Chapter Text
Jack knocked his knuckle against the wooden front door of the house with a large porch and wood siding. From outside, he could hear faint music. Though not recognisable and definitely not English, the melody seemed to have and almost nostalgic quality to it; rich and romantic. He paused, appreciating the unfamiliar tune, waiting for someone to answer the door. Just as he lifted his knuckle to knock again, he heard the music turn down, followed by the sound of water running water.
The door flew open less than a minute later, revealing a surprised Carina.
“Jack?”.
A surprised Carina… who seemed to be wearing little more than a bra and some short-shorts. Jack tried not to focus on her attire, instead reading the slogan on the bright yellow apron she wore. “Caution... hot stuff coming through?” he raised his eyebrows at her.
“Maya thinks it’s hilarious,” Carina answered simply. She crossed her arms, looking a little flustered. “I- I didn’t know I was expecting you,” she said, unable to hide her shock, suddenly wishing she’d pulled her t-shirt back on. Seattle had been unseasonably warm making cooking over the stove unbearable. She’d taken her (well, Maya’s) t-shirt off at some point and had forgotten to put back it on before answering the door to who she assumed was a delivery driver… not Madison’s dad.
“Maya said she texted you? Madison wanted to wake up with everyone on her first day of kindy so Maya said I could come stay?” Jack explained, scratching the back of his neck, feeling more than a little awkward.
“Oh, er yeah, okay, I must not have heard the message over the... come in, please. Apologies about the outfit. I was not... expecting guests. Uh, where is Madison, by the way?” Carina asked, half-expecting her little pocket-rocket to fly through the door chatting about everything she’d been up to at her dad’s.
“Vic and Andy stole her; they wanted an Aunt date before she starts school. They should be here soon,” Jack explained as he stepped past her and Carina closed the door, picking up her t-shirt from the banister where she had left it earlier.
“Could that be them?” Carina chuckled, as the doorbell rang and Madison chatting loudly could be heard on the other side. She opened the door, grinning as Madison sped towards her. “Mamma!”. Carina abandoned her t-shirt on the floor, picking Madison up and holding her close. “Piccola Mia!”
“Mi sei mancata!” Madison exclaimed, her arms tight around Carina’s neck.
“Anche tu mi sei mancata, così tanto!” Carina responded with as much enthusiasm, kissing Madison’s cheek.
“God she’s so smart,” Vic commented, smiling at the reunion. “Hey DeLucs, no top?”
“It was hot and I was cooking, I didn’t know I had company coming! I didn’t know my fiorellino was coming home today!” Carina said, settling Madison on her hip and brushing her hair back out of her face. She looked over at Vic and Andy, “do you two want to stay also? Maya will not be home for at least an hour but you’re welcome to stay.”
“Do you have enough food?” Andy asked, her look sceptical.
“Andrea, I’m Italian, of course I have enough food! Andiamo!” She said, retrieving her (Maya’s) shirt, carrying Madison who was cuddling her tightly, through to the kitchen. The other three following.
“What is for dinner, Mamma?” Madison asked, leaning trying to get a good look at the pot on the stove before snuggling in again.
“Lasagne, piccola, Mommy requested it!”
“Oh yes! Mamma, Daddy made lasagne soup and it was so gross. We had to get food delivered.”
“Lasagne soup? What even is that?” Carina asked wrinkling her nose in disgust as she set Madison on the counter and took off the apron so she could put her top back on.
“I don’t know,” Jack said sheepishly, “I saw the recipe on that tik-tok thing and it said it was kid friendly. But it wasn’t good.”
“Ah well now you’ll get real Italian lasagne!”
“Mommy said it’s one of the reasons that she asked Mamma to marry her!” Madison announced, jumping back into Carina’s arms.
“We’re in for a treat then!” Jack said.
“Maya is so different with you,” Andy said, shaking her head with a smile. “I’ve never seen her so happy and grounded.”
“Yeah, you two are perfect together,” Vic added with a grin.
Carina smiled, leaning against the counter while still holding Madison, who was playing with her locket. Madison slid the pendant up and down the chain, opening and closing it to see the little pictures of Carina’s mom and brother inside. “Maya has always been amazing. I think we just bring out the best in each other. She… she brings out the best in me too.”
Vic nodded. “You really do. It’s like you two were meant to come back to each other.”
Jack, setting the table, chimed in. “Maya’s always been a great mom, but I think having you, Carina, has made everything feel even more complete. She has an outlet that isn’t work or running.”
