Maya's Next Step

Part 142

Maya POV

"How do you think they're both going to react?" Carina asked as she frantically packed some snacks, drinks, wipes, our little first aid kit into a bag.

"I have no idea," I sighed watching her try to screw the lid onto one of Elva's drinks bottles.

"Here, gimme that," I said, moving to take it from her.

"This just seems so fast. One minute we're both heading out to talk to Winter for the first time and boom the next day both girls are having their lives flipped upside down," she ranted.

"I mean how did this woman just let that slip. She knew it had to be done delicately," Carina added, pacing around the kitchen island.

"She made a mistake Car. It happens," I said calmly, placing Elva's drink inside the bag.

"I haven't even met her yet. What if she doesn't want to talk to me again?"

"What if Elva changes her mind but Winter doesn't? Who do we support?" She asked.

"Carina you need to breathe my love. Elva's going to hear you," I said calmly, knowing Elva was moments from rejoining us.

"How's our bambina going to handle all this?" She said, leaning against the kitchen counter with her head in her hands.

I stepped beside her and gently ran my hand across her back.

"Carina, I'm more than about how you're going to handle this right now," I said with a light laugh.

"I just wish we had time to have made a more stable relationship with Winter first," she said, muffled behind her hands.

"We'll build that my love, we just need to be there for the girls today," I said, hearing Elva's bedroom door open.

"Come on, game face on," I said, pulling her to stand back up straight.

I wrapped my arms around her waist and held her chin on my hand, forcing her to look at me.

"You okay?" I asked seriously.

"Si bella, my stomach is just in tiny little knots," she smiled softly.

"Mine too," I said, reaching up to plant a kiss softly on her lips.

We broke apart when we heard little footsteps enter the kitchen.

"You ready to go Elvie?" I asked, grabbing the backpack from the counter.

"I can't do my shoes mommy," she said, looking down at her unfastened laces.

"I think mommy can help with that can't she?," I smiled, lifting her swiftly up onto the counter worktop.

"How you feeling about seeing Winter bubs?" I asked her, trying to gauge a reaction.

"I dont know mommy," she told me, I knew she was being honest.

She was probably feeling anxious and overwhelmed but didn't have the vocabulary or insight to articulate that.

"Mommy and mama will be there the whole time okay?" I assured her while I tied her shoelaces into a bow.

"Okay mommy," she nodded, reaching out her arms for me.

I held her on my hip and met Carina by the door to the apartment.

"Ready?" I asked her.

"Si bellina, let's go," she smiled, much calmer now.

The car ride to the park was fairly quiet, the three of us clearly all feeling the nerves.

"Will Winter play on the swings with me?" Elva asked, breaking the silence we were all in.