5150

one step forward

Two months later
Carinas pov

I hear a gentle knock on my office door. "Come in" I say, still keeping my head down at my desk. Not a word is said, but a file is slapped on my desk. I look up, it's Maya.

I haven't seen her or talked to her since that day at our house. "Maya, what is.." I start to say, opening up the folder. "Divorce papers. I signed them, I'm leaving it up to you. Sign them if you want." She says.

I look her up and down. She has sweatpants and a t shirt on. Her muscles are slowly coming back, the color in her face fully returned. Her hair is tied back, she looks beautiful.

"Maya this isn't what I want." I say, sliding the papers back to her. "How am I supposed to know what you want? You aren't talking to me. You haven't told me what you want, I can't just keep guessing." She snaps back at me.

I put my head down. She's right, I have barely said a word to her. I have taken my space, far more than I ever needed. "I'm sorry." I say. She sits down across from me at my desk, putting the papers back in her backpack.

I reach out and take her hand, she squeezes mine three times, I love you. "I'm sorry" I repeat, a single tear falling down my face. "Carina I just want to know what you want. I want to fight for us, it just doesn't seem like you do." She says, biting her cheek.

I stand up and walk us over to my couch. We sit there for a while, neither of us saying a word. I take a deep breath before saying, "I'm sorry. You've been putting in so much work for us, for yourself, and for me. I haven't been doing that. I'm sorry. I love you, Maya. I want us back. I'm just scared. I can't lose you again." I say.

"Small steps. We go as slow as we need to. I'm not asking you to move back in yet, I just want to talk to you. I miss talking to you." Maya replies. "I miss you so much Maya." I reply.

I lay back in her arms, feeling her hold me is centering. My pager goes off, my patient is in labor. I stand up, grabbing my coat. "Maya?" I say as I put on my stethoscope, "yes carina?" She replies. "Will you go on a date with me?" I ask. "I'd love to." Maya says, grabbing her bag. "I'll pick you up at 8 tonight, wear something nice." I reply, as I head out of my office.

Mayas pov

I stand in her office stunned. I walked in there assuming I'd be leaving single. I have a date tonight, with my wife. I couldn't be happier.

Later that night

"Andy you're not helping." I say, rummaging through my drawers for my white shirt. I'm wearing my blue dress pants and I was planning on wearing my white shirt, that's if I could find it. "Maya it's in your hand." She replies. I look over, and there it is. "Oh" I say, shutting my drawer.

"What are you so nervous about anyways? It's your wife." Andy says, sitting on my bed. "I want to look nice." I reply, buttoning my shirt. "You want her in your bed tonight!" Andy replies, smirking. "No, we're taking small steps." I say. "What if she offers?" Andy rebuts. "That's a different story." I answer.

"I like the bangs may, they make you look more mature." Andy says, sitting in the bathroom as I do my makeup and hair. "Thanks?" I reply. My phone starts buzzing. It's carina. "Hello?" I say as I answer. "I'm outside" she says. "Okay I'll be down in a few" I reply. "Don't keep me waiting." She says before hanging up.

Everything she says is seductive, at least to me it is. "Go get em" Andy says, as I leave. "Andy?" I yell out. "Yes Maya?" She replies. "Don't be here when I get back." I say, grabbing my purse and leaving.

Carinas pov

God she looks so beautiful. I open her door for her as she gets into my Porsche. "You look so good Bambina." I say as I get back into the car. "So do you, that dress is.. mmm." she replies.
I knew the dress would get her. It's navy blue, dips at the neckline. It's tight, but not too tight. I place my hand on her thigh as I drive. It was subconscious, but she doesn't seem to mind.

I pull into the lot of the restaurant 20 minutes later. It's the restaurant we had our anniversary dinner at. It's fancy, not too fancy but expensive to say the least.

We split a bottle of red and talk about our days, Maya said she should be getting back to work soon which is good for her. It makes me nervous to think about, but that's nothing outside the normal.

Everything on the menu is in Italian, so I expected to order for her. The waiter comes over, turning to her first. She orders in almost perfect Italian, which sends a shock throughout my body. I almost can't speak when the waiter turns to me. After he leaves she smirks at me.

"Bambina that was..." I start but she cuts me off. "I thought you'd like it." She replies, still smirking. "When did you start learning Italian?" I ask. "I've had a lot of free time these last couple months, figured I'd do something for my very beautiful Italian wife."

"Well it definitely did something to your beautiful Italian wife." I reply smiling. God she turns me on. In this moment I wish we weren't taking things slowly. I wish I could take her to the bathroom and rip off her clothes and...

"Anything else I can get for you?" The waiter says. He must've appeared sometime in the last minute. "No, Grazie." I reply. "What were you thinking about?"  Maya asks. "Work" I reply, putting my napkin on my lap. "Work makes you blush like that?" She replies, smirking.