Chapter Text
"I'm sorry," Maya said glancing down at her phone with every plan to ignore it when she saw the number. Looking back up at her counterpart she pulled what she hoped was an apologetic face and said, "actually, do you mind if I get this? It could be an emergency." Maya knew it was risky, tactless and a little rude to answer the phone during an albeit informal conversation with the chief but Maya didn't care honestly, Carina was her priority always. Particularly when their little one was nestled in her uterus, growing bigger each day. The chief nodded and she mouthed a thank you as she answered and put the phone to her ear. She could hear crying before Carina even opened her mouth. "Hi baby, what's up? You sound upset."
"Maya," it was a strangled sob that sounded like her name.
"I'm here, what's wrong? What's going on?" Carina had been incredibly ill the first nineteen or so weeks of her pregnancy. To the point where she had been hospitalised twice for dehydration and sent home with a blood pressure monitor. It had been debilitating and left her unable to do more than sleep and throw up. Not to mention the fact she had to be on both progesterone shots and antiemitic ones for an extended period of time so her stomach looked persistently like a pin cushion. She had lost a dangerous amount of weight throughout and just now at 32 weeks was she beginning to get a recognisable bump and some semblance of normality. She was back to work on a rather pared back schedule and was having twice monthly check-ups now considered high risk with her age, risk of miscarriage in the beginning and diagnosis of gestational diabetes on top of hyperemisis gravidarium.
Maya was always worried about her at this point. But particularly when she got a teary phone call. Was the sickness back? Had baby not kicked in a while? Or was this hormonally emotional Carina who generally defied all rationality.
"I'll make it better, just tell me."
"I have a tummy ache."
Maya wasn't sure whether to be relieved or not. Carina's anxiety had increased too with the complexity of the pregnancy. She knew better than anyone the risks associated with each condition. Plus she had developed a somewhat fear associated with stomach aches because for months they had meant she'd be sick in no time.
"Okay, have you felt bub move?"
"They're kicking." Maya smiled, that was hands down the best thing about pregnancy. The rest could get stuffed. It seemed like a stupid way to bring life into the world. But feeling their bean twirl and kick and stretch under her hand had been the only good thing. Oh, closely followed by Carina's boobs growing. Maya was a boob girl after all.
"Good. And how's your sugars, have you checked them?"
"The sensor says normal," thankfully hospital insurance had covered a continuous monitor for Carinas gestational diabetes so that took some of the mental load away, apart from when there were other things worrying her, like this, causing her to say, "but should I check on my finger too?"
"No, baby, it should be okay. So what does your tummy ache feel like?" Maya questioned, pacing around between the engines, praying a call didn't come in because presently she couldn't work out if she could manage this from here or would need to dip out and go home.
"Cramps. All over but a bit more sore on the right."
"Okay, and do you feel sick?"
"I've been sick twice."
"Okay, and how about a fever?"
"I don't know."
"Do you want me to come home?" Maya glanced at her watch, she only had two more hours to go. Andy would understand. The chief too. They were all in the loop about poor Carina.
"I'll be okay."
"Sure? There's no points for bravery, I can come home no problem." Maya reassured, wanting to give Carina the chance to manage this independently.
"Can you just have your phone out?"
"Yes. And I'll go on the desk. No big fire jobs for me. You could give Jo a call, or Rahbi."
"Its okay. I just-"
"You're worried. I know. So I'll see you in a few hours or you want me to come?"
"See you in a few hours."
"Okay, take some medicine and rest, sweetheart, try and sleep." Sleep had been the only thing that had truly stopped the nausea.
"Okay."
"I'll see you soon. I love you so much."
"Love you too." Maya smiled as the phone line disconnected before she pocketed the device and returned to the turnout room where she and Ross had been talking. "So sorry about that. My wife- it's, we can carry on. Sorry."
"As long as she's okay, I'm fond of Dr DeLuca."
Maya nodded, "she's alright."
