Maya and Josh laid in the guest bed of their best friend's apartment at 2 in the morning, still awake. The window was open and they could hear the noise coming from the streets of New York, the car horns, traffic and people arguing, it was the one thing Josh never missed about New York and the one thing that would always remind Maya of home. As they laid there, covered in sweat, Maya hated that her best friend decided on a summer wedding.
"It's so hot." Josh complained.
"I can't sleep." Maya said.
"I can't remember the last time I was sweating this much." Josh said.
"I can." Maya said with a flirty smile.
Josh chuckled. "I remember that."
"I am glad we told our families tonight." She said.
"And everyone took the news very well." Josh agreed. Despite the heat, she snuggled in closer to him and he wrapped his arms around her. Maya could hear his heartbeat and she loved that sound. It always calmed her down.
"We are so lucky." She said.
"There is one thing I was meaning to ask you." He started. "Now that we are having a baby…what would you say if we started planning a wedding?" He treated carefully. He knew Maya didn't have the best reaction whenever he brought up the wedding.
"We are getting married as soon as I finish college. That's not going to change." Maya said firmly.
"But what if the baby comes before that?" Josh asked.
"So what if it comes before? People don't have to be married to have or to love a child." Maya insisted.
"You're right, I know that. I just really want to be married to you. That's all." He said and kissed her forehead.
"I know. And I really want to marry you too. But I need to finish college first." She said, a little softer.
"I understand." He said. "We have to buy a lot of baby stuff." He said like it just occurred to him.
"We know nothing about babies." Maya said with a hint of panic in her voice.
"We can learn." Josh said, trying to assure them both, but mostly himself.
"I am so scared." Maya admitted. "You?"
"Terrified." Josh admitted. "There is a big chance we are going to ruin this baby."
"I had a crappy childhood and I turned out okay." Maya said but it sounded more like a question.
"Okay-ish." Josh corrected.
"What do you mean okay-ish?" Maya picked herself up on her elbows and looked at Josh.
"I love you baby, but you have issues." Josh phrased it as nicely as he could.
"You're not a picnic either." She told him.
"I was the fourth child. By the time I was born, my parents already gave up." He said half joking, half serious. Maya laid her head on his chest again.
"People have kids all the time. All we have to do is feed them and not bump their heads." Maya simplified it.
"And even the head bumping is not a hundred percent exclusive. Babies are resilient." Josh added.
Maya laughed. "I'm glad we're in this together." She said.
"I am too." Josh said. They spent the entire night talking, because the heat made it impossible to sleep and Maya liked the feeling she had with Josh next to her. She felt safe and like there is nothing she can't do. Including raising a little human.
XXXXXX
The next few days flew by. Maya and Josh spent every moment with their friends and family. They visited their favorite places and ate their favorite foods.
Leaving was always hard. Maya always felt like she was leaving a part of her behind. As soon as she stepped on the streets of Florence, the feeling would start to fade but until then, it was torcher to say goodbye to everyone and know that she won't see them in months.
Josh felt the same way. He missed New York like crazy. He missed the people and the language and he hated to admit it, but he was starting to get sick of pizza. He loved Italy, but it wasn't home.
He had a good job and Maya was there. That's all he needed, but he couldn't wait to come back home.
Everyone came to the airport to see them off. Shawn and Katy cried and Maya couldn't help but tear up. They said their goodbyes and I love yous and boarded the plane. Maya wished they could've stayed longer but she had classes and Josh had work. Weather they liked it or not, they had lives back in Florence. Lives that were waiting for them.
And as soon as their feet touched the ground of Florence, Maya knew that this beautiful city snuck up on her and became as important to her as New York. Here she felt something she never had back home. A sense of freedom, a fresh start. As the cab driver drove them home, Maya looked through the window onto the streets that felt as familiar to her as the ones she grew up on. She thought about how strange it felt once, to step on them for the first time. She didn't know anyone, she didn't know her way around and she felt overwhelmed for the first couple of weeks. Then Josh came and she met new friends. She found a cute little café that she liked and she visited all the galleries and soon enough she realized she is going to be just fine. For the rest of her life she will always be grateful she decided to come to Florence.
The first couple of days back, Maya and Josh spent buying stuff for the baby. Maya was only seven weeks pregnant, but the nervous first time parents wanted to be prepared.
"So what exactly do we need?" Josh asked as they strolled the baby store? "Crib, stroller, bunch of cute little onesies?"
"I guess…we need to get some baby books. And I scheduled a doctor's appointment tomorrow at 2."
"I have to be at work then? Do you think we can do it later?" Josh asked.
