Hello again everyone! We're really going to start getting into the meat of Maya's money troubles here, so stay tuned!

Chapter Twenty-Four: Deadline

Ring! Ring!

"Now who in the blue blazes is that?"

Frank pushed his kitchen chair back, deliberately scraping the legs along the floor in annoyance. Miranda was sitting across from him, shaking her head.

"Could be anyone," she chuckled, watching him stomp to the kitchen. He was clearly irritated, making as much noise as he reasonably could, as if the caller could hear him. Miranda didn't bother trying to hide her amusement.

"Not expectin' anyone," Frank muttered, yanking the phone off the receiver. Miranda smoothed her skirts as she listened from the dining room. "Hello? Who's this?"

"Can I speak to Maya please?"

That threw Frank for a loop. He never got calls for Maya- most everyone who was looking for her knew her cellphone number. He scratched his chin, thinking.

"Maya doesn't live here," he said carefully, trying to place the voice. It was male, and gruff, no one Frank had ever spoken to before- at least not that he could remember. "What do you need her for?"

"Do you happen to have a number where I could reach her?"

Frank frowned. He didn't like that at all.

"Not off the top of my head," he grunted, lowering his voice. "Who is this? Best I can do is tell her you're looking for her."

A gravelly laugh followed the question, one that didn't sound particularly amused to Frank.

"Don't worry about it, partner," the voice sneered, "I'm sure I'll be seeing her around soon enough."

Before Frank could ask any more questions, the line went dead in his hands. He stared at the receiver for a long minute, an uncomfortable feeling forming in the pit of his stomach. He hung up the phone, rubbing the back of his neck with his palm. When had he started sweating?

"Who was it?" Miranda left the table as well, coming into the kitchen to check on Frank. She was worried by his silence- Frank was never quiet for long.

Frank shook his head, shrugging like he didn't know, and pulled out his cellphone. He didn't use it much, just to send the occasional text, as he did now. He wanted to make sure Maya was okay.

The voice on the other end of that phone was unfamiliar to him, but Frank would bet his entire livelihood that he knew who it was. The knowledge sent an icy jolt of fear through him, but he fought it down. If that man was calling Frank looking for Maya, then he didn't know where she was. That meant he couldn't hurt her. Not yet.

As much as Frank told himself that, he was still relieved when he got a text back from Maya, telling him that she was at home, alone, for the day. He resolved to keep an eye on the out of towners hanging around, take note of anyone suspicious. Maybe he'd ask some of the other townsfolk to do the same, but he didn't know how well he could spread it around without drawing too much attention.

Frank heaved a sigh. What was he going to do now?

.

Maya found the letter attached to her front door.

She was coming back from a quick trip into town, dropping off part of a vegetable order to Brad. It was an ordinary day, nothing particularly noteworthy. Maya was considering picking out a movie for herself that night, or maybe working on Ludus's gift some more, but the envelope stopped her dead in her tracks before she reached the porch.

At first, she felt a surge of panic. It was in a manila envelope, much like the ones that she received every week, but one had never appeared on her door before. Was it some sort of new message? Had she done something wrong? Maya didn't like a change in routine- from him, it couldn't mean anything good.

Fear made her fingers shake as she pulled it free from the wood, scanning the elegant script on the front. She'd never gotten an envelope with script like that before… They were typically blank, except for a returning stamp and vague address. Maya didn't know what to make of that, until she took a closer look at what she was holding.

This envelope was different, so not from him like she thought it was. The paper was thinner, the size was smaller, and the colour was more of a tan than the offensive yellow she was used to. No, this wasn't from him at all, but from someone here. Curious, and relieved, Maya brought it inside.

Dumping her bag on the floor near the fridge, Maya made her way into the living room. Frank's couch still took up most of the space, but she'd rearranged things again to give herself a little more breathing room. She seated herself on her favourite cushion, staring at the envelope as if she could read its contents through the paper itself. Having failed at that, she flipped it over.

It hadn't been mailed through Wayne, that much was obvious. Wayne never left mail anywhere other than the mailbox, and besides, there was no stamp. She slipped her nail beneath the seam, tearing it open.

