"Great job today, Maya," Andy said, clapping her on the shoulder. "It's like you never left."
"Thanks, Andy. It feels good to be back," Maya replied, her heart swelling with gratitude.
After a full day back, Maya took a moment to head to the bunks to relax. Maya settled into her bunk, the faint hum of the station echoing around her. After a busy day of inspections, she felt a mix of exhaustion and excitement. It had been too long since she last spoke with Carina and Alex, and she couldn't wait to hear how their day had gone.
She pulled out her phone and dialed Carina, a smile spreading across her face as it rang. Almost immediately, Carina picked up. "Hey, love!"
"Hey! How was your first day back at the hospital?" Maya asked, her heart warm at the sound of Carina's voice.
"It was... a bit difficult to handle patient care with this cast," Carina admitted, her voice tinged with frustration. "But I really enjoyed being back. It felt good to help people again. I had a meeting with Dr. Bailey about the new women's reproductive center, which was exciting! I can't wait to get that project started."
Maya felt pride swell in her chest. "That sounds amazing! I knew you'd be great back there. You always are. How are you feeling about managing everything with the cast?"
Carina sighed softly. "It's definitely a challenge, but I'm figuring it out. I just have to ask for help more than usual. But enough about me! How was your day?"
"It was busy but good! We had a full day of inspections, and it felt great to be back with the team. They really missed me," Maya said, a hint of playfulness in her tone.
"I'm glad to hear that. You belong there," Carina replied, her voice warm and encouraging.
Just then, Alex's voice piped up in the background. "Mamma! Can I talk to Mommy?"
"Of course! Here's Mommy," Carina said, passing the phone to Alex with a chuckle.
"Hi, Mommy!" Alex exclaimed, his excitement evident.
"Hey there, little buddy! How was preschool today?" Maya asked, picturing Alex bouncing with enthusiasm.
"It was super fun! We painted pictures, and I made a big blue dinosaur!" Alex said proudly. "And then we had snack time with juice and cookies!"
Maya laughed, her heart swelling at his excitement. "A blue dinosaur? That sounds awesome! Did you save some juice for your friends?"
"Yeah! I shared it with everyone because I'm a nice pirate!" Alex declared, a proud grin on his face.
"You're the best pirate I know, Alex! I'm so proud of you for sharing," Maya said, feeling a rush of love. "Did you tell them about your day watching the Seattle Mariners?"
"I told Jayden all about my new jersey and the snacks," Alex replied, sounding slightly disappointed but eager to move on. "Can I tell you a secret, Mommy?"
"Absolutely! What's your secret?" Maya asked, leaning in closer as if Alex could see her.
"I want to be a firefighter just like you when I grow up!" he whispered, his voice full of excitement.
Maya's heart melted. "Oh, buddy, that would be amazing! You'd be the best firefighter. You can always help me on the fire truck, okay?"
"Yeah! And I can bring my dinosaur!" Alex added, his imagination running wild.
"Perfect! Just make sure your dinosaur is ready to help fight fires," Maya joked, loving the vision of them working together.
"Okay!" Alex giggled, and Maya could almost see him bouncing with excitement.