Happily Ever After

46: Nineteen's Special Dance

Carina took in the sights around her. They had both come from broken families, but this right here wasn't a broken family. It was one that rose from the ashes of pain and bonded together through joy and laughs.

———

But, as peaceful as things were for the family, trouble came and went, working tirelessly to keep them busy. One quiet afternoon, the team was resting in the beanery after a long morning. They'd cooked a big pot of macaroni and cheese, and were nursing their sore muscles. The blonde's phone rang loudly, interrupting the chatter around her. Maya picked up her phone, answering it as she took a big sip of coffee.

Upon hearing the caller's words, she half swallowed and choked on it. "Lucia did w-what?" she demanded, her eyes wide. The group turned and watched Maya's face as they attempted to guess what was happening. The blonde's mouth was parted open in shock, nodding as the caller talked.

Travis elbowed Vic, who turned to face him. "Something's wrong," he whispered. "Good solve, Sherlock," Vic replied, and Travis went to shove her but the young firefighter continued. "She still seems to be functioning, so I don't think it's anything severe,"

Maya sighed as she hung up the phone, running her hands through her hair. Her lips were pursed in frustration as she typed away on her phone. Now, it was just a matter of which firefighter was the most impatient. As suspected, it was Vic. "What's wrong?"

"Apparently, Lucia has smacked someone at school," Maya said. The group was just as surprised as she was; Dean's face morphed with surprise while Travis audibly gasped. Vic's jaw nearly hit the floor.

"Huh," was all Jack could come up with. "I've got to go pick her up. They're sending her home for the day," Maya reported.

"Really? It's second grade, that seems severe," Dean commented. "That's what Tuck got," Ben argued.

"Yeah, in middle school. He was thirteen, she's eight," Travis replied.

"It didn't sound like a playful kind of situation. I think it was close to a fistfight," the captain said with a second sigh. She delegated the necessary orders and headed out. Upon buckling herself in the car, Maya's phone rang and she answered it, putting it on speakerphone.

"Lucia did what?" Carina began in shock. "That's exactly what I said. She's apparently slapped someone, and it sounded pretty serious from what the principal was saying. I'm on the way to pick her up," the blonde reported.

"Pick her up? Are they suspending her?" The Italian asked nervously.

"No, just sending her home from the day. I'll call you again once I know all the details," Maya assured, hearing the alarms go off on the other end of the phone.

"Si, bene. Ciao, bellina. Ti amo sempre," Carina said, blowing a kiss into the phone. The blonde blew her wife a kiss back, and the line went dead.

After she reached the school, she made her way to the office. She could see Lucia sitting on one of the chairs, refusing to make eye contact with anyone as she looked solemnly at the ground. Maya headed to the principal's office, and was beckoned in.

"Mrs Bishop-DeLuca, hi. Have a seat," Nina Ghafa, the principal at Greenwood Elementary school, said.

"Do you know what happened?" Maya asked, and Ms Ghafa nodded. "Both Lucia and Nicholas have given me their side of the story. I'm not sure what was said between them, but Lucia smacked him quite hard, and pushed him, I believe. I know he was most likely provoking her, but any physical violence is not tolerated here," Miss Ghafa stated.

"I apologize. I promise, my wife and I did not teach her this, we taught her that violence is never the answer-"

Miss Ghafa raised her hand with a smile on her face. "I do not doubt you, Captain. Lucia is a delight and a sweet, kind girl. What happened today was out of the ordinary and will be investigated further. We're taking no action against her, but sending her home for the day to get her head straight. You know kids, Captain. They're impulsive and reckless. I recommend that you talk to her and let me know if you have any details we are unaware of," she said.