Love Me Anyway

Chapter Twenty-Six

Maya

"Alright class. Next on the list is Caterina DeLuca-Bishop, and her Mom Captain Maya DeLuca-Bishop."

I stood up from the tiny desk next to Caterina's and we made our way up to the front.
"This is my Mommy. She's a fire fighter. She rides in the fire truck, and puts our big fires and saves people." Cat said proudly.
"Hi guys! My name is Maya. I'm the Captain at Station 19 here in Seattle."
"Girls can be fire fighters?" A little girl asked from the front row.
"That's right! Girls can be whatever they want to be! Boys too. You can be a Doctor, or a fire fighter, or a veterinarian, or even an astronaut!" I told her with a smile.
"I'm the Captain. Which means that I tell my crew where to go, and how to help during a fire. I actually brought someone here with me to help me explain things. Everyone give it up for Lieutenant Andy Herrera, and fire fighter Vic Herrera!"

The class clapped as Vic and Andy stepped into the room. Andy had her uniform on, but Vic couldn't fit into her's anymore.
"Hi guys! I'm Andy, and this is Vic. I'm a Lieutenant, which means that I'm second in command behind Captain Bishop here. And do you know what that means?"
The class shook their head's no.
"That means, that I get to drive the fire truck!"

"Then where is it?" A little boy in the front asked with an attitude.
"That's for me to know, and for you to find out." Andy winked.
"How can she be a fire fighter? She's pregnant." The boy asked.
"I work at the front desk until this little nugget gets here." Vic told him.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"Bryce."
"Bryce, why don't you come up here and help us real quick?"
Bryce smirked at his friends and joined us up front.

"Part of being a fire fighter is staying in shape for the job. That means exercising regularly. Bryce, how many push ups do you think you can do?"
"I don't know. I did one hundred last night." He shrugged.
Lying little shit.
"Lieutenant Herrera. Why don't you show Bryce and Cat the correct way to do a push up. And then we can all do it together. Except you Vic."

Andy grinned and got down on the ground, quickly going through the motions.
"Cat, do you wanna try now?"

"Sì!"

Cat got down on the ground, and waited for me to give the word to go.
"Bryce, why don't you join her? We'll make this into a race!"
"Pff. I can do way more than her. She's a girl. Everyone knows boys are stronger."
I wanna kick his ass. Then kick his Mom's ass.

I waited for Bryce to get on the ground, "Okay guys! Ready, set, go!"

I watched as my little girl quickly and perfectly executed the push-ups, while Bryce struggled after number five.
They hit ten, and Bryce fell to the ground. Cat did two more for good measure.
"Good job guys! You both did great!" I clapped.

"Alright everyone! If you all would make a single file line at the door, we have a surprise for everyone outside!" Vic exclaimed.

All the kids and their parents rushed to the classroom door. The kids were jumping with excitement.
"Captain DeLuca-Bishop? Do you think we could schedule a field trip to the station? Your presentation is a hit with the kids today." Mrs. Mason, Cat's teacher, asked.
"I think we can arrange that." I smiled and turned to face the kids.
"Alright fire fighters! Turn and face Lieutenant Herrera."
All the kids stopped what they were doing and faced Andy.
"Now, I want you all to walk calmly behind Lieutenant Herrera. She is going to lead us outside. Okay?"
"Yes Captain." Vic shouted with some of the kids.
"I can't hear you!"
"Yes Captain!" All of the kids exclaimed.

Andy led them outside, while Cat walked with me holding onto my hand.

"Where's the surprise Mommy?" Cat asked as we walked outside.
Just then, we heard the beautiful sound of the fire engine's siren and saw it pull up from behind the building.
I sensed the kids starting to run towards it, and whistled loudly.
"Stay put until the engine is at a complete stop."
"Yes Captain!"

The engine pulled up, and Warren hopped out of the drivers seat.
"Who's ready to fight some fires!"
"The kids brought extra clothes, right?" I whispered to the teacher.
"Yes. I reminded the parents yesterday and got permission slips filled out. All good to go."
"Lieutenant Gibson! Fire it up!" I called out.
"Yes Captain!" Jack grinned as he turned on the hose and shot the water up into the air.

