Autumn 2020
Maya began with an insecure sigh, "I think I'm ready to talk about it... That summer after I was hospitalized." Dr. Amy Thorpe gave her an encouraging smile.
"Well, I'm here to listen," Amy got comfortable in the chair across from Maya.
Maya nodded, "You've been waiting months to hear this one! I just know it," the blonde teased lightly in attempt to mask her nerves.
Amy smiled politely, "Why don't you just tell me about it? No assumptions, no reservations. Thought you worked passed that issue…" she kindly razzed.
"I have," Maya spoke confidently.
"Good, then let's hear your story, Maya."
Maya opened her journal and began to read.
"My mom remarried when I was almost thirteen. She married Shawn Hunter; the man I call my father. Not too long after they married, Shawn adopted me. Shortly after that, he got an idea. Shawn then wrote and illustrated the children's book series 'Marvelous Maya' based on stories mom told him about me. There were fifty-two books written, one for each week in the year. The books were wildly successful and catapulted Shawn into literary stardom. We moved into a big ol' brownstone. I went to private school. Mom spent her days shopping and decorating our new home. Shawn, when not working on his writing, was meeting with all kinds of fancy literary peeps. Those four years were a whirlwind. Life was great… Until it wasn't."
June 2016
"She is stable now, Shawn, but she still needs someone…" Katy huffed with frustrated sadness.
Shawn wrapped his arms around Katy, "I know, but," he paused and placed his hands on Katy's pregnant stomach, "how can we focus on the baby and ensure Maya gets the care she needs?"
Katy sombered, "I feel like I've let her down… what should we do?"
Those last six months had been so difficult. A lot of tough decisions and sacrifices were made. The battle felt never ending.
Shawn thought for a moment and then smiled, "My friend Cory has a daughter Maya's age! They met at our wedding, remember? And they've seen each other several times since then. They seemed to get along. Why don't we invite her here for the summer to keep Maya company?"
His wife looked at him in disbelief, "You think she'd go for it?" Katy asked flatly.
Shawn wrapped Katy into a hug, "Cory was just telling me yesterday how Riley and Topanga have been driving each other crazy. Riley's itching to get away for awhile. She'd say yes in a heartbeat."
Katy shook her head, "I still don't know. If I didn't need to keep my stress minimal for the baby, this would not be a problem."
"Let's have Riley come over tomorrow. If she and Maya don't click, then we'll send her home and we can revisit the idea of hiring a nurse's aid, okay?" Shawn kissed Katy's forehead.
Katy nodded, "Okay."
"I assume you're… caught up on all that's … happened… with Maya?" Katy cautiously asked the following morning as she, Shawn, and Riley sat at the kitchen table.
Riley smiled politely, "Yes, she's had a rough year. What exactly will I need to do?"
"Well," Shawn cleared his throat. "Maya is stable now between meds and therapy, but we don't want her to be alone. Katy's pregnancy is high risk and her doctor has ordered her to take it easy until baby is born. We can't be in two places at once. You'd be doing us a solid, Riley."
Katy nodded, "We'd be forever grateful to you, sweetheart."
Riley beamed, "If Maya will have me, then I don't see a problem. Will be nice to have the chance to get to know her better."
"Great! Let's go see Maya," Shawn spoke gleefully.
"Honey?" Katy lightly knocked on Maya's door. "Riley's here; we're coming in now." She opened the door leading Riley and Shawn in.
Maya watched the three enter as she sat in her window with a sketch pad in her lap and glasses on. "Hey," the blonde greeted Riley with a small smile.
"Hi," Riley smiled warmly.
"Okay, girls. We'll be downstairs. Let us know if you need anything," Shawn offered welcomingly before he and Katy exited the room.
Maya waited until the door was closed and then produced a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from under the pillow behind her.
Riley watched as Maya cracked her window, brought the smoke to her lips, lit it, and took a long drag.
Maya caught Riley watching. She exhaled out the window and then turned to the brunette, "Does smoking bother you?"
"No," Riley answered with a timid smile.
Maya giggled, "You're a goodie-goodie, aren't you Matthews?" Riley blushed immediately at the tease.
"You ever smoked before? Drank?" Maya inquired before taking another hit.
Riley nodded, "Drank, yes. Never smoked though." Maya exhaled out the window and then scooted closer to her seat mate.
"Wanna try?" Maya smirked holding the cigarette in front of Riley's lips.
Riley didn't need a mirror to know her face was the color of a tomato. She could smell the clove of the cigarette on Maya's breath. It mixed with the blonde's Victoria's Secret Angel perfume and the pink grapefruit hibiscus candle burning on the dresser.
Riley's head did a little spin from the rush of stimuli, "Uhh," was all she could muster in the moment.
Maya laughed like an ornery child and then scooted back to her side.
"So," Maya finished her cigarette. "What version of events have you been told? The politically correct truth or the actual truth with all the nitty gritty deets?" she watched as confusion colored Riley's features.
Riley shook her head, "I don't follow."
"What have you been told has happened to me in the last six months, Riley?" Maya put it squarely.
"I'm assuming it's not the whole truth. I'm aware of your emotional break and you being in the hospital, but that's it. Is there more?" Riley felt very uncomfortable asking as she didn't want to get Shawn and Katy in trouble.
Maya nodded slightly, "I lost myself, in more ways than one. I was drinking and using drugs to cope. Acute alcohol poisoning and an overdose landed me in the hospital." She carefully observed Riley as the words processed.
"I'm so sorry you had to go through that," Riley placed a kind hand on Maya's knee.
"Thanks," Maya forced a kind smile.
Autumn 2020
"You didn't tell her the whole story that first day?" Amy asked as she scribbled a quick note on her tablet.
Maya scoffed, "Would you?"
Amy shot her a knowing look with a hummed, "Hmm."
"This," Maya pulled a worn piece of paper from her journal, "was never be easy for me to talk about." She turned the worn paper over to reveal it was a sonogram picture.
Amy gave a sad smile as Maya handed the picture to her. In the right hand corner was 'Hart, Maya', followed by her age at the time, the date, and tech information. There was a gray dot in the center that was only about as big as a quarter.
"I thought telling Riley the total truth," she gestured to the ultrasound picture, "would be the hardest thing I had to face that summer…"
"However, you were mistaken?" Amy punctuated the question with kinked a eyebrow.
Maya chuckled wryly, "Exactly."
A/N: Semi-inspired by Hayley Kiyoko's 'Ease My Mind'. Thanks MissGamerGeek for all your help! You kept me sane and on track. Next time there'll be brownies. ;)