21. Chapter 21

There is a banging on the door just after nine in the morning. Carina groans knowing it’s her annoying little brother. “Go away.”

“You promised you would make French toast.” Andrew calls through the door. He’s smart enough not to enter his sister’s bedroom.

What he would see though wouldn’t be much. Under the sheet Carina has her leg hooked around one of Maya’s. Carina lays on her stomach next to Maya. Maya on her back with an arm under Carina’s neck. The number of hours of sleep that they got is less than four.

Andrew pounds on the door again. “Get up. I’ll be downstairs waiting.”

Maya lifts her head and looks around the room for a moment. All of last night slowly coming back to her, bringing a soft smile to her lips. After last night, Maya doesn’t feel as intimidated by Carina. Sure, she’s still got more experience as a whole, but as far as relationship stuff and close, intimate, moments maybe they are on a more level playing field.

“Buongiorno, bella.” Carina flips her face around so that she can smile over at her blonde sleep mate.

“Buongiorno.” Maya mumbles, trying to get the pronunciation correct. Carina’s smile grows a little and Maya knows she doesn’t have the word quite right, but maybe one day.

“What do you want to do before we go to Andy’s?” Carina asks.

Maya wrinkles up her face. She didn’t know they were going to Andy’s. She didn’t know anything about today. She had assumed that after breakfast she would just go home. “What’s at Andy’s?”

Carina shifts, reaching out with her left hand, running her index finger from Maya’s forehead, between her eyes, down the bridge of her nose, smoothing out the wrinkles there. “Her grad party.”

Maya chews on her lower lip for a moment. “I wasn’t invited.”

Carina sighs. “So what? It doesn’t matter. You can come as my plus one.” She just wants to spend as many hours in a row with Maya as she can. “Andy doesn’t care. Andy won’t even notice.”

Maya laughs. “Yeah, right.”

Carina rolls her eyes. “Okay, you’re probably right about that. She’ll notice.”

“Plus, I should probably go home. My dad is expecting me to get a recovery run in today at some point.” Maya lays it out like it is, even if that means she doesn’t get to spend the entire day with Carina. She yawns, stretching out her legs in the process. “We should have gone to bed sooner.”

“If I remember correctly, we spent a considerable amount of time in bed. Just not sleeping.” Carina smirks.

Maya curls her arm. “Come here.” She pulls Carina closer. “Your sleepy face is adorable.”

Carina raises her eyebrows. “Yeah?”

“Definitely.” Maya mumbles a second before pulling Carina in for a brief kiss. Carina has talked about how wonderful it is to wake up in bed with Maya and now Maya is starting to think it’s maybe the best parts of her days that she’s spent with Carina. There’s something so easy and relaxing to just be able to lay here with the brunette. It’s calm and quite and peaceful. There are no anxieties or interruptions, other than Andrew earlier.

“So, Andy’s?” Carina comes back around to the topic.

Maya hums. “We compromise?” Carina nods. She’s willing to do that. “We go for a little bit, but I can’t stay all afternoon. Will you bring me home?”

“I’ll bring you anywhere, tesoro.”

Maya quirks an eyebrow. But Carina just smiles and shakes her head, not telling Maya what the word means.

Carina pushes herself up onto her elbows. She leans over Maya for a moment, just taking stock of the girl in her bed.

“What?” Maya inquires of the curious look that Carina is giving her. It makes Maya slightly nervous that the more Carina looks at her, the more likely it is that she’ll find something she doesn’t like about Maya. Or more than one something. That she’ll see all of her flaws and decide it’s not worth it anymore.

Carina shakes her head though. “Colazione? Breakfast?”

Maya nods. “Si, per favore.”

There is a little giggle from Carina. “I like your eagerness.” She gets out of bed and walks across the room.

Maya sits up, wondering what Carina means but gets distracted at the sight of her girlfriend; it’s still mindboggling to think that Carina is her girlfriend; walking across the room in a t-shirt and a pair of underwear. It’s not like Maya hasn’t seen anyone in a state of undress like this before but she hasn’t seen anyone in a state of undress like this before. Super attractive, super intelligent, super endearing Carina and her long, long tan legs that streak across the room. It’s an image that Maya could only have ever dreamed about in the past. But, right now, right in front of her, Carina is pulling a pair of sweatpants up her legs.

“Stop staring.” Carina teases with her back to Maya.

“I’m not-“ Maya shakes her head. She totally was starting. “How did you know?”

Carina spins around. “I can practically feel your eyes burning holes into me every time I have my back turned.”

“Sorry.” Maya tucks her chin to her chest.

Carina comes over and puts a knee on the mattress next to Maya. She tips Maya’s face up with a finger under her chin. “Don’t be.” She doesn’t want Maya to feel bad about it. “It just means that you think I’m super sexy and you want to have sex with me.” Carina wiggles her eyebrows and leans in and presses a kiss to Maya’s cheek.

