"Riles?"
"Yes, Peaches?"
"I'm bored!" Maya says, exasperated. She sits cross-legged on Riley's bed, pouting, "Can we do something?"
Riley looks up from her laptop and shuts it. "Okay. What do you want to do?" she asks.
"Hmm," Maya thinks about it. "Oh! Can we go shopping? I need clothes, and I should probably price some things for the baby."
Squealing, Riley jumps up. "Yes! Of course I'll go shopping! Do you have a specific place in mind?"
Maya shakes her head, "No, not really. We can ask Topanga on our way out."
Riley hands her friend's bag to her, grabbing her own as well. "Good idea. She knows everything," she says.
The two girl leave Riley's room, searching for Topanga. They find her working at the kitchen table, surrounded by papers.
"Hello, girls," she greets, not looking up from her work. "Doing anything today?"
"Actually," Riley starts, "we want to go shopping. Do you know of any maternity stores close by? Maya needs clothes."
Topanga answers without a beat, "There's a nice consignment shop on 3rd Street. You don't need to drop a ton of money at some fancy boutique."
"You never fail to amaze me, Topanga." Maya states.
Riley laughs, "Thank you, Mom. I'll be home later."
"Bye, girls. Have fun."
"Ow!" Maya groans, rubbing her stomach. "Jerk."
"You okay?" Riley asks, concerned. They're at the store Topanga recommended, checking out the clothes.
"Peanut moves all the time. I swear he's out to get me."
"He?" she implores. "Do you think it's a boy?"
Maya shrugs, pulling a dress off the rack. "That's what I think. Lucas is convinced it's a girl."
Riley chuckles, "You two are cute. You find out the gender tomorrow, right?"
She nods, beaming, "Yes! I'm so excited."
Excited and terrified, if she were to be honest. Knowing whether Peanut is a boy or a girl will make much more real.
"Well, Riley is a wonderful gender neutral name."
Maya laughs, "Funny. I haven't even thought about names."
"I have a list," she admits, "but I don't want you stealing Farkle and I's favorites."
"What's your favorite?"
"Don't laugh."
"I'm probably going to laugh."
"We love Persephone for a girl." Maya laughs, crinkling her nose. It gathers looks from women in the store. "Maya!"
"I'm sorry," she sputters an apology, "but Persephone?"
Riley frowns, "It's our favorite."
"You better not be using it anytime soon," Maya lectures, "Don't get drunk, and always use a condom."
Her friend flushes a bright red, embarrassed. "We're always safe, don't worry."
"Good," Maya says. She picks up another dress, showing Riley. "Is this cute?"
"Ooh! Yes!" Riley gushes. "You could belt it, please buy it! It'll look so cute."
Maya grabs it, along with her other items, and heads to the counter. She buys the clothes, avoiding the cashier's eyes. Yeah, I'm pregnant. She thinks, No need to stare.
After she pays, the girls head out of the store. While they're walking, a baby shop catches Maya's eyes. It looks ridiculously expensive, but she still stops, "Riles, let's go in here. Price some things."
"You sure? There's probably a more affordable place…" Riley says, but Maya waves her off and walks into the shop anyways.
Classical music plays inside, creating a soothing atmosphere. She looks around at all the different things. So many onesies, toys, bottles, and even things Maya had never heard of. What the hell is a nasal aspirator?
"Welcome! May I help you?" A chirpy woman asks.
"I'm just looking," Maya says.
"How far along are you?" she asks, smiling brightly.
Feeling self conscious, she rests her hand against her bump. "About eighteen weeks."
"Wonderful! If you need any help, just flag me down." She says, then walks over to the next customer.
Once she's out of sight, Maya rolls her eyes, whispering "She was nosy as hell." to Riley. She goes through the store, trying not to faint at the prices. This is just a fancy boutique. It won't really cost this much, she tells herself.
"Maya!" Riley whisper shouts from behind her, "Look at this!"
She turns around to find Riley holding a sheep stuffed animal. Maya snorts, "Lucas would kill us."
"Even more of a reason for me to buy it," Riley admits. "It's like twenty bucks, and probably the cheapest item here." She grabs Maya's hand, dragging her to the register. She buys the sheep, forcing the bag into Maya's hands as soon as they exit. "There. My first of many gifts for Peanut."
Maya throws her arms around Riley, hugging her tight. "Thank you, Riles. I can't wait to see the look on Lucas' face."
Riley laughs, squeezing her back. "Let me know how he reacts."
Later that day, Lucas comes over to bring Maya dinner. Katy and Shawn had planned their vacation months before Maya got pregnant, so she told them to still go. Maya has Lucas and the Matthews to take care of her for a few days.
"You're the best!" Maya greets him at the door. She snags the fast food bag from his hands, taking it to the table.
Lucas takes the seat next to her, saying, "You're welcome. What'd you do today?"
"Well," Maya starts after eating a few fries, "Riles and I went shopping."
"Did you buy anything?"
