what the topic of “conversation” would be. Nonetheless, Arizona knew it was unavoidable and she began to prepare herself for the inevitable interrogation to take place.
**
“Why did you let me do that last night, Mark?” Callie was not a happy camper. “Seriously, I made a fool of myself and worse, I’ve driven Arizona away and I’m not entirely sure where she went or how I’m supposed to get her back.” Callie’s head was in her hands at the lunch table, Mark and Teddy sitting next to her.
Cristina pulled a chair over next to the group and glanced at the Ortho, “Heard you had an AWESOME time last night.”
“Cristina…” Mark began.
“Whaaat?” Cristina squinted at Mark, “Don’t you have a baby or two to check up on?”
Teddy snorted, immediately covering her mouth so as to avoid detection. A futile attempt.
Mark shook his head, “You are gonna get her back. I have a plan.” Mark turned to Teddy looking as if he was expecting her to say something. When she just shrugged, he prodded her. “Hello? You’re like Arizona’s new bff, where is she? I mean, I know she went to Portland, but where did she go?”
Teddy opened her mouth to speak, hesitantly.
“Her parents’ house.” Everyone at the table turned to look at the frazzle-haired bone surgeon. “Portland, of course. Her parents’ house is in Portland. I should have thought of that.”
“Well, that’s a start!” Mark said, trying to be encouraging.
“How is that a start, Mark? What am I supposed to do? Go up there and force my way into her parents’ house? I’m pretty sure the Colonel wouldn’t be too appreciative of THAT.”
“Well, what if you called Dr. McPerky?” Cristina shoved a huge spoonful of lettuce into her mouth, too much actually. “I’ve seen you and blondie on your phones before, texting queens. She’s sure to have her phone with her.”
“Well, assuming that Arizona would even ANSWER one of my calls let alone even LOOK at a text I send her, her cell doesn’t get good service at her parents’ house.” Callie’s head fell onto the table. “That’s why she went there. ‘Cause no one can get a hold of her... So I can’t get a hold of her.”
Mark crunched his eyebrows together as if in deep contemplation. He looked up at the lunch line to see Karev perusing the salads. “Hold, please.” The women at the table watched curiously as the plastic surgeon crossed the cafeteria to the resident standing in line. They could see a scared look on Karev’s face when Mark patted him on the shoulder in what would otherwise seem like a friendly gesture. Almost immediately, Karev produced a piece of paper and handed it to Mark who grinned like a Cheshire cat before sauntering back to the table of perplexed women and plopping down onto the chair.
“And boom goes the dynamite.”
“What?” The women all said in unison.
“Arizona’s parents’ phone number. Courtesy of your friendly neighborhood Sloanman”
Cristina groaned and everyone chuckled at the exasperation on Cristina’s face.
**
“Well, 7 dollars for a crate of strawberries? Who do you think you are? Godfarm? That’s preposterous! God wouldn’t even charge 7 dollars for strawberries!” Dana Robbins was in a huff with some poor farmer under the tent of his booth. Arizona stepped up next to her mom and paid the farmer, nodding her apologies as she pulled her mom away moving onto the next booth filled with all sorts of grains and pastas.
“Arizona, you do not have to coddle me. He was being ridiculous. I was merely pointing it out to him for his own benefit. No one is going to buy 7 dollar strawberries organic or not!”
Arizona stood and stared at her mother for a moment before shaking her head and nodding. “Whatever you say, Mom.”
Dana looked at her daughter, taking in her tired posture and exhausted voice. But mostly, she fixated on her daughter’s eyes normally so bright but now muted and dark. She took Arizona’s arm in hers and began to walk through the crowd browsing but not stopping at any of the booths. “So how are things at Seattle Grace?”
Arizona sighed. Normally, that would seem like a NORMAL question. But this was Arizona’s mom we were talking about. Someone who could draw anyone into a potentially undesired conversation subtly without the person realizing exactly WHAT it was they were being dragged into until it was too late. But, she would indulge her mother… to a point.
“Things are … fine. I told you about Dr. Sheppard becoming chief and what a shocker that one was.”
Her mother shook her head curtly, “Honey, that was months ago. What about … recently?” Arizona could recognize when her mother was digging for information from a mile away.
“Moooom…” Arizona groaned, just like she used to when she was a teenager.
“Sweetpea, I’m just worried about you. I mean, you call us while you’re at work randomly and tell us you’re coming home for a couple of days, no explanation and you’re lost, you’re…. you’ve lost the light in your eyes.” Dana held her daughter’s face in her hands as if looking for the lost light. “I just, I want to make it better if I can. That’s my job, hun.” She smiled at her daughter and anyone passing by could never doubt that these two blonde, dimpled, blue-eyed women were mother and daughter.
