21. CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 21
Maya leans over and clasps her hand with her wife’s. “You can do this.”
Carina nods her head and scoots closer to Maya on the couch as she begins dialing her father’s cell phone number. She can feel her nerves and anxieties radiate through every nerve in her body. The only thing keeping her grounded right now is her wife’s hand.
“Ciao mia cara figlia.” Vincenzo DeLuca says on the other line from his home in Italy. (Hello my darling daughter.)
Carina manages to take one more tiny breath before greeting her father. “Ciao papà, come stai?” (Hello Dad, how are you?)
“Impegnato, molto impegnato. Il mio studio clinico mi sta tenendo molto occupato.” Vincenzo answers. (Busy, very busy. My clinical study is keeping me very busy.)
“Good…that’s good.” Carina murmurs lightly.
Maya hears this and tries to figure out what is going on. “What’s good?”
Carina gives her wife a small smile before going back to the phone call. “Maya says hi.”
“Maya? Chi è Maya?” Vincenzo asks his daughter. (Maya? Who is Maya?)
Carina rolls her eyes instantly. “Dad you know who Maya is…she’s my wife.”
Vincenzo starts laughing hysterically. “Sto scherzando, sto scherzando!” (I’m kidding, I’m kidding!)
Carina shakes her head and looks to her wife. “He says he’s kidding.”
“Good one.” Maya deadpans.
“Papà, in realtà ho una notizia che devo condividere con te.” Carina says as she tries to settle the nerves dancing in her stomach. (Dad I actually have news that I need to share with you.)
Vincenzo still laughing continues to tease his only daughter. “Si tratta di lavoro? Che novità potrebbero esserci riguardo ai bambini?” (Is it about work? What news could there possibly be concerning babies?)
Carina bites her lip to keep from snapping over the stupid remark before a nervous laugh escapes her lips. “Beh, in realtà... è buffo che tu citi i bambini.” (Well actually…it’s funny that you mention babies.)
Maya sees the change on her wife’s face and squeezes her thigh. “Carina?”
“I’m just gonna tell him.” Carina tells the blonde with conviction…ready to rip the band aid off.
“Carina?” Vincenzo says into the line when his daughter goes quiet.
Carina takes another breath before spilling her guts. “Si scopre che Andrea ha messo incinta una ragazza prima che morisse e Maya e io abbiamo adottato il bambino... tu hai una nipote.” (It turns out that Andrea got a girl pregnant before he died and Maya and I have adopted the baby…you have a granddaughter.)
Once it is all out in the open it feels like time freezes. Carina sits and waits for her father to respond as her breathing becomes louder in her head.
“Quanto sei sicuro?” Vincenzo asks coolly. (How sure are you?)
Carina rolls her eyes again before huffing loudly. “Adottare il bambino? Abbastanza sicuro... sta dormendo nella stanza accanto mentre parliamo.” (About adopting the baby? Pretty sure…she’s sleeping in the next room as we speak.)
“Hai testato la sua paternità? E se in realtà non fosse di Andrea?” Vincenzo rebukes. (Did you test her paternity? What if she is not actually Andrea’s?)
“Sì papà... abbiamo fatto un test del DNA.” Carina assures her father. (Yes Dad…we did a DNA test.)
Carina can hear her father mumbling to himself on the other line and lets out another sigh.
“She is a DeLuca.” Carina then adds.
Maya squints her eyes and whispers to herself. “DeLuca-Bishop.”
Carina amused bites her lip to avoid laughing at her wife before giving Maya’s hand a squeeze as she waits for her father to continue on the phone.
“Tu e tua moglie state allevando il bambino?” Vincenzo asks. (And you and your wife are raising the child?)
Carina nods her head even though her father can’t see it. “Sì.”
Maya tilts her head at her wife and again tries to gage where the conversation is going. Her wife doesn’t look angry or stressed so she takes this as a good sign. She has learned a lot about bipolar disorder from her brunette doctor and knows that news like this can be taken lots of ways. People with this disorder tend to have really high highs and really low lows….but she can’t tell which one is happening at this moment. But…her wife looks okay so that is all that matters.
“Well that’s good then.” Vincenzo grumbles on other line.
Carina raises her eyebrows when she hears this and ventures slowly. “So…I will talk to you soon.”
“Ti amo, ne parleremo dopo.” Vincenzo says quickly. (I love you, we will talk later.)
