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About Time - March 2017
“Oh my goodness, baby in a suit!” Callie laughs, spotting Lexie and five-month-old Grey as they slip into her changing room.
“You should see your baby in a suit,” Lexie says.
“I bet Acer looks great in a suit,” Mark speaks up, adjusting his own tie and then taking Grey from Lexie.
“I’m nervous. Mark, why am I nervous? I’m already practically married. It’s just a party. Right?”
“Right,” Mark says firmly, dangling Grey up close to his godmother’s face. “Don’t be nervous, Aunt Callie.”
“Thanks, Baby Grey,” Callie rolls her eyes.
“Relax, Torres. You’ve got the kids, the house, the chickens, which y’know, is weird, but whatever. You have nothing to be nervous about.”
“Where’s Lena?” Lexie asks, trying to distract Callie.
“Mrs. Torres and Aria took her in search of diapers.”
“Hey, I’ll stay in this dress for a week if it means I don’t have to change diapers,” Callie blows out a shaky breath. “Is she nervous?”
“There are too many people in that room to be nervous,” Lexie laughs. “Why is your dad in there?”
“My dad’s in there? He loves her more,” Callie sighs.
Mark watches Callie pick at the tissue in her hand.
“Oh, fine. Enough. Torres, you stay here. Lex? Come with your guys; we’re on a mission.”
“What? Mark!”
“Stay here. You look beautiful, Callie. Don’t mess up your make-up or wrinkle your dress.”
Lexie gives a shrug when Callie looks to her for answers, and then follows after her husband and son.
Mark arrives seven minutes later, opens the door to her dressing room, and pushes Arizona into the room.
“Mark! It’s bad luck!” Arizona objects.
“Stop being nervous, both of you. You’re already married; it just took this country a long time to get its collective head out of its ass. You get to go up in front of all the people who are in your life and tell them how much you love each other, and then get plastered at the reception. Get it together; we’ve got a party to get to, and my toast includes the words ‘Suck it, right wing assholes!’ So let’s get this show on the road.”
“That’s gonna go over great with the extended family,” Callie groans.
“I bought you ten minutes. Put it to good use. Teddy and I are desperately fighting off your mothers.”
Mark disappears.
“You look amazing,” Callie breathes, seeing Arizona’s dress for the first time.
Arizona blushes but deflects with a little humor.
“Would you be less nervous if Elvis were waiting for us at the end of the aisle instead of Father Jim?”
“Not funny,” Callie laughs, betraying herself.
A weight lifts off of Callie’s chest, and her fingers search for purchase at the smooth satin at Arizona’s waist.
“Now, now. No wrinkling,” Arizona grins, stepping in closer.
“I’m not nervous anymore,” Callie says, tugging Arizona close but not quite touching, leaning forward as if to kiss her neck, but instead hovering just millimeters above her skin, breath warm as Arizona shivers. “What about you?”
“N-no. Nervous is not what I’m feeling right now.”
“No?”
Arizona’s hands rest lightly on Callie’s hips, a feather touch that sends fire in its wake.
“Can we skip the wedding? Lock that door? Pick the kids up in three days?” Arizona practically moans.
“Hey, people fought long and hard so that we could have the right to spend obnoxious amounts of my daddy’s money on this wedding.”
Arizona laughs, but it comes out as a low, breathy chuckle as she focuses on how very close to (but not) touching her Calliope is.
“I know. And I promise I’ll cry at the beauty of our equal rights when I see you walk down that aisle, but that is not what I’m really going to be thinking about.”
“What are you going to be thinking about?”
“What you have on under that beautiful dress.”
“Mm. Not much.”
Arizona’s hands get more insistent. “Oh god, Calliope, don’t tell me that.”
“Rain check for a pre-reception quickie?”
“We would not be fully exercising our equal rights if we didn’t,” Arizona says seriously.
“True.” Callie takes a step back to clear her head and enjoy the view. Arizona pouts at the distance between them. “God, you’re so beautiful.”
“I never thought I’d be wearing one of these,” Arizona says, smoothing the cream fabric at her hips. They’d both agreed to white-ish dresses, no veils, and plenty of jewelry.
Callie grins. “Have you seen Lena? She looks so cute. Lexie said Asa’s rocking the suit we got him.”
“He is! Oh my goodness. And having all that attention? He’s eating it up.”
“Let’s do this. You still want to marry me?”
“I’d marry you every day for the rest of our lives.”
Callie beams. “But then where would we fit in a honeymoon?”
