42. Chapter 42

Maya is awake early. Not overly early. She’s actually surprised with how well she slept. It probably has something to do with the woman in bed with her, Maya knows. She stretches with a little groan.

“Time to get up already?” Carina mumbles into her pillow.

“Yep. Hup hup. Lots to do today.”

“Oh really?” Carina teases. “Why is that?”

Maya was just about to hop out of bed but instead, at Carina’s question, she rolls over on top of her.

With Carina stomach down, and her face stuffed into her pillow, it’s a little difficult to breath. “Maya, you’re suffocating me.”

The fire captain puts her lips right next to Carina’s ear. “I thought you liked it when I pressed all my weight on top of you. Like a weighted blanket, isn’t that what you said.” She rests her cheek against Carina’s, nuzzling there. “We’re getting married today, my love.”

Carina takes as deep of a breath as she can. With Maya enveloping all of her right now, she couldn’t be happier. The cherry on the top of it all is the fact that they are getting married today. “We are, bella. We are. Now get off of me.”

Maya laughs and pushes herself up onto her hands and knees. She waits because she knows Carina will flip over. And she does, and Maya bends at the elbows to press a quick kiss to Carina’s lips. “Good morning, my fiancée.”

“Not for long.” Carina bites her lip. “Buongiorno.” She tickles at Maya’s side.

Maya pulls back. She hates a surprise tickle attack. She wiggles her finger at Carina. “I’ll make you breakfast. What do you want?” She also wants to get started on the rest of the things on her list.

“Whatever you’re having, bambina.” Carina stretches her arms above her head, and it momentarily distracts Maya as Carina’s shirt lifts up slightly, reveling a little sliver of her belly. “Maya.”

Maya shakes her head. “Right. I’ll make breakfast. Lots to do. Get up.” She pats at Carina’s leg as she moves to get out of bed.

“Yes, captain.” Carina winks.

Maya rolls her eyes playfully. Secretly, or maybe not so secretly, she loves it when Carina calls her captain.

She makes her way to the kitchen after a pit stop at the bathroom. Maya gets her clipboard and sets it on the counter as she cracks a few eggs into a pan. She goes over her lists as the eggs cook. She’s gone through the lists a dozen or more times in the last few days. There are only a few things left. She’s got to pick something to wear. Maya is still undecided and has picked up a number of outfits as options. She hopes that when Andy comes over later, to help her get dressed and do her hair and makeup, that she will just pick for her. Maya also has to make sure that everything is on schedule. They don’t have a wedding or party planner so she’s responsible for everything happening on time. Maya still has to print off the wedding programs, rolls them up, and tie them with the little ribbon that Carina picked up. The ribbon was Carina’s idea. A nice touch, if Maya thinks about it. She was just going to have the programs sitting on the table in a stack for people to take. This way they will be more showy and cute.

Maya hears the eggs sizzling and flips them. She has the feeling that she’s forgetting something though. She looks through her pages of notes and lists again but can’t come up with anything that is amiss.

A pair of hands slips around her waist from behind. “That smells good.” Carina nuzzles her cheek against Maya’s shoulder.

“Did you want to make the coffee?” Maya ventures. They both know Carina is better at it, though Maya has improved some in recent months.

Carina laughs. “Of course, bella.” She gives Maya a squeeze before moving over to make them some coffee. She knows it will be a long day and that they’ll need it. She also notices Maya fixating on the list on her clipboard. She wishes she wouldn’t, but there’s not much she can do to stop it. Carina knows that’s just Maya’s way of having everything in order and in control.

“I think after breakfast I’ll pick my accessories for my outfit.” Carina let’s Maya know her plans.

“Okay, I’ll stay out of the bedroom.”

Carina smirks, remembering that Maya is firm on the no seeing what each other are wearing before the ceremony. If Maya wanted, she could just go in the closet and unzip the garment bag that Carina’s wedding outfit is in and look at it. But she won’t, and Carina loves Maya just a tiny bit more for her superstition.

They eat quietly, though there is a weird sort of buzzing energy in the room, between them. It definitely doesn’t go unnoticed. Maya keeps shifting in her chair because of it, and Carina will look over every time there is a shift, and Maya will shake her head with a tiny smile, and they will both go back to their breakfast.

After, Maya sets to her task of printing out the wedding programs and Carina ducks into their bedroom to put the final touches on what she wants to wear for their wedding.

Maya sits and watches the printer as it spits out page after page. It’s too quiet so she finds a wedding song playlist online and starts it. She bounces her head along with Bruno Mars’ Marry You as it plays through the speakers on her laptop.

