It was one of those perfect spring days. The sun was warm but not too hot, and a gentle breeze swirled around Stevie as she lounged on a lawn chair in the backyard. She had been outside for a while, taking in the calm, peaceful atmosphere, letting the warmth of the day wash over her. It felt good, so good that she hadn't realized just how long she'd been out there. As the minutes passed, Stevie's eyes grew heavier, the quiet of the day and the rhythm of the breeze lulling her into a nap.
When she woke up, the sun was lower in the sky, and the warmth on her skin was now more intense. She stretched out, groaning softly, and then stood up, a little stiff from the nap. She wandered back inside, feeling the soft tension in her muscles. As she entered the kitchen, she and Karen almost bumped into each other as they both turned the corner at the same time.
Karen blinked at her in surprise. "Stevie... what's wrong with you?" she asked, her eyes widening.
Stevie glanced at Karen. "What do you mean?"
Karen's gaze dropped to Stevie's arms. "You look like a lobster. Your arms are all red!"
Stevie looked at her arms, squinting at the redness and the tender sensation on her skin. She reached out to touch her arm and immediately winced. "Ow. That really hurts."
Karen stepped closer, her expression turning concerned. "You've got a sunburn, Stevie. You must have stayed out there longer than you thought."
"I didn't even realize," Stevie muttered, rubbing her hands across her arms. "How do I fix this?"
"Come with me," Karen said, leading her up the stairs.
When they reached Karen's bedroom, Karen instructed Stevie to sit on the bed. "Stay here. I'll get something for it."
Stevie sat down, looking around at the neat, simple decor of Karen's room. She knew the rule well: she wasn't allowed to enter unless invited or told to come in. She respected that boundary, but it felt a little strange to be in here now.
Karen returned shortly with a bottle of green liquid, almost the consistency of hand sanitizer. She squirted a little into her hands and rubbed them together, warning, "This will feel cold at first."
Stevie flinched as the cold aloe touched her skin, but almost immediately, a soothing relief spread across her arms. "Wow, that feels amazing," Stevie sighed.
"It's aloe," Karen explained. "It helps with sunburns because it cools the skin down and promotes healing. It's been used for centuries for that purpose."
"Thank you, Karen," Stevie said, her voice full of appreciation. "I had no idea that would work so well."
"You're welcome," Karen said with a smile. "Now, don't forget to keep applying it every few hours, okay?"
Stevie nodded. "I will."
Stevie went back downstairs to the couch, her arms now feeling much better. She plopped down, grabbed the remote, and started flipping through channels. A few minutes later, Karen came down, calling out, "I'm stepping out for lunch. I'll be back in an hour."
"Alright, take your time," Stevie replied absently, focusing on the TV.
Not long after, her phone rang. The caller ID showed "Lori," and Stevie smiled as she answered the phone.
"Hey, Lori!" Stevie greeted cheerfully.
"Hey! How are you feeling?" Lori asked, her voice full of concern.
"I'm doing better. Got a bit of a sunburn, though," Stevie admitted. "I was laying out in the yard, and I must've fallen asleep for longer than I thought. My arms feel like they're on fire."
