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.

Chapter Eight

"Your parents are really okay with me staying in your room?" Maya asked, curled up beside the brunette. It was safe to say that Josh's room was much nicer than her own, and she was sure that she would get an ample amount of rest tonight. "They didn't say anything over dinner."

"I don't think they have a problem with it," Josh shrugged, turning on his side to face her. They grappled with domesticity in the past. It wasn't anything new, but there was something about being in bed with her like this that felt so right. "I mean, the damage has already been done. There isn't much more that we could possibly do, and the door doesn't lock. That's another thing."

"You don't have a lock?" Maya asked, raising an eyebrow. She didn't notice even though she explored his safe haven as if it were an escape room hours earlier.

"I was a stupid kid," Josh shrugged, not wanting to go into the embarrassing details of his early adolescence. He went through a brief rebellious phase, but it was nothing that late nights spent stocking at his father's shop couldn't fix. "I had a door that locked at one point, but I would sneak people in at night, and my parents weren't too happy when they found out."

"You really were a ladies man," Maya mused, entertained by his embarrassment. Hearing about his past escapades with other females made her chest tighten, and she wanted nothing more than to strangle the girls that had him first, but she wouldn't let her jealousy get the best of her.

"I guess you could say that," Josh said, his discomfort becoming obvious to Maya. Before their trip, his past relationships hadn't been up for discussion. She probably wouldn't have heard about Charlotte if it weren't for her questionable posts on social media. "I've been with a couple girls, but as far as actual relationships go, there's only ever been one."

"Charlotte Stemmer?" Maya questioned, raising an eyebrow at the mention of his ex-girlfriend. She tried to convince herself that it didn't bother her, but she just couldn't help it.

"Yeah," Josh answered, a bit caught off guard by the amount of information she seemed to recall. Truth be told, he never spoke a word of Charlotte. It wasn't because he kept secrets from Maya—he really didn't—but he wanted to keep the past in the past. His future was right in front of him after all. "Charlotte. Everyone called her Charlie. We were friends first, started dating at the end of freshmen year, then broke up for good by the end of junior year. I liked her. I'm not gonna lie to you. I liked her a lot, but there was always something missing."

"And what was that?"

"Passion," Josh professed with a shrug, compiling a list in his head. "Reckless spontaneity, communication... and I don't know, something that I like to call love."

"You never loved her?"

"Well that's tricky," Josh explained. "Love is tricky. I love my friends, mom, pizza and you, but not in the same way. We love different things differently. Yeah, I loved her at one point, but I wasn't in love with her."

"And you're in love with me?"

"That's never been a question, Maya," Josh laughed, moving a stray hair out of her face. "It's always been you, and it'll only ever be you. You, me and Ari."

"Ari?"

"Just testing the waters," Josh offered, flashing the blonde a sheepish smile. God she loved him. In all honesty, he didn't think Maya would catch on to the name Aurora. It was pretty, and it surely meant a lot to her, but it was still a tad bit princess-like for her taste. "I figured that we'd give her a nickname. Been brainstorming a little bit."

"It's cute," Maya admitted quietly. She briefly entertained the idea of calling her baby girl Rory, but that was a little too cliché for her liking. "Let's stick with it. You, me and Ari."

"You know I'm gonna put a ring on you someday right?" Josh said boldly. He seemed proud. He was proud. He had his doubts, but he could see his life so clearly now. Being home really showed him the light.

"Oh are you?" Maya teased, her cheeks flushed. The circumstances weren't ideal, but her dreams were finally coming true. "Who would've thought."

"You know what else I'm gonna do?"

"What, Josh?" Maya laughed.

He chucked and shook his head, leaning in for the kill. He kissed her. He kissed her for the first time since that night, and it felt like his brain caught fire. He couldn't think straight. The kiss was short lived—far too short for their liking—but he needed to get something off of his chest.

"I've been wanting to kiss you for months," Josh sighed, placing feathery kiss to Maya's forehead. In the past, they held hands, laid together and he often found himself holding her, but they were careful not to go too far. "Every day since that night."

"Really?" Maya questioned, raising an eyebrow. The weeks following their first time were far from pleasant. They avoided the mention of intimacy like the plague, and he had never expressed the desire to kiss her in the past.

"I'm serious."

"Then come here and kiss me again, boing."