Maya

The letter began with an awkward, fumbling greeting, hoping she was doing well, and making reference to the weather in Lulukoko. Maya scrunched her nose in confusion, glancing at the bottom of the page to see if the sender had signed it. When she saw the name, she froze.

Yours, Ludus

Now that was odd. Ludus had never written her a letter before- he would always text, call, or speak to her in person. At least, he used to.

Maya frowned, her brows knitting in confusion. Ludus had been decidedly ignoring her for the last few days, aside from his daily 'good morning' and 'good night' texts, which never failed to make her smile, even if she didn't understand what was going on. Ludus's absence stung, but no matter what Maya tried, she couldn't fix it. So, why was he reaching out to her now? And why like this?

Aside from the inherent weirdness of the situation, the letter was typed. Ludus had perfectly legible handwriting, so there was no reason for him to type out a letter to her. Not to mention, her name on the front of the envelope was written in ink, in script that was definitely not Ludus's usual print.

Ah, of course.

Maya smirked. Someone was up to something, and that someone was definitely not Ludus.

The rest of the letter read as stiffly as the opening did, and absolutely none of it sounded the least bit like Ludus. Despite the bittersweet longing coursing through her, Maya was giggling by the time she reached the end. But the closing line did take her by surprise.

Would you do me the honour of accompanying me, as my date, to our annual Sealight Night celebration?

Well, wasn't that interesting?

Maya sat back against the couch, folding her arms across her chest. Some of the language in the letter reminded her of Ludus's Nana, and the writing on the envelope was nearly identical to Lisette's, now that she got a good look at it. That was a surprising combination, but it did explain a few things.

Maya hadn't told anyone that her and Ludus were… 'fighting' wasn't the right word, but she couldn't think of a better one. Lisette and Tototara likely had no idea they were in a strange place right now, how could they? Maya thought about mentioning it to Lisette, but then again, who was she to ruin the fun?

She pulled out her phone, opening her conversation with Lisette.

Ludus invited me to Sealight Night AS HIS DATE!

She sent the text and waited, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips. Lisette responded almost instantly, like she was waiting for just that message. Maya suspected as much.

That's amazing! Have you told him yes yet?

Maya shook her head in disbelief. The text wasn't her normal style at all, but Lisette seemed to be ignoring that detail. She had to give it to the florist, she was really trying to sell the charade.

Nah, I don't think I like him like that anymore

A full five minutes ticked by before Lisette finally responded.

…We didn't fool you for a second, did we?

Maya laughed and told her that no, no they didn't, but the effort was admirable.

What was your plan if I'd texted him and told him yes?

There was no response this time, making Maya laugh. She figured that her friends hadn't thought that far ahead, and that was just fine by her. Maya wasn't sure she wanted to know how Ludus would've reacted anyway, not right now. Not with things the way they were between them.

With a sigh, Maya dropped the letter onto her end table.

She stared at it, unblinking, thinking about the horrible mess she'd gotten herself into.

Ludus hadn't had a meaningful conversation with her since the incident at the Inn. Maya never did find out what he was trying to tell her, and the secret hung over her like a rain cloud full just to the point of bursting, but not quite ready to downpour. More than once, she almost brought it up to him, but he never stuck around long enough to give her a decent chance.

What was she going to do?

Maya felt his absence like an ache in her chest. She didn't care about her feelings for him, if they'd ever get together, if she should confess to him, none of it mattered to her. She just wanted her friend back.

A tear pinpricked the corner of her eye, startling her. Maya wiped furiously at her cheeks- no, she wouldn't cry. She would not cry.

Ludus was still here. She could see him, talk to him, if she wanted. If she was just honest with him about how much this distance was hurting her, surely he'd talk with her then, wouldn't he?

Unless she'd already pushed him away, and he was just trying to figure out the best way to tell her.

Maya squeezed her eyes shut, shoving those thoughts violently from her head. No. Ludus would never do that to her. Whatever was going on with him, that wasn't it.

Her phone was still blank, no reply from Lisette. Maya bit her lip, indecision bouncing around her brain for a long minute, before she closed Lisette's conversation and instead opened Ludus's.

Maybe he did know about the letter. Lisette was working today; she could've gotten tied up with a customer and hadn't been able to respond to Maya's message. If he did know, how did he feel about it? There was only one way to find out.

