Over the next few weeks, things continued to go well for the Bishop-Delucas. Maya was able to have her PICC line removed at her 28-week appointment and both she and Carina cried after that, the relief they felt knowing that that was no longer needed to keep Maya and the baby healthy immense and overwhelming.
Maya still didn't feel great ever and was mildly nauseous pretty much all the time, but she was able to get food and fluids down and she was only getting sick about once a week. Her heartburn was getting worse, but she has learned what foods triggered that and avoided those. Luckily, her diet was still able to be a little bigger than it had when she was in the throes of HG, but it was still fairly limited. Her pelvis was uncomfortable most of the time, but she tried to do the exercises Carina recommended and while it didn't help much, it was better than nothing.
After her run in with Lane, it had taken a while for the nightmares to go away, but those were also getting better. The twins were doing really well and Maya and Carina were in the process of preparing them for a sleepover with Zio Andrea in just a few days as a trial to see if maybe they could go away for a few days around Maya's birthday.
However, on this day, they were doing something else. Because of her job, Carina had met a lot of photographers who specialized in all things baby photographs and they had decided to get some professional pregnancy photos done. They were going to do them at their house, Vic offering to come over and hang out with the twins for the parts of the photo shoot when they weren't in the pictures.
The photographer was coming at 11 and it was currently 10:45 am. Vic had just gotten there and was downstairs playing with the twins while Maya and Carina were upstairs in their room getting ready. Well, Carina was getting ready and Maya was just kinda standing in their room staring at her stomach.
"Bambina, are you almost ready?" Carina asked, coming out of the bathroom, finding her wife standing there in just her underwear, clearly lost in thought, "Hey, Bambina."
"What?" Maya said, coming out of her thoughts.
"What's wrong?" Carina asked, walking over to her.
"I don't know if I can do this today," Maya sighed.
"What do you mean?" Carina asked.
"I just…I…I still feel like I don't recognize my body and I don't know how I am going to let someone else take photos of me looking like this," Maya said, not looking at her wife, "I just feel…I don't like how I feel and I don't know if I want photos to remember myself like this."
"I know how hard it is for your body to change like this," Carina said, resting her hands on Maya's bump gently, "And I know that it had been even harder for you because of your relationship with your body, but can I tell you what I see when I see your body like this?"
Maya nodded, still not looking at her wife.
"Well, first of all, I see a woman who is so incredibly dedicated to her family that she has sacrificed her body to help grow that family," Carina said, tucking a piece of hair behind Maya's ear, "And I also see a mommy who loves her children so much that she was willing to endure a hard, draining pregnancy just so her baby is safe all while also making sure her toddlers are taken care of and loved and safe. And I see my wife who was willing to become pregnant and take that on after my body couldn't anymore because she loves me and our family so much and I still cannot believe that I am lucky enough to get to love her back. I see the most beautiful human I have ever seen standing in front of me every single time I see you Maya. I don't even have enough words to express the amount of love and attraction and admiration I have for you and it has only grown as I have watched our baby grow inside your body. I know you struggle when you see your body like this, and those feelings are valid and I am not trying to tell you that you shouldn't feel them because it is normal to feel like that when your body is changing, but just know that when I see your changing body, it just makes me fall in love with you in a way I didn't even realize was possible."
"How do you always do that?" Maya asked, finally looking up at her, tears running down her cheeks, "How do you always know exactly what to say?"
"Because I know you Bambina," Carina said, cupping her face in her hands, "And I only speak the truth. I love you so much and your beautiful body so much. And if today is too much, we do not have to do it, but I think it might be nice to have these photos to show Trottolino when they are older and I know I would like to remember this pregnancy with photos."
"We can do it," Maya said, "I can do it. I know I will want them one day too. At least I think I will. I just feel very in my head right now."
"What can I do to help?" Carina asked.
"You are helping," Maya said, "Just you talking to me is helping. I just need to think about these photos as photos for Trottolino and of Trottolino. I think that might help me feel less anxious about it."
"Come here," Carina said, opening her arms and pulling Maya into a hug, "If at any point today, things get to be too much, all you have to do is say something, ok? And I will make sure we stop or do whatever you need to feel better, ok?"
