Chapter 106
A Mark On The World

A lot more began to unfurl, to take hold in those last two days before the fall semester began. The closer they got to it, they would keep falling into that same line of thought, like surely this last stretch before their return to school would stop being as eventful as it had been in recent times, but then summer wasn't completely done with them yet. They weren't monumental events to anyone too far outside the circles of those young Friars on the lane, but of course where they were concerned… They had moved one boy out of a crib and into a bed, they had seen the other say his first words, take his first steps… They had gone and adopted a pair of unforgettable cats… Then, the one with the biggest impact – pun unintended – was Maya's fall, and this had not come without triggering yet more events. Lucas had been reunited with Juliet Stapleton. It had incited him to revisit a piece of his past he'd quietly missed over time, for his own benefits as much as his family's. And though it could easily have happened regardless of whether she'd been forced to take a few days off from work or not, as she would likely have asked the question even if she hadn't, Maya had found herself looking to gain her very first – unofficial – student.

With the start of school approaching, for herself as much as anyone else, Maya was more glad than stressed at the prospect of a cake order coming in with something of a rush on it. That was fine, she could summon her junior bakers and they would happily pitch in. The girls came along on their own, taking the bus before taking that long walk to the house. From what she heard out of Eliza, they'd gone and made their way up singing the four of them together, and it had been 'so much fun.' It was hard at times not to treat these sessions with Cara, Eliza, Ariel, and Daphne like the means to catch up on what progress there might have been between Abigail Hart and Stephen Brett. They weren't all meeting only when there were cake orders, oh no, they would meet sometimes with no orders and just the means to practice or develop some new skills and techniques. Those were so great, too, especially when they got to eat whatever they'd made. They would have to find a way to still do it all once the girls and Maya were back in school. Maybe I could get Stella involved in this, too. It might do her some good, being around more kids her age.

When they showed up at the house that Saturday morning, the girls weren't just transported by the merriment of walking songs, or at least it didn't feel that way to either Maya or Lucas. There was a definite sense of a feeling, a happy one, which was possibly the whole reason they had even been transported to start singing in the first place.

"So, what's going on?"

Lucas was actually the one to ask. They hadn't even made it to the kitchen yet as naturally the girls had taken a detour to say hello to the cats. They'd all met the two of them before, the Hart sisters first and foremost, when they'd come to visit their older sister after her fall, and then their fellow bakers, too, when they'd come to another of their skill sessions. They were all swept up by the presence of Whiskey and Shadow. Between those two, and then the dogs on top of that, and then the Friar brothers to take it even further, it was a wonder anyone got anything done in this house.

Maya gave him a look, unsure as to what would possess him to bring up the subject so bluntly. He just shrugged, casually holding Noah perched in his arms while the boy appeared to be doing everything that he could to make the most of this solid hold. He could tip himself back, twist around, and he'd be fine. His father would never let him slip or get hurt, so he was in the clear and loving it. As to the question, there really was no point in beating around the bush, was there? Anyway, they all looked eager enough to have been waiting on the question all along.

There was no confirmation as such, only evidence they had pieced together the way anyone with a dash of cleverness would be able to, but regardless they were certain. Abigail Hart and Stephen Brett had gone on a date, hopefully only the first of many, as far as they were concerned.

"Wait, did they really?" Maya asked. The look the girls shared here would fall under the restrictions of speculation.

Neither of the parents had said that there had been any kind of date, no, but once Maya and Lucas would be presented with the evidence, surely, they would see it, too. Last night, both the Hart kids and the Brett girls had found themselves put in the care of babysitters. Cara, Eliza, and Wyatt Hart were left to their big brother Sam, who had not been particularly interested in playing babysitter, but then he'd been backed up by Dora Cassidy, and from there he sort of warmed to the idea. They'd had a movie night, complete with (too many) snacks. Meanwhile, Daphne and Stevie Brett were looked after by the girl from down the street who'd been their babysitter for a few years already. On the surface, this wasn't that big of an indicator, but then with how interconnected their families had been getting lately, the fact that there had never been any question of their being brought together on this night was the first inkling, that one in tandem with the fact that both parents were mysteriously engaged for an outing on the exact same night.

