Northern Constellations
Summary: Explore a year in the life of Joshua Matthews and Maya Hart as they discover the wonders and woes of young parenthood.
Prologue
If you were to ask Maya Hart to talk about what happened on the night of January seventh, she wouldn't even know where to begin. In between failed attempts at submitting an overdue assignment for world history and procrastinating beneath the stars, her sanity was put to the test. At the time, Maya had been absolutely certain that a life without her best friend would not be a life worth living. It was sad, tragic even, to think about how the world that they had built together could come crashing down at any moment.
When she first found out about Topanga's promotion, Maya's first instinct had been to console her best friend, but she soon came to realize that Riley was not the only one seeking comfort. Her second instinct had been to reach out to Josh. He truly understood how she felt and did so much more than sympathize. At first, it had all been so innocent. They talked until the sun fell, laughed until they cried, it almost felt too good to be true.
As their night progressed without hitch, seconds became minutes and minutes turned into hours. They lost track of time as they continued to lose themselves in conversation—paying homage to the ski lodge, of course—and by the time they decided to part ways for the night, it was already past twelve. The constellations were out but barely visible in the city that never sleeps.
Maya decided to offer her room for the night under one condition: her parents could not know. Shawn and Katy respected her privacy, but allowing an older boy to spend the night without permission would be crossing the line. Although her offer seemed tempting, he politely declined. At eighteen-years-old, he considered himself to be a respectable adult. Staying the night would not reflect very well on his character. She was barely sixteen, after all.
While their feelings were mutual, they agreed not to do anything about it. Nearly three years stood between them as a tempestuous reminder of what they couldn't have—at least for the time being—because both parties were stuck in different stages of life, maturing on their own time. The last thing he wanted was to taint her innocence. It was bad enough that their chemistry was as fizzy as a sprinkle of pop rocks dancing across his tongue.
Maya felt it too. She wanted him—she wanted whatever he had to offer—whether it be a shoulder to cry on or a lengthy discussion about the birth of grunge. She didn't care. She just didn't want the night to end. It was perfectly imperfect, and slowly but surely, everything began to fell into place as their lips met. It wasn't the best kiss, and it surely hadn't been their firsts, but the fervor between them seemed to ignite wildfires.
Soon, Josh made the decision to stay.
But after the family meeting that took place the following evening—the one that almost changed the course of their entire lives—their moment and all of its impending consequences had been left untouched by reality.
Chapter One
Maya had been in the middle of lecture when she felt her stomach churn. She shot up, completely disregarding yet another socratic seminar and fled the room in fear of blowing chunks in front of her peers. She was sick. It wasn't much of a secret, but she tried her very best to keep all of the details hidden behind closed bathroom stalls. Over the past few weeks, she had grown accustomed to her sudden bursts of nausea. She emptied her stomach like clockwork, and it was a begrudging sight.
Without hesitation, the blonde beauty made a mad dash for the door, and in a matter of moments, she found herself hunched over a porcelain seat. She had spent the past four weeks in the same position—face first into a toilet or waste bin—mindlessly emptying her stomach of excess bile, leftover meals or nothing at all. When her nausea finally passed, she backed away from the toilet, her bare knees rubbing against the filthy tile below.
Maya reached for her cellphone but before she could retrieve it from her back pocket, the restroom door opened and closed with an echoing thud. Maya sighed, hoping that whoever it was could endure the putrid scent of vomit and ammonia that overwhelmed the lavatory. Although she had grown nose-blind to her own stench, she knew that it certainly wasn't pleasant.
"Peaches?" Riley called, her soft voice bouncing off the walls. Maya thanked the heavens that their teacher understood that the girls came as a package deal. "Peaches, I know you're in here. Where did you go?"
"Fourth stall on the left," Maya answered, sounding so much weaker than intended. Her throat felt dry and she was in dire need of some sustenance. As soon as her best friend turned the corner, Maya reached an arm across the seat to flush the toilet of its rancid contents. She let herself rest there for a moment, her body draped over the crooked seat as if it were a pillow. Riley entered the small cubicle shortly after, her mouth gaping at the sight of the sickly blonde. The scene was gross, but she knew that it couldn't be helped.
Impulsively, the brunette dropped to her knees to assist her honorary sister. With both hands, Riley gathered Maya's unruly hair to secure it in a simple knot, her heart breaking in the process. Maya was typically so headstrong, stubborn and independent. Seeing her this helpless felt like a punch to the gut. They had already been through so much within the year, and it was only March.
"I have come bearing gifts," Riley chirped, making a solid attempt at lightening the mood. She placed a comforting hand on her best friend's back and reached into her purse with the other. "I got you a water from the vending machine on the way over here. Didn't have enough for a soda, but I figured that you would want something."
Maya sat up straight, looking at Riley as if she were an angel sent from above and forced her mouth to curve upward into a smile. Consequently, Riley didn't stop there. "And because you have the best best friends in the whole entire world, I also brought a jacket from Lucas, a protein bar from Zay, Smackle's emergency Midol and an unwrapped stick of gum from Farkle."
"Thank you," Maya mouthed, her eyes lighting up as soon as she heard the word gum slip from her best friend's mouth. Without warning, she snatched the little stick of cinnamon glory from Riley's hand, earning a faint laugh from the quirky brunette. She popped it in her mouth and began to chew. "I love you. I love you so much."
"I love you more," Riley replied, flashing a quick smile, both toothy and adorable. Riley was her personal ray of sunshine. She could brighten Maya's day in record time. "Now let's get you all cleaned up before the girls start piling in."
At Abigail Adams, Mondays weren't just Mondays. They were break-up Mondays. Riley and Maya were quite familiar with the atrocities that took place behind these very walls. They paid close attention to all the weeping, broken hearted girls as if they were engaged in yet another episode of The Red Planet Diaries. It was interesting, needless to say, but with so much estrogen running rampant, the blonde wanted out.
