Northern Constellations

Summary: Explore a year in the life of Joshua Matthews and Maya Hart as they explore the wonders and woes of young parenthood.

Chapter Four

"This is truly a sight to behold," Shawn Hunter mumbled under his breath, taking note of the weeping teenager draped over the kitchen island. Maneuvering his way through a never-ending labyrinth of loose cords and chargers, thirty-something year old man caught a better glimpse of the cause of his step-daughter's tears: her laptop.

As soon as the end credits rolled, tears began to whelp at the corners of the young woman's eyes. Even though The Red Planet Diaries finale premiered months ago, she couldn't accept that it was over. Riley and Maya spent nearly a decade of their lives intertwined with The Red Planet Diaries. The show was something that they grew up with, and just like that, it was cut short.

"Maya, it's four o'clock in the morning," Shawn sighed, reaching into one of the cupboards to retrieve a medium sized mug. Afterwards, he dug a hand into a small plastic bin to choose a K-Cup at random. "Did you get any sleep at all last night?"

"Nope," Maya shot back, raising her head from the countertop. Her eyes were red and bloodshot. It was obvious that she had been crying. "I couldn't fall asleep. I tried, but what's the point? Mom's coming home in a couple of hours, and this stupid show is over."

"For starters, that show sucks," Shawn laughed, waiting for the coffee maker to turn on. "I thought you were excited for your mom to come back. You said it yourself: the sooner the better. How many weeks along are you now? Like fourteen?"

"Too many weeks," Maya exasperated, finally fixing her posture. She was about fifteen weeks now, almost halfway through her entire pregnancy, and she was absolutely mortified. Her small stature was a blessing, and she didn't seem to pop just yet, but she knew that it was coming. "Almost fifteen, I think."

"And I was excited," she continued, stretching her arms above her head. She stopped as soon as she heard the first pop. It was so satisfying. "But then I realized that this is literally going to ruin her. I basically dug all of our graves. At least we'll be buried together. Sad, right?

"Your life, your choice," Shawn shrugged. In his heart, he felt as though he probably should've spilled the beans earlier to prepare his wife for her first moment alone with Maya, but he couldn't do anything about it now. "I just want you to hear me out when I say this: your mom loves you, Maya. You're right, this is probably going to upset her. But—see, there's always a but—at the end of the day, you're still her daughter and nothing will change that. So don't sweat it, kid."

"Well, I hope you're right," Maya thought out loud, shutting down her laptop. She slid it off of the table and into a case to make room and clear the island. When she finished cleaning up a bit, she couldn't help but yawn. She was incredibly tired, and she knew that she should have caught a couple of hours of sleep instead of wasting away her time by fruitless binge watching. Maya hoped that tonight she could be able to dream. Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by a snore coming from the living room. Yeah, she thought, Joshua Matthews was a lucky bastard.

"Morning again, Maya," Shawn greeted nearly two hours later, dressed head-to-toe in a very suave manner. He waved at her, hoping for some type of response. "Holy, wow, that top actually makes you look pregnant."

Those were the first words that came to mind, and they seemed to push her buttons. Maya jabbed her fork onto her plate of scrambled eggs and let out a breath. She had never really been too self-conscious of her weight, but his comment definitely got a rise out of her. While her arms and legs were as slim as ever, her breasts and abdomen were not. She didn't look super pregnant, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that she was with child.

"Gee, thanks," Maya frowned, watching as the middle-aged man searched through the refrigerator in search of something other than coffee to drink. Shortly after their brief encounter at four, Maya tried to fall asleep on the couch, but her attempt was made in vain. Josh was notorious for snoring. If Maya could change anything about him, it would be that. "I didn't notice."

"Hey, did you finish all of the orange juice?" Shawn asked, scratching his forehead with one hand and pushing past soda cans with the other. "I thought I bought some the other day, but I could be wrong."

Maya took hold of her fork once again, shoveling the remaining bit of lukewarm eggs into her mouth. When she finished, she got up from her seat on the couch and dropped her plate into the sink, her eyes grazing upon the paper carton placed atop the counter right next to the coffee maker.

"Found it," Maya yawned, taking the carton into her hands. She set it on the middle of the island. "Knock yourself out. Eh, it's pretty warm though. I forgot to put it back."

