Chapter 7 - Maya's Real Father
-Shawn continued to visit twice every month. He would continue to spend parts of his stays with Maya, and then would have his regular dates with Katy. Shawn kept his time with Maya mostly separate from his time with Katy. And it seemed like Shawn and Katy weren't becoming anything more than close friends. But Maya was fine with this. She didn't want anyone to rush into anything they were uncertain about, and was just happy to have Shawn around when she needed him. Maya usually never asked Katy about her dates with Shawn. But as Maya caught Katy sneaking in late from a date one night, she had to ask.
Maya: So... how'd the date with Shawn go?
Katy: Nice. Very nice.
Maya: So... things getting more serious or what?
Katy: Look baby girl. My relationship with Shawn is my relationship with Shawn. It isn't more or less intensified by how you feel about him or how he feels about you. Although... I do love how he's always there for you when you need him.
Maya: Yeah. I love it too.
-Maya smiled as she felt like good things were on the horizon for her life. However something completely different hit her when one day... Maya's biological father: Kermit walked back into her life. It was by invitation ironically, as Maya had been inspired by Cory to show forgiveness to someone that hurt her and she suddenly found herself writing a letter to her father. Through the few conversations Maya had with Kermit, she was able to let go of a great deal of frustration and anger that had been buried deep inside her. But even with every bit of will power she had, Maya found that she couldn't forgive him. She couldn't find it in her heart to show forgiveness to a man who actually wasn't a monster, but rather: weak and pathetic. Maya was comforted by Cory and her friends after she walked away from her father. She cried in front of them and they tried to comfort her. However once she was finally home alone with her mother, Maya fell onto the ground of her room and began to sob loudly. She curled up into a ball as tears kept coming out of her non-stop. Katy tried to comfort Maya but nothing she said worked. So out of desperation, Katy called Shawn. And within a few hours Shawn was knocking at the door of the apartment. He instantly walked in as Katy opened the door.
Shawn: Where is she? Is she doing any better?
Katy: No. She's been sobbing non stop for hours now. I knew talking to her father would emotionally drain her but I didn't realize...
Shawn: Okay. I'll talk to her. But first... are you okay?
Katy: I'll be fine. Seeing Kermit did rattle me up a bit but... it's Maya who needs you more right now.
-Shawn nodded as he slowly walked into Maya's room. Shawn instantly felt pain inside as well as he saw the sight of Maya curled up on the floor sobbing. Her face was wet, her hand were clutched to the sides of her shirt, and her hair looked like it had been pulled in many directions. Shawn sat next to Maya as he spoke.
Shawn: Hey Maya. Your mom called me. You wanna talk about what...
-Maya turned her head to look right at Shawn with nothing but a sad expression on her face.
Maya: I couldn't forgive him Shawn. I couldn't it. It be one thing if he was a monster. But I talked to him and realized there was more to it. He wasn't ready to be a parent, he still had much to learn about responsibility, and he left to keep me and my mom out of debt. He was just a troubled man that was sorry for what he did. But I... I couldn't forgive him. He was trying so hard to be better and yet I couldn't be better myself. I'm an awful person Shawn. I'm just terrible.
Shawn: Look Maya. You're not a terrible person. You're hurt. And you were hurt because honestly... despite whatever caused him to act the way he did, your dad did do something awful things to you. And you shouldn't have had to experience what you did. It's good that he's sorry, but no one's expecting you after all those years of hurt to automatically forgive him. Trust me. I knew the full back story on what made my dad the way he was, and it still took me a long time to forgive him.
Maya: It's just... for years I wanted him around when I was scared or sad. And he wasn't. And because my mom had to provide for me by herself, my dad even kept her away most of the time. He left me all alone. He's left me all alone.
-Shawn suddenly held out his hands and embraced Maya.
Shawn: You're not alone Maya. You've still got your mom, your friends, Cory, and so many other people care about you. Something that took me a long time to learn was that you're never without people who love you Maya. Never.
-Maya suddenly wrapped her arms around Shawn and just held onto him as if she was a little girl again. It was as if Maya was finally getting her chance to have the type of moment she could never have growing up when she was little: the chance to embrace a father figure who was there simply to help everything feel better. Shawn held Maya close as he began to rock her back and forth a bit. Maya continued to hold onto Shawn. Her sobbing continued, but now: she was able to finally release all of her pain in a way that she had wanted to for years. As Shawn and Maya held each other close, Katy stood at the door of the room watching as she cried tears of both sadness and joy. She cried tears of sadness over the painful emotions her daughter was experiencing. And she cried tears of joy over the fact that her daughter had finally found... a real father.
THE END
*Author's Note - The events of the next story take place before Girl Meets Triangle.
