Art: First, I'd like to mention that there was a slight retcon to the last chapter and those who pointed it out will notice it gone
Josh: On with the show?
Maya: pleeeeeaaassseee
Art: Brief warning for those with a bad experience with religion, faith, or God, this chapter has a bit of it, however, I felt it was important on explaining who Josh is. Also thank you to all who review, I sometimes doubt my writing, and helps to hear compliments and critique.
Josh and Maya: Nnnnnoooooowww?
Art: Yes yes, on with the show
And now, for something a little different
THE MATTHEWS APARTMENT
Times come and times go, but for Maya, the worst of these times were Sundays. It was like an annoying prequel that said "Hey, look at me, I'm peace but Monday is just around the corner", not to mention everyone seemed to be busy on these days. Farkle and Smackle took aside these days as date days, watching a boring lecture or taking a time to go visit a museum (Maya wouldn't admit it, but in a sense, they were really cute for putting aside time for these). Riley generally spent these days at the library to study but would end up only studying her western hero, to which Maya smiles knowing her best friend was happy, but groan at knowing how gushy they were with each other. Everyone used these days for their own time, and generally, that meant without Maya. This all factored into leading her to this moment, where she entered through the door of the Matthews apartment, a rare occurrence but so had her habit been of using their apartment as a place to draw in peace on Sundays. However this crisp November Sunday was turning better fast, Maya had a face aflame and feared she might bite through her bottom lip as before her was quite a sight.
Have mercy
In a suit starring a black jacket, navy blue dress shirt with a black tie, black dress pants, and shiny black dress shoes all while donning a navy blue beanie stood Josh Matthews. The jacket was a little tight and so failed to hide much of the muscle that Josh had picked up from working out when he got the time, Maya failed to notice Josh catching her stare and with it donning a confident smirk
"Having fun there, My?"
Maya turned five shades a brighter red and giggled at realizing she had been caught looking
"I mean, if I haven't made it very clear" she walked up to him, getting up to his face within just moving an inch might meet their lips, their eyes locked in an embrace "I like you, Josh, it's you I like" she grinned, a reference to their first of many moments together
Josh flustered at the closeness, he grinned with a small lip bite of his own realizing how close they were then made a smile that nearly had Maya melt "I like you too" he returned with a soft voice that nearly had Maya's legs wobbling
"What are you doing here Josh? as much as I am obsessed with seeing you like this" Maya gestured to the suit, which earned her Josh rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to hide a blush "My, it's my brother's apartment, what are you doing here?"
"I asked first" Maya playfully pouted
"I had to get my suit here, left it for storage purposes" Josh chuckled, and to Maya's surprise left through the door without anymore a word. She was almost hurt before Josh peeked back in
"You coming gorgeous?" he smirked which returned Maya's smile as she hummed while trying to hold back fluster at the thought of having an outing with her Boing all to herself
TOPANGA'S
Of all stops for the morning, the most traditional for college students was coffee; even so, it was still a surprise for Maya when they stopped by Topanga's "Boing, last I checked my mom's working, and those clothes certainly aren't uniform, though for you I wouldn't mind if they were" she passed a smile and noticed Josh returned it.
"This is just our first stop sunshine" Josh kept the grin as he walked in, followed by a very eager Maya, curious as ever about this little adventure of theirs. Sure enough, there was Katy Hunter behind the counter.
"They good to go Mrs. Hunter?" Josh asked which earned a stare from Katy who had bent down to pick up the drinks "They are, and for the last time Josh call me Katy, but who is the second one for? The only one I know who likes an iced coffee like this is…"
"Hi Mom," Maya said which caused her mother to run over the counter and hug a very ecstatic daughter, but which also caused her to look back between Josh and Maya with a mothering concern but excitement too "are you two both going? like a da…."
"No, no because it's not the right time, but I guess you could call it a prequel," said Josh, which had Maya cocking an eyebrow, but she didn't have too much time as Josh put the iced coffee in her hand and took her other one, gently pulling her along which she gladly embraced.
FIRST LIGHT CONGREGATION
The sign took Maya by surprise, as she has never pictured Josh attending such a place
"First Light Congregation?" Maya looked at Josh than the sign
"Maya, do you know what Gabriel means?" asked Josh, his blue eyes piercing into her soul, he already have every piece of it practically; Maya thought hard on it because she remembered hearing long ago, somewhere in the far back memories when she was a child soaked in the dirt, playing with Riley
"One who God protects?" she asked, Josh, nodded
"See while my brothers preferred the baseball and football games after school, I got involved with the church and the kickball or dodgeball games in a good youth group" Josh reminisced "I got involved with the God who apparently had everything to do with me being here", Maya gazed softly at Josh who had a smile on his face as he thought on times long gone
"But wait, this Church is in New York," said Maya "that's just the funnier part of God's plan for me My, this Church is very unique in the fact it only has one sister location, guess where" Josh looked at her with what seemed to be almost like playfulness
"hm Hawaii?" said Maya, returning equal playfulness, causing a laugh from Josh
"Stop it" Josh stated, Maya responded with a grin "no" they just stared at each other for a minute while enjoying one another before Maya responded, "it has a sister location in Philadelphia I take it?"