Madison looked up from the locket, her eyes bright. “Mamma makes everything better!”
Carina kissed Madison’s cheek, her eyes glistening. “And you make everything better for us, piccola. You and Mommy make everything better”
“Mamma?”
“Yes?”
“When’s Mommy gonna be back?”
“In a few hours, I think. She’s at work.” Carina explained, looking into Madison’s eyes.
“Can I go and play? My, my giraffa is here and I missed it!”
“Sì, of course, fiorellino,” she set her down, smiling when she ran off to play. Carina turned back to the food, stirring the sauce before getting a pan out to start the bechamel.
“You guys are very quiet!” Carina commented, stirring the sauce as she glanced at the others.
Vic leaned against the counter, arms crossed. “It’s just... hearing Madison call you Mamma is kind of a trip. We knew it was going to happen, but actually hearing it is really cool.”
Carina’s face lit up. “It is really cool. My heart does this thing where it flutters every time she says it, like it’s going to explode.”
Jack chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “I still feel like that when she calls me Daddy. It’s never going away. Welcome to Maddie’s parents club! It’s the best club in the world.”
Andy smiled, “Madison is so lucky to have you guys as parents.”
“She really is… So, any plans for expanding this family?”
“Vic!” Andy exclaimed, nudging her.
“What! I just need to know if I’m gonna get another adorable niece any time soon!”
Carina laughed as she stirred the sauce and Vic continued. “I mean Madison was just freaking adorable when she was tiny. Carina I’m not joking… you think she’s cute now? God baby Maddie with her squishy cheeks when she started to fill out, god, so cute, so f*cking cute. And there’s been no baby since her or Pru in our immediate group, so I honestly wouldn’t be mad if you took one for the team. Plus I mean come on, yours and Bishop’s genes all mixed together! Cutest baby alive for sure.”
Carina was laughing loudly now. “Victoria, that is very sweet but you may be forgetting both Maya and I are women?”
Vic looked stunned for a second before she joined in with the laughter. “Oh, right! But still, any baby you two have will be adorable!”
“I think regardless of who the baby is made from, it will be cute!” Jack said.
“I agree,” Andy added, “cutest baby ever.”
Carina managed to stop laughing and said, “who said anything about a baby?”
“Come on, you guys have to have another! I grew up an only child and it was boring, Latin families are built to have multiple kids, and it was just me and Papi. Seriously, don’t leave her an only child.” Andy said, leaning forward earnestly.
“Yeah, same here. Even though my parents didn’t have time for me, I wanted a sibling so bad. You have to!” Vic added
“Keep your plans for mine or my fiancée’s uteruses out of your daydreams, thank you!” a familiar voice called from the front door. Carina turned, smiling when Maya entered the kitchen.
“Amore mio!”
“Hi,” Maya quickly sidled over to her and gave her a peck on the lips, “smells good! What are we having?” She looked past Carina and almost jumped with excitement. “Lasagne?”
“Lasagne,” Carina confirmed with another kiss, smiling when Maya hugged her tightly. “Just as you asked. Now, you smell of smoke... why? And you’re home early.”
“Home earlier because I am a Battalion chief and I can, smell of smoke because... well I’m a firefighter.”
“Sì, but you were just on your desk in the city to do paperwork?” Carina reminded her, giving her a quick once over to check nothing was amiss.
“Yeah, but then the chief wanted me to go along to the training centre and talk to the probies, and I ended up helping with a few things.”
Carina rolled her eyes, “go and shower, Madison is playing somewhere, she’s absolutely desperate to see you. And very cuddly.”
“Okay, you guys behave, I assume you’re staying for dinner?” Maya pointed at Vic and Andy, who nodded. “Of course!” She turned to Carina once more, “Babe, I love you.”
Carina chuckled, “I love you too.”
“Sometimes I forget that Maya cloned herself and then I see things like that,” Andy waved at the stove and Carina, “and I remember.”
“What?” Carina playfully rolled her eyes.
“Maya, she was just identical to Madison when she said hi to you. And the way she looked at the lasagne. Sorry Jack but she’s just pure Maya.”
“I am not gonna disagree there!” Jack laughed.
“Mommy!” Madison came running into the kitchen where the adults were still talking after dinner.
“Oh no, what’s wrong?” Maya asked, leaning down to pick her up. Madison had big tears streaming down her face and an adorable pout on her lips. She snuggled in and sniffed.