“Mmm. Spain. A whole week.”
“No kids.”
Arizona frowns, thinking immediately of their three-year-old and sixteen-month-old. “I’m going to miss them.”
“Me, too. But we get a week to ourselves for the first time since Asa was born, and they get a week with the undivided attention of all four grandparents.”
Mark pounds on the door.
“One minute warning. Put yourselves back together.”
Arizona and Callie grin stupidly at each other.
“See you out there,” Arizona says, eyes twinkling. “I’ll be the blonde at the end of the aisle not holding our baby.”
Callie laughs. “Good to keep in mind. Sometimes it’s hard to tell you and Teddy apart.” She takes a deep breath. “I’ll be the girl dancing down the aisle toward you.”
***
Their wedding is a medium-sized affair, tastefully decorated by compromise by Emeline Robbins and Rosario Torres in the Episcopal church where both Asa and Lena were baptized. The same young priest that performed those baptisms waits, smiling warmly, at the altar rail.
The bridal party is small: Mark as Callie’s best man to carry Asa, Teddy as Arizona’s maid of honor to carry Lena, the fathers to escort each bride down the aisle. They decided anything more would just confusing and chaotic.
It still is.
Mark and Asa are supposed to go first, followed by Teddy and Lena, then Arizona and the Colonel, then Callie and Carlos. To prepare him, Mark lets Asa peek out at the gathered crowd. It doesn’t go well.
“No.”
“What?”
“I wanna go home,” the boy’s face crumples. “Let’s go home.”
“Acer, no. We’ve got a party to get to.”
“I wanna go home,” Asa whines. “I want my mommies.”
“Hey, buddy, it’s gonna be okay. We’ll meet them out there. Promise.”
“Momma...” Asa begins to squirm and kick.
Arizona sneaks around the corner at the sound of his impending meltdown.
“I got this one, Uncle Mark,” Arizona smiles, grabbing Asa and putting him on her hip, adjusting his tiny little bowtie. “Hey, bubba. No whining, okay? Use your big boy voice and tell me what’s wrong. Are you scared?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he says meekly.
“Okay. We practiced this. There’s nothing to be scared of. Uncle Mark’s gonna have you the whole time, and he’s cool, right?”
Asa nods, face calming as his little fingers trace idle circles onto Arizona’s bare shoulder, brushing aside her long, loose curls.
“I like your hair, Momma.”
Arizona beams at her son. “Why thank you, Mr. Robbins-Torres. That was very sweet of you to notice.”
“¿Dónde está Mami?”
“With Abuelito. Waiting her turn. And now it’s your turn to do your job. When I give you back to Uncle Mark, you have to ask him if he has my ring. And then you have to be super quiet while Father Jim speaks, okay? Just like in church.”
“We are in church.”
“See? Exactly. Can you do it? For me?”
“Yes, Momma.”
“Okay. Good job, little man. Love you.”
She hands him back to Mark as the music starts. Mark smiles reassuringly at his godson.
“Uncle Mark, got my Momma’s ring?”
Mark pats his breast pocket. “Right here. Ready to go, Acer?”
“Yessir.”
As they get ready to head down the aisle, Arizona turns to Teddy, Lena, and her father.
“Anyone else need a pep talk?”
“We’re good,” Teddy laughs, extracting her necklace from sixteen-month-old Lena’s iron grip.
“Calliope’s ring?”
Teddy grabs her bouquet as her cue comes up, flashing the platinum band secured by a ribbon to its base.
“See you on the other side,” Teddy smiles at her best friend.
“Good luck, Leni,” Arizona addresses her daughter. “Love you, too.”
Lena grins and they’re gone.
The Colonel is in full dress uniform, smiling openly, something grandfatherhood has made come more easily.
“Are you in need of a pep talk?”
“No, sir.”
“No, I didn’t think so.” He offers his arm. “This seems rather redundant, but I know your mothers appreciate it. And I always held out hope I would one day walk you down the aisle.”
Arizona smiles. “Me, too.”
“I just wish Danny could see you now.”
Arizona glances upward, slipping her hand into the crook of his elbow, enjoying the solid ground he gives her.
“I think he can.”
“Well then, with his permission, let’s make you an honest woman.”
***
“¿Lista, m’ija? Los otros ya entraron.” [“The others have already gone.”]
“Yes, Daddy. I’m so ready.”
Carlos looks his confident daughter over with warmth and pride.
“She is a good woman. A good mother. A good wife.”
“She is.”
“A good man in a storm.”