Josh smirked, leaning in once more. He had never felt so complete in his life. It was a good night, and even though he had never been the type of guy to leave a party early without reason, coming home was the best decision he ever made.

"Are you sure that you can't stay another night?" Amy pouted, holding onto her son for dear life. "I'm not ready for my baby to leave just yet."

"I won't be gone forever, ma," Josh added, reassuring her that everything was going to be alright. "We'll be back soon. Me, Maya and Ari. We're gonna be here so much...you're gonna get sick of us."

"You say that now," Amy rolled her eyes, finally releasing her son to embrace the girl standing next to him. After the first night, Amy warmed up a lot—a little too much if you asked Maya—but it was greatly appreciated. At least they knew that she was on their side. "But when the baby comes, you'll be too busy to visit. Ask your brother. They weren't around much when Riley and August were babies."

"Not true," Maya inserted as soon as the older woman took a few step backs to get a good look at the couple. "We're gonna need all of the help we can get. Plus, you're her grandma. We'll make time."

"Thank you, Maya," Amy expressed. She wasn't particularly pleased with the whole debacle her son got himself into, but she only wanted the best for him, and Maya was the best. Maya, the little blonde girl she had known for years. The same little girl who transformed into a beautiful young woman with a rebel heart. "You sure you can't stay another day?"

"Ya know I wouldn't mind if we stayed another day or two," Maya thought aloud, turning toward her partner. She seemed hopeful. "I actually really like it here. Josh, unpack your bags. We're moving in."

"See?" Amy exasperated, reaching out to place a hand on her baby's forearm. "Maya gets it. Stay a little bit longer. You're on vacation."

"I told her parents that we'd back today," Josh countered. It was somewhat true. Shawn and Katy expected them in Manhattan within the next few days. "And I have to look for jobs, ma."

"Okay," Amy agreed, backing off. She knew that if she already made plans, he'd stick to it. "I'll leave you to it then. I love you, Joshua, and I'm really glad you came home."

Josh smiled. He couldn't remember the last time anyone called him Joshua. He didn't prefer it, but it was the name his mother gave him. He wouldn't protest if she wanted to use it.

"I was disappointed at first," Amy continued, taking a deep breath. She had been heartbroken. He was her baby, after all. But things were different now. She saw how good Maya was for him, and she was proud of the man he had become. "Now I'm excited. I'm excited for the two of you. Maya, honey, if you need anything—and I mean anything—please don't hesitate to call us. It's only a two hour drive, and I've got nothing better to do."

"But you hate driving," Josh remarked, slightly overwhelmed yet glad that she was opening up to his girl. Whenever he brought his ex-girlfriend around, she hardly spoke to her. With Maya it was different, and Josh wasn't sure if it was because of their history or the baby.

"That's true," Amy shrugged. "Don't get me started on how much I hate being stuck in traffic, but that's beside the point. I want to be there for you two."

"It really means a lot, Mrs. Matthews," Maya said politely. She made it a point to call every now and then. Maya really appreciated the support. "I'll be sure to call if I need anything."

In the end, their trip was a success. Amy and Alan were on their side, she bonded with Morgan and her relationship with Josh reached new heights that were once unimaginable. It made Maya feel warm inside. With all things considered, she had a splendid weekend. Nothing could bring her down.

They were back on the road within the hour but not before stopping to gas up and pick up a few snacks on the way home. Very few words were exchanged, and the ride would've been silent if it weren't for the stereo.

In a race as old as time, Josh beat Maya to the auxiliary cord and dug out an old Best of Sublime playlist on Spotify just to spite her. Much to her own dismay, Maya found herself enjoying the music. It had been a strange morning, and it all began with her chance encounter at the gas station.

Maya sighed, staring out of the passenger window as Josh continued to pump gas. As much as she wanted to go home, she didn't want to leave Philadelphia just yet. The weekend that they had spent was one for the books. She learned so much more about herself, Josh and the family that had accepted her as their own almost a decade ago. It was perfect, and she was dreading the moment she would have to come back to reality.

She thought long and hard about what she would be coming home to: a hostile yet caring mother and a world full of judgement from her peers. She kept her predicament under wraps, but her days were getting numbered.

