Caught in the Middle

Chapter 19

The old Maya would never have jeopardized her career as a firefighter for anyone, she sure as hell would have denied any suspicion over her mental health. This new and improved version of my wife walked into the union building with her head held high, demanding that the union suspend her too if they dare to come between Letham and his promotion. After days of hearings and meetings, it was decided that the lieutenant had to be supervised on every call until he completes his treatment plan. And since Maya fought to keep him on the squad, she got saddled with the task.

Now her schedule is busier than it was when we were at our worst, and my nerves are in ruins. I took it upon myself to check in on her at least once a day, in person, to make sure she's not spiraling back into her clouds. Diane had the same concern and promised to keep me updated should she see signs of self-harm in Maya, ovviamente con il permesso di mia moglie (with my wife's permission of course). She didn't mind it at first, but after our fight she begged me to give her some space. And now I have to trust her when she tells me that she'll let me know if she starts feeling suffocated.

That was harder than anticipated, seeing how we never even would've had the fight if it were up to Maya. No, that came thanks to the firefighters bragging about my wife's heroic acts the night she had to commit her coworker. I went over to their station to pick her up and some disturbing facts came to light when I chatted with the desk jockey while waiting for their return. As it turns out, Maya forgot to disclose how close she came to getting burnt to a crisp herself when she ran into the building to retrieve two firefighters.

"Maya, ma stai scherzando (are you kidding me)!? This is not how you become better for me!" I slam my hands against the steering wheel. My anger has been festering since she climbed into my car and the way she keeps pretending that everything is peachy, is dialing up my temper more and more. By the time I park my car next to Maya's in her garage, I've reached my boiling point. Maya is just about to climb out of the car when I blow up on her. "Eri coperto di fuliggine! (You were covered in soot!) I mean, I should've known you-"

She slips back into her seat to face me in bewilderment. "What? Car-" I wave my hand between us, not in the mood for a single excuse. "You went into that building. You knew the risk and you-" Understanding flickers in her eyes and she grabs my hand to stop it from flailing in the air. "Baby, what...? I just went in to retrieve them. I wasn't in any danger." I shoot her a murderous scowl to warn her not to patronize me. She gulps down her fear, but no sound comes out of her mouth, which she keeps opening and closing.

"You. Were. Covered. In. Soot." I keep my voice threatening low, hissing each word while staring out of the windscreen. We've been together long enough for me to know what that meant. Soot behind her ears meant her helmet was taken off while she was in the building. Soot on her neck indicated that her mask was removed too. I may not be a firefighter, but I don't live underneath a rock either. "According to your adoring fans, no one cleared the scene before you ran back in there. There was another explosion, and you told them to stand down when they tried to get to you."

Maya rubs her hand over her mouth, panic clear in her eyes when they meet mine. "They were my responsibility, Carina. I had to." I shake my head at her, swatting away her hands when she tries to cup my face. She balls her hands into fists over the center console, begging me with her eyes to not walk away from us. "Sam just came back from maternity leave. She has a two-month-old baby waiting for her at home. Riddler's a probie. His mom still packs him lunch every day." She leans over the armrest to get as close as I'll allow her.

"I didn't have a choice, Carina! If there was a chance of bringing them home, I had to take it. I had to-" The audacity of this fucking woman. I grab the steering wheel again, twisting the leather between my hands, while Maya tries to defend her actions to me. It baffles me that she can't find the irony in her own words. "What about bringing yourself home? To me! Like you promised!" I turn my head so quickly at her silence that I feel my neck crack. "What about me, bambina?" She sucks in a breath, the whole situation finally making sense to her.