Carina lets out a shallow breath before saying goodbye to the man. “Ti amo anch'io, ciao.” (I love you too, bye.)
Maya watches as Carina hangs up the phone and leans over to look her wife in her eyes. “What happened?”
“He asked if I was sure about Andrea being the father and I told him about the DNA test.” Carina answers before her jaw drops in shock. “That was kind of it.”
“What?” Maya asks surprised.
Carina nods her head and looks down at her phone in disbelief. “He said that it is good…that we are taking her in and raising her.”
“That’s positive then, right?” Maya says to her wife as she tries to figure out where her wife’s head is at.
“Sì.” Carina sighs before shrugging her shoulders. “He seemed quiet but…overall good.”
Maya nods her head and gently places her hand on Carina’s back. “We could start thinking about taking a trip to Italy to introduce Ginny to your family.”
Carina nods her head as she continues to run the phone call over in her head. “Sì.”
“Honey, what is it?” Maya asks as she takes begins to rub circles on the brunette’s back. She can instantly tell that her wife is lost in her own thoughts.
“I know my dad….he has more good days than bad but I know what sets him off.” Carina answers before looking absently at her phone still in shock over how that conversation went with her dad. “I thought this would have set him off.”
“Maybe he’s in a good place.” Maya suggests to Carina not wanting her to go to the worst case scenario with her dad. “You said that he has been getting together more with your aunts and uncles…maybe that is helping.”
“Maybe.” Carina sighs before hearing Ginny start to cry from her bedroom. She gets ready to get up when Maya gently places her hand on her thigh to keep her seated.
“I’ll get her.” Maya says as she quickly gets up and heads over to Ginny’s room to retrieve the crying baby girl.
Carina sits alone and continues to run the conversation over and over again in her head. There has to be more, right? Her father really has nothing else to say about the matter. Luckily, her thoughts are brought to a much happier place when she sees Maya holding Ginny.
Maya walks out of the room with a sleepy eyes Ginny in her arms and points to her wife on the couch so her daughter can see her. “There she is…there’s Mama.”
“Mimma!” Carina cheers happily as they make their way over to the couch.
“Can you say good morning to Mama?” Maya asks Ginny as she bounces the girl in her arm before taking Ginny’s arm to help her wave to her mama. “Good morning!”
“Buongiorno mia piccola nocciolina!” Carina says to her daughter as Maya steps over to the couch with the little girl. (Good morning my little peanut!)
“I think Mama needs kisses.” Maya whispers in Ginny’s ear before holding the little girl over to Carina who instantly places her lips on the baby’s little cheek.
“Mwah!” Carina giggles before Maya sits back down next to her on the couch.
Maya settles Ginny down in her lap before looking to her wife who has gone quiet again next to her…getting lost in her thoughts yet again. “Are you okay?”
“I am…promise.” Carina reassures her wife with a soft smile.
Maya nods her head slowly before continuing on slowly. “Because…we just had a conversation about being honest.”
“Maya.” Carina says firmly wanting her to believe her. “I am being honest.”
Maya nods her head and again and give in. “Okay…you’ll let know if anything changes.”
“Yes Captain.” Carina teases as she leans over and kisses Maya’s cheek before clapping her hands together. “Now what should we do today with our day off?”
“I thought we would sit and relax and that’s it.” Maya answers.
Carina not amused squints her eyes at her wife. “Maya.”
“You heard Shepherd and Bailey you are supposed to take it easy.” Maya says seriously.
Carina shakes her head before holding up her finger at Maya. “They told me to stay relaxed…if I stay in this house all day I will not stay relaxed.”
“Okay, okay…it’s supposed to be a nice day today.” Maya says before resting her cheek on top of Ginny’s head. “How about we get Ginny bundled up and take her to the aquarium?”
Carina smiles brightly at the idea. “I bet she would also like the carousal next door.”
Maya nods her head and kisses Ginny’s head. “We’ll see the seals and then hit up the carousal like twenty times.”
“We could go to the diner by the pier with the curly fries…deliziosa.” Carina suggests.
“Delicious!” Maya exclaims proudly. “I got that one.”
Carina laughs and looks adoringly at the woman who always makes her feel better. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” Maya says back before Ginny look up at her mommy and touches her nose with her little finger. “And I love you.”
Carina smiles once more at Maya before nodding her head towards the kitchen. “Should we have breakfast first?”
