Love Me Anyway

Chapter Nineteen

Carina

"In the case of custody of Caterina DeLuca. I grant permanent custody to Doctor Carina DeLuca-Bishop and Captain Maya DeLuca-Bishop."
The courtroom erupted in cheers, as I put my face in my hands and sobbed.
"Baby! We did it!" Maya pulled me up and hugged both Caterina and me.
"Did I get to go home with you Mamma?" Caterina looked up at me.
"Sì, bambina. You get to go home with Mommy and me." I kissed the top of her head.
"Settle down everyone. You're still in my courtroom." The judge banged her gavel.
"Caterina, would you like to change your name sweetheart?" Judge Benson asked.
"Sì." She nodded happily.
"Do you want it to be DeLuca-Bishop?" Maya asked.
"Yes! Caterina DeLuca-Bishop!" Caterina exclaimed.
"Congratulations Caterina Josephine DeLuca-Bishop. You're officially adopted."
"Thank you, thank you so much your honor." I wiped tears away as the officer brought us the paper work.
"Sign on the dotted lines and I'll get them filed." The judge said as we flipped through the papers.
We signed them, and handed them back to the officer.
"Congratulations to the three of you. I wish you all a long, and happy life together as a family." The judge smiled at us.
"Thank you, your honor." Maya picked our daughter up and grabbed my hand.

"Carina." Vincenzo stopped us as we were walking out of the court room.
"No. You don't get to speak." I shook my head.
"I will speak to my daughters any time and anyway I please." He growled as he got in my face.
"Don't talk to my Mamma like that!" Caterina shouted at him.
"Listen here you little bastar-"
"I swear if you finish that sentence I'll cut your balls off and shove them down your throat." Maya hissed low enough just for him and I to hear.
I saw a small flash of fear come across his face before he regained his composure.
"This isn't over." Vincenzo stormed out of the courtroom leaving us alone.
"I don't like him." Caterina curled up her nose.
"Me either bambina. But we won't ever have to see to him ever again. I promise."

At home

"Picture time!" Vic rushed over with her phone.
"Say cheese bambina!" I gently tickled Caterina's sides.
"Cheese!"
"Perfect." Vic gave us a thumbs up.
"Can I go play with Pru?"
"Sì bambina. Why don't you two go play in your room?"
"Come on Pruitt!" Caterina giggled as the two of them ran off.
"Dean would be really happy today." Maya sighed as she laid her head on my shoulder.
"I know bambina. But remember what you told me about Andrea. He's right here." I gently touched her chest.
"I love you." Maya looked up at me.
"And I love you bambina." I leaned forward, and right before our lips touched, Andy shouted for me to come help in the kitchen.
"Coming!" I chuckled. I kissed Maya's cheek and made my way to the kitchen.

"How are you feeling?" Andy asked as she handed me a glass of wine.
"Complete. I'm just glad that it's over and our baby is legally ours."
"Your Dad... he's a-"
"Piece of shit?" I finished.
"I was going to say a character. But that works too." Andy chuckled.

The night went on and everyone left, except for Pru who was staying the night in Caterina's room.
"Thank God today is over." I groaned as I got into bed.
"Agreed. It's all over. She's legally ours." Maya cuddled up to me.
"Can we talk before we go to sleep?" She asked.
"Sì bambina. What's wrong?"
"Nothing amore. I was just thinking about our baby talk."
"Did you change your mind?" I turned to face her.
"No! No. Not at all. I was just thinking... why should we choose an anonymous donor? I mean we don't have any idea about who they actually are besides their medical history and what they've told the sperm banks."
"What are you saying bambina?"
"I want our donor to be someone we know."
"Oh." I sat up in bed a little bit.
"What do you think?"
"I like the idea. We know our friends and family, we know how they turned out, we know their medical history." I nodded.
"Have you thought of anyone?" I added.
"Not really. I was thinking Emmett, since he looks like me. But he's related to Dixon." Maya curled up her nose. "But I was also thinking Travis because he's just such a great guy. He's healthy, he's smart, he comes from an amazing family-"
"Have you ever though about Mason?" I interrupted.
"No." Maya shook her head.
"You're literally siblings, Maya. It would be perfect."
"I don't want my genes in there."
"Why not?" I gently pushed her hair out of her face.
"Because I-" Maya huffed and looked up at our ceiling.
"Take your time bella." I gently rubbed her back.
"I don't want to fuck up our kid with my genes." She mumbled.
"Bambina, why do you say that?"
"Have you seen my Dad? He's crazy. He-He did so much to us growing up and-"
"And you turned out amazing. You're already an amazing Mommy to our bambina. You're such an inspiration to everyone around you. And you know what? Screw your Dad. Screw my Dad! They don't deserve us. You saw how my Dad acted, and look at how I turned out."