“Momma, Shtevie won’t fit in my pack-pack.”
“Shtevie won’t fit into your backpack?” Maya repeated, wiping away her tears gently.
“Yeah,” she said, sniffing again.
“Why does he need to fit into your backpack?” Maya asked, as Carina leaned over and rubbed Madison’s back too. “Did you want to take him to school?”
“Yeah, I wanted to bring him with me to the first day of kindy,” Madison explained, her eyes welling up again.
“Ah man, to be honest with you Madison, Shtevie is gonna have to stay home, just like he did when you went to preschool,” Maya explained softly, cuddling her tighter.
“But, Mommy, I didn’t even own Shtevie on my first day of preschool, I was just a baby, and now I need him with me because he does everything special with me, like go to Italy and ask Mamma to marry us,” Madison said earnestly, looking up at Maya with pleading eyes.
“Right, how about this, me and Mamma and Daddy will watch Shteve for you and he can come and drop you off,” Maya suggested.
“Hey little dude,” Jack said, leaning over to Madison, “you know what’s good about Shteve staying home at Mom or Dad’s?” He raised his eyebrows playfully.
Madison shook her head, still cuddled against Maya’s chest.
“Well, I do, you get to come home and teach Shteve everything you learned in school that day! Everything! Math and reading. You can tell him what you ate for lunch and what games you played in recess and gym. It’s gonna be so cool!”
“I can?” Madison looked up at her mom, hope creeping back into her voice.
“You absolutely can,” Maya affirmed, kissing the top of her head.
“Mamma, vieni a portarmi a scuola con Mommy e Daddy, sì? La mattina?” Madison asked Carina, putting her hands on Carina’s face.
“Sì, e sarò lì a prenderti, prima del mio turno di notte!” Carina replied, stroking her hair.
“Aww, you have night shift tomorrow?” Madison asked, sounding thoroughly disappointed.
“Yeah,” Carina scrunched her nose up, “for the next five days.”
“Ah man, that sucks,” Madison said with a pout.
“Madison.” Maya’s tone was one of warning but she privately agreed with Madison.
“Sorry. I’m gonna miss you, but,” Madison pointed her finger at Carina, “at least you can come to my school so my new friends can meet all of my parents.”
“I am excited about that.”
“Me too.”
“Okay, so who do you want to do your bath? Or do you want a shower?” Maya asked, noticing the clock was rapidly ticking towards seven.
“Hmm, Mamma pecause she isn’t going to be here?” Madison asked, looking between her parents.
“Yeah, I’ll do it, come on then!” Carina stood and waited for Madison who wiggled down. “Hey Tia and Vic?”
“Yeah?” They both said in unison.
“Are you gonna be here when I go to bed? Or should I say goodnight now?” Madison asked, looking at them expectantly.
“They’re gonna head out,” Maya said, Vic and Andy had just been discussing leaving when Madison came in.
“Okay, bye then, talk tomorrow, love you!” She said skidding over to them and hugging them tightly.
“Love you too, thanks for letting us take you out for coffee,” Vic said, hugging her back.
“Yeah, it was cool. We should schedule it in some time,” Madison said, her tone serious.
All of the adults burst out laughing but Madison turned to her mom and frowned. “That’s what you should say right, Mommy?”
“Yeah, we’re only laughing because it sounded funny coming from a five-year-old. You’re right though. And I’ll text Tia and Vic and schedule it.”
“Okay, but you can also text uncle Ben and Miranda pecause Pru should come,” Madison added, nodding with certainty.
“I will do that. Okay, ready for bed?” Maya asked, brushing a strand of hair from Madison’s face.
“Well, once I have a bath then yeah?”
“Okay, come on then,” Maya said, standing to usher Madison out the room as Carina hugged Vic and Andy goodbye.
“Mommy, I just wanted to say, even though Vic said coffee I just had the fluffy milk that Mamma puts on your coffee and some marshmallows and a sprinkle of chocolate.” Madison said as she walked.
“Oh good, I was worried! Shout when you want daddy and I up?”
“Yeah!” Madison replied, her voice fading as she disappeared with Carina.
Maya began clearing the dishes off the table, turning to the sink to start washing up. As she worked, the conversation naturally shifted to Madison starting school.
“I cannot believe tiny baby Bishop is starting school. Like actual elementary school,” Andy said, shaking her head in disbelief, “you guys must be proud.”
