Someday soon Chapter 7
AN: sorry for the change in tone of this story, It's a little serious for a while here, but i think it's important for this to happen to really bond maya and josh. Things will get cute again. Right now it's sad but i hope heartfelt!
Maya was mortified at what at happened in Josh's dorm room. Once she had pulled herself together enough to stand, she had avoided Josh's gaze, muttered a thanks and an apology to him and quickly left the room without another word. She was rarely vulnerable in front of anyone, let alone someone she liked. Yet she hadn't been able to contain her emotions as they tore through her chest.
She hadn't allowed herself to break down in front of her mother or Shawn. In fact she hadn't said anything to either of them after they had broken the news about Katy's diagnosis to her. Maya had sat stunned on the couch, unable to meet her mother's eye, instead staring at the floor under her feet. Maya hadn't said a word. She had let her parents comfort her, and treat her with child gloves as they tried to explain what would happen next. Maya had excused herself from the apartment, trying to keep her voice from breaking as she whispered that she needed to take a walk. She had thought that she was going to see Riley, but she soon realized that in that moment she couldn't face her best friend. That was how she had somehow ended up at Josh's doorstep.
Maya had wandered the neighbourhood for a while longer after leaving Josh's dorm. She wasn't sure she was ready to face going back home again. It wasn't until it began to get dark and her phone began to buzz with Shawn's number that Maya began to make her way back to her apartment. When she arrived home she found that her parents weren't alone in their home. The whole Matthews family was crowded into the living room, and Maya nearly broke down all other again.
Maya, still embarrassed over her outburst in front of Josh, had waiting until she assumed he would be asleep, typed out a sheepish apology text to him, expressing how sorry she was to dump her problems on him, and her embarrassment over the whole event. To her surprise, her phone buzzed with a response nearly immediately. Josh, quick to comfort her, assured that his door was always open to her, and that anything she needed he would be more than happy to do. Maya looked down at the message on her phone, and up towards the wall she shared with her parents room, she felt the weight of what was to come. She placed her phone face down on her side table and turned over in bed, her pillow slightly wet with tears.
….
It was the second day of May, a saturday, when Katy Hart Hunter passed away. She had been in the hospital for the past week, fighting an infection, her body already to weakened. Maya had been asleep in a chair beside the hospital bed when her mother's heart stopped. Doctors and nurses flooded into the room, rushing to run the code.
Maya watched in horror as doctors tried and failed to re start Katy's heart. Shawns arms had wrapped around her in restraint when Maya had jumped up and tried to claim the paddles from the doctors hands when they began to give up. Maya had screamed and sobbed, trying to fight Shawn off her ( tears rolled down his own face), when the Doctor let his arms slump and declared time of death at 6:56 am. Maya's body had slumped as she stared at her mother's lifeless body before her. If Shawn's arms hadn't been wrapped around her she would have surely hit the floor. This was wrong. Maya wasn't ready yet. They were supposed to have more time. The doctor had promised them more time. They were supposed to have months left after Katys diagnosis, not weeks. This couldn't be happening. Not yet.
…..
Several days later, the morning of the funeral, Riley woke up to find the place in bed beside her empty. Maya and Shawn had been staying at the Matthews apartment, not ready to go back to their own home and face seeing all of Katy's things. Shawn was staying on the fold out couch in Topanga's office while Maya was sleeping in Riley's room.
Riley sat up and looked around her room, her eyes finally landing on her best friend, sitting at the bay window looking out at the outside world.
"Maya?" Riley said hesitantly, her voice soft. Maya continued to look out at the sky as she spoke to her best friend.
" Is it dumb that i'd thought it would rain?" she asked. Her voice rough and hoarse as if she had been crying, yet her face was dry.
" What?" Riley asked confused.
" I've been picturing this day. Ever since we found out about her diagnosis. I've been picturing this day. The funeral, and every single time it's raining. There's always grey clouds. But i don't think i've ever seen the sky this blue. It's a beautiful day. " Maya took in a deep breath that caught in her throat.
"Across the city everybody going to be out enjoying the sun, and i'll be putting my mother in the ground."
Riley climbed out of her bed and rushed to sit next to her best friend by the window and pulled Maya into a hug. Maya's head rested against Riley's shoulder and despite the hurt she felt in her heart no more tears came to her.
" I thought it would rain." Maya whispered again, her eyes blank and unseeing.
…
After the burial, a wake was held at the Matthews apartment. Katy's friends and relatives crowded into living space as Topanga offered refreshments and trays of food to the guests. Shawn and Cory had been huddled together in the a corner together, talking in hushed voices and embracing often.
Katy had been buried only a few hours before. Maya's eye had somehow remained dry as she clutched onto Shawn's hand as they watched Katys casket being lowered into the ground.
Maya had been hugged and comforted by dozens of relatives she had never met, the whole time feeling as if her whole body had gone numb. Her eyes glazed over as people spoke to her, and she couldn't help but think that she wished she had stayed in bed that day. It had been hours before Maya had been able to sneak away from the crowds. She slipped into Riley's bedroom and hoisted open the window and climbed out onto the fire escape.
She leaned against the side of the building and looked out at the city around her. The sun was beating down on her, making her feel hot and uncomfortable in her long sleeve black dress.
Maya closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall and tried to take a few deep breaths. She heard the sound of the window opening once again, and her immediate thought was that Riley was climbing out onto the fire escape after her.
"Maya?" Her eyes shot open at the sound of Josh's voice. He was leaning out the window watching her, still in his suit from the funeral.
" What are you doing out here?" He asked, watching her carefully.
Maya shrugged.
" I just can't be in there anymore." She said simply.
" Do you mind if i.." He gestured to the fire escape under her feet.
Maya nodded and Josh climbed the rest of the way out the window and joined her leaning against the railing.
" Thank you for coming." Maya said quietly.
" Of course" Josh said softly, their arms brushing together as they both leaned against the railing of the fire escape.
They stood in silence together for a while, Josh unsure what to say, and Maya just glad to have someone next to her who wasn't trying to talk to her about her grief. Suddenly Maya's grandmother appeared at the window, opening the glass pane and leaning out.
"Maya baby, come back inside. You should be with family."
Maya sighed as her grandmother retreated back into the apartment. Maya let her head fall against Josh's shoulder for a moment.
" I don't know if i can go back in there. If one more person says they're sorry for my loss, or that this is all part of god's plan, i'm going to scream." Maya shook her head and nearly laughed.
"You know if i'm going to start treating you like my therapist you should probably start charging me for sessions." Maya joked. Josh snorted in laughter, and Maya almost smiled at the sound of Josh's laugh.
They moved back to the window and Josh climbed through first. Josh reached back and offered Maya his hand to help her climb through the window. Maya took hold of his hand and let him help her through.
Maya didn't let go of his hand until they were out of Riley's room and back in among the mourners.