"Good. So the captaincy at 21? I believe it's closer to your home address, which I can only imagine would be useful when you become a mom. They're a good team, experienced but open to learning. Good dynamics. I really feel this could be the fit for you. I know you proved once before that you're a good leader, I see it here on your work at 19. I think you have considered what we discussed after your demotion. You are certainly a better fire fighter. The role would be yours, if you wanted it. If you feel ready to step back up."
Maya was a little taken back by the complements. Sure, the animosity that had grown between them after she blackmailed them had fled with the pictures and Maya's improvements. But it was still surprising to hear your boss' boss' boss complement you so highly. To personally come and propose the idea over having the battalion chief do so.
'If you feel ready to step back up' that was the thing. Was she? She had worked hard, it could not be denied, she had stepped up at the right time within her lieutenantcy. She had more than proved herself ready to resume the role that should have never been taken away. But... she also enjoyed the comfort and the safety of being a lieutenant at 19. She relished in the security, particularly with Carina pregnant. Poorly and pregnant. As captain it would be harder to dip away and look after an unwell Carina. But Captaincy would offer her a stability and a regularity not afforded to lieutenants. It would ensure she was home for bedtime most nights. It would give her more weekends. More of an opportunity to help Carina. More personal days to use. And with a good lieutenant, the chance to be even more present in their child's life.
If it was just Maya. If it was the Maya of eighteen monghs ago, in the spiral. The answer would have been yes without much, if any, second thoughts. But now?
"I am flattered, chief, honestly. I am honoured you have personally recognised my improvement in self and in work. But this isn't something I can say yes to without consideration. Without my wife. So, would you accept a maybe in place of my agreement or uh polite refusal. May I get back to you in a few days?"
"Certainly Bishop, and I'm glad you've asked for the time to consider your answer. That fills me with even more hope."
Maya nodded, scratching the back of her neck a little awkwardly. "I think that's all lieutenant, thank you for your time."
"Thank you, chief," she shook her hand and stood at ease until the chief had left the room. Her phone had vibrated in her pocket so she pulled it out as she left the room, smiling when she read, 'having a bath, sorry for calling.' She replied along the lines of not to worry and that's what she's there for, before knocking on Andy's door.
"Mmhmm."
"Hey, would I be able to have desk until the end of shift, Car called, she's a little anxious so I just want to be available incase I need to go."
"She okay?"
"She has a stomach ache," Maya dropped into the chair, "but she's, with everything, it just worries her. She seems to be okay though, just worried."
"You don't just want to go?"
"I do," Maya chuckled, "but I know when I need to and this isn't it."
Andy nodded, privately thinking Maya was wife and soon to be mum of the century, that this was a far cry from the Maya she met in the academy when they were both so green, though with a small dark streak. "So. Did you accept Ross' offer?"
"Tentatively, I said maybe. I need to talk to my wife. Check this is right. For us."
"Very wise. Well, I hope you do, even if that means I'm losing my best lieutenant and best friend all in one."
"Hi, baby, I'm just leaving work. I'll be twenty minutes. Are you feeling be-"
"I think I'm having contractions." Maya halted on the stairs, almost tripping as she felt her stomach fall through her feet.
"Okay, deep breaths, let's not panic," the advice was much for herself as it was for Carina, "I'm going to drive home, if you feel up to it, can you get a bag together, get yourself ready?"
"Maya," it was filled with fear.
"S'okay, my love, it'll be okay. I'm gonna stay on the phone."
"My stomach is really tight."
"Mmhmm, try not to focus on it, I know easier said than done. What are you doing now?"
"Pacing."
"Okay, pace to the bedroom and get some PJs together?"
Maya talked to Carina as promised the whole car journey, which took 16 minutes instead of 20, (not sure how) and pulled her into a hug. Her lips found Carina's temple as Carina dissolved in her arms. "It's going to be okay, we're gonna go to hospital, look at little one, check you over and go from there. You have a little bit of a temperature so maybe it's just the stomach flu?" Maya said, wrapping Carina's shoulders in her coat.
