Butterfly Effect

11: Test and Test

Hailee's Pov

My Monday morning started in Carina's Porsche while she was driving me to school. I knew that the first day back was going to be awful, but I was trying not to think about it as I made small talks with Carina.
"After school you'll be going to the station because I'm at work, but for everything I'm just a phone call away" Carina said when she parked in front of the school.
"Okay, thank you for the ride Carina. It was very kind of you... No one has ever done that before" I answered, swallowing down my fears while looking at the doors. There were a lot of people and suddenly I started to fear the reaction of my classmates after I went missing for a week and a half.
"Have a good day Bambina. Ti voglio bene (I love you)" she said with an encouraging smile on her lips and I made a sort of half smile back. I didn't know what she said in Italian, but knowing her it was something really positive. She was Carina Deluca after all. She was the sweetest person ever.
"Thanks. You too" I said, getting out of the car.
In the matter of seconds, Jasper and his friends were next to me, starting to make fun of me and being the idiots that they always were... God, I hated them.
"Who's the chick with the Porsche?" he asked, and I felt nauseous at that question "Another foster family? How long will it take them to realize the mistake that you are Donovan? It's a shame though, she's hot... I bet she's really good when she's...".
I didn't know what to do. Rage was boiling inside of me at the thought of someone talking about Carina in that way, so before he could even finish his sentence, I pushed him and I ran inside the school,leaving that jerk behind my back.
How could he say that kind of stuff about my mo... My foster mom? It was disgusting...
My first period was the subject that I hated more than anything in the world: chemistry. So I dragged my feet down the hallway, toward that horrible class.
When I entered the room, my teacher called me to her desk, asking me how I was feeling. She taught the worst subject, but she was the best teacher that I've ever had. She was the only one who cared about her students.
"I'm getting there, day by day. I'm with a new foster family now, and they are amazing" I answered "That's why I wasn't here".
"I'm glad to know that you're doing okay, but I have negative news for you unfortunately..."
she said and I started to worry about what she needed to tell me.
"What... What is it?" I stuttered nervously.
"You are failing my class Hailee" Miss Robbs said sadly "And I'm not here to judge you for this, but you'll have to do a test at the end of the semester. You have four months to study and I decided to pair you up with Manon. She'll be your tutor during my lessons and I think that it would be better for you if you study together outside of school too".
I looked behind my back, and I saw Manon sitting at one of the desks, her blonde hair in a french braid and her green eyes were shining in the morning lights. She was the most intelligent girl in school and I've always felt like an idiot next to her.
"Hailee, are you okay?" Miss Robbs asked "Do you think that you could work with her? She said that she was happy to help you out".
"Yeah, I can work with Manon..." I answered, still looking at the girl.
After that conversation, I sat next to her at the desk, looking down at my confused notes, embarrassed that I needed her help to pass the class.
"Hi Hailee, this is my number, so we can decide when we can study together" Manon said, giving me a piece of paper where a phone number was written in blue gel pen.
"T-t-thanks Manon... This afternoon I will text you" I whispered, mumbling a little at the beginning. Manon had the power of making me a nervous mess...
"Can't wait" she answered and my heart stopped. She couldn't wait, what exactly? Studying with me? My text this afternoon? What?
"Hailee? Are you still with me? You look pretty lost in your head" Manon asked with a wide smile on her face.
"What?" I sad confused.
"Where did you go in there?" she questioned giggling, pointing at my head. I blushed immediately, looking down at my hands and starting to play with my fingers.
"Nowhere... I was thinking about the test" I lied, my face was still red as a tomato. These four months studying with her were going to be endless.

Maya's Pov

Carina had taken Lia to school as I went on my usual morning run, but that day I chose the longest path, trying to ease my anxiety. Today was finally the day of Carina's pregnancy test, and I wasn't very calm about that...
The situation had already happened too many times, but my nervousness hasn't changed a bit. I was hopeful and happy about it, but terrified about the possible outcome.
This was the first attempt we made after all the awful things that I've done to her and that have brought me to my diagnosis.
When I arrived at home, I jumped in the shower and washed away my nerves with boiling hot water. My muscles relaxed immediately under the water...
After the shower, I put on some simple clothes, I tied my blonde locks in a tight ponytail and I made myself a quick breakfast just because I needed to take my meds.
I hated to eat when I was anxious because I felt like my stomach was twisted, but I had to take my pills and I couldn't do that on an empty stomach. I preferred that than spiraling again...
"Are you taking your meds, my love?" Carina asked, putting on the table the box that she just bought at the pharmacy.
"Yes" I answered "So are we doing the test now or later?".
"I don't know... We've been in this position before, but every time seems like the first one. I think we can do it now, you know, like ripping a band-aid" she said with a nervous chuckle. I smiled softly at her and I grabbed her hand to calm her down.
"Like ripping a band-aid" I agreed and we walked hand in hand toward our room. I waited for her sitting on our bed, while the memories of everything that had happened between us flew in my mind. Every test, every tear. All of that pain...
I started to play with my wedding band, trying to focus on something positive, so my brain drifted to Hailee. She has been living with us for a week, but I already found it impossible to remember our lives without her in it. From the meals with three people sitting at the table, her voice when she sang in her room and to her clothes in the laundry basket. It was written in her destiny that she needed to be a part of our family...
"Maya?" Carina shook me out of my trance, calling my name with love.
"It has already been five minutes?" I asked, still lost in my head thinking about Lia.
"No Bella, but I wanted to wait with you" she sat next to me on the mattress "Are you okay though?".
"Yes sorry, I was thinking..." I whispered, holding her hand in mine to stay present in the moment. I didn't want to overthink even at that moment. I wanted to be there for her... Carina was my anchor. She was what would always keep me present in the moment that we were living.
"About what my love?" she questioned and I put my head on her shoulder, taking a deep breath. Talking about my feelings with her had become easier with time, but being vulnerable was still so fucking hard for me.
"Whatever the result will be, I love you and I'll love you for the rest of my life... I just got scared because we tried so many times" I said, and she reached my chin with her hand, guiding my eyes to meet hers. Then she kissed me delicately and she eased my nerves with that simple gesture.
"I love you too Maya, and I will do it forever" she said exactly when the timer on her phone started to ring.
It was time to find out...
We walked together in the bathroom and I stared at the pregnancy test with fear and hope bubbling inside of my head. This was it. The moment that could change everything...
"Are you ready to rip off the band-aid, my love?" I asked, getting closer to the sink where the test was.
"Yes, I'm ready to rip it off" my wife said in one breath and I looked at the test with curiosity.
My jaw dropped when I noticed that two lines appeared on the test.
Positive.
It was finally positive.
"You're... You are pregnant. it worked" I mumbled with my eyes stuck in hers. Her smile widened and I felt a wave of happiness running over me.
We were going to be mothers...
Of course we had Hailee and she was Carina's daughter, and I started to consider her mine too, but this was a new feeling for me.
Carina started to cry behind her smile and I was starting to get scared at her reaction. Maybe now that Benedetta was here, she was regretting her choice to have more kids, but then she kissed me passionately.
"I'm so in love with you" she said, throwing herself in my arms, hugging me tightly "I'm so glad to have you in my life".
"Ti amo anche io (I love you too)" I said in Italian with a strong american accent. It was the only thing that I knew how to say without making a big fool out of myself.
In that moment, holding her close to my heart with that positive pregnancy test on the sink and Hailee in my mind, I felt like I had just found all the things I needed to be happy. I finally felt like I belonged somewhere...

A.N. I took a bit of a break last week, hope you didn't miss this story too much. Things are starting to change... What do you think about it?