Meant to have this out days ago but the internet gods were working against me.
Riley put her fingers to her lips as she looks at their driver before nodding her head at Maya's sleeping form. They had almost reached their destination but with Riley's ever growing belly she needed to pee again. Luckily they were close to where they wanted to go and Riley had spotted a nearby beach.
She walked slowly on the sand slipping out her sandals as she stood in the water ankle deep letting the water hit against them. "Oof." She gasps feeling the little one inside her kick. She smiled before looking at the water wiping her eyes.
"I miss him too peanut."
Riley was sure the cashier at both the drugstore and Starbucks were watching her like a hawk since she had gone in both places more than once. She didn't want to go back to the drugstore since security was watching her making her more nervous.
The cashier had told her she needed to buy something since she kept going to the bathroom. She eventually did buy a coffee sipping it only to end up tossing it when she realized what she did.
Which got her kicked out starbucks she didn't mind since the bag in her hand was also holding her future.
Riley sat outside on a bench staring off into space feeling like she was in a dream. She felt nauseous and on the verge of tears for well she wasn't sure how long until she hears someone calling her name.
"Riley! Riley! Riles?" She glances up and sees Maya standing before her looking extremely worried as she looked her over making sure she wasn't hurt. "Honey are you okay? I called your cell like ten times the only reason I knew where you were was from the app Farkle made us."
Riley chuckled softly shaking her head at her. "Maya I just talked to you an hour ago you didn't have to look for me. What?" She asked when she sees Maya looking at her weirdly. "Riles that was over four hours ago I thought you were with your dad but when he called asking for you I got worried."
It was Riley's turn to look at her crazy before noticing that it had gotten darker since she had first went into Starbucks. "Oh I didn't realize the time we should go." She stands quickly feeling dizzy as Maya steady her. "Whoa Riles you okay? Did you get any medicine for yourself?"
Riley widened her eyes when she sees Maya reach for her bag that contained no medicine but about twenty empty boxes of pregnancy tests. "Riles is this...are you?" Maya asked as Riley begin to cry. Maya gave her a small smile before grabbing her stuff and hailing a cab to take them home.
Once they got there Maya instructed Riley to go lay down and she would make her a cup of tea since she wasn't sure what the protocol was on coffee and tequila was definitely off the table. Riley smiled wiping her eyes as she laid down in her bed pulling the covers over her head.
"Riles?" Maya lays down on the bed pulling the covers over herself pulling Riley close. "Why didn't you tell me honey? I wouldn't have been joking about it and I could have held your hand as you waited. You shouldn't have to have gone through that alone."
Riley sniffed as she nodded her head keeping her eyes closed as Maya rubbed her back. "I'm sorry peaches I guess when I realized maybe I could be I just didn't think. I was just thinking in the moment. Nothing else." Maya hugged her closer as she sighed.
"I still feel like the worse best friend I shouldn't have joked about you really being pregnant and I should have put two and two together and been right by your side. I'm a horrible best friend and will do anything you want just ask okay? I mean you had to go through that alone I wished you would have called me but I understand why."
After taking a breath she felt Maya turn and look at her. "Enough about me and how I'm horrible how are you feeling do you know what you're going to do? Whatever you need I'm here for." Riley opened her eyes looking at her.
She wasn't exactly sure how she was feeling or what she was going to do. She was still in a state of shock and she wasn't entirely sure when she would come out of it. Except in that moment when she felt she needed to puke.
"I know how you can start to help." She says sitting up looking at Maya who nods her head sitting up as well. "How?" She asked bouncing slightly causing Riley to hold her stomach. "Hold my hair back." Maya looked at her weirdly as Riley ran to the bathroom with Maya right on her heels.
Once she was sure she had puked up everything she had eaten in the last year Riley laid in the tub. "Okay this is my new room I'll take every meal in here from now on." Maya laughed handing her a wet rag along with mouthwash.