“We want scrambled eggs and mango!” Maya cheers getting a laugh out of Ginny as she gets up off the couch and heads off towards the kitchen.
The doctor watches as her wife retreats to the kitchen with a now babbling Ginny in her arms. Carina can’t help but glance just once more at her phone…still in shock over how anticlimactic that phone call turned out to be. But before Carina can agonize and dissect the conversation further a sweet voice calls for her from the kitchen.
“Mama you coming?!”
Carina smiles through a long breath before getting up off the couch to join her family in the kitchen. “I’m coming, I’m coming!”
Gabriella sits in shock as she finishes listening to Carina tell the story of her telling her father about Ginny. Gabriella has met Vincenzo Deluca at least a dozen times and is stunned at the reaction her friend got when she shared the news with the complicated man.
Carina lets out a sigh and studies her friend over FaceTime to see her reaction.
Gabriella just shakes her head and squints in confusion. “Well that’s good then?”
Carina nods her head to her friend before shrugging her shoulders. “That’s what he said.”
“Vincenzo DeLuca just found out that he has a grandchild, born from his deceased son and all he said was…that’s good then.” Gabriella says still stunned.
Carina rolls her eyes at her friend and waves her fingers to get her to move on. “Yes Gabri, yes.”
“When was this?” Gabriella asks.
Carina sighs and closes her eyes to think about when the phone call happened. “3 days ago.”
“Wow…I am stunned.” Gabriella murmurs.
“I know.” Carina sighs as Ginny crawls over to her feet and tries to hand her the plastic fire truck she’s been playing with.
“Thank you Mimma.” Carina says down to her daughter as she grabs the toy fire truck.
Ginny struggles to get up on her knees and lets out a plea for help. “Mmmm.”
Carina smiles at the ‘m’ sound that Ginny has started making for her and Maya and leans down to pick up her struggling child. “Okay, I’ll help.”
Gabriella on the other line watches as Carina settles the child down on her lap. “Ginetta is so cute.”
“I know.” Carina gushes as Ginny leans over to grab hold of the fire truck toy once again.
Gabriella smiles and studies the little baby over FaceTime. “Her eyes are so much like Andrea’s.”
“Identical.” Carina says sweetly before Ginny begins to wiggle out of her arms to try to get back down to the floor. “Okay, okay.”
“What is she doing?” Gabriella asks through the camera.
Carina sets Ginny down on the floor and watches her crawl away. “She has been crawling all over the place….she will be walking soon, I know it.”
Gabriella lets out a snort. “Has your fire fighter baby proofed your home?”
“Yes…complete with seminar on safety tips for the home….I had to take a quiz after.” Carina tells her friend.
“She makes me laugh.” Gabriella chuckles amused.
Carina laughs too until her attention is brought to the door where she can hear the jingling of keys in the apartment hallway. “Speaking of Mommy.”
“Ooo.” Ginny babbles as she looks over to Carina.
Carina stands up and looks down at her baby in the dining room. “Do you hear Mommy?”
Ginny still babbling crawls over to the door just in time to see her mommy walking in from the hallway.
“There’s my baby!” Maya cheers as she looks down at her baby who crawls straight for her.
Carina still holding her phone smiles to her wife. “She heard your keys and dashed to the door.”
“Uuuhh.” Ginny says as she holds up her hands to get picked up.
“Up?” Maya asks before leaning down to pick up the girl in her arms. She smiles and kisses Ginny’s cheek before walking into the dining room. “Hi my girl…ooof.”
“Long shift?” Carina asks before sitting back down on the couch.
“Yes.” Maya mutters before noticing her wife on the phone with someone. “Who are you talking to?”
“Gabriella.” Carina answers with a grin knowing that this will thrill the blonde.
Maya looks up to the ceiling as she walks over. “Oh boy.”
“Maya Bishop get your little ass over here and say hi to me!”
The fire fighter giggling shakes her head and goes over to sit next to her wife on the couch before addressing the woman. “Hello Gabriella.”
“Maya you look tired.” Gabriella says as she gets a good look at the fire captain.
“Still a charmer I see.” Maya says though a click of her teeth.
“Gabri…she is just getting back from a 24 hour shift.” Carina says to her friend…warning her to be nice. "And she had to work 8 hours on top of that."
“Okay, okay.” Gabriella murmurs before addressing the blonde once more. “Your wife tells me that you are quite the super mommy.”
“My wife likes to embellish.” Maya says as Ginny wraps her hand around her finger. “What’s the topic of conversation?”
