Chapter 2

Sofia's door was open Arizona didn't check inside, Sofia was either asleep or in the kitchen. Heading down the hall Arizona noticed the kitchen light was on. Sofia was there, sobbing with the washing machine open stuffing wet bed sheets inside.

"Sofia?" Arizona walked inside putting the crutch down. On seeing her Mommy Sofia's cries became louder and more distressed. Arizona crouched down next to her, pulling her into a hug not caring if she was covered in urine. Her daughter was far more important,

"I'm sorry Mommy, I'm sorry" Sofia cried repeatedly,

"It's okay baby, it's okay, accidents happen." Arizona soothed rocking her until the cries settled into whimpers. "Now let's clean those sheets and get you into the bath and get clean" While outside she was the picture of calm internally, she was wondering why Sofia had regressed, she'd been potty trained since the age of 4. Was this because of them splitting up, moving apart and why was Sofia washing her own sheets? She should feel safe to come to her Mommy, had the done this to their daughter, torn her apart so much she didn't trust them anyone. The sheets went into the washing machine, followed by Arizona's pyjama top,

"Now yours baby" Arizona instructed, trying to lift her top off.

"I can do it Mommy" Sofia protested, stepping away from her mommy's reach.

"I know, okay" Arizona stepped back to watch Sofia do it,

"You can't watch" Sofia ordered, raising Arizona's suspicions, 6-year-olds weren't body conscious, not in front of their parents not unless they were hiding something.

"Okay I'll close my eyes" Arizona promised, it worked as she closed her eyes Sofia stripped off. Arizona peeked and forgot all about pretending she wasn't. Her daughter was covered in bruises and welts, even on the dark skin they stuck out like beacons.

"Sofia" she cried tears welling up in her eyes, "What happened baby?" she grabbed her hugging her tightly before realising she was probably hurting her daughter by pressing on the bruises.

"Mommy, no, you can't see, Mommy, no" Sofia cried. Arizona lifted her daughter upholding her close to her chest as gently as she could. This was not a conversation to be had naked on the kitchen floor.

"I'm not angry baby, I love you so much, I promise I'm not angry, I love you" Arizona repeated until Sofia stopped fighting her and the sobs stopped. "Now let's get clean" Arizona ordered running the bath again, this time they both climbed in as they had 3 months ago. Letting the water out and drying them both Arizona began disinfecting some of the worse welts. It looked like belt marks, 10 belt marks, someone had hit her daughter at least 10 times with a belt. But she couldn't react to that now because if she did Sofia would think she was angry with her. After both had clean pyjamas on Arizona brought Sofia into her bed. It was 2am, she didn't want to go and find clean sheets and change the mattress at this early hour. Instead, she cuddled her daughter in her own bed. Savouring the peace of the early hour, it was going to be a difficult day, Sofia needed to sleep. None of the injuries were life threatening. Sofia went to sleep straight away leaving Arizona lying awake, stroking her daughter's soft hair, making a plan. She needed to plan.

It was 7am when Sofia began to stir.

"Good morning baby" Arizona greeted kissing her forehead, "I love you"

"I love you too Mommy, I'm sorry" Sofia apologised, looking shamefully at the sheets twisting them nervously,

"Sorry for what baby?" Arizona asked confused,

"Sorry for waking you up"

"Bug, I love you waking me up, I love seeing you first thing in the morning or in the middle of the night. If you ever need me, I will move heaven and earth to come to you" Arizona promised she could tell Sofia didn't believe her, but she didn't expect her too. It was going to take a lot more than one conversation to start healing whatever had happened to her baby.

"I brought your favourite breakfast cereal" Arizona tried to distract her daughter. It didn't work

"I eat fruit now, I don't wanna get fat" Arizona felt her mouth open in shock.

"Sofia Robbins Torres Sloan, you are not fat, you are perfect, you are amazing," she replied who had told her daughter that, her secure happy 6-year-old had been gone 3 months and had come back broken in so many ways.

"If you want fruit, you can have fruit, but don't have it because your worried about being fat, you know what I do for work?" Arizona asked,

"Make poorly little humans better" Sofia replied proudly.

"And you're a little human, so I know what a healthy one looks like, and I can tell you, you are perfect. So, if you want fruit, you can have fruit, if you want lucky charms, you can have lucky charms or we can go out for pancakes, because you are amazing and most definitely not fat"

Sofia screwed her lips up in deep thought, "can we have pancakes tomorrow? I'm really hungry"

"Of course, baby, let's get up" Arizona swung her leg over the side slipping her other leg on, "Sofia can you pick out what clothes you are going to wear today, while I make a call"

"Okay" Sofia bounced from the room. Arizona got out her cell phone. Making the much needed but dreaded call, one she never thought she would have to do.

She met Sofia in the kitchen. Sofia had got the bowls out and was searching from the cereal.

"I'll get it you sit down" Arizona ordered reaching into the top cupboard. She poured 2 bowls of the sugary cereal and added milk. There was silence as Arizona struggled with trying to find the words to ask Sofia the questions she desperately need to know.

"Sofia, how is school in New York?" Arizona chose a safe subject trying to open up any part of her daughter's other life.

"It's okay, I like my teacher, but she is really old. Even older than you Mommy" Sofia explained,

"I'm not old" Arizona protested,

"Your over 10 Mommy that's old" Sofia instructed, Arizona giggled, by her daughter's standard she was ancient.

"What about friends? What was her name Lottie?" It didn't look like playground injuries but maybe it was playground games gone horribly wrong.

"I like Lottie she likes playing Pony too"

"How do you play pony?" Arizona asked drinking her extra-large, extra strong coffee. Praying it involved hitting with a belt, it would be the least harmful explanation for the belt marks that another 6-year-old had hit her recreating a jockey on TV.

"You pretend to be a pony and you have to do jumps and run and race"

"Do you ever hit each other?" Arizona asked wondering if they'd seen the whipping horses got in professional races and copied

"No Mommy, hitting is bad" Sofia explained, "If you hit a school, you get a time out"

"Sofia, I know someone has hit you, and I want to put them in a long time out, but I need you to tell me who" Arizona pleaded hoping this was the opening she needed. Sofia tensed up,

"I can't Mommy, she'll hurt me" Sofia whispered, so it was a woman Arizona thought.

"I'll protect you; I love you and you are so brave bug," Arizona lifted her off her chair holding her in her arms. "And when you're ready I will listen" she promised. "Now we got to go to the hospital, I need to check none of the bruises are making you poorly."

"But Mommy nobody can see, it has to be kept secret" Sofia protested.

"I know that's what they have told you but baby they need to go in a long time out, and I promise I won't let them hurt you again" Arizona promised. "And then afterwards we can go and pick up the biggest bowl of ice cream in the world" She wasn't really giving Sofia a choice; they were going to the hospital even if she had to drag her. Thankfully Sofia agreed getting changed and getting into her car seat.

Uh oh someone is abusing Sofia, any guesses who?