Val Meets Hurricane

I don't own Girl Meets World!

Val, Riley, Cory, Shawn, and Maya sat in Topanga's bakery. Shawn and Maya were laughing.

"They're so cute together!" Riley sighed.

"We're cute together, Riley." Cory tried, he picked up a piece of cake Val had just given him "Whoa-ho-ho... Oh!" He tried to fly it to her.

"What are you doing?" Riley asked, putting up her hand to stop the cake.

"Why do they shove cake and we don't shove cake? Riley? Is it over between us?" Cory sounded so hurt that Val gave him another piece of cake.

"It's not me, Dad. It's you."

"Riley!" Val scolded.

"Okay!" Cory jumped up "Evening over!"

"Hey!" Shawn and Maya shouted.

"Did you girls do your homework?" Cory asked.

"I did excellent work." Val and Riley smiled.

"I also did excellent work." Maya crossed her legs proudly.

"One of us is completely lying." Riley told them.

"Can you guess who?" Maya asked.

"Give them a hint." Val offered.

"You guys need a hint?" Riley and Maya asked.

"Nope." The two men shook their heads.

Over at the counter Topanga was talking to Katy "They really get along together, huh?" She asked.

"Yeah. The sound of my daughter's laughter has always been my favorite song." Katy said.

"You and I have the same taste in music." Topanga laughed.

"You know, a little discipline isn't a bad thing, Maya." Cory told the girl.

"Oh, thanks, Mr. Matthews. I'll ponder on that." Maya said.

Riley started to move her head the way a giraffe does when it's trying to get a leaf off a tree.

"What are you doing?" Val asked.

"I'm sorry, what?" Maya shook her head and Riley did the weird movement again "eah. Just because you do the same weird gesture twice doesn't mean I get it."

"You know, this is usually the part of the evening when people give out fatherly advice." Riley pointed out.

"Oh!" Shawn laughed nervously, getting up "No! No, it's not my place."

"Go ahead. What advice you got for me? I can take it." Maya asked, standing up too.

"Oh, come on! We were having such a good evening. Can't we just leave it at that?"

"What's the matter?" Maya punched Shawn's arm "Boom!"

"Oh!" Shawn rubbed his arm and winced.

"You don't think I can take it? Go ahead. Ping! Go ahead. Pong! Ka-Blam!" Maya punched Shawn three times in quick succession "Come on! Let's do this! Tell me to do my homework. Maybe I will just do it. You don't even know it. Come on! Let's do this."

Cory laughed and turned to Riley " Why don't you ever do something all cute like that?"

"Okay! Pow!" Riley punched her father so hard he fell off the bench and landed on the floor.

"Ow!"

Val helped her father up and shot Riley a stern look.

"Come on. You got something for me? Out with it. I dare you." Maya was really pushing it.

"No. No, no. I have this wonderful instinct for too far. And we have arrived." Topanga said, coming over to join the group.

"There is nothing he could say that would bother me." Maya protested.

"It's not going to happen." Shawn shook his head.

Maya started to cluck like a chicken.

"Oh, right, right. Because chicken noises work on a grown man."

Maya kept clucking.

"Cluck! Cluck! I'm a chicken! Cluck!" Riley shouted, getting up and flapping her arms.

Everyone stared at her and she slowly sat down.

"All right. You want one piece of fatherly advice?" Shawn asked.

Topanga threw up her hands "And here comes the end of everything."

"Sure, give it your best shot." Maya taunted.

"Oh, how bad could it be?" Katy scoffed.

"I think you should dress differently." Shawn shrugged.

Val slapped her hand to her forehead "Uh-oh."

Maya looked stunned "What did you just say to me?"

"Oh. You see...You asked me for advice. I told you...but you pushed." Shawn tried to stop the tears about to fall "Are you crying? I made you cry? Maya, you asked me for advice and I just told you how I was feeling. Why are you crying?"

"Because no one's ever cared enough to say that to me." Maya wrapped her arms around Shawn.

"Well, now I would take exception to that, but wow, I like where this is going." Katy smiled.

"Mm-hmm." Topanga said.

Maya was now sobbing loudly.

