Will the stars realign? (Calzona)

Eight

Callie POV

It's now been over two weeks since Sofia arrived and we've had five nights of no tears for Arizona, which I am extremely relieved about. We are still video calling her most days which is definitely helping keep Sofia settled. As hard as it is for me, I know it's also hard for Sofia having her entire life changed in a split second to be here.

Today I am off work again after working the past two days, and today Sofia is meeting Mila, the young girl I have been mentoring. She's a 14 year old foster kid and is possibly the smartest 14 year I've ever met. Despite her parents sadly passing away 4 years ago and spending her time moving around, she is set to complete 12th grade this summer and is hoping to start college to study human biology in the fall. I've been mentoring her for the past two years and she's one of my favourite people to hang out with, she has a big interest in medicine as both of her parents were doctors and they both graduated from Harvard. Due to her age and being so advance, she doesn't have any friends which was one of her major concerns when I met her but over the past year we've talked about the importance of finding your people and how they can come at any stage in life and that I found my people in Seattle and despite now living across the country, they are still my best friends. While she lives in the foster home, I'm just her go to person, she can ring or text me when she needs me, I sometimes go to school programmes with her or college open days, help with homework and just generally be the person she can go to. We hang out, usually twice a week, we go for coffee or to lunch, sometimes to the mall or out for the day. She came over on Christmas Day as Penny was working and Sofia was with Arizona, it was a perfect just the two of us.

"Ready Sof?" I ask grabbing my jacket and bag, "yes, is she going to like me?" She asked. "She is, she's very excited to meet you and we are going to have lots of fun" today we are ticking another item of Sofia's to do list which is visiting the ice cream museum in the city, and we are going to do Madame Tussaud's as that's something Mila has wanted to visit. "Are we getting pizza for lunch?" Sof asked making me laugh, all that girl thinks about is pizza. "I don't know love we will see ok?" We make our way to Mila's foster home, I have explained to Sofia about Mila and her parents passing away and she knows it's not something we are going to talk about. I knock and the house warden answers, she knows who I am now so I get straight to signing the paper work while they call Mila. Just as I'm finishing I see her come running down the stairs with a big smile on her face. "Callie" she shouts giving me a big hug, it's only been two weeks but I've missed this girl so much. "And you must be Sofia, your mama was right, you are beautiful" Sofia's cheeks flush and she giggles. "Right come on you two, we need to get going before we miss our time slot for the museum" I say taking one in each hand.

While I expected them to get on, I had no idea that they would instantly become inseparable, we had the best day, ate way too much Icecream and cotton candy and now both girls are cuddled up on the sofa watching Moana. "Sof mommy is calling" Mila paused the film while Sof answered, "hi mommy" she said with a huge smile. "Hi, look at you happy girl, did you have a good day with mama?" Sofia nodded "and Mila, Mila come say hi to my mommy, she's in Seattle where I live with her" Mila moved across on the sofa to sit by Sofia, they both told Arizona all about their day while I cooked dinner and for a split second, a part of me wished this was my life. I always wanted more than 1 child, so seeing two sat on the sofa waiting for dinner almost completes a missing part of me, but one of them isn't mine and the one who is, lives on the other side of the country. "Mama come here, mommy wants you" Sofia calls, I head across to the sofa and sit in between them with both of them instantly leaning in to cuddle me, "I just wanted to let you know I spoke with Alex and I can come three days before so just let me know what's good for you and I can book it and arrange for someone to fly with me" I smile at the thought of 3 days, Arizona is getting better at flying but not on her own, she flew out with Sofia for the first time without another adult and did amazing, her mom flew back to Seattle with her. "Three days is perfect so arrive on the Wednesday? And leave on the Saturday?" I check and she nods, "do you know who's flying with you?", "not yet, Amelia is flying back and forth Minnesota and said she'd be happy to fly via New York if the dates worked out so I'll check in with her first" I serve both girls dinner while Arizona stays on the phone. "Sofias list is getting longer by the day" I tell her making her laugh, "and Mila has given her so many more ideas of places to go, we have over 50 things on the list now" I see Arizona shaking her head laughing. "Sofia and Mila getting on?" I nod looking at them both, "almost too well, I feel outnumbered but I love it, a busy house, people to cook for, them laughing I even had someone tell me how beautiful my two daughters were today" I smile at the thought of having the family I dreamed of, "you always wanted a big family, it's not too late, you can still have that" I wish that was true but the only person I wanted a family with, I left and we now share custody from two opposite ends of the country. I avoid answering her statement and just leave the phone pointing in the general direction of us all while we enjoy dinner including Arizona in our conversations.