“What?”
“A story for the reception. Vámanos. Tu esposa espera.” [“Your wife awaits.”]
“Gracias, Daddy. Te quiero.”
***
Arizona does cry when those doors open to reveal Carlos and Callie, and it’s not really for the wonder of their equal rights.
(That came six months earlier, gathered in their living room with their closest friends, hopeful champagne on hand, as CNN announced the Supreme Court’s final judgment on the legality of state bans on gay marriage. They’d each unknowingly had diamond rings waiting in their pockets, and they were exchanged, giggling, tipsy, and insistent, in bed after everyone left. A formality, they both promised, but one that felt wonderful after how long they’d waited.)
No, these tears are because today Callie is her wife in every way possible, shouted from the rooftops. These tears are because they made it this far. Because they have a son and a daughter, a house and chickens, and now that final legitimization in a ceremony their mothers had long craved. These tears are because she’s marrying the single most brilliant, beautiful, loving woman in the world, despite all the times they both nearly screwed it up and threw it all away, despite the fights about babies (thank god she changed her mind about that), despite the devastating Malawi interlude and its aftereffects, despite the irrational blow-outs about what to paint the rooms of their house when Callie was in her third trimester with Lena and took Arizona’s every suggestion as an insult. Despite hateful intolerance, veiled and unveiled, from strangers and family, and less often, co-workers and patients.
Okay, so maybe these tears are a little in awe of their equal rights.
Callie actually rolls her eyes when their gazes meet, even if those eyes are wide and glassy with unshed tears of her own. She puts a little shimmy in her step, as if she is really dancing down the aisle.
“Mami,” Asa giggles as he notices Callie, earning a laugh from Father Jim and the guests, and an affectionate shushing from his godfather. Behind Arizona, Lena babbles happily until Teddy quiets her with a few soothing words in her ear.
Callie and Mr. Torres seem to reach the altar in record time; Carlos hands Callie off to Arizona with a warm smile, an approving nod, and an affectionate kiss for each of them.
Hands clasped and sneaking adoring looks at each other, they stand before the young priest, who smiles winningly at them.
“Dearly beloved: we have come together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of these women in Holy Matrimony. And I think I speak for all of us who know and love them, when I say it’s about time!”
***
“Those whom God has put together, let no man tear asunder.”
The congregation gives a resounding “Amen!” as Callie dips Arizona in a dramatic kiss that even Father Jim has to applaud. The music starts up as they pull apart, and it’s Arizona’s turn to shake her head and roll her eyes adoringly.
Mark and Teddy bring the kids over, who greet their moms with warm hugs and wet kisses. Callie puts Asa on her hip and hands him her bouquet, which he solemnly accepts. Arizona has Lena, but doesn’t dare trust the beautiful arrangement in the infant’s hands. Teddy instead keeps both as she takes Mark’s proffered arm.
The procession out is even faster than the procession in. They’re all eager to get through the pictures and onto the reception.
Rosario Torres surveys her handiwork. The ceremony was quite beautiful, but this is their coup de grace, a stunning reception at the nicest hotel in downtown Seattle. It’s not the wedding she once imagined for Calliope; she imagined the ceremony in the same cathedral where her daughters were christened and confirmed; she imagined the reception at the swankiest of their Miami hotels, or if Calliope preferred something smaller, at their own palatial estate, and, well, she imagined there would be a groom. Of course, Calliope had a wedding with a groom and completely robbed her of the experience of planning or even attending the wedding, so she supposes she’ll take what she can get.
All joking aside, she loves Arizona and all the Robbins, and especially her angelic nietos, the apples of her eye.
“The caterer has everything in order,” Emeline Robbins informs her. “The band?”
“Setting up now. The florists did beautiful work, no?”
“They did,” Emeline nods once, firmly.
“Abuelita! Grammy!” a very familiar voice calls from behind them. The grandmothers turn to see their beloved grandson barreling towards them, Addison Montgomery and Sam Bennett following. Sam carries little Lena and her diaper bag.
“Asa-darling,” Emeline laughs, “What have you done with your mothers?”
“Aunt Addy and Uncle Sam brought us!” Asa completely misses the point.
“They’re upstairs. Freshening up,” Addison says with a knowing grin. “Don’t worry; the best man and maid of honor have strict instructions to get them down here in time for their entrance. The Shepherds and Dr. Bailey are bringing Tuck and the girls here soon, so they can run all their sillies out before dinner. I thought it would be good for Lena and Asa to do the same.”
