April 11th 2022
Chapter 101
Our Introduction to Patience
"Are you in your supply closet?" Lucas curiously asked as Maya settled her laptop on a large box of paint tubes and took a seat on her foot stool. She let out a breath before turning her attention to the just delivered bag of food in her other hand. After opening it, picking out her sandwich, unwrapping it, and taking a bite, she sat back and hummed in response. Yes, she was in her supply closet for this video call with her husband.
"At this point, this should really not be strange to you," she reasoned, after swallowing her bite. She looked to the screen, saw him work the logic through in his head. She wasn't wrong, and he smiled. "Choose your words carefully, Friar," she squinted.
"You've got things on your mind… Friar," he countered, and she quietly nodded as she took another bite. She couldn't have denied it if she tried… and anyway, it'd be a waste of time to beat around the bush. "If you want to know how my morning went before we dive in…"
"I do, I really do," she quickly nodded, then, "And not just because it means I get to eat and listen," she showed her sandwich with a small 'I'm starving' smile. He responded with a smile of his own, insisting that she go ahead.
Lucas told her about how, after he'd dropped off Marianne at preschool, he'd made his way to the ranch. While he'd been with their daughter, he'd done his best not to let anything show on his face, well aware that she was prone to some Sherlock Hunter tendencies, now more than ever. Once she was safely off at school and he was on his own though, oh… He'd had exactly one thing on his mind, taking up what part of his conscience that was not focused on driving. As much as he tried not to let his thoughts get ahead of themselves, it felt like everything he saw or heard made him think of the fact that they could be having another baby. It was that way on the drive to Sullivan Stables, and even after he got there. One of their horses was expecting and he'd spent much longer with her on his rounds than he reasonably needed to, making sure that she was comfortable and had everything she needed.
"And people still ask me why I call you Huckleberry," Maya chuckled.
"I wish I could have gone to you," Lucas told her, letting out a sigh before taking a bite of his own lunch, picked up from the kitchens.
"I know, I do, too," Maya assured him. They'd both wanted to try and get together over the midday break, so she could take the tests, but Juliet needed him for something that meant his break would be a very short one as far as lining up with Maya's, and because he wasn't about to tell his boss/partner that he wanted to go and see his wife to find out if she was pregnant or not, he'd had to stay. He couldn't even lie, and Maya respected this. So, a video lunch date was a respectable alternative while they went on waiting and exercised what patience they could. They still held out hope that they could work something out over her long afternoon break, even if it meant her driving to the ranch, but they were ready for the possibility that this wouldn't work either and they'd just have to wait for the end of the day, when they were back home. Maybe that would actually be preferable… Maya said so, and Lucas agreed.
"But I would still be happy to get another of these updates at some point," he told her, and she smiled.
"Seeing as I'll probably be spinning in circles, waiting for last period, I'd appreciate it, too."
Once she was done eating, it was her turn to talk of her morning. She briefly talked of the earlier part – going to the store, Ella and Tori's call – though as she mentioned running into Dylan upon arrival, she held back the part where he'd figured out their little secret. She told him about first period with the seniors, and her first break of the day, after they'd gone, which had been spent primarily in contemplating a total reorganization of her supply closet. Even as she was telling the story, she could hear herself, and she knew that she was more or less barrelling down a hill, at the bottom of which was the tale of her first meeting with the sophomores.
She told him about how that had gone on the whole, told him about Maggie, and Lara, and Nika… Lucas' cousins were beyond glad not to be freshmen anymore, and they had a sort of optimistic view of their new status as sophomores that Maya had seen time and time again over the years. It tended to resolve itself in one of two ways, sometimes carrying on through the year, other times deflating by the end of the first week with a realization that everything was, on the whole, more of the same. For their sake, she hoped it would be the 'carrying on' path. As for Nika, after the freshman year she'd had, it was really anyone's idea how she would be doing as she headed into this second year of high school. Maya had imagined that she'd show up generally happy looking but quiet, and that was more or less what she got. Having seen her plenty over the summer, between being Tori's aunt and a member of We Are Sisters, Maya knew that her student had been working to put that previous year in the past, as it was the only place it could go. She was doing well, but it didn't mean there wouldn't still be some bumps along the road. She was doing her best.