And what about Josh? Where would they stand? They were so open and loving in Philadelphia. When they came across old friends, he introduced her as his girl. They held hands, kissed and talked about big plans for the future. Even though they managed to take two steps forward, she knew how easily they could take two steps back. She cowered at the thought, but before she could fall deeper into her pit of angst, she decided to pop open the passenger door and step out to get some fresh air. A little sunlight always made her feel better—that and snacks—she could definitely go for some snacks.

"You want anything from inside?" Maya asked Josh as he pulled the nozzle out. He quickly tightened the gas cap and shut the fuel door.

"Uh," Josh hesitated, brushing a hand through his hair in deep thought. "Maybe a drink. Wanna share a slushee? Pick any flavor you want."

"You read my mind, boing," Maya teased, looking at him in amusement. She had a coke slush in her mind and a bag of hot cheetos in her heart. "I'll be right back."

"Need some cash?" Josh asked, dipping his hand into his jacket pocket to retrieve a small tattered wallet.

"Nope, I got it," Maya replied, shrugging her shoulders as she turned on her heels to walk toward the entrance. With her back turned, she waved her own debit card in the air, knowing that he'd still be paying attention. "Actually, Shawn is getting it. Just another perk of having a dad that loves me."

She said the last part as a joke, but there was quite a bit of truth to it. Although they were going through it, her relationship with Shawn had never been better. He loved Maya. He cared for Maya. He supported her, gave her a home and a reason to keep going. Maya didn't care much for his money—it wasn't like she had much of it growing up anyways—but he insisted that she have some of it.

It was an adjustment at first. It had always been hard for her to accept change, especially when it came to money and parental figures. First, Shawn had moved them into a nice little apartment not too far away from the Matthews' home. While it wasn't a brownstone fit for one of the best lawyers in all of Manhattan, it was certainly a stretch from how she was used to living. Then, Shawn gave her money—a lot of it. He trusted her with access to his bank account and gave her money if she needed it. Hell, he would even cough up a few loose dollars for her most trivial cravings. Just last week, he had given her twenty dollars just because she wanted to buy spicy candy in bulk from the aromatic tienda across from her old apartment.

As Maya walked into the gas station convenience store, she felt underwhelmed. Philadelphia was like New York in many ways, but it wasn't familiar. Maya had started taking the metro by herself at a very young age—sometimes to get to school, sometimes to get to her best friend's, sometimes to just travel—and every morning she would stop at this mom and pop store to retrieve a fruit, courtesy of the owner, and if she had enough change to spare, she would buy a small slushee. It wasn't much, but it was tradition. Mindlessly, Maya breezed through the store to fill up her cup and pick out a couple snacks along the way, and headed to the check out desk.

The cashier was a pretty blonde girl. Her skin was blemished and a little red from irritation, and her hair was secured at the top of her head in a messy bun. Even with no makeup, a little acne and an unflattering uniform polo, the girl was still bewitching. She had a familiar face, but Maya shrugged it off, deciding that the likelihood of her recognizing someone she knew in the middle of Philadelphia would be slim to none. She had only ever been here a handful of times.

"Alrighty. Will that be it for today?"

"Yup."

"That'll be 5.48. How will you be paying? Cash, credit or debit?" the cashier asked, going through the motions as if she were on autopilot. Maya couldn't imagine sitting around all day checking people out. She needed something more hands on. She needed art.

"Debit," Maya answered hesitantly. She did have a few extra dollars in her wallet, but she hardly felt like counting out the change. She waited for the cashier to give her the a-okay to insert her chip and carried on with her purchase.

"Have a nice day," Maya said, departing with a small wave as soon as her transaction went through.

"You too, Maya," the cashier said, her tone sounded forced but she still managed to keep up a polite, professional facade. "Congratulations, by the way. Tell Josh I said hi."

"I'm sorry?" Maya asked, turning around to face the girl. She had a confused look on her face. Maybe she did know the girl, after all. Had they met earlier in the week? Was she one of the friends that stopped by the house. "Do we know each other?"

"Must've forgot the name tag," the girl laughed. It sounded forced again, but Maya concluded that was all on her. Maya didn't do anything to provoke her. All she did was buy her snacks. "We haven't met yet, but we have a lot in common. I'm Charlotte."

"...Charlotte," Maya mumbled under her breath unenthusiastically. She surely did not see that one coming. What were the odds of her meeting her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend at a random gas station? Did Josh know that she worked here? The blonde in front of her didn't even look like the instagram baddie she saw online. All of the questions swarming around in her mind made her head hurt. "Yep, I'm Maya. It was nice meeting you, and thanks. I'll pass on the memo."

