The Aftermath of Callie and Arizona - Volume II

Don't Provoke An Angry Bear Or A Dutiful Wife

Arizona's POV:

"Arizona, I wasn't trying to get Callie drunk on Monday night. I lost track of how much I had myself as I was cooking and we were talking. It was just a honest mistake and was completely my fault. Callie had nothing to do with it."

I just kept staring at Charley and while I did, I was scrutinizing every move from her facial expressions, to her body language and especially her words. There's one thing I've realized about most of the attorneys I've known in my lifetime, they never speak without carefully selecting their words.

"That's one point we seem to agree on Charley, that Callie had nothing to do with it. After speaking with her this week, I know she didn't come to your house with the intent to do anything except eat dinner and work. Callie however, should have known her limit regardless of the fact you were pouring as much as you did. And I most certainly hold Calliope accountable for not being responsible enough to pay attention to how much she was consuming."

"Arizona, what do you want me to say, ...good grief!? That I invited your wife over for the sole purpose to ply her with too much wine and seduce her?!"

"Bingo! That's exactly what I think you were up to. Maybe it wasn't your primary mission that night, but you can't sit there and tell me you didn't consider it! My gawd, if I had your house, your career, your looks, and was single, I'd be one busy girl on the Seattle queer scene! I'm guessing your bedroom has seen some things over the years... Good thing your walls can't talk, huh, Charley?"

I definitely touched a nerve because suddenly, Charley couldn't seem to form a coherent sentence to save her life. Which is strange considering Charley never seemed to be without words or her smooth talking bravado. I knew something was about to come out from her communication meltdown.

"It was only, it just, I didn't even though, I ..." 

I saw Charley start squeezing the back of her neck in response to the stress she seemed to be feeling. I noticed my opening and decided to take it.

"What happened that nobody is telling me? I sense Callie was too intoxicated to remember."

"Arizona, it wasn't, I know I, but she..."

"But she what, Charley? What did Callie do?" I knew my face was bright red by this point, but didn't care. 

"It's just that she stumbled and I didn't want to, I swear it wasn't my intention. I had been drinking, you have to believe me, I just, I don't know why..."

"I've heard Sophia's tall tales make more sense than your current ramble. What in the Hell happened on Monday night, Charley?! I want an answer from you, right now!"

Charley took a large pause and a long drink from the bottle of water that was sitting on her desk. She looked down in earnest at her blotter as she seemed reticent about what she was going to say next. That's when she realized I was staring her down with a look I knew conveyed my persistence in demanding her answer.

"It was late, and we had both been drinking. Callie had gotten up when the wine hit her all at once. I was drunk and trying to hold her up, when she tripped. She ended up pushing me backwards on the couch and landed on top of me. I knew we shouldn't, but curiosity got the better of me and we..."

"You don't mean curiosity got the better of you Charley, you mean lust got the better of you. There's a clear difference in my opinion, but keep going and don't spare details. I need you to be honest with me."

Charley kept wringing the back of her neck periodically, as if each word she spoke was causing it to tighten and fuse.

"Arizona, I didn't have any intentions for the night other than to work. As we drank more wine and as the night wore on, my defenses lowered. When Callie accidentally stumbled on top of me, I felt a rush of exhilaration. I wasn't intending that to happen, but it's what I felt in the moment. She didn't remember, but when she collapsed on top of me, after a few seconds, I reflexively kissed her. It was brief and only lasted a quick moment before she pulled away and started talking about you. Even drunk, your wife is loyal to her core."