They walked to the car, both of them happy they didn't run into any of their friends because this felt like such a huge moment and they didn't want to share it with anyone aside from each other and Lia. When they got to the car, Carina opened the door for Maya so she could put the baby seat inside. However, once the door was open and she didn't see any sign of her wife moving to put the baby into the car, she looked up at Maya, seeing the panic on her face.
"What's wrong Bambina?" Carina asked, stepping closer to her wife.
"I...I don't think she's ready," Maya said, feeling the panic attack building, "I...she needs to go back to the NICU. She's not ready to be home. Come on. Let's take her back ok? She isn't ready."
"Maya, bambina, look at me," Carina said, glancing down at Lia who was looking sleepy in her seat, "She is ok. Look. She is ready to take a nap. She passed all her tests and she is ready."
"I...I don't think I'm ready," Maya said looking at Carina with tears in her eyes, "I'm...I'm not ready."
"Hey," Carina said, carefully taking Lia's seat from Maya, clicking it into the base in the car, making sure to leave the door wide open before pulling her wife into her arms, "It is going to be ok. We are going to figure this out, ok? Together. You aren't alone. You are ready to take her home. Don't you want to be able to wake up every day and just have to roll over to get her out of her bed instead of coming all the way here? I know it's scary, but we've got this, ok?"
"How...how are you so calm?" Maya asked, clinging to her wife.
"Well, to tell you the truth, I am freaking out just a little bit inside," Carina said, pulling back a little to look at her wife, "But I also know that you are an amazing mommy and paramedic and I am a doctor and we are ready for this. Lia is ready for this. She is eating and breathing and doing everything she needs to do to be ready to be home. She belongs at home, with us, where we can snuggle her all day and help her grow and adjust to being a family of five."
"But what if something happens?" Maya asked, wiping her tears. "Then we will take care of her," Carina said, "I got a notification that the smart sock you ordered was delivered to the house so that is all ready for use. And Bambina, we know how to take care of her. I mean, we did pretty well with Nora and Rowan and even though Lia is smaller and a preemie, she is still a baby. We can do this ok?"
"You're right," Maya said, taking a deep breath, "I know you are. I just...it's always felt so safe having her at the hospital and now...now she is going to be out in the big world and anything could happen."
"That is true," Carina nodded, "But we will be there and we will figure this all out, ok? But first, let's just get her home."
"Ok," Maya said as Carina wiped a tear from her cheek.
"Do you want me to drive and you can sit in the back with Trottolina?" Carina asked.
"No," Maya said, "No. I already feel kinda nauseous doing this. I don't want to be carsick on top of it. I'll drive."
"Ok," Carina said, knowing that any time Maya wasn't driving usually meant some degree of carsickness for the blonde, especially if she was in the backseat of a car, "Should we do this?"
"Can I just check her car seat one more time?" Maya asked, walking over to where Lia was.
Carina watched as Maya inspected the seat one more time, making sure all the buckles were right and the seat was secured into the base.
"Va bene?" Carina asked as Maya came away from the car a little.
"I think so," Maya said, nodding. "Ok," Carina said, giving Maya a quick kiss, "Now, let's take this little one home."
