This Is Our Family

Part 9

Maya had just gotten off shift and was walking through the beanery with the rest of the team to head out of the building.

Maya turned to her team and said, "Barbecue at my place tonight! Show up around 5 and bring your own beer!"

The team was looking forward to spending the time together off shift. The team also loved hanging out with the DeLuca-Bishop kids. The kids had grown up around them and they were just as protective of KJ and Karter as Maya and Carina were.

Maya walked out to her Bronco, threw her stuff in the back, and started her drive home.

It was about 9:10 A.M. when she walked in the door to the house. What she walked in on made her heart grow three times bigger. On the couch were the three most important people in her life. Her whole world. Carina was sitting in the middle of their children while KJ and Kai both had their heads in her lap sleeping. Maya made her way further inside and saw that Carina was awake and just enjoying the moment. Maya walked up behind Carina and wrapped her arms around her and gave her a big hug and kissed her cheek.

"What is all this?" Maya asked her wife.

Carina looked up at Maya, "They fell asleep on me last night and have been asleep ever since. I didn't want to wake them. I just wanted to enjoy pretending like they needed me again."

Maya walked to the front of the couch. She leaned over and kissed both Kai and KJ on the top of their heads.

"Well, what do you say we wake them and make breakfast? Then we should probably clean up for the party tonight," Maya told Carina as she squatted down to ease her children awake.

She gently shook both her children and they started to wake up.

"Hi, my babies. It's time to get up and start the day," Maya said gently as she rubbed both KJ's and Kai's backs as they slowly awoke.

Kai sat up and looked a little confused as to where he was. Once he realized he was on the couch and that his sister was laying there next to him he turned towards KJ and said, "Ewwwww, did you sleep next to me all night? You're so annoying!"

Maya and Carina both looked at each other and giggled.

KJ sat up from her Mama's lap and responded to Kai, "She was my Mama first, loser."

Maya stood up from her squatted position while shaking her head playfully.

"Good morning to both of you, too," she said sarcastically to her children. "Go upstairs and get cleaned up and dressed you goofballs."

KJ and Kai both stood up as they were still bickering with one another. They made their way up the stairs arguing the whole way to their rooms.

Carina stood up and wrapped her arms around her wife.

"Good morning, bambina," Carina said as she was laughing at her ridiculous children.

"Morning my love," Maya kissed her wife. "Let's go get ready."

-

Carina and Maya spent most of the morning and afternoon cleaning and setting up for the barbecue they were hosting that night. Carina worked on getting the living room and kitchen cleaned up and getting some party appetizers prepared. Maya made sure the lawn was mowed, and of course, in Maya fashion, the lines were perfect. She then set up some games in the backyard where they would be spending most of their time. She also cleaned the pool and made sure the chlorine levels were just right. She knew the kids would probably spend most of their time in the pool.

5 o'clock rolled around and everyone started showing up. Of course, Andy and Robbie showed up first. Vic, Theo, Travis, and Emmet walked into the backyard not much longer with a full cooler of drinks. Jack was the last to show up, but Kai and Robbie pulled him away immediately to play a game of cornhole.