The Weight of Tomorrow (A Marina Story)

Chapter Four

Maya walked into the apartment and heard the familiar sounds of Carina in the kitchen. She closed the door quietly, taking a moment to glance at herself in the entryway mirror. Her red-rimmed, puffy eyes revealed the tears she had been crying on the drive home. She let out a huff of breath, steeling herself for the conversation ahead. There was no way she could mask her emotions from her wife.

As she made her way toward the kitchen, Carina greeted her without turning around. "Ciao, bambina," she called out, busy doing dishes at the sink. Maya approached from behind and wrapped her arms around Carina's waist, gently placing her hands on her belly. "Hi, beautiful," she replied, trying to inject some normalcy into the moment.

Carina turned around to kiss her, but her expression shifted as she noticed the signs of distress on Maya's face. "Bambina, are you okay? Have you been crying?"

Maya looked down, unable to meet her gaze. Carina removed her dishwashing gloves and gently cupped Maya's cheeks, tilting her face up to look into her eyes. "Maya?" Carina's heart raced in her chest.

"Um... well... the hospital called on my drive home and..." she paused, feeling the anxiety tighten around her throat.

"What did they say, bambina?" Carina encouraged softly, her heart pounding with concern.

"Dr. Foster, a new doctor. He said... he said I need to go in to discuss my results. He wouldn't tell me on the phone..."

Carina's heart dropped at the news. She knew that a face-to-face meeting often indicated troubling results. "That means it's bad, right?" Maya asked, her voice trembling.

Carina hesitated, not wanting to instill more fear while grappling with her own rising anxiety. "I... I don't know, bambina. We won't know until we talk to the doctor. When's your appointment?"

"At the end of the week," Maya replied, the weight of dread hanging in the air between them.

"What day, bella? I'm supposed to be working Thursday and Friday, but I'll call first thing tomorrow to get the day off," Carina insisted, wanting to be there for her wife.

"You don't have to come," Maya responded, a defensive edge creeping into her voice. She felt the urge to push Carina away, as if shielding her from the potential hurt this appointment could bring.

Carina was taken aback. "Maya, I'm not letting you go alone."

"Well, I'm pretty sure I know what they are going to say, so what's the point of both of us going and getting the news?" Maya retorted, pacing the kitchen, her thoughts spiraling.

"Maya, you don't know yet. Why are you pushing me away?" Carina asked, her worry deepening as she watched Maya's frantic movements.

"I just... I don't know. Why is this happening now? I should be the one taking care of you, not the other way around. What if I keep getting worse and can't support you as you grow our baby? What if you have to do this all alone and feel like I'm not doing enough? What if..."

Carina stepped forward, cutting her off. "Bambina... I would never feel like that," she said firmly, taking Maya's arms in her hands and forcing her to meet her gaze. "You're my wife, in illness and in health, remember?"

Maya couldn't help but smirk slightly. "In sickness and in health."

"Oh, you know what I meant," Carina replied with a sad smile. "I took a vow, bambina, and I would never go back on that. I'm with you always, as I know you are with me. Now, what day is your appointment?"

"Friday morning," Maya replied, her heart softening at Carina's persistence to be there for her.

"Okay, I'll be there. We're in this together, bella," Carina assured her, the strength in her voice steadying Maya's racing thoughts.