Hey y'all! If you didn't get the chance to read chapter 8, then you have missed an important chapter. I'll just go ahead and warn you that things will get worse with Maya's relationship with Tony.
I also would like to say that I am writing a romantic-comedy called Friar Family Ties, if you're interested in it.
Hope you guys like this chapter. It'll be tense at moments, but I'll try to make it a little bit more light heart-ed.
Lucas unbuckles Sadie from her car seat and grabs a bag full of some of Sadie's toys. Maya checks her eye makeup one more time before she gets out of the car to meet Lucas and Sadie at the front door of the Matthews-Minkus residence. Maya knocks on the red door of the big white house in the suburb outside of the city. She has never lived or seen a suburb that she remembers. That doesn't stop her from dreaming about raising a family in a house like Riley's and Farkle's.
The cheery brunette opens the door, of course with the biggest smile on her face and she welcomes the three of them into her house.
"It's so great to see y'all! Farkle! Lucas, Maya, and Sadie are here!" Riley calls for her husband.
"This is such a nice house, Riles. I'm really happy for you," Maya says.
"Thank you, Peaches," Riley says before she pauses. She is so happy to have her friends back with her. It's been a long time since all of them have been together. When she found out that Lucas and Maya didn't have to work this weekend, she had to plan a get-together with all of them.
Farkle walks down the stairs with another familiar face behind him. Lucas's and Maya's faces brighten up even more when they see him.
"Long time, no see, huh?"
"Isaiah Hank Babineaux," Maya calls, "It really has been a long time!"
Zay walks over to the two and gives them both a hug. Riley really does have everything perfectly planned out. When the trio share their hugs, Zay turns towards a woman standing behind him. She's very beautiful, and expecting soon.
"Lucas. Maya. This is Kala, my wife and the love of my life," Zay introduces the woman to his friends.
Kala shakes both of their hands while saying, "Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too!" Maya says watching Kala rub her very pregnant belly. Maya always wondered what it'd be like to be pregnant. She could imagine it being the most terrifying, horrible, but amazing experience ever.
"How far along are you? If you don't mind me asking," Maya asks.
Kala smiles, "I am almost 34 weeks. This will be our second child."
"Where is Tia. Tia!" Zay yells for his first child. A little girl almost around Sadie's age timidly walks down the stairs. She has her thumb in her mouth and is clutching a little baby doll.
"Tia," Zay says, bending down to his daughter's level, "Sweetie, these are my friends. Do you want to meet them?"
Tia slowly nods her head and takes her thumb out of her mouth. She grabs onto Zay's finger before walking over to greet Maya and Lucas.
"Hey there sweetheart. My name is Maya. You are very beautiful. Did you know that?" Maya asks. Tia nods her head and shakes Maya's hand. Maya giggles and shakes Tia's tiny hand.
"Hey. My name is Lucas. I've known your daddy for a very long time. I was there the day you were born. I have a daughter around your age, do you want to meet her?" Lucas asks. Tia nods as Sadie pokes her head around Lucas's leg. She moves to stand in front of him and looks at Tia.
"Hi. My name's Sadie."
"My name's Tia."
"Do you want to play with me? I brought some toys," Sadie offers. Tia, still a little shy, nods her head and follows Sadie to play.
Zay puts his hand on Lucas's shoulder. The both of them have those 'proud father' looks on their faces. They've been through a lot together, and the fact that both of their daughters are meeting and playing together is a testament to how loyal their friendship is.
"Can't believe how big they've gotten," Zay says. Lucas agrees, and the two of them converse about their daughters.
"Look at you Farkle. I know I saw you the other day, but I can't believe how...manly, you've gotten," Maya teases making Farkle chuckle.
"Back off peaches. You already got one of my men," Riley teases back, wrapping both of her arms around her husband.
"It's nice to see you and Lucas together again," Farkle says.
Maya laughs, "Ranger Rick and I aren't together again. We just started hanging out again, as friends, since Sadie joined my ballet class."
"Sure. That's what it is. Be honest. We know you've hooked up at least one time," Riley says.
"Riley Matthews-Minkus, those are such dirty thoughts for such an innocent mind," Maya teases.
"Be honest," Riley commands.
Maya pauses. Not wanting to tell them about the time they almost hooked up when he was teaching her some self defense moves. And if Maya has to be honest, she wants to get back together with Lucas. All these old feelings of hers for him resurfaced the day they met up again. But she still loves Tony. She knows that he obviously has some anger problems to work on, but she still loves him, and is afraid to break up with him.