Maya glanced back at Jack and nodded, “I am, we are. It’s crazy.”
“How wild that your suspected appendicitis that made you really crabby and annoyed at everything is old enough to go to school,” Vic said.
“Stop it,” Maya chuckled, rinsing a plate, “how wild is it that I have a daughter and a fiancée? Like imagine you tell fresh out of the fire academy Maya that she has almost got a wife and she has a kid too?”
“Imagine telling her it’s mine,” Jack added, laughing.
“She’d for sure go ‘Gibson... ew, come on Maya!’” Maya imitated her younger self, making everyone laugh.
“God we were such kids,” Andy reminisced, her eyes almost distant with memories. “I still get excited to use the pole though.”
“Of course,” Maya agreed, “although my stomach feels like it’s about to eject itself just before I do it now.”
“What do you reckon your dad would say to all of this?” Maya asked Andy, her voice turning soft. Madison was born a couple of weeks after he died. Which Maya always found difficult if she focused on it, because he had been a father figure to both her and Jack at one point or another. He had been the one to pat her on the back when she became captain.
Andy exhaled deeply, her expression growing thoughtful. “Yeah, wow. Well, I honestly think he’d love her. He’d have her rolling hoses alongside little Pru and yeah. He’d be so happy there were kids in the firehouse again.”
Maya pressed her lips together, feeling her eyes fill with tears. “God I miss him.”
“Me too.” Vic said, her voice breaking slightly
“I think about him almost daily,” Jack confessed.
Andy drew them into a hug, “I like to think he’d be proud of all of us. Of where his ‘19’ has gone.”
“Hey May-“ Carina trailed off, seeing the group hugging. She slowed her approach, her concern evident, as her fiancée looked up at her.
“Sorry, yeah?” Maya asked, wiping her tears as she stepped back. She gave Carina a watery smile, “you okay?”
“She wants those specific dinosaur pyjamas and I can’t find them. Not in the wash or anything.”
“I washed them yesterday. They should be in the dryer. I knew she’d want them,” Maya replied, her voice steadying.
“Okay, thank you,” Carina said, walking past her into the part mud room part laundry room. She returned with the blue and green dinosaur pyjamas moments later. “Thank you,” she leaned and pecked Maya, wiping a tear off Maya’s cheek, as she pulled back. She gave Maya a look, to which Maya returned a reassuring smile and nod. “Bye guys,” she turned to the others.
“Bye Carina.”
“We should head out,” Vic said to Andy.
“Yeah, thanks for inviting us. Tell that almost wife of yours her lasagne is amazing and should she feel so inclined to bring some to 19 when you’re visiting, I would be very happy to accept,” Andy added with a grin.
Maya chuckled, hugging them both, “I will. I’ll send photos from tomorrow.”
“Please. And honestly I would love to take Madison’s offer for coffee again.”
“I’ll organise it. Bye guys.” Maya said, waving them off.
“Bye.”
Maya sighed and turned back to the washing-up, hoping that Carina had emptied the dishwasher. She had, but she’d also loaded it in completely the wrong way, so Maya set about unloading and reloading it correctly. She was just turning all of the cutlery the correct way when someone cleared their throat, startling her.
“f*ck, Jack, I forgot you were there,” she said, clutching her chest.
Jack just chuckled leaning against the doorway, “anything I can do?”
“No, it’s all good, Carina loads this wrong so I have to fix it. Help yourself to a drink, I think we might have a couple of beers. Watch TV, whatever,” Maya said, waving her hand around before continuing her task.
“Okay,” Jack replied, heading towards the fridge.
Maya was pushed up against the bathroom door, a playful smile tugging at her lips. Carina’s eyes were dark with lust and affection. It was a look that Maya had come to know well over the time they’d been together. It was a good look.
“Carina,” Maya laughed softly as Carina pulled her closer, hands tightening on her waist, “what are you doing?”
Carina leaned in, their noses almost touching. Just before they could kiss, she leaned in closer, her hot breath under Maya’s ear, “just-” she pressed an open-mouthed kiss under Maya’s ear, “reminding you how much...” another kiss, this time with a little pressure over Maya’s pulse point, “I love you.”
Maya shivered and wrapped her arms around Carina’s neck. “As if I could ever forget,” she murmured.
Carina’s eyes locked onto Maya’s and Maya was once against struck by the intensity.