“They were very well-behaved for pictures,” Rosario comments, ruffling Asa’s up-until-recently tamed locks. “I guess they deserve a little time to run.”
As if on cue, eight-year-old Tuck Bailey Jones and Ally and Katie Shepherd (five and two, respectively) come sprinting into the ballroom, Tuck playfully chasing after the younger girls. Asa joins in, and they take their game of breathless tag to the dance floor, enjoying the way they slip-slide on the slick surface with their dress shoes while staying mostly out of the way of the staff putting finishing touches on the reception. Lena squirms at the sight of the older children, so Sam puts her down. He doesn’t, however, let the unsteady girl take off after her brother and his companions, distracting her so that she simply toddles within a few feet of the gathered adults. Katie soon joins her, enjoying playtime a little more at her speed.
“Tuck is so good with the little ones,” Emeline praises Miranda Bailey, watching her grandson hold his own with the older children.
“Just these kids,” Bailey notes. “They’re his people. He looks out for them in daycare. Other little kids he has absolutely no time for.”
Rosario smiles as her granddaughter walks towards her, leaning over to scoop her up.
“Hola, rubia,” [Hello, blondie,] she greets with a kiss to Lena’s pale little cheek. “¿Buen fiesta, no?” [Good party, huh?]
Lena blinks those clear, bright blue eyes at her with a happy smile.
“Ay, qué ojos claritos. Vas a romper a todos los corazones,” [Oh, what pretty blue eyes. You’re going to break so many hearts,] Rosario gushes, kissing her again. She’ll never get enough of this sweet baby girl. With yet another kiss, she sets the little one down and pats her diapered rump under her pretty dress. “Andáte a divertir con la amiga.” [Go play with your friend.]
Emeline (who can only see her own daughter when looking at her angelic granddaughter) laughs as Lena stumbles away at a toddler’s approximation of a run.
The guests have started to arrive en masse, so the mothers of the brides are thrown back into their hostessing jobs, supervising the distribution of place cards and the rotation of appetizers, hoping that Mark and Teddy can do their jobs and get Callie and Arizona into place on time.
***
“Holy crap, we’re married,” Callie says for the millionth time. This time she mumbles it into Arizona’s flushed neck, lips curving into a smile. “Feel any different?”
“My hand feels a little heavier,” Arizona teases, shaking her left hand and its glimmering platinum rings playfully. “And I can’t really feel my legs, but considering what we were just doing, that’s fairly normal.”
Callie laughs. She’s been doing that a lot. Her heart feels so light and content that she’s scared it’s going to float right out of her chest. Thankfully, Arizona is currently pinned underneath her on the hotel bed, so if Callie’s heart falls out, her new wife will catch it.
“Do you feel any different?” Arizona asks in response to her wife’s silence.
“So damn happy.”
Arizona beams and reaches up to kiss her again.
“I know it doesn’t actually change anything, but I can’t help it,” Callie continues. She looks over towards the clock on the nightstand and their hastily but carefully discarded dresses on the chair by the door.
An insistent knock on the door disturbs their idyll.
“Ten minutes before we all have to be downstairs,” Teddy calls kindly but firmly.
“And for the love of god, and so your moms don’t kill us, please try to make it look like we didn’t let you sneak up here to f... Ow! Altman!”
“Keep a civil tongue, Sloan. Nine minutes,” Teddy updates.
“Got it!” Callie yells back, still grinning widely at Arizona. “I guess we should get dressed.”
“And fix our make-up,” Arizona nods, making no move to get up. “Tell me again why we’re having a reception?”
“Free booze?” Callie counters facetiously.
“I’m a grown woman. I can pay for my own alcohol.”
“Eight minutes!” Teddy calls from the other side of the door.
“She’s gonna stand out there and count down,” Callie marvels, planting one last, mostly chaste kiss on her wife’s lips before pushing herself off of the very comfortable bed (and said wife).
“My best friend is awesome. And obnoxious,” Arizona says, the last adjective raised enough to reach through the door.
“Seven and a half!”
“Okay, okay! We’re coming,” Arizona grumbles.
Callie giggles.
“Calliope, really?” Arizona rolls her eyes with an adoring smile as she slips into her dress and Callie does the same.
“Sex on the brain, sorry.”
“Control yourself. Our parents and our children are down there,” Arizona admonishes, turning her back towards Callie with a silent request to be zipped up, a simple ritual of domesticity they’ve repeated a million times but one that still takes Callie’s breath away.