"Oh no," Maya groaned, nearly swallowing her gum in the process. The flavor was already beginning to fade and she scolded herself for not coming prepared. "You gotta get me out of here."
As if it were on cue, the two girls stood up and began to straighten themselves out. As soon as they exited the stuffy stall, Maya slipped on Lucas' jacket with ease, zipping it from base to collar. Riley watched from a distance, setting the rest of her creature comforts on the vacant counter top by the sinks.
"I feel like a hot mess," Maya complained, turning on one of the faucets to wash her hands and rinse her mouth with warm water, disposing of her gum for good. The tap water from the sink had a faintly metallic aftertaste, but she didn't mind. Something was better than nothing. When she finished, she leaned into her reflection in the mirror, immediately disgusted. "I even look like a hot mess."
"It's not like that matters," Riley advised, gripping Maya's shoulders. She looked up at the mirror, taking note of the obvious differences between the two. Maya was her perfect contrast—blonde, bold, blue eyed and beautiful—and even after puking her guts out, she still looked as gorgeous as ever. "You're still the most beautiful girl I know...puke breath and all."
"You know what?" Maya asked herself, examining her hair. She fidgeted with her bun, and for the very first time in over an hour, she laughed. "I'll take that as a compliment. You have anything to fix this funk?"
"Well," Riley trailed off, digging around for the travel sized bottle of Pretty as a Peach fragrance mist that she kept at the bottom of her bag. "With a little spritz here and a little spritz there, you'll be back to normal in no time, peaches."
"You're such a dork," Maya shook her head, playfully rolling her eyes at her best friend's theatrics.
"I'm your dork," Riley corrected, uncapping the tiny bottle. After spraying a little too much fragrance mist, she held it as if it were a gun and blew the top. "Hey Maya? I hope you don't mind, but I sent Uncle Shawn a text earlier asking him if it would be okay to pick you up. He should be on his way now."
"It's fine," Maya nodded, wrapping her hands around the water bottle that was handed to her. Her hands fumbled with the cap, and as soon as she twisted the top off, she took a long swig. "I was gonna call my dad anyways. Just look at me."
There had been a time in her life when hearing the word dad brought forth over a decade's worth of unresolved daddy issues, but times were a-changing. Two years ago, she made a birthday wish and it came true. Shawn Hunter accepted her as if she were his own flesh and blood, and that was more than what Kermit had done in her entire sixteen years of life.
"Update: he just texted me saying that he literally just left the apartment," Riley added, looking down at her phone to read the most recent notification. "I know that you're tired of hearing this, especially from me, but this has gone on for way too long. I know that you hate going to the doctors. I get it, but I'm worried about you, Maya. We'll never know what's wrong with you until you get yourself checked out. I don't think I can pretend that you're okay anymore...not when you're puking your guts out every single day."
"Riley," Maya whined, her bottom lip protruding into a pout. Riley Matthews loved Maya Hart, and there was no way around it. Her concern, albeit annoying at times, was greatly appreciated. "If you cry, I cry. That's how our friendship works, remember? I haven't been feeling well, but I can promise you that I'm fine. I don't think I'm gonna die, but if it makes you feel any better, I'll think about it. Just know that if I go anywhere near a needle, I'm only doing it for you."
"Yay!" Riley exclaimed, smiling as if she had won the entire argument with the bat of an eyelash. Her sudden transition seemed a bit questionable, but Maya refused to dwell on it. "Keep that in mind when Uncle Shawn picks you up. There's a pretty good chance I also may have persuaded him to make some calls."
"You're so evil," Maya remarked, stifling a laugh. She wanted to be angry, but she couldn't. Her best friend's intentions were pure, after all. "But I wonder where you get that from. You know, you should probably get back to class before your dad thinks you skipped again."
"Alright," Riley said, raising her hands in defense. She liked to consider herself a mighty fine student. Unlike some of her classmates, she looked forward to attending class everyday to learn something new, and according to her official transcript, she ranked number six out of her entire graduating class. "I so don't skip. Okay maybe I've skipped once or twice but only because of you. You're the wild woman. Not me. I am an angel."
The transitional period between leaving John Quincy and falling into routine at Abigail Adams had been rough. Within their first two weeks of high school, their friendships, relationships and reputations had been put to the test. Needless to say, it had been one hell of a ride. Discovering their true permanent records, however, had been worth the hassle. They would all do it again in a heartbeat.
"Keep telling yourself that, honey," Maya teased, noticeably pleased that the tension between them had subsided. "I'm serious though. You should really get your little butt back to class. Between the two of us, someone has to take notes, and by someone, I mean you."
"My dad is our teacher, Maya," Riley pointed out as if it wasn't the most obvious thing in the world. Going to second period with all of her friends was the highlight of Riley's day, but it surely wasn't the same without her other half. "I have all of the notes copied two days in advance."
"Does it matter?" Maya countered, channeling the maternal instincts she never knew she had. She wanted her best friend by her side, of course, but class was just as important. Not to mention the fact that she didn't want to hear about it from Mr. Matthews later on.
"You look like my best friend," Riley said skeptically, placing a hand to her chest to emphasize her shock. She inhaled deeply. "You definitely smell like my best friend, but you don't sound like her. God, Maya, you sound like you could be my real aunt."
"Aunt Maya?" Maya smirked, testing the waters. She sought amusement in her best friend's discomfort and often used it to her advantage. She let out a breathy laugh as she watched the brunette cringe. "I really like the sound of that. Don't you?"
"I plead the fifth."
"Riley."