"We haven't done anything. I have a boyfriend," Maya responds.
Riley rolls her eyes, "Where is your boyfriend, then?"
Lucas, Farkle, Zay, and Kala are in the back yard of the Minkus house. The girls are playing on a swing that was hanging on a tree branch.
"Are y'all excited about having another kid?" Farkle asks.
"We are really excited," Kala starts, "And not as nervous as we were when we had Tia. It gets easier when you have your second child. At least, that's what I've heard from other parents with multiple kids."
"Riley and I were excited when we found out she was expecting," Farkle says. Lucas looks down and lays a supportive hand on Farkle's shoulder.
"I'm really sorry about what happened, Farkle," Zay says, "You and Riley were gonna be amazing parents, and who knows, you two could try for another one. Either way, just know that y'all have us as support."
"Thanks Zay," Farkle smiles, "And who knows? Maybe we will try for another one."
Lucas smiles. He knows how much Riley and Farkle love kids. And what happened to them makes Lucas even more grateful that he has Sadie. When Kaytlin came up to him months before graduation and told him that she was pregnant, that news alone, changed Lucas's life forever. He wasn't sure he could love somebody so much. But when Sadie Elizabeth Friar was born, Lucas's love for anything else was thrown out the window. Sadie is his sidekick and one of his bestest friends.
"So. Do you know the sex of your baby?" Farkle asks, changing the subject off of him and Riley.
"Yes. We are having another baby girl," Kala responds. Zay smiles and lays his hand on Kala's active belly.
"Congratulations. I know that baby girl will be loved just as much as that little one," Farkle says pointing to Tia, who is laughing on the swing with Sadie.
Maya is helping Riley cook the food. She is chopping up different vegetables and fruits and putting them neatly in containers. Riley watches her after stirring the food in a large pot. Riley notices how different Maya looks, but not in a good way.
"Maya. Are you mad at me? For teasing you about Lucas?" Riley asks.
Maya sighs, "Nope. I can understand why you assume that Lucas and I are back together. But, don't get your hopes up because Lucas and I will probably never get back together."
Riley gives her a perplexed look, "Why do you think that?"
"Because I love Tony."
Now it's Riley's turn to sigh. She looks down and shakes her head. She takes the knife away from Maya and lays it down in the sink.
"Maya. I know Tony. I know that he's gonna fight Lucas in the biggest boxing match of the century in a few weeks. And I know about him because of what Lucas has told me," Riley begins to explain, "I just want to ask you something."
Maya's heart starts beating faster because she knows where this is going, "Go ahead."
"Does he treat you right?" Riley asks.
Maya doesn't respond. She stares at Riley, pondering what to say. She can't tell Riley what Tony does to her because Riley will lecture her, and Riley will get involved. Getting involved with a guy like Tony when you're a girl like Riley doesn't end up well for anybody.
"Why would you ask that? I wouldn't be with him if he didn't," Maya lies, but she knows that Riley knows the truth.
"Maya. You've changed. You look unhealthy. You look unhappy. Even when I mention his name, your eyebrow twitches," Riley says.
Riley touches the eye that Lucas helped her clean up a few days ago. The eye that she so desperately tried to hide by using tons of concealer and eye shadow. Maya flinches away.
"You forgot to hide that part," Riley says.
"It was my fault," Maya tries to defend Tony.
"That doesn't matter. That doesn't ever give him the right to hit you, ever! I don't care what you did. He should not put his hands on you, Maya!" Riley says.
"I can handle him. I've learned to defend myself," Maya says.
Riley grabs her hand, "Sweetie. That's not love. If you have to defend yourself from physical or emotional harm, then that's not love!"
"I'm sorry, I didn't have the perfect example of a loving relationship growing up," Maya tries to defend her relationship some more.
"Well that didn't affect your relationship with Lucas," Riley responds. Maya was about to continue to defend her relationship until Riley said that. She didn't even think about her relationship with Lucas. And it did work, for three years, until he was the one that messed up.
Maya sighs again, "You're right."
Riley pulls her best friend into a big, warm, comforting hug, "I hate this for you, Maya. I really do. I could tell you to break up with Tony because he's not good enough for you, but I know that you'll do whatever you want to anyway. But I want to tell you something."
"Go ahead," Maya says.