According to Cara and Eliza, Abigail had been distracted all week, and last night when they'd come home from a 'solemn last trip to the pool,' the kids had found their mother more dressed up than they'd seen her since… well, their father's funeral. It wasn't as though she never left the house, never dressed, but between the outfit, the hair and makeup, the perfume, the shoes… Their mother was beautiful on the whole, but last night she looked, in Cara's words, like she wanted to make sure someone noticed. Meanwhile, Daphne reported how her father had been even more distracted, to the point where she and her little sister almost had to shadow him in his activities at home, or else they'd find their clean laundry in the fridge or their toast would be allowed to burn to a crisp in the toaster. Then, yesterday, he'd put on one of his best suits, tamed his hair… He even shaved his little beard, which he barely maintained anyway. He looked several years younger all of a sudden, and the way he hugged them when he headed out…

Maya and Lucas shared a look. They had to admit, the girls' evidence was kind of solid. But what had happened when the parents had returned, they had to know that. Unfortunately, they had all been asleep by then, so they'd only seen them again this morning. By then, it was easier to hide any immediate reactions, but on both accounts there was nothing to suggest that either of them had had a bad night. Actually, they both looked kind of happy, and there had definitely been the odd discreet smile here and there, like they were remembering something good. That was the end of the evidence, though from there they could draw conclusions. It wasn't just that a date had happened – and they were fairly certain that it had – but more so that both Abigail and Stephen were clearly planning to keep the whole thing quiet for the time being. There was wisdom in this, for sure. This was one date. They weren't going to go ahead and move in together, get married, bring their six kids under one roof as brothers and sisters, no. They needed to see where this would go, and if the place it went to was one where this thing worked between them, well… they would go on from there.

The day's session ended with lunch, and a dessert of their own making. They had really gone over the top with this one, but the results had been as worth it as they'd been fruitful. They had plenty of leftovers, enough so that when Maya received a call from Mr. Buckley and was asked if she might come and see them to discuss her proposal, she went on with an offering of cake for her hosts.

Here, she met and was introduced to Paul Buckley, Stella's father. They made their way into the kitchen, and it was here that Maya was then introduced to Stella's mother. She didn't need anyone to tell the name; it practically flashed in lights in front of her, but she presented herself as though she wasn't three quarters into an EGOT. At no time in the months she'd known her – not that she'd been obliged to at all – had Stella mentioned that her mother was the Gemma McCarthy. And yet to look at her, she could see it now…

"Do you know, we've heard your name so much in this house, it feels like we already know you," the woman smiled as she shook her hand. Maya had to work hard not to let the fleeting thought of how most if not all of her friends would have been ill placed to make this encounter and keep a steady face. Even for her part, she may have been calm and collected and behaved like the woman standing before her was a regular human being, but on the inside, it was a wonder she wasn't passed out for how freaked out she was to meet her.

"Good things, I hope," she joked, and the parents laughed.

Stella was just sort of hovering about in the background, like a flitty little shy bird. Her mother was very aware of her though, and she just smiled and moved toward her, put her arms around her from behind and kissed the top of her head, not to show herself a loving mother but doing so genuinely, in a way Maya could wholly comprehend, even if her own children were both under the age of three. She had just seen that her daughter was nervous, and she'd moved in to help steady her. The way Stella leaned to her, held on to her forearms without moving to release herself, she could have been comfortable to remain this way for hours.

"The very best," Gemma confirmed as she looked to her youngest daughter, her very own surprise baby. Stella had told Maya before how she had five older sisters, all of them in their twenties, with all of four years between number one and number five, thanks to the twins. And here she was, number six, with eleven years splitting her from her predecessor. Her experience of her family's life had been so different from her sisters', especially as Paul and Gemma had moved to Texas three years ago and settled down away from Los Angeles with their youngest, while the others had either remained back in California or had already moved elsewhere in the country. She was the only one they got to raise this close to 'normally,' and that meant as much to them as it did to Stella herself.

They were very interested in establishing this art component into Stella's home schooling. As Maya learned, it was entirely Stella's choice that she was home schooled at all. With the added context of her mother's career, with how she'd been travelling with her on shoots around the world, she understood how the tutor had come into play, but she wasn't aware that it had then been opened to her, when they'd moved to Texas, whether she wanted to keep going that way or go to an actual school, and that Stella had chosen to continue with her tutor. Her parents looked like they would support her choice all the way, but at the same time secretly wished for their baby girl to spread her wings just a bit more. Maya planned to take that into consideration, though she didn't state it in those exact words. Instead, she asked if she'd be able to take her places, museums and the like. The Buckleys were all for it, Stella especially. The more they discussed plans, for how often they would meet and what they would do… She wouldn't stop smiling, as small as it appeared on her face. It was all in her posture.

