Arizona and Callie loved having a whole weekend off and just spending it with the family. Laura lived with them for two weeks now and although it wasn't a long time, it already felt totally normal. The kids were in Laura's room when they suddenly heard them yelling at each other. They were a little astonished because they had never heard them fight but they knew that sooner or later the two kids would get into an argument – which was totally normal.
"That is mine," Sofia pulled hard at a book that she wanted to take into her room.
"No, it's not. Alex bought it for me," Laura argued and tried to get back her book but somehow Sofia had a good grip on it. Laura was 100% sure that it belonged to her and didn't want Sofia to take it into her room just like the little girl had done with other stuff that belonged to Laura.
"Give it to me," Sofia whined and didn't stop pulling at the book. "I will tell my mommy!"
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"Hey, hey, hey!" Callie came into the room and saw the two girls arguing, "What is going on?" She looked from Laura too Sofia and expected an answer.
"Laura won't give me my book," Sofia screamed madly. Callie had no clue whether this book belonged to Laura or Sofia and pulled the two of them away from each other.
"If you two continue pulling like this, then you'll rip it and I'll take it away," Callie said sternly and looked down at both girls.
"But it's mine mommy," Sofia whined loudly and tried to get the book back. In contrast to Sofia Laura just let her head hanging and her lip started to shiver.
"Is it true that this is Sofia's book?" Callie asked Laura but was confused by her behavior. Laura didn't say anything at first but then looked sadly at the book.
"You can have it," Laura then whispered and gave the book to the younger girl who smiled proudly and walked out of the room. They could hear Sofia asking Arizona to read to her.
"Was it Sofia's book?" Callie asked Laura again who got tears in her eyes, shook her head and then let herself fall onto the bed and cried into the pillow. Callie immediately got up, walked outside to Arizona and Sofia, who were looking into the book, snapped it away from her daughter and yelled something in spanish at her. Sofia immediately started crying, ran after her mommy and tried to get the book back as she ran into Laura's room.
Arizona didn't really understand what was happening when she saw Laura and Sofia crying and Callie yelling madly at their youngest daughter. Sometimes she had the feeling that her wife could make fights worse, so she went inside and pulled Sofia onto her lap to calm her down while she caressed Laura's back as well.
"This is my book, momma," Sofia pointed at the book again. Arizona looked at the book and shook her head.
"Sweetie, that's Laura's book. Alex gave it to her," she took the book into her hand and opened it. "How about I read it to you two, huh?" Arizona went in between Laura and Sofia who cuddled closer to her and listened to the reading.
Callie was fuming right now. She hated it when Arizona interrupted her way of handling a situation, so she went outside the room and slumped down madly onto the couch.
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Arizona was relieved that Laura and Sofia looked into the book by themselves now, giggles again and had forgotten their fighting. So Arizona went outside to meet her mad wife. "Are you mad at me?" Of course Arizona didn't really have to answer, she knew the look on her wife's face, a look that told her that she was in trouble and that Callie would yell at her in a minute.
"Yes and you know exactly why!" Callie fumed and looked furiously at her beautiful wife.
"Calliope, I just wanted them to stop crying and I don't see what's wrong with that. I also explained to Sofia that Laura's stuff belongs to Laura and not to her," Arizona defended herself.
"Sofia was lying about the book and instead of making it clear that lying is not okay, you rewarded her by reading to her. I bet she didn't even listen to what you call explaining." Callie said madly and went to the fridge. They made sure that the kids weren't listening.
"I didn't reward her but I showed them the benefit of sharing and it worked. And I don't think that she was really lying, she just thought that it was hers."
"Oh, trust me, Sofia knew that it wasn't hers," Callie rolled her eyes in annoyance, "And yes, she has to learn to share but not only the things that belong to Laura."
"Callie, you're exaggerating now. I'm sorry that I intervened with your method of handling fights but they were already crying, so it's a normal instinct to calm them down."
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Arizona and Callie stopped yelling when they saw Sofia coming out of Laura's room with the book and other stuff that definitely belonged to Laura. "Do you think she believes that this belongs to her too?"
Arizona rolled her eyes in annoyance, "Fine, play the bad cop and handle the situation. I won't say anything."
"Good." Callie walked into Laura's room and saw her looking sadly out of the window. She sat down besides her, "Hey what are you seeing?" Laura shrugged her shoulders. "Did you give the book to Sofia? And your puzzle and the other stuff?" Laura shrugged her shoulders again and looked astonished at Callie who put her hand under her chin to make her look at her. "You have a right to say no, Laura. Just like everyone in this family. So, did you give her the things?"
"No," Laura whispered but immediately defended Sofia, "But she really wants it and she can have it. I don't mind." but got teary eyes.
"Hey honey, don't cry. Can you tell me why you're crying?" Callie went through Laura's hair and squeezed the girl's shoulder.
"I don't want to be a handful," Laura whispered sadly.
"Huh? Where is this coming from? You're definitely not a handful."
"Mr. and Mrs. Riley said that I'm a handful."