All of the kids ran into the falling water and danced around.
"Go ahead baby." I gently nudged Cat towards the truck and she took off, jumping into Jack's arms.

"You did good, Captain." Andy chuckled from her spot next to me.
"Anything for my baby girl."

Carina

"Honey! We're home!" Maya shouted from the front door.
"Ah, did you wear my bambina out today?" I chuckled at the sight of Caterina holding onto Maya for dear life, wearing Maya's Captain's helmet.
"I'm going to put our daughter to bed. And then we are going to have our own career day." Maya winked and walked out of the living room.

The next day

"Alright, Doctor Wilson. Now lift the baby up and out." I was coaching Jo through her first c-section, and she was doing remarkably well.
The room was filled with the bambino's cries, and she quickly handed the baby to the nurse.
"Well done, and do you remember how to close?"

"Doctor DeLuca-Bishop? Your daughter's school is calling. Should I answer it?" One of the nurses asked.
"Please, and put it in speaker."

She walked over to me and answered the phone.
"Hello?"
"Doctor DeLuca-Bishop. We need you to come pick up Caterina." The principal's voice filled the OR.
"Is she sick? Is she okay?"
"She started a fight with a child in her classroom. She is being suspended for one week. She needs to be picked up immediately."
"What? Have you tried to call my wife-"
"Yes. We tried to call her twice. She didn't pick up."
"Go. I've got this." Jo whispered.
"Are you sure?"
She nodded and went back to closing the Mamma up.
"I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

Maya

"Good job nineteen!" I shouted as we hopped off the truck.
"Nineteen!"
"Go get cleaned up. Herrera, get your wife. You both are on dinner." I called as I walked to my office.

"Baby? What are you doing here?" I smiled when I saw my wife sitting in my chair.
"Why don't you ask your daughter what we're doing here." Carina nodded towards my bunk.
My eyebrows furrowed as I walked into the room, and saw my little girl sitting on the bed with her head bowed down.
"Hey baby girl, why aren't you in school?"
"I-I-I-I g-got suspend-suspended." Cat said in a small voice.
"What? What happened baby?"

"She fought a little boy at school! That's what happened!" Carina exclaimed.
"Look at Mommy baby."
Cat looked up and had tears rolling down her face.
She had a black eye and her hair was knotted up.
"Oh my baby..." I reached out and pulled her into my lap.
"Tell Mommy what happened."
"B-B-Bryce was being mean. He s-said you aren't my real Mommies and that my real Mommy didn't want me. I told h-him he was wrong an-and he pushed me down. I didn't start it Mommy! You and Mamma told me that I can't start a fight but that I can finish them!"

"Why don't you find Tìa Andy and Auntie Vic. Let Mommy talk to Mamma." I whispered in her ear.
Cat nodded with a sniffle and walked out of my office.

I sighed and stood up from my bed, and walked to my desk.
"Baby..." I said carefully.
"She was fighting bambina! Our baby girl was fighting!" Carina huffed.
"Did you ask her what happened?"
"No..." She sighed.
"Remember that little shit of a kid that I told you about yesterday?"
Carina nodded slowly.
"Caterina said that he told her that we weren't her real Mommies, and then he started the fight. Remember what we told her about fights?"
"That she can't start them, but she can finish them." She mumbled.
"I feel so bad now. I just jumped to being angry because of these damn hormones. I owe our baby an apology." Carina sniffled and a tear rolled down her face.
"Hey, no tears. Okay? Just... I'll take the rest of the day off. I'll have Andy take over. We'll get our girl McDonald's and ice cream and we'll watch a movie. Okay?"
"Okay." Carina whispered, and leaned her forehead against mine.

"Mamma?" Cat's small voice came from my office doorway.
We pulled apart and saw our little bambina, looking scared and wringing her hands.
"Come here bella." Carina opened her arms and Cat immediately ran into them.
"I'm sorry Mamma." She whispered.
"No, bambina. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have treated you like that. You were not in the wrong in this situation. And I'm going to have a talk with your school tomorrow to see what we can do about Bryce. Okay?"
"Okay Mamma." Cat sniffled. "I love you."
"And I love you, amore mio."