"I love you," Maya said, "I honestly don't think I could have ever done this with anyone else."
"Well, that's good because if you were having pregnancy photos taken with someone other than your wife, I would be pretty upset," Carina said, faux anger on her face.
Maya cracked a smile just as they heard the doorbell ring.
"I will go help the photographer set up," Carina said, "Come down whenever you are ready and I'll come back and check on you when I am done, ok?"
Maya nodded, stealing a quick kiss before Carina headed downstairs. The pregnant woman then finished getting dressed, having decided on a pair of light washed jeans and her Station 19 t-shirt. They were actually all wearing the same thing today because Carina thought it would be cute and Maya didn't really have an opinion one way or another. She finished getting ready, taking a deep breath before heading downstairs.
"Mommy, we are gonna take pitchas," Rowan said, running over to her, "Miss Anique is gonna help us."
"Miss Monique is going to help us take pictures today," Maya nodded, "Are you going to smile?"
"Si," Rowan said, "Yike this."
Rowan did a goofy smile before dissolving into a fit of laughter.
"Mommy, Mamma is outside," Nora said, running over to her, "But she is gonna come back."
"I actually think we are going to go out there with Mamma," Maya said, "We are going to take some pictures."
"You look beautiful Mommy," Vic said, walking over to them.
"Vic, what did I say about calling me that?" Maya said, glaring at the younger woman.
"What, they get to call you Mommy," Vic said.
"And when you are my child, you can call me mommy too," Maya said, rolling her eyes.
Just then, the back door opened, Carina and the photographer, Monique, walking in.
"Oh, you must be Maya," Monique said, walking over to her, "I'm Monique. It's nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too," Maya said, sticking out her hand, "I'm Maya. Thank you for coming here to do this."
"Of course," she said, "I love doing these types of shoots at home. They always feel so much more organic. We got the outside set up ready if you want to go out there first?"
"Ok," Maya nodded, Carina immediately going to her side, lacing their fingers together.
"You alright?" Carina whispered into Maya's ear.
"I think so," Maya nodded.
They all headed outside into their backyard, Vic coming with just in case they needed anything.
"Ok," Monique said, "Why don't we start with just some simple ones and then we will see where it goes."
They started with a simple pose, all four of them sitting in the grass. Soon though, they moved on to the twins both kissing Maya's belly under her shirt before they decided to lift it up and kiss her bare bump, Carina staying out of most of these photos, just wanting some of these special photos with just her wife and daughters but at one point, she did rejoin, leaning over and giving Maya a kiss while the twins continued kissing and talking to her bump.
They then stood up, Monique capturing photos of the twins leaning their heads against Maya's bump.
"Do you each want to hold one of them?" Monique asked, "It might be cute."
"Sure," Maya said.
"Bambina, are you sure?" Carina asked, knowing Maya hadn't really been lifting the twins much at all.
"I am not going to walk around holding her," Maya said, reaching down for Nora, "But I can stand here just fine."
"Ok," Carina said, scooping up Rowan into her arms.
They did a few poses in these positions before the twins started getting antsy and went to play with Vic while Monique got photos of just Maya and Carina. They did a few different poses, but Carina's favorite was one where she was down on her knees in front of her wife, lips pressed to Maya's beautiful baby bump while Maya had her hands under her bump as she looked down at her wife.
"These are absolutely beautiful," Monique said, looking at some of what she had captured, "You both look amazing. Do we want to do some of just you two sitting?"
"Ok," Carina said as Maya nodded, the two of them sitting down, Maya in Carina's lap as the Italian wrapped her arms around Maya's belly, the blonde turning her head to steal a few small kisses.
"You look so beautiful," Carina said softly as she smiled at her wife.
"I love you," Maya said, smiling back gently.
The twins then ran back over to them, Rowan hanging on Carina's back while Nora sat down on Maya's lap.
"I do not understand how you all are so photogenic," Monique said as she snapped some more photos, "These are all amazing."
"They are beautiful, aren't they," Vic said, shaking her head, "It's almost not fair."
