Chapter Text
"Mamma, Mamma," Mateo comes barrelling over to Maya who is still removing her outerwear, fresh from picking Mateo up from daycare.
"I'm not Mamma I'm Mommy," Maya reminds him jovially. Looking down at the toddler who is still wearing his puffer jacket, Seattle was a little chilly that morning.
"I meant Mommy," Mateo holds his chin in thought, as Maya crouches down to remove the coat, having only managed his shoes before he ran off earlier.
"What can I do you for, bub?" Maya says, Mateo giggles then gets serious, "why's Mamma asleep on the couch?" Maya had not been aware her wife was even home until he said this. She was supposed to be in work. She had definitely gone to work because Mateo had made it to day care and she had received her good morning message from the pair. "I was gonna play with my toys but then I saw Mamma sleeping," she heard Mateo explain, as she side-stepped her three year old, still holding his coat. Sure enough she could definitely see Carina, her wife, curled up on the big sofa. Immediately Maya understood from the bucket next to her and the washcloth what had gone on. "Mamma's not feeling good, Teo." Even from the door Maya could see how pale her wife looked. She wanted to check on her but needed to get Mateo out of the way first, "I think we should go to the park."
"Now?"
"Uh-huh, can you go and find your rain boots and your rain suit and come and find me?"
"Yeah, I can!"
That was Mateo out of the way, his rain gear was in the mud room but he had torn off upstairs and Maya was sure he would get distracted by something long enough for her to check on Mamma. "Baby," Maya kissed Carina's temple, "just checking on you."
"I got food poisoning."
"Oh no," Maya combed her hair back with her fingers and lifted the cloth to feel her wife's forehead, "did you come back from work?"
"I threw up after dropping Patatino off in my office, but I couldn't look after him and be ill."
"No," Maya quite agreed, "no that's okay, we're gonna go to the park, are you okay if I go?"
"You haven't slept though," she knew Maya had come straight from work to get Mateo, meaning the boy had only been there just over an hour. Sometimes Maya would come home and sleep for a bit but usually she was desperate to see him after 24 hours without him.
"I'm okay," she kissed Carina's head as she heard Mateo on his way down, "just rest, hmm?"
"Mommy, I cannot even see them."
"Okay, would you like help?" She pulled the living room door closed, giving privacy and peace to her wife.
"I think Mamma hidden them. I'll go and ask."
"Mamma's not feeling good," Maya reminded him, as she took his hand, "do you think it might be with my rain stuff?"
"Uh-huh."
"Oh well my rain stuff is in the mud room."
"Mommy?" He asked as Maya got him dressed.
"Potato?"
"Can I go and give Mamma a-er a Uh- abbraccio?" He eventually asked, forgetting the word for cuddle. Mateo's Eng-talian was one of Maya's favourite things, she just found it so cute.
"Mmm, maybe when we get back, she's just- left leg," she interrupted herself, having tucked his pants into his socks, "just resting. Okay?"
"What's wrong?"
"She doesn't feel good."
"What doesn't feel good?" Mateo was well into his question everything phase and Maya loved it. It often had her wondering if she was ever like this and because she knew she stopped asking questions a long time ago.
"Er, her tummy, bubba," Maya explained, pulling on her own coat.
"What's wrong with her tummy?"
"It hurts, and it's sicky," Maya unfolded his scooter for him.
"Mommy." He didn't take it from her. He looked up at her lip wobbling, "I want to give Mamma a hug."
"Oh bubba," Maya easily picked him up, resting him on her hip. She was a sucker for his puppy dog eyes, as they were almost identical to Carina's, "okay, we can give Mamma a really gentle kiss and then we can go to the park so she can sleep and start feeling better."
"Otay Mommy."
"Okay, baby," Maya kissed his cheek. She walked them through to the living room and opened the door. Reminding him to be quiet with a finger on her lips she carried him over to Carina, who was in the same position as she was earlier, curled up on her side, and lowered him down. Mateo patted Carina's head and then kissed her sloppily.
"Mommy, you go."
"Okay," Maya changed her grip on him and leaned down herself, kissing her wife's temple, "bubba and I are going out," she whispered "he wanted to give you a kiss."