"Well first things first we need to confirm that you're with child and that you didn't read a false positive. Although twenty test with positive signs is kind of hard to argue with but anyways..." she said shaking her head and looking at her. "I hate to add to your full plate but what are you going to do about Lucas?"
Riley lifted the rag off her face and frowned as she looked at Maya. She knew with his constant need to ask her out and showing up everywhere she was just like her father he was likely to show up sooner or later. "Right now nothing. I know it's wrong but I need to be sure before I get him involved with this."
Maya nodded telling her she was going to make her a doctor appointment to make sure even though they both knew she was. Riley knew it was way to soon but if she had to guess she was barely a couple of weeks give or take. She placed her hand on her stomach before drawing lazy circles feeling her eyes water.
Could she do this could she actually be a mom and how was Lucas going to fit into all of this. She smiled softly staring at her stomach something in her heart told her she could do it.
"I know you can't hear me yet but I'm going to be the best mom to you." She smiled placing her hands on her stomach again. "Let's just hope your dad feels the same way."
She rubbed her stomach smiling softly before realizing she would have to tell Lucas soon and her parents. More importantly what was she going to tell her dad who barely stopped stalking her. She jumped out the tub rushing towards the toilet to throw up.
And not just from morning sickness.
Maya checked the time as she had the last bit of purple to her painting. It had been a couple of days and Riley had her first doctor appointment to confirm what they already knew. But Maya feeling like the worse best friend in the entire planet wanted to make sure she had what she needed.
Maya stared at her painting smiling softly as she signed her name on the bottom. The sound of her phone beeping pulled her from her thoughts as she grabbed her bag heading down towards her bar. "Hey Mrs. Matthews." Travis joked as Maya punched him in the arm.
"Ow. What was that for?" He asked rubbing the spot even though Maya knew she didn't punch him that hard. "You know why and stop calling me Mrs. Matthews. I'm stepping out for a bit and should be back in two hours." Travis waved her off calling her Mrs. Matthews again as Maya shook her head.
She hopped in her mom's car as she headed for home hoping Riley had called in sick. "Riles are you here?" She called out hearing the toilet flush just as Riley emerged looking like she just got into a fight and lost.
"I can't go Maya I feel horrible." Riley pouts laying on the couch as Maya grabs her a water and some crackers. "Riles we have to if not to confirm at least to get you all the information we need." Maya tells her sitting down next to her and stroking her hair. "I scheduled one for next week Peaches don't worry."
Maya gasped as Riley looked at her with her puppy dog eyes making her smile and shake her head. "You're so lucky I love you and my soon to be godchild." She kisses her head as she gets covering her with a blanket. "Got to head back to the bar let me know what you want for dinner and call me for anything got it?"
Riley waved her phone as Maya smiled heading back to work. She didn't want to leave since she still felt like a horrible friend for not being there. But she was going to make it up to her and her little one spoiling them rotten.
That's what aunts do with their niece or nephew right? Since technically she was Riley's aunt and her little one would be her great niece or nephew?
Maya shook her head at the thought of calling herself her aunt. She groans rubbing her face she was pretty sure she was losing it. She definitely needed a drink or two to get out of her head. Luckily she was headed to her bar and could do just that.
Maya sat in her office chair wishing she had left the bar's paperwork to her dad. She hated staring at all the numbers and got easily distracted. Okay she let herself get distracted especially last year when she let Travis talk her into a shot contest.
She chewed her lip checking her phone constantly making sure she heard it in case Riley needed her. She had just walked to the fridge she had inside her office looking at papers when someone knocked on the door. She shouts come in as she stops to read the paper in her hand.
"Hey Travis why does this say..." she drifts off when she looks up and sees its Josh not Travis. "Hey." He chuckles lightly as Maya waves awkwardly mentally cursing herself as she sits back down. "What brings you by? Looking to punch more people?" She asked as Josh gives her a look looking around her office.
