Arizona
He headed out of the living room and I immediately got off the couch.
It felt wrong; Mark was treating me like an equal. I knew in the back of my mind that we were best friends, but what they had done to me was the forerunner. She was anxious. Calliope would be home soon and I hadn't finished the chores that were ingrained in my mind. Not finishing equaled punishment. Calliope equaled pain. I was afraid for Callie to come back. I had failed this morning. Callie had patience, but all patience came to an end at some point. I didn't want to be hit again. When I heard the key in the door and her mind reeled, back to when Penny or Whitney would come into the finished barn house at the end of the day before they started beating. I started for the door.
Callie walked through the door and sat her bag down. I was on her like glue. Maybe if I could please Callie now she wouldn't be so angry when she found out the chores weren't done. Callie was bewildered. And then I went for the zipper of her jeans. "Woah, woah, woah," Callie pushed my hands away. "What are you doing?"
"Greeting you at the door," I said simply.
"Blondie!" Mark called out of the bathroom. "Oh! Hey Torres."
"Mark," Calliope smiled. "How was she?"
"Okay."
I stood by Callie's side, my hands folded in front of me, eyes glued to the floor. Callie looked around the apartment. It was spotless. It had never looked this good. She heard the beeping of the dryer and I bounced on my heels. It beeped again and I bounced harder. "Yes, Zona?"
"The clothes in the dryer are finished," I said anxiously.
"And?"
"May I go get them?"
Callie looked to Mark and then back to me. "You don't need my permission."
I ran.
Calliope
"Did she just, she just ran," I said.
Mark pulled me aside. "Latina, something...she catered to me. Asked me every two minutes if I wanted anything. She was...uncomfortable...sitting on the couch, she didn't think it was appropriate. When I walked in, she was on her way to scrub the shower."
"What?" I exclaim.
"She's scrubbed the fridge out, Cal," he said. "Talk to her."
"I'm trying," I sighed. "You can get going; I'll take care of her. Thank you. I'm sorry I had to go in today."
"Don't be sorry. We're in this thing together. We'll get our Zona back, whatever it takes. Those losers don't get to keep her."
I forced a smile. "Thanks Mark." He hugged me briefly and then walked out of the apartment. I watched Arizona moving around the bed room. I walked over and leaned into the door frame. "You cleaned the apartment."
"Yeah," Az looked nervous.
"Why?"
"Because I have to. Every day I have to clean. Clean the windows, wash the sink, the counters, do the dishes, dust and polish the furniture, do all the laundry, vacuum the floors, scrub the shower, the toilet, the floors, and always, always keep the curtains closed. Always keep the curtains closed."
By the end of her list, I was speechless.
"Except," Az shifted nervously. "Mark came. I didn't finish." She winced, bracing herself for the verbal onslaught that was coming her way.
"Baby, you didn't have to do any of that," I say softly. I took a step towards her. Arizona flinched and cowered. "You don't have to do that."
"I'll be punished."
"By who?"
"By you!"
My stomach drops and I stared at her. "Arizona."
I watched as she sank to her knees and waited. I walked over to her. Tucking a hand under her chin, I pulled Callie's head up. Chocolate eyes met blue and Arizona let my light fill her.
I sank to my knees in front of My Arizona. We were on the same playing field, we were equals. I need to show her this. "Let me help you," I said.
"I don't know how to," Arizona whispers into my palm. "This is all I know."
"No, no, my Arizona is in there. We just have to find her." I brought my other hand up to Zona's vulnerable, young face. "Look at me beautiful."
Slowly, her eyes slowly met mine. "Why me?"
"I don't know, honey."
"What did I do to deserve this?"
I hugged her. "I won't let you fall, Arizona. This is a storm. Things are going to change. I don't know what winds and waters are going to come at us. But I'm going to be right here, right beside you. And I won't let you fall."
"They hurt me, Cal," Zona cried into my shoulder.
I rubbed her back soothingly. "They can't hurt you anymore."
"I don't want to feel this anymore. I don't want to be scared anymore. I don't want to live in the constant fear that I'm in," Arizona said softly. "I want to love you again."
