Author's Note #1
Hello my lovelies! How are you on this fine day? I'm doing just fine, thank you for asking (if you did).
Welcome back to this story! I've finally updated again! I know, it's been a while. It's the usual schoolwork and volleyball. But, good news! Volleyball season is coming to an end this week, so I'll have wayyy more time to write now. (Well, that's good news for you guys. I'm sad that the season's over.)
So, this chapter picks up right where the last one ended, and I put a little refresher of the last scene in there so you wouldn't have to go back if you've forgotten. THE RUCAS BABY COMES IN THIS CHAPTER! AHH!
Anyways, without further ado, let's get on with this chapter!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Girl Meets World.
Chapter Six.
previously…
"Hello?" she asked, crossing her fingers and hoping that it was Josh on the other end.
"Maya?"
It was Lucas, and he sounded extremely panicked.
"Maya, Riley's water just broke," Lucas continued.
"What?" Maya cried. "She's not due for another six weeks!"
"Well, she said it happened, and so I'm driving her to the hospital now…"
"I'll be there as soon as I can," Maya said.
"Please hurry," Lucas pleaded.
"I will. Try to stay calm, okay Lucas? Everything will be okay."
"Okay," he agreed, then hung up.
She got into her car as quickly as she could. The hospital was halfway across the city, so she couldn't waste time.
Maya tried to stop horrible thoughts from entering her head as she drove through the busy streets of the city, but ultimately couldn't. What if everything wasn't okay?
Riley was about to have a baby six weeks before it was due. Maya knew that premature babies faced many medical complications that full-term babies were less likely to face, and she was extremely worried. What if something happened to the baby? What if something happened to Riley?
Blinking away tears that were forming in her eyes, Maya tried to drive faster. Anything to get her to the hospital quicker.
She got to the hospital around six, just as the sun was setting. She rushed into the waiting room, where she found the Matthews and a few of the Friars. Topanga stood up as soon as she entered the room, and wrapped Maya in a huge bear-hug.
"She's getting ready for a C-section right now," Topanga said gently as she stroked Maya's hair. Cory hugged her next.
"Your parents are on their way back," he explained. "They'll be back from Venezuela tomorrow."
Maya proceeded to hug Auggie, then Lucas's parents, and then Farkle and Isadora, who had gotten back from their honeymoon the day before.
"Maya," said a deep voice from behind her as soon as she pulled out of her embrace with Smakle.
Maya turned around and came face-to-face with Josh, who she wrapped her arms around immediately. He did the same, and the warmth and familiarity of his arms caused her to start crying all over again.
"I'm so scared, Josh," she admitted into his t-shirt so only he could hear. Everyone else seemed to be leaving them be anyway, but she didn't want to risk them hearing her.
"It'll be okay Maya," he assured her.
Maya pulled away the slightest bit. "How do you know?" she asked.
Josh pulled away more. "I just do." He took her hand and sat down with her in the uncomfortable waiting room chairs. "Did I ever tell you when I was born?"
"On February 14, of course," Maya said, not seeing how this would explain how he 'just knew' that it'd be okay.
Josh chuckled. "That's not what I meant," he said, then paused before continuing. "I was a preemie too."
Maya's eyes grew wide. "Really?"
Josh nodded. "Yep. Six weeks early, just like Riley's baby."
"Why didn't you ever tell me?" she asked.
"Would you have guessed?" he countered.
Maya shook her head, and Josh squeezed her hand, smiling a bit.
"See? I turned out just fine," he said. "And Riley's child will too. Okay?"
Maya nodded, feeling better about the whole thing.
"Hey, we should talk," Josh said after a few moments of awkward silence.
Maya frowned. "I don't think this is the right time, Josh."
"Why not?" Josh asked. "We're going to be sitting here for a while, so we might as well talk about something."
Maya sighed. "I guess you're right."
"So, have you thought about what happened the other night?" Josh asked.
Maya nodded. "I have."
There was an awkward pause, before Maya realized that Josh probably wanted her to tell him what she thought about.
Maya took a deep breath. "Look Josh, I don't think that now is the right time for this" -she gestured between the two of them- "to happen."
