Chapter 5
“What are your plans for the day?” Callie asked her wife as she got dressed a few days later. The brunette was about to start her first day back at the hospital and would be spending the majority of it planning the final part of Derek’s hand surgery
“Thought I’d run a marathon with my dad then maybe jump some rope or go skateboard with the neighborhood kids” Arizona said sarcastically, not having gotten out of bed
“Well atleast with the marathon you’ll get a medal” Callie said kissing the top of Arizonas head
“I’ll be back for dinner. I love you”
Arizona groaned in response. She could already tell that today was going to suck. She knew this because today would be no different than the day before or the day before that or the day before that.
She would wake up in her hospital bed that was in the bedroom, and would then have to ask for help to get into her wheelchair. Then she would need more help in the bathroom before having to ask someone to make her breakfast. Then she gets to spend the day watching Sofia play and her parents go about cooking and cleaning while she just sat there, not able to do anything. Her days would sometimes be broken up by therapy or doctors appointments but those rarely made her feel better. Arizona hadn’t been this dependent on other people since she was Sofias age and she hated it.
She just wanted five minutes where she could feel like herself again. Was that too much to ask?
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“So youre saying you don’t feel like yourself anymore?” Her therapist asked that afternoon during their session
“No, and I don’t know how to fix it” the blonde responded
“It’s not something that can be fixed instantaneously Arizona. It’s not a switch”
“Well I don’t like that. I’m used to being able to go in and fix a problem. I’m a surgeon that’s what I do. I fix problems”
“Okay- what is something outside of surgery that you love doing? That makes you feel you?”
“I don’t have time for hobbies, if I’m not working my insane hours at the hospital, I’m with Sofia and Callie or I’m sleeping. That’s it”
Then I want to challenge you to take this time to find a new hobby. Put a positive spin on this time off work you have. Read a book, learn to cook, take up gardening. Anything
“You forget the whole one leg, wheelchair bound thing” she responded
“Last time I checked reading a book didn’t require two legs”
Arizona rolled her eyes
And you are not going to be in your wheelchair forever. Aren’t you getting a prosthetic soon?”
Oh and with that our time is up so sorry try again later
Arizona
“See you next week” she said shutting the laptop
But then a funny thing happened, her parents left to take Sofia to the park and pick up dinner, Callie was still at work, so she had the place to herself. Only for an hour but still. It was time to herself, something that had been severely lacking lately
So she went to the bookshelf and picked up pride and prejudice. She hadn’t read it since high school but remembered it being one of her favorites. And she started to read, and as much as she didn’t want to admit it- the more chapters she read, the better she felt
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A few nights later Arizona and Callie were getting ready for bed, and Arizona went to move from her wheelchair into the bed, something she could do herself now thanks to physical therapy
“I’ll-“ Callie started, about to say she would leave, it had been a few weeks since the accident and she still hadn’t seen Arizonas leg
“No it’s okay. You can stay if you want” Arizona said, shocking the brunette
“You sure?”
“Yeah” she said with a deep breath
Arizona took a deep breath then started to remove the pants she was wearing and maneuvering herself into a pair new of shorts before quickly getting into bed and covering up her leg
“You okay” Callie said
“Yep” Arizona said, her eyes closed
“Just having a lot of feelings right now all at once”
“Can I hold your hand?” Callie asked softly and Arizona held hers out in the middle of the bed for Callie to take
“Arizona Robbins you are the most incredible person I have ever met. You are insanely kind and smart and talented and strong. I wake up every day and wonder how I got lucky enough to have this life that we have created together.
“I love you”
“I love you too and that will never change. Okay?”