Calzona - Together Again

Chapter Seven

- Calliope -
- Three days ago -

We get on Penny's floor. Sofia is excitedly bouncing up and down, and I'm pretty excited myself. I hoped Penny would forgive me for breaking up with her.
I still felt incredibly guilty for what I had said to Ari. I knew that none of the things I said were true. I just let this evil side of me come out. I never meant to do that. Never.
I look for door seventeen.
Butterflies fill my stomach as I push in the doorbell, a ring filling the apartment.
After hearing some stumbling and a giggle, the door is swung open.
"Finally! We thought the room service would never get -"
Standing in the doorway is naked Penny with her arm around a naked woman with black hair and blue slanted eyes.
"You're not room service." The snobby black haired woman whines.
"No, Frankie. This is no room service." Penny says, pale.
Once I come to my senses, I cover Sofia's eyes.
"Wrong room. I'm sorry. This was a terrible mistake." I make eye contact with her. "A mistake." I begin walking down the hallway, stunned.
"Calliope! Wait." Penny shouts. She runs after us in a white robe she slung on. "Calliope I'm sorry. You had broken up with me. If I had knew you were going to come back, I would have never -"
"Penny." I say, stopping her. "I'll give you One chance."
I lean in and slowly kiss her flat lips.
My eyes are open.
My tongue stays in my mouth.
I feel... Normal.
I feel... Nothing.
No fire works. No excitement. No love.
It was... Bland.
"Penny." I say, pulling away. "You were a rebound. From Arizona. I forced myself to love you so that I could get over her. But the truth is I'm not over her. And I don't love you. I regret being with you. You were a rebound. Zona... She is my one true love. You... You were a fill in and you sucked at it. I said some things to Arizona that I regret. I was wrong about her. Funny thing is, everything I said to her I should be saying to you instead. Now, if you'll excuse me I have a hotel to check into." And with that, I turn my back to the gaping woman, taking my daughter's hand.
"Oh and one more thing." I say, stopping in the hallway and turning back around. I toss her the bouquet I had behind my back. "Tell Frankie I said hi. And welcome to New York."
Taking Sofia's hand again, I walk back to the elevator. As we're going down, I call the Westin hotel, a hotel right in Times Square. "Yes I'll have a room with two double beds. Yes. And I'd also like room service. All of the chicken tenders and Mac and cheese you have." I say, shooting Sofia a wink. She smiles a confused smile.
"Yes. We'll be there for about two weeks. Yes. Thank you. The name is Calliope Iphignea Torres. Yes. Goodbye."
"Mommy?" Sofia asks.
"Yes baby?"
"If we aren't staying with Penny then why don't we go back home?"
"I promised you time to visit the city and see the Disney store. So that's what we're gonna do."
"When will I see mommy?"
"Soon." I say, smiling. "Maybe we'll see her soon."
She slightly frowns, but shrugs and follows me to the same cab that just so happened to be waiting for us.
"Didn't work out, sweets?"
"You can tell?"
"I can tell."
I pay him to bring us to the hotel, and I look out the window at the night city lights.
I feel a tear run down my face, landing on my hand. I quickly swipe it off, making sure Sofia didn't see.
I was crying.
It took me time to realize that I wasn't crying for Penny.
I was crying for how I left Arizona. For what I had said to Arizona. I was crying for Arizona.