When Worlds Collide

Meeting Ana

Carina opened the door to her office, flicked the light switch and smiled as she saw the huge bouquet of flowers and a present on her desk.  Hanging her jacket and purse on the coat rack, Carina stepped behind her desk and picked up the card. 'Welcome back Dr. Deluca-Bishop, tu sei il nostro sole e ti amiano.  Love Maya & Liam'
Wiping a happy tear from her cheek, Carina sat down and opened the present.  It was a framed picture of her, Maya and Liam taken at the reception after Andy's pinning ceremony.  Maya was in her Class-A uniform and they were standing in front of the fire truck with the '19' displayed behind them.  Carina gently brushed her fingers across the picture and placed it on her desk next to her photo of Andrea.  She sat there for a few moments, just soaking in the sensation of being content with the happiness she felt before reaching for her phone and clicking on Maya's text thread. 
"Grazie Bambina, I miei amori. 💟"
Carina put her phone down and got up to grab her white coat, slipped it on and clipped her badge to the pocket.  She was rearranging her desk when there was a knock on her door.
"Come in."
Miranda entered with Ana.  She smiled when she saw the flowers and picked up the picture to look at it before placing it back.
"Oh I'm so glad these arrived before you did.  Maya was worried you'd beat Ben here."
"Ahhhh so that's why she insisted I stop at the store for her BEFORE I came to work!"
Ana smiled nervously, watching the interaction between the two doctors. Carina smiled at her and motioned for her to sit.
"My apologies Ana, my wife and I are very much goofballs with each other and Doctor Bailey and her husband are always willing to be in on the joke.  But enough about me. I want to talk about you."
Fidgeting with the strings on her hoodie, Ana shyly looked up at Carina and then at Miranda.
"Wh-what do you want to know?"
Miranda took a sideways glance at Carina before she reached for Ana's hand and squeezed it softly.
"How about I help you out?  Doctor Deluca, Ana is from Chicago and was in a relationship with a man she knew from high school.  She had started feeling ..differently..about herself and had become close to a woman she had met while working at the local diner.  She was having a difficult time explaining her feelings and he didn't take it well when he found out.  She had moved out and in with the woman she met, but he and some of his friends found out where they were and there was an incident.  Ana and her friend were roughed up to the point that they had to go to the hospital.  Her blood labs revealed the pregnancy and Ana went to her parents for safety.  She told them what had happened but didn't actually come out to them.  They let her stay until her friend happened to be over and her father caught them..well, you know."
Carina nodded and looked at Ana.
"Let me guess, they didn't accept your choice?  Ana, did they ask you to leave?"
"Yes.  They told me that I wasn't welcome if I didn't 'fix my problem'.  I left with Sandra, that's my...well, my girlfriend...sorry, I'm still so nervous about this...and she has a cousin who lives here in Seattle.  So we kinda snuck out in the middle of the night.  We were staying at her cousin's place but Sandy got a pretty good job and we are moving into an apartment."
Carina smiled and nodded. 
"I'm so happy for you both.  You have to always do what's best for you, not what everyone else wants you to do to make them happy.  So tell me, when was your last appointment and who have you been seeing?"
"Well, uhh...ummm...see, I-I kinda haven't seen anybody.  But Sandy told me that because I'm almost eight months I needed to get checked out.  She got me on her insurance and we asked some people who all said that Grey-Sloan was the best hospital to go to."
Carina pursed her lips and looked at Miranda. 
"Ok, so you definitely made the right decision to come here and now that I know you haven't been getting regular check up's, I'm going to need you to trust me so that we can make sure you and your baby stay healthy.  Can you do that?"
Ana looked at Miranda who nodded and smiled.
"Yes.  Doctor Bailey said that you were the best and that I could feel safe with you.  Sandy and I are so scared that Dom is going to find us.  He didn't know I was pregnant and I don't want him to know.  I'm scared what he might do because he was violent before and now, well..."
She trailed off as the tears in her eyes began to fall.  Carina reached for a tissue and handed it to her. 
"You're going to be safe here with us."

Carina was making notes and checking her upcoming patient calendar when Teddy walked by her door and poked her head in.
"Hey!  I didn't know you were back today!"
"Well I wasn't going to come back until Maya went back to work, but Doctor Bailey found me outside your office yesterday and asked me to take on a special case.  So I'm back for today and then off for the next two so Maya and I can spend some more time together before we both go back to 'normal'."
"And when have you scheduled the IUI for?"
"It's on my list of things to do today.  I'm going to stop over at nineteen and see what Maya's schedule is going to be so I can set it up.  I also have to set Liam up in daycare for when we both are working."
"Wow, you are a woman on a mission.  Does this mean you don't have time for coffee?"
"Are you serious?  I'm Italian, I always have time for coffee.  Do you mind stopping with me at the daycare on the way down?"
Carina got up and followed Teddy out of her office.  The two women chatted easily as they made their way to the daycare center. Rounding the corner, Teddy was stopped by a nurse and Carina motioned that she'd be right out. 
"Doctor Deluca, it's good to see you.  What can we do for you?"
"I'd like enroll my son Liam in the program.  I'm hoping to have him here with me on days that my wife and I are both working."
"That's totally doable.  I'll just need to get a list from you of the schedule and we will also need approved contact and adult release authorizations."
"Maya and I have discussed it and we feel safe having members of the firehouse and here at the hospital on the list.  I will email you the names and phone numbers when I get back to my office."
"Perfect, once I have the lists, I can set Liam up in the system and provide you and your wife with the keycard masters so that you both have complete accessibility.  The others will have to show proof before we release him to them."
Carina smiled and nodded before turning to leave.  Teddy was outside waiting.
"All set?"
"Yes, thank you.  Would you be willing to be placed on Liam's list?  I know Maya wants to put Andy, Vic and Travis and I want Doctor Bailey and Ben but I'd like to add you as well if you don't mind?"
"Of course! I'm happy to be an option.  And just for that, I'm buying you a coffee today!"
"I'm not going to say no to that!"
The women walked through the sliding doors and out into the sun toward the coffee cart.