She points out the window to Lucas, who is laughing and playing with Sadie and Tia, "That man loves you. I bet he was the one who taught you to defend yourself. I bet he was the one to help you clean up that bruise on your eye, and that cut on your cheek. I bet the reason your hand has a cast on it right now is because you used those moves that he taught you on Tony. And I bet that the only reason that Lucas hasn't completely murdered Tony, yet, is because you begged him not to, and he loves you, so he won't do it."
Maya watches Lucas play with Sadie and Tia and smiles, "I bet you're three-fourths right," She responds.
"What am I wrong about?" Riley asks.
"Him loving me."
"Don't be ridiculous, Maya. He loves you, and we all know it," Riley says.
Maya just shrugs.
Riley walks back over to the food cooking in the pot and smells it. Maya sees the look on her face go from satisfied to pure disgust.
"Uh-oh," Riley says before leaning over the sink. Maya quickly grabs Riley's hair and pulling it out of her face before Riley vomits in the sink.
"Aww. I think I've lost a bit of my appetite," Maya says as Riley continues to empty the contents of her stomach into the sink.
"Ew," Riley says before cleaning and disinfecting her sink.
"C'mon, Honey. Lets go to the bathroom so that you can brush your teeth. I doubt you'll be having any of that," Maya says pointing the pot of food.
Maya follows Riley to her large bathroom. Riley grabs her toothbrush and the toothpaste. She runs her toothbrush under the water with the toothpaste on it and begins to brush her teeth.
"This bathroom is bigger than my apartment," Maya says looking at the fancy everything. The huge bathtub, more like hot tub. The huge walk-in shower. His and hers towels hanging up on the spotless towel rack. The large mirror that some restaurant bathrooms would be jealous of. Maya opens one of the drawers and sees Riley's make up collection. Maya starts singing a heavenly chorus, making Riley laugh.
"Need a roommate?" Maya asks before adding, "Just kidding, but if you need someone to move in, I am up for it."
Riley spits and wipes her mouth off with a towel before turning back around to look at Maya.
"What? You gonna upchuck again?" Maya asks.
"No," Riley smiles.
"Don't get me sick. I don't need a stomach bug. I have ballet students to teach, and I can't teach them if I'm bending over a trashcan," Maya says.
Riley says, "I don't have a stomach bug, Maya. You're safe."
"Well if you don't have a stomach bug then..." Maya stops and realizes what Riley is trying to say.
"No way," Maya says.
"Yes way, Peaches. Guess who's gonna be a godmother?" Riley responds.
Maya immediately wraps her arms around Riley in pure joy, "Riles! I can't believe this! I am so happy for you! Congratulations!'
Riley laughs, "Thank you, Maya. I was scared when I found out because of what happened the last time I got pregnant, but I know that it's gonna be better for us. Just because I know that we will have our amazing friends back with us to support us."
"Riles," Maya says with tears of joy, "Does Farkle know?"
"Not yet," Riley shakes her head, "I wanted to tell you first. And I wanted to tell all of you. That's why I planned this get together."
Maya is filled with genuine happiness. She is so proud to see her little Riley grow up to be a beautiful and powerful woman, like her mother. She is also so happy to see how happy Riley and Farkle are together and see them have a family. It makes Maya's problems go away for awhile, which something Maya really wanted. It's something that she usually gets with Sadie and Lucas, but that time doesn't last long enough everyday.
She needed more time with them.
"So, how has life been as a single dad?" Zay asks Lucas.
"I thought it was going to be so hard, but I had so much help. I never told you this, but I just wanted to thank you for helping me with Sadie for those few months," Lucas says.
"Hey, friends help each other out, right? Plus, learning to take care of Sadie helped me out a lot when Tia was born. I knew how to change a diaper, give her a bottle, bathe her, everything. So thank you," Zay reiterates the 'thank you' that Lucas gave him.
Riley and Maya walk back downstairs. They walk over to Farkle, who is ordering food since Riley...upchucked. Zay notices Lucas's heart eyes.
"Just friends, huh?"
Lucas nods, "Just friends. She's Sadie's ballet teacher, and she helps me with Sadie whenever I have to get ready for a match."
"Well you have the same look in your eyes for her that you always have. I just thought you should know that," Zay says. Lucas chuckles, thinking that his best friend is so nutty.
"She's in a relationship with the boy I have to fight in a few weeks," Lucas says.
"Uh-oh."
"No. I was fine with it before, but, and you can't tell her that I told you, he is an abusive asshole. I dropped Sadie off at her ballet class the other day only to find her crying and beaten up in the bathroom."