"My stomach keeps tightening."
"So maybe it's braxton hicks too?" Maya offered, slipping their hands together, as she shouldered the bag.
"I don't-"
"Off we go, get to see little bubba."
"Aren't you scared Maya. That something else is happening." Carina asked as Maya drove them the short way to hospital.
"Of course I am," Maya reached over and squeezed her hand, "I'm terrified. I'm worried, for you, for bubs, but my worry isn't going to get us anywhere. I need to be calm, collected. A lighthouse in the storm."
"I didn't take enough pictures of my bump. I'm never going to be pregnant again." She couldn't do this again. The sickness, the stress, the near miscarriage.
"We can take a picture when we get there. You wanted me to film it right? So if today is the day, I'll make sure to film."
"I really thought it was a tummy ache, but my back hurts and it's tight."
"Let's try not to stress, let's not focus on it. What's on the radio?" She pressed the button and took Carina's hand again, squeezing it as a familiar Italian song started. She wasn't 100% with the words but hummed along the bits she didn't know. It was like the universe was playing in their favour for once. Andrew's song playing by chance. At a red light maya took her phone from the centre console and filmed a little clip. Just in case.
"Hi bubs, it's Mommy," Maya was getting used to referring to herself as such, "it's March 14th. We're at the hospital, there's Mamma," Maya flipped the camera to show Carina walking slightly ahead, "we're going to check on you because Mamma isn't feeling so good. Hopefully today isn't your baby because I was counting on a May baby, a birthday buddy, but if it is, this is the story." She zoomed a little on Carina and then stopped recording, catching up. "You good?" It was absolutely pointless but Maya was grasping at straws as to how she could be supported.
"So worried."
"Me too," Maya kissed her temple.
"Okay baby, this is Mamma's bump, thirty-two weeks and four days." Maya zoomed in a little, "super cute, small but perfectly formed, give us a smile Mamma," she panned up to Carina's face, who gave a small smile. Maya followed her gaze back down to the bump, focusing on concerned hands rubbing up and down. She stepped forward and placed her hand there, rubbing her thumb up and down, hoping this wouldn't be the last time. "And this," she passed the phone to Carina who laughed, "is Mommy's bump," she pulled her top out from her work trousers and showed her own stomach, sticking it out in exaggeration, grinning as Carina continued to laugh. She had been doing this when they filmed Carina's bump, and was glad as it lightened the mood some. Carina stopped filming and tipped her head back laughing, as Maya bumped their stomach's together.
"I'm going to design a more flattering gown, at some point," Carina grumbled, as Maya tied the starchy viscose gown behind her back. She finished and kissed over each tie and her shoulder. Carina immediately pulled it up, wanting her bump out, smiling as Maya helped her step into some shorts. She knew they'd have to come off for a cervical exam but for now they could stay. She pecked Maya and sat in the visitors chair, not wanting to sit on the bed, as if that would make thks feel real.
"I should have changed," Maya said, plucking her 24 hour old top, as she tucked it back in.
"Its fine, Where's the nurse," she bounced her leg, "I'm two seconds from hooking up the monitor."
"She's just getting up your record," Maya crouched in front of her and put her chin on Carina's lap, successfully stopping the bouncing. She moved forwards and kissed her bump, keeping her lips there as she spoke, "Mamma and I would much appreciate it of you stay put and keep growing. But that doesn't mean we don't want you if you decide you want to come today."
"Woah, is that the-" Maya trails off looking up at Carina, taking her hand, she felt it, Carina's stomach harden under her kiss. She kept her other hand on the bump as Carina squeezed her hand tightly and nodded. Maya was pressing the call button without a moment's hesitation. "Breathe baby," Maya squeezes back, exaggerating her deep breaths.
