spoiler Maya and Carina spending New year Together
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“ Minchia !” Carina hisses in a whisper.
“ Shhhhh!” Maya hisses right back, peering round the pile of presents she’s holding in her arms.
Without saying another word, both direct their attention to the closed bedroom door at the top of the hallway, shortly from where they stand. They stand silently, with bated breath as they listen carefully for any kind of noise.
There is no stirring - no rummaging.
There is not even the slightest peep.
Both their shoulders fell in just slight relief - slightly because both are highly aware that tonight’s stress isn't over just yet as they still have a really important task at hand. They could not afford to let their guards fall.
“Still asleep,” Carina comments.
“For now,” Maya adds, voice barely above a whisper. “This would be easier if the lights were on, you know?”
“Do you remember what happened last year?” Carina asks.
Maya does.
She’ll never forget.
Stepping into the hallway last year on this very night where Christmas Eve became Christmas , Maya reached bent hit the sunshine switch and illuminate the hallway - a grave mistake that almost cost them a joyful holiday.
It was instantaneous, a minimum of that’s how Maya remembers it, despite Carina recalling the small print slightly differently.
But as soon because the lights came on, Maya swears that the bedroom door opened, that she had to show around immediately and shove the presents she had been carrying into Carina’s arms (which the doctor would really like to remind were already full) and Carina herself back to their own bedroom.
Although she had been caught off guard, Carina, for the record, managed to not drop one thing - a feat she remains rather pleased with , a full year later - as Maya gave the performance of a lifetime call at the hallway.Perhaps she should enter acting, Carina would later tease.
After pretending to be half asleep and seeking a glass of water to quench her thirst, Maya and their baby peeked into the front room to see if perhaps Santa Claus already paid their home a visit. He hadn’t. It was probably still too early within the night, Maya suggested, to which the tiny boy agreed, nodding along.
Yes, too early in the night. It made sense.
When Maya returned to the main bedroom after tucking the kid back to bed, she was met with a warning from Carina: if she’s getting to be pushed around like that, it best be against the wall and with Maya’s lips firmly pressed against hers - or, better yet, on her neck.
Now with a touch time on their hands before they might attempt to sneak presents bent the front room again, Maya obliged to Carina’s request.
So, yes, they are doing not exactly want… a whole repeat of the previous year.
The lights would remain off.
For extra precaution.
With Maya leading, they carefully navigate their way as silently as they will with the babiest of steps towards the front room . Someone proposed the idea of perhaps setting a trap for Santa tonight - to catch him in the act. Even though both women swept the front room and hallway together for whatever kind of trap a five year old could muster, they still agreed to proceed with caution, just in case.
No repeats of last year.
As they meet up with to the front room , their sneaking walk becomes easier because the lights from the Christmas tree illuminate their path. Maya carefully crouches down ahead of said tree and slides the presents she carried underneath before pivoting towards Carina to receive the stack of gifts she brought along.
“I’ll get the remainder ,” Carina whispers, turning on her heel before Maya could say anything.
Maya carefully stands copy and pads over to the cocktail table where a plate of Nonna’s cookies and a glass of milk had been placed, along side a handwritten thank you note written in a child’s scribble. She picks up the note and stuffs it into her back pocket before helping herself to at least one of the cookies.
Carina returns with the last of the gifts and arranges them under the tree - gifts from Santa Claus mixed with presents from his aunts and uncles from the firestation and the hospital, also from his two mothers, of course.
He’s a much loved little boy.
Spoiled, too, the maximum amount as they refuse to admit it.
Maya grabs the milk so as to eliminate it within the kitchen sink; Carina helps herself to the remaining cookie on the tiny plate. She leaves behind some crumbles and a note written in such a drastic cursive he are going to be unable to read (but Mom will help him with that) - evidence of the mythical jolly man’s presence in their home.
Once the empty glass is returned to the cocktail table , both women quietly tiptoe their way back to their bedroom and shut the door behind them.
Carina leans against the door after it latches. Her shoulders fall as she sighs heavily in relief, a sense of relief that she shares, no doubt, with Maya who flops onto the bed.
