"What?" Vic asked in disbelief at what Sullivan had just said.
"Oh, boy!" Travis said as he drank his drink.
Andy turned her attention to her husband. "Robert, you need to leave!" she stated firmly.
"Andy, I-" Robert tried to talk to his wife.
Andy put her hand up in front to stop him talking. "No, Robert. Save whatever else you have to say, I don't want to hear it!" she said firmly.
"Andy, come on-" Robert continued to say.
"Robert, no. Just don't, I've already said I don't want to hear it!" Andy said harshly. Robert sighed and walked off to grab a drink.
Jack walks off and scratches the back of his neck. "Uh, I think that somebody needs to tell her," He said.
"No, you guys, we can't tell her today. It's her wedding day!" Vic insisted.
Andy sighed and shook her head, "Well, she's already going to find out Vic when she looks at her emails," she said as she looked over to her husband. "No thanks to my husband," she muttered.
"Wait, Sullivan did this?" Dean asked shocked as he walked over.
Andy nodded slowly as she took a long sip of the drink she had in her hand. "Yeah. No thanks to my delightful husband, Maya's job has been put on the line," she growled in frustration.
"So, uh we tell her?" Vic questioned.
"Yeah..." Andy agreed.
"And then what?" Jack questioned, unsure if this was the right thing to do especially on her wedding day.
"Well, we hope that doesn't lose her shit," Travis remarked.
Andy chuckled lightly, "Yeah, that's definitely gonna happen," she said sarcastically.
Maya and Carina danced on the floor of the restaurant; the two women swayed in time with the music as they stared at one another lovingly. "How do you feel, Mrs DeLuca-Bishop?" she asked as she smirked.
Maya smiled at her newlywed wife, "I really feel like the luckiest woman in the world right now, I don't want this moment to end..." she said as she continued to dance with her wife, "And I really love the new last name," she said.
"I feel the same way Bella," Carina said as she smiled.
"I'm just so happy, I have everything I have ever wanted," Maya told her wife as she leans in and kisses her wife, "I love you so much Car and I am so happy to be your wife," she said.
"I love you to Bella," Carina said as she smiled and kisses her wife back. "Shall we go find the Bambina and see what she is up to?" she questioned.
"Yes, although she is probably enjoying herself too much with everyone else..." Maya chuckled as she looked over to her daughter who sat amongst the firefighters and the two women walked over to them all. "Hey kiddo," she said to her daughter who was sitting next to Vic and Theo.
"Hey mom," Maddie said quietly.
Maya raised an eyebrow at her daughter confused, "What's the matter kiddo? Are you tired, do you want to go home," she wondered out loud.
"I'm okay," Maddie said quietly.
Carina noticed the looks on everyone's faces and knew something was wrong. "Is everything okay?" she questioned as she frowned.
Maya looked around and noticed all of her friends look upset, "Okay. Why do you all look so fed up?" she questioned.
"Maya..." Andy started to say.
"What? Come on, whatever it is, I am sure it can wait. We're celebrating," Maya insisted.
"Maya, somethings' happened..." Vic said, unsure how well this was going to go.
Maya furrowed her eyebrow in confusion, "What is it? Has something happened to the kid from the call out?" she asked.
Andy shook her head. "No, the kids fine... Maya, it's something else that's happened instead," she said worriedly.
Maya continued to look confused at her friends, "What? What do you mean?" she asked.
"Uh, you should probably check your emails..." Jack said as he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
Maya looked confused but walked over to grab her purse, "Okay, you guys are worrying me now," she said as she unlocked her phone and looked upset.
"Mom, are you okay?" Maddie asked concerned.
"Bella, what's wrong?" Carina asked, noticing Maya's expression.
"This... This has to be a mistake. Uh ye-yeah, it's just a mistake. I need to go and talk to him, try and resolve this!" Maya said upset.
"Maya, you can't," Andy said worried for her best friend.
Carina shook her head in disagreement. "No, Bella, I don't think it's a good idea to do that," she said.
"Why not?" Maya asked still vividly upset. "This is all just a mistake. I need to go and talk to him!" she insisted.
Katherine walked over to them from the table that she was sitting on and saw the concerned look on her daughter's face. "Sweetheart, what's going on?" She wondered.
"Just somethings happened... Uh mom, do you mind watching Maddie for me?" Maya asked as she looked at her mom.
Katherine nodded, "Yes of course sweetheart but is everything okay?" she asked concerned.
Maya nodded and smiled at the older woman. "Yeah, I just need to go and talk to someone," she repeated.
"Okay sweetheart," Katherine agreed.