Carina goes through all her jewelry in the bedroom. She comes across a pair of earrings that her mamma gave her when she was sixteen. A parting gift when she and Andrea left Italy for America. She frowns at the thought that the two of them won’t be here today. The two people in her in family that she would want to be with her on her wedding day. It’s not the first time that she’s thought about them, and she knows it won’t be the last time today, either. Carina takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. After Andrea’s death a few months ago, Carina didn’t know how she was going to move forward without him. She didn’t know how she would survive or thrive again. She knows there’s one reason, above all else, that she did. She gets up, abandoning what she’s doing to go find that reason.

She steps into the hallway and hears the song Maya is humming, recognizing the song as something that her father played back when she was a child. She hangs off the archway and watches Maya for a moment as she ties the ribbons around the programs. She tilts her head to the side at how cute the blonde is in this moment. Maya wants to be known as this bad ass, hardnosed fire captain, but Carina doesn’t see that at all. She knows it is in Maya’s body, but she doesn’t ever see that version of Maya at home. At the station, that’s another story. But, here, all Carina sees is her silly, happy, soft, sweet, caring wife. She knowns they aren’t married yet, but Maya has sort of felt like her wife for months now. There’s that thought again, about the time after Andrea’s death, it comes back right now. Carina dismisses it though. Today should be filled with happy moments.

Carina starts signing along with Maya’s humming, getting the blonde’s attention. Maya swings around at the sound and wraps Carina up in her arms. They spin around and laugh and share a kiss. It turns into them swaying around the kitchen and talking about the day. Carina’s been thinking so much about Andrea and her mamma she brings up Maya’s parents.

The resistance to the idea that Maya puts on has her pulling away from Carina. Maya makes her reasons and Carina doesn’t argue with them or push back.

“A couple months of marriage to you under my belt and I am sure I will be a lot braver.” She really hopes that she can be and that one day she can stand up to her dad and tell him that she’s happily in love with Carina. She wraps Carina up again, as a consolation, relishing in a kiss for a brief second. But when Carina tries to hold on and deepen the kiss she pulls away.

“Okay, lots to do and only five hours to do it.” Maya tries to walk away, get back to tying her ribbons on the programs.

“No, no, no, no, no.” Carina catches her hand and pulls her back in. “So, we’re going to the Polish restaurant and we’re-“

Maya just can’t resist. “And we’re gonna get married.” They sing and dance together. She just can’t help the happy smile on her face or the look on Carina’s face.

“I am hers.” Carina sings.

“She is mine.” Maya replies pulling Carina into another kiss.

Carina walks Maya backwards as they kiss. She presses her back into the archway. Her fingers slipping under Maya’s shirt, onto her sides.

“Mmmm, Carina.” Maya moans. “We have lots to do.”

“There’s only one thing I want to do right now.” Carina husks. She takes a step back, finding Maya’s hands and tugging her away from the arch. “Come.”

“Shouldn’t this wait until after we are married?” Maya goes willingly, though she side eyes the programs on the table.

“It will definitely happen again after we are married.” Carina pulls Maya into the bedroom.

“Andy is coming over in a little bit to help me get ready.” Maya reminds Carina.

Carina smirks. “Then we better get moving.”

Maya laughs and shakes her head. Sometimes she can’t believe how easy it is for them to get into a sexual situation. It’s so natural. There’s no trying, or thinking, or planning. It’s not a date or a night out. They’re just dancing in the kitchen and boom.

Carina pulls Maya around and unzips the zipper on her shirt, slipping her hand into the opening that she’s made, caressing the skin of Maya’s collarbone area. Maya slips her hands around Carina’s back, holding her close, hands moving to stroke lower until she reaches the buttchecks that look so good in the pair of pants that Carina is wearing.

Carina puts her head next to Maya’s, whispering in her ear. “I want you to make me come before and after our wedding.”

A shiver runs through Maya’s entire body. Her heartrate picks up. Carina’s words having an immediate effect on her. She forgets all about the programs, and the things that still need to be accomplished, and about Andy’s impending arrival, focusing completely on the woman in her arms.

Things heat up quickly and Maya has Carina laying prone on the bed as she unties her shoes. “Why do you have shoes on?” Maya grumbles. They are really impeding their current activities.

Carina laughs and looks down. “You have shoes on too, bella.”

“Yes. But mine don’t need to come off right now.” Maya groans in frustration at the stupid little shoestring.

She finally unties it after a moment. She removes the shoe and throws it aside. Next, off come Carina’s pants with no preamble. Maya crawls onto the bed between Carina’s legs. She plants a hand next to the brunette’s head and leans down for a kiss.

Carina’s hand stroke up Maya’s back, underneath her shirt. She turns her head to the side. Maya’s lips attach to her cheek before moving to her ear. “Take this off, bella. I want to see you.”