"Alright, fine," Riley sighed in defeat, her tone childlike. "To tell you the truth, I love it. Maya Matthews? What I don't love is the fact that you'll be with my uncle. Yuck."
"Someday," Maya mused, repeating the very word they adopted as their personal mantra. "We're not quite there yet. I don't know if we ever will be, but give me ten years and we'll see."
"Ten years it is," Riley agreed, instantly reminded of one of their iconic bay window moments. In ten years, the girls would be twenty-five and twenty-six, mature and hopefully thriving. Ten years seemed to be a sufficient amount of time for their someday to resurface if it was truly meant to be. "Now that you're somewhat presentable, do you wanna head back to class with me?"
Maya shook her head. If she were to return now, after everything, she would be risking her another awkward confrontation with her teacher. Maya had been around their family long enough to be considered an honorary member. She was even treated as such, so Cory Matthews made it a point to give her as much of a hard time as he would give his own daughter. Maya didn't mind, of course. It meant the world to know that her extended family cared.
"I think I'll just wait outside in the hallway for a little while," Maya answered, taking a moment to choose her words carefully. "You know, just in case my throne calls to me again."
"Just thinking about you getting sick makes me feel sick," Riley remarked, moving a strand of hair behind her ear. "Maya?"
"Yeah, honey?"
"Do you want me to pull your stuff from class?" Riley asked, watching as the blonde gathered the rest of her supplies from the sink before turning on her heels in the direction of the entrance. "I can do that...or I can just swing by later to drop off work. We can hang out if you're feeling better."
"I think I have everything I need," Maya said, referring to her cellphone and clutch wallet. "But if it isn't too much to ask for, it would be great if you could hand me my bag."
Awaiting a response, Maya unwrapped her protein bar and marveled in its beauty. She didn't particularly like dark chocolate or almonds, but it seemed to satisfy her stomach with the first bite. Before scarfing the entire bar down her throat, she broke it in half and handed the smaller piece to her best friend. Riley readily accepted it and the two girls made their way out the door.
"I'm on it."
"Thank you, Riley. Thank you for everything. I honestly don't think I say that enough, but I mean it. I wouldn't be here without you."
"Oh, you don't have to thank me, Peaches," Riley said in between bites. "I'll be there whenever you need me, wherever that may be. I know that you'd do the same for me."
"Because we're the best best friends the world has ever seen?" Maya teased, nudging the taller girl with her shoulder.
"No, because we're sisters."
Maya spent the next fifteen minutes alone, her eyes glued to the brightened screen of her smartphone as she browsed though an endless archive of Red Planet Diaries fanfiction. In between classes, the decorated halls of Abigail Adams seemed to be quiet and lifeless. For once, Maya felt at peace.
Shawn arrived shortly after. He had been drifting in-and-out of consciousness when he received his niece's message, but as soon as he realized it was an emergency, he shot out of bed. This was becoming a common trend in their household, and he was too mortified to address the issue. Maya left home feeling well and returning looking the complete opposite. It wasn't normal. When his best friend's daughter urged him to pull some strings, he jumped at the opportunity to scheduling an appointment.
"Morning, kid," Shawn greeted, finally coming across his adoptive daughter in the hallway. Maya sat with her knees pressed to her chest in the little bay window by the wall of lockers, intently reading one of her favorite alternate endings for the Red Planet Diaries finale. "Are you feeling any better?"
Once she heard Shawn speak, she locked her phone and slid it into the front pocket of her borrowed coat. It was a quarter past ten and his voice sounded like music to her ears. Every minute she spent waiting felt like an hour as she tried to ignore her internal churning.
"I feel better than I did an hour ago," Maya answered, inhaling a deep breath. She was feeling a lot better, but she knew that she couldn't sugar coat her situation. It was impossible to bend the truth in front of Shawn. He could read Clutterbucket women like an open book. "That doesn't say much though."
"I figured," Shawn shrugged, bending over to pick up her bag. The bag was all black, practical yet stylish. It wasn't very heavy, but carrying it seemed like the gentleman thing to do. "You know, I would've let you stay home this morning. You should've told me you weren't feeling too hot."
Maya wasn't quite used to having a parent on standby twenty-four seven, but it made her heart swell. Shawn didn't have to work nine-to-five shifts on weekdays and pull grueling doubles to help make ends meet. Instead, he spent most of his time at home. He worked his own hours for Hit The Road and decided to stay local until his wife returned home from filming. Shawn and Maya had been on their own for weeks. They got along well, but they were still testing the waters.
"Thanks for picking me up," Maya said. Her words were forced, but she meant them with a heavy heart. He had already done so much for her by staying behind. He didn't have to be this kind. "If you were busy, you could've called the office to release me early. I always have my metro card on me, so I can get home just fine."
"Busy?" Shawn chuckled at her ridiculous claim. "I'm basically a freelance photographer, Maya, and I promised your mother that I would look after you. So guess what? You're stuck with me, kid. You and your pretty little mama are all I've got anyways."
"You are such a natural," Maya complimented, attempting to brighten the atmosphere with a joke. "It's kind of like you were born to be someone's dad. But hey, Riley mentioned something about an appointment. You didn't actually schedule an appointment, right?"
Maya would never admit to it, but she feared hospitals and urgent care centers with every fiber in her being. In her big blue eyes, hospitals were simply designated areas where people take their first and last breaths. Although she wasn't particularly afraid of dying, her brief encounter with death kept her up sometimes. When Maya was eight, she came down with a terrible case of strep throat. After watching her baby suffer for three whole weeks, Katy decided that enough was enough and tried to make an appointment at their local health care center. Unfortunately, that did not put an end to their misadventure. They spent nearly four hours sitting around in a stuffy little lobby, Maya's shot records were not up to date and when she was finally seen, it was revealed that their lack of insurance meant that their trip was an entirely out of pocket expense. The icing on top of the cake though, however, had been Maya's encounter with death via penicillin allergy.