“I have taken a lover in Spain.” Gabriella answers nonchalantly.
Maya just nods her head. “Awesome.”
“I also told her about finally telling my dad.” Carina explains to her wife.
“Gotcha.” Maya says.
Gabriella nods her head and runs her hand through her curly hair. “His name is Dante and he is a very attentive lover.”
Maya scrunches her nose before leaning towards her wife’s ear. “Can she please stop saying lover?”
“Let’s just be thankful she is keeping it mostly pg.” Carina whispers back before shaking her head at her best friend’s antics. “She is heading there to see him now…very excited.”
“Okay my loves! I’ve got to go.” Gabriella tells the two women.
Carina reaches over and runs her hand over Ginny’s soft brown locks. “When are you coming back to the states?”
“Soon!” Gabriella exclaims loudly. “Voglio vedere questo prezioso bambino di persona.” (I want to see this precious child in person.)
Carina nods her head and smiles at her friend. “Good…we will talk soon.”
“Keep sending me photos please of the piccolina.” Gabriella demands.
“I will.” Carina says with a smile.
Gabriella waves to the family of three. “Ciao!”
“Ciao!” Carina says back.
“Bye.” Maya adds before setting a wiggly Ginny back on the ground.
Carina studies her wife and smiles. “Long day?”
Maya nods her head and wipes tiredly at her face. “We were almost out the door when the alarm sounded for an apartment fire over on Meeker Street….took us all day to get it contained.”
“I know we have missing you all day.” Carina says as she runs her hand down Maya’s blonde ponytail.
“Well, I am home now.” Maya says smiling at her wife before pointing to Carina’s phone. “Do you have any other calls to make?”
“Nope.” Carina says as she slips the phone in her back pocket of the jeans before looking to her wife. “Early dinner?”
Maya nods her head desperately. “Please…..I am so hu--”
But before Maya can finish her sentence her phone starts to go off in her pocket. They both recognize the alert sound immediately and disappointment fills the room.
“Uh-oh.” Carina mutters with wide eyes.
Maya takes out her phone and sighs as she reads the alert. “Four alarm fire, could turn five…you’ve got to be kidding me.”
“You just got home…like 3 minutes ago.” Carina pouts.
“They need us on standby.” Maya says still reading before looking up sadly at her wife. “I’m sorry…I have to go back.”
Carina nods her head in understanding. “I know…we will see you later.”
“I love you.” Maya sighs to her wife before looking around for their baby. “Where did Ginny go?”
Carina shrugs her shoulders. “Who knows she is so fast.”
“Carina.” Maya murmurs as she gets up off the couch to head to the door…looking for her daughter as she does.
The brunette woman can’t help but laugh before waving her wife off. “Bambina, you have all but bubble wrapped this whole apartment…she’s fine.”
Maya shakes her head and grabs her bag before opening the door to leave once again. “You’re not as cute as you think you are! Bye!”
“Yes I am!” Carina calls back as she hears the door close behind the woman. “I am adorable.”
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Maya and the rest of A-Shift hustled back to the station and waited for their orders. They got their gear and supplies ready to go only be told they wouldn't be needed an hour later. With the change in weather conditions the fire fighters on scene were able to contain the fire long enough to perform a surround and drown on their own…no back up needed. The news was met with grumblings amongst 19 and various swear words to say the least.
So to lift their spirits they decided to go to Joe’s for happy hour. Maya wasn’t planning on going with her team but when she called Carina was told that team bonding is important and that she should go hang out for a little bit. Maya begrudgingly agreed and followed Herrera, Montgomery, and Hughes to Joe’s for a quick drink.
Travis watches Andy and covers his mouth with his hand. “Herrera you want so fries with that ketchup?”
Andy shrugs her shoulders innocently. “The baby loves ketchup…it’s disgusting.”
Maya laughs and shakes her head at her best friend. “Last month ketchup was making you vomit.”
“I know.” Andy mumbles with a fries sticking out of her mouth. “Pregnancy is a mystery.”
Just then Gibson and Miller come walking into Joe’s and immediately spot their friends over in the corner. They told the rest of the team that they would be right behind them but got delayed in their errands.
Vic stands from the table and points to the guys. “Where have you two been?”
“I needed to check in on Pru.” Dean says as he takes off his jacket before draping it on the back of a chair.
Andy looks behind Dean and Jack. “Where are Warren and the probie?”
