Chapter Text
Maya was pacing the living room when the front door finally opened.
Her footsteps had worn a quiet path into the rug over the past hour, she had wandered back and forth between the couch and the window, her hands clasping and unclasping as if she could physically hold the anxiety still.
“Bambina?” Carina asked gently as she stepped inside, closing the door behind her.
Maya stopped pacing immediately, her shoulders dropped a fraction at the sight of her wife.
“You’re home,” Maya whispered, although the relief was visible.
Carina noticed it right away, the tightness in Maya’s posture and the way her eyes looked a little too bright. She slipped off her shoes and placed her bag on the counter, studying her carefully.
“My phone died,” Carina explained softly. “And instead of finding somewhere to charge it, I decided to just come home.” She stepped closer. “Is everything okay?”
Maya rubbed a hand over the back of her neck.
“I did a thing,” she offered.
Carina didn’t interrupt. She simply waited, giving Maya the space to continue.
“Sarah called,” Maya said, the words beginning to tumble faster now. “She asked if we could take a placement tonight. A teenager, her name's Emma and she’s seventeen.”
Carina remained quiet, her expression open.
“I tried to call you but you were in the OR,” Maya continued quickly. “So I told Sarah I’d call her back but I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to decide alone but Andy and Vic were here and they asked me what you’d say if you were here, if you’d answered and I,”
Her breath hitched.
“I told them you’d say we didn’t do this to say no.”
Carina’s eyes softened, a small smile appeared because her wife knew exactly what she would say.
“So I called Sarah back,” Maya rushed on. “And I said yes, so she’s coming tonight.”
The final words seemed to knock the air out of her.
“I’m sorry,” Maya whispered. “I didn’t wait. I didn’t know what to do and now I’ve,”
Her voice broke.
“I’ve given our daughter’s room away.”
What had started as rambling dissolved into quiet sobs. Carina didn’t hesitate, she crossed the room and wrapped her arms around Maya, pulling her close against her chest.
“Hey,” she murmured softly, one hand coming up to cradle the back of Maya’s head. “Hey, bambina. It’s okay.”
Maya clung to her, the guilt pressing heavy in her chest.
“It’s Grace’s room,” she whispered. “It’s still Grace’s room.”
Carina held her for a moment longer before gently pulling back just enough to look at her, her thumb gently wiping at the fallen tears.
“Grace would hate that you’re blaming yourself for helping someone,” she said quietly.
Maya shook her head.
“It feels like we’re replacing her.”
“No,” Carina said gently. “We are continuing what she started.”
Maya’s eyes fluttered closed as Carina brushed another tear from her cheek.
“Grace told us many times that our house should always be open,” she reminded her softly. “She would not want that room sitting empty if someone needed it.”
Carina’s voice stayed calm and steady.
“This girl needs somewhere safe tonight and you have given her that.”
The silence sat between them for a moment then Maya nodded slowly.
“Emma,” she said quietly. “She doesn’t want to be fostered, Sarah said she doesn’t really want anything from us.”
Carina smiled gently.
“That sounds familiar.”
Maya huffed a small breath of laughter through the tears and sadness.
“Yeah,” she admitted.
From the play mat behind them came a loud squeal making both women turn.
Benjamin was sitting upright in the middle of the rug, gripping his plush monkey in one hand and a stuffed lion in the other, the pear sat next to him.
He let out another triumphant yell realising he had indeed captured their attention. .
Maya’s face softened instantly. “Yeah, yeah,” she said, crouching down beside him. “We hear you, probie.”
Benjamin immediately lunged forward, grabbing her finger.
“Look at you,” Maya continued, her tone automatically shifting into the constant stream of conversation he had grown used to. “You are using your big voice today, aren’t you?.”
He responded with another proud babble making Carina laugh quietly at the back and forth between the pair.
Benjamin had done remarkably well on the new formula. The fear they’d both carried earlier in the day had slowly melted into cautious relief as bottle after bottle settled without pain. Now he seemed stronger, louder, and significantly more opinionated.
“And what is this?” Maya said, lifting the lion slightly. “When did you acquire a lion?”
Benjamin squealed again.
“Ah, yes,” Maya nodded seriously. “So the lion is yours now.”
