[ENGLISH VERSION] Back to You

∾ Chapter 3 ∾

Maya was so angry about the scene she had witnessed that she went straight to the firehouse. Upon arriving at the station, she headed straight to the gym and started punching and kicking the punching bag. Sweat was already soaking her clothes, and she was only thinking of a way to vent her feelings. Her body began to show signs of exhaustion, but she ignored it and continued punching the sandbag. Her knuckles were already raw from not wearing protection. When the firefighter tried to kick the punching bag, she lost her balance and fell. On the ground, the lieutenant let the tears fall. In her mind, Carina had already moved on, and their marriage was over.

At Joe's bar, the doctors were still tense due to the firefighter's confrontation.

— Arizona, I no longer have the energy to stay here; I'm going back to the hotel. I had planned to come here to clear my mind a bit, but everything happened the opposite way. Thank you for the company and the laughter we shared before everything happened. –- The obstetrician said as she got up, gathered her things, and left some money on the bar counter.

— Carina, wait! I'll go with you; I won't let you go back alone — The pediatrician hurried and gathered her things to accompany the Italian.

Carina waved to the firefighters at a distant table and headed for the door. Outside, the doctors waited for an Uber since neither of them was in a condition to drive.

As they entered the car, the entire journey was made in silence. Carina was still shaken by everything her wife had said. The little hope she had that Maya could improve was fading.

When they arrived at Carina's hotel, the two entered the room. Carina went to the fridge and took out a bottle of white wine that she always kept chilled. The Italian poured a glass for herself and another for Arizona. As soon as she took the first sip, the tears came pouring out.

— Hey... calm down... — Arizona approached the Italian and hugged her while stroking her back to calm her down. — I realized how much you were holding back; you can cry, let it all out.

Arizona guided Carina to the sofa and helped her friend sit down.

— I can't bear to live like this anymore — The Italian said as tears streamed down her face, and she drank more to try to forget what had happened at the bar. — I don't recognize Maya anymore; she's not the woman I fell in love with, who, even though broken, was sweet, affectionate... had her moments of jealousy, but I had never seen her like that — Carina spoke, looking at a point in front of her.

— I hadn't had the opportunity to meet Maya in person before, but from what you told me, she was a completely different person from what I saw today. It really doesn't match everything you told me about her."

— Everything she said in the bar was just a bit of what I've heard over the past few months. In the last fight we had at home, she said that if I left, everything between us was over, and I think it's over. I love her so much, love her so much it hurts — The obstetrician confessed, tired of everything she had experienced with the firefighter. Tears streamed down her face. — But I can't live like this. I'm going to look for a lawyer to handle our divorce — The Italian admitted with great regret.

The wine bottle had run dry; the Italian was already quite altered by alcohol. The two continued to talk about the problems in their marriages and didn't realize how late it had gotten.

— I should be going; it's already late — Arizona got up from the sofa, and she felt her head spinning, stumbled, and fell back, but this time she fell on top of the obstetrician, and Carina held her. The two started laughing at the situation.

As they say, when the alcohol goes in, the truth comes out. The laughter dwindled between them, but they continued to look into each other's eyes. Both wanted to forget everything they had gone through with their wives. When Arizona and Carina had a brief romance, there had always been sexual tension between them, and it was a small spark that was enough for the obstetrician to pull the pediatrician by the nape and kiss her lips.

The kiss between the doctors was urgent. The Italian began unbuttoning the blonde's blouse, and Arizona did the same with Carina. At that moment, neither of them was thinking about what they were doing; they were already drunk from the amount of wine they had consumed at the bar and when they arrived at Carina's hotel, and they just wanted to forget their problems for just one night. They gave in to that moment and began to undress, heading for the double bed.

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After spending hours lying on the gym floor, Maya had already exhausted her quota of tears. So, the firefighter decided to sleep in the station's accommodations. She didn't have the strength to go back home, and she didn't want to, because everything at home reminded her of Carina, and the last thing she wanted was something to remind her of her wife.

Maya took a shower, bandaged her hands, and then went to the dormitory. Before trying to sleep, she saw a message from Andy asking where she was and if she was okay.

Andy: Where are you? Are you okay?

Maya: I'm at the station, and I'm fine.

Maya was brief and to the point in her message. The firefighter lay on her bed and stared at the ceiling for a long time before sleep began to take over. However, her sleep was light, and just before daybreak, she had already jumped out of bed, put on light clothing, and went for her morning run. When she returned to the station, she found Andy arriving for her shift.

— Hey, where have you been? — The brunette asked Maya.

— I spent the night here — Maya replied curtly and was not in the mood to answer questions. The episode from the previous night was still on her mind.

— Do you want to talk about it?

— No, Andy, I don't want to talk. I'm fed up with everyone thinking I need to talk.

— Okay. — Andy was on her way to the locker room but turned back to talk to the lieutenant. — Just so you know, I don't believe that Carina is with Arizona.

Maya just looked at her friend as she did her bicep exercises but then quickly looked away and focused on what she was doing.

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In the hotel, Carina woke up with a heavy head, the effects of the previous night. She opened her eyes and realized that she was only wrapped in a sheet, and when she looked to the side, she saw blonde hair, but it wasn't Maya's. Gradually, she began to remember the recent events. She remembered that after so much wine, the argument with Maya at the bar, and the lamentations with Arizona, they had ended up in bed.

— Cosa ho fatto? (What have I done?) — Carina said to herself in Italian.

Arizona felt some movement beside her and began to wake up.

— What did you say? — When she realized where she was and who she was with, she quickly sat up and placed her hand on her head.

— Arizona... this... — Carina was struggling with what she wanted to say. She knew it had been a mistake. She distanced herself from Maya for sleeping with Jack, and they weren't even married yet.

— That was a mistake — Arizona added. — It was a weakness on both our parts. It shouldn't have happened. I... I'm leaving. We'll see each other at the hospital. — The pediatrician got up and began gathering her clothes scattered on the floor.

The Italian was still trying to process everything. If her life was a mess, this slip with Arizona had made it worse.

— Arizona... — Carina called her before she left. — Let's not let this interfere with our work. We need to focus on Clara's delivery.

The pediatrician just nodded and left.