Maya wraps her lips around Carina’s earlobe, tugging on it for a moment before sitting up and pulling her shirt over her head in one foul swoop.

Carina lets out a shaky breath, her hands reaching on Maya’s hips, stroking her thumbs over the skin she can now see. She takes in Maya’s form, running her eyes from the woman’s waist all the way up to find those deep blue eyes. She sighs at the look that Maya is giving her. One of pure adoration and love. She wraps her hands around Maya’s face and pulls her back into a kiss. Maya’s lips wander after a few seconds she whispers. “Ti amo assolutamente.”

Maya looks up, through her eyelashes. “Assolutemente.” She repeats and Carina nods. Maya sinks lower on Carina’s body, pressing kisses to the center of her chest and the middle of her abdomen over her shirt. She hooks her fingers into the side of Carina’s lacy blue underwear and pulls them down her legs. She runs her hands up the outsides of Carina’s legs until she reaches her hips. Grabbing her hips and pulling Carina down the bed until her ass is just at the edge.

“Maya.” Carina moans in exhilaration.

The blonde grins, kneels on the floor at the side of the bed, licks her lips, and dives in. Carina’s hands immediately find Maya’s hair, holding on as Maya’s tongue licks through her folds. Maya hums and the vibration runs right through Carina. She tries to pinch her legs together as the pleasure courses through her. Maya holds steady though, preventing Carina’s thighs from crushing her before she’s finished.

Maya teases Carina’s entrance for a moment before running her tongue up to her clit; lapping at the little bundle of nerves over and over until Carina’s hips are lifting off the bed and the hands in her hair grip tighter and tighter. Maya rubs the tip of her nose over the area for a moment, giving her tongue a quick break. It doesn’t seem to slow Carina down any. She’s practically grinding herself against any part of Maya’s face that she can.

Blue eyes peek at Carina’s face as she brings her tongue back into the mix over the most sensitive spot, sucking at her clit in an attempt to get her to come in that second.

Carina moans, arching her back off of the bed. She’s close to coming undone.

Maya hears the door, then the bang in the hallway outside their bedroom door. But Carina’s hands on the back of her head keep her in place, though every fiber in Maya’s body is screaming to stop and just go greet Andy and minimize any possible conclusion’s that her Latina friend might be coming to right now.

Maya doubles her efforts, knowing that she’s not going to be released until Carina is coming in her mouth. She licks at the little nub continuously, twisting her tongue sideways and flicking with just the tip of her tongue.

There’s another loud moan from Carina and Maya smirks a little. Her girl is just so all around delicious. She latches on sucking and licking at the same time until Carina is coming over that edge, thrusting against Maya’s face and chin. The Italian’s whole body tensing, including around Maya’s head, as the power of her orgasm washes over her.

Carina releases Maya after a few seconds; hands coming up to put on her chest and forehead to try to catch her breath.

Maya straightens up, she gets to her feet. She kisses Carina’s cheek and then on the lips quickly so she’s not taking anymore of Carina’s breath from her. “Andy’s here.” She whispers.

“Aye, dio mio, Maya.” Carina mumbles.

“I’ll take care of her.” She kisses Carina once more before finding her shirt and slipping it over her head quickly. She hurries to the bedroom door before turning back to look at Carina on the bed once more. “I love you.” She sighs happily and smiles.

Carina’s eyes twinkle. “I love you, bambina.”

Maya nods and pulls the door open, slipping out. “Hi. Hi. Um- sorry. We’re here.” Maya tries to recover as Andy turns to see her. “We-uh- we just-“ She points over her shoulder, trying to think of anything to tell Andy. “Got out of the shower.” She cringes internally, knowing it’s not even remotely believable, but prays that somehow Andy will buy it.

Andy lets her off the hook. “Let’s get you married.”

Andy is starting on taming Maya’s wild sex hair when Maya hears the shower turn on. Maya knows that Andy has totally busted them now, if she hadn’t figured it out before. She’s such a terrible liar. She wouldn’t be surprised if Andy didn’t know she and Carina were having sex the second Maya emerged from the bedroom.

Maya chews on her lip at the thought of Carina moving from the bed to the bathroom to take a shower. The woman’s naked body and what she was just doing to her. She squirms in her chair.

“Sit still.” Andy scolds.

Maya can’t. “Let’s do this later. I need help picking something to wear.” They move to the other room and Maya starts pulling options out and setting them on the couch and chairs and every surface.

Carina gets all ready and changes into her wedding attire in the bedroom. She can hear Maya and Andy talking and laughing in the other room. She hears them discussing what Maya should wear and she makes an appearance to add her two cents before going back to finish her hair and makeup. It’s simple, nothing too glamourous or over the top.

