little love

23

Maddie & Maya

As the white SUV pulls into the parking lot of Maya's apartment, Maddie is still asleep. Maya parks the car and grabs her phone to text Carina.

Maya: Hi car-- we are out front. i drove maddie's car. shes out cold. but she agreed to come home with me! at least for the night...

Carina: Ahh bambina that is wonderful. shall i get dinner on?

Maya: i dont want to wake her up. she needs the sleep. but im sure she'd love to have your famous lasagna when she wakes up.

Carina: si bambina. i'll run to the store and get what i need. are you going to sit in the car with her till she wakes?

Maya: yeah, its nice to see her at peace, asleep.

Carina: ciao bambina. call if you need me. love you💜

Maya: Love you too, beautiful

Maya smiled as she put the phone away and looked to her sister. the young woman who looked so strong and confident on the soccer field suddenly looked so small. she sat there watching her baby sister get some much needed rest. suddenly Maddie started shaking and whimpering in her sleep.

"no, no please no i promise i wont do it again i promise" Maddie cried out in her sleep.

"whoa, whoa. Mads- hey." maya said softly, gently trying to shake her awake

Maddie woke with a start and screamed trying to fight the older girl off still half asleep.

"hey- little love, its okay. maddie, sweetie, breathe" Maya said softly, refusing to break eye contact with her.

her breathing started to calm and she looked around in confusion at her unfamiliar surroundings.

"we are at my apartment. i didnt want to wake you. it looked like you needed the rest." Maya said calmly. "ready to go in? Carina is making her famous lasagne and it is seriously the best thing i have ever tasted."

Maddie rubbed her eyes and nodded before following Maya inside.

"Hey we are home!" Maya called as the 2 bishops entered the apartment.

"Ciao Bambina," Carina said leaning in to kiss Maya. "Hi cuore mio. hi maddie." Carina said kindly looking at the younger Bishop frozen in the doorway.

"Little love, its okay, come on in," Maya said extending her hand to her sister. Maddie took it with a nervous smile. She hadn't said a word since she woke up screaming.

"do you want to take a shower?" Maya asked. Maddie nodded. "okay sweet, come with me." she headed back to the bathroom to show Maddie where the towels were and make sure she had everything she needed. Carina watched the two blondes walk away with tears in her eyes before busying herself with the lasagne.

"do you want to talk about it little love?" Maya asked softly as she handed Maddie a towel and pointed out where she could find everything she would need.

"no" maddie breathed. Maya reached out to comfort her and she flinched away. "im sorry, can i have a minute." maddie whispered.

"okay, take you're time sweet girl" maya said as she retreated out the door.

She walked into the kitchen and put her arms around Carina as she heard the water start.

"how is she?" Carina asked

"hmmm i dont know." maya answered as she breathed her girlfriend in. "are we doing the right thing?

"i am confident we are bambina." she said turning to kiss Maya

Maya kissed her back briefly before stepping away to grab some spare sweats for Maddie to wear.

In the bathroom, Maddie stood under the hot water, letting it bend with her tears as they washed down the drain. She was overwhelmed. she desperately wanted to trust her sister. desperately wanted to accept the comfort she was offering, the love. but her mind was spinning. she simultaneously wanted maya and wanted to run from maya. she clutched at her left arm with her right, not noticing that she had broken skin till she saw the water heading for the drain run pink. it was enough to snap her out of it. not a great habit, but she would worry about that later.

she finished getting cleaned out and as she got ready to get out of the shower, there was a knock on the bathroom door.

"Maddie, sweetheart it's maya." Maddie froze. "i brought you some clothes. some sweats and a tshirt, a sweater. just something to be cozy."

"uh thanks- can you leave it outside? ill grab it!" maddie called back

"okay sweetie. come into the kitchen when you're done. Carina made her famous lasagna." Maya smiled as she left the neatly folded pile of clothes at the door and headed back to the kitchen.

Maddie frantically tried to get her arm to stop bleeding. but she didn't want to stain Maya's nice towels. she grabbed at the toilet paper, doing her best to stop it. she finally found some bandaids in a cabinet and patched herself up. she flushed the bloody wads of toilet paper so Maya wouldnt see. and pulled on the clothes maya left for her, making sure the sweatshirt covered her arms.

She inhaled deeply, instantly feeling the comfort like she did with that old sweatshirt. it smelled like Maya. it smelled like she was safe.

She tucked her damp hair behind her ears, took a deep breath, and headed out to the kitchen.