"Ti voglio bene, Mamma." Mateo said a little loudly. Maya noticed Carina wince, and open one eye, "mi dispiace."
"Va bene Tesoro," Carina reached up and squeezed his hand, "ti voglio bene anch'io, divertiti con Mommy. Ci vediamo più tardi, ciao Bella," she blew a kiss at Maya. [I love you sweetheart, I love you too, have fun with Mommy. See you later, bye beautiful]
"See you soon," Maya said, though aimed to be gone for at least an hour. She knew how gruelling being sick and being a parent was so if she could offer Carina a little alone time to rest and maybe begin to recuperate, she would do it. "Mommy, Mamma, sei malato." [you're sick.]
"Sì, beautiful boy, Mamma's not feeling good." Maya set him down in the garden and put his scooter out next to him. She checked her pockets for a snack, the house keys and her phone and off they went. As most three year old do, Mateo lost interest on his scooter about 200 meters down the road. Maya could literally see the house from the spot where he had stopped and told her to carry it, as he scurried off after a squirrel. She hauled it over her shoulder and made to catch up with him.
The park wasn't too far from their house, sure there were much better parks a short car journey away but as long as it had swings and a slide, Mateo was generally a happy guy. Maya loved this bit of parenting, she loved this age on her son and how we very thing he was experiencing was exciting. She loved that he was forming opinions and getting confident. She loved every why and how and what, the curiosity was amazing.
"I. Love. You." She said every time Mateo's welly covered feet swung towards her. He had his head back and was laughing away at the sensation of his stomach swooping and the world being upside-down in equal measures. Mid arc Maya stepped around him and met him from behind, kissing his cute little face. "Mommy, I wanna sit on your legs."
"On a grown up swing?" She asked, slowing him to a stop. He nodded holding his arms so he could be plucked from the swing. Maya smiled at how he instantly cuddled in, as she sat down on the swing. She loved that Carina's cuddly side had been passed down to Mateo. They swung slowly for a while, Mateo cuddling the whole time. "Mommy!" He sprung up, peaceful moment over, "we should buy ice cream!"
"Oh really?" Maya stills their swinging.
"Yes."
"Okay, should we go now," Maya had wanted to take him for lunch, but the excitement and begging eyes worked again and she was soon encouraging him to hold her hand as they walked to the little ice cream parlour. Forcing him to select one scoop had proved difficult but she wanted him to still eat some lunch soon.
"But I don't know if I want cioccolato, vaniglia o fragola o biscotto." [chocolate or vanilla or strawberry or cookies]
"Hmm," Maya looked down at him, hands on his shoulders. She was glad the shop was quiet because Mateo was taking his time. She loved how he was using Italian for the flavours because it had been Mamma who had thought him them when he was one. "Vaniglia."
"Okay," she looked up at the worker, "a small scoop of vanilla in a cup please."
"What should we get Mamma?"
"Oh no," Maya's lifted him onto her hip again because a crowd of teenagers have just come in, "Mamma isn't feeling well enough for ice cream, bubs, I'm sorry," she added at his frown.
"But I had ice cream when I was sick."
"I know," he was referring to a particularly icky bout of tonsillitis she and Mateo had had a few months ago where Carina had played them with ice creams and smoothies when they had really saw throats, "I know but Mamma's tummy is not feeling good and ice cream would make her even more not good. So me and you will just enjoy it." She reached over and paid for their treats. They go over to a table in the back and sensing Mateo still wants cuddles she keeps him on her lap as they sit. He polishes off the ice cream almost as fast as Maya squirming when she tried to wipe his face.
"Let's go home." He told her.
"Okay then potato," they had been out fourty minutes which she hoped would be enough of a rest for her wife. He scoots home and bursts through the front door loudly before remembering about sick Mamma. He shyly stopped in the living room door.
"Mateo, we need to take your boots off."
"Mommy, Mamma's awake."
"Okay, come on."
"Mamma's being sick," Maya heard the coughing. She stepped past him and walked over, rubbing her wife's back, muddy three year old forgotten momentarily.
