Work Text:
It was December 24th. Carina woke up and she needed a few minutes to realize where she was. And as soon as she did, she started smiling and she was wondering where everyone was. She got dressed and picked out her coziest sweater because she knew she would be cold otherwise. She left the bedroom and went downstairs and still, no one in sight. As she walked through the living room into the kitchen, Carina thought about the first Christmas that Maya and her had spent in this house in the mountains. They bought it three years ago. Never in a million years she would have thought that she would ever own a ‘winter home’. She and Maya decided that it would be nice for the kids to spend the holidays in the snow instead of in their sunny coast town in California. And she never regretted this decision. She looked outside the window and saw the boys building a snowman. Ben who was 15 and his thirteen-year-old brother Lucas were laughing as they tried to place the head on top of the other snow-globes they´ve already made and everything fell apart. They weren´t angry at it, they just enjoyed their time outside. Oh, how she loved those boys and their little sister. She couldn´t see Nicola, their five-year-old, but she was sure that she was outside with the other kids. The three siblings had a hard time before they got to live with Carina and Maya. Almost 5 years ago their parents got into a tragic accident. Their mother died immediately and their father soon after. They didn´t have any other family members left so they were put in foster care. Maya and Carina, who where trying to get pregnant at this time, became aware of the story of the children. They had long discussions about it. Nicola was a baby then, the boys 8 and ten. Could they do it? But it was an easy choice. They wanted to give them a home. So, they decided to freeze some of Carinas eggs for future tries and got into the adoption process. Soon after the children moved in with them. Of course, it was difficult at the beginning. They went from zero to three kids in no time and everyone had to adjust to the new situation. The boys were angry all the time. They couldn´t bare the loss of their parents, but after a while they opened up and they became a real family. It still warmed her heart when she remembered the day when Lucas came to them after his brother and sister were asleep and asked them almost formally if it was okay for him to call Maya and herself mom and mamma. Both of them cried happy tears and hugged him as tight as they could.
And then Carina saw her wife. Maya, the love of her life. They´ve had such a rough start and complicated times, but she was sure for a long time now that there where at a point where nothing could ever let them question their love for each other. Maya was her person. She was walking through the snow, Nicola holding her right hand and jumping up and down. This little girl never stood still. And with this she ran away to join her brothers. Betty who was a very old lady now tried to follow her though the deep snow as best as she could. Maya turned around to go inside and Carina saw her beautiful face. Cheeks red because of the cold, whispering something and gently stroking the little head which was popping outside from under her jacket. Last year they decided to use the still frozen eggs and to try to add another tiny human to their family. Since Carina was a few years older than Maya it was always the plan to use her eggs and for Maya to carry the baby. Miraculously it worked at the first try and nine month later Paola was born. The baby who was now four months old always seemed smiling. Just like her mom.
“Why did you let me sleep in, Bella?” Carina asked as she opened the door and kissed her wife and the baby
“Good Morning Beautiful” Maya answered and gave her wife another kiss “Because you deserved it. You were taking care of this one tonight” she said as she kissed the babys head “and therefore it´s only fair to let you get some sleep. Plus, you´re too soft. Lucas and Nicola were begging me to open a present and I´m sure you would have let them” She said with a smile. “Now what do you think? Breakfast?”
It was a beautiful winter day. They spent most of the time outside and in the evening everyone cuddled in front of the fire place.
“Mommy” Nicola looked at Maya with her puppy eyes “Can we pleeeeeeease open one present now. I cannot wait until tomorrow morning”
"Oh if this is the case and you reeeeeally cannot wait, then I think its fine” Maya answered with a smile “Get up everyone. Get your one evening present”
The kids almost ran to the Christmas tree to pick their presents. They had this tradition that everyone could open one gift in the evening and all the other ones in the morning.
“Mommy said one Bambina” Carina told Nicola when the little girl returned with two presents
“But Mamma, one is for Paola!” And both, Carina and Maya thought they would instantly melt because all of this cuteness.
Nicola loved her new doll, Lucas was trying to figure out how to use the microscope he got and Ben was happy about his new computer game although he would have to wait until they get home to actually try it.
When the kids were in bed and Paola asleep in her crib, Carina and Maya sat there quietly for a while, holding hands and staring at the fire. Carina thought about how she could be that lucky, turned to Maya and gave her wife a kiss.
“Now do you want to open your evening gift right?” Maya asked?” and with a smile Carina kissed her again
“I think I already have everything I could ever ask for.”