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The last week had been crazy. Not only had the school year begun - Andrea starting Kindergarten and Liam going into 1st grade - but 4 days in Carina had then developed appendicitis and had to have her appendix removed.
It was fair to say that Maya had been through it the last few days, and having to split her time between her poorly wife and her understandably worried, and therefore clingy, children had been a challenge.
Today was Carina's first full day back home following surgery and Maya had already been up and taken the kids to school before her wife had woken.
The usual sign of Carina waking were the small squeaky noises she made which Maya had always loved. These came first, immediately followed by a wince as she moved.
“Hey, take it steady,” Maya put down the book she’d been reading and reached over, gently stroking her wife's hair. “The painkillers are already by the bed for you.”
“Shouldn't you be at work?” Carina mumbled sleepily.
Maya rolled her eyes. “Carina, seriously, why on earth would I be at work when you've just come home after surgery?”
“Your job is important,” she replied, slowly sitting up with Maya's help.
“And you just needed help sitting up in bed,” Maya pointed out. “I've got the next two weeks off approved.”
Carina's eyes widened, “Maya it's only keyhole surgery, it's fine.”
She shook her head, reaching over to get the painkillers and handing them to her. Carina sighed heavily, but she didn't protest further and took them.
The thing is, Maya knew that in reality Carina did want her there. This happened any time she was unwell - she'd resist, for a while, and claim she'd be fine, but eventually she'd give in and be reluctantly clingy until she felt better. The only unpredictable part was how long she'd hold out being stubborn.
“Good, now food. I'll go and make you some eggs.” Carina immediately groaned. “I know, but you know the rules. Soft plain foods for a few days.”
“I know the rules, I don't have to be happy about them,” she grumbled. “Can I at least get up and sit on the sofa?”
“Maybe let me make food first, yeah? Let the medication kick in,” she suggested, and Carina huffed, knowing Maya was right but not wanting to admit it. She picked up the remote control and turned on the TV, immediately going to catch up on ‘Un Posto al Sole’ - the Italian soap she watched religiously. Maya understood Italian a lot better these days, but that didn't make her anymore of a soap opera person, so Carina generally caught up when Maya wasn't around.
Scrambled eggs did happen to be something Maya could make pretty well - even her exceptionally fussy children agreed - so she set to work and made enough for both of them.
When Maya returned with breakfast, Carina had to admit she was a little hungry, and as much as she was already sick of the simple diet, Maya did make excellent scrambled eggs. Carina also knew that Maya had asked Andy to get some eggs from their favourite market to make them even better. She was exceptionally lucky to be looked after by her wife - but that didn't stop Carina wanting to look after herself.
Stubbornness was probably her stronger personality trait - Carina wasn't blind to that. Before Maya this served her well. She had to look after herself from the second her mamma left with Andrea, and she'd spent a lot of her life fighting for herself and her patients. Then Maya came along, and quite frankly Maya was a good match on Carina for stubbornness at times, but there was a softness underneath that not everyone got to see, especially back then.
Maya was caring, deeply caring. Carina knew her wife would protect her without a second thought, and that Maya was absolutely not going anywhere while she was recovering from this.
And secretly, Carina loved it. Maya would stick by her side, hold her, kiss her, sometimes even sing to her in the soft and absentminded way she did at times. Carina wanted her to do all that.
But she wouldn't admit it. She could look after herself, after all.
The eggs were really good though.
Once she'd finished eating Maya took the plates out and returned. “Okay, sofa? Or did you want a shower first? You are allowed today.”
She did want a shower, badly, but she also couldn't stomach the idea of standing upright for that long. “Maybe later,” Carina replied. “Sofa sounds good, but I'll change first.” She'd been in these pyjamas for way too long. “Can I have your joggers and hoodie? They'll be more comfortable.”
They would be more comfortable, absolutely, but that wasn't her entire reason for wanting them.
Maya simply smiled and got the items out - of course she knew exactly which ones Carina wanted. She put them down beside her. “Can you lift your arms?”
“Maya I don’t need anyone to take care of me! I can dress myself!”
She hadn't meant to snap like that, but as much as she loved Maya looking after her, she also hated feeling incapable. Her independence had always been important to her, and she wanted to keep as much of it as she could during this.
Maya took a step back. “oOf course my love, I'll go and make your cappuccino.”