Carina leaned against the couch watching them. Benjamin had quietly been stealing Maya’s heart piece by piece over the last few days. At first she had been careful, almost guarded, but now she narrated his every move like it was the most fascinating event in the world.
“Monkey, lion, you’ve got a whole zoo going on here,” Maya continued. “We’re going to have to talk about property rights soon, probie.”
Benjamin grinned around a mouthful of drool.
Carina shook her head fondly.
“Do you ever stop talking to him?”
“No,” Maya said immediately.
Benjamin squealed again as if agreeing.
A knock at the door made both women turn towards the sound.
“That’ll be Emma,” Maya said quietly.
Carina reached over, squeezing her hand.
“We’ve got this.”
Maya nodded once, then she stood, wiped her face, and went to open the door.
On the other side stood a tall girl with tired eyes and a backpack slung over one shoulder. She had dark brown, slightly messy hair pulled back in a hair tie.
Emma looked past them into the house with a clear disinterest.
“I’m Emma,” she said flatly. “And just so we’re clear, I don’t need parents, I don’t need looking after, and I don’t want you doing anything for me.”
Maya blinked, surprised at the blunt delivery but Carina simply nodded.
“That’s okay,” she said gently, which caused Emma to frown slightly, clearly expecting an argument.
“You can use the bedroom upstairs at the end of the hall,” Maya added. “The bathroom’s across from it and there’s food in the kitchen. Help yourself if you want anything.”
Emma shifted her backpack higher, almost as if it was a barrier between them and her.
“I don’t.” She answered, but she didn’t sound as sure as she had previously.
“That’s fine,” Carina replied calmly. “But if you change your mind, it’s there.”
Emma didn’t answer. She walked straight past them towards the stairs, and a moment later the sound of a door closing echoed through the house.
There was only a second of silence before Benjamin decided to fill it with his own conversation again. Maya walked over and scooped him up, resting him on her hip.
“Well that’s Emma, she’s a teenager so I’m not sure she is up for playing our games but that’s ok isn’t it probie?” He simply responded with a clap of his hands.
-
Emma didn’t reappear again that evening, and they hadn’t heard any movement from her room all night.
But as per her wishes, they left her be.
They had offered what they could, a clean bed, a warm house, food in the kitchen, and perhaps most importantly, a place where she had been listened to. If Emma needed distance before accepting any of that, they were willing to give it.
Morning arrived somewhat quietly and Maya sat at the table with Benjamin sat opposite her in the high chair.
“Okay, probie,” Maya murmured, scooping another spoonful of pear purée. “Open up.”
Benjamin opened his mouth immediately.
“Well done,” Maya praised, tapping the spoon lightly against the bowl. “You’re getting very good at this.”
He babbled loudly, gripping the edge of the table with one sticky hand while his other clutched his ever-present Perry Pear.
Across the kitchen, Carina was at the counter assembling Maya’s lunch for the day.
“You know,” Carina said lightly without turning around, “one day he will discover other foods.”
Maya snorted.
“I’ll believe that when I see it.”
Benjamin squealed as if offended.
“Hey,” Maya said, glancing down at him. “I’m just saying, probie. Your diet is somewhat limited.”
The sound of footsteps in the hallway made both women look up. Emma appeared in the doorway, with her backpack slung over one shoulder like she hadn’t planned on staying longer than a single night.
Carina offered a gentle smile.
“Good morning.”
Maya gave her a small nod before turning back to Benjamin, scooping up another spoonful of pear.
“I’m going to school,” Emma informed them.
Carina nodded easily.
“What school are you at?”
“Roosevelt High,” Emma answered. “On sixty-sixth.”
Maya’s brain automatically mapped it out, it was a forty-minute walk but probably only ten minutes by car.
She glanced briefly at the clock on the wall. She still had time before she needed to leave for the station.
“I’m heading that way to work,” Maya said casually. “Do you want a lift?”
Emma adjusted the strap of her backpack.
“I’m good walking.”
It wasn’t as blunt or defensive as the night before, but the certainty was still there.
Maya simply nodded.
“Okay.”
Carina slid Maya’s lunch into a container before glancing toward Emma again.
“Do you want some breakfast?” she asked gently. “Or lunch to take with you?”
Emma hesitated slightly, her eyes drifting toward the fruit bowl sitting in the center of the table.
“Can I just take something from here?” she asked.
“Of course,” Carina said warmly. “Help yourself.”