"Funny Hunter but no." He says scratching at his neck nervously as he sits down. "My firm does this company retreat every year and it's coming up." Maya looks at him weirdly as he looks at her. "You want to throw it here?" She asked not really sure where he was going with this.
"No drunk lawyers are worse than your average drunk person. Believe me." Josh shivers dramatically making Maya laugh. "Actually the retreat is in new haven and my boss found out we were married and wanted to invite you to come with."
Maya widened her eyes as she cleared her throat. "Um.. I appreciate the offer but i can't." She looks away from him quickly as he nods getting up and walking out the office. She sighs as she stares at the ceiling not noticing someone walk in.
"That was a little rude don't you think?" She looks and sees her mom sitting across from her with her arms folded across her chest. "He didn't really want me to go anyways." She said biting at her lip. "How do you know he doesn't want you to go? He could have just kept quiet and lied to his boss."
"He doesn't want me to go mom and besides it's best to keep things the way they are and not complicate them anymore than they are." Katy gets up and moves towards Maya holding her face in her hands. "Do you want to know why I'm so okay with josh and you being "married"?"
"Your drunk?" Katy gasps lightly smacking Maya's arm as she laughs. "No baby girl that's not the reason. I'm okay with it because I've seen what you're so desperately trying to run from." She kisses her head as she leaves out the room leaving Maya with her thoughts and her last words running in her head.
Lucas yawned as he signed his last file closing it and massaging his wrist. He thought working for his dad he had to deal with alot of paperwork but that was nothing compared to the paperwork from just that day. "Dr. Friar you still here?" Mandy ask placing another stack of files on his desk as he groans.
He begins to open them as she smacks his hand pulling him up. "Nope. Go home this pile will still be here tomorrow." Lucas chuckled as he grabbed his jacket waving a goodbye to Mandy as he walks. He was going to head back to his hotel but decided to go get something to eat.
He stopped at the bakery walking inside smirking to himself when he sees Riley's dad behind the counter. "Ahem." He clears his throat loudly as Mr. Matthews looks up with a smile before growling when he sees it's him. "Im sorry we're closed." He announces moving to the other side of the counter as Lucas follows.
"Oh really?" Lucas chuckles as he sits down picking up a menu only for him to snatch it causing Lucas to grab another. "Didn't I tell you we were closed?" He says again as Lucas shakes his head still looking over a menu. "Cory what are you doing?" Lucas looks over and sees who he believes to be Riley's mom coming towards them.
"Nothing topanga I'm just cleaning up." He says nonchalantly wiping down the counter. She turns to Lucas who smile at him as he puts down his menu. "Hi did my husband take your order yet?" Lucas smiles shaking his head as she glared at her husband. "He's not hungry topanga are you old man?"
Lucas smiled as Mrs. Matthews looked between them before smiling herself. "Oh old man. You must be the reason my husband been stalking my daughter." She says as Lucas nervously rubs his neck. "Yes ma'am I'm Lucas Friar." He hold out his hands as she shakes it.
She looks him up and down and then at Mr. Matthews again. "I can see why you would want to keep Riley away from him now." Lucas widened his eyes as Cory glared at him. "Topanga! He's forty!" She waves him off as she looks back at Lucas. "What can I get for you?"
He tells her his order before stopping her. "How's Riley? Last I seen she looked like she was getting sick." Topanga widens her eyes as Cory shouts what before running out the door. "Oh Lucas what have you done?" He tilts his head at her in confusion as she shakes her head walking away.
After some coaxing and a smile saying he wanted to bring soup Lucas got Mrs. Matthews to tell him Riley's address. She smiled wishing him luck and told him he better stretch before walking to the door. He didn't know what that meant but does it anyways as he reaches her front door.
He was just about to knock when he hears her. "Dad I'm an adult and I don't need to be swaddled! Stop asking me!" He chuckles softly before knocking on the door stepping back slightly when he sees Riley looking at him with wide eyes.