Just got 'your' letter!

She added a winking face, deleted it, and added it again. If Ludus did know, he'd laugh with her. If he didn't, then she could convey that the whole thing was a joke. Maya hesitated over the send button, trying to convince herself to just go ahead, until even she was getting annoyed. With a huff, she sent the message and waited as a ball of nervous energy formed in her stomach.

Seconds ticked by.

Why did she do this? Maya groaned, dropping her head back onto the couch. That was so stupid. She shouldn't have sent that text. She should've waited for Lisette- if Ludus didn't know yet, then he might never have to, but Maya had gone and ruined that possibility.

What was she thinking?

Every minute that her phone didn't buzz added to her panic. What if Ludus thought she was in on it? What if he thought she'd helped set it up? What if he finally realised that she had a crush on him, and he was already running for the hills? What if-?

Buzz!

Maya's heart seized. Her phone weighed heavily in her hand, vibrating insistently. It could be Lisette, or someone else, but somehow, she knew it wasn't. Glancing down at the screen, she saw one unread message from Ludus.

Can you come to the front door? I'm outside

Maya blanched. He was… where?

She stared at the text, reading it and reading it again. He was outside. Ludus was outside.

Maya scrambled up from the couch, making her way to the door with as much grace as she could manage. Her muscles were suddenly rigid with stress and confusion. Why on Earth would Ludus be outside her house? He was obviously on his way over before she sent that text; even if he sprinted from Lulukoko, he'd never have made it that quickly.

She wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad sign, but she also didn't have time to guess. Terrified of what she was opening herself up to, Maya twisted the door knob.

Sure enough, when Maya stepped outside, Ludus was there. Just as he said he'd be.

"Hey," he greeted, slipping his phone back into his pocket. He was standing just a few steps from her porch, shuffling his feet uncomfortably, but otherwise he was the same as always. It had only been a few days; Maya wasn't sure why she expected him to look any different. "Sorry to just drop by like this."

"It's okay," Maya gave a tight smile. Even after everything, seeing him made her heart inflate happily. That realisation filled her equally with warmth and dread. "What're you doing here?"

He paused, chewing on his words before answering.

"Nana made a huge batch of stew last night," he explained eventually, nodding to a large container on the ground in front of him. "I thought I'd bring you some, if you want it."

"You didn't have to do that," Maya grinned, more genuine this time. She stooped to pick up the container, leaning back into the house to lay it on the counter. Her heart was thumping painfully in her chest, but she tried her best to hide it. "It looks amazing," she commented.

"It's beef, so I wouldn't let Josie see you eating it," Ludus joked, some of his easy demeanor surfacing. It was gone just as quickly, a palpable discomfort taking over his entire body. Maya tensed. "I uh… ran into Lisette on the way over here."

Oh.

She waited, hoping Ludus would continue, but he didn't. They stared at each other, the air heavy around them, until Maya couldn't take it anymore.

"Yeah, I was just texting her…" she trailed, unsure of what she should say. She leaned against the doorframe for balance, and to hopefully hide her trembling. She hated feeling this way around Ludus.

Another pause. It was just like the last time she'd seen him- awkward and uncomfortable. Maya felt her heart break a little more.

Maybe they couldn't fix this, whatever it was. Maybe she really had ruined things, somehow.

Maya wanted to cry.

"Listen," Ludus began suddenly, interrupting her rapidly spiralling thoughts. Maya blinked at him, words tumbling out of his mouth in a flurry, "I had no idea Nana was going to do that. I'm so sorry, Maya. I know my family is super weird, but they mean well, I swear."

"I know," Maya laughed, her shoulders still taut with uncertainty. "Lisette didn't mean anything by it either. It's hard to get an idea out of her head once it's there. Don't worry about it. I know you had nothing to do with it."

Of course, she should've known. Ludus wasn't here to clear the air, he was here to make sure she didn't think the letter came from him. Maya's hands went numb, ice pushing through her veins.

What if he didn't want to be her friend anymore?

"That's not-" Ludus stopped himself, frowning. Maya averted her gaze, determinedly counting the visible nails in her porch.

