Rings

Every Day is a Good Day with You

Since Maya ran to work when it was still light out, and now it was dark out and the air a little chilly, Carina decided to surprise her and pick her up. She arrived at the station a little before Maya's shift ended at eight to make sure Maya didn't get off early and start her jog home before she could be stopped.

She was happy to see Maya chatting in the lobby through the glass doors when she pulled up. Carina quietly entered the station and watched Maya, waiting for her to finish her story and notice her.

"What are you look-" Maya turned around to see her gorgeous wife standing by the door. "Babe! What are you doing here?"

"I am your ride home," Carina smiled into a kiss as Maya pulled her close.

"Thank you. I honestly was kind of regretting running here when I looked outside a bit ago."

Maya quickly gave Carina another kiss before pulling her into the conversation with Vic and Travis while still holding onto each other's sides.

"Oh, don't act like I didn't offer you a ride like three times," Vic said, giving Maya a look.

"I was perfectly fine going home by foot."

"But now your hot wife is here, and suddenly riding home isn't so bad?"

"Did you just call my wife hot?"

Maya tried to act offended, but the blush on her face gave her true feelings away. She secretly liked the attention, and every time someone pointed out how beautiful Carina was, Maya felt like she had won the lottery.

"Yes, but are you really going to stand here and tell me I'm wrong?"

"Yeah, Bella, is she wrong?" Carina teased.

"Can we change the subject before I get in trouble?" Maya's cheeks were now a bright red. "I need to grab a few things from upstairs, then I'll be ready to go."

"Okay, there is no rush." Carina gave her a sweet smile as she ran up the stairs. As she looked at their friends, she saw them watching her closely. "What?"

"You are so in love," Travis said with an extra emphasis on the love.

"I would hope so; I am married." Carina stood up straight and fixed her jacket, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious.

"No, like you are in love, head over heels, make lovey eyes, and come to pick your lover up from work just because it makes her day a tiny bit better kind of love."

"Thank you," Carina said with a grin plastered on her face; she didn't even try to hide how happy Travis' words made her.

"It's gross and makes the rest of us feel bad," Travis said, trying to keep a straight face. The second he started to break, he ran up the stairs to the locker room, Vic following close behind before she could get dragged in.

Left alone, Carina leaned back on the reception desk, checking her phone for any important emails. There wasn't anything that needed immediate attention, so she moved on to social media. A photo popped up from her honeymoon, a picture of her and Maya holding their matching wedding bands to the camera.

Carina got lost in the memory. She didn't even notice Maya come down the stairs until she stood directly in front of her.

"What are you thinking about?"

"What?" Carina's eyes snapped up and were greeted by big blue ones staring back at her.

"You just looked very in your head."

"You." Carina turned her phone for Maya to see.

"Oh, yeah, that was a good day." Maya looked back up at Carina, and she felt her heart get all soft. "Every day with you is a good day."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Maya looked back down at Carina's phone, their wedding bands catching her eye. "Oh, can I have my ring back?"

Carina nodded before slipping the gold off her hand while Maya took off her silicone. They looked deep into each other's eyes for a moment, forgetting they were in the middle of the fire station.

"You are my whole heart; I love you with every last bit of me. And I really love this little routine we have with your ring. It gives us both a break to stop everything and pay attention to each other like nothing else matters except you and how much I love you."

"You always say I am the soft one, but I think it's secretly you. Making a declaring your love in the middle of my work."

"Fine, we are both the soft one. Now, will you just kiss me so I can put your ring on you?"

Without wasting another second, Maya kissed Carina with a passion she didn't know she would ever show at her place of work. Butterflies swarmed in her stomach as she felt the cool metal slipping over her finger.

"I love you," Maya mumbled against her wife's lips.

"What are you two gushy love birds doing down here?"

Maya and Carina's attention turned to the bottom of the staircase, where Travis and Vic watched them.

"How much of that did you see?"

"Every day is a good day with you," Travis tried his best to mimic Maya's voice, but it just sounded like a random damsel from some old movie.

"That's how you hear Bishop in your head? I heard-"

"Yes, I love my wife, she is the most amazing person on this earth, and she is hot as hell; I would be an idiot not to love her. But that doesn't make me any less tough. I can be a badass and also adore my wife; the two aren't mutually exclusive."

"That is so cute it's actually kind of gross. When did you get so soft?" Vic laughed, hitting Travis in the arm.

"I will kick both of your asses at the same time."

"Have a good night Deluca-Bishops."

"See you Tuesday." Vic held onto Travis' arm as they ran out of the station, not waiting for a response from Maya.

Carina laughed, taking Maya's hand in hers and rubbing her thumb along Maya's wedding band. When they made their way out to the parking lot, Travis and Vic were still standing in the cold, hunched over and laughing. Maya made a face at them before jumping into the passenger seat of Carina's Porsche.

"Why does it bother you so much when someone calls you soft?"

"My dad used to call us soft when we didn't live up to his expectations."

"Bambina, why didn't you say something before? I wouldn't have teased you so much about it. I'm sorry." Carina reached over the center console and rested a hand on Maya's thigh.

"It's okay. I know you mean it lovingly." Maya took Carina's hand and intertwined their fingers.

"I do. You know, soft is a nice thing. Like your favorite blanket to use when we watch movies is the super soft one, and... I can't think of anything else that is soft right now for some reason, but there are a lot of good soft things!"

"Thank you," Maya laughed to herself. It was moments like now when Maya was so grateful that she let Carina into her life.

The rest of the car ride home was quiet while Maya watched the lighting change against Carina's skin, appreciating the beauty of her wife and that she got to call Carina hers.