"Maya, I really don't think it's a good idea that you do this!"
Maya looked at her best friend, "What other option is there right now? I am not letting this man ruin my day!" She insisted boldly.
Carina took her wife's hand in her own. "Bella, I know that you're upset but this isn't the best thing to do right now," she said.
"I, I need to talk to him." Maya repeated, trying to stay calm.
"Mom, please calm down," Maddie said worriedly.
Maya turned to look at her daughter who looked anxious. "Mads, kiddo, don't worry I am calm. I'm just a little upset... I just need to go talk to my boss. Look, you're gonna stay here with Grandma, okay?" she asked.
"I want to go with you," Maddie said.
Maya shook her head. "No kiddo, you need to stay with Grandma, please," she said.
"Okay," Maddie said as she sighed.
Maya gave her daughter a quick hug. "I won't be long. Be good for your Grandma," she said.
"I will," Maddie agreed as she hugged her mom back. "See you in a bit," she said.
"Okay, look, if you're insisting on going then I am coming with you. My husband did this mess, I want to help fix it!" Andy stated.
Maya looked over at Sullivan and balled her hands into fists, trying to keep her temper in check. Carina noticed this and took hold of her wife's hand in reassurance, "I'm coming too!" Carina stated.
"I'm okay by myself. Honestly," Maya said as she held her wife's hand.
Carina shook her head and looked at her wife, "Bella, you're my wife, of course, I am going to stand by your side and support you!" she said.
"Okay," Maya agreed quietly as she looked at her wife who smiled. "Okay, let's go," she said.
"What's the matter?" Chloe asked as Maddie walked over to the table where she was sitting with Mason and Sarah.
"What's going on kid? Where's Maya and Carina?" Mason questioned.
"My mom's been demoted... no thanks to him over there," Maddie said as she scowled at the older guy who she thought of as an uncle up until recently.
"What?" Sarah asked confused.
"What happened?" Chloe asked confused.
"I don't know, I think it was something that happened on one of their calls," Maddie mumbled as she continued to scowl at Robert Sullivan. "It's all of his fault," she added.
"Babe just calm down," Sarah frowned as she looked at her girlfriend who looked upset. "Come on, let's go and dance," she said.
Maddie shook her head slightly, "I don't want to dance. He's literally cost my mom her job," she mumbled.
"Come on, it'll take your mind off it all," Sarah insisted as she tried to pull her girlfriend onto the dance floor. "Come on," she repeated as she smiled.
"Okay, okay, okay. Let's dance," Maddie agreed and walked over to the dance floor as they danced to the beat of the music. "
"Are you sure you want to do this, Bella?" Carina questioned as the three of them arrived at the office.
Maya nodded her head, "Yeah. I just need to talk to McCallister, it's all a mistake and it can be resolved if I just talk to him." She said confidently.
"Okay. I'm with you, every step of the way," Carina said reassuringly.
"Okay. You ready?" Andy questioned her best friend.
"It's now or never," Maya said before she stormed into the office, on a mission to fight for her job back. "Chief McCallister, we need to talk," Maya said as she walked into
"Bishop. Are you in a wedding dress?" Chief McCallister questioned surprised as he looked up from his desk.
"Yes, sir. I am in a wedding dress because I came here from my wedding." Maya stated as she looked over at Carina who stood beside her wife and Carina gave her wife a slight smile. "I married this extraordinary woman, and it was the happiest moment of my life, and then I got your absurdly sexist e-mail, and it threatened to ruin my night, but I didn't let it, sir. - I came here instead, but..." she continued to say until McCallister cut her off.
McCallister looked at the blonde, "Bishop, you were suspended for insubordination and breaking protocols. If you think that you can get out of that by crying sexism, you got another thing co..." He said as Maya cut him off again.
Maya felt all of the anger pent up inside of her, "I'm not crying sexism, sir. I am shining a light on it in the hopes of creating real change." She stated firmly.
"All due respect, Chief, my father, Pruitt Herrera, was written up for insubordination on several occasions, but he was never relieved of his duty," Andy said as she stepped in, seeing her best friend get upset.
"That's not pertinent to this..." McCallister said.
"I-I am speaking," Andy stated.
McCallister looked at the women baffled. "Oh." He said.
"I can list off a dozen male fire captains I know personally who stepped out of line and stepped on toes every day of their career, and they never even got written up. She refused a direct order. Yes, sir, but the alternative was to let an injured child die on the street," Andy continued to tell the man what is what.
"Yeah, and that child, by the way, lived..." Carina stepped in to give her input.
McCallister shook his head and looked at the blonde, "This is not how we do things at the SFD, Bishop." He stated bluntly.