It was a lie, of course. It wasn't nice meeting the girl that had her boyfriend first. She had no reason to be jealous. She knew that Josh loved her and would dedicate his life to their little family, it was just hard. This was his first real girlfriend. He kissed this girl. He took her out on dates. She hated to think about how they had slept together too, but that was all in the past. They exchanged a few more words, but Maya was out of it for the latter half of their meeting.

Back in the car, Maya sighed, shutting her eyes once more, hoping to sleep the rest of the way. Maya loved naps—even before she got pregnant—so she knew exactly what to do with her time. After her chance encounter with Josh's ex, she wasn't really in much of a mood to talk. When she got back to the car, she didn't even mention meeting the girl although she wished she had.

It seemed as though their drive stopped prematurely because within the next hour, Maya found herself being startled awake when she felt a firm hand grasp onto her shoulder.

"Morning, sunshine," Josh greeted with a smile, his voice sounding strained. "I wish I could've got some sleep."

"Very funny," Maya rolled her eyes, yawning as she began to adjust to the sunlight. His windows were slightly tinted but not by much. "Where are we?"

Looking around, Maya realized that the location was unfamiliar. They weren't quite in the city just yet, and by the looks of it, they seemed to be in the middle of a suburb. Maya took note of the finely crafted, two story houses with white picket fences and cute landscaping.

"About that..." Josh trailed off, running a hand through his hair. Maya used to think that his little nervous twitch was cute, but for some reason it felt daunting today. "Look, your mom got in touch with your dad...no, she got in touch with Kermit and he said that he wanted another chance to explain and apologize."

"No," Maya shook her head, suddenly feeling like the entire world was plotting against her. Her mom and her biological father did not talk, or at least that's what she led herself to believe. She couldn't believe that they would keep this for her. "Josh, where are we?"

"Maya, I'm sorry."

"Forget it," Maya sighed, growing angrier and more uncomfortable with each passing second. "I just wish that you would've told me instead of just springing everything on me at once. I haven't talked to my dad in years, and I planned to keep it that way, but we're here now. I'm pretty sure someone just peaked out the front window. So what now?"

"We have lunch," Josh suggested, feeling beyond apologetic. He didn't want to hurt Maya, but she never would have agreed to stop by if she had known. The relationship she shared with her biological father was tumultuous. Even after his visit, she refused to forgive him for leaving, and when Shawn came into her life, she dealt with her pain in a new way. "Then can go home as soon as you feel uncomfortable."

"I'm already uncomfortable," Maya said plainly with an attitude. Her attitude was difficult to ignore, but Josh understood where she was coming from. "But we can stay. I'm just angry."

"At me?" Josh asked although he already knew the answer. She was undoubtedly not his biggest fan at the moment, but she also knew that he didn't work alone. The fact that her mother communicated her plans to Josh meant that they were finally seeing eye-to-eye for once. She wanted her mother and the love of her life to have a good relationship. Saying 'no' to Katy Hunter would've got in the way of that.

"I am incensed," Maya answered in a slightly joking tone. "How is that for my SAT word of the day?"

"I really am sorry, Maya," Josh apologized for what seemed to be the hundredth time in her eyes. Truth be told, she didn't want him to apologize. Obviously they were there for a reason. Maya didn't want to be there but she knew why.

"Don't apologize," Maya sighed, unbuckling her seatbelt. She paused for a second, rubbing her growing stomach as if she were soothing it. "Just don't."

"Everything will be fine," Josh rationalized, finally opening his door.

"Yeah, I hope so," Maya said as if it were a mantra she wanted herself to believe.

"I love you."

"Yeah, I know."

As much as Maya hated to admit it, by leaving the city, Kermit Hart managed to turn his life around for the better. When she was a little girl, she couldn't remember a time where her parents didn't struggle. They fell behind on their bills, got evicted more times than she could count and her father had fed into his addiction faster than he could put food on the dinner table. At nineteen-years-old, Katy and Kermit moved to the big city with even bigger dreams. Katy, the typical southern belle, dreamt of becoming an actress. Kermit, on the other hand, had been in a grunge band for most of the 90s and early 2000s. They loved each other, sure, but they quickly found that their aspirations were beyond their reach. As she worked her ass off trying to provide for her daughter and husband, Katy realized that her desire to become an actress was a pipe dream. Instead of following in her footsteps, Kermit turned to alcohol. Then he met Margie—or Jesus—Maya didn't know which came first, but she could remember the day her father came home and told her mother that he had met someone else...that he had met someone better, and that he finally had a chance to start over. Neither Katy or Maya thought that Kermit would have walked out of their lives for good, but within those heartbreaking twenty-four hours, he did just that and didn't even say goodbye.