“Warren went home to see Bailey and Willet volunteered to help Sullivan with some paper work filing.” Dean answers as he takes a beer from Travis.
Vic snorts before mumbling under her breath. “Kiss Ass.”
“Pretty much.” Jack says back as he takes a seat next to Maya at the table.
“I’m okay with it…less paper work for me.” Maya grumbles before looking down at her full beer that has yet to be touched.
Dean shakes his head in his beer. “I cannot believe we got called in for nothing.”
Maya looks up at her team and shrugs her shoulders. “Having us on standby was the right call…I’m just glad the wind shifted and the fire was controlled sooner than expected.”
“We got lucky.” Gibson agrees with a nod of his head. “That fire could have turned bad real quick.”
Ruiz nods his head and holds up his beer. “Plus…now we get to spend the night drinking.”
“False alarm party!” Vic exclaims as she holds up her beer for a cheers.
Travis clinks his beer with hers and also cheers. “False alarm party!”
“What do we got? Fries?” Miller asks as he looks around at the table. “Should we get more food?”
Andy nods her head and points to the man. “Wings…and nachos.”
“Got it.” Dean says before walking away towards the bar to put in the food order.
Maya giggles softly at her friends before gazing off into space. The fire captain has been quiet pretty much the whole time with her mind only focused on the two brunettes at home.
Vic rolls her eyes and turns to the fire captain. “Will you please just go home?”
“What?” Maya murmurs confused.
Vic snorts and points to her head. “Your head is clearly somewhere else.”
“No, I’m here.” Maya tells the group with a plastered on smile. “I want to be here with you guys and Carina insisted.”
“The food should be here soon.” Miller says as he walks back over and takes his seat next to Andy at the table. “I also got that flatbread pizza with the barbeque chicken.”Andy looks over with love in her eyes. “Barbeque sauce! I could kiss you.”
“I know…you cleaned me out back at the house.” Miller amused chortles back to his friend who has been staying with him on the house boat for a few days now.
“How’s that going by the way?” Travis asks his friends.
“Good.” Andy says with a smile as she reaches over and grabs Dean’s arm. “Miller has been great.”
“No biggie.” Dean says as he waves it off before nudging Andy with his arm. “I appreciate your help with Pru.”
Andy lets out a happy breath before placing her hand on her chest. “I love her so much.”
“I miss the house boat.” Jack grumbles when he thinks about awesome house.
Vic nods her head. “Me too.”
“So sick.” Jack says with a wicked smile. “Remember the parties?”
Vic still nodding her head points at Jack with her finger. “That boat would shake with the house music.”
“It doesn’t shake anymore.” Miller mumbles before tilting his head back and forth. “Though it has been vibrating due to the flamenco music.”
Andy snorts as she dips another fry in ketchup. “You’re welcome.”
“Speaking of houses.” Travis says getting excited as Maya’s cell phone dings next to her beer on the table. “We have finally decided on a new couch for the--”
“Oh my god!” Maya gasps as she looks at her phone.
Andy worries leans over to check on her best friend. “What is it?”
“Look.” Maya says sticks out her bottom lip before holding up her phone to show a photo of Ginny sitting in her high chair covered in sauce.
Vic leans over and squints at the picture. “Is that spaghetti?”
“Look at that smile!” Jack exclaims as he too takes a look. “She is so cute.”
“I know.” Maya sighs happily before shaking her head and trying to focus on her friend that was speaking before…miserably. “So…what were you saying about…uhh…you know.”
Travis rolls his eyes and waves Maya away. “Just go home to your wife and baby.”
“Thank you.” Maya says quickly as she grabs her jacket and walks away from the table towards the door to leave.
“Your happiness is giving me an ulcer!” Travis calls after her in jealousy.
Ruiz laughs at his friend before slapping him on the shoulder. “I told you about my cousin…you should let me set you up.”
“The last time I let you set me up we got robbed.” Travis deadpans back to the man.
“Fernando was always nice to me at the gym.” Ruiz says defending his matchmaking skills to the table as Vic rubs circles on his back. “I had no idea he was a klepto!”
Andy’s eyebrows rise. “Seriously.”
“He stole my TV.” Travis grumbles as he continues to glare at Theo across the table.
“I’m sorry!” Theo exclaims.
“Well…I am kid free.” Dean says as he waves to himself happily. “My mom took her to see my aunt in Bothell…I am ready to hang.”