"I got some maternity clothes, since I'm getting fat," Lucas opens his mouth to protest, but Maya cuts him off, "Oh! Riley bought the baby a gift. You wanna see it?"
Puzzled, Lucas responds, "Sure?"
Maya runs to her room and returns with the bag. She tosses it into Lucas' hands as she sits down. "Open it."
Lucas opens the bag, pulling the stuffed sheep out. Immediately, he sighs, "You all hate me, don't you?"
Maya tries to hold in her laughter, but she fails. "Isn't it cute? Peanut has her own Judy the Sheep!"
"Okay," he admits, "I guess it's cute." He places the sheep on the table and grabs his food.
"It's adorable, Huckleberry," she pushes, munching on her burger. "Peanut will love it."
"I bet she will."
"Why are you so sure it's a girl? What if it's a boy?" Maya asks, pointing at him with a fry.
He takes a drink and shrugs. "As long as Peanut's healthy, I don't care. But she's a girl," Lucas says, winking.
"Disagree," she says sternly, "he's definitely a boy. I would know, he's growing in me."
"Definitely a girl."
"Boy!"
Lucas crosses his arms, "We'll hopefully find out tomorrow, then we'll know who's right."
"We'll know that I'm right," Maya says, a smug look on her face. She could go on for hours.
"Let's just hope that Peanut cooperates and we actually find out tomorrow," he says, "I don't know if I can wait. Or Mama. Or Zay."
"True," she laughs. "Farkle and Riley are excited, too."
After they finish eating, Lucas offers to clean up. When he's done, he joins Maya on the couch. She leans into his side, cuddling up. They're watching House Hunters (again), when Maya asks, "Have you thought about baby names yet?"
Lucas rubs her stomach, saying, "A little bit. Have you?"
She shakes her head, "Not really. What're your ideas?"
"For a girl, I really like Lily or Ruby," he starts, "If it's a boy, I kinda like Jonathan for a middle name, after my dad."
Maya hums contently, running her fingers along her bump, "Ruby's really pretty. I'd love to name him after your dad." She pauses for a moment, "Speaking of your family, did you call Pappy Joe the other day?"
"Yeah," he shudders at the memory, "just as I predicted, he was pissed."
"Yikes."
"He was mainly mad because I was irresponsible," he says. "He told me that I better not abandon you. I told him that you were stuck with me."
She laughs, "Good."
"But, he said he was glad it was you of all people," Lucas laughs, "He's pretty fond of you."
Maya blushes, "I guess that's good thing."
"It is," he agrees. "You're pretty likeable, if I have to say so myself."
Her blush deepens, spreading across her cheeks. "Stop it!"
"What?" Lucas laughs.
"You're making me blush!" Maya wails, hiding her face in his chest.
"You're cute when you blush."
"Lucas!" she shrieks. Maya can feel him laughing against her. She looks up, pouting, "Rude."
He chuckles at Maya's whines. Lucas leans in, pressing a kiss to her cheek.
She grabs his collar, pulling him close. Their lips meet, taking her breath away. His hands slide around her waist. He slips them beneath her shirt, gripping her bare skin.
Maya moves to straddle him, kissing him fervently. She breaks the kiss, gasping for air. Forehead pressed against forehead, she asks, seriously, "What are we?"
Lucas grabs both of her hands, rubbing his thumbs across her knuckles. "What do you want us to be?"
"I don't know…" Maya trails off.
"Well," he says, pressing kisses to her jawline, "we're friends, going to be parents, might as well add boyfriend and girlfriend to the mix. How would you feel about that?"
She breaks his grip and runs her fingers across his face, tracing his features. Maya answers him by taking his face in her hands and pressing her lips to his. She leans in, deepening the kiss. Lucas kisses back eagerly, as if he can't get enough of her. He wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her closer. She moans into the kiss, running her hands down the planes of his chest.
When Maya pulls away, she whispers, "Let's try it."
Holy shit is Maya nervous for her appointment. She's been shaking all morning, constantly dropping stuff that Lucas cleans up. Her anxiety is through the roof. Right as they start to leave, she drops the plate she was putting in the sink. As soon as it shatters, she bursts into tears.
"Hey," he says to the overwhelmed blonde, "it's going to be okay."
"Finding out the gender makes it so much more real!" Maya cries, burying her face in her hands. "There's going to be an actual baby! What if he comes out in December and hates me?! I don't know anything about being a mom!"
Lucas sighs, opening his arms for the girl. "Maya, Peanut is not going to hate you," he tells her, rubbing her back while she cries. "We'll learn, together."
Maya lets out a breath, "Okay. I'm okay."
He kisses her cheek, "Good, just relax. Now, let's go, or we'll be late."
The couple leaves, hand in hand. Once they arrive at the doctor's office, Maya checks in. A few minutes pass before they're called back.
The next few moments blur in Maya's head. A nurse goes through the drill, taking her vitals and asking her the same questions. Soon, she's sitting on the exam table waiting for Dr. James. Maya bounces her leg nervously. Lucas grabs her hand, immediately calming her down.