"Stop," Maya said, blushing a little bit.
Eventually, they moved inside, taking some photos on the couch as a family, Carina reading the twins a story they requested for a little while as Monique captured some of the organic moments. Once the book was over, the twins were a little bit bored and wanted to go play.
"Would you two like to go upstairs and take some more intimate photos?" Monique asked, "It can be as much or as little as you want. You are in charge. These are your photos. I'm just here to make sure the lighting is good and capture what you want to remember."
"Ok," Maya said a bit apprehensively, "I guess so."
"We can do whatever you are comfortable with Bambina," Carina assured her, "But, there is something I would like us to do if you are open to it."
"What is it?" Maya asked.
"I'll show you upstairs," Carina said before going into the playroom where the twins were playing with Vic, "Bambine, Mommy and I are going to go upstairs and take some pictures with Miss Monique. We aren't leaving, but can you stay down here and play with Zia Vic?"
"Okay Mamma," Rowan nodded as Nora got up, giving both Maya and Carina hugs before going back to play.
"Come on," Carina said, taking Maya's hand and guiding her upstairs as Monique followed them.
"Maya, can you show her to our room?" Carina asked, "I need to grab something else."
"Ok," Maya said, a little bit confused as she walked down the hall to show Monique there bedroom.
"Can I open the curtains and play with the lights?" Monique asked, setting down her equipment.
"Sure," Maya nodded, "Whatever you need."
"Ok," Carina said, walking into the room with Maya's turnout coat and helmet in her hands.
"What is that doing here?" Maya asked, confused.
"I asked Vic to bring it for us today. I thought it might be nice to get some pictures with this?" Carina said, "But if you don't want to, we don't have to."
"I haven't put this on in months," Maya said, taking the jacket from her wife.
"You don't have to," Carina said, "It's totally up to you."
"Can I make a suggestion?" Monique said, "I mean, it's totally up to you, but I have done some cute shoots where the pregnant person wears a black sports bra and some black bike shorts and then the jacket. Again, totally up to you though."
"Maybe," Maya said, running her fingers over her jacket, "Won't it look weird?"
"I think it would make you look very sexy," Carina said, tucking a piece of hair behind Maya's ear.
"Ok, I'll try it," the blonde said, setting down her jacket on the bed before going over to her drawers, pulling out the desired clothes before going into the bathroom.
A moment later, the bathroom door cracked open and Carina came in also with some cropped black yoga pants and a sports bra.
"I thought maybe I would change too?" Carina said.
"Ok," Maya nodded, "Yeah, I like that idea."
Once they were both changed, they came out of the bathroom, Monique having the room ready.
"Here you go Bambina," Carina said, lifting the heavy jacket and helping her wife put it on.
"Wow," Maya said, "This is the longest I haven't worn it since I because a firefighter. It's weird to have it back on. It's heavier than I remember."
"Would you be ok if I got some solo shots?" Monique asked.
"Sure," Maya nodded, cradling her bump, looking down at it.
"That is stunning," Monique said.
Carina slipped Maya's helmet on her head after a few photos before joining her for more photos.
They eventually moved into the bathroom, Maya sitting on the counter while Carina stood between her legs, hands on her bump, eyes lock with complete love and adoration. They took off the turnouts at some point, getting some photos in the bed, some with Carina laying behind Maya and both of them pretending to be asleep, some with then facing each other, Carina's hands on the bump and Maya's hands on Carina's.
The entire thing felt very intimate and special and the more they did, the more comfortable Maya felt and the more she enjoyed it.
At one point, Carina pulled out the home doppler they had to find the baby's heartbeat, Monique capturing the looks of awe and love on both of their faces as they listened, the tops of their foreheads pressed together as they looked down at Maya's bump together.
They did a few more poses before deciding they were done, both Maya and Carina feeling very happy with how it had gone.
"These photos are going to be absolutely stunning," Monique said, scrolling through them, "Oh, I cannot wait to edit these and get them back to you. I think you are really going to like them."
"Thank you so much for doing this," Carina said.
"Yes, thank you," Maya nodded, "I wasn't sure I wanted to do this, but it felt pretty good by the end."