“Good,” Carina whispered before closing the distance between them. Their lips met in a kiss that was both passionate and tender, loving and lustful. Carina’s kiss was confident, exploring every contour of Maya’s lips before asking for entrance with her tongue. Maya was responsive, eager, her hands moving higher, tangling in Carina’s hair, pulling her closer to deepen the kiss.
It built. Their bodies pressed together, hot and filled with desire. Carina’s hands began to wander, her touch growing more insistent as they continued to kiss. She wanted more.
Maya broke the kiss reluctantly, her breathing heavy. She looked into Carina’s eyes as the brunette whined and tried to chase her lips. “Babe,” Maya chuckled softly, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead instead, “Jack is literally down the hall.”
Carina groaned, resting her head on Maya’s shoulder, “why didn’t we get him to sleep on the couch?”
Maya laughed, her hands stroking Carina’s hair. “Because that wouldn’t be fair, my love,” she replied.
“Hmph. Ooh,” Carina leaned back, the playfulness returning to her eyes, “we could be quiet.”
“I could be quiet, you couldn-”
“I am quieter than you,” Carina interrupted, offended.
“That’s not true. You’ve definitely woken Madison up before with your ‘oh, Maya, cazzo, Bambina’,” Maya teased, imitating Carina.
“I have not,” Carina protested, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. “Well if I have its only because you also wake her up with all of your moaning. I’ve never slept with someone so loud as you.”
Maya’s cheeks flushed. “Okay, so we’re both loud,” she conceded. “We should get ready for bed. Big day tomorrow,” she said, noticing she was still pressed firmly against the bathroom door.
“No, I wanna keep kissing,” Carina whined, pushing herself closer to Maya.
“Okay, but we can’t let it go further. Can you manage that?” Maya teased, raising an eyebrow. “Can you resist all this?” She gestured down her body, wiggling her hips playfully. Carina rolled her eyes and practically smashed her lips into Maya’s.
They stayed like that for a while before Carina’s hands started travelling lower. Maya was intoxicated by her but when she noticed the hand on the drawstring of her pyjamas, she started laughing quietly, tipping into a full belly-laugh as Carina groaned and burrowed into Maya’s neck.
“Let’s go to bed, kid,” Maya said, giving her a squeeze before gently stepping her back. “Come on, ma baby,” Maya said, ruffling Carina’s hair, “let’s get you ready for bed. We can cuddle instead.”
“Fine,” Carina huffed, stepping back and letting Maya go. Maya opened the bathroom door and pecked her cheek on the way past.
“I love you,” Maya added, putting some toothpaste on Carina’s toothbrush for her.
“Love you too,” Carina replied, a soft smile finally breaking through her pout.
“Hey?” Carina asked, turning from the dressing table Maya had built her, where she was putting on a multitude of serums and creams on her face. She met Maya’s gaze across the room.
“Yeah?” Maya said, putting her phone down.
“You were crying earlier,” Carina noted, her voice soft and concerned, head tilted, a small smile on her face.
“I was,” Maya sighed, running a hand through her hair, “we were reminiscing about Captain Herrera, Andy’s dad.”
Carina pouted, eyes empathetic, “I wish I would have met him.”
“Me too,” Maya replied, her voice carrying a distinct sadness, “and I wish he’d have met Madison.”
“But,” Carina said, crawling up the bed towards Maya, “she was in your belly.”
“I know, but I didn’t even know she was there,” Maya said, clearing her throat, as her voice wobbled.
“Andiamo, let me hug you,” Carina insisted, settling on her side of the bed and opening her arms for Maya. “Come on,” she coaxed with a smile as Maya didn’t immediately move, “Mamma’s need hugs too! Especially the night before their baby starts in Kindergarten.”
“Okay,” Maya agreed, her resistance melting away, and with it some sadness as she settled into Carina’s arms. She felt familiar, like a comfort blanket for the strange grief she was experiencing, with Madison starting school. “Can we look through baby Madison photos?” Maya pouted, feeling very nostalgic. She reached for her phone, as Carina nodded and unlocked it. It revealed that she had already been looking through photos of Madison before Carina had asked he question.
“Oh my goodness she looks so squashed up and wrinkly there,” Carina commented, her voice full of love, “how old here? Only a few days surely?”
Maya clicked on the photo and nodded, “February 14, oh wait, Valentines day, so…” she swiped a couple of pictures left and saw a cute one of Madison and Jack with a bunch of roses and a card.
“Mommy be my valentine?” Carina read out loud, “that’s adorable.”