Emma stepped closer and picked up a banana first, then her hand reached toward one of the pears.
Benjamin noticed immediately.
“AAAA!”
His protest was loud and deeply offended but it made both Maya and Carina burst into laughter. Benjamin, however, looked anything but amused.
“You’re fine,” Carina assured Emma with a smile. “Go ahead. We just have a very enthusiastic pear lover in this little one.”
Emma looked down at Benjamin with mild confusion, clearly trying to understand how someone so small could already have strong opinions about fruit.
Then, after a moment, she quietly placed the pear back in the bowl and grabbed an apple instead. She wasn’t cruel enough to steal from a baby.
Maya noticed and Carina noticed it too, but of course, neither of them said anything.
Emma slung her backpack properly over her shoulders again as Carina stepped forward and handed her a small folded piece of paper.
“Here,” she said. “Our contact details, cell numbers, work numbers, and the addresses.”
Emma glanced down at it, she noticed the fire station and the hospital. Both were familiar to her.
She nodded once.
“If you’re not coming home after school,” Carina added gently, “we’d appreciate a message, and if you come back late, just remember you’re not the only foster child here.”
Emma followed Carina’s gaze toward Benjamin, who was now enthusiastically chewing on Maya’s sleeve.
“I’ll be back before it gets dark,” she said as she filled her water bottle at the sink.
Maya nodded once in acknowledgement.
“Have a good day.”
Emma didn’t answer but she didn’t ignore it either.
She slipped her phone and the folded note into her pocket, grabbed the apple, and headed for the door.
A moment later it closed behind her.
Benjamin immediately slapped the table.
“Yes, yes,” Maya said, scooping another spoonful of pear. “The pears are safe, probie, no one’s taking your pears.”
Carina leaned against the counter watching them both, her expression soft.
The house had grown a little fuller again, Carina had always wanted a full house and maybe it wasn’t full in the way they imagined. But they were doing it their own way.
Emma kept her word.
The front door opened just before dark, she closed it carefully, almost like she feared disbursing the peace behind closed doors.
She couldn’t hear any voices from the living room, she couldn’t hear any voices anywhere.
Emma slipped her shoes off by the door, her backpack still hanging from one shoulder as she stepped further in.
“Hello?”
Carina’s voice carried gently from the kitchen.
Emma hesitated for half a second before moving toward it.
She found Carina by the counter, a pan warming on the stove. Benjamin sat in his highchair nearby, one hand gripping his monkey, the other slapping lightly against the tray in front of him.
His head turned at the sound of movement.
“Aaa!” he announced, as if informing the room of her arrival.
Carina looked up, offering a soft smile.
“You’re back.”
Emma nodded once, shifting her bag slightly.
“Told you I would be.”
There was no bite to it, just fact.
Carina inclined her head.
“I appreciate that.”
A small silence settled between them before Carina gently tried again.
“How was school?”
Emma shrugged, dropping her bag by the kitchen wall.
“Fine.”
Carina nodded like that was enough.
“And your classes?” she asked lightly. “Are you enjoying them?”
Emma leaned back slightly against the counter, arms folding loosely.
“They’re classes.”
It was short and blunt but not hostile, but Carina appreciated the response nonetheless.
Benjamin, however, was not happy that the conversation had come to an end. He leaned forward in his high chair and slapped his hands on the tray whilst continuing to babble again.
Emma glanced at him briefly and he stared right back at her. Carina hid a small smile, turning back to the stove.
“I’m making dinner,” she said casually. “Would you like some?”
Emma shook her head almost immediately.
“I’m good.”
Carina didn’t push.
“Okay.”
She stirred the pan slowly, letting the quiet settle again, not forcing conversation where it wasn’t wanted.
Benjamin let out a small whine, clearly unimpressed with being ignored.
“Yes, I hear you,” Carina murmured, reaching over to adjust the toy in front of him. “You are very important too.”
Emma’s gaze flickered back again.
“Does he always make that much noise?” she asked.
Carina smiled slightly.
“Only when he is awake,” she joked.
Benjamin banged his hand down again.
“Aaa!” He shouted.
“Yes, yes,” Carina said lightly. “We are all listening to you, I promise.”
Emma shook her head, pushing herself off the counter.
“I’m gonna go to my room.”
