"The Neighbors"

I was called out on having too many stories to update and they are growing tired of waiting. I love giving you all those stories. They are all so different, satisfying the needs of different readers. I can't update every other day like you want me too but I will try to update sooner. I hear your plea…

Maya and Josh argue while Emily and Ryan discuss. What will Maya and Emily say to their husbands, if anything at all…

Rated M for Mature Content.

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Chapter 21: Heartache

"It doesn't matter if you've seen it or not. What matters is…was that smile meant for only her?"

There is such sadness in his voice as he asks me that question that question that I do know the answer to. The answer is 'Yes.' But can I find it in myself to say that to him, to hurt him so? What am I saying? Maya and I were going to leave our husbands tonight and I can't even answer a question about a painting!

"Emily, I said, was that smile meant only for her…"

But before I can answer we hear the siren of an ambulance and see lights reflecting through our front windows. We both get up looking through the glass, eyes wide with horror as we see that the lights are coming from next door! My heart sinks into my stomach. Please don't let it be Maya, oh please, no, it can't be!

We rush out the front door as Josh lets the paramedics into his house; Ryan and I are not far behind.

"She's upstairs on the bed," Josh instructs.

"What happened!" I shout as Ryan keeps me from going to her, to my true love.

"She fainted and she hasn't come to. I have to go to her, I'm her husband," he ingrains into my eyes sending me a very clear message. He knows…

"Ryan, I have to go!"

Ryan holds me back, "No, no you don't. She has Josh, her husband. You're just the neighbor best friend, aren't you?" He stares me down.

I have no choice but to wait at the bottom of the stairs hoping and praying that the love of my life is okay. My thoughts are interrupted as my mom makes her way into the house.

"Emily! What's going on?"

"It's Maya. Josh said she fainted and now she's being taken to the hospital," I can barely get out as I'm all choked up with so many emotions!

"Oh honey, Josh is with her and so are the paramedics so I'm sure she is getting the best care possible. They probably want to bring her in for observation just as a precaution," my mom tries her best to console me bringing me in for a hug.

I feel like a kid again feeling the pain of a crush gone wrong. But this is no crush, this is Maya, this is the real thing, this is love.

"Emily, Pam let's move out of the way so they can get her out of here quickly," Ryan instructs tenderly.

"Look, they're coming down the stairs. She's strapped to the stretcher! Oh my god, Maya!" I weep.

Ryan and my mom hold me back trying to calm me but how can I be calm when my beautiful baby is unconscious lying on a stretcher and I can't be the one to hold her and tell her that everything is going to be okay!

Josh comes down the stairs after the ambulance crew as Ryan shouts out to him, "Josh what happened to her?"

He stops, turns with his head hanging low, slowly lifting it with tears in his eyes, "We were arguing. I grabbed her and demanded she answer my question and when she wouldn't…" Tears stream down his face, "I held her tighter and asked her again. That's when she collapsed; she fainted and hasn't come to. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he pleads as he jumps in the ambulance with Maya, his wife.

Tears fill my eyes as I start to feel numb. I did this to her. I made this happen to her. It's all my fault! I stayed quiet because I'm such a coward! Maya might not wake up because I was a coward!

"Emily, honey, it was an accident. Husbands and wives argue all the time. I think we all know that."

I remove myself from my mother's arms, "Do we mom? Do we know it was an accident? You heard him! He said he tightened his grip on her and now she's unconscious."

"All we can do now is hope for the best. She'll get the expert care she needs at the hospital. She might have woken up already. We don't know anything yet. Emily, she's going to be okay. She's a fighter. I think even you know that," my mom insists.

Ryan looks at me with such love and devotion and I feel it, I feel his concern and his compassion but it just makes me feel worse.

"The only way we'll know for sure how she's doing is if we go to the hospital. Do you think you can handle that honey?" My mom questions not sure if my emotional state can handle it.

"Yeah, yes, please can we go now?"

"Come on I'll drive," Ryan states.

When we get to the hospital, Maya is taken into an intensive care unit so the doctors can examine her more closely. Josh is waiting with us. He looks so…broken. I actually feel bad for him. I know he loves Maya and I know a part of her still loves him but she's mine now. The sad thing is…I can't claim her for my own, not yet anyway. Maya's recovery is far more important than any feelings we have for each other.

It's been hours and no word yet. I can barely sit up so I lie down on the couch in the waiting area resting my head on Ryan's lap. I close my eyes drifting off with thoughts of her…

Oh Maya, I feel a connection with you that I can't explain. It's just there, and it makes me feel so good. Maya, you deserve only the best, you are perfect in every way. I want you to feel all the love I have inside of me for you. If I could just be lying there next to you right now I would kiss your forehead and gently rub your temples with the tips of my fingers. I would caress your long straight hair softly comfortingly. You, Maya and I are carved into each other's souls like a tattoo, imprinted for life. Our connection feels so deep it's like no feeling anyone on this Earth could ever attain, it's otherworldly. You will survive this, I will survive this because you are imprinted within my soul and I am imprinted within yours…

"Excuse me, Mr. Grayson?"

"Yes, yes doctor. Is she going to be okay?"

"She's awake now. We don't believe it's anything more than exhaustion and stress. Think of it as her body needing that time to heal itself."

"But is she going to be okay?"

"We would like to do some tests just to be on the safe side. We will most likely keep her here overnight and I'm hopeful that she can be sent home in the morning."

"Thank you doctor. Thank you so much. Can I see her now?"

"Yes, but just for a little while."

"Can I, we see her too?" I ask hopefully.

"Are you family?"

"No."

"Then if you wouldn't mind waiting out here, I think family is all she can handle right now."

