The woman hadn't returned from the bathroom yet, so Callie continued her little cleaning spree in the kitchen. She put plates and cups in the sink, and brushed away a collection of crumbs from the small kitchen island. She was just about to open one of the windows to let some air in when she heard the bathroom door open.
The woman entered the kitchen, shirt in hand. She had changed the compress for two plasters, and was wearing a top, that also had a stain of dried blood.
"Do you want to borrow some clean clothes" Callie offered.
Yes. the woman made a small nod.
Callie went to her room to find something the woman could wear. She found an old Seahawks t-shirt, a pair of sweat pants, then grabbed some underwear, and socks.
She almost bumped into the woman when she stepped out of her room. Apparently she had followed her down the hallway. Callie gave her the clothes "Here. I'll go put on some coffee while you change. Do you want some?"
The woman shook her head.
"What about tea?" Callie offered.
The woman tilted her head slightly, smiled, and nodded.
Callie put on a kettle of water. She didn't bother with the coffee. She had been thinking for some time that she needed to cut down anyway. No time like the present she thought.
She put out two cups, two bags of tea, and since she didn't know how the woman took her tea, sugar, milk, and honey. The water had been ready for some time when the woman came back out into the kitchen. Callie noticed that her hair was wet, which explained why it had taken some time. She had probably taken a shower.
Callie told her to sit down, and poured water into both cups. The woman pulled the cup towards her. Then Callie remembered about the difficulty it had caused the woman to drink out of a glass. She turned around and took out another straw from a drawer and handed it to the woman with a smile. The woman took the straw and made a thumbs up in return. She put it in the cup and started drinking. Note to self: she takes her tea black, Callie thought.
Callie took another sip of tea, not sure how to break the awkward silence. The woman didn't seem to be uncomfortable with the silence though. They stayed that way for a while, exchanging glances. Callie alternated between looking out through the kitchen windows, to looking out through the window in the living room, and then into her cup.
It suddenly hit Callie that she was really hungry.
"I just realized, we haven't had any breakfast." She exclaimed, and started moving around the kitchen. She stopped, and turned to the woman
"But, I guess, we have to find something that doesn't need a lot of chewing..."
She opened a cupboard and took out a box of "Instant soup?!"
The woman confirmed with a smile.
Callie was heating up the soup when she realized she still didn't know the woman's name.
"You never told me your name."
The woman shot Callie a glance and then looked down into her cup again.
"You know my name so I think it's only fair that you tell me yours" Callie said.
The woman looked up at Callie. She smiled and then used her finger to signal Callie to come closer. Callie stepped closer. The woman used her finger to write on the wooden worktop. She had to write it upside down so Callie could see the letters from her side of the kitchen island.
Callie tried to see what letters she was writing "A?" The woman did not object so Callie assumed she had guessed correctly.
"R...I...Z...O...N...A. Arizona?!" Callie declared and asked at the same time.
Arizona nodded her head.
"Cool name" Callie said.
Arizona made a small bow with her head as a thank you.
Callie went back to the stove. "Soup's ready."
After they had finished their soup, Callie felt a bit more at ease. She felt comfortable enough to venture a question. "So are you going to tell me how you ended up behind that store almost bleeding to death last night?"
Arizona looked beyond Callie through the window.
"Since you didn't want to go to the hospital, I'm guessing you don't want a certain someone to know what happened to you?!"
Arizona looked down in her cup again.
"Abusive boyfriend?" Callie tried.
Arizona made a half nod half shake with her head. Something like that.
Callie felt her body relax completely for the first time since yesterday. She didn't have to worry anymore; she was protecting someone in need of help. It was all good. Maybe not all good since this woman was almost killed by her boyfriend, but at least she was safe in this house, Callie concluded.
Arizona stood up and went over to the coffee table to get the note book, and pen. She wrote down something and held it up to Callie.
"Sure, my computer's over there on the desk by the TV." Callie answered when Arizona asked if Callie had a computer she could borrow.
Arizona went over to the desk. Callie put the cups in the sink and started doing the dishes.
Arizona went on the internet. She browsed through the local newspaper page to check if there was any breaking news or such like. There was nothing to suggest anything out of the ordinary: the top headline was about a local politician being investigated for embezzlement. She felt her body relax. As she did, a sharp pain shot through her left side, and she put her right hand to her ribs. She couldn't remember the last time she had been in this bad shape. She tried to ignore it, and went on to search timetables for buses to take her out of this town.
Arizona had trouble reading the text on the screen. She put her hand to her forehead and noticed that she had started to sweat; the cause probably being the pain in her left side. Even though it wasn't the best thing to do, Arizona realized she needed to recover before she moved on. She knew she had to take advantage of Callie's kindness and stay in her house, at least for a few days until she felt better. Maybe it had been a mistake to tell Callie her real name – she didn't really know why she had – but she figured it was the least she could do considering Callie had helped save her life.
Callie had finished the dishes, and was wiping off the counter when Arizona walked into the kitchen again. Callie had had some time to think while she was doing the dishes, so she asked Arizona if there was anyone she wanted her to call, since she clearly couldn't talk herself. Arizona shook her head slightly, being careful not to move around too much. But Callie insisted her family or friends must be worried. Arizona wrote something in the notebook and held it up for Callie to read. There is no one. Callie didn't say anything to what Arizona had written; she only looked at Arizona wondering how it was possible that she didn't have anyone that cared about her.
Arizona penned down more words for Callie to read: The reason I wanted to borrow your computer was to check for bus timetables so I can leave.
Callie barely finished reading when Arizona dropped the notebook on the floor, and stretched out her arm to the counter for support. Callie hurried up to make sure she wouldn't fall, and noticed that Arizona was sweating.
"How are you feeling? It seems you have a fever." Callie said as she felt Arizona's forehead.
Callie helped Arizona sit down on a chair. "You shouldn't even be thinking about leaving, you need to get better first. You are welcome to stay here until you're back on your feet."
Arizona was too tired to at least fake-argue about staying.
"We need to get some painkillers and some more water into you're body, and then it's off to bed." Callie went to another cupboard and took out two pills of aspirin and an ibuprofen. Her mother, who used to work as a nurse, had taught her that when she had given Callie the same dose when she had broken her leg as a child.
Callie gave the pills to Arizona and held out a glass of water with a straw in it.
"Take these and make sure you drink up all the water."
Arizona did as she was told. Callie then explained to her that she would be more comfortable in the guest room than on the couch. The reason she hadn't put Arizona in there last night, she said, was because she had been to tired to help her all the way down the hall.
Callie filled up the glass with water, and led Arizona to the guest room at the end of the hall, that was situated right beside her own bedroom. Arizona went straight to the bed, and closed her eyes as soon as she put her head on the pillow. Callie studied Arizona's face before she put the glass of water on the desk, that was right beside the bed, and exited the room.
Callie left the door ajar. She stood in the hallway for a few minutes trying to feel if she was more shocked than tired, or the other way around. She decided it was probably fatigue, and went into her own bedroom to at least take a little nap.