Carina nodded without hesitation.
“Of course. If you change your mind about dinner, it will be here.”
Emma paused for just a fraction of a second, like she might say something else, but she didn’t. Instead, she picked up her bag and headed down the hall, closing the door behind her.
Carina let out a slow breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding.
Benjamin looked at her expectantly.
“Well,” she said, glancing down at him. “That went exactly how I thought it would.”
“Aaa,” he replied.
Carina smiled, turning back to the stove.
“I agree.”
The front door opened just as Carina was finishing up at the stove.
She didn’t need to turn around to know it was Maya. There was something about the way she moved through the house that Carina felt before she even saw her.
“In here,” Carina called softly.
Maya appeared in the doorway a second later, already shrugging off her jacket, her eyes immediately landing on Benjamin.
“Hey, probie,” she murmured, crossing the room without hesitation.
Benjamin’s face lit up instantly, his arms lifting in clear demand.
Maya didn’t even pause. She scooped him up, settling him easily on her hip like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Yeah, yeah, I missed you too,” she said, pressing a quick kiss to his temple. “What did you get up to today, huh?”
Benjamin babbled in response, grabbing onto the collar of her shirt.
“Oh really?” Maya continued, fully engaged. “You went out? Saw the world? Ate all the pear in existence?”
Carina smiled softly, turning back to the stove as she listened.
“And what else?” Maya went on, pacing slowly with him. “Did you behave for Carina or were you causing chaos all day?”
“Aaa!” Benjamin shouted.
Maya huffed out a quiet laugh. “Yeah, that sounds about right.”
Carina shook her head fondly, plating up the food.
“He has had a very busy day,” she said lightly.
Maya smirked but didn’t argue, shifting Benjamin slightly as she moved closer to the table.
“How was your day?” she asked.
Carina exhaled softly, setting the plates down.
“It was ok. Benjamin and I went out, picked up some more fruit and some groceries. Emma came home a little while ago,” she said. “She spoke… a little, not much, but more than last night.”
Maya nodded, listening.
“She went straight to her room,” Carina continued. “She did not want dinner.”
Maya hummed thoughtfully, bouncing Benjamin gently.
“Sounds about right.”
Carina glanced toward the stairs before picking up a plate.
“I will just let her know again, in case she has changed her mind.”
Maya nodded. “Yeah.”
Carina headed upstairs, her steps quiet as she reached the closed door. She knocked gently.
“Emma?” she called. “Dinner is ready if you would like some.”
There was a brief pause.
Then, “I’m good.”
Carina didn’t push.
“Okay,” she said softly. “It will be here if you change your mind.”
She waited a second longer, then turned and made her way back downstairs.
Maya was now sitting at the table, Benjamin perched on her lap, one of his small hands wrapped tightly around her finger while the other clutched Perry the pear.
Carina took her seat beside them.
“She said no,” she offered quietly.
Maya nodded, though her expression had shifted slightly.
They sat in a comfortable silence for a moment before Maya spoke again.
“How was she? Really?”
Carina considered it.
“Guarded,” she said honestly. “But not rude.”
Maya let out a small breath, her hand absently rubbing over Benjamin’s back.
“I don’t blame her,” she murmured. “She doesn’t know us.”
Carina reached for her hand briefly, squeezing it.
“She will take time,” she said softly.
Maya nodded, but the tension didn’t leave her shoulders.
“I just…” she started, then stopped.
Carina turned fully toward her. “Talk to me, bambina.”
Maya let out a breath, her eyes dropping to Benjamin for a moment before lifting again.
“I still feel guilty,” she admitted.
Carina frowned slightly. “About Emma?”
“About everything,” Maya said quietly. “About saying yes to giving someone else that room.”
Carina’s expression softened immediately.
“Maya,”
“It just feels wrong,” Maya continued, her voice thickening slightly. “That someone else is in there.”
Benjamin shifted, letting out a small sound, but Maya barely registered it.
“That was Grace’s room,” she whispered. “Her things were in there, her space… it was hers.”
Carina reached for her hand again, grounding her.
“I know,” she said gently.
Maya shook her head slightly, emotion building now.
“No, it’s more than that,” she said. “It’s like… like we just packed her away and moved someone else in.”
“That is not what we did,” Carina said softly but firmly.