"But it is, sir. At SFD, we fight for what's right. It's how my father raised me. It's how he raised every firefighter at Station 19," Andy interjected.
Maya stood straight in front of the man with a determined look on her face. "My team won't accept my demotion, sir. I don't accept it. I work too hard for my job, and I am too damn good at it. Plus, it is my wedding day, so you don't get to steal my job or my joy, at least not without a fight," she insisted as she tried to remain calm as she could in respect.
McCallister relented on his choice. "Okay. Okay. You can keep 19, Bishop." He stated and then looked at Andy. "Herrera, I'm reassigning you to 23, effective immediately," he said.
"What?" Andy asked in disbelief.
"Bishop, if your entire team..." McCallister said.
"Sir. No..." Andy continued to say in shock and still upset.
"Is incapable of respecting the chain of command, then they need a reminder about how this department works. I'll have all of them reassigned within a week," McCallister continued to say.
"Sir, I..." Maya said as McCallister cut her off. Carina tried to keep her cool as Andy placed her hand on her arm.
"Or..." The Chief paused for a minute. "Or you can step down..." He said.
"Mm!" Carina said unamused, trying to keep her own temper in check.
"And I'll appoint a new captain, pending completion of the investigation of your insubordination and protocol defiance," McCallister told the blonde women, who felt defeated. "And just for the record, I am glad that kid lived, but if he had died on your engine, the lawsuit could have put the whole station out of business," He continued to state as he leaned on his desk waiting for her decision.
"I'll step down pending investigation, sir," Maya said, admitting defeat on it all. Carina and Andy looked shocked and upset by her agreeing to that.
"Good call. Congratulations on your nuptials," McCallister said. Maya started to walk out of the office but turned back around.
"No, No," Andy said.
"You know, sir, if I may. Herrera would be the best interim captain at 19," Maya said as she volunteered Andy for the captain position.
McCallister continued to fiddle with his paperwork. "Except Herrera's already been transferred. She's reporting for duty at 23 Monday morning," He told them.
"Sir..." Andy said.
"What?" Maya asked in disbelief.
McCallister pulled his jacket on as he looked at the women. "Herrera, you are a good firefighter, but as long as you keep invoking your father's name, you will never get out of his shadow. This move will be good for you." He said while Carina stared at the man amused and Maya walked out, refusing to listen to anything anymore. Andy continued to stand there in shock. "My decision's final." He stated.
"Well, that didn't go as expected like I thought it would..." Maya said annoyed as they climbed back into the car once Andy had joined them as well.
"Nope. Definitely not," Andy mumbled in agreement.
"I'm sorry that's happened Andy," Carina said, feeling sorry for the brunette women.
"It's okay. Guess I am starting at a new station, huh," Andy said as she gave the two women a smile, trying to make it seem like she wasn't bothered, she didn't want this to interfere on today.
"Hey babe, my mom's texted me and asked where I am," Sarah told Maddie as she slid her phone back into her purse.
Maddie looked over at her girlfriend and frowned. "And you need to go?" she questioned.
"Yeah, but I don't want to..." Sarah said sadly. "I wish I could stay here with you instead," she added.
"Me too, but I'll be okay. I'll stick around with everyone." Maddie said as she smiled.
Sarah smiled and leaned in to kiss Maddie on the lips. "I'll see you soon. I love you," she said before she stood up.
"I love you too," Maddie smiled as she kissed her girlfriend back.
"Oh, are you leaving dear?" Katherine questioned.
"Uh yeah, my mom wants me home," Sarah said as she fixed her purse over her shoulder. "It's nice to see you all again. Hopefully, I will see you soon." She told Maddie's family.
"Good to see you again Sarah. Take care," Mason smiled and waved over to the brunette teenager.
"Bye all," Sarah said as she waved and then walked out.
Travis approached Sullivan who was sitting by himself, after all, nobody wanted to really talk to him. "Hey, man. You should probably leave," he said.
"Why?" Robert questioned.
Travis leaned up against the table and looked at the taller man. "Well, I just think that you shouldn't be here when they get back," He stated.
"I'm not leaving, not without talking to my wife, Montgomery," Sullivan stated and refused to move from his seat.
Maddie was grabbing a drink and overheard the conversation, she couldn't help but feel upset about the whole situation and walked over. "Uncle Sully, no offence but I think you should go. You're just going to upset everyone here..." She said.
"I'm waiting for my wife to talk to me!" Sullivan insisted, out of everyone he didn't think that Maddie would be so negative against him.