Pulling a clear glass cup from the drying rack, Shawn let out a sigh of relief. He filled the cup to the brim, almost allowing it to pour over the edge, and gulped down his drink in seconds. Warm orange juice wasn't that bad…but he definitely preferred it cold.

"I left some eggs in the microwave," Maya added, resting her elbows against the counter. She was wearing nothing more than a pair of spandex shorts and the very John Adams High School Class of 2016 shirt that led Shawn to believe that Maya was, indeed, in cahoots with the youngest Matthews sibling.

"Huh," Shawn huffed, reaching over to open the microwave with the press of a button. Shawn was shocked, after all, Maya was an extraordinarily bad cook. She could hardly toast a single slice of bread without burning it to a crisp—it happened once and she never tried it again—so this was new. "You actually cooked something?"

"Surprised much? Yeah, me too," Maya laughed, resting a cheek on her hand. Her newfound cooking abilities were amateur at the most, but they were enough for her to get by. For nearly a decade, she sustained off of family meals at her best friend's apartment, microwaveable dinners and late night leftovers from the diner. "You know, I think I'm finally getting the hang of this housewife stuff. You've taught me well. First burnt toast, now edible eggs? Man, I'm good."

"Making breakfast doesn't make you a housewife," Shawn chuckled, placing his glass in the sink. "But if it makes you feel any better, I'm proud. Your mom is going to be ecstatic to know that you're actually trying."

"It's practice," Maya shrugged. "I need to be self-sufficient. If I want to be an okay parent, I have to learn how to take care of myself. I feel like that's the first step."

"That's a very mature way of thinking," Shawn complimented, nodding in the blonde's direction. The past few weeks had been rough, but they made it work. Even though her condition seemed to be new and frustrating at times, Shawn was a great help. She was glad to have someone like him in her life's "What's next? You're going to start turning in your math homework on time?"

"Well," Maya said, scrunching her nose in disgust. Academics had never been her forte, but she tried sometimes. The only classes she genuinely struggled in were geometry and earth science. If it were up to her, she wouldn't bother with either. "That might be pushing it."

"Alright," Shawn teased. "You should probably wake up your pretend husband before your mother's flight gets in. Can't have him here for that."

Maya laughed. It was short and breathy, showing no particular bias to his joke. Today was the beginning of the end. Her mother—after being kept in the dark for so long— would finally be brought into the light. She felt as though she had signed away her happiness for an earful from her mother.

"Right," Maya said, pushing herself off of the island. It wasn't uncommon for Joshua Matthews to stay the night after spending so much time away from Maya and their unborn child. After engaging in yet another heart-to-heart, both men settled upon an agreement. Josh vowed, for what seemed to be the twentieth time, vowed that he would be there for Maya. Shawn believed him. Shawn saw no fault in Josh hanging around his daughter, but there were boundaries. Josh knew where and where not to go. They were able to coexist well.

Maya walked over to the couch, her bare feet gliding across the soft, carpeted floor. After vacuuming the entire living room the night before, everything felt better. Peaking over the back of the sofa, Maya caught a glimpse of the unconscious brunette. She loved moments like these. With finals coming up and a baby on the way, Josh was a busy man. He tried to balance his personal and academic lives equally, but it wasn't as easy as he thought it would be. He was emotionally repressive. As much as he would hate to admit it, he wanted nothing more than to take a trip home. The thought of his parents discovering his somewhat double life made him nauseous. They deserved to know too.

"Josh," Maya called, extending her arm downwards to give him a shove. Fortunately, he was an incredibly light sleeper, so she knew that it wouldn't take much to get him up and going. Josh groaned, rolling over on his side to face the opposite direction. He regained consciousness almost instantly, but acted as if he didn't with the hope of getting a few more minutes of shut eye.

"Get up," Maya pushed, well-aware of his morning routine. He naturally assumed that if he didn't react, she would go away. He was wrong, of course. "Please. Shawn and I have to pick up my mom from JFK and you have a class."

"I know," Josh said, burying his face into one of the pillows provided to him the previous night. "I'm up, don't worry about it."