“Andy?” Carina peeks her head out the bedroom door.

“Yes.”

“Could you come for a moment and help me with something?”

Maya wrinkles up her face wondering why Carina didn’t ask for her help before realizing that it’s something wedding attire related and that Carina is being considerate of not showing Maya any of her outfit before it’s time.

Andy comes into the room. “What’s up?” She sees that Carina is already dressed.

“I’m just about ready to go. How long are you guys going to be? Should I wait until you’re gone? Or go now? What do you think?” Carina has no idea what Maya’s timeline for leaving for the restaurant is.

Andy thinks about it for a moment. Maya hasn’t picked something to wear yet.

“You probably should go now. Maya is nowhere, well I shouldn’t say nowhere, but she still hasn’t picked what she wants to wear. We could be here a little bit yet.”

Carina hums, pursing her lips. “You better not be late.”

Andy chuckles. “You know Maya.”

Carina smiles. She does know Maya, and despite the situation, she knows Maya would never be late. Especially for their wedding.

“I’ll go out and face her away from you. You can make your escape. I’ll even put my hands over her eyes if I have to.”

Carina chuckles. “Thanks, Andy.”

“My pleasure. I love watching Maya squirm.” She smirks. Andy holds her arms out. Carina smiles and ducks her head but accepts Andy’s hug.

Andy holds onto Carina for longer than she might another time. The guilt inside her eating away, minute by minute. She doesn’t want to disturb the peace on their wedding day, but holding in the fact that Robert has gone behind all of their backs and spoken to the chief about replacing Maya as captain is making her edgy. She just hopes she can hold it together for today. Tomorrow she can figure out what to do about the situation. She understands that Chief McCallister is the one who requested the meeting, and that Robert was just going to talk on orders; but when she found out about how that talk went, Andy couldn’t even look at her husband. She just wants to focus on being there for Maya, and Carina, and put her husband out of her mind for the day.

Carina only needs one trip to get her belongings to her car. Which she’s sure Maya is thankful for. She hears Maya whining and complaining about Andy’s ‘smelly’ hands on her face.

The Italian drives herself to the restaurant. Carina shakes her head as she pulls into the parking lot. It’s a little silly that they are getting married in a restaurant. She walks in and the place is empty, but everything is set up or in the process of being set up. The lights are strung, the tables are all placed. On the tables are flowers in shades of pink and red and candles and the places are all set with plates and silverware and glasses. The bar is ready to receive patrons. In the corner, the cake sits on a table under a banner with their names on it. The room is amazing and again Carina can’t believe they are getting married in a restaurant, but it looks amazing, and she knows so much work has gone into setting everything up.

She wanted to get here early to see it all beforehand. Carina knows Vic, and her parents, and their head chefs have been in the kitchen since early in the morning getting all the food prepared. She wants to speak with them and let them know how appreciative she is of all of this.

Carina, though, is struck by the set up of the room and never makes it to show her gratitude when Vic walks out of the kitchen on her. She was just thinking if her mamma and Andrea could see this they would be smiling from ear to ear. Carina invited a few people from the hospital; but on short notice they would have needed to get tested and time off of work. The only person that she knows for sure that is coming is Dr. Bailey.

She would have liked to have Amelia or maybe even Teddy at her wedding, but she knows each of them are super busy with pandemic stuff and their own problems and families. Plus, she hasn’t seen anyone from the hospital in almost two months. She knows that it’s short notice and that not perfect circumstances, but she tries not to dwell too much.

Carina tries to hold the tears in as she thanks Vic, and they hug. It’s not how Carina would have drawn it up in a perfect world, but they aren’t in a perfect world. And with that, this here, this set up today, might be as close to perfect as they can get giving the circumstances.

Maya stands on the steps of her parent’s house nervous as she’s ever been. Some of that might have to do with her upcoming nuptials. Her father answers the door, and she tells him she’s bisexual, and that she’s marrying a woman today. She also sees her mom cowering behind him and tells her that she doesn’t have to live like that and if she wants, she can always come and stay with herself and Carina.

Maya says her piece and walks away from her father, from the front door. Lane shuts the door. Andy and Maya walk back to the car. Just as they are about to get in, the front door opens, and Katherine comes running out.

“Wait.”

 Andy and Maya both turn to see Katherine coming down the steps.

“Can I come?” She stops at the front bumper of the car.

“What?” Maya’s brain is a little foggy. She can’t believe she just came out to her father. It feels so surreal so she’s having a hard time processing what exactly her mother is saying.

“With you.” Katherine adds.

Maya looks over at Andy, confused.

