Amelia's Daughter

twenty three

ARIZONAS POV
I've been trying to reach Amelia for a week. She hasn't answered any of my calls or texts, and she's barely come into work, or she is working and she's just avoiding me in every way possible. I can't function without her, but I need this grant. I can't back out on the sick tiny humans, but I can't back out on Amelia. It was Saturday so I knew Charlotte and Amelia were both home. I parked on their street and impatiently rang the doorbell. Charlotte opened the door and looked at me.
"Hey," she said softly, "she's not home."
"Her cars here," I said.
"She's with Maggie and Meredith," Charlotte said.
"Char who's at the door?" Amelia said softly as she came out of the kitchen. She looked so tired and I felt awful. She locked eyes with me and then froze.
"Arizona was just leaving mom," Charlotte said.
"It's fine," Amelia said. Charlotte rolled her eyes and walked back upstairs.
"What do you want?" Amelia asked me.
"Amelia I can't go to Africa with us like this," I said.
"Well you can't bail on me and the tiny humans so go save them," she said.
"Ames please," I begged her.
"Go to Africa," she said, "it's what you want anyway."
"What I want is you!" I said.
"Well how is that supposed to work when you're going to fucking Africa!" She yelled at me, "how is that supposed to work Arizona! You think I can just pick up my shit and follow you to another continent!" She was so sleep deprived and I could tell.
"I'm sorry I should just go," I said.
"When's your flight?" She asked.
"Tomorrow night," I said.
"Safe travels," she said as she walked back into the kitchen. I feel like my heart has been ripped out. I should have approached this differently, and now it was all my fault. I lost the perfect girlfriend. The girl I wanted to marry. I lost that over this grant. I had to go save the tiny humans, but I knew when I got back I would fight like hell for her.
CHARLOTTES POV
"Hey mom?" I asked as I opened her bedroom door. Her bathroom door was closed and I knocked on it.
"Hey I'll be out in a minute," she said. I knew she was crying. She opened the door and wiped her eyes.
"You okay?" I asked.
"Charlotte I'm fine," she said. I knew she was sleep deprived. She's barely been sleeping. She spends so many hours at the hospital working while simultaneously avoiding Arizona. I feel like she never sleeps. You can see it in her eyes.
"Hey why don't you take a nap," I suggested.
"Charlotte I'm fine!" She said.
"Mom please," I said, "I'll lay down with you."
"I miss her," she said.
"I know," I said and hugged her, "maybe things will be different when she comes back from Africa."
"I hope so," she said sadly.
ARIZONAS POV
I got on the plane. I texted Amelia that I was leaving. She wished me safe travels again. I keep thinking this is a mistake. Why would she wait for me? I mean she was amazing and beautiful, she could get any guy or girl she wanted. All I wanted was her, but I couldn't give this opportunity up. I know she knows that, in some part of her mind. I need to make this all up to her when I get back to the United States. When I went over there yesterday Charlotte seemed mad too, I feel like I ruined such a good thing. She did break up with me though, I would have tried the long distance, but I know it's not for everyone and I made her mad. I looked out the window as I sunk into my seat. I don't know what I'll do if I come back and she's gone.
AMELIAS POV
Arizona left. She left me. I broke up with her but she physically left. She's the one on a plane to Africa. I missed her. I can't stop thinking I made a mistake breaking up with her. I was justifiably mad. I had a right to be angry at her for not telling me about this and springing it onto us, but I guess there was no us anymore. I had to be okay. I had to be okay on my own for Charlotte. She was worried about me. I could tell. She was asleep next to me. I had to shove this down but the only way I knew how were drugs and alcohol, and that wasn't an option. I could not relapse. I had a daughter. She was my responsibility and I swore to never use again after she was born, and I wouldn't. Work was my coping mechanism I guess. It distracted me from the fact that my ex girlfriend was thousands of feet in the air on her way to Africa. She was really the girl I wanted to marry, and I ended it over a stupid fight. How would I survive without her?