She didn't miss the way Josh's face fell when she told him that, nor did she miss the disappointed tone in his voice when he asked her, "So you didn't mean anything that you did the other night? Because I know I did."
Maya sighed, massaging her temples with her fingers. "I don't know, Josh," she confessed.
"I thought you said you thought about this," Josh said.
"I did," Maya said ardently. "But I'm still so confused about the whole thing."
"Is there anything you do know?" Josh asked.
Maya reached over and took his hand, locking eyes with him as well. "I do know that I want you back in my life, if that's alright with you."
Josh smiled at her. "Of course that's alright with me," he said.
"Good, because I don't know if I could handle spending anymore of my life without you," Maya told him.
"Neither can I."
Maya let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. This was easier than she thought it'd be, and now it was over with. She and Josh's relationship was back on track.
Suddenly, Maya heard two words that she hadn't heard from Josh since she was in high school.
"Long game?" he asked.
Her head snapped up and she stared at him for a moment, surprised. But then her gaze relaxed, and she smiled the tiniest but. "Long game," she confirmed, leaning over and resting her head on his shoulder. There, she smiled to herself, hardly able to contain her joy.
There was a lull in the conversation and Maya felt herself falling asleep. Right before she drifted off, she heard Josh say, "I'll wait for you Maya."
It was a few more hours of waiting in the cold, weirdly-smelling hospital room before the elevator doors opened to reveal an exhausted-looking Lucas. His face broke into a wide smile when he saw his family, however, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"Everything went smoothly," he said, "and we have a beautiful baby girl named Jessica Penelope Friar."
As everyone went to hug Lucas, Maya stayed behind, feeling tears forming in her eyes. Not only was the baby okay, but Riley named it after her. It was only her middle name, but it was still extremely touching.
"Riley's resting in her room right now and Jessica is in the NICU," Lucas told them. "The doctors are running some tests right now, but you should be able to go see the baby in an hour or two."
Lucas took them all up to Riley's room, making half of them stay in the hallway and wait quietly while the others talked to her.
Maya waited with Farkle, Smakle, Josh, and Auggie while Lucas and Riley's parents went in to greet Riley. She talked with Farkle and Smakle about their honeymoon while Josh talked to Auggie about school, but the two didn't leave each other's side until they went into Riley's room.
"Peaches!" Riley exclaimed rather tiredly as soon as they walked into the room.
"Hey Riles," Maya said, smiling proudly at her best friend. She walked over and gingerly sat on the bed next to her as Riley greeted the others.
"How are you feeling?" Farkle asked, concern etched into his features.
Riley smiled. "Well, I'm a bit sore, but they're keeping me well medicated and to be honest, I'm just happy it's over and she's here."
"That's good," Smakle said.
"What about Huckleberry?" Maya asked, ever the one to poke fun at Lucas. "Did he faint?"
"I didn't faint, oh you of little faith," Lucas retorted. "I did just fine, thank you very much. You know, I think we should reconsider making her of all people the godmother of Jessica." He addressed Riley with the last sentence.
Maya's breath hitched, and she felt the tears returning to her eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. "You want me to be the godmother of your baby?" she asked, searching Riley's eyes for any sign that this could be a joke.
Riley nodded. "Of course I do," she said. "Who else would it be?"
Smakle cleared her throat. "I'm standing right here you know."
Riley's head turned suddenly and the look on her face was one of regret that she'd said anything with her other best girl friend standing right there.
"Oh, Smakle, I-I didn't mean it like that, it's just I've known Maya longer and I really-"
"I'm kidding, Riley," Smakle said. "I knew it'd be Maya. Like you said, who else would it be?"
Riley breathed a giant sigh of relief. "Oh thank goodness."
"But Maya, seriously, we want you to be Jessica's godmother, if that's alright with you," Lucas said.
"If that's alright?!" Maya exclaimed. "Of course that's alright! Thank you so much you guys!" She wrapped her arms around Riley, then stood up and did the same to Lucas.
"Who's going to be the godfather?" Farkle asked, raising an eyebrow and pointing at himself.
Riley smirked. "I guess it'll be whoever ends up marrying Maya." She flicked her gaze up to Josh for the briefest of moments, only long enough for Maya to notice. Maya glared at her.