"Make it stop. Can we make it stop? How do I make it stop?" Shawn asked loudly "How 'bout I buy you some new clothes?" He offered.

The crying immediately stopped and Shawn breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay." Riley leaned her head on Cory's shoulder and started to cry crocodile tears "You're right. Maybe we should be more like them. Now you say I get new clothes."

"You had your chance, Riley."

"POW!" Riley shouted punching her father again, pushing him off the bench again.

Cory and Shawn took Riley, Maya, and Val to Demolition. Cory sat in one of the blue chairs and Shawn paced in front of him. The girls were in the dressing rooms.

"Sit down, Shawnie! Relax yourself. Tryin' on clothes is all day." Cory patted the chair next to him.

"No, I'm just here to buy a kid an outfit." Shawn argued.

"I know. Not gonna change you at all when she steps out from behind that curtain, with a look on her face that says, 'Do you think this makes me look beautiful, Dad?'"

"I'm not going to sit in one of these Daddy chairs and wait for a kid to spend my money."

"I know! Sit in the chair, Shawn."

"I am never going to sit in that chair!" Shawn cried.

Riley came out of the dressing room "Gentlemen, may I now present the new and definitely improved Miss Maya Hart."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Come on out. Let's see what you put together." Shawn waved the girls out.

Maya came out, Val behind her. The blonde was smiling shyly and her eyes sparkled. She was wearing a very nice black dress with a white collar.

Shawn sat down in the chair and Cory made to say something.

"I know." Shawn stopped him.

"Do you like it?" Maya asked.

"Wow. Look at you." Shawn stammered.

"She looks good, doesn't she?" Val asked.

"Yeah. This might be my favorite day ever." Cory smiled.

"Shawn, you really don't have to do this." Maya told him.

"I want to. I want to be responsible for this, if you'll let me."

"Thank you. No one's ever done anything like this for me before." Maya grinned.

"You're welcome. Now, pick something else out and go back into the dressing room and be happy and come out with that face on." Shawn waved Maya back into the dressing room.

"You'll be okay?" Maya asked worriedly.

"Oh, I'm fine. I- I have this chair."

Riley came out of the other dressing room wearing a different outfit.

"No!" Cory said.

"But my face!"

"No!"

"But I love you!"

"NO!" Cory turned to Shawn "I'll teach you that next."

Val walked over to a rack and started thumbing through it.

"I'm not buying you anything either, Val." Cory warned.

"Don't worry, Dad. I brought some money. I'm only getting one thing." Val smiled "I've had my eye on it for a while."

She pulled out a shirt that said 'I can't, I have rehearsal.'

"Okay." Cory shrugged.

"Why does she get something and I don't?" Riley asked.

"I brought my own money, Riles. So Dad's not buying me anything, I'm buying it."

"That's not fair!" Riley protested "I don't have any money."

"You would if you saved your allowance instead of spending it the second you got it." Val pointed out calmly.

"But-!"

"Riley." Cory warned "Val has a point. You have to learn to manage your money."

"Okay, okay!" Riley groaned "I'll work on it, but for now can't you just buy me one, its-bitsy outfit?"

"No."

"Hmph." Riley grunted.

The group walked into Topanga's. Shawn, Maya, and Cory all had big smiles on their faces.

"I went shopping for girls clothes and had a good time." Shawn paused "What is happening to me?"

"What do you think?" Maya asked her mother, walking up to her and showing off her new dress.

"Wow! New look, Maya. You look great." Topanga complimented.

"You look beautiful, baby girl." Katy hugged her daughter.

"Thanks, Mom."

"Can I have your T-shirt with the big tongue? I like that big tongue." Auggie said, sticking out his tongue "Blah!"

Riley and Val stumbled in carrying a dozen bags each.

Topanga assumed the bags were for her daughters "Cory!"

"No! It's not hers. I got her nothin'! Val got herself one thing with her own money." Cory defended.

"Shawn! That's all for Maya? It's too much." Katy said, shocked.

Shawn pulled Katy aside "Katy, why do you work so hard?"

"To keep the lights on, Shawn."