Andy shrugs one shoulder. “Maya, I think she wants to be at your wedding.” She looks from Maya back to her mother. Katherine gives her a little thankful smile and nod.

“Oh.” Maya nods. That makes some sense. She nods. “You’ll have to wear a mask.” She gets in the car.

Andy chuckles and shakes her head at her friend. She’s going to chock it up to Maya being anxious and all riled up about the wedding day. She holds an arm out towards Katherine. “Come on, Mama Bishop. We don’t want to be late, or I won’t hear the end of it.”

Katherine smiles and nods, agreeing that Maya can be a little much when she’s in charge and on edge.

They drive to Kaminski’s in silence. Maya is in her head about what she just said to her father. Andy tries to ask Katherine a few mundane, run of the mill, conversation starter questions but the older Bishop woman only answers with one word answers. She does thank Andy for the extra mask that she had in the car, but other than that, it’s one word answers or comments.

Andy sneaks them into through the back door of the restaurant. She keeps an eye out for Carina while Maya brings all her stuff inside. She rolls her eyes as Maya carries in multiple outfit options. She can’t believe the blonde still hasn’t decided on what to wear. The ceremony is to start in thirty minutes. Maya is running out of time.

Katherine watches as her daughter looks over the options. “Would you like to know what I think?”

Maya scrunches up her face. She’s not sure if her mom is talking about what happened at the house, what she said to her father, how she offered to house her mother, or about today, or her choice of outfit. Maya isn’t sure she wants to know. This wasn’t part of the plan. It wasn’t on her itinerary, on her list. She just had to go and make today more complex by going over to her parent’s house.

“As far as?” Maya hangs it out there.

“What to wear?” Katherine says as if that was the obvious and only thing she was talking about. She has so many questions. And she saw the wedding programs in the back seat, they were sitting right next to her. She had wondered, for a brief second, if Maya was, in fact, marrying Carina. She knows little of the woman, but she does know that Carina was kind to her, and was concerned about Maya when they saw each other at the spaghetti dinner.

“Sure.” Maya glances over at her mother who sits on a chair in the corner of the room. The woman stands and comes over. She runs her hands over a few of the outfits and then starts lifting them and setting them aside.

Maya wonders for a moment if this is how it is supposed to be. A mother involved with her daughter when she picks out her dress for her wedding. She knows in a traditional sense, that is probably the case.

“This is the one I would choose for you.” Katherine lifts it.

Maya tilts her head to the side. “Really?”

“Yes.” She smiles and holds the dress up against Maya’s body.

Maya looks down at the dress and hums. It is a really nice dress and she liked how it looked when she tried it on originally. “I’ll try it on.” Maya still isn’t sure, but at the very least she’s going to humor her mother. She removes her clothes and slips into the dress. Well, more like shimmies into the thing. It’s form fitted so there isn’t much wiggle room. “Well, what do you think?” Maya holds her arms out at her sides a little.

Katherine turns around. The dress isn’t exactly what she imagined it would look like on Maya, it’s better. “You are so beautiful, dear.”

Maya hums. It’s a weird thing to hear from her mother. Her mother was never one to give her praise or compliments, and if she did, they were very run of the mill things like ‘you look good’ or ‘you did great’. There was never an elaboration on anything. She’s always kept it simple.

“Thanks.” Maya looks down at herself. She runs her hands over the material. “Do you think Carina will like it?” That insecurity rises.

“Oh, well, I don’t know Carina all that well, but you look beautiful so how could she not.”

Maya smiles shyly.

Andy sneaks back into the room. “Oh, good. You’re dressed.” She relieved that the attire has been finally decided.

Maya rolls her eyes.

“Don’t roll your eyes at me. You’ve been being dramatic since I showed up at your house.” Andy raises a knowing eyebrow and fusses a little with Maya’s hair. “Carina is going to love this.” She says more to herself than to Maya or anyone else.

That confirms it for Maya. She’s going to leave the dress on. This is what she’s choosing, what she’s wearing. “How is everything going out there?”

“Guests are arriving. Everything is set up. Well, Vic is working on a few things yet. Just little things though like adjusting the strings of lights. Apparently, there is a certain position that they need to be in or something, and she’s the only one that knows what that position is.” Andy chuckles. “You are ready. The stage is set. We just need to wait-“ Andy checks the time. “-a few more minutes.”

Miranda sits with Carina across the hall from where Maya is set up. Carina bounces her leg anxiously. Miranda isn’t sure what to say or do to help the Italian. “Are you okay?” She puts a tentative hand on Carina’s shoulder.

“I just want to get this over with.”

Miranda scrunches up her face at that comment. “Is this- Do you-“

“NO. No, no, no.” Carina waves her hands in front of herself at Miranda thinking that she doesn’t want to get married or is having second thoughts. “I want to get married. I do. I just hate this waiting. I want to go out there, and get it over with, and be married.”