“Yeah, Jack took her to Walmart whilst I napped.”
“So little. I can tell it is Madison’s though, she has a ‘Madison expression’ even there!” Carina said, kissing Maya’s shoulder.
Maya chuckled, “yeah she does. Let’s go back to the day she was born,” she scrolled up in the album and found the first picture ever taken of Madison. “Wow, OR 3, they painted in there since, and because it’s the OR used for c-sections and children’s operations they painted a mural on the ceiling,” Carina explained. “Oh look at Jack’s face. Is that the first time he held her?” Carina asked, cuddling Maya closer so she could see it better.
“Yeah, the NICU team took photos for us, they too loa-oh,” Maya trailed of, “oh, oh my god,” she exclaimed as she scrolled to the next picture. It was a picture of herself holding Madison once the c-section was over, Jack crouching next to them. Maya zoomed in, not on herself, Jack, or Madison, but on the surgeon behind her in a blue scrub cap with artistic waves all over it.
“Wow,” Carina said, taking the phone off Maya so that she could have a closer look.
“You know,” Maya said, tucking her face into Carina’s neck a little more, her hand resting on Carina’s ribs, “I can’t remember a whole lot about having her. But there’s two things I remember: the relief when I heard her cry and Jack said she was okay, and, the surgeon with kind eyes. You had kind eyes. You have kind eyes, still.”
“That’s really sweet,” Carina said, kissing her forehead. “How completely crazy that this is our first photo as a family we just didn’t know. You know I don’t remember a lot either,” Maya nodded, “but you know you worried me. I think that,” she pointed to her own face in the photo, “is relief.”
“I look so sick still don’t I?” Maya said.
“You do, so tired and pale. You have any of you holding her a little later?”
Maya nodded, scrolling through the photos. “Here,” she said, showing Carina a photo of herself holding Madison, looking a little brighter, a box of cannoli from Stefano’s next to them.
And that’s how they spent the next hour, snuggled up, looking at photos of Madison when she was a newborn, and then aged one, two, three, and four. Suddenly, there were photos of Carina with her. Those were some of Maya’s favourites; her girls.
“Hey,” Maya said, bleary-eyed as she walked into the kitchen. Madison was perched on Carina’s back, both bathed in yellow light from the fridge. “What’s going on here?” It was just after seven a.m., but Madison and Carina were both dressed and there were coffees from Stefano’s on the counter.
“Makin’ my lunch Mommy, we got treaties from Stefano’s and coffee for you and Mamma and Dada.”
“Oh good,” Maya said, kissing Madison’s cheek, “good morning, my kindergartener.”
“Good morning, my Mommy!”
“And good morning, my beautiful Carina,” Maya said as she leaned past Madison and kissed Carina. “Did you sleep okay?” she asked the pair of them.
“Yeah, but then I woke up and I just couldn’t sleep, so then I came to snuggle in bed, and Mamma woke up. So then, I just snuggled for a while, but then we made a plan to go and get some coffee and treats. And you know Carina’s Mamma always got them a special breakfast before the first day of school!”
“We’ll have to do it every year then, huh?” Maya said with a smile, “make it a family tradition!”
“Yeah, but always from Stefano. You know, Mommy, he was so happy when I told him in ‘talian that Carina is my Mamma. I actually think he nearly cried just like us. And then I told him it was my first day of kindergarten and he took a picture with me to show Papa Stefano and Mamma.”
“That’s so lovely. You know I had Stefano’s even before you were born?”
“Yeah! And you sended Dada to get some on the day after my first day alive. As soon as they opened!” Madison said, as Carina set her on the counter to finish retrieving things from the fridge.
“Yeah, Stefanos has been there in a lot of big moments for us, hasn’t it? We saw Carina in Stefanos, didn’t we?” Maya said, taking her coffee from the counter. She wrapped her arms around Carina’s front, resting her chin on Carina’s shoulder.
“Oh yes, I remember that, there was a super cute kid and she was a little annoyed with me when I didn’t say goodbye.” Carina smiled, stroking Madison’s hair.
“That was me!” Madison said and kissed Carina’s cheek.
“We seem to be reminiscing a lot lately,” Maya said, kissing Carina’s other cheek softly.
“Big changes will do that,” Carina said, turning to hug Maya, “you okay, Mommy? You look tired,” she added, cupping Maya’s face, gently running her thumb along Maya’s cheekbones.
“I am, but, ma babe wasn’t there and I could hear you two downstairs.”
