"So, have you ever been to The Art Cafe? It's not far, in Kensington Square." Jules made a turn to head that way.
"We never eat out." Callie answered.
"They have pretty much anything you can think of there. You'll love it." Jules looked at her and smiled.
"Ok." Callie looked out the window, watching her neighborhood disappear behind them. She walked the three miles to and from her school every day, so she always got a glimpse of the beginning of her old neighborhood. They were headed away from even that area now. "So what do you do for fun?" She was curious. She hoped they had something in common.
"Let's see. Um." Shoot guns at the range, she thought. I can't tell her that. She may want to try it and she's a little young. She decided to give her something that maybe they could discuss. "I'm a terrible cook. I mean, I can cook some things, but I am the master of the microwave."
"I'm the master of the Ramen." Callie offered.
"Do you know how to make anything else?"
"Mom taught me to cook a few things. I can make an amazing Spanish omelette. Oh and brownies from scratch. Keith loved-" Callie put her head down.
Jules looked at her as they rounded a corner. Her brother, she thought. "Keith?"
"My, uh, brother."
"Oh? I didn't know you have a brother." She wanted Callie to tell her whatever she wanted or felt comfortable about sharing. Not what Jules read in a file. It would show her trust.
"Had. He died last year."
"Oh. I'm so sorry. How old was he?"
"I don't want to talk about him."
"Ok." Jules pulled into a parking spot in front of the cafe, turned off the engine and turned to look at Callie. "You don't have to." Jules stepped out of the jeep and Callie followed.
They went into the cafe and ordered their supper before Jules spoke again. "So to get back to your question about what I do for fun. I like to read, but most of the time it's work type books. Negotiation tactics, tactical strategies. Some romances sometimes. What about you?"
"Just ones for school. I'm not big on books." Callie looked at her sweatshirt and picked at the sleeves.
"Do you do any sports? Or watch any?"
"Gymnastics. I used to do them. I loved it, but I had to quit. We couldn't afford it any more."
Everything seems to relate to Keith and his sickness, Jules thought. "Which event?"
"Floor exercise. I watch the Olympics for that event , but I like the uneven bars too." Callie looked at her. "You?"
"I did some track in school, but I kinda sucked. Especially the hurdles. I broke my nose twice before I gave that up."
"Ooh." Callie put a hand to her nose.
"Oh it hurt. And bleed! So gross." Jules made a disgusted face.
"Yeah I hate the sight of blood." Callie stuck her tongue out.
Jules nodded. Bonding is good. "The team, of course is into sports. Mostly baseball and hockey. We watch the games together. It's pretty fun. I follow it, but not as heavily as they do. I just laugh when they get upset over a play or people being traded or fired. They make it sound like the world is ending!"
Callie rolled her eyes. "I don't get their obsession with sports. That's all the boys at school talk about too."
Their food came and they ate in silence. Afterwards, Callie thanked Jules for supper and they headed back to Callie's.
Callie was quiet on the way back, but that's because she was thinking. This was pretty fun. She didn't let that show on her face though. Just wait. You don't know if she's coming back. That's what dad said too when he went to get cigarettes eight years ago. Remember your manners and don't sound too needy when you say goodbye.
"Well. You are home." Jules stopped the car in front of Callie's building.
"Thanks for hanging out and for supper." Callie gave her a small smile and opened her door. Don't look back. Only if she calls your name.
"Callie."
Callie turned and looked at her. More hope in her eyes than she wanted.
"I'm free tomorrow if you are." Jules smiled.
Callie smiled. "I get out at 3:20."
"Ok. Do you want me to pick you up there? Then we can go to my house to hang or do something if you want."
"Sure. Either is fine with me." Callie shrugged.
"Ok, I'll see you tomorrow at your school at 3:20." Jules smiled.
"Ok." Callie felt her heart soar. She'd get to hang with Jules again tomorrow. Maybe she is ok, she thought. If she shows. Just wait. Don't get your hopes up in case she doesn't show. She closed her door and returned Jules' wave as she drove off.
"Is that why you ditched us?" Mitzy's angry voice came from behind Callie. "For some old bitch?"
Callie whipped around and faced Mitzy, shock on her face. She didn't see the fist coming from her left. It landed square in her stomach, not once but twice. Callie fell to the ground and vomited up some of her dinner. Her eyes teared up at the pain in her stomach.
"No one stands up Mitzy." Candace stood over her.
Mitzy put a hand on Candace's shoulder. "We may have a use for her yet." She squeezed and Candace buried her size nine shoe in Callie's stomach.