They were going to pay her. She would have done it for free, honestly, and her reflex was to graciously decline, but they wouldn't have it, so she accepted. She couldn't pretend as though this would be helpful, with Elliott and Noah to think about, and then this next baby they were looking to have in the coming year… Maya had to be strategic in how she scheduled her meetings with Stella, seeing as she had classes of her own to attend, but then there was the benefit of Stella's being home schooled. They could fit her in to her schedule, too, where there were openings. By the time she left the house, it was all settled. They would leave her the first week of class to focus on that, and then they would start, her and Stella.

She would only tell Lucas about Gemma McCarthy. It wasn't as though she'd been sworn to secrecy, but then it just felt like she'd be overstepping if she went around and started to tell everyone – even if they were trusted friends or family members – that she was giving private, unofficial art lessons to the actress/writer/director/producer's daughter.

The next day, the last day before the start of the semester, the young Friars made their way to Sullivan Stables.

It was strange for Lucas, and he couldn't explain why at first, but as they drew nearer to the place he could sort of piece it together, couldn't he? It was the drive itself, how familiar it still was to him. In all the years since he'd stopped going there, it hadn't changed the fact that the directions were so ingrained in his mind. He would drive past some landmark or another and he would feel like he was on his way there, he would feel a surge of feelings, of memories. But he never actually followed through. Sometimes, he'd driven past it, and it wasn't so much that he averted his eyes but… he couldn't make himself focus on it too long or else… or else…

Now they drove there, all the way. They reached the arch and drove under it, and Lucas felt it again, stronger than before. This place…

"You alright?"

It took him a moment to realize Maya had spoken to him, but even without having truly heard the words, he knew what she'd asked. She had that concern etched in her brow.

"I haven't been here in a long time… but it's like I never left," he explained.

They parked the car, freed the boys from their seats. Noah ended up in Maya's arms, and as soon as he was there he looked so eager for… everything. His big brother was much the same, and Lucas wanted to allow him to run around to his heart's content, but for now he picked him up, too, knowing the impulse would have been in his to dash away if he was put on his feet. In a little while, maybe, depending on how this went, he would put him on the ground and see what happened.

It had been years since he'd been here, yes, but a lot of the people who worked here now had also worked here back then. They'd last seen him when he'd been eleven, twelve… It had been more than a decade since, and he'd grown considerably, but they saw him go by and they knew him. Here he was, little Lucas Friar, Melinda's boy, Marianne's grandson… They were so happy to see him, to meet Maya, to see that he had children of his own now, and Lucas found he was really so happy to see them again, too, and to present his family to them. Donna Devereaux, the old dance teacher and event coordinator, very nearly lost her mind at the sight of 'those little angels.'

"I looked like an angel when I was that small, too, see how I fooled them," Maya whispered to Lucas as they stood completely invisible to the woman who'd all but dragged them into her dance studio. She was now 'testing out' Elliott and Noah to see how the toddlers moved.

"You never know," Lucas smirked.

They agreed to leave the boys with Donna for a bit, if only so that Lucas could really show Maya around. They doubted either Elliott or Noah would have a whole lot of walking around in them before they'd get in touch with their cranky side. They kept the horses for last though, and before going anywhere near them they retrieved their sons. It would have been a poor visit if they didn't get to witness this moment of sudden and overwhelming elation in their 'angels.'

"This one here, he's called Trooper," Lucas told Elliott as he put him back on his feet. He had known this one, back in the day, and he was happy to find he was still around. He had a good feeling that Elliott would be safe with him, and he was right. The horse tipped his head curiously, as Elliott gasped and reached out his hands.

"When they're older, we can take them here, see how they like riding," Maya suggested after she'd taken a picture of the scene, couldn't help it.

"Yeah…" Lucas agreed at once. It felt right. He'd been away from this place for far too long. His family belonged here.

TO BE CONTINUED

See you next week! - mooners