MAYA POV
The screams wouldn't stop, the blood-curdling high-pitched tones almost perforated my eardrums throughout the night. It'd been three days like this, during the day it was okay. It wasn't okay, Isabella was sick for the first time. Her little body didn't know how to handle it, crying was the way forward and screams seemed to be the even better option. Last night, she spent the whole time in my arms, the screams quietened down but only came back seconds later at a higher volume and pitch.
Carina was at work, her first week back at work and she'd been worried sick. We both understood it was probably Isabella's first fever, that it wouldn't last that many days; but common sense leaves your body when it's your child.
"I told you, I've taken her temperature" I say towards Carina, she had asked me several times this morning as she got ready for work. The sigh that left my body as I finished my sentence, encouraged Carina to give me a look. A look that could only be translated to irritation. I'd irritated my wife by breathing heavily, exhausted from spending the night awake with a screaming baby.
"Can I just check?" Carina asks, already walking towards us.
"Why can't you believe me?" I ask her back; she shakes her head slightly but doesn't stop walking. She picks up the thermometer and places it an inch or so away from Isabella's face. As we wait for the results, we make eye contact but this time it doesn't quite translate with the love and softness like normal. We've always been good at communicating verbally and just through our eyes but today none of that is happening.
"See, it's the exact same temperature as it was an hour ago. Do you believe me now?" I know my tone and what I was saying, just emulated hostility but she'd slept. My wife had slept while I willingly walked around our living room with a baby in my arms, a screaming baby in my arms.
"Why can't you just trust me? Do you think I'm incapable of looking after our daughter? Thanks Carina. Go to work" I say in a horrible tone, she doesn't fight me, but her eyes do widen. We don't talk for a few minutes; a silent battle being fought between our eyes.
"Okay. I need to leave for work. Is there anything you want for dinner tonight?" Carina asks, as we walk through the house. Isabella had quietened down enough for us to speak at our normal tone.
"No, it's fine. Enjoy work" I say.
"I love you" she says and for the first time there's a miniscule second where I question if I want to say it back. I can't believe that thought even crossed my mind.
"I love you, be safe" I say back, she kisses my cheek and carefully closes the door behind her. Looking down at the sleepy little girl in my arms, thoughts of sleep cloud my mind.
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CARINA POV
Work has been tiring. How had I been able to easily complete 12 hours shifts without feeling tired, how had I been able to stand in long surgeries without feeling any consequences. I guess a year off of work really changes a lot of things, there's a lot to get used to.
"Is she still sick?" Amelia asks as my little group of friends enter my office. Lunch time had been my favourite time, Teddy and Amelia were usually free so we could just bitch about the world.
"Yep, and it's driving Maya crazy" I say, rubbing my forehead out of stress. "She was up all night trying to stop Isabella from crying, this morning she told me her temperature and I still insisted on seeing it. I accused her of not knowing how to use a thermometer. She's a paramedic. As soon as I said those things, she just walked away from me and to the other side of the room. I'm horrible" I say, the girls hold a sympathetic look. Amelia grabs my hand softly, just another way of showing support. How had it been two weeks since the hotel, we were so in love and stuck in our own world and today there was something missing between us.
