May 3rd 2021

Chapter 123
Our Surprises For Family

"I can take her upstairs," Dora offered as Lucas moved to go and settle Marianne in her crib for the night. They were still trying to decide what movie they'd watch. Maya would tease Lucas about putting on a bit of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, because it was their daughter's 'legacy,' but then he would talk her out of it, and she would call him on wanting to show it to Marianne when she was old enough to actually take it in 'as it was meant.'

"Yeah? Alright," Lucas smiled to his cousin before passing her the sleepy girl. She would probably have fallen fully asleep by the time they reached the room. Dora took Marianne, kept watch over her as she started up the stairs, one hand to the rail for support.

"Sam told me they're planning to go on a trip next summer, after she graduates," Maya tipped her head back to look at Lucas once Dora had reached the top of the stairs.

"Yeah?" Lucas came around and plopped down at her side on the couch, which made her squeak and fumble with her phone before catching it again. "Sorry," he laughed.

"Giant," Maya squinted at him before resuming her search. "But yes, he mentioned it earlier."

"Huh…" he scratched at his beard. Maya looked at him and he turned to her. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"More often than not, yes, but in case this is the exception…" she gave an inquiring tip of the head, making him smirk.

"I don't know, just getting an impression like your dear little brother is looking to propose to my dear younger cousin," he stated, putting his arm around her so he might get a better look at the screen.

"So, not the exception then," Maya slowly nodded. "Trip might be as good a place as any, right?"

"Might be," Lucas agreed.

"We can't all have a great empty house to present to our beloved…" Maya whispered with a shake of the head so sweet as to be impossible to pass up. He leaned in and kissed her, was treated to her laughter echoing in his ears. "Careful, in case she comes back," she finally had to pull back, though she did allow herself to remain very close to him. "Will it be weird, you think?" she still continued on the subject, keeping her voice low.

"What, your brother and my cousin? If we haven't gotten used to it by now…"

"I'm not talking about their being together, no, that's fine, I mean, remember what happened two years ago? Because I haven't forgotten," Maya breathed. It wasn't like she'd caught them in the act, although if she'd gone up the stairs just a few minutes earlier… Instead, she'd run into Dora in the hallway, clothes in hand, on her way to dress back up in the bathroom, while Sam dozed back in his bed. It had made things… sort of awkward… for a while after, though they'd gotten past it in the end. "I mean more about their being on their way to getting married. Sometimes I can't look at Sam without remembering that ten-year-old boy I first met, and you and Dora, well, you've known her all her life."

"Ah, like that," Lucas understood.

"Yeah," Maya continued her casual movie hunt.

"Well, if they're going to get there, then I can only hope that it's with someone who loves them and is loved by them, and… it is."

They couldn't deny that. Sam had felt something for Dora from the moment he'd seen her. It was across a screen, as he'd still lived in Arizona at the time and he'd been communicating with his future brother-in-law regarding the house renovations, when he'd been plotting his proposal. But he'd been taken with her, and it could have remained nothing but a teenage infatuation. He'd moved over, the better to start college, and he'd finally gotten to stand face to face with Dora Cassidy. Their friendship had come easily from there, even as Sam's feelings went on solidifying. And at the same time…

For having spent more time than usual with his younger cousin across the house repairs, Lucas had been privy to her initial impressions of Sam Hart. His little woodland creature of a cousin had been intrigued by the boy, one year her junior, and after he'd come into her life, he had never left her indifferent, not one second. But they'd been teenagers, both of them, which might not have been exclusive terrain for romantic confusions but still… There had been a chance, their ships sailing toward one another, but Sam hadn't turned to intercept, and so someone else had come along and led Dora away. Even as she went one way, Sam went another, with Cecilia. And that had been all of it, for the next couple of years. Dora had already split from her boyfriend by then, and then Sam and Cecilia had broken up, too.

That it had then taken so little time before Sam and Dora got together after all this, well… It had been easy to call it any number of things, but when it came down to it, no one could fault either one. To see them together, it was clear that their hearts were still very much tuned to the other's, and the connection had been in every way a long time coming. They were happy, and they loved one another, and there was nothing more to be said on the subject. Now, if Sam felt the time had come to take this next step, and if Dora said yes when he asked her, then they had nothing to say except congratulations.

"What do you think?" Maya showed Lucas her phone with the movie she'd selected.

"If we watch that one, your grandmother will want to join in. I'll go see what she thinks," he got up and moved to the basement stairs.