Callie obliges, dropping a kiss between Arizona’s shoulder blades when she finishes, then turns so Arizona can do the same.
“Five minutes!”
***
“Where have you two been?” Carlos demands playfully as Mark and Teddy get their unruly charges down to the ballroom door exactly on time.
Daniel rolls his eyes. “All newlyweds need a little time alone to process.”
Callie groans inwardly at her father’s and father-in-law’s teasing. The two hit it off far too well, just like her mother and mother-in-law. Unlike most in-laws, their parents get along amazingly and bond over their shared grandchildren, rather than succumbing to petty jealousy. In fact, meeting the Robbins’ was what erased the last of the Torres’ doubts about the life their daughter had chosen. They are still just the slightest bit worried about her immortal soul, but at least if she is going to hell, she’s going with the well-raised daughter of a good family with strong values. And at least their grandchildren were baptized (not Catholic, but close enough).
“If this turns into a story about your wedding day, Dad, I’ve already heard all about how Uncle Joseph ‘lost’ you and Mom for an hour between the ceremony and the reception,” Arizona embraces the teasing whole-heartedly, holding fast to Callie’s hand.
“Oh good, you’re here,” Emeline sighs as she emerges from the ballroom with Lena on her hip. “Look who I found, sweet pea.” She shifts her attention from the infant in her arms to her daughter and daughter-in-law. “Rosario is rounding up Asa.”
“Hey, what’s with the tears?” Callie asks her younger child, taking Lena into her arms as she notes the dried tear tracks on her flushed little face. The girl still sports the remnants of an all-too-familiar pout.
“Ah, there was a minor disagreement over a tube of bubbles between Lena and the younger Miss Shepherd. I believe they’re currently on the outs,” Daniel informs with a twinkle in his blue eyes.
“You need to apologize to Katie,” Callie says, faux-sternly, kissing away the tear tracks and earning a more contented smile from the baby.
“How did you know she instigated the fight?” Carlos asks.
“She always does,” Arizona answers. “She’s scrappy.”
“And bossy,” Callie supplies.
“That certainly sounds familiar,” Emeline teases.
Rosario joins them, leading Asa by the hand. His suit is a little disheveled from all the excellent playing that’s taken place, and Arizona leans down to tighten his tie and straighten his jacket.
“Hi, Momma,” he greets. “Mami, Lena no compartió con Katie aunque yo dije que tenemos que share with our friends and...” [Lena didn’t share with Katie even though I said that we have to share with our friends and...]
“Basta,” Callie says gently. “I already heard, tattletale.”
“There’s lots of people here,” Asa notes, turning back to his momma.
“There are. Have you been partying?” Arizona asks.
Asa nods and wraps his little arms around his momma’s knees, tilting his big brown eyes up pleadingly. “Are you gonna come in?”
“That’s why we’re here.”
***
It’s Mark’s turn for a toast, and he stands up with a grin, straightening his tie.
“Keep it clean, Uncle Mark,” Callie says lowly, arms looped around Asa’s waist as he sits in her lap and picks at the plate full of French fries in front of him. “There are little ears.”
Asa looks over his shoulder and gives his mami a wide grin, even with a mouth full of food. Arizona has one arm around Callie’s waist and leans over with her napkin to wipe Asa’s messy face. Lena is at the next table over, happily flirting with her Tía Aria and her husband Blake.
Uncle Mark clears his throat as the assembled crowd gets quiet.
“Thanks for coming out this evening, everyone. I think Father Jim spoke for all of us when he said it’s about time. You know, Callie gave me an incredibly embarrassing toast when I got married a few years ago, but I’ve been told to watch what I say since there are so many kids running around.” He turns to Callie and Arizona with a wry smile and teases: “That’s why you don’t do it backwards, guys.”
Mark’s comment earns warm laughter from the guests and the Robbins eye roll he so loves to elicit.
“Seriously, though. Cal, you’re the best friend a guy could ask for, and you’ve been with me through everything. And Arizona, everyone knows we haven’t always gotten along, but we found some middle ground, and I’m honored to count you as an awesome friend.” He gets a full dimpled smile for the use of that word. “It took you a long time, but you fought hard and got the happiness you deserve. You’ve got two beautiful kids, an unhealthy love of chickens, and your whole future ahead of you. It’s been eight great years, and here’s to fifty more.”
The crowd claps and everyone takes a sip of champagne. Callie even allows Asa a tiny one, though it’s mostly for show, and he barely gets a taste.