She wanted him to leave, she realised with a pang of horror. For the first time since she'd known him, Maya wanted Ludus to leave her alone. If she cried now, in front of him, his kindness would get the better of him and he would comfort her. He'd comfort her, make her think things were going to be okay again, even if they weren't. Maya didn't think she could handle that- hope being dangled within her reach and then snatched away again.

"Okay, do you hate this as much as I do?"

Maya flicked her head up sharply, startled by the exasperation in Ludus's voice.

"What do you mean?" She quirked her brows, trying to keep the desperation out of her throat.

Ludus hesitated, his jaw twitching.

"This… weirdness between us?" He pushed his hands through his hair, trying to shake himself back to normal. Maya sucked in a breath. "I feel like we haven't really talked in forever, and I miss you like crazy."

He… he missed her?

Maya held his stare, reading his expression, the set of his shoulders, everything she could see. Something had shifted in him, subtle, but something. It wasn't until she studied his soft smile that she realised what it was.

For days now, Ludus had been acting distant with her. It reminded her of when they first met, when they were unsure of what their relationship was or what it would be. He wasn't being himself with her, not his true self anyway, but not anymore. It was like a veil had been lifted, and the Ludus standing in front of her now was her best friend again.

Maya felt a surge of happiness- instant, strong, and overwhelming.

"I miss you too," she gushed, letting the air escape from her lungs. All the panic left her in one fell swoop; Ludus wasn't here to cut ties with her, he was here to make up. Maya felt tears push against her eyelids again, this time slipping through her carefully constructed mask.

"Woah, hey," Ludus bounded up the couple of stairs to Maya's front door, reaching out to hold her gently by the arms. He furrowed his brow in concern. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Maya shook her head, sniffling and struggling to force the tears back. "I'm sorry. I just- I really miss you."

She hiccupped again, hating how wholly he affected her, but she couldn't stop. Maya pressed her hands firmly to her face, letting her emotions sort themselves out however she could.

"I thought I did something wrong," she confessed without thinking, just happy to be talking to him again. "I thought maybe I said something or did something, and I didn't know… I didn't know how to fix it."

Ludus pressed his lips into a thin line, his jaw twitching again.

"I'm sorry," Maya repeated, shaking her head in her hands. "I'm being so stupid right now. It's not like you went anywhere or anything. I'll be okay, I'm just tired-"

Before she could say more, Ludus tugged her against his chest, wrapping her in a firm embrace.

"This is my fault," Ludus vowed, his cheeks darkening. He pressed a tender kiss to the top of Maya's head, holding her tightly against him. Maya sank into his familiar warmth, burying her face in the fabric of his vest. "I've been avoiding you, but it's nothing you did. It was me, being an absolute idiot. I'm so sorry, My."

He held her, rubbing soothing circles across her back.

"I didn't think about how confusing this must've been for you," he whispered, his words muffled against her hair. "Can you ever forgive me?"

"Forgiven," Maya answered immediately, tilting her head back to look him in the eye. "Just please don't scare me like that again."

Ludus gave her a half smile, searching her face for something. She waited, blinking up at him, the relief in her veins slowly being replaced by butterflies. Maya forgot how beautiful he was, how much she loved being close to him like this.

"I promise," Ludus swore, his voice low and almost hoarse. A jolt of adrenaline shot through Maya's spine- she'd never heard Ludus sound like that before. "I've been trying to work through something, but I think I just figured it out."

"What are you talking about?"

He studied her with such softness in his eyes, his lips pulled to the side in a way that made Maya's pulse stutter. Ludus took a steadying breath, his deep blush spreading further across his cheeks.

"Maya, will you go on a date with me?"

It was already quiet on Maya's farm, but even the consistent drone of the cicadas faded into oblivion at Ludus's words. Maya gaped at him, her eyes rounding in shock.

"Wh-what?"

Ludus gave a playful shrug, anxious excitement squeezing his lungs.

"Sealight Night is tomorrow," he hummed, "and I don't have a date yet."

Immediately, Maya's expression fell into a glare.

"This isn't because of that letter, is it? Ludus, I swear to God-"

"No, no," Ludus snorted a laugh, shaking his head adamantly. "This has nothing to do with what Nana did. I swear. I'm asking you as me, because I want to."