"Thank you, Huckleberry," she says, lacing their fingers together, "for everything."
Dr. James chooses this moment to walk in, so Lucas doesn't get to respond. "Hello, Maya. Lucas. How are we doing today?"
"Nervous." Maya answers, laughing awkwardly.
The doctor sits down, ready to start. "Don't worry, everyone is always nervous during this appointment. Do you have any guesses about the gender?" she asks.
"Boy!"
"Girl!"
Maya and Lucas both answer, getting a laugh out of Dr. James, "At least someone is right. Before we can find out, I've got to ask you my typical questions."
Maya groans, but obliges nonetheless. Gaining weight? Cravings? Spotting? Fatigue? She answers each one with ease, hoping to get it over with.
"Alright, Miss Maya," Dr. James starts after typing a couple of things on her laptop, "Go ahead and unbutton your pants and lift your shirt."
She quickly follows the instructions. God, we're finding out! she thinks, heart beating rapidly.
Dr. James squeezes gel onto Maya's belly, then slides the transducer across. She fiddles with the equipment and gets the picture up on the screen.
It never fails to take Maya's breath away. "Can you tell if it's a boy or girl?"
"Let me look," Dr. James furrows her brow, moving the tool on Maya's bump. "It looks like your baby's gonna cooperate after all. You're sure you want to know?"
Maya nods her head aggressively, tightening her grip on Lucas' hand, "Yes!"
"You're having a girl, Maya."
Hearing those words almost stops Maya's heart. "A girl?" she asks, eyes starting to fill with tears.
The doctor nods, "Yep. She looks perfect. The right size, right heart rate, completely healthy."
Tears flow freely down Maya's cheeks, "Wow."
"I knew I was right!" Lucas says, a smug look on his face.
Dr. James points at the screen, "Look, she's sucking her thumb. She must know we're watching."
"That's the cutest thing I've ever seen," Maya cries, looking a blubbering mess. Lucas kisses her temple, never taking his eyes off their daughter.
"I'll have pictures waiting for you up front." The doctor tells them. She hands Maya tissues for her tears and a paper towel for her stomach. "I'm running short on time, but I'd like to see you back next month. I'll have the receptionist give you a call to schedule it."
As soon as they leave the office, Maya squeals, "I can't believe it's a girl! We have a daughter, Lucas!"
He laughs, throwing an arm around her shoulders while they walk. "She's gonna be just like you, just you wait."
"Well, I hope she's like you." Maya admits.
Lucas blushes, "Thanks, Shortstack."
"One thing is for sure, though." she adds.
"What's that?"
"Our daughter is gonna be a badass."
That night, when Maya's back home alone, she calls Katy to tell her the news.
"Hi, baby girl! How was your appointment?" Katy chirps into the phone.
"Hey, mom," Maya smiles at her mother's enthusiasm, "it was perfect. Is Shawn there? I want to tell you the gender at the same time."
"He's here. You're on speaker." Katy tells her.
Shawn says, "Hey, kid."
"Alright," Maya takes a breath, "Your baby girl is having a baby girl."
The sound Katy makes pierces Maya's ear drums, "That's so exciting!"
"Congrats, Maya. Your little girl is going to be beautiful, just like her mom and grandma." Shawn tells Maya.
Even though they can't see it, Maya smiles. "Thanks, Shawn. Lucas and I are super excited. While the doctor was doing the ultrasound, Peanut started sucking her thumb. I cried," she snorts, embarrassed.
"Aw, you did that when I was pregnant with you!" Katy gushes, "I cried during every appointment, don't worry."
"Good to know that I'm not overreacting," Maya laughs, "I love you both. I've gotta go. I'll send you the pictures from today, alright?"
"Okay, baby girl. I love you too."
"Love you, kid. We're flying back in a few days. See you soon."
Maya hangs up the phone, sending the pictures to her mom. She decides to text their friends about the baby. For once, Maya's glad they have a group chat.
To lucas, riley, zay, farkle, smackle:
soooooooo, lucas and i found out we're having a girl :)
She attaches a picture for good measure and waits for their responses. Seconds later, replies flood in.
From zay:
FARKLE OWES ME $20
Maya snorts at that one.
From farkle:
I'm with Riley and she's already crying. Also, screw off Zay.
He even sends a picture of Riley clearly sobbing. Maya laughs, sending another message.
From maya:
aw poor riles, imagine when she's here…
Farkle sends a video this time. Riley's crying so hard that Maya can barely understand what she's saying. Maya gets a few more texts. Smackle congratulates them, and Lucas sends a bunch of emojis.
He's such a dork, Maya thinks. Thinking about Lucas causes her baby (her daughter, god, she can't believe it!) to start kicking.
"Are you already a daddy's girl, Peanut?" she asks, talking to her stomach. Maya rubs her bump, "I don't blame you. He's a pretty amazing guy, you're gonna love him."
andddd it's a girl! thanks for reading!