"You're okay," she reassured, "just breathe, don't force it."
"Tua va bene Mamma." Mateo patted her knee.
Carina relaxed back as her sickness subsided. She held onto her stomach and groaned a little, "cramps?" She nodded, wincing. "Okay," Maya gently rubbed her hand over Carina's stomach, she's just realised her wife's still dressed in her work clothes. Mateo had wiggled his muddy self between Maya's legs and tried to join in. "Gently, poor Mamma," she said, taking his little hand under her own, rubbing gently. "Mommy?"
"My guy?"
"Is Mamma having a baby?"
"Why do you ask, buddy?" Maya gave Carina a look, unsure where this was going.
"My friend Luna said her Mamma was sicky and then she had a big belly and Luna said there was a baby."
"I see, no, no baby in Mamma. Mamma is just regular sick. From a germ," they had discussed germs so she knew Mateo would grasp this.
"Yucky."
"Sì, bambino, ma sto bene, ti sei divertito al parco?" [yes, baby, but I'm fine, did you have fun at the park]
"Sì, but Mommy took for gelato."
"Ah sì?"
"Sì, ma mamma, Mommy non mi ha lasciato comprartene," [Yes, but Mamma, Mommy didn't let me buy you any] he said frowning. Maya was pulling the muddy suit off him, now. She hauled him onto her lap, once they were pulled past his knees. She pulled off his boots, noting that she'd need to scrub the carpet soon, as he had tracked mud in.
"la mia pancia non si sente bene. Non abbastanza buono per il gelato." Carina held her hands out for him. [my tummy doesn't feel good. Not good enough for ice cream]
"Are you sure?" Maya asked, but Mateo was already scrambling out of her lap.
"I am sure Mateo Andrea can be very gentle. Gentile, sì Mateo?"
"Sì, Mamma."
"Okay," Maya relinquishes her grip and smiles when Mateo curls up with his head on Carina's chest. Maya takes the bucket in one hand and the dirty clothes and boots in the other. She takes them both to the mud room and washes out the bucket and his boots, leaving the former to dry. The puddle suit goes in the washer with her coat, which she went to fetch. He had got mud on it when she was carrying him.
Maya felt the post shift need for a nap pulling at her. The energy of looking after Mateo and Carina had drained considerably. The way Mateo was cuddling earlier made her hopeful that if she put a film on he would either nap too or relax enough for her to nap as well. He was beginning to phase his own nap out, but if tired enough and cuddly enough he would sleep. It turns out a film wasn't even necessary, as he was drifting off cuddled into Carina's front. She also appears to be asleep but Maya needs to talk. "Babe?"
"Maya," she croaked, keeping her eyes shut.
"I'm gonna have a nap. Do you wanna go upstairs so you get some good sleep? I can carry you." Mateo wouldn't sleep for long and whilst Maya knew she would be able to rest through it, feeling unwell and resting through a wiggly three year old wouldn't be conducive to feeling better.
"I'll stay here. You go upstairs, I can have Mateo for a while."
"Don't be silly, I was just gonna sleep down here, on the sofa and I can do that and cuddle you." Maya climbs over her and slots herself behind. She lifted Mateo onto her own chest, the three year old mewing, and adjusted the blankets so all three of them were warm enough. Carina rolled over and put her head on Maya's chest, kissing Mateo's forehead. Maya kissed the top of both of their heads and smiled, closing her eyes. She has her whole family in her arms. Her whole world is snuggling up to her, deeply breathing as sleep pulls at them. Sleep pulls at her, as her hand rubs Carina's hip.
Maya woke up to a coldness on her left side and a retching sound. She made to sit up but Mateo was curled up on her chest. Instead she snaked her hand around Carina, reaching under the scrub top to rub up and down. "What did you eat to make you this sick?" Maya said gently, still rubbing her hand on Carina's stomach. She can feel every time her wife tenses in the grips of her sickness.
"A burger."
"You don't even like burgers," Maya said, "hey, are you okay?" She had pulled from her grip and stood.
"My stomach really hurts."