“Is that why you are wearing you SFD hoodie?” Jack asks with a smirk as he points to his best friend jokingly. “Looking to get yourself a badge bunny?”
Dean laughs and shrugs his shoulders. “Maybe.”
Vic rolls her eyes before glaring over at the man. “The last badge bunny you had got pregnant and abandoned you with a child.”
“Ouch.” Andy laughs into her water.
Travis chuckling just shakes his head. “Vic you want me to hold him down and you can kick him too?”
“What?!” Vic exclaims out at her friends before waving towards Miller. “He knows.”
Dean mockingly laughs at Vic before clapping his hands together loudly. “Shots!”
“Did I hear shots?” Jo asks as she walks over to the table with Link and Nico behind her.
Vic smiles and points to the woman. “Wilson!”
Jo smiles at Vic and everybody else before turning to Jack who offers her a small tentative wave.
“Hey.” Jack says.
“Hey.” Jo says back before addressing the whole table of fire fighters. “We received some of the victims from that fire…you guys all okay?”
Travis shakes his head. “We didn’t end up going.”
Jo nods her head. “Gotcha.”
“We’re gonna go get us a round.” Nico tells Jo before he and Link walk over to the bar to get their drinks.
Jo watches them walk away before turning to Andy. “How are you feeling?”
“Bored.” Andy grumbles before eating another fry.
“Herrera’s been on desk duty.” Dean tells the woman in order to fill in the blanks.
Andy holds up her finger in protest. “For now.”
“For now.” Jack agrees knowing that desk duty is the last thing Andy wants to be stuck doing for the rest of her pregnancy.
Jo smiles at Jack reassuring his friend and swallows the lump in her throat. “And you’re good?”
“Yea…I’m good.” Jack says with a nod of his head.
“Good.” Jo says quietly.
“Good.” Jack agrees as the rest of the table watches them awkwardly.
“I’m gonna go get a drink.” Jo says getting out of the trance before pointing to the table. “Let me know if you guys are getting shots, I’m in.”
“I need one too; I’ll follow you to the bar.” Jack says as he gets up from the table.
Jo smiles lightly. “Good.”
“Good.” Jack agrees as they begin to walk away.
Dean rolls his eyes before calling after them. “Good!”
“I ship them.” Vic sighs as she leans closer to Ruiz who wraps his arm around her.
Andy nods her head and smiles. “Me too.”
“Who?” Travis asks confused.
Vic nods her head over to the bar. “Gibson and Wilson.”
“What?!” Travis shrieks under his breath. “They’re a thing.”
Dean snorts in his beer. “You really need to pay attention more.”
“Jack found somebody else before me.” Travis murmurs to himself sadly before shaking his head in disbelief. “Are you kidding me?”
“This is a surprise for everyone.” Dean murmurs sarcastically. “You seem so relaxed and capable of nurturing a relationship.”
“Thank you!” Travis yells out before going back to his drink.
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Later on in the middle of the night Carina and Maya are both fast asleep in their bed. Earlier Maya got home just in time for desert and spent the rest of the evening with the two people she loves most in the world. Both women worn out from work and chasing around a fast moving Ginny decided to go to bed when their little girl did and fell right asleep.
The two women are sleeping soundly until a phone starts blaring in the silence of the middle of the night bringing both women grumpily out of their slumber.
“Oh god.” Maya grumbles at the intrusive sound.
“Again…come on.” Carina whines tiredly as she desperately clings to sleep. “Tell them to fight it without you.”
Maya lifts up her head with sleep in her eyes to get a better listen before nestling her head back down on her pillow. “Wait…that’s not me.”
“Huh…” Carina mumbles still half asleep.
“Babe.” Maya says as she reaches over to her wife to get her to wake up. “Babe…that’s you.”
“What?” Carina asks confused as her head bolt up from her pillow. She looks around and wipes at her eyes before reaching for her phone from the bedside table. “It must be the hospital.”
Maya rolls on her back and lifts herself up on her elbows. “I thought Miranda put you back on full leave.”
“She did.” Carina says as she tries to blink herself awake before her eyes shoot open when she sees who it is on the screen. “It’s my dad.”
“What?” Maya asks confused as she sits up and looks over to the alarm clock to see that is 1:57 in the morning. “Does he not realize that it is the middle of the night here?”
“Probably not.” Carina sighs before bringing up the phone to her ear while massaging her forehead with her fingers. “Hello.”