"But then there's this sharp pain here," Carina rubs the right of her stomach, "and I feel quite sick." Maya nodded and put a sick bowl into her lap, stroking her hair.
"Dr DeLuca."
"Call me Carina."
"Carina, can I start your checks? Dr Wilson is just in a surgery, Dr Patel is just mid baby catch, so both will be along a little later. But I appreciate the concerning nature of your condition. So I'll get some obs and hook baby up to the monitor?" Carina nods and is soon lying on the bed wired up. Her heart rate was a little concerning so she had had leads stuck to her chest along side the two monitors on her small bump. She's got Maya staring at the monitor for her, but she knows she's having contractions without it. It's baby's heart rate she's concerned about too, having Maya read out the numbers whilst she's mid contraction, aware their sweet pea is having some minor decels with each contraction.
"Carina, hi," it's Jo.
The sight of her doctor and her friend has her bursting into tears, a sob ripping from her body, concerning both Maya and Jo. "Its okay, we'll get it all sorted," Jo said, as Maya perched on the edge of the bed and wrapped her in a hug.
"They're having decels and I haven't felt them move."
"Okay, from the start." Jo pulled the ultrasound machine from the corner.
"I haven't felt exactly well today. I thought my HG was back, that the plan we had wasn't working any more. I had a nap and when I woke up my stomach was hurting. Cramps. But I had them with the HG and I had been feeling sick. And then I was. But they didn't go. It just, I didn't feel right. And then I realised my stomach is tightening with the cramps. It goes hard. Like a contraction. But also, I feel awful and I have a pain here," she pointed to her lower right side, "different to the contractions."
"You could feel them kick when you called," Maya said, "but that's stopped?"
"About an hour ago."
"Okay, let's have a look at baby, you do have a fever, did Sonia tell you?" Carina shook her head, trying to relax as the cold gel and uncomfortable wand landed on her stomach. It was an impossible feet and she found herself craning trying to see their baby. But Jo had diligently turned the monitor away.
"Physically baby looks okay, but we'll monitor. That's definitely a contraction. Can I do a transvaginal to see if it's affecting your cervix?" Maya helped Carina pull her shorts down, as Jo got a speculum and assessed her, "you're two centimetres dilated, so they probably are but babe isn't head down so there's not been any thinning."
"I'm in labour?"
"You are, but we should be able to stop it. I am concerned about your heart rate and that pain. Sonia took your blood right?"
"She rushed them," Carina nodded.
"Okay, I'm going to get the Nifedipine for you but start a broad spectrum too, in case we have an infection starting it too," Jo was attaching the maternal foetal monitors back to Carina as she spoke, "in the mean time if you can relax, which I know and you know is easier said than done."
"Can, could you talk me through it?" Maya spoke up.
Jo nodded and went over everything in detail for Maya who felt much more informed when their doctor left.
"So you might have a tummy ache on top of contractions," Maya asked, spooning Carina who had been tilted to stop their baby from descending with the contractions. It was a little unpleasant but had to be done.
"I think it's my appendix."
"What appendicitis? Can that happen?"
"Mmhmm. It presents atypically. The pain is worse than the contractions."
"What would they do?"
"Depends on the severity."
Maya nodded against her neck and kissed the base of her neck, her hand resting between the monitors on Carina's stomach. "We'll be okay. You'll be okay."
"I just," Maya faltered, "can I kiss the bump one last time."
"Bishop, its gonna be there when she comes back around."
"Its not that I don't trust you, I do, but-" she trailed off.
Everything had got so serious, so quickly. It was hard to believe this had started off as a phone call about a tummy ache. Now her wife's stomach had been sterilised with an orange solution, surgical marks had been drawn, she'd been given a mild sedative, had her stomach pumped and was about to be an organ down. 7 months pregnant.
Her hunch had been right and now along side an irritable and contracting uterus she had an inflamed appendix that antibiotics would do nothing for.