Maya beckoned her over and rolled down her pants and up her top, exposing her stomach, "you're okay," Maya reassured, circling her hand gently. She knew this is what made Carina feel better. Whenever Mateo didn't feel well she would do it to him, and the couple of times Maya had been sick in their relationship she would do the same. Maya also recalls the times Carina hadn't been well herself. She's first called back to the last time Carina had food poisoning, Maya's doing that time. She had been reluctant to let Maya in but had taken Maya's hand to her stomach and circled it around. No cuddling at that time but a hand on her stomach. It had felt like hope for Maya.
"Hey?" Maya said as Carina sat back down.
"Yeah?"
"Do you remember one of the last times you were sick and needed tummy rubs?" Carina didn't get sick very often so Maya knew she would know what she was talking about. Carina doesn't respond, taking to curl up in Maya's arms. "When Mateo was making his entrance?"
Carina nodded against her chest. "I came home to a very poorly wife," Maya recalled, "and she hadn't called me at work, despite being sick and very likely in early labour."
"It was one of your last days at work."
"Anyway, so I came home and you pulled me into your little nest in bed and put my hand on your bump, and made me give you bump rubs."
"It made me feel better," Carina contributed, "it makes me feel better. You're the only one that does it right."
"Well I'm glad about that, but do you remember what happened about an hour into it?"
"My contractions started and my water broke."
"Yup and then Tatey came the next day," Maya kissed each of their heads, "we best fall back to sleep before he wakes up."
The next time Maya awoke she had little feet pressing into her stomach. Opening her eyes she saw Mateo looming over her stood on her stomach. She had to admit it didn't feel great so she lifted him up and asked, "what are you doing monkey?"
"I'm bored."
"Okay," Maya sighed, "Car, are you feeling better?" Her wife was sat up reading.
"Quite a bit."
"Good," she heaved Mateo into her wife's lap and scrambled to the bathroom. Before registering her son's feet she had registered the nausea and how absolutely freezing she was feeling. And it had only taken a moment more to realise Carina wasn't suffering from food poisoning but an apparently contagious stomach flu. She had a stomach ache and was promptly sick as soon as she reached their downstairs toilet.
"Bambina?" Carina appeared in the doorway with Mateo on her hip, "oh no," she gathered Maya's hair up for her.
"Its not food poisoning."
"No, I know," she rubbed along Maya's shoulders, "when I woke up you were shivering and Mateo is feeling warm," she put her hand on his head.
"Are you feeling okay buddy?" Maya asked, how unwell she was feeling discarded, as she studied his face whilst stroking his cheeks.
"I asked him and he said he feels good, and he's bouncy," Carina shrugged, "we'll just keep an eye on him?"
"Yeah, yeah. God, do you feel as awful as I feel?"
"I think so," Carina chuckled, "or I did, I feel a little better. You need to rest," she cupped Maya's cheek.
"Should we cuddle and watch a movie, my bubbas?" Maya suggested, wrapping arms around both of them.
"You don't want to lay in bed?" Carina asked lips on Maya's forehead. Maya was stroking Mateo's hair.
"I'm okay," there was a peck on her lips before she collected Mateo into her arms and carried him back into the living room.
"Mommy?"
"Tiny dude?" Maya plopped him in her lap, grabbing the remote.
"Is your tummy sickie also?"
"Yeah?" Maya scrunched up her face, "how's your tummy?"
"Fine!"
"Good. Okay, toy story or finding nemo or brave?"
"Mee-mo."
"Lie down Mai, I have this shift," Carina didn't like how pale her already pale wife was looking, all colour gone from her lips. Maya opened her mouth to protest but Carina gave her the look and she relinquished, laying down, head in her wife's lap. Carina allowed her to set up the movie and then shuffled them around a bit so Mateo was on her left and she could still stroke Maya's hair. Her sick wife was asleep in minutes, a combination of the illness and lack of sleep from her work shift creating an exhaustion that even she couldn't fight.
