PLAYING WITH FIRE

Chapter 19: Surgery

Just then, Meredith, who had been standing discreetly outside the room, tapped lightly on the door. "Carina... it's time."
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Carina, her heart heavy, nodded in understanding. She gently placed a kiss on Maya's forehead before pulling away. "I'll be waiting for you, Bambina."

With one last glance at Maya, Carina stepped out of the room and followed Meredith, her shoulders slumped in melancholy.

As Carina reentered the waiting area, Andrew saw the defeated look on her face. He approached her, speaking softly in Italian.

Andrew, in Italian, "Comeva bene?"

["How did it go?"]

Andrew, interested in the song Carina sang to Maya, asked her in Italian.

Andrew, in Italian, "Che canzone le hai cantato?"

["Which song did you sing to her?"]

Carina, still in Italian, answered her brother. "Sì, le ho cantato 'Avrai'. È una canzone che sentiamo spesso insieme, sa apprezzarla."

["Yes, I sang her 'Avrai'. It's a song we often listen to together, she loves it."]

Andrew, recalling memories from their past, nodded. "Sì, ricordo quella canzone. Me la cantavi sempre quand'eravamo giovani."

["Yes, I remember that song. You used to sing it to me when we were younger."]

Carina smiled faintly, her thoughts briefly transported back to their childhood. "Era la tua canzone preferita, ti calmava sempre quando eri agitato o triste."

["It was your favorite song, it always calmed you down when you were anxious or sad."]

Andrew let out a soft chuckle. "E ora tu la canti a Maya. Mi chiedo se abbia lo stesso effetto su di lei."

["Now you sing it to Maya. I wonder if it has the same effect on her."]

Carina's smile faded slightly, her face darkening with worry. "Spero lo abbia. La canzone parla di amore e speranza, e ora ne ha più bisogno che mai."

["I hope it does. The song talks about love and hope, and now she needs it more than ever."]

Andrew put a comforting hand on her shoulder, his expression serious. "Lo avrà. Maya è forte, e soprattutto, ha te. Le cose andranno bene."

["She will. Maya is strong, and most importantly, she has you. Everything will be alright."]

Carina let out a shaky breath, trying to find comfort in her brother's words. "Spero tu abbia ragione. Non so cosa farei se la perdessi."

["I hope you're right. I don't know what I'd do if I lost her."]

Andrew squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "Non la perderai. Maya è una lottatrice, vincerà questa situazione."

["You won't lose her. Maya is a fighter, she'll win this battle."]

As the rest of the crew returned from getting coffee, they sensed the somber mood in the air. Ben, being the most intuitive, asked, "Everything alright? Any updates?"

Carina, trying to maintain her composure, shook her head. "No updates yet. They're still operating on her."

Jack, noticing the exhausted look on Carina's face, placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You look like you could use some coffee."

Carina, her expression hardening at Jack's touch, coolly pulled away. "No, thank you. I don't need coffee."

Ben, noticing the tension between Carina and Jack, stepped in to diffuse the situation. "Maybe we could all use a bit of a break. Why don't we head to the cafeteria and grab a bite?"