Maya was still skeptical, biting the inside of her cheek as she tried to read him. Ludus rolled his eyes.

"My, I'm serious," he chuckled, "Truth be told, I was going to ask you to the festival anyway. That's part of the reason I've been so distant; I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out how to do it without sounding stupid, but then I ran into Lisette this morning and she told me what they did and I kind of panicked and-" he stopped himself again, squirming a little under Maya's scrutiny, "I'm asking you out on a date. A real date."

A real date.

Maya felt the reality of what was happening creep up the back of her neck, sending a burst of excitement over her skin. Ludus was asking her out. Ludus was here, in front of her, asking her on a date.

"Okay."

"What?" Ludus balked, tentative elation sparkling in his eyes. "R-really?"

"Yes, really!"

Maya felt all of the tension in her body evaporate at once, and she suddenly felt like she could walk on air. After all this time, all her pining and hoping and praying, it finally happened. It finally, finally, happened!

Ludus seemed to mirror her feelings, lifting her in a burst of happiness and spinning her in a wide circle.

"Holy shit," he breathed, bringing them to a stop and burying his face in the crook of her neck, "that was the scariest thing I've ever done. I thought I was going to pass out."

"Did you actually think there was even the slightest possibility I'd say no?" Maya teased, giddy.

"Of course," Ludus blushed harder, the tips of his ears now matching the colour of his cheeks. "You're the most amazing person I've ever met. I never thought in a million years you'd say yes to someone like me."

"You think too highly of me," Maya murmured, worrying at her lip. Ludus lifted his hand to her cheek, caressing her skin with the tips of his fingers.

"That's not possible," he rumbled, a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. "You're incredible. Absolutely incredible."

Maya's heart jumped into her throat, struck silent by the passion and sincerity in his tone. She'd always hoped Ludus thought of her that way, but she didn't think…

Electricity sparked between them, catching the air in Ludus's throat. He wanted to say something more, anything, to make her believe his words were true. He could see it- the doubt clouding Maya's eyes- but he'd already gotten his 'yes'. If he said something stupid now, she might change her mind.

"I'd better get going," Ludus sighed slowly; leaving was the last thing he wanted to do, but all that was going through his mind was how close Maya was. How easy it would be to kiss her. Besides, he had responsibilities to attend to. "Nana needs some help with the preparations. But I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"

Maya bobbed her head, stepping back out of his embrace and into the entryway of her house. Ludus almost stopped her, but he restrained himself.

"Should I meet you at the shop?"

"Absolutely not." Ludus insisted, offended by the very idea. "It's our first date, obviously I'm going to pick you up. I'll be here at nine?"

Maya beamed. Hearing the words 'first date' leave Ludus's lips was the best sound in the entire world.

"That sounds perfect."

The dazzling smile she gave him took Ludus by surprise. He blinked at her, his blush spreading down his neck, before he remembered that he was supposed to be leaving. He gave her an awkward wave, stumbling over the step as he backed up. Maya giggled, covering her mouth to poorly hide her amusement. Now fully embarrassed, Ludus made his way home as fast as he could.

Maya shut the door with a soft click, her heart thrumming wildly against her ribs. She and Ludus were going on a date. A real date.

A delighted squeal escaped her throat as butterflies erupted in her stomach. She couldn't believe it; in a weird, roundabout way, Lisette and Tototara's plan actually worked. Maya was never going to hear the end of it, but she didn't care. In that moment, she didn't care about much of anything at all.

Excitement boiled over inside her as Maya jumped around her small kitchen, doing a silent cheer. She hadn't been expecting her day to turn out like this when she woke up this morning, that was for sure. Now, she just had to prepare.

The first thing she did was text Lisette. Maya knew that if she didn't, the florist was liable to burst down her door within the hour demanding answers. Sure enough, the text had barely been delivered when Lisette responded with a series of emoticons that ranged from shocked faces to every colour of heart she could find on her keyboard.

What are you going to wear?

That text took Maya off guard. She hadn't actually thought about that yet.

She almost laughed; all the time she spent hoping and praying that Ludus would someday ask her out, and she hadn't even thought of what she was going to wear.