“Oh.” Miranda pinches her lips together. “Anything I can do to help speed up time then?” Carina’s anxiety is actually making her anxiety worse.

"No." Carina shakes her head.

They sit in silence for a few minutes. In the corner of the room, in Carina’s bag, her phone starts ringing. “Oh.” She pops up to get it. She thinks maybe it’s Maya. Why she thinks that she doesn’t know. Maybe she needs something before the ceremony. Whatever the reason, she knows she needs to answer it.

When she sees the screen though it’s not Maya. Which see should have known, it’s a completely different ringtone than the one she has for Maya. She’s just been thinking about Maya a lot and that was where her brain went. On the screen is Gabriella’s face. Carina accepts the video call.

“Ciao, bella.”

“Ahhh, how is the bride?” Gabriella teases. “Got cold feet yet?”

“My feet aren’t cold.” Carina looks down at her feet.

Gabriella laughs.

Miranda chuckles a little too. “It’s an idiom.” She whispers to Carina.

“Oh.” Carian nods. “Meaning?”

“Meaning are you going to be back out of getting married because you are afraid of something.” Gabriella fills in.

“Oh.” Carina thinks about the silly idiom. “No. Why does everyone keep asking me that? I want to get married. I’m going to get married. Just because I didn’t in the past doesn’t mean I can’t change my mind.”

“Oh, geez.” Gabriella concedes. “We’re just giving you crap.”

“Well, don’t.” Carian glares through the phone at her friend.

“In all seriousness, how you are doing? Nervous? Excited?”

“I feel like I might be calm, but I know I’m not. My leg won’t stop bouncing. I think it’s excitement. A little nerves. Mostly, I think, because I want everything to go perfectly, for Maya’s sake. She and her friends put all of this together in a few weeks. It’s amazing. She’s so amazing.”

“Okay. Okay. Enough gushing about the wifey. I asked about you. I only want to hear about you right now.”

Carina ducks her head, getting a little shy at that. She hates when people dote on her or make something about her. She hates the attention. Especially in front of her boss. But maybe today her boss isn’t her boss. Or just her boss. Carina isn’t sure if she’s close enough to the woman to call Dr. Bailey a friend, but if any day she could be considered a friend today would be that day. Tomorrow she can go back to being the boss lady.

“I want to get to the point after we are married, ya know.”

Gabriella laughs. “No, I don’t know, but I understand what you are trying to say. That you want to just be married, enough with the fuss of everything.”

“Si, esattamente.” Carina raises a hand in the air. Finally, someone that gets it.

“Si. Si. You’re ready to go? Just a few minutes yet. You seemed surprised when you answered.” Gabriella gets the jitters that Carina might have. That’s normal for anyone.

“I forgot you were going to call. My phone was in my bag. I don’t know why, but I thought it was Maya when I heard the phone ringing. Why would she be calling me right now?” Carina clicks her tongue.

“Ahhh, well, I’m not the wifey. Just your best friend, friend, former sex buddy-“

Carina glances over at Bailey as Gabriella says that last part and Miranda is looking up at the ceiling, clearly, trying to pretend that she didn’t hear that.

“It’s common knowledge, Dr. Bailey.” Gabriella sees Carina looking over at her boss. “Sorry, to spoil your ears.”

“Girl, the things I hear and know about that happen and have happened at the hospital that shouldn’t. I could write probably four tell all books. I’m just happy this one is marrying outside of the hospital and I won’t have to worry about her anymore.” Dr. Bailey grins at Carina, giving her a little wink.

Gabriella raises an eyebrow. “Impressive. But you never know, this one could have a little side piece at the hospital.”

“GABRIELLA.” Carina yells.

Her friend laughs. “No, you’re right. I can’t see that happening. Carina is right. She’s not a cheater. And she’s not one to sleep around. She’s always been one person at a time. Very honorable.”

“Can you stop?” Carina’s ears burn.

“I’m just teasing.” Gabriella grins devilishly. “What I meant to say was- I’m super happy for you today and I wish that I could be there for your big day. And when all this Covid BS is over I will come and visit you and the ole ball and chain.” She smirks but sees Carina roll her eyes. “Okay fine. You and your wife.” She winks and Carina smiles at that. “You like that, don’t you?”

Carina nods and rolls her eyes. She more than likes the idea of someone calling or herself calling Maya her wife. She’s starting to think that there might be a certain pride in being married to Maya with all her accomplishments in life and her status as a captain for the Seattle Fire Department. Of course, it isn’t the only thing that matter but in social settings there’s a certain honor in that.