"Katy, why do you work so hard?" Shawn repeated.

"Because I have a daughter to take care of."

"There you go. And I just have me. I travel light. I just need a cup of coffee and a sandwich, 'cause of that I've been able to put a little money away." Shawn explained.

"How much money?" Val and Cory asked.

Shawn pointed at the Demolition bags Riley and Val were carrying "That much right there. And now it's all gone. I like taking care of somebody besides me."

Katy pulled Shawn farther away "Maya adores you. And the deeper that this gets, the more it's going to crush her when-"

"'When' what?" Shawn asked.

"Her legs get cut out from under her." Katy finished sadly.

"Katy, can we just have a good day? You keep the lights on. Right? And I dress the kid up a little bit. Can't we just look at her and smile?" Shawn pleaded.

Katy sighed "Yeah. I guess we can."

"We good?"

"We're good. Thank you."

Topanga walked over to them "Yeah, you didn't tell him that keeping the lights on isn't quite as glamorous for your daughter as a whole new wardrobe, did you?" She asked Katy.

"He did a kind thing. I stopped hoping for any glory long ago." Katy smiled softly.

Shawn walked over to Maya "Hey. You. Who's your mama?"

"That pretty blond lady." Maya said, pointing to Katy.

"She does all the heavy lifting. I got to do something fun." Shawn put his arm around Katy's shoulders "this stuff comes from me and her. Don't ever forget that."

"I won't. Thanks, Mom." Maya hugged her mother.

Topanga put her hand on her husband's shoulder.

"What's this for?" Cory asked.

"Nothing. Everything."

"You know, Maya, you can borrow any of my clothes whenever you want." Riley offered.

"Thanks." Maya pointed to the bags "You can never touch any of this stuff."

"Val, you can borrow any of my clothes anytime you want." Riley tried.

"I wouldn't fit in any of your clothes, I'm to short." Val pointed out "And you can't borrow mine either, you're to tall."

Riley pouted.

The next day, the girls were in Cory's class.

"It came out of nowhere. The winds were blowing at 175 miles an hour. A 'Category 5' hurricane. There is no category six. Who knows what a levee is? Riley." Cory called on his daughter.

"It's like a hill or a dam that's supposed to keep water out." Riley answered.

"'Supposed to.' So, we build these protections to keep out the elements, but sometimes the storm is stronger than we are. Who knows anything about New Orleans geography?" He called on the resident genius "Farkle."

"It's below sea level." The boy responded.

"So where does the floodwater go?"

"Down. Right into the city."

"And what's the result? Lucas."

"Parish after Parish was destroyed. People lost their homes. People lost everything." Lucas told the class.

"Lucas went there from Texas to help out." Riley smiled.

"I told you that?" Lucas asked, confused.

"Nope." Riley said.

"Okay, creepy." Annie whispered "How does she know that?"

Lucas kept talking "You know, when it ended, there were jazz bands playing on the street. Other people came out of what was left of their houses to dance. You know what they do in New Orleans? They have Hurricane barbecues. Hurricane picnics. Their city drowned but they still celebrated each other."

"Thank you, Lucas. So, their homes are gone. They have no power. And they live in a city where even geography tells them it's a sucker's bet to stay. What do they do?" Cory looked at Maya "Maya, raise your hand."

"I don't know the answer." Maya shrugged.

"Stop hiding out in my class, Maya. You know the answer. What did they do?"

"They stayed and they believed things would get better. And they did. They got better." Maya answered.

"How come?"

"Because they had hope." Maya whispered.

"New Orleans is one of my favorite cities in the world. Even in devastation, they didn't miss a Mardi Gras. The clothes look nice, Maya. But it's the hope that looks great on you." Cory complimented.

"He's right, Maya. You're amazing, not just because of the outfits, but because you are happy. That's a big deal." Val reached forward and patted her friend on the shoulder.

"Thanks, Val."

"Anytime, Maya."

Shawn walked into Topanga's Bakery and up to Katy. Val was behind the counter helping a customer.

"Thanks for coming. You need to stop being nice to me." Kay ordered.

"You need therapy." Shawn told her.

"Uncle Shawn!" Val scolded.

