December 20th 2019

Chapter 354
Their Cheers For Celebrations

It was in moments like these where time really got to feel as though it passed them by in the blink of an eye. Hadn't they just done this? No, the last time they had done this was four whole years ago… It didn't seem real, and yet…

"Lucas Friar!" the woman called his name, and Lucas walked across the stage, working overtime to contain the urge to laugh when the two 'camps' of his most vocal supporters made themselves heard. Further back, with the immediate families, Melinda Friar was making real sure everyone knew that this was her son up there. And nearer to the front, in a sea of caps and gowns, a very well-known call was heard, courtesy of his girlfriend. He only had to follow its source and there would be Maya's face, smiling up at him with a big 'I love you' sign. It kept him smiling all the way through his passage on and then off the stage. Two more days…

He and the batch of students he'd followed up to the stage had barely gotten to return to their seats that he could see another group making its way to stand in line off stage, waiting to be called. A flash of sun on sparkles caught his eye, and there was Maya, moving with them. She was looking back at him, with a grin to challenge the shimmer of her cap.

When she looked further out, she already knew where her family would be. She'd spotted them as soon as possible, once everyone was moving into the seats. Closer up, the immediate family would be found, which had required some hard decisions on her part. Long gone were the days where she envisioned only her mother out there. Now she had parents and siblings too numerous to all find a place up front. And she had a grandmother, too. All these people, and she had four seats, with the rest of them sat further back.

Her mother and father, that was easy. She'd given the third seat to her grandmother, who had missed so much of her life and would have been there if she could. And the fourth, as much for the importance she held in her life as to stand for Kermit, who would have been there… She couldn't leave out her siblings, but there were eight of them, and the only way she could get any of them up close would be if they sat on other people's laps. That ruled out the bigger ones, but she trusted they'd understand and let the little ones come closer. So, Nellie and Gracie were on their parents' laps, and Wyatt would be with Abigail… The fourth one had been meant for Eliza, so she could have two of each from both sides, but when she'd told her as much, Eliza had said to give the seat to MJ.

"You sure, Lizard? I mean, he's three and a half, he probably won't even remember," Maya had pointed out.

"I know, but I can see fine from the back, and he's little, so it'll be better if he's closer. Plus, I'm getting big to sit on people's laps," Eliza had nodded confidently, making her sister laugh. So, MJ sat on Granny Lizzie's lap, and he got to see very well as the woman on stage called for…

"Maya Hart!"

She walked that stage with such confidence, and no one could say she was putting on a show or she hadn't earned it. She'd been in Texas for nearly ten years now, and they had been life changing, in more ways than she could count. This one… This one was one of the biggest, like a core pulling other bits of this new life into a cluster, and that cluster had given her this future, of being a teacher, or… maybe something else, thanks to Malcolm, and Audra… Not now, not now…

Next thing they knew, they were back at the house, the four graduates, the roomies, and their families… It was crowded, hectic, and that was a good thing, for the girls of TXNY especially. Now that the ceremony was over, especially with their being back home, it became way too easy to start thinking about their big opportunity, presently held in limbo.

They'd all agreed they wouldn't get into that whole situation until after graduation, maybe not until after Zay and Nadine's wedding either, sure. But how could they not think about a record deal?

Maya had called back Audra the day after she'd heard her message and told the others. She'd explained about the need for delay. She had been very understanding, admired this dedication to her studies and to previous engagements. She'd also heaped praise on to the band as a whole, and on to Maya herself as a songwriter. How she'd managed to get through that call without telegraphing the fact that her face was locked in an unbreakable smile, tinted in a pink blush… she had no idea.

It wasn't going to last forever. Sooner or later, closer to sooner, they'd have to make a decision. They'd have to give Audra an answer.

"You looked amazing up there," Elizabeth Hart told Maya when she found her granddaughter in the midst of digging ice cream out of the freezer for the kids. "I'm so glad I was there so see it."

"Me, too," Maya told her, pulling bowls down and counting them by reciting the kids' names under her breath to make sure she had enough.

"Please, let me do that, this is your day, you should be out there celebrating," Elizabeth told her, coming up to join her at the counter.

"It's fine, really," Maya promised. "I want to do it. Anyway, I just…" she shrugged, stopping herself from saying anything like 'I need to make a major decision and I can't focus on this party.' "I don't want to be all 'in the spotlight,' you know?" she tried to laugh it off.

"Said the singer?" her grandmother gave her a look. I'm a teacher… Degree and everything now… Maya opened her mouth to reply but only laughed again.

"That's different," she finally said.