Maddie shook her head in disagreement, she couldn't be more upset with him. "Well, clearly my Tia Andy doesn't want to talk to you so you are wasting your time. You just need to go before they come back," she stated.
Vic walked over to the table where Maddie and Travis were with Sullivan. "The squirt's right, Sullivan. It would probably be best if you left," she said. "Look, Maya isn't happy with you and the last thing that she wants is for you to be here, come on man, you really need to leave," she added.
"I need to talk to my wife. I'm staying here!" Sullivan demanded.
"Mom, you're back! How did it go?" Maddie asked as Maya, Carina and Andy all walked through the door.
"Not good at all," Maya said as she sighed.
"Yeah, what's happened?" Vic questioned confused.
Maya looked at everyone and spoke, "It was a misguided decision to storm the Chief's office. Um, so, yeah. But that does not mean that he gets to steal our joy," she said as she smiled, trying to keep her positivity high. "Come on," she added as the music started again and she pulled Carina back over to the dance floor.
"Hey Mom, are you okay?" Maddie asked concerned when she saw her mom sat at the table by herself.
"I'm okay kiddo. I just needed a moment," Maya lied as she smiled trying to stop her daughter from worrying.
"Are you sure?" Maddie asked.
Maya nodded and weakly smiled. "Yeah, I'll be okay Mads. I have you and I have your mama, and that's all that I need." She said.
Maddie moved to sit on her mom's lap, "Why is Sullivan still here?" she questioned in confusion.
"I don't know the answer to that kiddo," Maya told her honestly as she wrapped her arms around her daughter. "I don't want to think about anything right now, I just want to dance with my wife and daughter, so come on, let's dance!" she said as she patted her daughter's leg for her to get up.
"Okay," Maddie giggled as they headed over to the floor to dance again.
"Hey sis. We're going to call it a night," Mason said as he and Chloe walked over to the dance floor where Maya and Carina were dancing with everyone else.
"Okay. Thanks for coming both of you," Maya said as she gave them both a brief hug.
"Si. Thank you for coming," Carina said as she gave them a hug as well. "We will have a catch up soon." She told them both.
"I'm off to sweetheart," Katherine said. "Thank you both for having me here, and for allowing to me to witness you both get married," she smiled at the two women.
"Goodbye, Katherine. Thank you for coming today," Carina smiled as she gave her new mother-in-law a hug goodbye.
"Thanks, mom, see you soon," Maya said as she gave her mom a hug goodbye.
"Of course," Katherine said as she smiled and nodded.
"Mads, come and say bye to your Uncle, Chloe and Grandma!" Maya called over to Maddie who was dancing with Vic and Travis.
"You guys are going?" Maddie wondered as she walked over to them all out of breath from dancing so much.
Mason nodded and wrapped his arms around his niece, "See you later kid. Be good for your moms," he said as he chuckled.
"I'm always good." Maddie grinned as she hugged the older guy back. "See you soon," she said.
"Bye sweetheart. I will see you soon," Katherine said and wrapped her granddaughter up in a hug.
"Bye Maddie." Chloe smiled and gave the blonde a hug. "See you all soon, hopefully, next time it'll be without the bump," she grinned.
"Bye!" Maya said as she waved goodbye to them both as they walked out.
"Hey," Andy said as she sat beside her best friend.
Maya smiled at her best friend. "Hey..." She said quietly.
Andy felt awful for what had happened. "Listen, Maya, I'm sorry that Robert went and spoke to McCallister, and this has all happened," she said guiltily.
"It's okay, it isn't your fault," Maya said, looking at her best friend.
Andy nodded in agreement. "I know, but I can't help but feel like it is," she told her.
"So, uh, are you going home tonight?" Maya questioned.
"Honestly, I had not even thought about it," Andy confessed to her best friend, she was so mad with her husband right now and didn't know what to even think.
Maya smiled at her best friend. "Well, if you do not want to then you can always stay at our apartment, I mean it's crowded with the four of us but if you don't want to go home, then you always have a place to stay at ours," she offered her best friend.
"Yeah, I would be grateful for that," Andy smiled gratefully. "Thank you!" she said.
"Would you mind taking Mads home in a bit? It's getting late and the last thing we need is for her to fall asleep on one of the tables," Maya said as she chuckled.
Andy nodded in agreement, "Of course. Whenever she is ready to leave, I will take her home." She said.
"Mom looks really upset," Maddie said as she sat down at the table with Carina who needed a break from dancing as she grabbed a drink.
"I know, we just need to be there for her right now Bambina," Carina said as she looked over to her wife who was talking to Andy on another side of the room.