Maya leaned over the side of the bed and found Carina's stomach. Her perfect bump which was their baby's home. She pressed her lips to the top, away from where they would be inserting the robotic arms, and whispered, "please baby, stay in there, keep cooking. We don't want to meet you just yet." Baby DeLuca-Bishop wad faring remarkably well. They had stopped having decels and had been kicking regularly. Unfortunately to the right of their Mamma's uterus, near the grumbly inflamed appendix. Maya got her kick in response and smiled the sedative hadn't taken effect on their baby quite yet.
Carina on the other hand, she was half awake. Eyes half open, twirling a piece of hair around her finger. Maya moved up a little and kissed her forehead. She gave a lazy smile and patted her cheek, "la mia Maya. La bella mia Maya."
"Hey, loopy, sleep good okay, I'll see you shortly."
"Bye," she said loudly with a sigh.
Maya looked up and nodded at the team. The nurses pushed Carina through the surgical doors and Jo and Miranda hung back. Maya wasn't sure of she should be worried Miranda had come out of her surgical semi-retirement to consult and operate on Carina but she was relieved beyond belief it was people who she knew looking after her. "Keep her safe, please."
"Hey. We will."
"And the baby," she turned to Jo, "I know it's early but any signs of distress."
"I have them, Maya. Just like I have from the start, I'm not quitting now."
Maya nodded, thanking them and then allowed a health assistant to show her to the waiting room.
It was agony, worse than torture waiting. She knew it was going to be hours before she heard anything but that didn't stop her looking up whenever the doors to the surgical operating theatres opened.
"Hey, want some company." Maya looked up from a pull in her joggers, that Carina had insisted she fetched from her office and changed into. Ben Warren was smiling at her warmly. She nodded and shifted the bag of Carina's things, including her folded up clothes from earlier, onto the floor. "Miranda told me about Carina."
"What about Pru?"
"Ah, Joey has her. He's her favourite anyway."
"I'm so scared Ben," Maya said, bursting into tears. It wasn't the first time she had cried this evening but it was the first time she had sobbed. Truly sobbed with the pain and the injustice of it all. "That is my whole world in there. Nothing else matters apart from Carina and now our baby. Carina nearly lost them you know?"
"Miranda said-"
"Not tonight. Just after we found out. Her progesterone levels were low and she was having bleeding. She had to lay in bed for days and just wait, wait and see if they stuck or if they- it was agony, but we got through it. And then. Then she was so horribly sick for weeks. Months, actually. I mean, there was a bed in our bathroom she was that sick. Four times we ended up in here, for fluids. Twice overnight," Maya was on a role now, anger manifesting in wet hot tears. Frustration and worry, terrible horrible fear, come to fruition as angry sobs. "And finally a reprieve, where there's a semblance of normality. Where its nausea instead of vomiting. A breather, a moment to catch our breath. To feel like a normal pregnancy. For a bump to finally show through after weight loss. A perfect bump," the anger was lessening as she reflected on the past few weeks, "which she's right, we didn't appreciate enough. I didn't talk to it enough, or memorise what it felt like. Anyway, so a break finally, and pieces of furniture shopping and bloody baby shower plans," what she wouldn't give to be having a headache about the baby shower planning. Or talking about the differences in shades of pale green. "God. Everything was better. And then, then there's a stupid tummy ache. Just a tummy ache, but bad enough that she needed to call me. And suddenly, my wife, my beautiful wife," it was choked out, through a sob, "who had never ever had anything wrong with her until we started trying for a baby, before we got pregnant, who has always been healthy. Has got appendicitis that needs to be surgically fixed. And there's a high chance our bubs is going to come because she's been contracting. But there so much risk. I can't lose them both. I won't survive. I couldn't even lose one. They're mine. My world. My everything. Your wife," she looks at Warren who has been listening quietly, attentively, contemplatively next to her, "your wife," she swallows, "has my world in her hands."