“Why don’t you go and have a shower? Wake up a little?” Carina suggested, her fingers teasing the hair at the nape of Maya’s neck.
“No, I want to- can I get my little Moo ready for school? Can I… could I tap you out? For a little bit?”
“Absolutely,” Carina kissed her softly then pulled back to kiss her forehead, “I’m going to shower. You have some very precious Mommy and Moo time. Shout me if you need anything,” Carina leaned in for one more kiss and then tapped her butt on the way out.
“So, what’s going in your sammies?” Maya asked Madison.
“Hmmm, PJ and B?”
“Huh?” Maya looked at her, her brow creased with confusion, “Oh, PB and J, peanut butter and jelly?” Maya clarified.
“Yeah.”
“I can’t my honey-bun,” Maya said with an exaggerated pout, “you can’t have anything with nuts at school.”
“Oh, yeah I memember now, pecause it will make them feel not very well, and then they might have to go to where Carina works, at the hospital.”
“That’s right. Now, I bought some sun-butter, but you didn’t like it last time. So, do you want just jelly, or do you want cheese? Or ham?”
“Do we have any prosciutto?”
Maya chuckled at her, ruffling her unmade hair, “oh you’re like a tiny Mamma, Moo.” She leaned down and nuzzled their noses. “I don’t have prosciutto, but I do have ham?”
“It’s not the same, Mommy. Do we have turkey?”
“Yup! Do you want a turkey and cheese one?”
“Yep, and lettuce and a little bit of the spicy yellow thingy.”
Okay! And do you want to cut up your strawberries while I make it?”
Madison nodded and soon Maya was watching her little five-year-old, face scrunched in concentration, cutting her own strawberries for her first day of school. Maya felt herself getting choked up as she watched. She took Carina’s phone from the table and filmed her, wanting to remember it forever. Madison looked over and laughed, “Mommy.”
“Sorry,” Maya chuckled sadly, putting the phone down and wiping her tears.
“You okay Mommy?” Madison asked, climbing down off her helper tower and walking to hug her Mom. Maya leaned down and picked her up and held her tightly allowing her tears to fall as she did. Madison’s little hand rubbed her back. “Are you sad about me going to school?”
“No,” Maya said, pulling back to look at her, “no.” She sighed and wiped her tears, smiling as Madison wiped more. “No, I’m not, I am so happy. And so, so, so proud of you. So proud of you. And sometimes those feelings can make me cry. I’m okay,” she reassured, her voice wobbling a little more than she intended. “Should we have some breakfast and then I’ll finish your lunch?” Madison nodded and clung onto her Mom as they walked over to the kitchen table where her Mamma had put out all of the baked goods.
They sat next to each other on the bench and ate in relative quiet, both reflective. Soon Jack joined them, looking as tired as Maya, and not long after Carina was back sitting on Maya’s other side, a comforting hand on her leg. It was quiet as they all ate and then chaos exploded. Perfect chaos, as Jack helped Madison practice introducing herself and Carina plaited her hair neatly and Maya finished her lunch. Adding the notes the three of them had wrote for her the night before. It was perfect.
“Okay, now we have to do a first day of school interview, ready,” Maya had learned this was a thing and intended to do it every year until Madison told her to stop. Madison was sat on the kitchen counter, looking adorable, holding Shteve. She nodded, grinning wildly.
“Okay,” Maya pressed record, “what’s your name?”
Madison straightened up, “My name is Madison Bishop and this…” she held out Shteve so the camera could see, “is Shtevie!”
“Lovely, okay, what grade are you going into?”
Madison kicked her feet as she answered, “into grade kindy.”
“Perfect so how old are you?” Maya asked.
Madison excitedly held out her hand, spreading her fingers out wide. “Five! That’s a whole hand’s worth,” she shouted.
Maya looked at Carina who nodded, “Puoi dire quanti anni hai in Italiano, Madison? Quanti anni hai?”
Madison's face lit up as she switched to Italian. “Cinque, Mamma!” she said proudly, her pronunciation careful and deliberate.
“Brava.”
“Good and right now what do you want to work as when you grow up?”
Madison tilted her head thoughtfully for a moment, then her face brightened. “I wanna be a footballer who is a doctor and a firefighter,” she declared with a confident nod, as if she had it all figured out. Which, it sounded like, she did!
“Sounds amazing.”
“Do you have a favourite lesson right now, Maddie?” Jack asked.