Maya had all but rattled off everything else about her sophomore period, same as she'd done the rest of her morning before that, all on her way to what had been most on her mind, alongside her sisters' debut and the possible baby. Cody Marshall…
Lucas would probably want to know how the exchange campers were doing, too, and as she'd seen one of them by now, she could tell him about her. Carina Mendoza, for what Maya had seen of her before today, was still just finding her way in her host city, and now she had to do the same in a new school. She didn't look exactly shy or nervous, more like she didn't know how to comport herself, like she didn't want to get attached to anyone. She stuck to Cody's side the entire time and hardly spoke to anyone else unless prompted. And with Cody… Maya's feeling was that of a protective sibling. They had both known each other for little more than a week, but they'd spent most of that time together, them and his family, so it would be no wonder that she'd rely on that one connection more than any other. And yet… It felt as though Carina knew that there was something going on with Cody. Maya couldn't say for sure whether the girl knew what that something was but, with or without that knowledge, she was loyal to her host, and her presence in turn seemed to ground him… to some degree.
When third period was about to begin, Maya had been drawn to stand in the doorway and look out in the hall. In doing so, she got to see the pair coming up the hall, got to observe them as they made their way to her class. Whether she was projecting or not, it felt to her that Cody was nervous as he came along. Was he thinking about what had happened the day before, at the mall? He knew he was on his way to see her, so… what must he have been thinking?
As he'd approached, he'd finally looked up and noticed her there. Maya immediately smiled at him and Carina, welcomed them. She took the time to tell the XC a bit of how the class worked, where everything was… She behaved just as she would have done if the previous day had not happened, in the hope that Cody would take this and understand: he had nothing to worry about. Very likely, he'd understood this, and he'd taken it in stride, escorting Carina to his old station. Despite all that, it was clear to see that The Event was still on his mind. When she went around and handed out the diaries – with Maggie's help – Cody received his with only the briefest look at his teacher as he quietly thanked her. Maya responded in kind, not wanting to draw any excess attention on him.
When class began, Maya changed tactics. Rather than ask everyone to talk of their summer, she asked them to show her on paper, to illustrate one moment of their summer that they'd want to share. She forewent even an introduction with Carina, figuring they would have had those in their previous classes already. She took the time to welcome the exchange student, but after that, it was everyone to their work, lowering the class into the rumbling quiet of pencils, and brushes, and whispered conversation. Maya put on some music, as she was prone to do, and she went around, chatting a bit with each of her stations. She didn't want Cody to feel like he'd be cornered into anything in her class. She needed him to know that whatever was going on with him, he would never have to worry, not with her. She circled around the class in such a way that his station was the third she hit, and she didn't spend more time there than necessary.
"I could feel him all tensed up and…"
She paused, closed her eyes. Her mind had been so jumbled, with everything piled up as it was that morning, that she'd just gone and unburdened herself on to Lucas and, in the process, completely forgot herself. She hadn't told him about what had happened at the mall, no, but she had made it very clear to him that the student in question was Cody Marshall, and she hadn't meant to even do that. What if they ran into each other? Oh, Lucas would be no problem, not at all. He wouldn't say anything, and he didn't even know, but maybe Cody would be able to tell that he knew at least some of it, and for all he knew, his teacher might have told her husband everything… and then who knew who else?
"Hey, it's okay," Lucas insisted, like he'd been reading her mind.
"I know, I know, I just…" she shook her head, sitting back with a sigh and reaching over with near lightning-quick reflexes when she felt something dislodge from the shelf behind her. She put it back and turned to the screen again.
"You want to help," Lucas nodded, understanding. Maya hummed, taking refuge in her bottle of water. "He might come to you. If he sees that he can, and… he will see it, same as they all do… then you just need to wait and keep being you."
"You know it's kind of frustrating sometime how you always know what to say?" she told him, leaning her chin into her hand.
"Hey, don't sell yourself short, you're pretty good at that, too," Lucas smiled, and she relaxed. "How are you feeling? Anything…"
"Pregnant-like?" she filled in. "Nothing new to report," she joked. "Still just the same feeling… Although I keep sort of looking at myself, and feeling around a bit, like something will feel different, or familiar… I really need it to be tonight already," she whispered, and he nodded. He couldn't wait either.
TO BE CONTINUED
See you tomorrow! - mooners