##### Sam's apartment, 0900 #####
Sam and Jules sat on the couch, each a beer in hand. Sam had his arm across Jules' shoulders and that hand intertwined with hers.
"So you didn't tell me how it went." Sam looked at Jules.
"We were kinda busy." Jules looked at him with mischief in her eye.
Sam smiled slyly.
"It actually went really well, I think. I kept asking her questions to try to find common ground, but everything seems to lead back to her brother. He died last year of leukemia. From the sounds of it, she and her mom gave up pretty much everything for his treatments."
"That must've been hard." Sam said.
"Yeah." Jules looked at their intertwined hands. "I think that's how we'll relate the most. We both lost a parent at a young age. Mine died and hers disappeared, but it leaves a lot for the parent left behind."
"It's hardest on the kids." Sam said into her ear.
"Yeah. My poor dad. I'm not sure how he did it. I was pretty wild after mum died."
"But you got through it." Sam put his beer down, used his other arm to pull her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. He wanted to stay like that for forever. Keep her safe, not let anyone hurt her ever.
She loved when he hugged her like this. She put her head back against his chest and reveled in his warm arms around her. "I did. But for the grace of Officer Farrell go I."
"It's really noble of you to do this. One more thing I love about you." He kissed her cheek.
"Thanks. I love you too." She smiled contentedly.
They sat like that for awhile until Sam commented that one of his legs was falling asleep.
Jules quickly moved next to him and smacked his arm at the same time.
Sam couldn't help laughing.
When Jules picked Callie up at school the next day, she could see that Callie was moving kind of slow.
"Hey. Are you ok?" Jules looked at her concerned.
"I'm fine." Callie got in the jeep and slouched in the seat holding her stomach.
"You don't look fine." Jules hated using that word. Team One avoided it unless they were really F.I.N.E. Fucked up, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional.
It was from Sam's JTF2 days. He and his friends had come up with it after a particularly bad mission when Sam had come back to base in bad shape. Broken and looking for the easy way out, Sam had been on the edge. Luckily his friends had pulled him from the brink.
"Let's go." Callie nodded towards the road.
"Ok." Jules let her eyes linger on Callie's painful pose. She pulled out from her parking spot and started down the road towards her house. "Bullies?" Jules looked at Callie.
Calli just shook her head, tears flowing down her cheeks. She'd had a horrible day at school. Not only had Candace punched and kicked her last night, but today during lunch Candace had pushed her into her locker and made her stay there all period until she peed her pants. She had to wear her gym clothes the rest of the day.
If that wasn't bad enough, she hadn't had a chance to take her gym clothes home to wash them so they were kinda stinky. Kids kept holding their noses as she went past them. Eventually she'd hidden in the basement and waited until the final bell rang. She prayed that Jules would be there. She was relieved she was right on time and had run to get in the jeep.
"Callie. What happened? I can try to help you." Jules asked, concerned.
"I, I just didn't feel good today. My stomach hurts."
"Are those your gym clothes?" Jules didn't want to insult her, but she smelled like b.o.
"Yeah. I, spilled at lunch and I didn't have any other clothes."
"Aw, I'm sorry. Listen, I have some old sweats that will fit you. How about you take a shower and I'll put them out for you. I'll wash your clothes." Jules offered as they turned onto her street,
"You- why would you- you don't have to do that. I can wash them when I get home." Callie looked down at her clothes and smelled herself. God she stunk. Maybe she should take the offer.
"It's no big deal." Jules shrugged. "Come on." She climbed out of the jeep and headed up her walkway.
Callie got out and followed. This better not get weird, she thought. She watched TV, there are a lot of pervs out there. She followed Jules inside and followed her as she gave a tour of the house. They went upstairs and into Jules' room with a bathroom. Jules took out the sweats and a t-shirt, a towel and washcloth and put them on the sink counter. She showed Callie how to run the shower, walked out and closed the door behind her.
Fifteen minutes later Callie walked out carrying her clothes away from her and making a face. "Jules?"
Jules walked out of the kitchen, into the living room and to the bottom of the stairs. "Yes?"
"Where's the washing machine?" Callie had looked in the other two rooms that made up the upstairs and didn't see a washer or dryer.
"Down here. Come on down." Jules smiled at Callie. Her clothes were hanging off her small frame, but she smelled much better. She noticed that as Callie got closer. She led Callie into the kitchen and took the clothes from her. She did her best not to make a face as she turned to the left and put the clothes in the washer.