She felt bad, of course she did. Maya was only trying to help. She hated this, hated feeling so incapable, hated feeling so snappy. When Maya left the room she did manage to change. though granted it wasn't the most comfortable. Once she was in the outfit, however, she sighed in relief and took a moment to breathe in Maya's comforting scent. Quite soon after they'd moved in together Maya had clicked onto how Carina would regularly steal her hoodies after Maya had worn them - particularly the one she was now wearing from when Maya was in the academy. Eventually Maya started making sure to wear it as soon as it was washed, leaving it free for Carina to then use comfortably. It might be old and faded now, but that didn't stop her.
Noticing her phone on the side, Carina picked it up and was immediately faced with countless notifications. “Don't worry about all those if you don't want to. Anyone who needs to know anything already knows, everyone else can wait - or I can look?”
She handed the phone over to Maya, “can you? Just in case there's anything important. I don't want to handle stuff while I'm on the painkillers.”
Maya took it, slipping it into her back pocket. “Sofa? I won't even complain if you want to watch your silly little soap opera.”
Carina immediately pointed her finger to Maya, “it is not silly, and you do not need to stay.”
“I know,” Maya replied simply, slipping an arm around her. “Let's go amore.”
Something about Maya using Italian like that had Carina in a chokehold, and any other day she would have Maya immediately up against the dresser, but that wasn’t an option today. Instead she let her wife assist her through to the sofa.
When they arrived there Carina could only smile. As promised the cappuccino was made and put next to her usual spot. There was also some melon in a small tub. Maya sat her down and immediately grabbed the footstool for her, before checking at least 3 times that Carina was comfortable and putting plenty of cushions around her ‘just in case’.
Carina put the TV on, continuing her catch-up. Maya started off doing the necessary replying to messages on her behalf, but not long after she'd finished Carina noticed her drift off to sleep, and she wasn't going to stop her - her wife needed the rest.
Maya had slept a good 2 hours, and Carina was happy about that, but the pain medication was wearing off. She'd caught up on ‘Un Posto al Sole’, and she could see the medication bottles on the side. It wasn't far, she'd be fine. Carina carefully pushed herself up, wincing as she did, and took a few steps. Except she was now half way between the sofa and the kitchen counter with nothing to hold onto, and the pain suddenly became overwhelming.
“Cazzo,” she let out without thinking, trying to work out what to do next. Then suddenly Maya appeared beside her. “Oh- sorry, you were asleep and-”
Maya shook her head, telling Carina not to worry. “You should've woken me if you needed something my love, what do you need?”
“Painkillers,” she replied honestly, biting her lip before continuing,“and I think I might need to lie down for a while.”
“We can do that. Why don't I take you to the bedroom and then collect the meds?”
That worked, but when Maya returned she put the water and painkillers down and went to leave.
This was the moment Carina gave up being stubborn. “Can you stay?”
Maya looked at her watch, “I have to get things sorted before school pickup.”
“Just a little bit?” she asked tentatively.
Thankfully Maya relented, walking back over and climbing up on the bed. Carina quickly took the medication and then settled down into her arms. She needed her.
It actually happened quicker than expected. The first sign had been Carina asking to go back to bed, but she'd been surprised when she also asked Maya to stay. It wasn't the ideal time. She needed to leave for school pickup in just over an hour, and Carina had almost immediately fallen asleep against her. There were things that needed doing around the house, but she'd already given up on those - school pickup was non-negotiable, however.
Having already slept herself that afternoon, Maya made sure to stay awake now. Not that she wasn't tired still - in all honesty she was exhausted, but any more sleep now would just leave her groggy. Instead she pulled out her phone and went through some work emails quickly, forwarding on any that couldn't wait for her return. She'd promised Andy not to actually reply to them, but she didn't want things to slip under just because she’d had to take some last minute time off.
She was getting more relaxed, but some habits were harder to break.
Carina’s soft snores against her were good to hear. She'd slept poorly the previous night, and most of the sleep in the hospital was drug induced. Carina was exhausted and needed rest, and these noises told Maya she was finally getting that.
The only issue was that time had passed, and it was almost time to leave. She considered her options and started to slowly try and move Carina, but the second she tried to move Carina held her tighter. “No,” came a mumble against her.
“My love, I need to go and get our children from school,” she kissed the top of Carina’s head softly. “I won’t be long, you can sleep.”
“No, stay,” Carina shuffled herself closer, her eyes still closed. “Need you.”
It broke her heart to do this, because Maya didn’t want to leave her, but she really did have no choice. “I know sweetheart, but we can’t leave the kids at school and there’s nobody free to collect them today.”
There was another reluctant grumble, but Carina did release her grip. Maya stood up, pulling a blanket up over Carina who had immediately pulled her pillow in to hug. She leaned down, placing a kiss on her forehead and quietly leaving the room.