“Mark, that was actually sweet,” Arizona beams at him as he drops a kiss on the cheek of each bride.
“Yeah, well. When you took away the dirty option, I had to go completely in the opposite direction.”
“I am a little disappointed that the words ‘Suck it, right wing,’” Callie covers Asa’s ears, “’assholes’ did not make an appearance.”
“I figured your marriage license was a big enough middle finger for them,” Mark grins, taking his seat beside Lexie.
Arizona laughs loudly, and beside her, Teddy shakes her head.
“Does this mean I have to go the dirty route? Or the political route? You took the heartfelt angle, Sloan.”
“You two didn’t plan ahead?” Callie questions.
“I just assumed he was going inappropriate,” Teddy says.
“Not in front of my godson!” Mark objects, plucking Asa from Callie’s lap.
“Uncle Mark,” the toddler objects with a giggle.
“Here. Give me Grey, too. I’ll hold both my boys,” Mark grins, setting Asa on his knee and taking the baby into his arms.
“Enjoy it while you can, Mark. I’m gonna come steal our godson soon,” Addison calls from across the round table. “He promised to save me a dance.”
***
Teddy’s toast is just as sweet, with a couple more laughs thrown in about how she might be even more excited about them getting married than they are with all the cheerleading and tough love she’s provided to get them this far.
The rest of the reception starts to blur together for Callie and Arizona as they go through the rituals carefully choreographed by their mothers. Teddy catches Arizona’s bouquet almost by accident (which gets poor Matt Tate, her boyfriend of two years, quite a bit of teasing). One of Callie’s many cousins catches hers after a playful wrestling match with the others. On previous agreement, they only smear cake on Asa’s face, which their son absolutely adores. They hold each other close to Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together”, and they both give their dads a traditional first dance in which the tough old men get appropriately weepy.
The Shepherd, Sloan, and Robbins-Torres children are soon sent up to bed in a hotel room under the watchful eye of Tía Aria as the party heads into the later hours of the night.
***
Aria Torres Deacon looks up from her book and smiles at the sight of her snoring nephew splayed out on the hotel bed between the two Shepherd girls. Little Lena sleeps soundly in her pack’n’play, and baby Grey snoozes in his car seat. It’s her big sister’s wedding, and she really should be partying it up, but instead she volunteered for babysitting duty because she’s five months pregnant and easily exhausted herself.
“I’m never gonna be a better son-in-law than Arizona,” Blake complains, sitting down on the bed and tightening his tie.
Aria laughs. “She’s been around longer. Daddy’s warming up to you, I promise.”
“She’ll always be the favorite,” Blake sighs, leaning in to kiss her. “Are you sure you’re okay? I can stay up here.”
“No, go. Celebrate. We’ve been waiting a long time for this day. I’m fine. Daddy wants you to drink scotch and smoke cigars with him and the Colonel. You’ll never be the favorite if you stand him up!” Aria teases.
“I told you it’s a moot point.”
“Go be a good son-in-law. But thanks for helping me get them down for the night.”
“It’s good practice for our own,” he grins, resting his hand on her belly. “I’ll give a good report to all the parents down below. But I think Lexie might be up soon to get Grey. She looked like she was having a little trouble leaving him.”
“Tell her to stay and take advantage of the time she has,” Aria laughs.
***
“You make a beautiful bride, Arizona,” Carlos praises after he’s convinced her to join him on the dance floor. He smells of scotch and fine cigars, the latter of which she declined since she wants to get lucky (again) tonight, and Callie hates when she smokes anything. The former she did join him and Blake and her father for— just one. She knows it makes Carlos feel just a little bit better to treat her like a son-in-law, which is why his admission surprises her.
“Thank you,” she smiles. “And thank you, so much, for... all of this. It’s really too much; you were brave to foot the bill for something Rosario and my mother were in charge of.”
Carlos chuckles lowly. “A father is happy to throw a wedding for his daughter when she’s marrying the right person.”
The verbal confirmation of Carlos’s support for their marriage nearly takes her breath away. Sure, he’s done a million things in the last five years to show his tacit approval, but nothing quite so effusive.
As if to save her from mustering a response to that shocker, Carlos quips: “And a good husband is always happy to hand his checkbook to his wife.”
Arizona laughs and Carlos’s fingers tighten warmly at her waist as he leads her into another complicated dance step with ease. Callie’s dance moves are definitely genetic.
On the other side of the dance floor, Callie spins Emeline with the same ease, earning that wide, infectious smile from her mother-in-law.