"No kidding. Listen, I love the way you are with Maya and I believe you may even be sincere, but there's no need to be nice to me." Katy explained.

"I don't think you and I have ever even had a normal conversation." Shawn pointed out.

Katy tried to continue "When Kermit left me-" Shawn and Val snorted "What?"

"I'm sorry. I never pictured your ex-husband as a 'Kermit'." Shawn giggled.

"When Kermit left me-" Katy repeated.

Shawn laughed again "I'm not even sorry."

"Mm-hmm. When he left-"

"Who? When who left? Who?" Shawn teased.

"I decided to shut that part of me off. You know, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on-"

"Me? Shame on me? Why?" Shawn asked "Katy, I have no idea where this conversation's coming from."

"You're confusing your affection for Maya with affection for me and you don't need to do that." Katy told him.

"Wait. When did I affection you?" Shawn asked, confused.

"You put your arm around me!" Katy reminded him.

"Oh. Katy. Come on. Sometimes an arm around somebody is just an arm around somebody." Shawn shrugged and Katy wrapped her arm around his shoulders "Um... What is that? What are you doing?"

"What are you doing?" Katy asked.

"Oh, boy." Val said, looking out the window and spotting her sister and Maya, she walked out and shook her head "What are you doing?"

"Kermit?" Riley asked, looking at Maya incredulously.

"Topanga?" Maya shot back.

The twins shared a look "We're even."

"Seems like it's going pretty good in there." Riley said.

"I'm hoping." Maya whispered.

"Good." Val smiled "You deserve a little hope." She looked at her phone "Oh good, my surprise is on it's way."

Riley and Maya stared at her "What surprise?" They asked together, nervously.

"You'll see. It's not for me, it's for Shawn."

Back inside, Katy was almost yelling "I know what things mean. I'm a woman and I have instincts. And your charity does not extend to me, so you don't need to ask me on a date-"

"Wait a minute." Shawn put his hands up to stop her "Are you asking me out on a date?"

"No!"

"Katy, you seem mad at me for no reason. Do you think there's a chance that you're actually mad at somebody else who's not me?" Shawn asked.

"I didn't view my marriage as disposable. I was all in. I said those things to him in front of God and I meant it." Katy said wistfully.

"Yeah. I get it. I thought my first real girlfriend was going to be the one forever. I wanted Angela-"

Katy scoffed "Angela? What kind of name- No, Angela's a fine name. It's my mother's name, actually."

"I wanted us to be some version of Cory and Topanga. But I guess there's only one of those. Katy, relationships end. Sometimes out of nowhere, on a sunny day. But you pick yourself up, and you rebuild. And you don't look back." Shawn shrugged.

Cory rushed past the girls and into the bakery "Knock, knock!"

"Who's there?" Shawn asked, confused.

"The only person who could change your life from things are going pretty good right now to... AHHH!" Cory shrieked.

"The only person who could change my life from things are going pretty good right now to..."

"AHHH!"

"Who?"

Angela walked past the girls.

"Who's that?" Riley whispered.

"You'll see." Val whispered back.

"Hi." Angela greeted Shawn.

"Angela. Boy. Look at you. You're here." Shawn put his hands in his pockets awkwardly.

"I need to talk to you." Angela hugged Shawn.

Cory stepped between them and placed his hands on their shoulders "Awkward. I now pronounce you awkward. Hey! Remember in high school and" He pointed to Shawn " he found your purse? Remember he got handcuffed in the boathouse? That was a good one. Remember you and him for a while then you went away? Let me show you what that looked like." He made a mad dash for the door.

"Well, he's calmed down." Angela laughed.

"That's Angela?" Riley frowned.

"Is that the surprise?" Maya asked Val angrily.

"Just wait, this is a good surprise." Val stopped her.

"How is this a good surprise?" Maya shouted.

"Val, you called Angela?" Cory asked.

"No, actually, she called me." Val smiled "She wanted to know how to get in touch with Shawn. She explained everything to me, and don't worry, she's not her to get back together with him."

"How do you know she's not lying?" Maya growled.

"Because I believe her. Just watch."

