Maria Ivy Lopez-Fitzgerald would never have been conceived if her father had been allowed to decide for himself who he made love to. Kay used the essence of Charity to physically turn herself into Charity, and when Miguel made love to her, he believed he was making love to his soulmate, and not his former best friend. Even before her birth she was used as a tool of manipulation by her mother to break up Miguel and Charity. She was born nearly two months premature, and almost died. It was Charity's promise to Death that she would give up her true love, Miguel, that saved young Maria's life. Shortly thereafter, her mother gave her a name...Maria for Miguel's aunt and grandmother, after Tabitha convinced Kay that the best way to manipulate Miguel was through using a name important to him, and Ivy for Ivy Winthrop Crane, the woman who has been seeking to destroy Kay's family for years, because Kay was furious with Grace for not supporting her manipulating and scheming to break up Miguel and Charity. She also gave the baby Miguel's last name. Kay was released soon after, but it was a number of weeks before Maria was released, going home at Thanksgiving.