Maya’s eyes filled despite her trying to stop the emotion from showing.
“It feels like it,” she whispered. “I know it’s not rational, I know that, but…”
She broke off, swallowing hard.
“I miss her,” she admitted, her voice cracking. “I miss her so much, Carina.”
Carina’s own eyes filled, but she stayed steady.
“I know,” she said, her thumb brushing over Maya’s hand.
“I just…” Maya continued, shaking her head. “I wish I could just hug her one more time. Just once.”
Carina moved her chair closer, their knees touching now.
“She knows you love her,” she murmured.
Maya let out a small, broken laugh.
“That’s not the same, it’s not enough.”
“No,” Carina agreed softly. “It is not.”
Maya stared down at the table for a long moment before speaking again, quieter now.
“I wish I hadn’t given her room away.”
The words barely left her mouth and then the floorboard outside the kitchen creaked.
Both of them froze.
Carina’s head snapped toward the door and Maya’s breath caught.
There was another sound, it was unmistakable. Emma was no longer in her room, she wasn’t even upstairs. She was standing outside of the kitchen and she’d heard exactly what Maya had said.
Carina’s voice dropped to a whisper. “She heard.”
Maya’s stomach dropped instantly.
“Oh no…”
Before they could even register what was happening, Emma had run back upstairs and slammed the door shut behind her.
Carina quickly rushed upstairs, wanting to explain. Maya followed behind with Benjamin still in her arms.
By the time they reached the top, Emma was shoving things into her backpack, like she needed to be gone before they could say anything else.
“I’m leaving,” she said, not even looking at them.
“Emma, wait,” Carina started gently.
“I heard you,” Emma snapped, her voice tight, controlled in that way that meant it was about to break but she was trying to hold herself together.
“You don’t want me here. That’s fine. I don’t want to be here either.”
Maya stepped forward, panic rising.
“That’s not what I meant,”
“You said it,” Emma cut in, turning now, her eyes burning. “You said you wish you hadn't given me the room. Those were your words.”
Maya’s face fell completely.
“No… Emma, that’s not what I meant, let me explain,” Maya all but begged. She felt guilty before, but she felt worse now.
“I’m not staying somewhere I’m not wanted,” Emma said, slinging her bag over her shoulder.
“That’s not what this is,” Carina tried, her voice calm but urgent. “You misunderstood, we were…”
“I didn’t,” Emma shot back, cutting them off again. “I heard you.”
She moved past them, heading for the stairs.
“I wasn’t planning on staying anyway,” she muttered.
“Emma, please wait,” Maya called, her voice cracking now.
But Emma didn’t stop.
“I’m leaving,” she said again.
And this time, it wasn’t polite.
Emma didn’t slow as she reached the bottom of the stairs.
Maya followed as far as she could with Benjamin still in her arms, her heart racing, her words tripping over themselves.
“Emma, please, just wait, let me explain.”
But Emma was already at the door, pulling it open, her backpack slung over one shoulder like she’d been ready for this all along.
“I don’t need this,” she said, not looking back. “I don’t need people pretending.”
“We’re not pretending,” Carina said, her voice calm but firm as she stepped forward. “You are safe here.”
Emma let out a short, humourless laugh.
“Yeah,” she muttered. “Safe maybe, but not wanted.”
And then she was gone.
The door shut behind her with a hollow finality that seemed to echo through the entire house.
Maya didn’t move at first. She just stood there, staring at the door like if she looked long enough, Emma might come back through it, but she didn’t.
Benjamin shifted in her arms, letting out a soft, confused sound at the sudden stillness.
Maya’s grip tightened around him instinctively, like she needed something or someone to hold onto.
“I did it again,” she whispered.
Carina turned to her immediately. “Maya, you didn’t do anything.”
“I did it again,” Maya repeated, her voice breaking this time. “I messed it up.”
“That is not what happened.”
“She heard me,” Maya said, shaking her head, her breathing uneven. “I said the one thing I shouldn’t have said and she heard me.”
Carina stepped closer, reaching for her.
“You were talking about Grace,” she said gently. “About your grief. That is not the same thing.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Maya snapped, not out of anger, but out of pain. “It doesn’t matter what I meant, Carina. It’s what she heard.”
Benjamin whimpered softly, sensing the shift, and Maya immediately softened, pressing her cheek to his head.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered to him, her voice trembling. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I’ll be better.” She promised him as the tears began to fall.