Arizona closed her eyes, feeling moisture building behind her eyelids. “Mom, I… I’m…” She paused, opening her eyes and looking at her mother who nodded her encouragement with a gentle smile and empathy in her eyes. “I broke up with Calliope.”
**
“Give her a couple days!” Callie huffed at Mark’s advice, picking up the intensity of her pacing in the on call room.
“Mark, I have this piece of paper burning a whole in my pocket. I don’t want to be a second without her let alone…. Well, THIS.” She threw her hands up, exasperated and on the verge of another breakdown. “Why can’t I just call the number?”
“Because. You. Need. To. WAIT.” Mark itierated slowly. “Arizona needs some space which is why she left. BUT she gave Karev her parent’s phone number.” His smile had a smug look of self-satisfaction plastered on it. Callie’s face was quite the opposite - filled with utter confusion.
“Aaaaand…. That means what??” She shook her head.
Mark shook his head, obviously expecting the connection to be much more obvious than apparently it was.
“Well, for one of us to get a hold of it! She knows no one can keep a secret in this hospital. She could have given it to Derek for him to get a hold of her in case one of her kids take a turn for the worse. But no, she gave it to Karev. KAREV OF ALL PEOPLE.” His body language was very animated. “And THAT is because she WANTS you to chase her and fight for her.” Mark pumped his fist in the air. “And BOOM goes the dynamite. THAT is how women operate my friend.”
Callie’s expression was completely neutral for a moment. Then she turned, shaking her head, and walked out of the on-call room.
“Torres! That’s sound logic right there” but Callie was already walking out the door of the on-call room, “YOU CAN’T DENY THAT’S AWESOME LOGIC!” Mark stood there for a second congratulating himself before following her out the door.
**
“Mom, I don’t… I don’t want to talk about it right now.” Arizona was being dragged by her mother throughout the Farmer’s Market.
“We’re almost done here sweetheart and then we’ll talk.” She placed her finger on Arizona’s lips as they were opening in protest. “ ‘Zona, you need to talk about this.”
Arizona dropped her head and the words she spoke came out as a whisper, “I don’t know if I CAN, Mom.”
The Farmer’s Market was busy and people were laughing and being cheerful all around them. Kids were running to and from booths accepting the free samples with mischievous giggles and being chased by their parents.
Dana took her daughter’s hand and squeezed it, “Let’s take a walk.” The two women left the Farmer’s Market and bags in hand walked in the direction of the nearby park.
Arizona made her way to a bench nearby wanting to get this over with as quickly as possible. She sat down next to her mom and began to watch the children in the sandbox chase each other around, laughing and giggling.
“It’s terrifying.”
Arizona turned her head to look at her mom. The tone in her voice was one that she was not accustomed to hearing from her mother. Usually her mom would beat around the bush before getting into any serious discussions but this tone was serious right off the bat.
“You spend 9 months totally excited and hopeful but scared too. Waiting for this thing that you KNOW you’re not prepared for, to come and take over your life. To completely change your routine and way of doing things. It’s scary.” The older woman paused, knowing that her daughter was fully aware of this. “And then the day comes and it’s completely terrifying. Your whole life changes in a moment.”
Arizona’s body was stiffening up at the memory that her mother was bringing back to her. The two Robbins women sat on the bench for a moment staring at the kids going down the slide.
“You never talked about him with us. After he died, you didn’t talk to anyone about it. Why?”
Arizona stared at her hands in her lap, playing with her fingers and knuckles. “I … didn’t know what to say… I hadn’t felt that way in such a long time - since Danny - and I knew that nothing you could have said would make me feel better.” Arizona looked at her mother, “And I didn’t want to remind you of what you went through with Danny. I didn’t want to upset you. So… I dealt with it myself.”
Dana looked at her daughter and she squeezed her hand. “I’m listening now, hun.” And Arizona looked up at her mom and sighed. Then the two of them began to talk.
**
“You knew this all along?!?!” Mark was yelling, well… whisper-yelling at Teddy in an empty patient room.
“Mark, she told me this when she was upset. She obviously did not want to share that with Callie and so neither should YOU.” Teddy was kicking herself on the inside. She had been talking to Mark about Callie and Arizona earlier and Mark had mentioned that something had to be up with Arizona, something deeper. And Teddy had accidentally thought outloud a comment she perhaps shouldn’t have made. And now Mark was interrogating her.
