Family dinner

                                    

                                          
**Arizona's Perspective**
The past few weeks had been a whirlwind-back-to-back surgeries, late-night consults, and barely a moment to breathe. My mind was constantly filled with cases, patient charts, and surgical plans. Despite all that, every time I got a moment to pause, I'd think about Y/N. Being with her had been the one bright spot in the madness of hospital life.
As I was reviewing a patient file, Y/N's voice snapped me back to reality. I looked up to see her standing in the doorway of the attending's lounge, her usual confident smile in place but with a hint of something else in her eyes-anticipation, maybe.
"Hey, Arizona," she said casually as she walked in, her eyes never leaving mine. "Are you still good for dinner with my family tonight?"
Dinner. Family. Tonight. The words echoed in my head like an alarm bell. Panic bubbled up inside me as I tried to hide the sudden wave of anxiety. I hadn't just forgotten-I'd completely wiped it from my memory.
"Of course, I remember!" I said quickly, forcing a smile. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."
Y/N looked at me, her eyes narrowing slightly, and I could tell she was gauging my reaction. My heart pounded. Did she know I'd forgotten?
"Great," she said after a moment, her smile returning full force. "Mom's been asking about you all week, and my brother is excited to meet the person I've been spending so much time with."
I nodded, managing to keep the smile plastered on my face until she left the room. The moment she was gone, I slumped against the table, running a hand through my hair.
How could I forget to meet her family? I needed to pull myself together-and fast.
After rushing through my afternoon consults, I made a beeline for the nearest on-call room. I had no time to lose if I was going to make a good impression tonight. I closed the door behind me, already rifling through my mental wardrobe.
What do you even wear to meet the family of the woman you're inlove with?
I couldn't exactly show up in scrubs, and everything I had in my locker was either too formal or too casual. The more I thought about it, the more panicked I became. This wasn't just any dinner-this was the first time I'd meet the people Y/N cared about most in the world. And I had to nail it.
I grabbed my phone and texted April, the only person who could help me with a fashion crisis of this magnitude.
Hey, I need your help. Emergency. What do you wear to meet the family of your new girlfriend? And no, it can't be scrubs.
Within seconds, April responded.
Casual but nice. Wear something that shows you're trying, but not too hard. Be yourself. You'll do fine.
I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. Casual but nice. I could do that. Maybe a blouse and jeans. Nothing too fancy, but enough to show I was making an effort.
I texted Y/N back: what time should i come pick you up? I wanted to make it seem like I had it all together, even though my mind was spinning.
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After finishing up for the day, I hurried home to change. I ended up going with a light blue blouse-one I knew brought out the colour in my eyes-and a pair of fitted jeans. I added a simple necklace and earrings for a touch of elegance. Looking in the mirror, I felt a bit more composed. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.
I arrived at Y/N's apartment right on time. She opened the door, looking stunning as usual, in a flowing dress that made my heart skip a beat. She smiled up at me, and for a second, all my nerves disappeared.