Chapter 22- Lwt's Go Home
Maya let Riley mope for a couple of days, after the whole Lucas situation. On Wednesday, however, two days before they were set to go back home, Maya had had enough. Riley was covered up to her neck with a hotel comforter. She had not left the bed or taken a shower in 2 days. Maya stood next to Riley's bed for a moment, then suddenly and without warning, she ripped the blanket off Riley and tossed it across the room. Startled, Riley gasped.
"Why would you do that, Maya?!" she exclaimed.
"Because you have been moping over Lucas long enough. You are literally ruining my vacation." Maya accused.
"How have I ruined your vacation?" Riley shot back.
"I can't go anywhere without feeling guilty that you are in this room." Maya explained. "Well, no more, Riley. Get up, take a shower, do something besides mope." Maya turned on her heel, and walked out the door, leaving Riley to shower and dress, while she went next door to talk to Shawn. She knocked on his door and waited for him to answer.
"Coming. Just give me a second." He replied from the other side. He opened the door and let Maya in the room, closing it behind her. "She still in bed?" He motioned to Riley in the other room. Maya nodded.
"I realize that Lucas did her wrong by leading her on and then breaking it off with her again, but this is supposed to be a vacation." Maya complained. "Is there anything we can do to get her out of the room before we leave on Friday?" Shawn contemplated for a moment, then picked up his phone.
"There is a comedy festival happening this week. It's called the… Out of Bounds Comedy Festival." He read the page on his phone. "They have stand up comedians, improv, and even sketch comedy. This might get her out of her own head for a while." Maya grinned, excited.
"Perfect. What time does it start?" she asked. Shawn perused the page for a moment until he found what he was looking for.
"The acts start at about 8:30 tonight." He replied. Still grinning, Maya headed for the door to see how Riley was coming along.
"Hey, Maya." Shawn called after her. "I just wanted to apologize again to you for the other night. I am going to start going to meetings again when we get back and I will talk to your mom about it as well." Shawn paused for a moment. "I just hope she doesn't kick me out of the house again." Maya turned to him with a serious expression.
"Just don't get yourself arrested again. I forgive you, Shawn. But do you?"
"Do I what?"
"Do you forgive yourself? That is what you need to figure out." She turned and walked back to her own room, leaving Shawn to think about her words.
Riley was in the shower when Maya returned to the room. While waiting for Riley to come out of the bathroom, she heard something other than the water. Curious, she cocked her head and listened. It sounded like sobbing. Sighing, Maya knocked on the bathroom door and quietly let herself in. From the outside of the shower, she could hear Riley crying. She quietly opened the curtain and found Riley sitting on the bathtub floor, knees tucked into her chest and her head resting on her knees. She was crying so hard, she didn't even hear Maya open the curtain.
"Riley?" Maya asked, concerned. "Are you okay? Startled, Riley looked up at Maya.
"Maya, I think it hurts worse this time. I mean, I gave myself to him. Like, you know, my virginity." She explained between sobs. "I can't get that back." Not caring if she got soaked, Maya climbed into the tub with Riley and hugged her tightly
"It's gonna be okay, Riley. We will get through this, just like we did the first time. Okay?" Maya lifted Riley's chin up, to look into her eyes. "I will be there for you. Always. I love you, Riley." Silently, Riley nodded and wiped her face.
"Yeah, I guess so." She shrugged.
"No, Riley. There is no 'I guess so'. Lucas is just a boy. There are plenty more out there." Maya patted Riley's bare leg. "I have an idea. We are going out tonight. Get your mind off of Lucas and this whole…situation." Riley looked quizzically at Maya.
"Where are you dragging me to?" Riley asked. Maya smiled, throwing Riley a towel.
"I guess you'll find out when we get there. In the meantime, get dressed and cheer the hell up." She winked at Riley and left the bathroom.
When Riley finally emerged from the bathroom, she looked better than she had in the last three days, combined. Her eyes were brighter and her face didn't look so red and puffy. She had even put makeup on, which was a rarity for Riley. Maya beamed with pride.