"Come on," Shawn encouraged, motioning for her to stand up with his free hand. He was wearing layers underneath his leather jacket and the heaters were blasting. He wanted to get out of Abigail Adams as soon as possible. Maya stood up and stretched, the scent of peach still radiating off of her clothes. "I'm pretty sure you'll be fine. I called Jen before I left the apartment, and she booked you an appointment with her physician—another woman—and that's all I know. She mentioned that you might feel a little bit more comfortable with a female doctor. I dunno."
Maya didn't really have a preference. As long as they got the job done, she didn't care what gender they were. However, she was mildly surprised that Jen—whoever she was—would even care enough to make a suggestion.
"Jen?" Maya repeated, growing uncomfortable at the thought of her own implications. It wasn't any of her business, but she wondered if her mother had ever heard of a woman named Jen. Katy trusted Shawn enough to leave him with her most prized possession, so she was in no position to question his loyalty.
"Bassett," Shawn assured. "You probably know her as Jennifer, the monster or maybe even Mrs. Minkus."
Maya silently reprimanded herself for jumping to conclusions, but she couldn't help it. When Kermit left, Katy took on the role of both a mother and a father. Maya was constantly reminded of her absentee parent every time she looked into the mirror. She saw a little girl in place of her current self: a little girl who just wasn't good enough for her daddy to stay. Shawn was more of a father to her than Kermit ever was and the thought of him leaving made her want to retreat into a shell of nothingness.
"Mrs. Minkus," Maya sighed, disappointed in herself for letting her insecurities take over. Only a handful of her closest friends and family were considered to be lucky enough to see this side of her. Her emotions were raw and very real. She was a teenage girl, after all. "Of course. I knew that."
"Sure you did," Shawn teased, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he unlocked the doors of his Nissan Xterra with the press of a button. The two piled into the vehicle shortly after. "Do you remember when we all went out to dinner before your mom left? Well, Stuart and Jen offered to help out in any way they can. As much as it pains me to say this...we need their help right about now."
"Oh yeah," Maya huffed, recalling a memory that had long been forgotten. The week following Topanga's big reveal had been a blur. She connected with the object of her affection in more ways than one, her mother scored a first class ticket to fly across the country and she had been pressured into going on a handful of triple dates all in the course of seven days. "Wasn't that the night we went to that greasy sandwich place on Waverly Place? I think the highlight of my night would be the look on Mrs. Minkus' face when our orders came. I like her and all, but uptown girls are ridiculous."
"Uptown?" Shawn laughed, reversing out of their tight parking space. "Yeah, right. Don't let the diamonds and pearls fool you. I will admit that she's changed, but you can take the girl out of Philly, but you can't take Philly out of the girl."
He had been shocked to learn that the Stuart Minkus made a wife out of his former girlfriend. However, it was a pleasant surprise when he learned that they were truly happy. Stuart and Jen built an empire for themselves, and that's all that mattered.
"Wait," Maya said, stopping him from ranting about change. She got enough of that from her teachers. "You knew both of Farkle's parents when you lived in Philly?"
"I guess you could say that," Shawn chuckled to himself, reminiscing on an old romance and a peculiar friendship. "We weren't exactly the best of friends then, but we're friends now. I actually went out with Jen a couple times when we were kids. And Minkus? Sheesh. He was just a pain in the ass."
"Wait a second," Maya paused in disbelief. Jennifer Minkus and Shawn Hunter were on entirely different wavelengths. She would see him with someone like Angela, sure, but Farkle's mom? No way. "You dated Mrs. Minkus? That might be the weirdest thing I have ever heard."
"Well," Shawn trailed off, easing on to the main road. The traffic wasn't too bad around this time, but he knew that being on the road during lunchtime would be like taking a drip in Dante's Inferno. "It wasn't serious. Maybe you should ask Cory about this one. It was his problem too."
Maya rolled her eyes, imagining her best friend's mother saying what seemed to be her Christmas catchphrase: all my life. She heard the stories. Cory wasn't Cory without Shawn. Shawn wasn't Shawn without Cory. Riley and Maya were the exact same way.
"So your appointment is at twelve," Shawn said, breaking the silence between the two. "That gives you enough time to get showered up at home, and we can even stop by that little coffee shop across the street from the apartment. You love those fancy iced coffees. Hey...maybe that's why you stopped growing."
"You know me so well," Maya cooed, letting him off the hook for the comment he made about her height. "What are we waiting for, daddy dearest? Theres an iced caramel macchiato calling my name and a double-shot calling yours."
Nearly two hours later, both Maya and Shawn gathered enough courage to set foot into the clinic. The designated waiting area was plain, nonetheless, with white walls and beige couches. Abstract canvases were sprawled out across the room and Maya couldn't help but comment on how tacky they were. Whoever designed the lobby paid more attention to technicality than creativity. As an artist, Maya considered that to be a red flag.
While Shawn filled out the required paperwork made especially for a parent or guardian with a power of attorney, Maya searched through her phone once more. Satisfied with her discovery, she sank back into her seat to begin binge reading. Riley was a sucker for stories about Ashley the Astronaut and Blarg's other head as parents, so Maya decided to check it out for herself. She hoped that it wouldn't be just another cliche.
Sometime later, one of the receptionists called her name from the huge circulation desk, and Maya huffed: "I guess that's me."
Before she left the main lobby, she placed her purse in her adoptive father's open lap and gave her self a much needed pep talk. She knew deep down that there was nothing to worry about, but she couldn't separate Riley's concerns from her conscience. What if, just as Riley feared, she wasn't okay at all? All of the what if's made her feel queasy inside.