At the time, his absence wasn't what hurt. She had been used to her father being distant or gone for long periods of time when his band travelled to play faraway shows. It was the fact that he had cut her out of his life completely. He never called. He never sent letters. He payed child support, and both women were grateful for his contributions, but none of that mattered. All she wanted was her dad, and it took many painful years for her to realize that he was never her dad to begin with. Shawn and Cory were the only father figures in her life that truly made a difference in her life. They loved her regardless of blood.

Still, Maya often wondered what life was like on the other side. She had never set foot in her father's suburban home outside of Manhattan, but she heard from an estranged cousin that it was kush. She had never met his successful wife, Margie, and their three beautiful kids: Edward, Elizabeth and Emily, but she had seen pictures of them on Facebook when she lurked. Sometimes it hurt to lurk on the family that was supposed to be her own, but she tried to shake off that feeling. As soon as she started to think about the little blonde trio, a young boy around the age of nine opened the front door and greeted the pair with a smile.

"You must be Maya," the boy said politely, and the blonde girl nodded unenthusiastically. Maybe they knew about their long lost abandoned sister, after all. She didn't know what was worse. Them knowing or them being totally cool with it. "I'm..."

"Edward," Maya finished for him, awkwardly shaking his hand. "I know."

"Okay cool," Efren shrugged. Who knew that meeting your long lost sibling would be so awkward. Maya cringed inwardly thinking about how she would have to go through that two more times with the girls. "Mom and dad are in the kitchen, and Eli and Em are getting the table set up. You guys can come inside."

"Alright," Maya acknowledged as she and Josh followed the boy into the foyer of the house. Maya looked up at Josh with wide-eyes, and they tried to communicate without words. Their visit would be uncomfortable, indeed, but at least they had each other to lean on.

For Kermit Hart, his reunion with his sixteen-year-old daughter felt like an extreme punch to the gut. He had hoped and prayed for her forgiveness when he came to visit nearly two years ago, and when his ex-wife reached out to him saying that she would stop by on her way home, he thought that was a sign sent from above. What he didn't know was that Maya Hart—or Maya Hunter because he wasn't quite sure what she was going by nowadays—was pregnant. It was every father's worst nightmare was for their daughter to come home pregnant, but he didn't have any right to be angry. He agreed to sign away his rights when her step-father reached out to him with his idea to adopt, and he hadn't really been in her life anyways.

"So, Josh," Kermit said, breaking the silence that fell over the table. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and opened his mouth to speak again: "I heard that you go to NYU. What do you plan on majoring in?"

"Business," Josh answered respectfully. He didn't really like Kermit. He wasn't sure if he could ever get down with someone that broke his girl's heart, but both young adults decided to be courteous. "I'm a sophomore, so I declared a couple weeks ago. It's just something to get me started. I have plans to expand my dad's business."

"Smart choice. I'm a business major myself," Kermit's wife, Margie, complimented, jumping into the conversation. She was dreadfully nice. Maya wanted to hate her for stealing her father away, but it was near impossible. "What kind of business does he own?"

"He owns a small sporting goods store back in Philly," Josh explained and all eyes were on him. "I started working there as a kid, and I guess it kinda just stuck with me."

"I really hope it works out for you, Josh," Margie said supportingly. Kermit nodded in agreement. Maya knew that his plans would follow through. Joshua Matthews was such a smart man. His potential was note worthy. "And Maya, what about you?"

"Uh," Maya paused, having trouble thinking of a response. "I'm still in high school, but when the time comes, I'm thinking about going for art."

"Maya is an amazing artist," Josh insisted, proud of her talent. Maya was the most talented artist he knew. She loved her creating art, and he wanted to work hard so she could be able to pursue that dream.