This was uncharted territory, both parents sick and an apparently okay toddler. It wasn't like they had any family near by to drop him off too so they could recover. It would all be about tag-teaming and reliance on screen time. Unfortunately Mateo got bored of nemo in less than twenty minutes. He wanted to play with toys so Carina encouraged him out of the living room into his play room where he could play without disturbing Maya. A sleeping sick Maya was something to protect because she didn't always rest when sick. Carina laid on the floor as Mateo played around her with toy cars and firetrucks, helping him with a jigsaw. She mostly just felt tired with the occasional nauseated moment and sore stomach.
"Mamma, Sono un dottore come te." [I'm a doctor like you.]
"Ah sì?" She opened her eyes to see him with the little doctor set Maya had bought him when he was about two months old.
"Sì, sì, Ascolto la tua pancia?" [I listen to your tummy?]
"Sì," she rolled her top up for him. After she woke up she had forced herself to change into some pyjamas.
"Sono cresciuto lì dentro." [I grew up in there.]
"Sì, sei cresciuto qui, sì, per nove mesi e mezzo." [Yes, you grew up here, yes, for nine and a half months.]
"non nella pancia di Mommy." [not in Mommy's belly]
"No, qui," she patted her stomach, "era così grande, qui fuori," [no, here. It was so big, out here] she mimed her round bump. She loved telling Mateo all about growing him. Particularly as she was unlikely to do it again. They were content with Mateo for now but would consider adoption if they wanted to broaden their family again.
"I love you Mamma."
"I love you too. Te voglio bene."
"I hungie Mamma."
"Are you? Beh, dovremo sistemare la cosa, no?" [Well, we'll have to fix it, right?]
"Sì." Carina didn't really want to cook anything so found him some left overs that he would enjoy, heated them up and rested her head on the table as he ate, feeling tired. She was hoping she might be able to coax him back to the film after lunch. She heard Maya get up again but left her be, knowing her wife wasn't a huge fan of all of the fuss that came with being sick.
Mateo was having his face wiped when she entered the kitchen in search of a glass of water and some paracetamol. "When my stomach settles, I'll take him."
"Mommy, hai un brutto aspetto. Male Mommy."
Carina chuckled, as she wiped his hands. "What did he say?" She asked balancing the tablets on her tongue as she filled her glass with water.
"You look bad, sick Mommy," she pouted at Maya then laughed a little, "you don't look like you feel good, he's right," she looped her arm around Maya as she walked past, Mateo was sat on the counter.
"You don't look great either," Maya whispered, happily accepting Carina's hug, resting her chin on her shoulder.
"Mmhmm, we're gonna try the film again, aren't we Patatino?"
"Sì."
"Oh good," Maya scooped him off the counter onto her hip, glass in her other hand. "Mommy, I didn't grow in your tummy." He said factually.
"No, no you grew in Mamma's tummy."
"He's stuck on babies today," Carina called after them.
"So is there a baby in your tummy 'stead?" He mispronounced, swinging himself down to look at her stomach, well trying to. Maya almost droped her drink. She placed it on the TV stand and musters the energy to allow Mateo to achieve what he wishes. She slightly regrets as he grabs her stomach with pointy little fingers. She sat down with him and reclined back, letting him continue his examination, pushing past the nausea and pain her son may or may not be inducing, as she finally replies, "no, no baby in Mommy's tummy either, just a germ."
"Will there be a baby in your tummy soon?"
"Nope."
"What about Mamma's?"
"No, bubba, no babies in tummies."
"How will I get a brother or, or sorella?"
"If me and Mommy decided we want to have, to be Mammas to another baby we will tell you, sì? But we like just being your Mammas now." Carina comes in clutch, Maya wasn't feeling well enough to explain in a three year old friendly way. "Ora la Mommy va di sopra a letto, okay ?" She asked her son, who was still prodding away at Mommy's stomach, Maya looking sufficiently green. [Mommy's going upstairs to bed now, okay?]
"Sì."
"Okay, up you go, lieutenant, we'll see you later, there's a trash can already by the bed," she had started feeling unwell in the early hours, though hadn't actually been sick until she got to her office that morning.
"There's no point in arguing," Maya sighed, sitting up, "thank you," she said, pecking Carina, "please come get me if you need."
"Mommy," Maya halts in her tracks at Mateo's whine. She turns and he's pouting.