"I'm glad," Monique said, "I also do newborn photos if you decide you want those taken when your little one gets here. I am just going to get everything cleaned up and then head out so I can start editing these."
"We'll go change and then we can walk you out," Carina said as the two of them ducked into the bathroom, "How are you feeling now Bambina, honestly?"
"Honestly, I feel much better than I did at the beginning," Maya said, "I still don't know how excited I am going to be to see my body looking like this captured in photos, but that made me feel…I don't really know how to describe it, but it felt good to do that with you."
"Bene," Carina said as she pulled on her t-shirt, "I'm glad it made you feel better a little bit better. I really liked doing it with you."
Once they were dressed again, they walked Monique out, thanking her again as she left. Once she was gone, they headed into the playroom where the twins were playing Don't Break the Ice with Vic.
"Mommy, Mamma, are you all done taking pitchas?" Nora asked, going over to them.
"We are," Maya nodded, "Have you been playing nicely with Auntie Vic?"
"Si," Rowan nodded, "We pwayed the ice game and in the titchen with babies and Noa pwayed with her dinos. But tan we have lunch soon tetause I'm hundry."
"I think we can have lunch," Carina said with a smile, "What do you want to eat?"
"Hummus and veggies and chippies and apples and drapes," Rowan said.
"That sounds like a good lunch," Maya nodded, "How about some yogurt too or cottage cheese?"
"Or bof," Nora said.
"Yeah, bof," Rowan said.
"Alright, I can do that," Carina said, "Vic, did you want to stay for lunch? I can make sandwiches or maybe some pasta or something."
"A sandwich would be great," Vic said, "Thank you."
"Thank you for helping us with the twins today," Maya said, "It was so helpful."
"Did the upstairs photos turn out well?" Vic asked.
"They did," Maya nodded, "Better than I thought."
"Mommy, Mamma, go," Rowan said, "We want to pway wif Auntie Bic."
"Ok," Carina laughed, "We will go make lunch."
After lunch was done, Vic left and Maya and Carina put the twins down for their afternoon nap. The nap was hit or miss with Rowan these days, the toddler often fighting sleep. Today, however, she went down with minimal fuss, Maya and Carina heading downstairs to do a little bit of cleaning, Carina tackling the kitchen while Maya folded a basket of laundry and started another load. Once the chores were done, they both sat down on the couch.
"Here," Maya said, taking Carina's hand and placing it on her belly, the Italian smiled as she felt the little kicks.
"Ciao Trottolino," Carina said, "Are you having a good day?"
Just then, Carina's phone dinged and she grabbed it, seeing it was the photographer from earlier.
"Oh, Bambina, look at these," Carina said, "Monique edited a few photos and sent them for a little preview. Oh, I think I have my new background for my phone."
There were just four photos that had been sent, two of all of them and two of just Maya and Carina. The ones of all of them were one of Maya and Carina kissing while the twins kissed Maya's bump and the other of them each holding one of the twins, all four of them laughing while Maya and Carina's hands were linked.
The ones of the two of them were much more intimate and calm. One was of them together in bed, hands on the bump and foreheads together and the other was Maya in her turnout coat sitting on the counter Carina pressing a kiss to her bump Maya's hands in her wife's hair.
"Wow," Maya said, looking at the pictures,
"These are…wow." "Good wow or bad wow?" Carina asked.
"Good wow," Maya said, "I just…I can't believe this is our family. It's just so…wow."
"That is how I always see you Bambina," Carina said, pressing a kiss to her cheek as Maya flipped between the photos again, "I'm glad you are finally seeing it too."
"I still don't really feel like myself," Maya admitted, "But these photos make me feel a little bit better about how much my body has changed. Thank you for convincing me to do this."
"I just want you to see yourself the way I always see you," Carina said, "As the sexy, fierce, hot, caring, amazing woman I married."