"Yeah, it's actually in part how I met Enoch" Josh responded "you still haven't introduced me" Maya replied which gave Josh an idea "Why don't we grab lunch with them after Church?" Maya eagerly nodded. Josh checked his watch as Maya finally got time to take a sip of her coffee "We should head in, the service is starting soon" Josh stated, Maya was however a little dazed from the drink
Three pumps of raspberry syrup and two pumps of white chocolate, my signature drink, just how much have you been noticing about me Boing?
The churches interior was simple but effective Maya noted, windows framed with gothic arches holding multiple stained glasses of just multi-color plated glass, sun shining in to pour floods of colors through the tan walled sanctuary of the church, the pews were of aged oak with a center aisle dividing them lined in maroon and aged carpeting, at the front was a giant wooden cross shadowing over nearly the whole sanctuary, and all with a band playing light music in the background. Maya was taking it in with a little awe (hey, any artist can appreciate good architecture, right?) before Josh took her hand and lead her to one of the pews; right next to two familiar faces
"Well I'll be Joshua, bringing a girl to church?" said Enoch clasping his silver-tipped cane "my oh my, things must be serious" to which Josh flustered, and Maya herself had a light blush
"Not yet, but someday," Josh said, Maya nuzzled herself against him clearly content with that answer as her hand held fast to his
He's so warm
"So this is the girl that has our Josh so changed," said Abigail looking over at them, Maya having another light blush at the mention of having an effect on Josh "Abigail Williams, and this is my friend, Edward Kaine, though he prefers to go by Enoch" Maya couldn't help but notice a little want for more in the way Abigail had labeled Enoch a friend "Maya, Maya Hunter" Maya replied, still carrying the happiness from the change of the name but it didn't go unnoticed by Enoch
"Any relation to Shawn Hunter?" Enoch asked "Yeah, I'm actually his daughter" which earned Maya a shocked look from Enoch "since when did Shawn have a kid?!" to which Maya smirked "he adopted me pretty recently, as he married my mother too"
"Well I will be darned, seems we missed a lot," said Enoch "How about we catch up over lunch?" asked Josh, Maya perking up at the mention of seeing another part of Joshes life; it just seemed to be a day where that's all she got to do, which was a perfect day in her books "Great, however, we better shush now as the service is starting"
Josh grinned as the blonde sunshine that had nuzzled herself against him was now struggling to stay up; in a way it was flattering as he knew while this wasn't important to her, she kept up as if it were because it was important to Josh. Maya herself kept nearly full track of the service as the pastor went on about the book of Ruth, and how while the world and much of the general bible readers viewed it as a tale of romance between Boaz and Ruth, there was an even stronger sense of love found between Naomi and Ruth who had chosen to follow her God who had shown rarely any love for those bloodlines outside of His own people in ancient Israel. He went on about how true love inspires, changes, and it evolves us all for the better, and to the pastor nowhere was this love found more than in God. It almost seemed to be the inspiration piece to Cory's lesson
People change people
which Maya couldn't help but chuckle at, knowing Matthews would be shocked to hear she had related one of his greatest lessons back to a Sunday with his brother. She had remembered the Matthews, at-least Cory and Riley, held a belief in God so it wasn't too shocking to find the lessons interlocking. Before she knew it, the service was at an end
"Joshua, good to see you again my boy" the pastor greeted Josh as if he was an old friend "Pastor Levine," said Josh, giving the man a hug "I see you brought a friend," said Levine as he looked at Maya then back at Josh "perhaps more than that judging on how you two don't want to look away from each for even a minute" he chuckled while both Maya and Josh lightly blushed "Josh, can I expect to see you at any of our upcoming community events?" asked Levine "I'm afraid my schedule has gotten quite packed with college and working at Topanga's now," said Josh ", Maya took this as a moment to resume her coffee and pace off as she gazed at the cross, walking down the aisle almost drawn to it. She sat down at one of the front pews
So, I hear you like to adopt lost and broken people, I just found one of those types of people myself, they are pretty great
Maya had Shawn pop-up into her thoughts
I hear you are a father to those people, that's a pretty amazing thing as some by blood fathers don't even care enough to stay for the delivery, and some just wait a bit longer than that
An image of Kermit came to mind, a father who had ditched her completely and utterly
Still, I'm not sure what to think of you myself, I want to believe and I want to know you are there, but I'm just not there
Maya cast her eyes downward, but then looked at Josh who was laughing with Enoch and Levine, Abigail was talking to two other people who were part of the band; what seemed to be one curvy paled skinned redhead and a brunette young man with strays of gray in his long brunette hair, and very brown eyes