“Is mamma still sick?” Andrea asked the moment she reached Maya.
Maya picked up her petite 5 year old who giggled as she threw her up a little. “Mamma is still recovering my little love, she was sleeping when I left.”
“She be better soon?” she asked, her arms gripping around Maya’s neck. “I want to play with mamma.”
She used a hand to brush stray hairs out of Andrea’s face. You could definitely tell it was Maya that had done her hair this morning, it hadn’t held at all. “I know you do baby, but remember what we talked about?”
“Mamma need time. We be gentle,” she recited, with a proud smile at having remembered what she was told.
A moment later, Liam ran over to her. “Mommy is mamma okay?”
The way her children cared so deeply made Maya so proud. She crouched down, picking Liam up in her other arm. “Mamma is resting, she got up for a little bit today which is good, but she’s very tired. I reckon we should go to the shops and get some of her favourite things - what do you think?”
Both children agreed enthusiastically, and she put them down to head to the car.
Of course taking two children shopping at the end of the school day was never going to be straightforward, and as well behaved as her children generally were, they were still excitable kids in a shop. By the time they’d got out Maya had relented into getting them both magazines and sweets - something Carina would absolutely rip into her for at some point, but right now it kept the peace and meant they got everything required at the shop in a reasonable amount of time - the longer they were away from home, the more anxious she got.
When they did finally get home both kids were of course desperate to see their mamma. Maya went in first and found Carina awake, sitting up a little in bed. “Hey, I’ve got two children who would really like to give you some gentle snuggles.”
“I would love that, mi sono mancati.”
Maya let them both in. Liam ran straight over and onto the bed, while Andrea kept a tight grip on her hand as they walked over. “What’s wrong my little love?” Maya asked when Andrea stopped by the bed.
“Don’t want to hurt mamma,” Andrea mumbled.
Carina immediately held her hand out over the side of the bed, “non mi farai del male, stellina, voglio abbracciare la mia bambina [you won’t hurt me, little star, I want hugs with my baby girl].”
Andrea scrunched her adorable little face, “Ma la Mommy é la tua bambina? [But Mommy is your baby girl?]”
The two mothers met eyes at that point, both trying to stifle laughter. Carina quickly looked back to their daughter. “É anche tu, stellina.”
Maya gently lifted her onto the bed - Andrea was still little for her age and struggled to get up there sometimes. Carina had made sure there was room for her, and immediately Andrea snuggled in beside her. “I’ll go and put the shopping away,” Maya smiled softly at the sight of her family together - she wouldn’t be away long.
At 8am the next morning there was a knock on the front door. Maya had already been up an hour with the kids who apparently had no concept of it being the weekend today and were already causing chaos. Carina felt awful that she couldn’t help. She’d woken up a few minutes ago, but until her painkillers kicked in she was no use to anyone.
She heard Maya open the door, and then two familiar voices entered the house - Vic and Travis - immediately followed by excited squeals from their children. They adored Auntie Vic and Uncle Travis, and with them living in DC any visits were exceptionally exciting. A few moments later, a small knock at the door - not that Vic waited for any response before opening it, which didn’t surprise her in the least. “Damn doc, you really are out of action huh?”
“Good to see you too Victoria,” she rolled her eyes. “I didn’t know you were visiting?”
“Ah, we weren’t, but then we saw the perfect opportunity to kidnap your children for a day so we hopped on a plane last night.”
“You came just to babysit…?” Carina asked.
Vic shrugged, “like I said - good excuse. We get to look after your kids while your wife gets to look after you. And you’re too incapacitated to stop me spoiling them,” she grinned.
“If you bring them back high on sugar I swear-”
“There’s nothing you can do,” Vic laughed, backing away. “Catch you later doc.”
There was a ramble of noise for the next half an hour, and then quiet. Maya soon reappeared in the room, climbing back into bed beside her, lying on her right side to face Carina. “Did you know they were coming?”
Maya shook her head, “no, but the kids are really excited. They’re taking them to the zoo, then for a sleepover at their hotel. I can focus on you.”
“I’m very lucky,” Carina shuffled herself back to lying down. “You’ve been spoiling me. Buying all that stuff yesterday, looking after everything here, you’re amazing.”
Maya hummed, immediately pulling Carina into her arms. “You’d do the same, and I know you like to be independent, but I’ll always look after you.”
“If it gets me more hugs, I guess I’ll take it.”
“You’re not fooling anyone Carina DeLuca-Bishop, I know you love this really.”
Carina hummed in agreement. “Right now, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”