Ben just nods and wraps a supportive arm around Maya, squeezing tight. It reminds her of why they called him Dad. His calmness as Maya falls apart. As his friend is operated on by his wife. She gets it. Why he'll always be dad. Because he was ten times the man she had grown up actually calling dad.
"I'm sorry."
Ben shook his head, "now is the perfect time to do this. Don't apologise for feeling terrified."
It was a mark of how well liked Carina was as to how many of the people waiting in the surgical waiting room at past midnight were waiting for news on her. Most of station 19 had left their beds, forgoing resting after a long shift, that finished late for them, to support Maya. There are faces from the hospital Maya recognises and those she doesn't. Amelia informed her that a group of older women in the corner are Carina's staff nurses, most of whom have left husbands and grown up children, grandchildren even, to sit and support Maya and Carina.
Amelia had showed up shortly after Ben and after seeing if she could get an update she had sat on Maya's other side. "They're operating in eight, which has no gallery," Amelia had said, "but I peaked in and it all seemed very calm in there which is good."
Maya appreciates the support but the only person she wants. The only person that could comfort her the way she needed, is the reason she needs the comfort.
Maya stands abruptly, dropping her phone and Carina's jumper, at the sight of Jo. Jo and a doctor who came to quickly introduce herself as the head of the NICU. Jo, the head of the NICU and a clear plastic sided incubator. She rushes. She can't help it.
"She's okay, she's fine," Jo holds her hands up, halting Maya, "they're just doing the last few checks and then closing her up. Why don't you come with me."
"The baby," Maya looks over her shoulder at the plastic incubator which is being wheeled towards the lifts. She can't see well enough to see of there's a baby in there.
Jo takes Maya's hand and pulls her along to the lifts. As they get closer Maya can see a tiny baby. It's the smallest thing she's ever seen, even with it bundled up. "Its a little girl." Jo says simply, as Maya gets as close as the spaceship like barrier allows, stood on tiptoe so she could see all the way in.
"Is she okay?" Maya manages to take her eyes away from her daughter to look at the doctor whose name she's forgotten.
"So far yes. We have her on some oxygen but that's what we'd suspect for babies born this prematurely. Her other vitals look good. You have yourself a fighter. Two fighters. We'll get her settled in NICU and then give you a call."
"Okay, thank you. Bye beautiful girl," Maya hovered her hand over the incubator. "What happened?"
"She was doing really well and then baby started having a few more decels and Carina's contractions kicked up so we converted to an open laparotomy but ultimately it was time for baby to come out. Bailey's really happy with the appendectomy. She's absolutely fine. She stayed stable throughout."
"Thank you, thank god. How long until I can see her?"
"About an hour in total."
"Okay," Maya rocked back on her heels for a moment, then hugged Jo tightly, "thank you so much, for keeping them safe, Jo. You have no idea how grateful I am."
Jo just squeezed her tightly.
"How is she?" Andy asked, as Maya returned wiping her eyes.
"She's fine. We, we have a little girl."
Maya was suddenly surrounded by people hugging her and congratulating her. "Do you have a name?"
"I want to check with Carina first."
"Hi little one," Maya said, as the nurse stepped away to give them some time alone, "happy birthday," Maya checked her watch, "March 15th 2024. What a good day to have a birthday. Listen, the one you came from, Mamma, she'll meet you, re-meet you? Later. When she's awake. Because she had a sick appendix. I'm sure you'll learn what that is in the future. Right now," Maya traced her tiny sleeping face on the top of the clear plastic box that was keeping her warm and safe from the big bad world, "right now there's some oxygen in your little nosey, and a tube that you'll eventually get milk through to get big and strong. That's the only reason you can't come be with me and Mamma, you have to grow a little more. You only weigh 3lbs and 6 ozs and you have to be 5 before they'll consider you coming home. Okay? But we'll get you there. I love you."
"Oh," Maya crouched down to look at her at eye level, "I'm Mommy by the way."
"That's a big incision. The baby born?"
