Everybody Gets Sick

Chapter One

Maya returned home after a long day at work feeling extremely run down. The twelve hours of her shift seemed to drag on, even though it wasn't a very difficult day when it came to the calls. It was actually a complete change of pace compared to yesterday's shift.

The moon was already out, it being around dinner time. It was the second week of January and the frigid wind of Seattle shook the trees. Maya was surprised to see that there was no snow on the ground.

It had been light on the amount of snowstorms this winter. December had a few snowfalls, but nothing major. It's not like she was complaining, no snow definitely made her life better, especially work.

She pulled out her apartment key as she made her way up the steps to her front door. She placed the key in the lock, turning it and allowing herself to enter.

Her heart beat happily, excited to see her wife. They've had opposite shift schedules recently, making it challenging to see each other. It's been four days since they've been home together and Maya was looking forward to not having to make dinner for one or sleep in a lonely bed.

Carina's smile and the sparkle in her eyes is the first thing Maya notices when she walks through the door. She was in the kitchen, hips swaying as she prepared dinner. The red sauce being made in the pot hinted that Maya was in for one of her wife's amazing Italian delicacies.

Maya took off her shoes by the door, peeling off her thick winter jacket and hanging it up on the hook. She sauntered over to Carina, placing a kiss to the side of her head as she continues to stir the noodles.

"How was your day?" Carina asks, flashing her a smile.

"It wasn't very busy but i'm somehow exhausted," Maya answers with a sigh. She grabs two wine glasses from the cabinet, filling them up with their favorite red wine, setting the glasses on the dinner table.

"Maybe it's because you've been working a shift everyday this week. It's a lot of stress," Carina states and Maya hums in response.

"What are you making?" The blonde asks curiously, even though she has her guess. She wraps her arms around Carina's waist, taking a look at what's in the pot below.

The brunette involuntarily leans back into her her wife's touch, still stirring. "Spaghetti. It should be done soon," she replies.

"Looks delicious," Maya nods, regrettably releasing her arms from around her wife. "I think i'm going to run on the treadmill."

Carina spun around, giving Maya a questioning look. "But aren't you tired?" She knows that has never stopped Maya before. Running is something that she loves to do and Carina usually wouldn't stop her since it seems to have a good effect on her mental health, as long as she was using it in a healthy and non-detrimental way.

"A short one, I promise. How long 'till dinner?" She wonders, wanting to time herself so the food won't get cold. Maya grabs a water bottle from the fridge, not bothering to fill a metal one up.

Carina glances at the time on the oven. "About thirty minutes."

Maya silently nods and heads downstairs to where the treadmill is. The basement wasn't finished, making it the perfect atmosphere for her gym equipment, especially the chilly temperature.

While she preferred to run outside, the weather of Seattle is often unpredictable and cold in the winter, making it too uncomfortable to run outside.

She runs three and a half miles within thirty minutes. Definitely not her best, but like earlier, she's still tired. The achiness of her body more apparent than usual.

Reentering the dining room, the delicious smell hit Maya immediately. Carina could turn a simple dish into something amazing. She truly is a fantastic cook.