“Reading.”
“You’re so good at that aren’t you dude?” Jack said and Madison nodded excitedly, giggling.
“How about your favourite food?” Carina asked, grinning as Madison’s face lit up.
“Pizza and uhm ice cream and broccoli!” she answered quickly, her enthusiasm making her words tumble out in a rush.
“All together?” Jack joked, raising an eyebrow playfully at her.
Madison giggled, tipping her head back. “No, don’t be silly Daddy.”
“Okay and is there anything else you want to say before we head to school?” Maya asked, “some closing remarks?”
Madison put a finger to her chin, thinking hard. Then she nodded decisively. “Yeah, you gotta be brave and kind. Oh and I love my Mommy and my Daddy and my Mamma. So much!”
“Wonderful, we love you too! Okay, say bye Madison.”
“Bye Madison!” She shouted and waved.
Maya clicked the video off and laughed at Jack scooped Madison off the counter and spun around with her, Madison’s laughter filling the room.
“Family picture?” Carina suggested.
“Yes!”
“Okay, smile,” Carina said, holding up her phone.
“You need to be in this too,” Jack said, “do a timer.”
“Sure?”
“You’re my Mamma!” Madison said.
“Okay, but someone will have to sort out the timer because I cannot do that!”
Family photos taken, and a little photoshoot of Madison’s first day of kindergarten outfit complete, they were off, Madison riding with Jack and Shteve, Maya and Carina following behind.
“You okay?” Carina asked, squeezing Maya’s knee.
“Mmhmm,” Maya murmured, staring out of the window, her thoughts elsewhere.
“Is your heart breaking just a little?” Carina asked, reaching behind Maya’s neck, giving it a tender squeeze.
“More than a little. I know she’s going to be okay, and she has to go but I’m gonna miss her,” Maya admitted, surprised to hear her voice breaking towards the end. She cleared her throat and looked out of the window again, hoping not to cry.
“I’m gonna miss her too. Do you think our Mamma’s felt like this?” Carina asked softly, her thumb stroking Maya’s knee.
“Hmm,” Maya pondered, thinking back to her childhood. She had never stopped to consider how her mum had felt when she went off to school. She could barely remember the day herself, just barely five years old. “My mom had Mason when I went to school. Maybe she felt more emotional when he went because she lost the thing she spent all her time doing; looking after us. But then maybe she was happy because it was time free from Lane and us. Oh god, what if the only time my mom had freedom was when we went to school?” The idea was horrifying.
“I feel so sorry for your Mamma,” Carina said, “I didn’t meet your dad but I have a good idea about him.”
“What about your mom?” Maya asked, squeezing her leg.
“I- I actually think maybe my Nonna was sad for me to go to school. More than my Mamma. For Mamma, it made work easier. I started school when I was six, so I think Mamma was pregnant or had just had baby Andrea. I remember my first day of school, Nonna bought me pastries,” Carina reminisced, a wistful smile playing on her lips.
“Madison was saying.”
“And I loved it, school. I loved getting to learn. My parents couldn’t afford asilo nido so we were just with Nonna and Nonno when he was home. But Nonna taught me to read and cook. I loved school. So much. And Nonna would make me a lunch every day and I would collect it on the way to school with a kiss!”
“I wish I could have met her,” Maya said, as they turned into the road where Madison’s school was. “I hope she’s gonna be okay,” Maya added, her anxiety spiking as she looked at the sea of children flocking towards the school, some walking with parents, some coming from the school bus.
“She will, she’s so smart, and kind, she’ll love it,” Carina reassured her, her voice steady and comforting.
Maya bit her lip, her nerves whipping up in her stomach. “I feel sick.”
“Bambina,” Carina cooed, “she’s going to be fine. More than fine. And she has Pru,” Carina said, pointing to Ben, who had somehow managed to save them two spots near the school entrance. Madison and Pru would be catching the bus but parents had to drop them off on the first day.
“That makes me feel marginally better.” Maya said, as they parked behind Jack. “Okay.”
“You want a kiss first?” Carina asked, stopping Maya before she got out.
“Do you?” Maya asked, managing a small smile despite her nerves.
Carina laughed and leaned over “I d-”
“-Mamma stop kissing Mommy, we gotta go!” Madison called from outside of the car, her impatience clear and voice high with excitement.
Maya and Carina laughed, sharing a brief, loving kiss before getting out of the car. They walked over to join Jack and Madison, ready to face the big day together.