"Mmhmm, you had the baby. Hi my love," Maya leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "you lost an appendix, but became a Mamma."
"Is it piccolina or piccolino?" Carina asked, shifting a little to get closer to Maya who had been sat holding her hand whilst she came round.
"Its a piccolina. We have a tiny baby girl."
"We do?"
"Mmhmm."
"Is she okay?"
"Yes," Maya pulled out her phone and showed Carina a picture as she spoke, "the only thing she needs help with is her breathing. She's on a bit of oxygen until her lungs mature. And a feeding tube," Maya pointed at the little tube, "but they're waiting to give her some milk for a little bit. But Car, she's perfect. She actually has some hair it's brown and looks a little fluffy. She hasn't opened her eyes yet or anything. She's tiny, her hands are so small. I couldn't touch her because they said her skin is fragile. But she's a cute little baby alien for sure."
"Maya."
"She does, but so cute. I just looked at her and fell in love."
Carina looked at Maya and then burst into tears. "My love?"
"I missed her being born. I missed seeing her in the first moments of her life."
"I missed it too. But man she had some badass women looking out for her. You had an all female surgical team you know. And Jo had a resident film it, I haven't watched, do you want to?"
"First," Carina nuzzled back into Maya's side, thankfully the spinal block is still in effect because she's not sure she'd be able to cope with both section pain and open appendectomy pain, "is she, does she look like a Lia or do we need a new name?"
"It suits her."
"Good. And you still don't mind Lia Lucia DeLuca-Bishop, even though it's a mouthful."
"No I love it, little Lia Lucia."
"Now, video." They both watch in awe as the video plays. They can see Jo rupturing the membranes and Lia being lifted carefully into the world. The both hold a bated breath, waiting for her to cry, further tears falling as they hear her cry a strong cry for such a tiny baby. Carina feels beyond relieved when the momentarily place Lia on her chest before she's put into the incubator, grateful that she got to have thag bonding moment with their baby.
"I can't wait to meet her."
It takes Carina three days before she's strong enough to sit up in a wheelchair. Having four surgical sites, including a sternum to public bone incision is not for the faint of heart. Maya has had to do everything for her. She was numb until just after breakfast on Lia's birthday but following that everything had been agony. What with contractions and bleeding and lasting infection leaving her feverish.
However, through it all Maya has been a Saint. Serving Carina with a lifetime's worth of reminders why she married her. Why she was willing to work through mistakes and heartache.
It feels monumental, as Maya wheels her into the NICU and shows her how to wash her hands. It's life changing as Lia's incubator comes into view. Her breath catches in her throat as she sees the baby she feels like she knows so well. This is the baby that decided to stick around against all odds. This is the baby that's always meant to be theirs. Maya lowers the incubator for her and opens the little door so Carina can slide her hand in.
Lia knows. She knows it's Mamma who's touching her. Her eyes open and her hand grasps onto Carina's finger. Through the tears, Carina starts a lullaby, one that every Mamma in their family sings to their baby. It's a little croaky, because the breathing tube left a sore throat and the feeding tube is uncomfortable against the back of her throat but Lia seems to like it, her eyes drifting closed as she holds onto Mamma. Reunited. Together.
Over in the corner, Maya has been capturing the whole thing, narrating in a whisper. "This is Lia Lucia meeting her Mamma for the first time, at three days old. Well actually they're getting reacquainted because she grew in there," she pans the camera to Carina's stomach, which has been protected by a pillow. "Mamma is singing a lullaby, listen." Maya gets a little closer and grins as her wife sings.
"Ninna oh, ninna oh
Fai la ninna, fai la nanna
Pupo bello della mamma
Lo daremo alla Befana
Che pazienzia che ci vo
Ninna oh, ninna oh
Fai la ninna, fai la nanna"
"You cab hold Lia is you want, she's strong enough."
The world is put to rights as Carina is reunited with her baby and Maya stands behind with a protective hand around them all.
They were always going to get through this. The universe had made sure.