"Your eyes are closed," Maya argued, leaning over the couch cushions to get a better view of her friend. They weren't exactly friends or lovers, so the lesser title would have to do for now. Maya hoped that they'd get everything straightened out in time.

Maya nudged him once more before giving it. She knew that then and there she would have to take a more drastic route. Dipping her head into the space between them, she bared her teeth and sought out a fleshy opening on his neck to bite down on. As soon as she bit into his neck, Josh shot up, his hands searching for the irritated, wet spot. It didn't hurt, but the notion was definitely bothersome.

"Maya," Josh whined in an accusatory tone. "Did you just bite me?"

"Maybe," Maya shrugged, pushing herself off of the couch. Her face felt a bit flushed but aside from that, she felt fine. She lived for moments like these. "Maybe not. But that's not the point. What matters is that you're awake now. You're welcome."

"Yeah, thanks," Josh sighed, swinging his legs off of the side of the couch. Sleeping in the living room wasn't as luxurious as spending the night in the privacy of his own dorm but it was worth it. He enjoyed Maya's company. "You know, for a minute, I actually thought you were going to kiss me. Now that would've been romantic."

"You're getting a little cocky, boing," Maya remarked, raising an eyebrow at the brunette. It wasn't as if she didn't want to kiss him... she did. She wanted to kiss Joshua Matthews breathless, but she refused to make the first move. "Why would I kiss you?"

"I don't know," Josh yawned into his sleeve, standing to clean up after himself. Almost robotically, he folded the couch cover followed by the blonde's plush throw, not forgetting to gather all of the stray pillows sprawled out across the floor before stuffing everything into the storage ottoman. "It's cute, happens in movies all the time in disney and rom-coms."

Shawn cleared his throat, interrupting the scene unraveling in his living room. Josh and Maya were definitely an interesting sight to observe but they didn't have any time to waste. "Well, good morning to you, sleeping beauty."

"I knew it," Josh sighed, pretending to swoon in the midst of the older man. He placed a hand to his chest as if he were breathless and shook his head. "My Prince Charming came to sweep me off of my feet. Unlike you. You suck."

"You're such an idiot," Maya chuckled softly, rolling her eyes in response to his joke. As a child, she proudly skipped over the damsel in distress phase her best friend obsessed over during their elementary years. Princesses, Prince Charming and Sleeping Beauty seemed to be so out-of-reach then.

"It's always good to see you, man," Shawn continued, flashing a smile at the two. "I didn't catch you last night. You were already crashed on the couch when I came home."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Josh apologized, scratching at the nape of his neck with his fingertips. "I tried to stay up with Maya but, she doesn't sleep. Energy drinks can only carry me so far."

"You're welcome here whenever," Shawn stated nonchalantly, turning on his heels to retrieve his silver watch from the counter. "Well, for now. I'm not sure if my wife will be as accepting as I've been. But we'll keep you updated."

"Even if she isn't," Maya interjected as Shawn disappeared into one of the hallways. "We'll figure something out. I mean, we're in this..."

"Together?"

"Yeah, that."

"Okay, but your mom likes me," Josh insisted, reaching a hand into his book bag to pull out the spare toothbrush he kept in case of last minute sleepovers. He made his way to the bathroom with the younger girl following shortly behind. She leaned her side against the doorway as he turned on the faucet.

"My mom only likes you because of what you stand for," Maya pointed out, crossing her arms. She bit down on her bottom lip and watched him intently. Joshua Matthews was very particular about his dental hygiene. It was one of the many random things she picked up on during their moments of domestic bliss. He thoroughly brushed, twice, and then flossed, twice, and gargled with any brand of mouthwash he could get a hand on. "She thinks you're safe and responsible... an adult. I never mentioned that I had a thing for you, so she's completely out of the loop."

"I guess I always imagined you being close with your mom," Josh said once he finished his morning routine. He left the restroom to pack his personal belongings to prepare for departure. "You know my sister?"

"Morgan?"

"The one and only," Josh answered with a laugh. "She literally tells my mom everything."

"My mom and I are close," Maya tried to explain, nervously picking at her cuticles. "Our relationship is a little different though. We aren't like Riley and Topanga or Morgan and your mom. Am I making any sense?"