“It’s solid.” Gabriella grins. “I will let you go get married.” She looks at her watch and even though the hour doesn’t match, the minutes do, and there are only a few minutes until the top of the hour. “Since you’re so amped about getting hitched. I love you. I will talk to you soon, but not in the next few days cuz I know you’re gonna want to get that newlywed lovin’ going. Have a wonderful day. Now hand the phone to Dr. Bailey so I can see how beautiful you are.”

Carina bites her lip. “Thanks, Gabri. I love you too. I’ll call you soon.” She hands the phone over to Miranda and Miranda shows off Carina and her outfit.

“Favolosa.” Gabriella whistles. “You are rocking that suit, tesoro. Ciao.”

The call disconnects and Miranda presses her lips together in Carina’s direction.

“I know. She can be a bit much.”

“Did what she say- was that true?”

Carina wonders which part Miranda is referring to but realizes that everything Gabriella said was true. “Yes.”

Dr. Bailey laughs, shaking her head, and handing Carina’s phone back to her.

“Everything is ready.” Vic pops into the room Maya is stationed in. She smiles at the blonde, seeing that she is dressed now. “You finally made a decision.” She teases.

Maya runs her hands over the material of her dress. “My mom helped.”

“Awww.” Vic coos. “Ready to go rockstar? It’s nearly one o’clock.”

Maya looks over at Vic. “Is Carina here?”

Vic laughs. “Oh, Bishop.” She shakes her head. “Of course she’s here.” She goes over and gives Maya a gentle hug, careful not to ruin her hair or make up. “I’m gonna go out and get all set up. When you hear the music that’s your cue.” She winks and spins on her heels.

Vic sneaks out of Maya’s waiting room and into Carina’s. Carina is sitting in a chair in the corner and Miranda Bailey is standing at a window looking outside. The atmosphere in the room a bit like Maya’s. There’s a tension in the air and Vic knows that both of them just want the time to come and get out there and get married. “Carina? You ready?”

“Is Maya ready?” Carina shoots back.

Vic just shakes her head. “You two. Like two peas in the same pod.”

Carina wrinkles up her face at that. Vic waves it off. “She’s ready. I’m going to go out and get ready and then I’ll start. When the music starts, that’s when you come out.” Vic turns to Miranda. “Best go find your hubby and tell him it’s go time.”

Miranda gives a thumbs up and shuffles past Vic out of the tiny room.

Vic goes over to Carina. She puts her hands on each of Carina’s shoulders. “I don’t know what you’re feeling right now, but we got you. I know this isn’t the ideal situation, but remember that everyone here isn’t just here for Maya. They’re here for you too.” Vic harkens back to the conversation they had when Carina arrived at the restaurant and was looking around. She was almost shocked that Carina thought they were only doing all of this for Maya. So, she explicitly wants to make sure that Carina knows it’s about her too, it’s for her too.

Carina sighs. “Thanks, Vic. I know. I just- I got caught up before. I was thinking about Andrea and my mamma, and how none of my family are here, and how it was all Maya’s people.”

“Understandable.” She squeezes Carina’s shoulders. “Let’s get you married.”

Andy gives Maya a kiss on the cheek and goes to the dining area. She’s got to be ready to take the flowers when the ladies get to the front of the room.

Now that the room has emptied and Maya is alone, she takes a few deep breathes knowing that it’s only a few moments now. In a few moments, she’ll get to see Carina. That’s what Maya is most excited about right now. Two things. She’s excited to see Carina and what she’s wearing and how gorgeous she looks. The other being, Carina seeing her in her dress for the first time. She looks down at it again, knowing it’s too late to make any changes, but wondering if it’s the right choice.

The notes of the song reach Maya’s ears. She puts the hand that isn’t holding her flowers on the doorknob and twists it. This is it. This is the moment Maya has been waiting weeks for. It’s actually happening, and she needs to take just a half a second to reel all that in.

So, when she opens the door, she sees Ben first. Standing there holding his elbow out for her. Maya steps out, wrapping her hand around his elbow with a smile as she sees Carina step out and do the same half a second later. She leans forwards, around Ben, to get a better look at Carina. Her suit, her flowers, her hair. All of it, Maya takes in for a single moment before they are moving forward. She faces forward and walks so she doesn’t trip and fall flat on her face. That would be the biggest embarrassment on her wedding day.

Carina is more of the eyes forward, get to the destination type as they walk up the ‘aisle’. Maya looks around at all their guests as they move.

Andy comes to take the flowers from them as the song draws to a close. Maya sees her coming out of the corner of her eye. But Carina doesn’t. Andy has to reach for Carina’s flowers as the woman is too busy looking at Maya. Maya in her skintight dress, that accentuates all of her curves. Carina has to take a few deep breaths to hold it together.