If you are the God they say you are, then you brought these people into my life, you brought Josh into my life, and that is an adopted son of yours I really really like, and I just say thank you
she passed another look, noticing Josh walking over to her
Seriously, an amazing masterpiece of a son you got there
Maya while flustered looked back at Josh, who looked at her with curiosity "what were you doing up here?" he asked, looking at the cross "talking with Him, mainly about you" Maya responded smugly, in response Josh had a face that looked of surprise, of flattery, and of happiness "I enjoy knowing you two are talking" he said "however, we all are heading off for lunch, so I take it you would as well" to which Maya happily agreed
MARTINS BURGER BAR
"Well it isn't any Chubbies, but it'll do," said Enoch as he sat down next to Abigail "so you two really aren't official?" asked Abigail looking at both Josh and Maya across the booth "no, but someday" Josh responded while he smiled staring off dreamily
"But whyyyyy? you two clearly adore each other" Abigail groaned, Maya and Josh looked at each other, both slightly flustered but actually enjoying the attention for once
"Abby, as he said it's not the right time and if there is one thing we trust about Joshua it's that he knows when it's time for things" Enoch smirked as he gave Joshua a look, Josh smiled in agreement. The other two who had joined their booth were part of the worship band, and apparently were old friends of Joshes who attended NYU. The redhead was Sophie Luanne-Holt, and the man was Jaden Holt; both had to be two of the youngest people Maya had met who were married, having been in their early 20s when they donned their rings.
It had to have been a few hours of them all talking through lunch over burgers and fries, and Maya herself felt like she hit it off with Josh's friends, every once in a while she would catch him staring in wonder at her as she chatted with them like there really was no age gap between them. Alas, the turn of the clock came and went "Well its getting late into the noon gang and we have to get off soon" Josh said, to Maya's surprise he put his beanie on her head "might I have a word quickly with Maya alone?" asked Enoch, Josh was skeptical but Maya agreed
TEN MINUTES
Josh —
Josh had gone to the registers to grab a cola for the road
"So that's her huh, a little young isn't she?"
Josh turned around and needed no guesses as to who it was when he caught a glimpse of the red hair "She's wise for her age, and as of the moment we are just friends who want to keep each other in our lives" he responded, Jess, let out a sigh
"You know, when she sees how deeply broken you really are Joshua" Josh turned to her, and it would have taken a little observation to notice how he had gone pale "when she sees how all the parts take some work to keep together, she'll run and you'll be stuck with the only girl meant for you" she ended with a confident smirk
"oh, is that supposed to be you?" asked Josh
"yup" Jess took a sip of her own drink as she walked out the door
Josh left back to the group, forgetting completely about the drink he had come up for
Meanwhile Maya —
Enoch had taken Maya just outside the restaurant, she looked at him not knowing what to expect, but it was worse than that even
"Break it off with Josh"
Her face went blank but her hand moved without hesitation, punching Enoch HARD "how dare you, I get your his childhood best friend but I thought I had your respect" Maya said, her anger finally rising up
"Dangit Maya, would you let me continue!?" asked Enoch, rubbing his face where a bright red spot now lay "Maya, I sought God after coming from a broken household with an evil deadbeat of a father and a mother who died before I could turn three," said Enoch "what's your point?" Maya asked, her blue eyes lit aflame with rage still
"Only the broken seek God in my experience," said Enoch "so then please think about why Josh is going there, think of why he found Christ, think of what you might find and if you find it, are you ready for it?" asked Enoch as he left her standing there.
Will I be ready?
Maya headed back to the group herself
REGULAR TIME
It was only ten minutes but unknown between either party, it had added drama. Maya went on showing no emotion until she saw Josh which triggered a goofy grin on her face "Til next time" said Josh trying not to show his own grimace, having had his own moment "Til next time" the rest of the gang said in unison holding their glasses, and Maya couldn't help but feel her heart move for the new group of friends she had waiting for her at the college already, in the future already.
THE MATTHEWS APARTMENT
"Shawn, look," Katy said as she entered the Matthews apartment, they were followed by Cory and Topanga having just gotten back from a double date together; on the couch with the TV playing the last bit of The Amityville Horror and a pizza box long-empty next to a half-filled bottle of cola on the coffee table were Josh and Maya. Katy had to give Shawn a "don't you dare, they are fine" look as he noticed the pose of the young Matthews with his daughter. Josh had fallen asleep with Maya in his lap with her face half-buried in the young Matthews chest, comfortably snuggled under a blanket, Maya wearing a navy blue beanie;
Maya had fallen asleep with the last thought being, that is Sundays were going to continue now with Josh and his church, then maybe they weren't really such bad days after all
Read and review as always guys, it's well appreciated!