"Maya." Its a warning from her wife that she can handle whatever Mateo wants. But Maya is a sucker for his cute little face so she looks at her wife, "its okay," she stepped back towards him, "What's up baby?" Mateo lifted his top and frowned, "uh-oh is your tummy hurting?" Maya sits back down, holding him in her lap. She reclined him and put a hand on his stomach.
"Yeah," Maya can tell he's trying to be brave, but rubs his eyes as tears start to fall.
"It's okay," she looks up at Carina, "temp and then Tylenol?"
"Yeah, hey Mateo, se stai per ammalarti ce lo dici?" She put the bucket by Maya's leg. [if you're about to be sick, tell us?]
"Mommy."
"You're okay, bubba," Maya circled her hand on his stomach. Eventually she laid down with him, Mateo on his front on her chest. She had pulled his top off, as he felt warm to touch. He was sucking his thumb, sniffing. Carina returned with the thermometer and the bottle of medicine. Mateo squirmed at the thermometer in his ear, pushing Carina's hand irritably. "Medicinale." she said once it flashed up that he had a low grade fever.
"No, Mamma."
"It'll make your tummy better Tato," Maya hauled him up her chest.
"My tummy Mommy."
"I know, just a little bit of medicine then we can just cuddle," Maya coaxes, offering him the syringe of liquid. Credit to him he takes it like a champ and as promised Maya cuddles him tightly, reclining herself back. Carina knew not to insist Maya went upstairs to rest, her wife was very aware what it felt like to not feel well and not have your parents there. It was usually when Mateo was sad that these feelings showed up. She had made herself late to work several times because Mateo had been upset. Carina was of the opinion that this was coddling but could also understand why Maya did it, so usually let it be.
Today she just pulled a blanket over the pair and stuck the thermometer into Maya's ear, massaging her scalp as they waited. "Well we knew that didn't we," Maya commented when Carina showed her the thermometer screen that proved her high temperature, "now you," she took one hand off Mateo's back to take the thermometer but he practically shouted, "no Mommy, cuddles." Carina chuckled lightly and put it in her own ear, smiling when it showed she had the lowest temperature of all three, though still a low grade fever all the same. "Why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling good last night?" Maya asked when her wife curled up next to her, the position echoing their earlier one, except now all three DeLuca-Bishops were sick.
"I didn't think anything was wrong, I get stomach aches sometimes," Carina shrugged, "then I knew I wasn't good this morning, super nauseous but I thought it would pass. I knew I needed Mateo out of the way and I guess that gave my body permission to get sick."
"You know you can always say though? And I'll come home and take care of you."
"I know," Carina stretched her neck up to kiss Maya's cheek, "I promise."
"Good," Maya nuzzled her nose on Carina's hair and glanced down, smiling at how Mateo had fallen asleep sucking his thumb, she wiped the tear tracks away and settled into her third nap of the day, everything she cared about wrapped in her arms.
"Mommy, Mamma, look at me, guardami." Mateo waited for their attention before doing a funny move, pulling a face and attempting a forward roll which just ended up in him flopping over on his side and standing up holding his hands in the air proudly.
"Bravo ben fatto."
"Wow, so good," Maya clapped, closing her eyes as soon as Mateo ran off to play with a toy, "I wish I was three."
"Huh?" Carina said with a chuckle, kissing Maya's shoulder, having assumed big spoon position.
"He just projectile vomited twenty minutes ago and now he's got energy for days. I feel horrendous."
"You have it the worst bambina," Carina said, "you have a higher temperature."
"Still. You and Potato Andrea are both feeling better."
"Maya, I told you you should just go and rest in bed, you haven't slept very much since shift. You ran to the hospital and then back with Mateo in his stroller. After a 24 hour shift. I think you're allowed to go and sleep in a dark room so you start to feel better."
"Do you have any of those anti-nausea things left from when you were pregnant?"
"No, and if I did they'd be out of date, and also they won't make you feel better."
"If I could just get rid of the nausea," Maya sighed, "I'd feel better."
"Go and rest, Maya DeLuca-Bishop, now."
"I'm," she sighed, "can you survive 'I'm feeling better' boy?"
