The Aftermath of Callie and Arizona

Mrs. & Mrs. Part II

Callie's POV:

We got to the market that Sunday morning and not surprisingly, it was packed. I quickly grabbed  Arizona's left hand, just before we entered, so no one could knock her over in the sea of people crowding in around us. I realized people were starting to get impatient and had started pushing folks to get passed other individuals in order to get to different stalls, down the long, upper, hallway of Pike's.

My protective instincts kicked in, so I let go of her hand, in order to tightly wrap my arm around her waist. We walked that way for the next few minutes, until the crowd thinned out somewhat in the market and I felt it was safe just to hold her hand. 

And, not because I needed to hold her hand to physically support Arizona, but because I wanted to hold my wife's hand.

As usual, the market had a little bit of everything from artisan jewelry, clothing, art work, fresh flowers, tie-dye t-shirts, produce, seafood and pretty much anything else you can think of. 

My father was intrigued with the fresh mahi-mahi and almost didn't buy it until I told him they could put it on ice and I had a small cooler in the trunk of my car. 

Seems he already had plans to make his mahi-mahi ceviche recipe for Sophia to try. I absolutely love how adventurous Soph is when it comes to trying new food and was curious to hear what she would think about it. 

The five of us tooled around the stalls and vendors for over an hour, when Sophia asked, "When are we getting lunch Moms?"

"Well, my little one, we can go whenever grandpa and your Aunt Aria are ready to leave. They may want to look around more since they don't live in Seattle. Plus, your grandpa still needs to buy his fish before we go."

"Dad, I don't know about you, but I'm okay to leave whenever you are. I'm beginning to notice a lot of these booths are all starting to look the same." 

Leave it to my younger sister to be just as blunt as I would be. I'd like to think we got our, "assertiveness," from my Father, but I know it is a combination of both of our parent's dominate personalities and probably more prominently from my Mother.

"Aria, if you are satisfied with everything we've viewed, that is sufficient for me. I will go and procure the mahi-mahi and a couple other items for dinner this evening. If you ladies wouldn't mind waiting for me, I will go store the food in Calliope's car and be right back? Where should I rejoin everyone when I'm finished?"

"Daddy, why don't you meet us on the backside of the market, over there?" I pointed at a row of vacant benches in a park that was established in the later part of the 1900's, that faced the Sound and what's called, Elliott Bay.  My Father nodded and off he went.

Meanwhile, the four of us migrated to the benches and started talking about where to get lunch from. For once, the slight rain had passed and the storm clouds had disappeared as they flew in an eastern direction, across Washington. It was a sure sign that Summer was just around the corner and soon, we'd have a couple months of more sunny days, than rainy ones.

My Father was back in about 10 minutes and just in time to hear his granddaughter's ideas about where we should have lunch. Sophia was sitting on Arizona's lap on a bench when she started presenting her string of culinary dining opportunities that she wanted. 

Arizona had her arms wrapped around Sophia's midsection to hold her, but I know my wife, she was trying to get in some snuggle time before we parted ways for the next couple of days. For someone that was initially ambivalent to motherhood, Arizona is the most amazing mom to our daughter. Her dedication to Sophia sometimes makes me question my own parenting skills in the wake of everything she does.