“Callie, your family is a hoot,” the (not-so-)slightly tipsy Mrs. Robbins exclaims, watching Callie’s relatives in attendance (mostly the younger generations of cousins from both sides and her mother’s siblings) tear up the floor when one of the family favorite salsa numbers takes over. “They’ve all been so kind and welcoming. And I really do adore your mother. You already knew that.”
“I did. You two are very dangerous together.”
“We are,” Emeline admits, biting her lip.
“It’s fine as long as you use your powers for good,” Callie assures. “Like spoiling grandchildren and planning awesome parties.”
“Awesome parties, hmm? My daughter’s influence on you is very obvious.”
“Wouldn’t change it for the world,” Callie promises.
“So. Now that the wedding’s done, are you thinking of giving me another grandbaby?”
***
Later, after most of the guests have left and the parents of the brides have gone up to their own hotel rooms, all that’s left is the SG-MW crew (plus Sam and Addison), exhaustedly draped over the ballroom chairs as the staff cleans up around them.
“Get out of here,” Teddy very tipsily insists, pushing on Arizona’s bare shoulder. “It’s all you two wanted earlier.”
Callie laughs; drunk Teddy never fails to amuse her. Her fingers are tangled with her new wife’s, thumb almost unconsciously stroking the back of it. She grins at her. They’re in no hurry to get anywhere, now. They have the rest of their lives.
“I suppose it is time to go to bed,” Arizona says tranquilly.
“I hope everyone’s taking advantage of Aria’s insanity and enjoying a night to themselves,” Callie grins to the Shepherds and Sloans.
“Oh hell yes,” Mark confirms. “Great party, ladies. And excellent idea for us all to get hotel rooms. Can’t imagine trying to go home now.”
“The streets of Seattle thank us,” Meredith laughs. She and Cristina managed to steal an entire bottle of tequila from the bar, which they pass back and forth.
Every single one of their friends is totally wasted, which greatly entertains the relatively sober brides. They’re happily buzzed on champagne and wine, of course, but neither wants to forget a second of this night and so they’ve been careful not to imbibe too much.
Their friends disperse up to their individual rooms, leaving Callie, Arizona (and the cleaning staff) all alone.
“Dance with me,” Callie whispers warmly into Arizona’s ear.
“Haven’t we been doing that all night?”
“Yeah, but this time without the audience.”
“We have a hotel room upstairs.”
“Your wife is asking you to dance, Arizona.”
“Mm,” Arizona grins sweetly. “My wife.”
“Please?” Callie breathes, nipping lightly at Arizona’s earlobe.
“I guess I have to,” Arizona almost giggles.
“That’s the spirit,” Callie pulls Arizona to her feet.
“There’s no music.”
“We don’t need music,” Callie says, pulling her in close, no longer caring about wrinkling dresses or smudging already mussed makeup. Her arms slip around Arizona’s waist as Arizona rests her head on her shoulder. They barely sway to the beat only they can hear.
“Happy wedding day,” Arizona says, arms looped lightly around Callie’s shoulders.
“Helluva day,” Callie grins, fingers tracing her new wife’s spine. “That story Daddy told!”
Arizona blushes. “I can’t believe he brought that up.”
“Arizona, he loves you so much. And I can’t believe you talked to him that day. I knew there had to be a reason he came around.”
“He came around because he loves you, Calliope. I just... gave him a little push.”
“With your Robbins-speechifying ways,” Callie teases. “Good man in a storm... Where do you come up with this stuff?”
Arizona shrugs, still a little sheepish, and Callie just smiles adoringly at her.
“Oh,” Callie finally remembers.
“Yeah?”
“Your mom asked for another grandchild.”
“What? Already? We have two still in diapers. Or, well, one in diapers, one in pull-ups. She can’t wait through at least one round of potty-training?”
“She said: ‘Wedding’s over. How about another grandbaby?’”
“Oh jeez,” Arizona groans. “We never should’ve mentioned we were thinking of four.”
“A fatal miscalculation.”
Arizona’s lips brush against Callie’s shoulder. “I’m so in love with you.”
“Oh, well, that’s good, since we just got married.” At the laugh that she feels more than she hears, Callie continues, “I’m so in love with you, too. I still can’t believe it. I’ve married a five-year-old with roller skates for shoes.”
“Asa thinks my heelies are awesome.”
“Asa is three.”
“But he has great taste.”
“Right.”
“He loves you.”
“Ever the charmer, Arizona,” Callie teases. Then she begs, already knowing the answer, “Take me to bed?”