Maya wiped a stray tear and leaned her head on my shoulder. "You really want my genes?"
"Of course bambina. I'd love for our baby to be half you and half me."
"We can ask Mason." She smiled softly.
"Why don't you invite him over for dinner tomorrow and we can talk to him about it?"
"God, I love you." Maya leaned forward and kissed me gently.
"And I love you, amore mio."

"Mamma! Mommy! Pruitt throwed up!" We heard Caterina shout.
"I'll get the kids, you get the sheets." Maya said as she hopped out of bed.
"Lucky me." I laughed.

Carina

I pulled the lasagna out of the oven as the doorbell rang.
"Bambina! Will you get that for me?"
"Sì amore mio." Maya called back.
"Hey!" I heard Maya exclaim.
"Hey sis. This is for you, and these are for my favorite sister in law."
"Thank you Mase. Come in." I heard the front door shut and they walked into the kitchen.
"Rina, look what Mason picked up on the way here." She held up our favorite bottle of wine.
"And these are for you." Mason handed me a bouquet of flowers.
"Thank you Mason. You shouldn't have." I smiled and gave him a hug.
"So, what's the special occasion?" Mason asked.
"What? I can't have my favorite brother over for dinner?" Maya joked.
"Well, it must be important because my favorite niece isn't here."

"Caterina wanted to spend the night with Auntie Amelia, ZiZi Kai and Scout. And we gladly agreed as long as they promised to call if they had any issues." I said quickly. I knew Maya was a terrible secret keeper.
"Hmm. Okay. Dinner smells amazing by the way. Do you need any help?"

Maya

"That was amazing as always babe." I leaned down and kissed her lips gently as I gathered up the plates.
"Grazie bambina." She smiled at me.

I put the plates in the dishwasher and made my way back to my wife and brother.
"So, Mase. There actually was a reason for tonight." I said carefully as I sat down on the couch next to Carina.
"What's up? Is everything okay?" He put down his glass of water and leaned forward on his elbows.
"Sì. Everything is perfect." Carina took my hand in her's and squeezed gently.
"We were uh... we were wondering if you'd uh... if you'd be our sperm donor?" I smiled awkwardly.
"What! Seriously!" Mason exclaimed with a smile.
"Sì! We were talking about it, and Maya said she wanted it to be someone we know, and we both thought about you. We want Maya's genes as well as mine."
"I'd be honored. God, I'm so freaking happy for you two!" He got up and hugged us both.
"Thank you baby brother."
"So, when do you need me to uh... do it?"
"We have an appointment this Friday with Dr. Wilson to check and make sure everything okay, since I'm a little on the older side. And then after that we'll set up the appointment for the insemination." Carina explained.
"Just let me know when you need me. I'll take off work whenever. God, I'm so proud of you Maya." He hugged me again.
"I'm proud of you too Mase. You've come a long way."
"Well, I'm proud of you both. Now come eat the cheesecake that I made." Carina shouted from the kitchen.
"We better go. She gets scary when she's hungry for dessert." I whispered as we walked into the kitchen.