Maya thinks it’s so much more than what Carina just said.

Carina runs her hand down the back of Maya’s arm, finding her hand, tangling their fingers together. “Shall we?” She helps Maya from bed.

They head downstairs and Andrew is sitting at the table with a comic book open, his hands in fists pressed to his cheeks as he reads.

“And here we have the wild pre-teen.” Carina whispers like she’s narrating a nature program. “Waiting for his morning meal.”

Maya giggles, biting her lip.

“He is calm in his natural habitat but the longer he goes without food, the more irritated he will get.” Carina goes on.

“I can hear you. I’m not deaf. And I know English. I’m not some animal.” Andrew says without looking over at the pair.

“The pre-teen claims to be able to understand what I’m saying. I’m skeptically though.” Carina glances in Maya’s direction before grinning and moving them over to the fridge.

They are working on food prep. Maya is cutting up fruit for some fruit bowls to go with their French toast.

Carina has Maya pressed up against the counter from behind with her hips as Maya tries to cut up some strawberries and bananas. She presses a kiss to her shoulder and then to the side of her neck. Carina sweeps Maya hair away and presses her lips to the spot behind Maya’s ear. Maya squirms a little at that one. “I’m trying to concentrate. Do you want me to cut myself with this knife?”

“No. Never.” Carina relents, keeping her lips to herself. Though her hands take their place on Maya’s body; resting at Maya’s hips for a moment as she watches Maya cut up the fruit, before they slip up her sides. She’s so caught up in the moment that she doesn’t here her father enter the room.

“What’s going on here?” Vincenzo’s voice thunders throughout the room.

Carina jumps back like she got an electrical shock. “Uh, we’re just making breakfast. Would you like some? French toast and fruit bowls.” Carina offers.

Maya keeps her head low, not daring to look over at Carina’s father.

Vincenzo narrows his eyes. He looks from Carina to Maya and back to his daughter as the slow realization hits him. “Is this a sexual relationship?” He’s seen Maya with his daughter often in recent weeks. This is the first time he thinks they are something other than simple friends.

Maya closes her eyes at the question. She wants nothing more than to run out of the room in this instant. She clenches and unclenches her hand continuously, hoping this utter embarrassment can end soon.

“Well no, but-“ Carina isn’t sure what to say exactly. She wonders what is going through her father’s head at the moment.

“Cosa?”

Carina takes a deep breath, ready for any possible ramifications from what she’s about to say. “But Maya is my girlfriend. And at some point, I would venture that it will become a sexual relationship.” She reaches for Maya’s hand, taking it, trying to get Maya to turn around and face her papa.

Maya turns but keeps her eyes trained on the floor. “I’m sorry, Mr. DeLuca.” She mumbles.

He wrinkles up his face in confusion at Maya. “Why?” He remembers to use English. “Don’t be sorry.” He tells her sternly. “There’s nothing to be sorry about.” Maya nods, still not looking up. “Look at me.” Vincenzo requests.

Maya takes a moment to look up. Carina squeezes her hand and Maya looks up and connects eyes with the tall man. “Yes, sir.” She swallows thickly.

He thinks whatever is going on between his daughter and Maya is frivolous and likely a waste of time, but he knows what it’s like to be young and think things that aren’t true or aren’t possible. But as a father he wonders if that’s the correct approach to take with these two. He thinks Carina should be focused on school and her studies and becoming a doctor. “Do we need to have a talk?”

“About what?” Maya asks, and she wishes she didn’t as soon as the words come out of her mouth.

“I don’t want you giving my daughter a sexually transmitted diseases or anything.” Vincenzo says in a steady voice.

“PAPA!” Carina yells.

Maya can’t look at him any longer. “I won’t, sir.” She looks down at her feet and tries to pull her hand out of Carina’s, but Carina holds tight. “I wouldn’t-“ Maya doesn’t know why this conversation has taken this direction. She wonders briefly if this has been a problem in the past for Carina. She also knows that he doesn’t have anything to worry about with her on that front. She wouldn’t jeopardize Carina’s health or future like that, either. “I won’t.” She tries to sound sure, strong when she says it.

Vincenzo rolls his eyes and turns his focus on his daughter. “Carina, I know we talk about medical items all the time in this house but I wish you would have told me you were having sex with this-“ He glances over at Maya. “-young woman.”

Carina sighs, knowing she has disappointed her father. “We aren’t- we haven’t- but I should have told you that Maya is my girlfriend now. It’s not like I was hiding it but-“ Vincenzo isn’t exactly the most open man. He’s also not the most available. Carina would have to track him down and then have him open enough for a conversation. It just hadn’t happened yet. She shrinks under his watchful eye. “I’m telling you now.”