Maya reaches out for Carina’s hands and Carina can see all the nervousness in Maya’s eyes. She knows Maya also doesn’t like when all eyes are on her. So, she gives those hands a squeeze as she takes them, rubbing her thumbs over the back of Maya’s hands as she does so. Maya transforms for that moment, before her eyes. With a smile in her eyes, Maya starts mouthing the words to the song along with Vic.

They applaud Vic and her performance before finding each other’s hands again so the ceremony can start, that nervous energy returning.

It’s Ben’s turn to do his part. They both know this is going to be very brief. It’s what they’ve agreed to.

“Now I understand that you wrote your own vows.”

Maya gets lost in Carina’s eyes as they stand there for a moment as Ben starts. It’s when the words hit Maya, she knows she fucked up.

“Oh my god.” Dread runs through her entire body. This can’t be happening. She thought she was going to be embarrassed if she tripped and fell. This is so much worse than that.

“What?” Carina asks as panic and fear overtake Maya’s face.

“I forrrr-got.” She looks between Carina and Ben. “We were writing our own vows.” She whispers that part to Carina as Carina nods at her that, yes, they agreed to write their own vows. “Oh my god, I got so excited about it.” She remembers when they talked about doing the vows. Maya was excited. She doesn’t know how she could have forgot. Now, she remembers what she was forgetting this morning when she was going over her list for a final time. That thing that was nagging at her, but she couldn’t remember. Because she didn’t actually write it down on any list, or maybe she did and it got misplaced, because Maya was certain that she didn’t need to write that one thing down. She would remember to write vows for her wedding. It’s arguable the most important part. And now Carina is looking at her like she can’t believe it either, and Maya starts to panic and spin out, and flail her hands.

“I’m so sorry.” She apologizes to Carina first. She can hear Carina laughing though. The mortification is stronger, so she continues on. She looks to the crowd, to the guests, and then to Ben. She doesn’t know what to do. What is she supposed to say?

Carina tries to catch those hands, keep a firm grip on them, to help Maya through this. “No, no, no, no, no. Hey, hey, hey.” She tries to get Maya’s attention back on her.

“I can’t- I’m so-“ She finally focuses on Carina.

“This is perfect. It’s okay. It’s okay. Listen to yourself. Queen of the Clipboard, Maya Bishop was so excited about something that she forgot.” Carina says with tears in her eyes. She doesn’t know if the tears are from this being comical or from sheer adoration for Maya in this moment. “I love that.”

Maya feels the tears too. She takes a breath. “Sorry.” She takes Carina’s hands again and thinks of the most basic part of what she was going to say to Carina, because she did have thoughts, at one point, about what she wanted to say in her vows. She just never got around to writing them down, and finalizing them, and memorizing them. “I love you. And I choose you. Forever.” She smiles at Carina as she says the words that she means with everything she’s got.

The sound of an outburst of crying pulls Carina’s attention from Maya though. They both look over in the direction of the interruption. That’s when Carina first notices that Maya’s mother is in the room.

“Sorry, sorry. Keep going.” Katherine doesn’t want to make a scene.

Carina is surprised, to say the least, she turns back to Maya to question how it’s even possible that her mother is here, but she sees the look on Maya’s face. A mix of what Carina thinks is a little sadness and disbelief in Maya that she is seeing her mother break down over their vows, their wedding. That’s when Carina knows that no matter what she says right now doesn’t matter.

“I don’t need to say anything else.”

Maya shifts her attention back to Carina. Carina nods. “We’re good.”

“We’re good?” Ben asks.

Carina nods and Maya knows that they are good as well and nods. “Yeah.” She breathes out, almost unbelieving what is happening right now. She locks back in on Carina.

“Then, Maya Bishop- do you take-“

Maya doesn’t even let him finish. She stares right into those impossibly vibrant brown eyes. “I do.”

“Me too.” Carina breathes out. She couldn’t wait any longer.

Everyone laughs. But that doesn’t deter Maya. She keeps her eyes locked on Carina. And vice versa.

“I now pronounce you wife and wife.”

Carina hums as the words leave Ben’s mouth. She grins and leans in at the same time as Maya for the first kiss.

There is a round of applause and they finally turn to address the crowd around them. Carina lifts a excited little leg in the air as everyone cheers them on.

After a moment, the commotion dies down and Maya reaches for Carina’s hand. Carina leans into Maya’s side and whispers. “Your mamma is here.”

“Surprise?” Maya bites her lip. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you later when we have more time.” She can see their guests coming over to them to give their congratulations.

They hold a semi-receiving line, greeting and thanking everyone for coming, receiving congratulations.