***
Callie wakes to the sun high in the sky. Her wife is snuggled into her arms, and she couldn’t separate herself from Arizona if she wanted to. Not that she will ever want to.
As she ponders what to order for room service and just the perfect way to wake Arizona, her phone starts buzzing. She groans and tries to reach for it while remaining as intertwined with Arizona as possible.
“Hello?”
“Hey, sis. We’ve got a pair of little ones that are pretty set on seeing their mommies. Can we bring them up? Say, in an hour or so?”
As loathe as she is to put clothes on, Callie misses their babies desperately, and they’re about to spend a whole week without them.
“Yes, please, in an hour. That would be, yes.”
“Work on the coherent thing, Callie. I’ll see you in an hour.”
When Callie drops the phone back on the nightstand, she can tell Arizona is already beginning to stir. She kisses her way up from her clavicle to her ear, where she whispers.
“Wake up, sleepyhead. We’re gonna have company in an hour, and I still don’t think we’ve made proper use of that giant shower.”
Arizona groans and grumbles, but her lips are slowly spreading into a smile.
“Is this company of the tiny human persuasion?” she manages, slowly threading her fingers through Callie’s hair.
“Maybe.”
“Mm. Good. Miss them.”
“I know. Let’s order room service and then hop in the shower, so we’ll be done by the time they arrive.”
“I love a woman with a plan.”
***
“Mami! Momma!”
“Ma! Ma! Ma!” Lena follows up her brother’s excited cry with her barely discernible, collective word for them.
Aria waves from the doorway as the kids run to greet their moms, who are leisurely enjoying their room service breakfast in their sweats on the honeymoon suite’s plush bed.
“Are those waffles?” Asa marvels, immediately crawling into Arizona’s lap. “In the bed?”
“They are,” Arizona confirms, giving him a quick hug. “You want some?”
“Yes, please!”
Callie laughs and cuts him off a piece of her waffle, holding it out for him, as Lena scoots in beside her.
“Hey, Lena-bug. Did you have a good sleep?”
The sixteen-month-old is indifferent, fascinated instead with reaching for one of the enticing strawberries on her madre’s plate.
“Oh, you want that, huh?” Callie asks, moving to cut up the berry for her and dropping a piece into her mouth, getting a happy little smile in return.
“Did you have fun at the big party last night?” Arizona asks their son as he swipes a strawberry of his own, red smeared across his face.
“I did! I danced with Aunt Addy,” Asa giggles, leaning up to place a messy kiss on his momma’s cheek.
“You danced with a lot of people, m’ijo,” Callie laughs.
“Tía says that you and Momma are going on a trip,” Asa comments, this time stealing a piece of bacon to chew on.
“We are,” Arizona confirms warily, waiting for the coming meltdown.
“¿Dónde are you going?”
Arizona laughs. His Spanglish never ceases to amuse her, even when she can barely understand him. Lena squirms out of Callie’s arms to play amid the fluffy pillows.
“We’re going to Spain. And all of your grandparents are gonna stay and play with you for a whole week,” Callie grins encouragingly. “Isn’t that cool?”
Asa nods, distracted by his unbalanced efforts to grab Arizona’s glass of orange juice. His momma quickly tries to assist.
“Did Tía Aria even feed you?” Callie asks as their son continues to decimate what’s left of their brunch in bed.
“Sí. We had pancakes.”
Callie meets her wife’s eyes with a grin.
“I think we might need a little more room service,” Arizona suggests, grinning back.
Callie shakes her head and extracts herself from the comfy bed to reach the hotel phone. As she waits for room service to answer, she glances over her shoulder and watches her amazing little family. Arizona has pulled Lena into her lap as well, tickling both kids until they giggle manically. Her hair is still wet from their shower, her face free of any make-up, and she’s still the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen, arms full of the love they’ve created together. Callie’s thumb finds the warm metal of her platinum wedding band, and she smiles again. The voice on the other end of the phone line surprises her.
“Oh, hello, yes. This is Room 1523 again. Yeah, I think we’re gonna need more waffles, thanks. Ten minutes? Perfect. Oh, wait. Yeah, sorry. My wife is trying to tell me something... More orange juice, too, please. Sorry about that. Thanks!”
Arizona giggles a little as Callie sets the phone back on the receiver.
“What?”
“You said wife.”
“I did,” Callie realizes. “How’d it sound? Like I’m gonna be saying it for the next forty years?”
“It sounded perfect.”
***
el fin