"Hey." He says holding up the bag he brought from the bakery. "So your the reason my dad is here trying to kill me?" She asked folding her arms across her chest. "Guilty. Although I thought your parents knew. I mean you did throw up on me. How are you feeling?"
Lucas watched as she bit her lip having a silent conversation with herself. She turned her head back inside before stepping out more and closing it slightly. "You want to have dinner tomorrow night?" Lucas looked at her with a confused and weird expression on his face.
Usually it's him asking her but now she was and he was intrigued as to why.
"Finally ready to admit you like me?" He asked smirking and moving closer to her. "No." She says holding her hand against his chest to stop him from coming further to her. "We have things to discuss and I would rather not do that with my father within earshot."
He nods his head as she looks back inside grabbing the soup from him. "I hoped you stretched." He looks at her weirdly about to say her mom said the same thing when the door opens and Mr. Matthews growls seeing him. He takes off realizing that stretching was a good idea.
"Dr. Friar I hope you aren't staying late again for more paperwork?" Mandy ask walking into the office as he puts down his pen. "There are far more better things to do than paperwork." She says pushing him towards the front. "Why Mandy are you suggesting we finally run away together?"
She gasps playfully slapping his arm as he helps her with her jacket. "I'm kidding actually I have a date." He tells her as they walk out locking up. "Well good for you." She waves as she gets in her car driving away.
Lucas walked into the little Italian restaurant he had chosen looking around for Riley. He finally spots her covering her mouth as if she was about to throw up. "Hey you okay?" He asked as she nods softly clearing her throat. "Yeah let's go our table is ready."
"So do you know what you want?" He asked tapping the menu Riley had blocking her face. "Yes." She says as their waiter comes to the table. "So what can I get you? Anything from the bar?" He ask as Lucas nods. "A bottle of champagne?" He ask as Riley shakes her head. "A water for me please."
"Come on Riley a little champagne isn't going to hurt." He tells her as she chews her lip. "No just water." She says again as Lucas shakes his head leaning towards her. "Come on maybe wine..." he gets cut off by her next words. "I'm pregnant."
The waiter clears his throat walking away as Lucas looks at her with wide eyes. "Congratulations." He says as she frowns at him. "It's yours." She tells him as he rubs his neck. "How? What? We were safe. We did it just that one time." Riley gives him a look as she picks up a breadstick.
"Condoms don't always work and it was more than once." She looks down blushing as Lucas continues staring at her. "Are you sure it's mine?" He ask immediately regretting it by the look on her face. "Are you serious right now?" She scoffs as Lucas sits there in a daze. "I'm going to be a father."
He turned to look at Riley but sees her seat empty. "I'm an idiot."
Josh smacked Auggie hand as he hands the beer to Josh and takes out a water from the cooler they had brought up. They sat on the little balcony Josh had in his new apartment well his rented apartment. "Man uncle Josh I can't believe we aren't going to be living together anymore. Unless you let me move in?"
Josh chuckled as he shook his head at him. "Nice try but I prefer not to come home and catch you and Ava making babies on my sofa. And really I had to move finding out that your dad watches me sleep is not something I wanted to know or see."
"He just misses his baby since Riley won't let him stalk her anymore." Auggie laughs at Josh's confused face. "You didn't know?" Josh shook his head causing Auggie to laugh harder. He went on to explain about the dinner he shared with Riley and the geniuses and Lucas and his dad's craziness.
"Wow. I mean I knew he was staying there but I didn't know he had gone full Cory Matthews on her." Josh chuckles shaking his head wondering if he ever had kids would he be the same way with them if they were girls. "I'm surprised the little misses didn't tell you." Auggie says giving Josh a look.
"So have you told grandma and grandpa yet?" Josh shook his head chugging his beer as Auggie gasps. "What you haven't told them? I'm surprised you haven't you can't keep a secret." Josh punched his arm as he got up saying he was ordering pizza.