"I can't. I have classes all day. That's my lunch break and the only free time I have tomorrow." She explained.
"I don't remember your schedule being so busy." Josh said. "I guess I can leave work early."
"I had a talk with the dean, I am adding some classes now so I can finish in one semester instead of two." Maya said. "And you don't have to do that. I can go by myself. I'm a big girl.
"I just don't want to miss anything and I really want to go with you." Josh said.
"Okay. Then we'll go together." She confirmed.
"Are you sure you can handle doubling your school work? I mean you are creating a little human in there." He said and pointed to her belly. "You need to rest and take care of yourself."
"I know that, but I can't have this baby before I graduate. This way, I will finish college in four months and then we can go back home in December and get everything ready for the baby." She looked at him with her pouty look, the one he never knew how to resist.
"I know this is important to you and I support you completely but if you want to have a full year, I could always stay at home with the baby while you go to classes and finish your studies." He offered. The great thing about Josh was, Maya knew, he never said things just for the sake of them being said. He always meant them.
"I know that. And you are very sweet to offer but I want to be there. I don't want to miss anything."
"I get that." He said and kissed her. "We need to find an apartment in New York. We can't stay with your parents."
"We could ask Riley and Lucas to search for some apartments for us while we're here." She suggested.
"That's a good idea. Thankfully, my firm has a New York office and I can transfer anytime I want."
"And I'm a painter so I am my own boss." Maya said joyfully.
"Are we actually doing this? Are we adults?" Josh wondered out loud.
"We so are." Maya said and they high fived. "We got this."
"This baby won't know what hit him." Josh said. "Or her. I'll love it equally either way." He quickly added.
XXXXXXX
Maya and Lucas continued their lives per usual. Maya spent almost all day on campus, either in class or in the art studio. And Josh was busy with work. The only thing that was different was that now their apartment was filled with unpacked boxes full of baby stuff. Most of their conversation now revolved about baby formula and what stool color can babies have, most of which ended with Josh saying "There is no way that's true." Followed by Maya's "It's all in this book."
It took two more weeks before Maya started having morning sickness.
"How is it possible I am gaining so much weight if I am puking all the time?" She said one morning, bent over the toilet. Josh was kneeling besides her, holding her hair and rubbing her back.
"You are barely showing." He protested.
"I gained 10 pounds in a week." Maya growled.
"The doctor said it's normal." Josh reminded her.
"She also said morning sickness only comes in the morning, what does she know." She argued.
"All done?" Josh asked. Maya nodded and cleaned the corners of her mouth with her sleeve. "But I don't know when I'll feel sick again." She said, still sitting on the bathroom floor.
"We can just stay here for a little while longer." Maya smiled and laid down on the floor with her head on Josh's lap. He played with her golden locks as she smiled.
"They say this only lasts for the length of the first trimester." Josh tried to cheer her up.
"Yeah, only a month left. And then comes the fun part, cankles and stretch marks." Maya said. Josh chuckled and then got very serious.
"Do you regret it?" He asked.
"Regret what?" Maya was confused.
"Deciding to keep it." He finished sheepishly.
"No." Maya said right away. "There are times when I wonder what it would be like. I think it's very hard and exhausting but sometimes, even though I know it's medically impossible I think I can hear its little heartbeat inside of me and it always makes me smile."
"I'm glad." He responded.
"Now if only I could get off the floor…" She said, half joking, half serious.
"I wish I could somehow carry the bad sides if this instead of you." Josh said.
"Oh honey, I love you but there is no way you would be able to handle any of this." Maya said.
"I think I could manage." He said.
"Even the giving birth?" Maya insisted.
"Maybe not that." Josh admitted.
Before Maya had the chance to tease him relentlessly, someone rang the doorbell.
"Who could that be?" Maya wondered.
"I don't know. Did we order in Chinese again and forgot about it?" He asked.
"That only happened once." Maya said. "But it's possible."
"I'll go see who it is. You stay here." Josh offered.
Maya could hear his footsteps down the hall all the way to the door. She heard the noise of keys turning and she heard the very familiar voice of the person she loved most in this world yell: "Surprise!"
A/N: Hey guys. I know, I am horrible. I kept you waiting for so long. I am so sorry, I was very busy and I started writing a couple of more things because I had a few other ideas. It's not much of an excuse but I hope you understand. Thank you for reading the story and liking it. And to Joganlover97 and everyone else who asked me to continue the story don't worry, I would never abandon the story midway. I will carry it out until the end. Some chapters just may take a little longer that the others. Hopefully, you'll still stick around for all of it.