As Lena was paying for their pedicures an hour later Callie noticed something she usually only did when she was nauseous - she was sipping on a bottle of water and gently rubbing her belly.
"Do you want lunch?" Callie asked as the two headed to the car.
Lena stopped in her tracks and just stared at Callie, unsure of what to say making Callie laugh.
"You usually just sip on water when you're nauseous and you're usually nauseous when you're hungry." Callie said frankly. "It's one thirty now so do you want some lunch?"
"Yes please." Lena said, still a little shocked that Callie had suggested food. Today had been a really unique day for Callie and even though there had been a setback, she seemed to be making extreme progress.
"How about we go to the Salad Bar?" Callie suggested, knowing it was one of Lena's favorite places that served unlimited soups and salads for a reasonable price.
"I'd like that." Lena smiled as she finally continued walking to the car, still a little shocked at what had just happened.
They got to the restaurant and the server gave them the list of soups and salads that they were offering that day. The two browsed the menu for a few minutes before Lena settled on the corn and jalapeño soup while Callie picked the lentil soup.
"I'll be right back." Callie said as she got up to head towards the restroom.
"Are you okay?" Lena asked quickly, before the girl could get away. She was a little worried about Callie and didn't want the girl out of her sight.
"Just going to the restroom." Callie smiled. "I'll be right back."
Lena nodded though she still felt a little worried. She hoped that Callie really was okay - she'd had a mild meltdown and then suggested and ordered lunch all on her own. Lena quickly sent a text to Stef telling her what was going on. She wanted Stef's opinion as well as Stef to be ready incase Lena needed her help.
Callie got back to the table just as Lena had finished texting and the server brought their soups. The two began eating in silence for a few minutes - Lena taking bite after bite quite quickly but Callie, at a much slower pace. When Lena's phone buzzed signaling she had a message she looked down at smiled at Stef's reply telling her not to look a gift horse in the mouth but if she was still worried and found anything more odd then they'd talk to her in the evening.
"You're smiling." Callie said, watching Lena as she read the message.
"Mom texted me." Lena said. The love for her wife clearly heard in her words.
Just then Callie's phone also buzzed and when she looked down she smiled as well. "She texted me too." She said happily, showing Lena the text that read Remember, I love you.
Lena smiled and looked up at Callie as she handed the phone back. "We both do." She said.
The two continued to eat for a few minutes and then Callie began to talk again.
"You're different from any couple I've ever met before." Callie said.
"What do you mean?" Lena asked, looking up from her bowl.
"I've never met people who actually love each other the way you two do." Callie said. "Even when you fight or are mad at each other you still love each other and it's not just regular love but it's in all the little things you do for each other."
Lena raised her eyebrow slightly, silently questioning the girl further as she finished the last of her soup.
"You wash mom's favorite t-shirt even when you don't really have a full load just because you know she likes to wear it to bed, you make sure to get her favorite dip even though it's only available at the other end of town and you give her her space even when she's in the wrong and mad at you for something she's responsible for." Callie explained. "And she pretends to be absolutely fine after work because she knows you'll worry if she seems too tired or her body aches, she sometimes grabs an extra pillow from the closet when she comes home late from work because you cuddle up to her's and she doesn't want to wake you to get it."
Lena felt her heart swell as she listened to her daughter, realizing for the first time all these little things that both of them took for granted.
"I've never seen that before." Callie said again, with a shrug like it was no big deal.
"We do love each other." Lena said, dabbing her eyes with her table napkin. "And we do these things because we love each other. Getting mad at each other or fighting doesn't change that."
Callie nodded as she finally finished her soup as well. Then the two of them got up to the buffet to make their sandwiches. Lena watched, impressed at the reasonable amount of fillings Callie put into her sandwich and then the two of them headed back to the table.
Lena was lost in her thoughts for a while, wondering how to word what she wanted to say to Callie without upsetting her or misinterpreting her actions.
"You know honey, it works the same for you." She finally said.
"What does?" Callie asked, wondering what her mother was talking about.
"We love you even when we fight or are mad at you." Lena explained.
"I know." Callie said matter-of-factly before taking a small bite of her sandwich. "You guys tell me that all the time."
When Lena saw how easily Callie had responded she decided to just go with her gut and take the plunge.
"Why are you eating?" Lena asked causing Callie to look up at her with worry across her face.
"It's lunch." Callie said cautiously, wondering what the right answer to such a question was.
"Don't get me wrong." Lena stopped her. "I'm thrilled that you've been eating and you've really been doing a great job though I know it's been hard for you, and I'm not in any way, telling you to stop but I want you to know that we love you even when you don't eat and you worry us and we have to practically force feed you. You don't have to be afraid."
Callie looked down at her sandwich for a long time as though it was giving her an answer. "I'm not afraid." She finally said. "I was when Stef left and sometimes before that when you guys got mad but I haven't been since she came back. I guess I finally realized that what you keep telling me is true and I wanted to do something back for you. I do still find it hard sometimes but then I think about all the things that you guys have done for me and I feel that I can definitely do something this small for you."
Lena just stared at her daughter, amazed at how much she'd seemed to have changed in just a few days. She seemed a lot more relaxed and open and she wondered if it all really was due to Stef leaving in anger but then coming right back. It was probably something no one had ever done in the young girl's life and now she had no reason but to believe what they told her.
"I do it for Jude too." Callie went on. "I don't want to ruin it for him and I owe it to him. I got us kicked out of so many homes."
Lena was about to object to that statement but Callie stopped her.
"I know you're going to say that it's not really my fault." She interrupted Lena's thought. "But in a way it kinda is, it may not be on purpose or in my control but it was mostly my fault. I was too old so no one wanted us but they couldn't split us up. What Liam did to me wasn't my fault but it was still done to me and that's the reason we moved from there. Even when I cause trouble here I put Jude in a position where I make him feel like she has to choose and I don't want to do that. I want to just be normal, even when it seems like I'm causing trouble just for the sake of it, I don't."
"We know that honey." Lena said. "We understand that eating disorders are real and not just in your head and we are trying to do everything we can to help you."
"You do." Callie confirmed. "You let me eat once everyone else is gone and that helps a lot and Stef always holds my hand when she's home which reminds me that I can do it. I just find it hard sometimes when all I have to focus on is me. I'm so used to doing everything to take care of Jude, even taking care of myself was so that I'd be strong enough to take care of him, but now, it's hard letting someone else take over.
Lena listened to Callie open up about her feelings and realized that Stef's suggestion of getting Callie involved with the children's home might be just what she needed. It would give Callie a chance to help someone else without giving up anything of herself. Though she wanted to discuss it with the girl she decided to do that with Stef so instead she grabbed Callie's hand across the table and smiled as the two of them took a bite.
Lena felt extremely relaxed as they finished lunch. Things were definitely looking better and her nausea was gone and the baby was now getting active. Suddenly she pulled Callie to her side of the table and placed her hand on her own stomach, low and to the side where the baby was kicking wildly.
At first Callie stiffened slightly at the awkwardness of touching Lena's stomach but when she actually felt the baby kick she smiled and looked up at Lena with big, excited eyes. "Is that..?"
"Your sister." Lena confirmed. "She can't wait to come out here and meet you."
"I can't wait to meet her either." Callie said, moving her hand slightly to feel the baby better, the smile never leaving her face and Lena's gaze never leaving it either.