My Girl

16

*Arizona*

I was never the one to think big on family stuff like vacations but I would do it for this family. With Robert? The thought of going out with him in public never came to mind.

I knew Callie was passionate about a lot of things and this family turns out to be one of them. One of the main reasons or the only reason that I didn't want to tell the kids about our relationship is because of their fathers, I have yet to tell my parents or Ava's father about my relationship with Callie.

I didn't want to make it weird between Ava but she really likes Callie and has shown more love and affection to Callie than she has to her own father in years.

"If you don't mind, I'm going to step outside for a moment." I excused myself from my resting spot on the couch and made my way to the backyard.

How were my parents going to react to this sudden news?

I dialed my mom's number hoping she would pick up and not my dad.

"Hello?" She picks up on the second ring.

"Hey mom, how are you?" I try to start off the conversation right.

"I'm doing well, how are you?"

"I'm doing great, listen Mom, I have to tell you something and I hope you are ok with it."

"Ohh I see what it is, you've met someone, when will we get to meet this lucky person?"

"Do you still live close to Disneyland?"

"Yep, bring Ava over sometime."

"Mom I have a girlfriend." I blurted out.

She was silent, I could hear her breathing in and out. "What's she like?"

"She's amazing, she's got this amazing smile that lights up the room and her hair is so gorgeous, she's so caring and I really like her and I can tell she really likes me too and she's an orthopedic surgeon so I get to see her like everyday and I love it."

"When do you plan on going to Disneyland?"

"Day after tomorrow."

"I can't wait to meet her."

"She also has a kid the same age as Sofia and they get along really well, k love you bye" I said super fast and hung up. It felt like weights were lifted off my chest.

I walked back into the room to find Callie on the laptop typing.

"Is everything alright?" She asks.

"I told my parents about us and they live really close to Disneyland and she wants us to stay with her so you guys can meet them."

"Let's surprise the kids, tell them we are going to your parents house and then just go to Disneyland." She didn't say anything about us actually meeting them which was odd but I just pushed it to the side.

"That sounds like a plan." I walked back into my room to pack my clothes. A lot of my closet was now filled with Callie's clothes and I secretly loved it.

Then my phone started to ring, it was a call from Robert. I hesitated answering it but I did it anyways.

"Hello?"

"Hey, is Ava free tomorrow, I have her Christmas gifts." He says calmly.

"Not until the 29th."

"But it's the 26th, what possibly could you two be doing alone for 3 days?" I knew he was starting to get angry.

"I have a life too, and I have a family so maybe I want to take my daughter to visit them because she misses them."

"Well I miss my daughter too, where are you guys going?"

"To Disneyland."

"I'll pay for her ticket." He cares so much for his daughter and that's probably the only good thing about him.

"Arizona can you come here for a second!" Callie calls out from the living room, I'm hoping that Robert didn't hear her.

"Who's that?" He definitely heard her.

"Sister-in-law." I lie, if he found out who it really was then that could potentially put Callie or myself in danger.

"Are you sure?" I could hear the anger growing in his voice.

"Yes, Zahra and her girlfriend drove up here for Christmas, I'll send you the link for the thing and you'll see Ava with her stuff on the 29th, thanks." I hung up before I could say anything else.

Because my back was turned against the door I didn't see Callie walk in the room.

"Who's that?" She comes towards me and wraps her arms arm me.

"Nobody important."

"Seemed important enough to lie about me." She says calmly.

"It really was nobody." I broke away from the hug and sat on the bed.

"Arizona, you can tell me anything you know that right."

How was I supposed to tell her my ex husband is an abusive, bipolar, psychopath that belongs in a psych ward?

"It was my ex husband, Ava's father." I said low.

"What's so bad about him?"

"He's abusive, he's a psychopath and he belongs in a psych ward."

"Oh."

"He abused me so much during my pregnancy to begin with, he's bipolar but that's not what's wrong with him it's something inside of him that's telling him to do all of these things because he hasn't always been like this. Even after Ava was born he still made my live a living hell and a reality of wearing scarfs and long clothes to hide the bruises. I didn't want to tell you about him because I didn't want you to think I'm like him and I didn't want you to judge me for marrying him and having kids with him."

Callie took a second to take everything in. "Is Ava in any danger?"

"No, Ava is the one person who somehow turns him normal I guess. He has a major soft spot for her." I reassure.

She looks at me and gives me a sympathetic look. "I would never judge you because of your past, I like you for you and nothing you say can change that."

"Thank you for understanding." I was so relieved.

"But there is one more thing."

"Yea what is it?" Please let us not continue talking about Robert.

"You said having kids with him as in more than one, you don't have any other kids do you?"

She was talking about Arabella.