Josh wiped his hands as he set his pizza back on a napkin and continued taking his clothes out boxes. He had asked Auggie who helped him move in but Auggie claimed his back hurt and needed to go home.
He had just put his socks away when his laptop begin to go off. He opened it up hesitating when he sees its his parents wanting to video chat with him. "Hey mom and dad." He waves as he sees his mom putting on her glasses waving at him. "Aw my little baby how are you?" She asked as Josh playfully rolled his eyes.
"I'm okay mom how's the trip? Dad seasick yet?" He chuckles as his dad pops in the camera shaking his head. "I'll have you know I never get seasick." Josh laughed nodding his head. "What about that time on Mr. Feeny's boat?" He asked as his mom laughed while his dad gives him a look.
"I didn't get seasick I ate something that morning for breakfast." Josh watched as his mom slapped his dad. "Alan Matthews are you trying to claim I gave you food poisoning." Josh watched as his dad rubbed his arm. "No Amy I'm saying you did." He laughs waving at Josh as she pushes him away.
"Ignore your father what's new with you? Are you eating right? Just because you can order take out at any hour doesn't mean you should. You need a good home cooked meal. How's work? You aren't working to hard are you? Make sure you eat enough bran so you don't get backed up." Josh groaned covering his face with his hands.
"Oh my god! Joshua Gabriel Matthews what is that on your hand?!" Josh lowers his hands as he looks at his wedding ring on his finger. "Mom I can explain..." he gets cut off by her shouting for his dad. "Alan. Alan come over here and see what your son has on?!" Josh gulped as he dad sat back down looking at him.
"Joshua Gabriel Matthews what do you have to say for yourself?!" He ask finally noticing his ring. "Um...I think an explanation for this wouldn't bode well over FaceTime." Josh says scratching his neck wondering if he could pretend his computer froze on them. "We will be home in four days and you better have an explanation and a damn good one."
He gulped as he nods his head hoping his parents would forget about him being married. He didn't even tell them who he was married to yet. He couldn't imagine what they are going to say when he tells them not only was he married he was married to Maya and they got married drunk.
"Matthews you look like you had a rough night. The little wife keep you up?" Josh lifted his head off his desk as he looked at Alan flipping him off. "Bite me Alan." He chuckles as he sits across from him handing him his files. "Here finished up the rest of the paperwork for ya."
Josh took it looking it over before signing it. "Knock knock." Josh looks and sees his boss once again standing in the doorway. "Alan, Josh you two ready for our retreat this weekend?" Josh mentally cursed himself forgetting that he hadn't mention Maya saying no.
"Yes sir. My wife is looking forward to it." Alan says as their boss nods turning to Josh. "What about you Matthews?" He ask as Josh scratches his neck. Right as he is about to say something their boss gets called out the office.
That night Josh packed for the retreat trying to come up with the perfect excuse why his new bride wasn't joining them. He thought about it all the way up to new haven in his car the next morning trying to not sound like a total idiot. It didn't help he was already late by the time he arrived.
"Okay Matthews just say she got food poisoning." He mutters to himself as he sees his boss walking towards him. "Josh there you are." Mr. Romero shouts walking towards him trying not to spill his drink. He sees him look around as Josh clears his throat. "Sir my wife.." his boss cuts him off shaking his head.
"I know she told me. She said you were running behind trying to catch up on paperwork so she would meet you here." Josh looked at him weirdly as they begin to walk. "What you spoke with her?" Mr. Romero nods as he looks around finding what he was looking for.
He points towards the front lobby of the hotel where Josh turns and sees her. "That wife of yours is a little fireball don't let that one go." Josh didn't hear a word he said as he continued to smile at Maya as she talked with his coworkers.
I know Lucas was horrible but I kind of wanted to give him a Ross Geller reaction to her pregnancy announcement.