He rolls his eyes. “Fine. I would like some breakfast when it’s ready.” Vincenzo says, ending the discussion and going over to the table where Andrew sits, having eavesdropped on the entire conversation. They start talking about the comic that Andrew is reading.

“Maybe I should go.” Maya mumbles.

“No.” Carina turns Maya, so they are facing each other. “No, Maya.”

“I don’t want to interrupt your family time.” It’s becoming clear to Maya that Carina’s father doesn’t spend a lot of time with his children.

Carina feels caught between what she wants with Maya and how she wants to please her father. It’s a situation she’s never found herself in before and she isn’t sure how to navigate it. “Maya, please stay.” She begs and wraps her arms around Maya in a tight hug. She needs Maya to stay. “I’m sorry he did that. I’m sorry you got embarrassed.” She whispers to Maya. “He’s not very delicate.”

Maya chuckles a little at that and it brings a tiny hopeful smile to Carina’s lips. “I’ll go after we eat.” Maya looks over Carina’s shoulder at Andrew and Vincenzo as they talk animatedly about the comic. She can see the sparkle in Andrew’s eyes, excited that his father has taken an interest in something he enjoys. She wants Andrew and Carina to be happy. She wants them to spend time with their father when they can.

Carina sags against Maya, knowing she’s not going to win this argument. “Is there anything I can do to convince you to stay?”

Maya shakes her head. She rubs her hands up and down Carina’s back before turning around to finish her fruit cutting. “Just make the French toast.”

Carina frowns at Maya’s clipped tone, but does as she’s told, releasing Maya, and moving over to the stove.

During breakfast, Maya sits next to Carina, across from Andrew. No one says anything to each other, the atmosphere charged with an awkward energy. Maya knows it’s because of her presence at the table, and probably in the house. Which she hates because she loves coming over to Carina’s house. She feels comfortable here. Or she did before this morning, and she’s worried now that that feeling is ruined forever.

Carina wonders the entire time what Maya is thinking. And what her father is thinking across from her. She knows she’s going to have to have a conversation with both of them separately about this at some point. She also wonders if she had just told her father that she had a girlfriend if all of this could have been avoided.

Maya departs after breakfast and Carina spends the rest of the morning with her brother and father. It’s actually more enjoyable than she thought it would be. She misses when she was younger, and they would all sit and watch tv or when her mamma was still around, and they eat every meal together as a family. She goes to Andy’s party in the afternoon, arriving over an hour after it started and by herself. She spends most of her time their wondering what she’s missing out on with Maya if she had been here. It's not as exciting as Addison’s party had been. Andy doesn’t have a pool, for one. And the graduation high that everyone has been on is clearly starting to fade as the kids at the party mostly just sit around, some talking, some just sort of existing.

Carina itches to get out of there and just go home. She wishes she could talk to Maya. Or see her. She wants to clear the air on what happened at breakfast, apologize for her father’s behavior. She doesn’t know when she’s going to be able to see the girl or talk to her again though.

Carina is organizing her bedroom the next morning when her phone rings. “Hello?”

“Hey, Carina.” Maya says timidly. She’s took the phone up to her room as her mom went downstairs to do the laundry. “How are you?”

Carina closes her eyes at the thought of the question that Maya is asking, and the question that she’s not asking. “Maya, I’m really sorry about yesterday.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I didn’t tell him. I should have. I know he was disappointed to find out like that.” She tries to explain but knows she likely failing.

“Disappointed?” Maya isn’t sure that’s what she got from Mr. DeLuca.

“Yeah, he was disappointed in me.” Carina takes a deep breath. “Our relationship, my papa and I, it’s difficult to explain. He expects a lot from me. He wants me to always be honest and tell the truth and come to him if something is wrong.”

“Okay, but he seemed more than disappointed.”

Carina sighs through the phone. “He should have, maybe, had that conversation with me only. Not in front of you. It was inappropriate. I think it was him trying to do that whole what are your intentions with my daughter crap that dad’s pull but being a non-American and you being, well, not a guy; it sort of turned into what it did.” She thinks if she had a boyfriend her father would have said ‘don’t get my daughter pregnant’ or something similar.

Maya nods and hums.

“I hope what happened doesn’t give you any negative feelings about me or towards me.” Carina is worried that Maya’s opinion of her will change because of what her father said.

Maya thinks about it for a few moments.

“You going to make me sweat this out?” Carina tries to joke. She rubs her clammy palms on her shorts realizing that she is actually nervous about this.

“No, Carina. My opinion of you hasn’t changed. I did wonder though if your father said what he did because something had happened in the past.”

“What?” Carina rethinks over his words. “No. No.” She shakes her head. “I haven’t told him about my past relationships, sexual or otherwise. I think that’s part of it too. He was blindsided, I think.” She’s not entirely sure but his reaction would make sense in a way that she knows her father would react.