A few days later, they were supposed to be having their date night while Andrew watched the kids to see if they could make a baby moon happen, but Maya was not feeling well. It had started with an upset stomach while she was at work, sending her running for the bathroom only an hour after she got to work. As she sat on the toilet, she rubbed her stomach a little, wondering what she had eaten that had made her tummy so upset. She went back to her office, thinking it was a one-time thing. However, about thirty minutes later, Maya's stomach again sent her to the bathroom. This time however, as she sat there, she started feeling nauseous. She was pretty used to that feeling because it was basically ever present for the past seven months. This felt different, though, and combined with the diarrhea, she was worried she was actually sick. Before she got pregnant, she probably would have tried to work through this, but she knew that she also had to think about the baby now, and she could hear Carina telling her to rest when she needed it. She was in her office, packing up her bag when Andy walked in. "What's going on?" the captain asked. "I am not feeling very well all of a sudden," Maya said, throwing her backpack over her shoulder, "My stomach is really upset and I don't know if I ate something that the baby doesn't like or if I'm coming down with a bug, but I think I need to be at home."
"Do you want me to drive you?" Andy said, worried for her friend.
"I'll be ok," Maya said, walking out of her office with Andy, "I probably just need to sleep this off. I'm sure it's nothing, but with the baby…"
"I get it," Andy said, "Well, feel better. Let me know if you need anything."
"Thanks," Maya said, heading out the door. She got into her car, taking a few deep breaths to try to calm the icky nauseous feeling in her belly before she drove home.
By the time she got there, she was feeling worse and immediately got out of the car, heading inside. Carina was at work today so she had the house to herself. She was feeling too hot all of a sudden so she stripped off her pants as she made her way to their bedroom, she also pulled off her shirt and bra, finding a very loose pajama shirt before going into the bathroom, sitting down on the toilet not a minute too soon. She felt so terrible and ended up having to grab the trash can next to the toilet as she started to gag. She had no idea what was going on, but it had hit her so hard and fast that she didn't even have time to think about it.
She eventually pulled herself off the toilet, but she was feeling so sick and weak that she just grabbed a towel off the rack before curling up near the toilet. She tried to get her body to calm down, falling into a weird place between awake and asleep, her stomach cramping miserably. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but she suddenly heard a noise in the bathroom.
"Oh Bambina," Carina said, crouching down next to her, "What happened?"
"I'm sick," Maya mumbled, feeling her stomach start to heave as she leaned over the toilet, Carina rubbing her back gently as she was sick.
Eventually, Maya's stomach calmed down, the blonde leaning back against her wife.
"Why are you home?" Maya asked, hand on her stomach as Carina wiped her mouth with a piece of toilet paper.
"Andy texted me and said you went home sick," Carina said, "And I tried to call, but you didn't answer."
"I think I left my phone in my bag downstairs," Maya mumbled, "I just started feeling so sick."
"I'm sorry Bambina," Carina said, rubbing her back as Maya laid down in her lap, "Do you want to go to bed?"
"I don't know if I can," Maya said, "I feel really weak."
"I'll help you," Carina said, "And I'll put a bucket by the bed just in case, ok? You need to not be on the floor. You are too achy already just from the bambino."
"Babe, I'm not just throwing up," Maya said, feeling an icky cramp roll through her, "I need to use the bathroom. Can you please go?"
"Si," Carina nodded, helping Maya stand up before she left the bathroom.
The Italian went into their bedroom, trying to figure out what to do. She was glad that Andrew was already planning on watching the twins at his place tonight and that they had been preparing the girls for this for the past few weeks because she knew her wife needed rest and have two three-and-a-half-year-olds running around was about as far from restful as possible, even if they were as well behaved as Rowan and Nora.
Carina was a little disappointed that they were going to be missing their date night, but most because she knew Maya was so excited about it and it was the first time in a long time they were going to be alone overnight, but she was hoping the twins would do well and that they would be able to take a short trip somewhere in a few weeks.
She changed out of her clothes, pulling on some loungewear, knowing the rest of the day was likely going to be spent caring for her sick wife. She checked on Maya, the blonde telling her she wasn't done yet, before heading downstairs. She quickly made up some of Maya's favorite orange drink, knowing hydration was going to be their number one priority today, along with the bucket that had lived next to their bed for so long and had only recently found itself back in the cabinet downstairs. She texted Andrea, letting him know Maya was sick just in case the twins started having any kind of symptoms while they were at his house that night.