"I absolutely can, I hope you get a very restful sleep," she rubbed Maya's back as the blonde sat up, "and I'll wake you up in a few hours."
"I love Mateo but I wish you could come and cuddle me."
"Well, I could, but il bambino che si dimena would have to come and I know you won't sleep." [the wriggly baby]
"I could just stay down here." She faltered, plating with Carina's hands.
"You won't sleep, bambina," Carina flipped their hands, running her thumb over her wife's knuckle. Maya pouted, and Carina could see their son in her wife's facial expression, evidently this is where he had learned it from. She nodded, leaned down for a kiss and made for their bedroom, with Carina calling, "I love you," after.
She couldn't bare it though, Maya had looked so deflated and like a scorned child being sent to bed. So Carina stood and scooped Mateo up from the train track he had been building. "tesoro, pensi che potresti essere super silenzioso e calmo se metto un programma TV sull'iPad?" [honey, do you think you could be super quiet and calm if I put a TV show on the iPad?]
"Sì, lupo Alberto."
"Allora, va bene," she unplugged the device and carried him upstairs.
"cosa stiamo facendo mamma? Non voglio andare a letto." [what are we doing mom? I don't want to go to bed]
"La pancia di Mommy non sta bene e ha bisogno di coccole a letto, quindi io e te ci prenderemo cura di lei in silenzio, così potrà dormire." [Mommy's belly isn't well and she needs cuddles in bed, so you and I will take care of her quietly, so she can sleep] Carina explained, putting her finger on her lips, as she carried him into the master bedroom. Maya was nowhere to be seen, so Carina took the chance to get Mateo situated on her side of the bed, headphones on and Lupo Alberto playing.
"What are you doing?" Maya doesn't look very well. Her hand was on her stomach, rubbing up and down rhythmically, the other was wiping her face, which was pale. She looked like she had just been sick.
Carina smiled and patted the bed next to her, "you wanted cuddles, bambino is watching his TV show. I'm cuddling."
Maya promptly and unexpectedly burst into tears. The prospect of sleeping alone when she didn't feel well was daunting. It made her stomach hurt more. It reminded her of worse times, 16 and sick, 34 and coming down from shouting away the love of her life.
The love of her life who was right there with open arms, ready for snuggles. "Sorry," she gasped.
"Va tutto bene, Mommy, stai bene." [It's okay, Mommy, you're okay.]
"He's right," Carina patted the bed again, "you're okay, you'll feel better, He's not here." Maya nodded curling into a ball by Carina. The brunette put a comforting hand on Maya's head, smiling when Mateo climbed over her knees and patted Maya's back gently, "va bene Mommy, Te voglio bene."
"Hopefully the sickness will subside too," Carina wriggled her hand with a difficulty into Mayas armadillo like ball. She raised her top and moved her hand around gently. It's a little clunky though, as she's still rolled into a ball, hiding from the world. "You're not feeling so bad you think you need the hospital?" Carina checked, putting her free hand on Maya's forehead. Maya shook her head and tugged at Carina's hand. "Tell me bambina." Maya just unfurled for a second rolled over and curled back up, knees almost to her chest, Carina ran her hand up and down Maya's back now. "I love you." Maya nodded relaxing her position a little so she could put her head near Carina's. The Italian pulled the covers up and managed to kiss her forehead.
The next time Maya wakes up a few things have changed. Firstly she knows she's broken the illness. There's no more overwhelming nausea and the headache she's had since getting back from the park with Mateo, had broken. Her heart is beating slower and she feels like she's a normal temperature. She knows she's not feeling completely okay though. Whilst the horrific nausea has subsided the emptiness you always get after being sick has induced a baseline nausea. The emptiness has made her stomach hurt a little too but the cramps she was having earlier have gone.
The other thing she notices is Carina and Mateo have gone and it's dark outside, behind the drawn curtains.
She got up slowly, wanting to give her body time to catch up. The last thing she wanted was to take things back to how it was. It was successful so she padded out of their room. She was at the stairs when she heard her little family so changed direction.