My heart drops when I hear the doctor's words, but I am her family and she is mine. I grasp the inside of my cheek with my teeth trying desperately not to cry as Josh is the one who is allowed to hold her and love her and be there for her. I should be that person! Me! I sit down with my face in my hands realizing how selfish I am being. She just woke up, who cares who is with her now, she's awake and she appears to be okay. That's what matters most; she is the only thing that matters…

"Honey, she's awake and there's nothing more we can do here. You heard the doctor only family can see her now. Why don't we go home and get some sleep so we can all be rested for when she comes home. She's going to need us. She's going to need you," my mom says lifting my chin to look at her. She knows…

"Your mom's right and I think you know that. Maya's going to be okay. That's what we came here for to make sure she is going to be okay. Isn't it?" Ryan questions.

"Yes, yes of course. It's just that, I just saw her so happy about the art show and so energetic. I don't get what happened. I'm worried about her. You can understand that, can't you?" I look into his eyes for more of his compassion.

"Yes, you're right. I can understand that. But we are of no use here. Let's do what your mom said and get rested for her arrival home tomorrow," he pulls me in for a hug and I accept. I need to be held. I just wish someone else was holding me…

We arrive back home but I'm the only one who can't sleep. I'm afraid I might disturb Ryan so I retreat to my office to lie down on the couch in there. I close my eyes thinking about the first day I met her which brings a smile to my face. I can't help it, it's automatic. How all she did was look at me with those big beautiful brown eyes of hers and I turned into a puddle. That head tilt she uses so effectively to get what she wants. That sexy eyebrow arch to let me know she really does mean to get to know me in all kinds of ways. That wink, oh that wink, always keeping me on my toes. I think about holding her hand while she showed me around town. It was only the second day that I had known her but the feelings I was feeling, I've never felt before. Oh that bikini revealing everything she intended for me to see. She is such the sly one. The hot tub, the so many almost kisses, the top of the Empire State Building, that is when I knew for sure I was falling for this girl. And when we were lying down next to each other in one of her lounge chairs and her hand finds its way into my pants, right in front of our husbands! I knew I was in trouble right then and there! I asked the guys who was winning and Maya said so seductively, "I think I am." Oh how that drove me crazy. Oh how I wanted her inside of me. Oh how I wanted her to love me! And that kiss, she really knows how to kiss. She really knows how to kiss me. And at the movie theater, I thought for sure I would end up with something coming off but I'm glad we waited. Because that night, just she and I, was the best night of my life. Oh Maya, I will wait for you. I will wait for as long as it takes for you to get better so that you and I can spend the rest of our lives together in love…

I wake up before anyone else deciding I need to see her. I need to see her right now! I quietly grab a change of clothes upstairs bringing them to the downstairs bathroom. I shower there quickly hoping not to wake my mom or Ryan. I put on a bit of makeup, brush my hair and my teeth and sneak out of the house to see Maya…

A little while later…

"Emily! Emily!"

"Ryan, what is it?"

"I can't seem to find your daughter."

"Do you think she went back to the hospital to check on Maya?"

"Yeah, I think that's exactly where she went…"

I arrive at the hospital determined to see my baby. I am her family and I will see her. I make my way to her floor watching her room waiting for the coast to be clear so I can sneak in to see her. Finally, I spy Josh leave the room, probably to wash up or grab a coffee but what does it matter, now is my chance to see Maya. I slip into her room closing the door behind me. I turn around to see her lying peacefully in her bed. I need to be next to her. I need to hold her. I walk over to the bed, I slip my body next to hers lying on my side.

I kiss her on the cheek and say, "I love you."

She breathes in slowly opening her eyes, "Hey baby, you're here."

"Where else would I be but with the one I love?"

"Mmm, I love you too," she snuggles into me.

"How are you feeling?"

"Kind of silly. I can't believe I fainted like that. I'm so embarrassed."

"Don't be. Josh said he was holding you one minute and you were on the floor the next."

"Pretty much."

"What do you mean pretty much?"

"He was questioning me about you. Emily he knows. He knows we love each other. He wanted me to say it out loud to him but I fainted before I had a chance to. What about you and Ryan?"

"I was about to tell him but then we heard the ambulance so I haven't yet."

"Well maybe that's a good thing."

"What do you mean?"

"I think we should tell them together, don't you?"

"Yeah, yeah I think so too. Oh Maya when I saw you on that stretcher I froze. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't spend the rest of my life with you."

She smiles, "I love you so much too. I feel the same way. Now I just have to find out if I'm free to leave so we can be free to love."

At that moment the doctor walks in.

"Oh, I didn't realize you had company."

I get up off the bed.

"It's fine, she's family."

When she says this my heart rejoices and I smile like a kid in a candy store. God, she makes me so happy!

"Is your husband still here?"

"I'm right here," Josh says entering the room behind the doctor.

"Good. The test results are in," he looks at me not wanting to say anything until I leave.

"I'll just wait outside."

Maya grabs my hand to keep me from leaving, "No, I want you to stay. Doctor its fine. You can tell all of us what's going on."

Josh looks at me, not angrily, more so defeated.

"Okay then. Mr. and Mrs. Grayson, congratulations you're going to have a baby."

My hand drops.

Josh rushes over to Maya wrapping his arms around her and she wraps hers around him. They're both crying over this incredibly exciting and happy news. I take a step back, my head falls forward, tears well up in my eyes, yes this is wonderful, a baby, a life but all I can think about is myself, dejected and alone…

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To Be Continued…

**Please don't yell at me! It really is good drama!

Coming Up…

Will the baby change the love in Maya's heart or will her love still belong to Emily?