As Maya followed one of the physicians assistants into a vacant observation room, she felt breathless. She wanted to go home. She wanted Riley. She wanted her mom. But before she could make a run for it, someone began to knock on the door.
"Well hello there, Maya," the woman greeted, clutching a plastic clipboard to her chest. She walked into the room with so much confidence that Maya swore she was blinded by her light. "May I come in? It is so nice to finally meet you."
Maya nodded, and her twenty-something bombshell of a doctor moved closer and closer until she stood about two feet away from the observation table. The occasional click of her heels filled the room with every step. If this was the infamous Alina Evans, Maya was bewitched. She was a gorgeous woman, simple yet elegant, and her mix of exotic features seemed questionably familiar, but she couldn't quite pinpoint their origins.
"I'm Dr. Evans," the young professional beaned, extending her arm outward for a handshake. Maya reciprocated the gesture and studied the woman's face. "But I wouldn't mind if you called me Alina. I have heard so much about you."
"Oh really?" Maya asked, suddenly feeling very skeptic. After a moment, she concluded that Mrs. Minkus probably mentioned a thing or two before they scheduled an appointment earlier today. "It's nice to meet you too, Dr. Mack. I honestly didn't think that you would be so young."
"Oh please," Dr. Evans laughed, "I am not that young. You're the same age as Isadora, right? So it's safe to say that I am at least ten years older. I miss being sixteen. Don't grow up too fast. You'll regret it later."
"Isadora?" Maya repeated, hoping for clarification. It took a second, but after getting a good look at the woman in front of her, everything seemed to click. Alina Mack was petite. She stood a little over five feet in heels. Her hair was pinned into a simple braided bun, revealing her ears. They had the same eyes, ears and nose. While Alina's skin was a bit darker than her little sister's, the resemblance was uncanny. "As in the Isadora Smackle? You're Ali? Oh man, I did not see that one coming."
"In the flesh," Dr. Evans replied, taking a few steps back to lean against the computer desk. Isadora Smackle and Isaiah Babineaux were the final two pieces needed to complete their complex puzzle of friends. However, unlike Zay, Smackle was not an open book. Her feelings were often difficult to interpret and she shared her personal experiences only sparingly. "I haven't been Ali Smackle in years though. Things change."
The only person in their group who truly knew Smackle was her boyfriend, Farkle Minkus. She rarely mentioned her life at home, so the girls paid extra attention whenever she did. Isadora grew up with both of her parents present, but they were very cold, professional people. Despite her father's work in the medical field, they hardly acknowledged her Asperger's in hope of it being a childhood phase, and Smackle's much older sister, Ali, seemed to be too self-absorbed to give a damn about what happened to her at home.
"I pictured you being a lot different in my head," Maya admitted, reflecting on the Crazy Ali references that Smackle brought into conversation every now and then. "You're so pretty. It kinda makes my eyes hurt."
"What did you expect?" Dr. Evans asked, pausing afterwards to retrace her steps. Sometimes knowing nothing was better than knowing it all. "Actually don't answer that. I'm sure that she's painted me as some wicked witch of the west side, but that's not true. I love my baby sister, but Smackle women do have a flair for the dramatic. Anyways, I'm off topic. You're here for an appointment. What seems to be the problem?"
The problem? Maya didn't even know where to begin. It all started four weeks ago, maybe even before then. Dr. Evans pursed her lips and adverted her attention back to the documents in her hands. Maya was up-to-date on all of her shots. That was a pleasant surprise. She concluded that Maya had been a fairly healthy girl up until now, so this was all startling and new.
"I don't really get sick," Maya professed, incapable of sitting still. "I mean, everyone gets sick. I know that. I get headaches when I don't drink water and runny noses when it's flu season, but this has never happened to me before. I throw up everything and I'm always tired. It's frustrating, but I know that I'm fine. My best friend and my dad wanted me to get checked out, so here I am."
"Oh, I see," Dr. Evans acknowledged, uncapping her pen to manually jot down a few notes onto her clipboard. "You're a very lucky girl, Maya. You have friends and family that care about you. Not everyone has that as a luxury. Anyways, it would help me, the professional, a great deal if you were to answer the following questions honestly and to the best of your ability. That way, we can get down to business."
"Got it."
"Alright," Dr. Evans said, looking up from her clipboard to begin her questionnaire. "When I was your age, I used to hate these questions. They are important though. Are you aware of any hereditary diseases or abnormalities common in your family?"
"No, ma'am," Maya answered shaking her head. The Harts and Clutterbuckets were fairly healthy. Her mother never told her about any underlying health concerns to look out for later in life. "My mom's side of the family is clean. I can't speak for my biological father, but there shouldn't be anything to worry about."
"Have you taken any medications, supplements or dietary pills in the past twenty-four hours? Prescription and non-prescription OTCs count," Dr. Evans continued down her list, checking off each individual bullet as she went. Maya wasn't taking any particular medication. She just took whatever her friends offered.
"Ibuprofen," Maya answered, somewhat confident in her response. In truth, she hardly paid attention to labels. Light painkillers were, indeed, light. "At least, that's what I think."
"Do you smoke or take any recreational drugs?" Dr. Evans asked. Maya noticed the change in her demeanor as soon as she mentioned the word smoke, but refrained from acknowledging it.
"No," Maya dismissed, swinging her legs back-and-forth. Her feet were far from the ground, so she decided to make the best out of her height.
"Do you drink alcohol? If so, how much and how often?" Dr. Evans inquired, recovering from a failed attempt at suppressing a yawn
"Nope, I don't drink either," Maya said, coming to a realization that for a wild child, she wasn't all that wild. She knew for a fact that developing bad habits would be a death sentence. Riley would have her head if she showed up to the bay window under any type of influence.