Maya lets out a long tired yawn as she watches her wife on the phone. A knot forms in her stomach when she can hear frantic bellows on the other line and when she sees her wife’s face drop to the floor.
Carina agitated gets up from the bed. “Papà calmati, devi calmarti.” (Dad calm down, you need to calm down.)
Vincenzo DeLuca on the other line continues to go off on his daughter. “Devi smetterla di dire alle persone di calmarsi... lo fai sempre. Lo fai con me... e lo fai con il tuo fratellino.” (You need to stop telling people to calm down…you always do that. You do that with me…and you did that with your little brother.)
“Papà.” Carina bites back as she starts to pace at the foot of the bed while her wife watches worriedly.
But Vincenzo continues to ramble on hysterically. “Il tuo fratellino è morto. Se n'è andato e ora c'è un bambino che non conoscerà mai la passione che aveva suo padre prima che tu lo convincessi a spegnerla.” (Your little brother is dead. He is gone and now there is a child who will never know the passion her father had before you convinced him to snuff it out.)
Carina stops in her tracks and glares at the space in front of her. “Andrea ha deciso di ottenere l'aiuto di cui aveva bisogno per vivere una vita migliore.” (Andrea decided to get the help he needed to live a better life.)
“Lo ha reso morbido ed è morto!” Vincenzo DeLuca yells out. (It made him soft and he died!)
Carina finally snapping herself waves her free hand around. “Di cosa stai parlando?!” (What are you talking about?!)
“Carina.” Maya says as she tries to get her wife to focus on her while swinging her legs off the end of the bed. “What’s going on?”
Carina not being able to hear her wife continues to go back and forth with her dad on the other line of the phone. “He had bipolar! You have bipolar! There are treatments to help!”
Vincenzo keeps yelling with his voice only getting louder. “Non lascerò mai che le persone distruggano il mio entusiasmo e la mia passione per la vita o paralizzino la mia mente... nemmeno mia figlia!” (I will never let people destroy my zest and passion for life or cripple my mind…even my own daughter!)
“Non ho cercato di distruggere nulla!” Carina yells back which causes her wife to stand up from the bed and step closer to her. (I didn’t try to destroy anything!)
“Honey, hang up.” Maya tells her as she places her hands on both of her arms. “Hang up the phone.”
Carina looks sadly at her wife before closing her eyes. “È tardi e torno a letto, ci sentiamo dopo.” (It is late and I am going back to bed, I will talk to you later.)
Maya watches helplessly as her wife hangs up on her father and then throws her phone over on the chair in the corner.
“Oh my god.” Carina mumbles softly as she covers her eyes with her hands in a state of defeat.
“Okay…come here.” Maya says gently as she guides her wife back over to the side of the bed and helps her sit down.
Carina just shakes her head bitterly and looks straight ahead. “I knew a snap was coming, I knew it.”
Maya reaches her arm around and rubs Carina’s back before whispering in her ear. “Breathe.”
“He’s in a maniac state…I can tell.” Carina says sadly as she thinks back to the spiraling interaction.
Maya can still hear her wife struggling to get a full breath out and tries to help her calm down. “Hey…take a deep breath.”
“I need to call my aunts and have them check on him.” Carina states urgently.
Maya shakes her head and scoots closer to her wife. “You can do that later.”
Carina sighs and gets ready to argue her case. “Maya, I have--”
“Carina, all of that can wait till tomorrow.” Maya cuts her off gently.
The tears threatening to fall get more force behind them as Carina’s walls start to crumble around her and the weight of everything begins to be too much.
“Maya.” Carina says softly shaking her head as a lump forms in her throat. “I’m not okay.”
Maya’s heart immediately breaks and she runs her hand down Carina’s wavy hair. “I know.”
“I am not okay.” Carina cries as it all becomes too much for the woman and she again covers her face with her hand.
“Come here.” Maya urges Carina softly as she pulls her crying wife to her chest and cradles her in her arms. “I got you.”
The crying woman rests her cheek into her wife’s chest and holds on tightly as Maya sways a little bit with her in her arms. Maya’s heart breaks when she can feel the tears seeping through her tank top and the trembles coming from her wife.
Maya holds on even tighter and rests her cheek on top of Carina’s head. “I love you.”
“I know.” Carina sighs through watery eyes as she nestles into the safety of her wife’s loving arms. “Thank you.”