Mateo's room is bathed in the dull red glow from his red firetruck night light. The bed is unmade and there's a pair of pyjamas over the side of the toddler bed. Her wife is slowly rocking in the centre of the room, from foot to foot over the circle rug in the centre of the room. She's holding Mateo who's definitely upset, sniffling and sucking his thumb with his head on her shoulder.
"Hi," she said quietly, immediately apologising when Carina jumps and Mateo whines. He opens his eyes and spots Maya holding his arms out to her. "Hey bubba," she steps over to them and strokes his hair.
"Want Mommy."
"Okay," Carina passed him over, fixing the towel she had draped over him, under Maya's hand, the blonde had assumed the sway and its like they're back in the new born stage with a colicky baby.
"What happened?" She knows something must have, as Mateo had had a bath and seems to be feeling unwell again.
"He helped himself for some ice cream," Carina said, "I made him some toast and then went to the toilet and he opened the freezer and had some ice cream and it made his tummy hurt and then we was pretty sick all over himself, so we did a bath but he was sick again just after."
"Oh dear," Maya nuzzled her nose against his cheek, "did you just want more ice cream?" Mateo had never helped himself to anything before, making this particularly unusual.
"I thinked it would make me feel better. But I was sick." He sniffed.
"Oh buddy," Maya rubbed his back.
"I don't feel good Mommy."
"You'll feel better ma-tato, your tummy just has a bit of a germy-wormy going on. Oh look, Mamma has some medicine," Carina had appeared with a drawn up syringe.
"No! Make sick. No Mamma."
"He was sick as soon as he had the last lot."
Maya leaned him back, but he held on tight, "can Mommy put her hand on your forehead Tato?" Maya asked. He lifted his head and let Maya feel, a grumpy pout on his face. "Do you want to give it a little bit? He doesn't feel warm. Maybe just have his belly settle?"
"He said it hurts."
"Teo, please can you have some medicine, it'll make your tummy feel better just like before."
"No Mamma. No Mommy."
"Mommy's gonna have some," Maya said. Carina gave her a look then shrugged when Maya nodded. There was no harm in her having some liquid paracetamol. If it helped Mateo then she would happily do it.
"Anche Mommy non si sente bene, ha bisogno di medicine. Mommy dovrebbe averne un po' prima?" [Mommy isn't feeling well either, she needs medicine. Mommy should have some first]
"Sì."
"Ok, mettilo in bocca alla Mommy, poi tocca a te, sì?" [put it in Mommy's mouth, then it's your turn, yeah]
Mateo took the syringe and offered it to Maya, who sat down in the rocking chair with him. She took it in her mouth and let him push it in. This was equivalent to about half a tablet. Mateo giggled and passed it back to Carina who drew more up and put it near his mouth. He accepted it with a little apprehension but took it brilliantly, cuddling Maya when he had. "Good boy, such a good boy."
"Sì, Brava Mateo."
"I okay."
"Good," Maya stroked his hair, that was a little damp, "are you going to go to sleep now?"
"Stay cuddling Mommy and Mamma."
"Okay, Mamma, sit on my lap?" She said, hoping if they got Mateo to sleep they could work on feeling better themselves. He was already sucking his thumb, over tired so Maya didn't envision it would take long. Carina nodded and took Mateo as she sat on Maya's lap.
"Do you feel better?" Carina asked, as Maya rocked them, Mateo's eyes already closing, she reached a hand up from Mateo's back to Maya's forehead.
"Much. What time is it?"
"Eight, he napped again and wouldn't go to sleep without food then everything happened."
"Are you feeling better?"
"Just tired and a bit of a stomach ache every so often. I'm going to have some toast in a little bit, see how I am."
"Me too I think."
"Shh."
"Sorry Tato," Maya rubbed his back.
He took a while to fall asleep, but eventually Carina felt confident enough to transfer him into bed. Maya stretched as her wife turned the camera they never used anymore on, facing it to Mateo so they could keep an eye on him from downstairs.
"We did it," Maya wrapped Carina in a hug as soon as she closed Mateo's door.
"Did what, Bambina?"
"Survived all three of us being sick."
"Sì, but let's never do it again."