“Teddy. My friend, my BEST friend is hurting and trying to get the person who means the most to her in the world back. If I can help her do that, I will.”
Teddy grabbed Mark’s arm to ensure he didn’t leave quite yet. “Mark, please wait. You need to give Arizona the opportunity to tell Callie on her own.”
“But you said she wasn’t going to tell Callie because she wanted to protect her!” Mark didn’t understand.
“Mark, Arizona knows she needs to tell Callie, ok? So just… WAIT. For me?”
Mark pursed his lips together before nodding curtly. “Fine. But if Arizona doesn’t tell her, I will.” Just as he was turning to head out the door, they heard the last voice they expected to hear.
“Tell me what?” Callie stood in the door, powered doughnut in hand.
**
“And you really haven’t spoken to ‘Liv since?”
Arizona shook her head gently.
“You know, she called me once.” Dana Robbins spoke softly. Arizona’s head popped up.
“Olivia called you? When?”
“Just after you moved to Seattle. She wanted to make sure you were ok. She told me that you two … weren’t communicating. That it was hard but that you both were moving on.” Dana smiled, “She just wanted to make sure you were ok.”
“How was she doing?”
“You should call her and ask her yourself.” Dana turned towards the bags sitting on the bench next to her and pulled out a piece of paper, handing it to Arizona.
Arizona took the piece of paper tenderly.
“It’s a terrible thing to lose a child. It’s not right. But I would regret it if that grief, that possibility of grief had somehow prevented me from having you as my daughter.” Dana reached over and held Arizona’s hand. “You are so worth that risk, hun. And that’s why when something awful happens, you grieve…then, you move on. I will never EVER forget Danny but your father and I, we’ve moved on. It still hurts everyday but each day is a little less. Then you get to the point where you’re celebrating with the rest of your family and it’s like he’s there with you and it’s not sad anymore. You’ll get to that point Arizona Robbins.” Dana’s eyes began to water ever so slightly. “ ‘Cause you’re a Robbins. And you know THIS family - we’re good men in a storm. We stick by the ones we love and fight for them no matter the cost…”
Dana paused, waiting for Arizona to look up at her and make eye contact, “Even if we have to bend our own ideals in the process.” Dana reached over and cradled her daughter’s head in her hands, “I think you know that better than anyone else in this family, Arizona. Just remember that.”
Arizona looked at her mom for an extra moment. Her mind flashed back to that day so long ago when she told had told her father she was a lesbian. She had cried so hard before she walked into his office, fists clenched in her pockets, convincing herself she was ready for the storm about to hit. But it hadn’t. Instead of running or yelling, he had stood there with her and asked her a simple question.
She smiled at her mom. “Thank you for reminding me of that.”
“Anytime sweetpea.” Her mom jumped up from the bench and took Arizona’s arm, leading her back to the car. “Come on. Let’s go fix dinner.”
SEVERAL HOURS LATER
“Well, I’m calling it a night, you two don’t stay up too late.” Dana Robbins placed a kiss on her daughter’s forehead and patted her husband on the shoulder before heading back inside. They had had a lovely dinner on the porch looking over the water, the Colonel with his pipe in his hand.
“I can’t believe you still smoke that Daddy. After all of my efforts to get you to stop.”
Daniel Robbins Sr. tilted his head to look over his glasses at his daughter. He didn’t have to say anything before Arizona threw her arms up in the air, mocking exasperation.
“So you and your mom talked today?” He says, knowing fully well that they had.
Arizona nodded.
“So I take it you’ll be leaving us tomorrow? Going to set things right?”
Arizona looked her father in the eye and smiled. “Yes, Daddy.”
“Good.” Daniel rose from his chair and knocked his pipe clean of tobacco before turning towards the patio door. “Goodnight, kiddo.”
“ ‘Night.” Arizona pauses, watching her Dad turn the handle. “Daddy?”
Colonel Robbins stopped and turned. Arizona got up from her chair and walked over to her father and looked into the eyes she inherited, “Thank you Daddy, for being a good man in a storm.” He smiled down at her and placed a kiss on her forehead, “now don’t mess it up.” Arizona smiled the first genuine smile she’d had in days.
“I won’t Daddy.”
**
OMG, so what did you guys think of Thursday night's episode? The "don't" that Arizona says to Callie sounds so ominous to me. Like, "don't ruin our relationship" or "don't make me have to break up with you!" Ugh! How would you all fill in the blank??
And is it just me or does Arizona need a freaking hug?!