"Aw, man," Farkle said, disappointed. "Why, oh why did I have to fall for this minx instead of that one?" He cried dramatically, gesturing from Smakle to Maya.
Maya turned to smile at Farkle. "You never even had a chance with me."
Farkle smiled back. "I know."
The group talked for a little while longer before a nurse came in and told them that Riley needed her rest and that they could come back to see her the next day.
The others had already gone to see Jessica in the NICU, so their group made their way to the little room where she was. She lay in a little plastic box that had two holes on either side of it, so the doctors could interact with her without exposing her to too much of the world yet. Her little ID tag was on the side of the box as well, and Maya read it just to make sure she hadn't been imagining things when Lucas had said her name. It did, in fact, read Jessica Penelope Friar.
Maya let the other three go before her, and waited until they'd joined the others outside in the viewing area before she peered into the box.
Her heart immediately swelled with love for the squirming little bundle, and once again her eyes filled with tears.
"Um, hi Jessica," she said softly, wiping her eyes with her fingers. "I'm Maya. I'm your godmother." She put her hands on the side of the box, trying to imagine what it would be like to hold the baby. "I hope you get all better really soon, so you can go home with your Mom and Dad. They'll be great parents; I just know it. In fact, you have the best family that you could ever imagine. You've got your grandparents, who are the most loving people that I know. Then you've got a pretty darn cool uncle Auggie. Then you've got your Uncle Farkle and Aunt Smakle, who are the nerdiest people I know." She paused, chuckling. "But they also care so much about everyone. You'll love them as well. And then…there's Josh. I guess he's technically your great-uncle." She looked up to where she could see Josh talking to Cory and Topanga. He caught her eye and smiled. "And who knows," she said, smiling back at him, "maybe he'll be your godfather one day."
She wiped her eyes again and sniffed. "There are so many more people in this crazy family, people who already love you more than you can imagine. Some days they'll drive you up the wall, and some days you might hurt them, but in the end nothing will separate you from them. Because they're your family, and they love you no matter what happens…trust me. I'd know."
She kissed her hand and then pressed it against the side of the box. It was the closest she'd get to actually kissing the precious child, and she'd take what she could get. "Welcome to the family Jessica."
From the corner of the room there was smattering applause, and Maya looked up to see two parents that she hadn't seen when she came in sitting with their newborn, clapping for her.
"That was beautiful," the mother said, wiping tears from her own eyes.
Maya smiled at her gratefully before turning toward the door and leaving.
"You okay Maya?" Josh asked as she walked over to him.
Maya nodded. "I was just telling Jessica about her family."
Josh smiled. "She does have a great one, doesn't she?"
Maya looked around at all the beautiful people around her and smiled. "She really does."
Maya arrived at her house around midnight, and crashed on her couch as soon as she did, not even bothering to take off her makeup or put on pajamas. Just before she fell asleep, however, she got a text from an unknown number.
Hey, Maya. This is Olivia…yes, that Olivia. I know you're probably pissed at me right now, and confused as to why I'm even contacting you in the first place. But I really wanted to explain myself to you and apologize for everything that has happened over the last few months. If it's alright with you, I'd like to meet for lunch sometime soon. I've heard of a lovely little place called 'Topanga's' and I'd like to see if it's any good. I'll be there at eleven o'clock on Tuesday. Don't come if you don't feel comfortable with it. I completely understand if you don't.
Author's Note #2
Thank you for reading this chapter! I loved writing that scene with Maya talking to Jessica. (And yes, the name Jessica is related to Jexica.) I just thought it was really sweet.
Things are progressing with Maya and Josh, and now Olivia wants to talk to Maya! What do you guys think she'll do? (And Olivia is the one who was with Josh when Maya found him in her living room and the one that Jordan cheated on Maya with. Did you know that already? I didn't know if you'd remember. I only mentioned her name like three times.)
ALSO, the one shot about graduation is up now, if you haven't seen it already. You probably have, it's been up for like two weeks.
Please leave me a review telling me what you liked or disliked about this chapter. I love reading your reviews, it puts a huge smile on my face whenever I read them.
Until next time (which I hope will be sooner rather than later),
~SmartyPants210