Zay's demeanor changes, "Tell me that I am not aiding and abetting. I have a child on the way, but if I have to, then I will."
Lucas pats Zay's back, "No. You don't have to do that. I'll have plenty of time in the ring to get my hands on that punk. I can't touch him before the match starts anyway, or I'll be fired."
"If you need help, let me know. I know a few guys who can take him out," Zay says.
Lucas chuckles, "Me?"
"Yea."
At this point, Riley walks over to the two of them and asks them to sit down in a chair at the table outside in the backyard. Lucas sits down in a chair and pulls Sadie up on his lap. Maya takes a seat next to him and across from Riley. Zay sits down next to Kala and pulls Tia up on his lap.
"Farkle and I would like to thank all of you for coming today. It's been too long since we all have been together, so I decided that today would be a perfect day to plan this. I would like to apologize to everyone that we had to order food due to me. I have an explanation as to why the food was ruined, but first, I would like to give this present to my husband," Riley says handing a little box to Farkle.
Farkle has a confused look on his face, "Riley? I didn't get you anything."
"You already gave me something," Riley responds. Farkle still looks confused before she says, "Just open the box, Minkus."
Farkle opens the box and sees a drawn picture of Pluto and Mars together. The two planets have happy faces on them, and the planets are holding a smaller sphere, also with a happy face on it. Above the drawing of the planets, the cartoon says "Congratulations, Dad!" on it, and Farkle's eyes sparkle with happy tears.
He looks up into Riley's eyes, "Really?" He asks. Riley nods, and Farkle joyfully plants a kiss on Riley's lips. Forgetting that they had company, they had to relish in the moment that they had the chance again to be parents.
Zay clears his throat, grabbing the couple's attention, "What is it?"
"Zay! You're so nosy," Kala picks on him.
Farkle turns to Zay, "It seems that you, Zay, and Kala aren't the only couple expecting anymore."
"Alright! Congratulations guys! I am so happy for y'all," Lucas stands up and hugs the both of them. The group gets up and exchange hugs, again, and finally sits down to eat.
It's quiet at first, with everybody eating, but it's not an awkward silence. It's a peaceful silence.
"Look at us, guys," Riley says, looking at everyone and breaking the silence.
"I guess this is growing up."
Lucas and Maya are sitting in silence in his car. Sadie is asleep in the back seat after playing with Tia all day. Maya is looking at the trees and enjoying them before they get back to the city. She also looks up at the stars through the window.
"Maya?" Lucas calls causing Maya to look at him.
"I never thanked you, for helping me out with Sadie as much as you have. Even after I stupidly cheated on you," Lucas hits his hand on the steering wheel, but not so hard as to make her flinch or scare her.
"I will always regret what I did to you. You are such a beautiful woman, and what I did, was so stupid. I don't think I'll ever forgive myself," Lucas says.
"I don't regret what you did," Maya says softly, "I mean, yea, it hurt like hell to find out that you cheated on me, and that you got her pregnant. But I don't regret what happened. You wouldn't have Sadie if you wouldn't have done that. And to be honest, Sadie changed you for the better. Even though you and I split up, our friendship, now, is better because of her."
"Yea. She's the only reason I kept going years ago. Even after you left. She kept me going," Lucas says, "Believe it or not, though, I never stopped loving you. I think I will ever stop loving you. And every time you would come over to help me change her diaper or stay up with me all night when she was crying and fighting sleep, and every time you help me with her now, makes me only love you more."
Maya smiles, "You're welcome. And I'll tell you something. I never stopped loving you either."
"I'm guessing there is a 'but' somewhere in there," Lucas guesses.
"I love Tony too."
Even though there wasn't a lot of light, Maya could see Lucas's jaw clench.
And the ride was quiet until he dropped her off at her apartment.
"I would walk you up to your apartment, but I can't leave Sadie," Lucas explains. Maya nods in understanding and leans over the seat to give Lucas a hug.
"Thanks for everything, Huckleberry. Goodnight," She tells him. She gets out of the car and waves goodbye to him before walking inside her apartment building.
Lucas sighs before putting the car back into drive and going home with his little girl.
Aww. I tried to make it a sweet chapter. I hope it's not too mushy, and I also hope y'all liked it! Sorry, I didn't read over this because it's after one in the morning here.
Go ready my new story Friar Family Ties! Let me know what y'all think!
Love y'all!