The next logical step then was to visit her closet. Maya didn't have much outside of work clothes now- she left a lot of her outfits in the city with her parents. But she'd brought a couple of options, so she was sure she could come up with something.

Obviously, she was going to have her necklace on, so she'd have to find a shirt that went well with it. It was still summer, but the nights were starting to cool off, so a light sweater would be a good choice. Maya passed over a couple of things she'd worn around Ludus before, eventually settling on a dark burgundy one that she forgot she had. It was purchased from a thrift store and had a couple of stitches coming loose, but they were easily hidden, and the sweater it fit her beautifully.

Maya only had a couple of pairs of jeans, so that choice was simple. She picked out a light washed pair, with a few rips in the knees. They weren't intentional, but they fit in with current style so Maya never threw them out. Lastly, she picked out some short, grey, wedged ankle boots.

Laying everything out on the bed, Maya stood back to evaluate her choices. The outfit was fine- it was cute, and in season, and she was sure Ludus would be pleasantly surprised by it, but something about seeing everything all spread out like that made her sad.

Nothing in her closet was new. Maya couldn't afford new clothes right now, not that she could before either. New clothes were an unnecessary luxury that she rarely got to indulge in, not even for her very first date with the handyman she'd had a severe crush on for months. The thought made her bite her lip. Maybe she could risk splurging just a little…

Maya thought about the other envelopes- not the ones from 'Ludus'- piling on her dining room table. Her stomach clenched.

She was behind. Very behind. Maya hadn't returned a letter in almost two weeks, and they were starting to build up again. She didn't know how she was going to catch up, not when the end of the season was coming up and she'd have to buy new crops for next month. Splurging was absolutely out of the question.

All of the anticipation that she'd felt when thinking about her date had vanished, leaving her feeling hollow and empty. She had to figure this out, she just had to, but she didn't even know where to begin.

"Stop it, Maya," she shook herself, taking a determined step away from her closet and instead moving to the kitchen. Maya grabbed the envelopes from her dining room table, shoved them into her junk drawer, and slammed it shut. Today, she wasn't going to think about him, or his money, or anything else. Today, Maya was going to give her mind a break. Today, she was going to be happy.

And tomorrow? Tomorrow she was going on a date.

.

Along the hilly roads that lead through the mountains, a man in a hat was taking a walk.

He was a tall man, dressed in a long black coat. His dark leather boots thumped quietly in the packed dirt, his towering legs carrying him easily through the well-travelled path. The sun was high in the sky, not a cloud in sight, so he kept the brim of his hat pulled low.

Somewhere, at the end of these mountain roads, stories were told of three towns that sat nestled in a southern valley. One was perpetually tropical, one shrouded in mist, and one pulled out of an old western film. Traffic was picking up in these towns now, drawing more than a crowd or two.

The rumour amongst the villagers was that the tourism boom was all thanks to a new local farmer, tucked away in the crossroads of these three little towns.

This is where the man was headed, whistling a jaunty tune as the scenery rolled past him. He'd never been this far south before, navigating the mountains with as much ease as a newborn giraffe learning to walk. He didn't mind though, not when he thought about where he was going.

"Watch yourself there, friend!"

A young boy yelled out a warning as his wagon veered around the corner. The man stepped out of the way, but the tail of his coat got caught in the wheel. The fabric tore, and the little boy jumped down off the driver's seat to apologise.

"I'm so sorry sir," he frowned, reaching into his pocket for some spare coins. "I don't have much, but I reckon this will get you a visit to the tailor."

Three silver coins sat glistening in the palm of his hand. The man shook his head, smiling warmly.

"Don't you worry your little head about it," he assured the boy, patting down the pockets of his coat. "This thing has been around the block more than once."

"Are you sure, sir?" the boy hesitated, uncertain how he should proceed. The man nodded encouragingly, tipping the brim of his hat. The boy smiled, slipping the coins back into his pocket. "Thank you, sir. I'm real sorry."

"No need to apologise," he chuckled. "But I think you can help me with something. Name's Dunhill. I'm looking for a place called Westown, do you happen to know where that might be?"

Follow, Favourite, Review!