"No, yes, of course," Elizabeth nodded, opening the drawers until she found the spoons, counting out as many as there were bowls. "Chocolate sauce?"

"Why not? Who doesn't like a good sugar rush?" So many of them running around, now that'd be something…

The bowls had been taken off their hands very quickly. Maya was picking up the depleted tub of ice cream, putting the lid back on, when her grandmother set a small square box on the counter. It was wrapped up, bow and ribbons… She smiled, setting the ice cream back down and wiping her hands before starting to unwrap it. She recalled Luna telling her once how her mother wrapped presents with military precision, and she was understanding that now. She almost didn't want to take the paper apart for how neatly it had been folded and cut.

She pulled the paper away and found a plain cardboard box. Inside, nestled inside tissue paper, sat a round, ornate music box. It looked old but well cared for. She blinked… She'd never seen it before, and still as soon as she saw it she knew what it was, her grandmother had told her about it. It had belonged to her grandmother, one of the few things she'd held on to, brought with her… My great great grandmother…

"I…" Maya shook her head. She couldn't take this, Luna should have it, shouldn't she? Or one of the other kids, or… But she was looking back to her grandmother, seeing how much it meant to her, that she was able to give it to her, and there was no way she could refuse her. "It's beautiful, I can't even… Thank you…"

"You're very welcome," her grandmother beamed. "Here's the best part," she reached over, pulling the top. A spring-loaded ballerina popped up and immediately began to spin about as a tinkling little tune started to play. She set it back on the counter before hugging her grandmother.

Out in the living room, Lucas wove his way through the groupings of guests, made just a bit more complicated by the kids running around with faint traces of chocolates on some of their hands and faces. He ended up dodging Ginny and Sadie Chen by letting himself fall back on the couch, landing him of all places at his grandfather's side. Pappy Joe laughed.

"Welcome," he tapped his grandson on the knee.

"Where's Grandma?"

"She finally surrendered to temptation," Pappy Joe declared grandly. Lucas frowned, not following. "She's gone to get some ice cream."

"Oh…" Lucas laughed.

"I'm glad you're here though."

"Why, so you can give me my castle?" he joked. Pappy Joe smirked.

"Was the house not enough?" he joked back, and Lucas shushed him, looking around.

"Don't worry, I just saw her head upstairs with a box. Anyway, there's no castle. There's no boat, or anything like that. In fact, there's no gift, not in that sense anyway."

"You didn't need to get me anything," Lucas assured him.

"You are my grandson, and I am proud of you. I don't need some great gift to prove that I mean it." On this, Lucas wholly agreed. "That being said, I am giving you something, or at least I will. Think of it as an 'IOU.' If there ever comes a time where you need something, and I know you, if it's big enough, you won't want to ask any of us, because you know we'd do it in a heartbeat and you'd feel bad... I know, it's in the Friar genes. If the day comes that something like that happens, you're going to come to me and you're going to say 'Pappy Joe, I am cashing in.' And I will say 'Alright, Lucas, what do you need?' Do we have a deal?" he held out a hand, and Lucas shook it, smiling.

Slowly but surely, the house emptied out, guests returning home, or to a hotel, until it was just the seven roommates on their own. The day had been long, especially after the previous night, the party, the drinks, the tattoos, and that lovely, lovely hangover, and then graduation and the party… They came this close to just leaving everything there, so they'd pick it up in the morning, after a good night's sleep, but instead they took the time to clean up first. Maybe it was that most of them were moving out soon, but it felt better for them to keep everything in its place.

"What time are we leaving tomorrow?" Lucas asked the others. They all looked at him like they had no idea where they were going. "The rehearsal? For the wedding? Zay and Nadine?" Right, of course, they totally remembered that…

Rosa caught Maya's eye, asking without asking. She opened her mouth to say something, but the others were there, and this was not one occasion where she could save herself with sign language and expect everyone else not to understand. Riley was looking at them, too, having spotted the start of the silent exchange. She wanted to know, too. They'd told themselves that they'd figure things out before or after the wedding, but once they left here, heading into Austin and 'wedding land,' then they would be cut off from Kayla and Willow, who were part of the decision, too, and it didn't feel like something they should do over the phone.

"Uh, eleven maybe?" Maya told Lucas. "Need to check on something before we go," she told him, all the while turning to look to her bandmates, hoping they got the message. They gave the slightest nod and moved off. Soon, they were done and cleared to head up to bed. Before she could go up though, Maya found herself stalled, as Lucas had gotten hold of her hand. She turned to look at him.

"What's going on?"

TO BE CONTINUED

See you tomorrow! - mooners