I'll Never Let You Go (A Marina Story)

Chapter 9

It had been two hours since Carina had felt Maya's finger move, 2 hours since she had a glimmer of hope that Maya was waking up.  Dr. Bailey decided that they would lighten up her pain medication and see if she would wake up. Dr. Bailey was pleased that Maya had survived the night and that her numbers looked solid, not great, not even good.  But her numbers were solid and steady.

"Carina, I need you to get up, get something to eat and drink.  Take a walk, do something." Bailey ordered.  She was worried for Carina.  She had not left Maya's side in hours.  Everyone knew that Maya and Carina had a special love, they had both had such tough exteriors and somehow broken down each other's walls.  By doing that, they had a special bond and seemed to rely on the other in a very specific way.  She had always heard Carina say that Carina and her brother were two halves of one whole, but she felt that Maya and Carina were truly two parts of one whole.  One could not exist without the other. 

"I can't Bailey." Bailey knew why Carina felt that she couldn't' leave.  The last time she left a sick family member, he had died.

"I understand, Carina.  Believe me I do." But you have a baby that needs to be nourished and taken care of.  It's not just you and Maya anymore. Carina looked at her, she knew that Bailey was right, but she just couldn't leave Maya.  She was so afraid. 

As they were talking, they both heard Code pink over the loudspeaker.  That meant one thing- missing child and the building was going on lockdown. Carina really didn't think anything of it. She was focused on her argument with Bailey.  Bailey was too focused on getting Carina to take care of herself.   "How about this, I text Andy to bring you food. You eat a little something and then you go to your office, take a shower, change and freshen up." 

Carina was about to counteroffer with no on the office yes on food, when Andy came running into the room. "Is she here? Is Charlotte here?" Before they could respond, she ran out again, after seeing that no little girl was in the room.  Bailey and Carina were both stunned by the outburst and looked at each other for a good beat without saying anything. 

"Well, I guess I have to deal with this." Bailey said as she rushed out of the room.  Carina was happy to sit back down next to Maya waiting for her to wake up. 

Meanwhile, Charlotte was hiding under a bed in an empty room, planning her next move.  She had to get to Carina.  She had overheard the nurse saying that the social worker was coming to get her.  She didn't know what a social worker was, but Carina was a doctor not a social worker.  Maya told her Carina saved her life, so she had to get to Carina.  Carina was safe. 

Charlotte got up and snuck down to the 2nd floor.  She had heard Andy say that Maya was on the 2nd floor. Carina would be with Maya.  Once she got there. She started to look in every room for a pretty brunette with the face of an angel.  "C'rina! C'rina! I need you! C'rina!"

Carina was sitting with her wife, softly talking to her, reminding her of all the good she had to come back to, when she thought she heard her name.  She stopped talking and listened. She swore she heard a little voice calling out for her. She looked over and at the door was a tiny little girl, with tears streaming down her face. "Are you C'rina?"