Carina’s heart broke at the sight.
“She didn’t stay long enough to understand,” Carina said softly. “That is not your fault.”
Maya shook her head again, tears spilling now.
“It is,” she insisted. “It’s always me. Grace, now Emma, I mess everything up,”
“Grace was not your fault,” Carina said firmly, stepping closer, her voice stronger now. “And neither is this.”
She needed Maya to understand this, she couldn’t let Maya go back to believing she wasn’t destined to be a parent.
Maya let out a hollow laugh, the kind that held no humour at all.
“Then why does it keep happening?” she asked loudly.
Carina didn’t have an answer for that, and that was the worst part because she wanted to fix it. She wanted to take the weight off Maya’s shoulders the way she always tried to, but this time, she couldn’t.
Maya looked back at the door one more time.
“We were supposed to be her safe place,” she whispered. “She barely stayed one night.”
Carina reached up, cupping Maya’s face gently, forcing her to look at her.
“We offered her safety,” she said softly. “We offered her a home. We cannot force someone to accept that, bambina.”
Maya’s eyes searched hers, desperate.
“I didn’t even try hard enough.”
Carina shook her head immediately.
“No,” she said. “You respected her, you listened to what she asked for. That’s what matters.”
But Maya wasn’t hearing it, not really. Her shoulders slumped, exhaustion and guilt settling deep into her bones.
“We have to call Sarah,” she said quietly.
Carina nodded, even though every part of her hated what that call meant.
Maya adjusted Benjamin slightly in her arms, holding him close as if bracing herself, then reached for her phone.
Her hands were shaking but Carina stayed right beside her, one hand resting gently at the base of her back and the other supporting Benjamin.
The phone rang once then twice before Sarah answered.
“Hi Maya,” Sarah’s voice came through, warm but cautious. “Is everything okay?”
Maya closed her eyes briefly before answering.
“No,” she admitted softly. “It’s not.”
There was a pause on the other end.
“What’s happened?” Sarah asked gently.
Maya swallowed, she braced herself for whatever was coming next.
“Emma left,” she said, the words heavy in her mouth. “She overheard something I said… and she… she packed her things and walked out.”
Carina watched her, her own heart aching as Maya forced herself to keep going.
“I tried to stop her,” Maya added, her voice cracking. “We both did, but she wouldn’t stay.”
There was another pause, but what followed wasn’t judgmental.
“Okay,” Sarah said softly. “Thank you for telling me.”
Maya nodded even though Sarah couldn’t see her.
“I’m sorry,” she said immediately. “I should’ve handled it better, I should’ve tried…”
“Maya,” Sarah interrupted gently. “Stop.”
Maya went quiet.
“This is not on you,” Sarah continued. “Emma has a history of unstable placements and leaving environments when she feels uncomfortable. This isn’t a new behaviour for her.”
Maya’s grip tightened slightly around Benjamin.
“But I made it worse,” she whispered.
“You didn’t,” Sarah said firmly but kindly. “You gave her a place to land. That still matters, even if she didn’t feel like she could stay.”
Maya didn’t respond because she wasn’t convinced.
“I’ll start making some calls,” Sarah went on. “I’ll see if she’s gone somewhere familiar. I’ll keep you updated, okay?”
“Okay,” Maya said quietly.
“And Maya?” Sarah added.
“Yeah?”
“You didn’t fail her.”
Maya’s throat tightened.
“Okay,” she repeated, softer this time although she didn’t believe Sarah, Maya felt deep inside her that she had failed Emma in the same way she had failed Grace, because neither of them were there and she had no way of knowing they were safe.
They ended the call, and a heavy silence followed it.
Maya lowered the phone slowly, her hand dropping to her side.
Carina didn’t wait this time. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around both Maya and Benjamin, pulling them close.
Maya didn’t resist.
She leaned into her, finally letting herself fall apart just a little.
“I’m so tired,” she whispered.
“I know,” Carina murmured into her hair. “I know, amore.”
Carina pressed a kiss to Maya’s temple.
“We are still here,” she said softly. “We keep going, sì?”
Maya nodded against her, even if she didn’t fully believe it yet. Because to Maya, she was still consumed by another goodbye that ended in a way she hadn’t been able to control.