"What's your menstrual cycle like?" Dr. Evans on to ask. A brief silence filled the room as the physician flipped to a different page. Maya could only describe herself as stumped. She had never been entirely comfortable with discussing her period with anyone simply out of embarrassment. Maya could vividly remember her first encounter with Mother Nature when she was a sixth grader at John Quincy. Mr. Matthews, of all people, had been the one to pull her aside after noticing a small patch of blood on her backside. She had been twelve years old and absolutely mortified. Mr. Matthews, however, was a father. As a father, he knew exactly what to do.
"Oh," Maya huffed, suddenly overwhelmed. She couldn't recall the last time her cycle came full circle, but that wasn't out of the ordinary. "I haven't had my period in a while, but I've always been irregular. It's been months."
"Irregular periods are common with girls your age," Dr. Evans elaborated on the blonde's statement. "I'm sure your cycle will balance itself out, so I wouldn't stress over it. If it does become a problem and you're thinking about becoming sexually active, we can discuss birth control. But on the topic of birth control, are you sexually active?"
"Yes."
"Yes?"
"It happened once," Maya clarified, looking down at her platform sneakers. She was almost too ashamed to lock eyes with Alina. Without a doubt, the night she spent with Joshua Matthews had been one of the best nights of her life. It was so much more than a grief fuck, but at the end of the day, they were still at different stages of life. Josh vowed that he wouldn't touch her like that again until their someday came around. "In January...a couple of days after my birthday."
"Duly noted, but specifics aren't necessary," Dr. Evans said, the kindness in her voice exceeding the younger girl's expectations. "Thank you for being honest with me though. I don't want to overstep my boundaries, but I think I know what's going on here. If you don't mind, I would like to check your vitals, continue your check-up and hopefully collect some blood samples to analyze."
"You're the doctor. I'm the patient," Maya shrugged, insinuating that she'd go along with anything within reason. "Do what you do best."
Dr. Alina Evans flashed a sympathetic smile at the petite blonde as if to communicate her assumptions through actions rather than words, but Maya couldn't translate the gesture. The physician frowned. It seemed as though the teen was clueless.
"It could be anything," Dr. Evans began, trying to sound as level-minded as possible. Maya was so young and full of potential. The news she was about to receive would be a game changer. "But I've seen this before, Maya. There is a fair chance that you might be pregnant."
Maya instinctively placed a hand to her stomach as if the slightest touch could call her bluff. She felt bloated, but that didn't necessarily mean anything. Maya knew that she wasn't expecting anything any time soon.
"I'm sorry, but that's impossible," Maya firmly denied. She couldn't believe the words that were coming out of Dr. Evans' mouth. She didn't feel pregnant. Weren't mother's supposed to have some sort of intuition? "I think I would know."
When Riley was in the fourth grade, she caught a stomach bug that was going around their school. Maya tried to convince herself that their cases were similar. A stomach virus would be easier to handle than an unexpected teenage pregnancy.
"We won't know for sure until your results come in," Dr. Alina Evans assured, placing a hand on the petite blonde's shoulder. Maya suddenly felt the need to cry."Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm wrong. We can't rule anything out just yet."
"Alright. I understand," Maya breathed out, wiping the excess sweat off of her palms with the front of jeans. "We can, um, carry on if you want."
The rest of her appointment went by without a hitch. Maya stood straight, bent over, walked in straight lines, allowed Dr. Evans to check her vitals, and feel for any swollen lymph nodes. It was all standard protocol, but everything went south when Maya was instructed to lift her shirt a few inches. She did as she was told, incapable of protesting, and swore she was impregnated with trepidation. Dr. Evans pushed down on various regions of her abdomen, asking every so often if she felt any pain or discomfort. Her swelling was quite obvious, but Dr. Evans refrained from making any remarks. Instead, she went straight to preparing samples, breaking the blonde's heart in the process.
Just as Dr. Alina Evans expected, both of the samples came back with conclusive evidence. While running the samples for any potential abnormalities, one of the lab technicians came across an abundance of hGC, a hormone produced during the gestation period of a woman's pregnancy. Maya Hart was, without a doubt, pregnant at sixteen. For the first time in her entire career, Dr. Evans wasn't sure how to deliver the blow. Most women would feel blessed to be with child, but Maya was still a child herself.
"What's the verdict? Maya pressed, jumping to her feet as soon as she caught sight of the tiny brunette entering the observation room. Maya's eyes were bloodshot, brimming with tears, but she refused to cry. Not until she knew for sure. "I'm not pregnant. I know that I'm not. You are going to tell me that this was a huge misunderstanding, right?"
"If I could, I would," Dr. Evans began, finally coming to a conclusion that she would have to treat Maya with the same mannerisms she showed her terminal patients. "On the bright side, you're perfectly healthy. For someone who never goes to the doctors, you seem to take care of yourself pretty well. If you continue to do so in the upcoming months, you and your baby will be just fine."
"My baby?" Maya choked, placing a shaky hand to her chest. She felt for the locket she kept close to her her heart as the room fell into yet another uncomfortable silence. She felt breathless again. This time, however, her physician's words were far from soothing. "Can you check again? I can't be pregnant. I just can't. I'm not."
"I am so sorry," Dr. Evans apologized, glancing at her computer screen one last time before giving her full attention to the young girl. As soon as she made eye contact with Maya, she opened her mouth to continue: "I know this isn't what you wanted to hear, but you are pregnant. We ran your samples twice, and you tested positive both times. I would say that you're about eleven weeks, so you're due to enter the second trimester very soon. With that being said, the window for you to safely terminate is about to close. So if you would like to invest, I'll have to refer you to another office as soon as possible."