“This is that the most stressful night of the year,” Maya murmurs, shaking her head.
“At least when we do it with the Epiphany, there’s wine involved to take the edge off,” Carina points out. Exhaustion now seeping in because the adrenaline subsides, she drags herself over to the bed and plops down next to Maya.
“That’s a nice addition,” Maya comments.
“I mean, it was a fair question, no? We leave milk and cookies for Santa - what can we leave for la Befana ? She doesn’t appear to be a milk and cookies sort of witch,” Carina says, making her way under the covers.
Maya follows suit, allowing herself to relax into the comf of bed - hell, to only even relax - for the primary time all evening. “She could’ve been a whisky witch,” she manages to mention through a yawn.
“White wine seemed more plausible,” Carina replies. She scoots over towards Maya and curls up against her side.
“Maybe she’d even prefer a red French wine this year,” Maya teases.
“Don’t you dare ,” Carina grumbles over her wife’s chuckling, burying her face against Maya who pulls her a small bit closer. “What are the chances he sleeps in tomorrow morning?”
“Absolute zero,” Maya answers without a second thought. “I’ll be impressed if we get four, maybe five hours of sleep tonight.”
Carina pouts, but she’s unsurprised by the solution , knowing full well they need an early riser on their hands when it isn’t Christmas morning. She was hoping for, well, a Christmas miracle.
It is an enormous ask, one that goes unfulfilled as their bedroom door bursts wide open at sunrise, waking both women. Upon hearing the sound of excited feet running across the carpet, Maya sits up to catch the small boy who throws himself towards her.
“ Babbo Natale è venuto !” he squeals.
“Santa came?!” Maya translates, glancing over towards Carina who remains curled on her side of the bed.
“ Mamma! Alzati! ”
“Yeah, Mamma , wake up,” Maya seconds, gently tossing the boy over.
Carina grunts under the additional weight now on top of her. She can’t help but smile as small arms attempt to wrap round her within the tightest hug. She waits until he starts giving her little kisses on her cheek - her favorite.
She rolls over onto her back and grabs him into a hug herself. “ Buon Natale, amore mio ,” she says softly.
“Merry Christmas, Mamma ,” he beams. “Santa ate all of Bisnonna ’s cookies! And he drank the milk!”
“Did he now?” Carina replies. She turns her gaze towards Maya who is watching the 2 of them with the foremost genuine, warm smile. It’s one that Carina immediately matches.
“Let’s go open presents!” he begs eagerly. “Come on, get up!”
“Hey, now, Andrea - did you would like Mom a Merry Christmas?” Carina asks.
“Yeah, what am I, huh?” Maya questions with a pout. “Chopped liver?”
“What’s chopped liver?” Andrea asks with curiosity.
Maya pauses for a blink of an eye and furrows her eyebrows. Unable to consider an appropriate answer, she looks over at Carina. “Well, Mamma ’s a doctor, she will explain-”
“Presents,” Carina interrupts the discussion, finally sitting up herself.
“Yeah, presents! Regali!” Andrea agrees. “Merry Christmas, Mom - let’s go!”
He takes a rather bold get down the bed, one that creates both women jolt forward, but when he lands on his feet and flies out of the space , they both relax slightly.
“We could power the whole apartment with his energy,” Maya comments.
Carina nods in agreement. “I want just a fraction of it immediately ,” she admits, leaning forward to rest her chin against Maya’s shoulder. She’s struggling to remain awake, but she knows Andrea wouldn't allow her even a moment more of sleep.
“You know, we’re gonna get a second round of that whirlwind if we don’t get out of bed,” Maya points out. Carina knows she’s right.
And as if on queue, they hear a loud ‘ come on ’ emerging from the front room .
“ Stiamo venendo !” Maya shouts back.
Carina’s smile grows, “You’re getting pretty good.”
“ Grazie Amore ,” Maya grins, turning to her. “ Buon Natale, amore .i love you ”
“Merry Christmas , Bella mia ,” Carina replies, leaning in for a kiss.