"Yeah," Josh nodded, slinging the straps of his bag over his shoulders. He knew that Maya and Katy were close in their own way. They nurtured a special connection that no man—Shawn included—could ever interfere with. "I get what you're saying, but hey I'm about to head out. I can step out any time if you need me. College, remember? Text me whenever."

"Yeah, sure," Maya nodded, accompanying him to the door. She never called, but she appreciated the sentiment.

"See you later, gorgeous," Josh smiled. It was faint but still there. "Good luck with your mom."

"Thanks."

He was gone.

By the time Shawn and Maya arrived at the airport, Maya was already on the verge of tears. It wasn't because of anything her step-father said or because she was afraid of her mother. She was certain that Katy would forgive her in time. Katy Hunter was many things but heartless was not one of them.

"What time is it? Maya asked, growing impatient. She leaned over Shawn's shoulder to peer down at his cellphone. After receiving a questionable text from one of the girls in Thor's triangle, she decided to leave hers at home because she needed a break from high school drama.

"It's still 7:43, Maya," Shawn laughed, tilting his phone in the girl's direction to provide her a a better view of the time bar. Shawn and Maya sat inside of the airport, adjacent to the baggage claim conveyer belt assigned to Southwest's terminals. Katy's flight landed a little over ten minutes ago and Maya was growing antsy. Shawn, on the other hand, tried his best to remain as calm as the sea. He held himself with confidence despite sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with a ticking time bomb. "You asked me like two minutes ago."

Maya didn't respond. So they waited and waited, watching as random travelers passed by until they saw a bumbling blonde chatting animatedly with an elderly woman that reminded Maya of her grandmother. After a moment, she realized it was her grandmother. In a few swift motions, the blonde woman tightened her grip on her luggage and ran to greet her family. Shawn shot up at an instant, wrapping his arms around his wife's slim waist. Their reunion was short and sweet. After a quick peck, Katy turned to her only child, surprised to be greeted with watery eyes.

"Mom," Maya attempted to smile through her tears. She mentally face palmed herself for allowing her emotions to get the best of her. Katy raised an eyebrow at her daughter. It was all so strange. Katy could usually read Maya fairly well but today, she couldn't pinpoint the problem. "Welcome back. I missed you so much."

"It feels good to be back, baby girl," Katy answered truthfully, opening her arms to pull her daughter into an embrace. She held Maya close, taking note of the peculiar hardness protruding from her stomach. Something wasn't quite right. Katy was left to wonder. "You couldn't have missed me that much."

"I did," Maya sniffled, pressing her face deeper into her mother's shoulder. She opted out of wearing makeup today so it wouldn't run. She was tired of looking like a clown. "I have so much to tell you."

"Then I'm all ears," Katy reassured with a tone only a mother would know. Maya couldn't help but feel chills creep down her spine when the older blonde whispered: "We'll talk about it when we get home."

Maya felt trapped. The car ride home made it hard for her to breathe. She could feel her hands shake and hear the faint chattering of her teeth over the sound of traffic. When she was in the sixth grade, her peers decided to vote her as the most fearless person in their grade level. Oh how the tables have turned. She was terrified now. Katy and Angela were oblivious. They shared anecdotes about their adventures on the west coast, laughed and even discussed future dinner plans. Maya didn't want to ruin the normalcy that they had already established on the short trip.

"Hey, babe," Shawn began, flipping on his signal lights before opening his mouth to continue. "You want anything from the bakery? Maya and I were talking about grabbing breakfast earlier but she insisted on getting to the airport early.

"Sure, surprise me," Katy answered, sending a teasing glance in her husband's direction. Before he pulled into a vacant spot in front of the building, the older blonde rolled her eyes. "You know what I like."

"Whatever," Shawn chuckled before addressing the two women in the backseat. "Maya? Ms. Angela? Do you guys know what you want yet?"

"I'm not that hungry anymore," Maya said, shaking her head. Her nerves cancelled her appetite. "A blueberry muffin would be nice though. Gammy?"

"Well, I don't really know what's on the menu," Angela Clutterbucket sighed, readjusting the crotchet shaw draped over shoulders.