"We are going to have to head back soon, Mila has to be back for 9pm if I want to keep my twice a week visits" I remind them both, I've worked hard to be able to get to where I have with Mila these past two years and I'm not going to let anything ruin it. "But I don't want her to go" Sofia complains, "why don't you both pick a few things you want to do together and we will arrange which days we will do them? All 3 of us can do it together, how about doing one this Saturday?" I ask and they both nod with excitement running off to check their lists, "can't you foster her?" Arizona whispers breaking my thoughts, I shake my head, "I asked, I work too many hours as a solo applicant and apparently her parents stipulate in their will the type of family they wanted for her, seems she's kinda impossible to foster as she's been in the system so long, two days a week is my maximum and that's only been allowed recently" I did try, about 10 months ago, went though all the paperwork but I got knocked back on a few things and I haven't tried again. "That's a shame, she'd be lucky to have you, she already is because your her mentor but I meant foster" she kept her voice quiet but Mila and Sofia were busy in their own world anyway. "I tried, but Penny didn't want to be a part of it and my working hours as a single applicant weren't ideal" I say rolling my eyes knowing full well we could make it work especially as she's home schooled. "I'm sorry Callie, that sucks, you'd think they would do anything for her to have a good home" her words genuine and I loved to have Mila here more but I guess they don't think I'm the right fit for her. I sit watching Mila and Sofia deciding which days out they want and slightly regret not having Mila around the last 2 weeks, I didn't want Sofia to feel pushed out but this, right here, is perfect. "Mama we've picked, we want to do these together" Mila hands me a written list and I laugh, "that's a lot for the 4 days we have together but we will see what we can do ok? But it's time to go to say bye to mommy and Arizona and we need to get ready to leave" I tell them seeing the time, "bye mommy speak to you tomorrow", "bye Arizona" chaos resumed as melodies of goodbyes are said, shoes are put on and bags are picked up. 

Sofia was sad dropping off Mila but we planned to go out again on Saturday so they both having something to look forward too and it's Friday tomorrow so not long to wait. "Mama, will Mila ever have a mommy or mama?" She asks with sad eyes as we get into the car, "I hope so love, everyone deserves someone who loves them as much as mommy and I love you" I say reaching back to tickle her. "Mama, do you love Penny like you love mommy?" Her question caught me off guard and I really don't know how to answer, "it's a different love sweetheart, like the way I love you is a different love and the way I love Mila is a different love", "how is it different?" I am so glad I am driving for this conversation because I have time to pause before answering. "Well I grew you in my tummy, so my body knew you before I did, so my heart loves you different to how I'd love Mila because I didn't grow her in my tummy, my heart choose to love her later in life, it doesn't mean one love is better than the other and different types of love are special" I hope using her and Mila as examples will help more than Penny and Arizona, "but Penny is your girlfriend and so was mommy" I sigh wondering why my eight year old is so smart then remember she lives with Arizona, "mommy was my wife" well she still is technically but I don't want to say that to her "when you marry someone, it kind of makes you love them even more and I'm not married to Penny, I married mommy and that's why their love is different", Sofia stays with her thoughts for a while but I know this isn't going to be the end of this conversation, why did my little baby get so clever? I had no idea how much she understood, I knew Arizona was always very honest when answering questions, but love is complicated even for adults, especially when your girlfriend doesn't know your wife is still your wife when she thinks you divorced years ago.