"Great, I'll go see what Dora thinks," Maya moved to head up and find her. Was she partially going so she could look in on Marianne again? Well, suppose she was… That was normal, wasn't it?

Reaching the top of the stairs, Maya came up quietly to her bedroom door, in case the baby wasn't so asleep as to stay that way yet. When she looked in, the scene was not what she expected at all. Marianne was asleep, off in her crib, while Dora sat on the edge of the bed, across the room from her. Maya spotted something on the covers at her side and realized they were Dora's hearing aids. She'd taken them out, which she would do, sometimes, when she wanted to block out something of the world around her, to think, or to just clear her head… The way she sat now, eyes in the distance and not entirely focused, she was definitely checked out, and no amount of calling her down would have reached her.

Maya walked into the room, moving herself into the girl's line of sight. Dora blinked, reached to her side, but Maya stalled her with a gesture and a shake of the head. If she felt better this way right now, she deserved to stay as she was.

"Are you okay?" Maya asked quietly, knowing she'd read her lips. Dora looked at her for a beat before lowering her head. As the seconds passed, Maya was left with the impression of someone who was trying desperately to keep their composure, to look up and say that they were okay, except they weren't, and the lie wouldn't manifest itself. When she came up and touched her shoulder, it was like she'd popped the balloon, and what came out were tears.

Maya was stunned for a moment, unsure what was going on. She'd been fine, downstairs, ever since she and Sam had arrived. There'd been no sign of anything being wrong, but clearly there was… She carefully moved the objects out of the way before sitting at Dora's side. She took her hand in hers and felt her squeeze back in response. They stayed this way until the tears subsided and then just sat there, Dora sniffling, breathing. It must have been long enough for Lucas to wonder what was taking so long, as he appeared at the door, too, and the scene he found was enough to make him come along and crouch into view.

"What happened?" he asked his cousin and his wife both. Maya shook her head, showing she didn't know but also that it wouldn't be hers to say even if she did. Dora could see him there now, and between him and Maya, it left her to decide what she wanted to do next, to speak up or not.

She lightly pulled her hand free of Maya's until it could rejoin the other, dangling off the end of her knee. Now she had the look of uncertainty about her, suggesting a point of no return, if she did explain herself. She was already calculating what they would say, and once she did say it, they understood at once. What would they be thinking when they matched her coming up here into isolation, and her tears, to the news that she was pregnant?

She signed it, her hands lifting only so long as to make the revelation before they dropped back in her lap. She was left to let it settle in the air for a moment or two, as her cousin and his wife reacted. Lucas, for some reason, just recalled Maya's point about how he had known Dora all her life. He specifically remembered the day he'd gone to visit his aunt and uncle and they'd put the baby girl in his arms. He didn't know why it came to him so crisp in that instant. And Maya… It was one thing to discover that Dora was expecting, but then it also meant… Sam… Her little Sammy… a father?

Touching Dora's shoulder so she'd look over, Maya signed to ask if she was sure, how long she'd known.

"I started to suspect a few days ago. I took a test, and it was positive. I went to see a doctor today to confirm it. I'm due in June," Dora replied, seeming unable to meet either one of their gazes. She saw her cousin's hands move though, followed their movements.

"Does Sam know?" He didn't. "Do you not want him to know?" Lucas asked, the suggestion coming like distress over his cousin's face. Maya reached out, rubbed at her back.

"It's not that I don't want children. It's not that I don't want children with him. I do want it. I wanted it in a few years. But it's happening now, and I'm scared. And I can't tell him when I'm scared."

"Why not?" Lucas asked, and Maya gave him a look. Think about it for a second.

He could understand it if he just thought about it, yes. He pictured Sam, with Marianne, how much he loved his niece to pieces. The moment he found out he was going to have a child of his own… Possibly, he would be shocked, which would be natural, but after that… Oh, he'd be overjoyed, he would be ready. And if Dora wasn't ready to be ready, then what would it mean for them, for this baby? She needed to be okay before she could tell him, and she just wasn't there.

"We were careful, I swear," Dora looked at them now, allowing her fear free reign of her face, now that she had people to confide in. "What am I going to tell my parents? What's Sam going to tell his?"

"Breathe," Maya signed, and Dora did as told. "Can you come up with some excuse, tell my grandmother we won't be watching the movie after all?" Lucas looked to his cousin, who wasn't paying attention to them anymore. She was looking to Marianne in the crib again.

"Yeah, I'll think of something."

TO BE CONTINUED

See you tomorrow! - mooners