"This might be the worst karma," Maya frowned, feeling weak at the knees. She moved to take a seat atop the observation table and placed her head in her hands. Without warning, she cried. She let her tears run freely down her face, her mind far from the aftermath of ruining her makeup. "You know I used to make fun of that girl, but now I am her. I'm a cliche."
"This will definitely take some time to get used to, but I'm sure that you're strong enough to get through this," Dr. Evans affirmed, submitting the updated version of the blonde's documentation into her database. "Now that, that's out of the way, I would like to discuss your options. As your doctor, it would go against my morals to tell you what to do, but as a woman, I can advise you to consult with your friends and family before you make any big decisions on your own. Did you come alone or is someone waiting for you in the lobby?"
Her tears stopped as soon as they began. She had to pull herself together, after all. Maya couldn't decide what she feared the most: actually having a baby or telling her loved ones. Shawn hadn't been in her life for very long, but he was already the type of father she dreamed of. Losing him over something so consequential would break her heart. She also feared her mother's reaction. She would be more than devastated. Shawn fixed their broken home, and Maya felt as if she were putting it all on the line.
"I can't even drive," Maya answered, laughing at the irony. She was hardly old enough to get behind the wheel of a car yet she she could carry a baby full term. "My, um, father brought me in."
"Would you like me to get him? Now, this is entirely up to you, but I feel like it would be good for you to have someone to help guide you through this, and I can't schedule any more appointments without approval from a parent or legal guardian. You seem like a good kid, Maya. Good things happen to good people. Don't fret. I promise that things will get better. All you have to do is take things slowly...one step at a time. What happens next is all up to you."
What happens next? Maya didn't want to think about it. She wanted to curl up in bed with her best friend. She wanted to back to that night and put a stop to their illicit encounter. This was a nightmare, but she couldn't change a damn thing. This was her life.
"I would like that very much. Thank you."
"Maya!" Shawn exclaimed, rushing to his adoptive daughter's side as soon as her room came into view. When Dr. Evans retrieved him from the waiting area, he couldn't help but worry. In his lifetime, he had learned to accept that doctors were more than often bearers of bad news. He had a feeling deep in the pit of his stomach that something was wrong. "Hey, you. What happened? Are you alright?"
Maya didn't look okay. As much as she would hate to admit it, she was a sight for sore eyes. Her hair was frizzy and her tear stained face was streaked with lines of black and grey. If it were any other day, Shawn would have made a comment about how she looked like a clown, but he knew that now was not the time.
The blonde opened her mouth to speak, but shut it immediately after. Recognizing Maya's helplessness, Dr. Evans stepped in: "She's healthy, Mr. Hunter. Maya's in great shape. I can attest to that. Her examination was very thorough, so nothing went unnoticed. However, with that being said, I would like to schedule more frequent appointments to keep tabs on her condition."
"That's unnerving," Shawn said, narrowing his eyes at Dr. Evans. She had a familiar face, but he was certain that this was their first encounter. "What condition are you talking about? I thought you said that she was healthy."
"I am," Maya answered for her, brainstorming different ways to lessen the blow. "What I'm feeling is temporary. It'll go away."
Hearing those words, Shawn felt relieved. Everything seemed to be alright, but he could tell that the two were holding back a great deal of information. Neither Maya or Dr. Evans spoke of her mysterious condition.
"But there's more."
"I knew it," Shawn braced himself, tension building in the room. Good and bad news come hand in hand. Life was a perfect mixture of both, after all. "Just tell me fast. Rip it off like a bandage."
"I'm pregnant," Maya said in a single breath. It felt cold. Really cold. She didn't know if it was the A/C unit of if it was all in her head.
"You're what?"
"You heard what I said," Maya frowned, biting down on her lip with enough force to draw blood. As she waited for a response from the man she saw as her father, she could feel her heart beat from outside of her chest. "This is awkward. It's awkward enough for me, but I thought you should know."
Shawn turned to look at Dr. Evans for clarification, confusion etched onto his face. Pregnant? He wasn't quite sure if he heard her correctly. His newly developed sense of selective hearing was to blame. It wasn't until Maya's tears made a surprising comeback that he realized that she was, indeed, with child.
"Oh, Maya," Shawn sighed, impulsively pulling the much smaller girl into an embrace. She began to sob and Shawn was mortified by her sudden outburst. He didn't know what to say or do, so he reached out to comfort her in her time of need. The thirteen years he spent in solitude hadn't prepared him for this moment. He never had to deal with pregnant teenagers or in his case, pregnant teenage daughters. "Your mom hasn't even been gone for two months and you're already pregnant? Guess I lost that bet."
"This isn't funny," Maya sniffled, pulling away from his arms. She knew that he was just trying to make light of the situation, but she couldn't bring herself to laugh. She expected him to be disappointed. She betrayed their trust. Katy and Shawn weren't strict, but there were rules. Shawn's face showed little emotion, maybe a little shock, but there was a tenderness in his eyes that seemed comforting enough.
"You're right," Shawn agreed, letting his arms fall limp at his sides. "This isn't something to joke about. I am disappointed, Maya, but that doesn't change the fact that you're my daughter."
"I've never been this scared in my entire life," Maya confessed, mindlessly staring into the hallway. "I want mom to come home, but that's selfish. She's following her dreams, and I'm on the other side of the country ruining them. This is going to ruin her. What am I supposed to do?"
"Why are you asking me?"
"I don't know. You're the adult."
"This is your life," Shawn said, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I am the adult, but I know that you're old enough to make your own decisions. It's your body, your baby and your choice. I'm only here to help you along the way. The same goes for your mom."
"I mentioned this before," Dr. Evans added, clearing her throat before their silence became too stark. "You have a wide-variety of options to choose from. If you plan on carrying your baby full term, please keep in mind that adoption is a very popular alternative. If you feel like you can't handle it, I can refer to one of our sister clinics."