"What does this mean mama?" Maddie asked confused. "I know moms' been demoted but what happens now," she continued to wonder.
"It means that your mom is back to being a lieutenant while there's an investigation," Carina explained to the teenage girl. "It's going to be all okay. Your moms' strong though and she has us both with her for this," she added.
"So, she'll be fighting fires now?" Maddie asked.
"Yes, she will, Bambina, but your mom will be careful. You don't need to worry," Carina smiled to the younger girl.
"Okay. I'm going to go dance with Auntie Vic and Uncle Travis," Maddie said as she stood up.
"Va bene, Piccola," Carina said in agreement before the teenager walked over to the two firefighters.
"Damn squirt, your dance moves are killing it!" Vic told Maddie, she emphasized drunkenly as she danced on the floor with the teenager, Travis, Emmett and Theo. "You are really putting me to shame kid!" she added.
"I'd say so!" Emmett drunkenly agreed as he swayed along to the music.
"How are you tired yet?" Theo chuckled as he was baffled how the thirteen-year-old had so much energy.
"I'm just not tired," Maddie said as she shrugged her shoulders and she eyed up Vic's drink of whiskey, "Can I have some of that?" she asked.
Vic snorted and shook her head. "Not a chance squirt. Both your moms' would absolutely kick my ass and I really don't fancy that!" she stated.
"Please?" Maddie asked as she pouted.
"Nope!" Vic said.
Maddie continued to pout, "Come on," she said again and looked at Travis. "Uncle Trav, would you let me?" she asked.
"Oh, no way, kid! Don't even try to get me involved in that," Travis chuckled as he shook his head in disagreement and took a swig of his drink. "Absolutely not," He repeated.
"No fun!" Maddie said, pouting while all of the adults chuckled.
Andy wandered over to them all, "Hey guys. You look like you're having a good time," she said.
"Tia Andy, will you let me drink?" Maddie asked with her famous pout on her face.
"Ah no, absolutely not Mija!" Andy said and shook her head. "You ready to head back to the apartment? Your mom asked me to take you home and it's getting late," she said.
"I'm not even tired yet though Tia," Maddie insisted.
"I know Mija but it's getting late so come on, lets' get going!" Andy said, motioning for the teenage girl to follow her.
"Fine, I'll go and say goodbye to my moms' first and then we can go," Maddie told the brunette who nodded, she walked over to the couple who was now in a conversation between themselves. "Hey moms," she said.
"Hi, Bambina." Carina smiled at their teenage daughter.
"Hey kiddo," Maya smiled as Maddie moved to sit on her moms' lap. "We've asked Tia Andy to take you home, that okay with you?" she asked.
Maddie nodded in agreement, "Sure. I'm not tired yet though... Do I have to leave?" she asked.
Carina chuckled and nodded her head. "Bambina, you will be asleep in the next half an hour," she said.
"Yeah, we don't you to fall asleep right on the table," Maya teased her daughter lightly.
"Buonanotte, Bambina. Sogni d'oro," Carina said to Maddie and leaned over to kiss the top of her head.
"Night kiddo. See you tomorrow morning," Maya said. "Be good for your Tia, alright?" she asked.
"Please, I'm always good," Maddie said as she rubbed her eyes, the exhaustion was finally starting to kick in.
"And that's what you always say Mads," Maya chuckled as she tickled her daughter playfully. "I mean it Mads. Behave please," she repeated.
"I will. Goodnight moms', I love you both," Maddie said.
"Text me when you both get home?" Maya asked Andy as Maddie stood up.
"Yeah, of course, will do," Andy said in agreement. "Have a good rest of the night. See you both later on," she said before the two of them walked out.
"Alone at last," Maya said as they stood in the middle of the floor, everyone else had left and it was only the two of them now.
"Hmm," Carina hummed in agreement.
"So much for no drama today, hey?" Maya said as she laughed and tried to make light of the situation.
"Bella," Carina spoke, feeling sad for her wife.
"Come on lets' dance... I don't want to think about it today. It can be tomorrow's problem," Maya insisted as she wrapped her arms around her wife and they swayed to the music in the background, pressed closely together.
"Bella are you okay?" Carina wondered, pulling back to look at Maya who had tears rolling down her cheeks.
"I'm okay," Maya weakly said.
"No, you're not," Carina said as she pulls Maya back in for a hug and holds her tightly.
"No, I'm not," Maya repeated as she leaned on Carina and they continued to dance slowly to the music.
"It's going to be okay, Bella. We will get through this," Carina said softly as she held her wife close to her.
•
Another update,
Okay, let me know what you guys think!
As always, thanks for the ongoing support on the book so far!!