"You look beautiful, Riley." Maya remarked. Riley blushed and smiled.
"You really think so?" Riley replied, unsure. Maya nodded.
"Very much so." Maya said, getting up and hugging Riley.
When they arrived at the comedy club, Maya removed the blindfold from Riley's eyes. Her look of surprise turned to confusion and then slight disappointment. Maya's smile faltered seeing the look on Riley's face.
"What's wrong, Riley? What were you expecting?" Maya asked, offended. Riley quickly looked up at Maya.
"Oh, no, its not that. I was just hoping that we were going somewhere, quiet, you know. Someplace more mellow." Riley replied.
"I," Maya corrected herself, "We", pointing toward Shawn, who was tipping the driver, "just thought it would be nice for you to get outside after what Lucas did." Riley quickly looked at Maya, with alarm in her eyes.
"MAYA!" Riley whispered through clenched teeth. Maya shook her head.
"Don't worry. I didn't say anything about that." She whispered back. "I just said he broke up with you again." Riley gave her a small smile, silently thanking her for keeping her secret.
At the end of the night, after the comedy club, Riley just wanted to go back to the room. She did not enjoy herself as much as Maya and Shawn had hoped. Riley thought the comedy was too grown up for her, most of the jokes going over her head. Shawn had a really good time though. He had tears rolling down his face, from laughing so hard.
"Are you guys sure you want to go back to the hotel? It's still early." Shawn asked. Both girls nodded in unison. Maya rubbed her belly bump.
"I'm getting tired and Little Bean needs rest." Maya explained.
"Yeah, I'm tired too. But thank you for trying to cheer me up. It helped, a little bit." Riley seconded. Shawn shrugged.
"All right. Tell you what, girls. How about we call it early and go home tomorrow?" The girls brightened and smiled widely.
"Really?" they said simultaneously. Shawn nodded.
"Yeah," Shawn replied. "I miss my own bed and I miss your mom. It's time to go home."
The next morning, the girls were awake before the sun getting packed and ready to leave. Shawn knocked on the door and Riley opened it, excitedly. She ushered him and his rolling suitcase into the room.
"You girls all ready to go?" Shawn asked, looking around the room and noticing their suitcases neatly packed on the bed.
"Yeah, we have been ready for a while, Uncle Shawn." Riley replied. Shawn laughed.
"I see that. Well, the car will be here in 10 minutes to take us to the airport. I am going to go check us out and I will be back up to get you." He left his suitcase and went downstairs to the front desk, leaving the girls to gather their final items. About 5 minutes later, he rapped gently on the door and Maya opened it, slightly.
"Um, Riley, before we leave, there is someone here who would like to speak with you." Shawn looked at Riley, sympathetically. Confused, Riley opened the door the rest of the way. Lucas was standing at the door, looking ashamed.
"What do you want, Lucas?" Maya interjected. Riley placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I've got this, Maya. But thank you. Why don't you guys head down to wait for the car? I will be right down." Riley suggested. Both Shawn and Maya looked at Riley, unsure if they should leave her alone.
"I'll be fine." Riley assured. "Me and Lucas are going to have a very brief conversation and then I will be down." Shawn and Maya went downstairs to wait for the car and Riley invited Lucas into the room to talk. She sat on the bed and waited for him to take a seat somewhere. He elected to stand.
"We don't have a lot of time, so make it quick Lucas." Riley said sharply.
"Look, Riley. I am so sorry about how all this transpired. I really am."
"Why didn't you tell me before any of the stuff at the club? You led me on, Lucas."
"I didn't think you would understand if I told you beforehand. I still wasn't completely sure of my feelings, myself."
"I thought we had something, Lucas. I gave you my virginity. I can't get that back. You were my first, but apparently, I was not yours. I don't think there is much else to say." Lucas started to say something else, but Riley's phone interrupted them.
"That's the car. I have to go." Riley opened the door and waited for Lucas to leave. She slowly walked down the stairs, to the waiting car. Texas was definitely a trip that she would remember for a lifetime. She just didn't know it yet.