"Yes, you do," Katy argued in a hushed tone. "You've been here over a dozen times. This is the bakery I worked at—well, still work at—so I would know."

"I'm not as young as I used to be, Katherine," the older woman brought forth with a shrug. "I don't even remember my own daughter's birthday."

"But you remember Maya's?" Katy retorted, suppressing a pout. "Thanks, mom. I can really feel the love. Always have."

"Maya's special," Angela offered with a shrug, glancing at her petite granddaughter. The young blonde sat with her body leaned up against door, arms crossed over her chest.

"That, she is," Shawn added under his breath before his wife could think of a response. He lived with three generations of headstrong women, so he learned how to save an argument very early on. "Why don't you just come inside with me to check out what they have? Sometimes they have samples."

"Yeah," Angela agreed, nodding. "I think I'll take you up on that offer."

"Okay, spill," Katy breathed out, unbuckling her seatbelt as soon as her mother and husband were out of view.

"Spill what?"

"Honey," Katy began, readjusting herself in the passenger seat. She sat with her back facing the glovebox. It was uncomfortable, of course, but she wanted to get a better view of her daughter. "You are an extension of me. I know when something's bothering you. So, spill."

"I mean, yeah, there is something bothering me," Maya stalled, picking at her cuticles once more. It was a nervous habit. Unfortunately, her mother picked up on that too. "But it can wait, I promise."

"I think I've waited long enough," Katy pushed. She wasn't quite sure what to expect, but she was dying to know. "Alright, I'm done. Give me your pinky."

"Mom, what in the..."

"Maya, I am your mother. When I say give me your pinky, you give me your pinky. It's not a question."

"Fine," Maya obliged, holding out her pinky. Their fingers intertwined, and Maya swore that she could hear her own heart break.

"By doing this, I promise that I will not judge you too harshly and that I will hear you out with an open mind. I love you, Maya. I missed you more than anything, and I want you to feel comfortable with talking to me about anything. This is, by far, the longest we've ever been apart. I wanna know what's up."

"You promise?" Maya asked. She was conflicted. She felt trapped again. Her mother obviously wouldn't let this go, so she would have to entertain her.

"I do. Now spill," Katy promised, giving her daughter's finger a final shake before letting go.

This was it. The moment of truth.

"I told you a little bit about what went down at the ski lodge, but I didn't tell you everything," Maya began, thinking of all of the right words to say. She wanted to lessen the blow—no, she needed to—because their relationship was on the line. "Riley and Lucas got together, and we learned a thing or two about growing up and being on our own, but for me, the highlight of the trip was seeing Josh."

"Josh?" Katy teased, suddenly intrigued. "Now where have I heard that name before?"

"Matthews, Mom," Maya explained, hoping that she would remember. "Riley's uncle. You've met him before. I think you called him a..."

"A man," Katy answered for her. She remembered Josh Matthews. He was handsome, sure, but he was a little too mature for her daughter. Maya was still a child. "A very responsible one, at that. What happened with him at the ski lodge?"

"Nothing, mom. We just talked for a really long time, and eventually came to an agreement that we'll have our someday."

"And someday means?"

"It means that a relationship isn't out of the picture. We just have to wait—and live our lives the way we want to—and maybe one day, if fate wills it, we'll be together when we're older."

"Is that what this is all about? You have a boyfriend? Sweetheart, you don't have to feel bad about not telling me that. I mean, he is older than you, but I can deal with that."

"No, mom, he isn't my boyfriend."

"Then what's going on?" Katy asked.

"I just..."

"You just what, Maya?"

"I'm sorry, mom," Maya apologized her voice cracking. "Me and Josh...Josh and I...We made this really stupid decision and now we're paying for it, I guess."

"Oh my God, Shawn let you guys get married. Now that would be hilarious. He's a sucker for love now, you know."

"No, mom. I'm pregnant."

"No," Katy shook her head in denial. She couldn't picture her baby having a baby. This had to be a huge joke. It had to be. "No, you aren't."

"I am so sorry."

Katy still couldn't believe it. "Just drop it for now," she exhaled deeply, attempting to calm herself down. "We'll talk about it when we get home."

And honestly Maya didn't even want to go home. Not now. Not ever.