The Scientist

Nineteen

Nine months later

Carina couldn't stop smiling as she held their baby girl.

Maya stood in the doorway to the nursery watching Carina with a soft smile on her face.

The Italian woman looks up and smiles. "Get in here Maya."

Maya hesitated for a moment before stepping into the room. She hadn't quite bonded with the baby yet, the girl cried whenever Maya held her. Jack had bonded with her as soon as he'd met her, it was as if the baby knew he was her father and that made Maya feel insecure. As she got closer to Carina, their daughter began to cry and Maya stopped in her tracks.

"She just needs changed." Carina says softly, holding her hand out to Maya.

"She doesn't like me." Maya said.

Carina instantly shakes her head. "That is not true, come here."

"She cries every time I go near her or try to touch her." Maya said.

The Italian woman frowns. "Maya, she loves you."

"Not as much as she loves Jack." Maya said.

"Is that what this is about?" Carina asks, getting up to change their daughter's diaper.

Maya looked down shamefully.

"Maya, Jack is just the donor. You are Isabella's mother." Carina says, looking back toward her wife.

"I just thought I'd have bonded with her by now but I haven't and instead she's bonded with Jack." Maya said, a tear rolled down her cheek.

Once the baby is changed, Carina lifts her up and moves over to Maya. "You just have to spend more time with her, why don't you give her the rest of her bottle?"

Maya swallowed thickly. She looked down at Isabella.

Isabella was attempting to nurse on Carina through her shirt.

Carina could see Maya shaking slightly as if she thought she might hurt or drop their daughter if she touched her. The Italian woman placed their daughter in the blonde's nervous arms and moved behind the woman, wrapping her arms around Maya.

Maya leaned back into Carina's arms, feeling safe and steady.

Isabella releases a soft cry, turning her head toward Maya's chest.

"See, she cries every time I'm near her." Maya said.

"Maya, that's her hungry cry." Carina responds, pulling the bottle from her pocket and handing it to Maya.

Maya took the bottle and held it to Isabella's mouth. "She's so small." She whispered. "What If I break her. I don't want to break her."

"You won't break her, babies are resilient." Carina responds softly.

Maya stared down at the baby in her arms. She was starting to shake again. She hadn't slept much since Isabella was born to allow Carina to sleep through the night and the tiredness was starting to catch up with her, making her more emotional than usual.

Carina helped steady her, kissing her shoulder. "She'll be done soon."

"I'm sorry for being so emotional." Maya whispered.

The Italian woman smiles softly. "Never apologize Maya."