"But aren't we all?" Kermit found himself muttering, earning a swift kick to the knee from his wife. Art was a touchy subject in their household. He had tried and failed in his youth. His music career never took off and he lost vital years of his life chasing an unobtainable dream. He didn't want any of his children to go through the same fate, estranged or not.

"Kermit," Margie scolded, and the look on the older man's face showed the slightest bit of regret.

"You know," Maya spoke up, setting her fork down as soon as she sensed the tension building at the table. "If there's one thing my mother taught me, it would be to never give up on my dreams. She's a real actress now. I bet you've seen her on tv."

"Katy is a wonderful actress," Margie intervened, and under any other circumstances, Maya would have been overjoyed by her mother receiving the praise she deserved but now was not the time. "Her new movie looks so good."

"Thanks, Margie," Maya sighed. "But my point is that I love art. It's what I love doing, and I am going to stick with it. Do you know why?"

"Why?" Kermit answered. At this point, Margie gave up and instructed the kids to go upstairs and play on their video games. This was an adult conversation between father and daughter anyways.

"Because I have a family that loves me, a family that I can fall back on," Maya argued. There was so much passion and pain in her voice. This confrontation was a long time coming. "I have a boyfriend that loves me, that supports me. I have my mom and my dad...my real dad, not you. I have my friends and an insane amount of extended family. They all want the same thing for me. And do you know what that is?"

"For me to be happy, that's it," Maya said simply, dialing down on the aggression. She felt Ari shift a bit inside her and it seemed to calm her nerves. "No matter what I do, they're there for me. They've been nothing but supportive about me wanting to keep my baby. Yeah, my baby. I know that it's been the elephant in the room from the moment I stepped through the front door. Why do you care so much?"

"Because you're still my daughter," Kermit explained, but Maya was not having it. He lost that right a long time ago, legally too.

"Yeah, but you're not my dad," Maya expressed with every fiber in her being.

"Look, after seeing all of this," Maya began, gesturing to the interior of his beautiful home, "I can forgive you for leaving, and we can just leave it like that. You seem great. The kids have nothing to do with this, and Margie, bless your heart, you're a rockstar. I can't sit here and pretend like everything is okay between us when it isn't and it never will be. We don't know each other, and the last thing I would ever want from you is your judgement."

"I'm sorry if it came off that way," Kermit apologized hesitantly. Maya wasn't sure if he really meant it. She didn't know him well enough to read his tone. "Maybe we don't know each other very well, but we can change that...as friends."

"Maybe. I don't know. Now if you'll excuse me, I need some air."

With that, Maya stormed out of the kitchen, Josh following shortly behind. The exited through the front door, and as soon as they were out of sight and out of mind, Maya openly let her tears fall. Josh hadn't seen her cry like that...ever.

"Maya..."

"Not now," Maya shook her head, furiously wiping at her eyes with the back of her hands. "I don't wanna talk about it."

Josh took that as an indicator that she just needed to be held and pulled her into a soothing embrace. He held her close and rubbed her back, hoping that it would quiet her sobs, but she only seemed to cry harder. They stood like that for five more minutes until Maya began to calm down a little bit. Josh sighed and kissed the top of her head before releasing her from his embrace. He never failed to make her feel loved.

Without speaking another word, she pulled out her phone from her back pocket and selected a number speed dial. She leaned back into Josh and waited for the recipient to answer.

"What's up, ace? You guys back yet?" the person on the other line asked, the audio sounding a bit muffled. Still crying, all Maya could do was sniffle in response.

"Maya, are you crying?" the voice added, suddenly growing worried. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Shawn," Maya sniffled again, trying to mask her hurt. "Just wanted to hear your voice."

End Note: The more I read over my writing, the more I realize how anti-climatic it is. I am a sucker for domesticity and everyday life, but to compensate for some of the slowness, the next chapter will be drama filled. I the latter half of this in the middle of a juvenile delinquency lecture, so if there's any mistakes, I apologize. I just wanted to put something out to you guys asap.

End Note (2): And WOW! Did any of you guys expect the scene between Maya and Kermit. I wasn't really sure where I wanted to go with this. Alternatively, it would've been a bonding scene between Kermit, Maya and her siblings, but then I opted out of it. This is the route I wanted to take, and I do not regret it. Maya's phone call was also an impromptu decision. I felt like after that intense moment with Kermit about their relationship, she'd want to talk to the person she considered to be her dad.