"I know what I want to do," Maya answered, dismissing the possibilities of giving up her child for adoption or investing in an abortion. The baby wasn't just hers. "But at the same time, I don't. I know that, as of right now, I'm not ready to be a mom. I'm sixteen, and I don't think I've ever held a baby in my life."
"Well, I see your point," Shawn concurred. When he was sixteen, he wouldn't have been able to take on the role of a parent. Even at twenty-four, he hadn't been ready for that type of commitment. Even though he claimed to support his adoptive daughter's decision, he was a bit skeptical of her raising a child. Her future was so bright.
"But that doesn't mean that I won't be ready for the time comes," Maya continued, insinuating that this was something she wanted to do. "I don't want to regret the things I didn't do. I have a really good life. I want to be able to make mistakes and grow from them. I want to be able to grow from this. I don't want to run away. Shawn, you said it yourself...this baby is mine. Maybe all I need is time."
"Well," Dr. Evans smiled, "It's settled. Your time isn't infinite, but I'm sure seven months is enough to prepare. Unfortunately, I am not an obstetrician, so when you make another appointment at the reception desk, Lyn will pencil you in for an initial consultation with one of my associates, Dr. Olivia Patel. I can promise you that she's the finest obstetrician we have to offer. She might actually be the best in the Village."
"She sounds expensive," Maya thought aloud. Her concerns were valid. They had money, but they didn't have money like that.
"It's covered," Dr. Evans explained. "We work for Mrs. Minkus, and we owe our practice to the charitable donations provided to us through the corporation. Between your health care plan and the generosity of your friends who love you very much, I am certain that you won't have to pay much out of pocket until you give birth.
Birth. This was actually happening. Maya couldn't wrap her head around it.
When Shawn Hunter came into their lives, Maya knew that her mother had finally met the one. Katy deserved a man who loved her. Shawn was everything she ever wanted and more. When Kermit left, Maya witnessed her mother reach an all-time low. She set aside her own hopes and dreams to raise her daughter alone. Angela moved to New York shortly after, but that didn't change much. Maya didn't want to be the one to bring her mother down from her pedestal of happiness. She would tell Katy sooner or later, but as of now, this was her time to shine. Now, all she needed to do was to convince her adoptive father to keep his mouth shut for the time being.
"You can't tell mom," Maya pleaded, her voice sounding much more frantic than formidable. Those were the first words she dared to speak ever since they left the building, and quite frankly, the thirty-something year old didn't know how to react. "She can't know...not yet anyways."
"Maya, she's my wife," Shawn attempted to reason, unlocking the doors of his SUV with the key. Every night at eleven, Shawn and Katy took the time to video chat with each other until they were too tired to go on. Their conversations were mainly focused on Katy, but Shawn didn't mind. He was a man in love. "You know you can't keep this from your mother. That'll only make things worse."
Stepping into the vehicle, Maya sighed. She knew that, of course. She knew that her mother was bound to discover the news, but she didn't want to ruin her moment. If she told Katy now, she would be on the first flight back to New York, her acting career fading into oblivion. She couldn't do that to the woman who sacrificed everything to raise her.
"I know," Maya said, pulling the passenger seatbelt across her body. She snapped it into place and reached out to adjust one of the air vents. "I'll tell her when she comes back. It'll break her heart. Give me a few weeks and it's done, I promise."
"You're asking me to walk on eggshells," Shawn shook his head in disapproval, "If she finds out that I knew about your little dilemma and kept it from her, say goodbye to the living room because that's where I'll be sleeping for the next year and a half. I actually like sleeping in my bed, and it's even better when my wife is there. I'm serious though. Your mom loves you, kid."
"Yeah," Maya countered, "And I love her. That's why waiting is the best option. She's made so many sacrifices for me, Shawn. I want her to enjoy what she has while it lasts...and I need some time to think everything over. Please?"
"It's your life," Shawn restated, "I could never stress that enough. This is your secret to tell. Not mine. I'm just gonna put it out there and say that it'll be much easier for you to get it out of the way now. In four weeks, you'll be what? Fifteen weeks?"
"Four weeks is enough time," Maya insisted, resting her head against the chilly window. She could hear her heartbeat from outside of her chest. She couldn't believe that she was with child. She never any of this to happen so soon, but she would have to deal with the cards life sent her way.
"Is it going to take you four weeks to tell Josh?" Shawn asked, shifting his gears in reverse to maneuver out of the tight parking space they were in. During the appointment, Maya implied that the father played an active role in her life. Shawn could only assume.
"No," Maya answered, shutting her eyes for a few seconds. "I'd like to think that he's equally responsible. He deserves to know just as much as I do—wait, what? How did you know it was Josh?"
"I took a wild guess," Shawn chuckled, tightening his grip on the leather steering wheel cover his wife insisted on buying himself for Christmas. "I narrowed it down to Lucas, Farkle, Josh and Zay. Out of the four, Josh was the only one that made sense. Kids don't give adults enough credit nowadays. I know about what goes on in your life, Maya. Your mom and I are a lot older than you are, but we were your age once...and I've seen the way that idiot looks at you. It's the same way Cory looks at Topanga; the way I look at your mom. He adores you. God, how did you get yourself into his mess? No, don't answer that. I don't wanna know."
Both Maya and Shawn cringed at the mention of her sex life and retreated into an awkward silence. To alleviate some of the tension, Shawn turned up the radio's volume with one of the shortcut controls on his steering wheel while Maya searched through a variety of FM stations for something worth listening to. After going through the loop a four times, she decided to plug in her spare auxiliary cord and play her own music. Without another word spoken, they drove home listening to The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, sirens and horn wiling in the distance. For a split second, it felt like any other day.