“Okay. So you’re saying-“ Maya doesn’t know if she can get the words to come out of her mouth.

“Maya, are you asking me if I have a STD?” She laughs but doesn’t get a response from Maya. “No, Maya. I’ve been safe, but if you want, I’ll go get tested.”

“You’re so cool.” It’s not what Maya means to say at all.

Carina laughs again and Maya loves that sound. If she got to hear Carina laugh every day for the rest of her life, Maya knows she would be happy.

“Would I be cool if I asked you on a date this week?” Carina chances. She can’t wait to see Maya again and doesn’t want to have to wait until Saturday. “I know your track meet is Saturday, so we don’t have to do it Friday, or even Thursday. I know you will need and want to focus on your race towards the end of the week.”

Maya likes that Carina knows she takes her running seriously and that she understands that it means that it will take time away from them potentially. She also likes that Carina is so supportive. Maya smiles at how thoughtful Carina is. “What if we did like a day date?”

Carina’s brows knit together.

“On Tuesday or Wednesday or even Thursday but if it’s Thursday it has to be during the day.” Maya stipulates.

Carina thinks about it and the wheels start turning. “Is this to avoid-“ She doesn’t have to finish the question.

“Yeah.” Maya mumbles.

Fucking Lane. Carina grimaces at that. “Okay. Let’s do it. You pick the day.” She bounces in her spot, excited about the possibilities.

“Okay.” Maya smiles at the enthusiasm she can hear in Carina’s voice. She’s excited too. Nervous but excited. “Wednesday. What do you want to do? Like, go to a movie or the mall or something?”

“Something?” Carina thinks about possibilities. “Actually, I have an idea.”

“What?” Maya bites at her lip.

“You can totally say no if you think it’s lame.”

Maya chuckles a little. “What, Carina?” She’s sure that whatever Carina suggests she won’t think is lame because she’ll get to do it with Carina.

“We could- gototheaquarium.” She says really fast. Carina knows the idea is lame. She knows that the aquarium will likely be filled with little kids that are on summer break. She knows not everyone enjoys being around loud children.

“Can you say it again?” Maya teases. “Just so I make sure that I heard you correctly.” She grins.

“We could go to the aquarium.” Carina rolls her eyes, knowing that Maya is making fun of her stupid little idea.

Maya makes Carina wait a few beats for an answer. “I would love to go to the aquarium with you.”

“Really?” She almost can’t believe it. The aquarium isn’t some place that she would bring friends her age. It’s mostly been a place for her to go with her family, with Andrea.

“Yeah, really, you goof.” Maya sighs happily. “I’d go anywhere with you.”

Carina lets out a long breath. “That’s a bold statement.”

Maya hums. “It’s a true statement.”

They spend some time planning the day date. What time the aquarium opens. What time Carina will pick Maya up. If Andrew can come over to the Bishop’s house to hang out with Mason while they are gone. What they will do for lunch. Going over every detail. Carina mostly just wants to keep Maya on the phone as long as possible. But than there’s a knock on Maya’s doorframe and her mom sticks her head into the room.

“I’ve got to go. I’ll see you on Wednesday.” Maya says quickly.

“Okay, Maya. Ciao, bella.”

“Ciao.” Maya says and hangs up the phone.

Katherine sets a laundry basket full of clothes on the end of Maya’s bed. “Who were you talking to, dear?” She thinks she knows the answer.

“Uh-“ Maya thinks about lying but she looks over at her mom and knows by the look on her face that she can tell her. “Carina.” She squeaks. “Please, don’t say anything to dad.” She pleads.

“I won’t.” Katherine gives her daughter a tight-lipped smile. “Are you and Carina hanging out or something on Wednesday?”

Maya frowns.

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but you said-“

“Can Andrew come over on Wednesday?” Maya turns it around.

“Sure. I’ll talk to your father but I’m fairly certain that it will be allowed. Is Carina coming over as well?” She knows her husband would defiantly not approve of that.

“No, well-“ Maya looks around the room. “She’ll drop Andrew off and pick me up. She wants to go to the aquarium.”

“Oh, fun. Why don’t you take the boys with?” Katherine asks. She doesn’t see why they all can’t go.

Maya doesn’t want her and Carina’s little brother hanging out with them on their date. But her mother can’t know that. She shrugs. “I don’t- no, they can’t come with.”

Katherine chuckles. “Okay, dear. I’ll find something for them to do here.”

“Thanks.” Maya mumbles.

“Not a problem.” She puts a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “If you could put these clothes away and return the laundry basket that would be much appreciated.”

Maya nods and her mother leaves the room but not before stopping at the door and looking back at Maya, almost narrowing her eyes at her, before disappearing into the hallway.