She then headed back upstairs, finding the bathroom door cracked open again.
"Hey," Carina said, walking in and finding Maya sitting on the floor again, "How are you doing?"
"I don't know," Maya shrugged, "I think the nausea is maybe ebbing some. My stomach just doesn't feel good."
"I'm sorry Bambina," Carina said, reaching her hands down, "Let's get you into bed, ok? You'll feel better not sitting on the floor."
Maya nodded, letting Carina help her up, going to the sink to rinse her mouth with some mouth wash and wash her hands before going to their bed.
"I'm right here, ok?" Carina said as she tucked Maya in, "Do you want me to put on the TV or do you just want to sleep?"
"Can we watch something?" Maya asked, "I don't know if I'm going to be able to sleep right now."
"Si," Carina nodded, grabbing the TV remote, turning on the TV, "Do you want me to hold you Bambina?"
"Um," Maya said, biting her lip, "Kinda, but also, if this is a bug, I don't want you to get it."
"Come here," Carina said, opening her arms, "I will be ok. If I get sick, I get sick."
Maya moved slightly, settling into Carina's arms, the Italian resting her hands on the baby bump.
"It feels like the baby is partying in there," Carina said, feeling the little kicks and punches. "I know," Maya said, "It is not making me feel any better."
"Trottolino," Carina said, talking to the bump in Italian, "You need to calm down. Mommy is sick right now and you need to let her rest."
Maya smiled as she listened. This was something she had done often when Carina was pregnant with the twins, and Carina talked with Trottolino often too, but it always made Maya so happy no matter how often it happened.
"They are calming down," Maya said, still feeling the baby moving but the kicking and punching was much less strong, "They always do when you talk to them. They love their mamma."
"And I love them," Carina said, continuing to rub Maya's belly, "I can't believe it's about 9 weeks until they get here."
"I know," Maya said, wincing a little as a cramp and a Braxton-Hicks contraction ran through her sick stomach, "Soon, we are going to know if we have a bambina or a bambino."
"I know," Carina said, "Do you still think they are a girl?"
"I do," Maya nodded, "Do you think it's a boy still?"
"I do," Carina nodded, "And I was right with the twins."
"I know," Maya said, yawning a little bit, "But maybe I'll be right this time."
"Sleep Bambina," Carina said, giving her cheek a small kiss, "It will help you feel better."
Over the next several hours, Maya was up and down to the bathroom many more times. She was thankful that she had stopped throwing up, but she just felt so icky and miserable. After the first twenty minutes in bed, she had decided she didn't want to be touched besides her hair so Carina just gave her scalp massages and played with her long blonde hair.
The cramping that was happening in her belly was painful and just felt like it was getting worse, making sleeping nearly impossible though she didn't say much to Carina about them, not wanting to complain too much about a stomach bug.
Maya had managed to fall asleep around 5 pm, Carina slipping out of bed to make some soup for her sick and miserable wife. She got the soup cooking, adding in a lot of veggies that she knew Maya had been tolerating well recently before going back upstairs to check on her wife. She found Maya sitting up in bed, confused look on her face.
"I think I peed my pants," Maya said, looking down at her legs which were soaked, wincing as her stomach cramped again.
"Bambina," Carina said, kicking herself for not realizing what was going on earlier, "How often are you having those cramps?"
"I don't know," Maya said, "A lot. It's just Braxton-Hicks and me bring sick. Can you just help me up so I can get out of these pants?"
"Maya, I don't think you peed yourself," Carina said, trying to remain calm, "I think your water broke. I think you are in preterm labor."
What did you think? Don't hate me for the cliffhanger. I am going to try to get the next chapter written soon (It's half done. I just have to figure out where I want to go with parts of it) but I am about to be at my parents house for 2 weeks which means very little time to write other than late at night so I'm not sure how quickly I will get it done. Thank you all so much for your support with this story. Happy Holidays to everyone. Thank you all so much for reading, commenting, following and favoriting. You all are seriously amazing.
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