"Were Mr. and Mrs. Riley your foster parents?" Callie had a hunch and continued when Laura nodded, "They gave you away, right? Because they thought that you're a handful? But let me tell you something. Can you maybe look at me?" Callie pleaded and was glad when Laura turned her head to look into her eyes. Callie knew that Laura had been in a foster family a long time ago and that it had not worked out. In the end the little girl had been sent back to the orphanage. "Can I be really honest with you?" Callie whispered softly and wiped Laura's tears with her thumb, "You are definitely not a handful but do you know who is?" Laura shook her head. "Arizona is! Don't you remember how grumpy she can be when her prosthesis doesn't work how she wants her to. And Sofia is a handful too, you know her big temper tantrums and how she just stole your book. And me…well, I'm a tiny bit of a handful too. Especially in the morning. Arizona is always annoyed then because I'm not really a morning person. I don't think you're a handful girl and if you are, it doesn't matter because we are used to such people in our family."
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Arizona and Sofia came into the room right with Laura's stuff. Sofia looked guiltily at Laura and put the stuff onto her bed. She still looked a little mad but then apologized, "I'm sorry. I won't take your stuff any more."
Arizona smiled proudly, "But there is one thing you have to remember, Laura. We have a family rule!"
Callie and Laura looked confused up at Arizona. "That there is?" Callie asked a little confused because they had never talked about any rules.
"We stick together no matter what and that means that we're allowed to be moody, grumpy or a handful. We're just allowed to be how we are and nothing can tear us apart." Laura finally showed a small smile and nodded.
"Do you accept my apology?" Sofia then asked. In kindergarten she had to apologize all the time.
"Um…" Laura looked from Arizona to Callie.
"It's up to you. Your decision," Callie told the young girl.
"Um…yes but only if you give me back my big cat puzzle."
At first Sofia looked up at her mothers but then she gave in, "Ugh, fine," she ran into her room and came back with the puzzle that she handed over to Laura.
"Good job, girls. How about we go to the playground now?" Arizona suggested and loved the girls' reaction.
"So much for not intervening, huh?" Callie whispered into Arizona's ear and kissed her cheek while Arizona looked stunned at her. "I'm happy you did. I love our family rule!" she slung her arms around her wife and walked outside.
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"It hurts, it hurts!" Sofia sobbed in Arizona's arms while her momma rocked her back and forth.
"It's not that bad, baby," Callie looked at her daughter's knee. Sofia had fallen onto the ground and now got a scratch on her knee.
"I want a prosthesis," Sofia whined and looked at her mothers who were stunned.
"You want what?" Callie went through her hair and watched how Laura went down the slides with some bigger kids.
"I want a prosthesis like momma and Laura. When Laura or momma fall down on the prosthesis, it doesn't hurt," Sofia said honestly and cuddled closer to Arizona while both of her moms smiled at each other. It was finally time to get home again, "Laura!" Callie yelled but Laura didn't come immediately.
"Maybe she doesn't hear you," Arizona answered.
"Oh trust me, she does," Callie smiled when she saw Laura giggling with some new friends and playing hide and seek.
"Laura, it's time to go home,"
"In a minute," Laura yelled back and tried to catch the girl in front of her. She then ran back to Arizona and Callie who already waited for her.
"Can I sleepover at Mary's place?" Laura looked up at Callie.
"Mary?"
"Yes, we were together in the orphanage. She's adopted now too. Can I?" Laura asked again.
"No," Callie pulled her arm around Laura and didn't expect her to argue.
"But why?"
"Don't argue with me, young miss," Callie tickled Laura with a smirk on her face.
"But there is the family rule and it says that I can be me," Laura laughed. "And I want to sleep at Mary's place."
"Oh you!" Callie continued tickling Laura. She loved seeing Laura's other characteristics. It just showed her that Laura felt more and more secure with them. Laura turned around and looked at Arizona.
"Can I, Arizona?"
"You heard Callie," Arizona smiled down, went through her hair and opened the car's door.
"Whatta bummer," Laura pouted for a second but then started singing to the music that came out of the radio.
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Arizona and Callie drank their wine and listened to music while the kids were asleep. At least that's what they thought until they peeked into their rooms and could tell that Laura was wide awake. "Can't you sleep?"
"No," Laura shook her head and took a deep breath. She was thinking about so many things. About her dead family, about Alex, about her leg and her new situation. Callie and Arizona went inside the room and sat down on the bed to look down at the young girl.
"How about we lay down with you for a while and you tell us what you're thinking about?" Arizona suggested and squeezed Laura's cute nose.
"Okay," Laura whispered and opened her blanket. Callie and Arizona immediately went under it at each side.
"So, what are you thinking about?" Callie took Laura's hand and snuggled into the pillow.
"So much," Laura whispered and then she took a deep breath, "Are you mad if I…hang pictures on the wall of my mommy and daddy and Louisa and Kevin?"
"Not at all. We hoped that you would tell us a bit about them one day," Arizona answered and cuddled closer to Laura. Both of them had seen Laura looking sadly at old pictures but had never wanted to push her into talking about her past.
"I have this," Laura pulled out a picture and showed it to Callie. "I always have it with me."
"They are beautiful." Arizona yawned and looked at the happy family.
"That's my mom and my dad. And that's my sister Louisa and my baby brother Kevin. He was three years old. My sister was nine. Um and now they would be…um…five and eleven," Laura continued and told them about the things that she still remembered. Unfortunately she didn't really have that much memory any more. It didn't take long that her eyes got tired and she really had to fight to stay awake.
"Why don't you close your eyes and sleep? You can tell us more whenever you want." Arizona suggested.
"I'm not tired." Laura yawned but then closed her eyes and in a second she fell asleep.
"We will take good care of your daughter." Callie spoke to the picture and got out of the bed again.
"Promised!" Arizona added and gave Laura a kiss.