Inside the bakery Katy shook Angela's hand "Hi, Angela. I'm Katy. Shawn speaks highly of you."

"Well, I think highly of him." Angela grinned.

"You know what? So do I. Well, I'm going to leave you two alone." Katy left the bakery and joined the girls and Cory outside.

"I really missed you." Angela sighed.

"Yeah? You've got a funny way of letting someone know."

"She seems nice. She's very pretty." Maya said, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears.

"I'm sorry, Maya." Riley patted her friend's back.

"For what?"

"It's my fault. You hope for things and you get smashed. You're right. I'm wrong. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, Riles." Maya turned to glare at Val "It's hers."

"Would you let this scene play out before you jump on me?" Val asked, rolling her eyes "It's gonna be fine. Everything will turn out the way it should."

"How can you say that? That's Angela. She's going to take him away." Riley cried.

"I'm not giving up hope yet." Maya whispered.

"Why not?" Riley asked.

"I just got it."

Riley stood up and stormed inside "Hello." She greeted Angela, slightly rudely, and walked behind the counter.

"Well, did you hear my dad died?" Angela asked.

"Oh, no, Angela. I'm so sorry." Shawn consoled.

Angela sighed "A military man. A war hero and he dies fishing."

"I liked him."

"Oh, he liked you."

Riley walked past again carrying a plate of snacks "Bye." And left the bakery.

Angela paused "You know I think about him every day. Hey! Do you still have that thing where you can feel your dad standing right next to you?"

"I do. Yeah, he was barely there for me when he was alive, but now that he's gone, I can absolutely depend on him to show up at the most important times of my life. Angela, why are you here?" Shawn asked quickly.

"I need someone to talk to. I talked to Cory's kid, Val, and she helped me realize it can only be you. How about that?"

"Okay."

"What do you call this?" Cory asked, Riley, referring to the snacks she'd brought them.

"Well, we've got a storm going on, so a hurricane picnic."

Everyone took one of the croissants and toasted them.

"What's going on?" Shawn asked.

"I'm married now." Angela said, holding up her hand to show off the ring.

"Yay!" Maya shouted.

"I told you not to worry." Val's voice echoed.

"How long have you been married?" Shawn questioned.

"Four years. He's a military man."

"Why did you leave me?"

"I wasn't ready."

"And then you were?" Shawn asked.

"Well, life goes on, Shawn. You know, I think life puts people in front of us, so that we can be prepared for what comes next. I was ready because of you." Angela told him.

"I hope life knows what it's doing." Shawn muttered "Why did you come see me?"

"Okay. My husband wants to have children. And you know that I've always been scared of being somebody's mother because my own mother left."

"Yeah, we were both broken that way." Shawn sighed.

"Yeah, now he's trying to convince me that I'd be a good one and I need somebody who understands me to tell me if that could be true. I mean, I can't talk to my father. He doesn't just show up for me like yours does. You're the only one I can trust with this." Angela pleaded.

Shawn stayed silent for a moment "Have kids, Angela." He told her "Put more of you in the world. And then sit in a chair and watch them. You'd be amazed. We're here to make somebody else happy."

Thank you, Shawn. I knew I could count on you to tell me what's right. Hey, can I tell you something right?" Angela walked over to the window.

"I wish somebody would."

Angela pointed at the top of the window where Maya's face was pressed against the glass "Who's that?"

"It's Maya." Shawn chuckled.

"She has not taken her eyes off you since I walked in."

"Yeah. She's somebody I've grown very fond of."

Angela rapped on the window and Katy popped her face up next to her daughter's "And that's her mother?"

"Katy, yeah. That's her Mom." Shawn nodded.

"Mmm. Is she the one?" Angela asked.

"What? No."

"Is she the one, Shawn?"

"No. I don't know her enough to know anything." Shawn protested.

"Well, let me tell you what's right. Let what we had make you ready for something." Angela put her arm around Shawn "Life knows what it's doing."

She gave Shawn a quick peck on the cheek and left the bakery. She smiled ay Cory, Val, Riley, Maya, and Katy as she left. Val got up and gave her a hug.

"Thanks for the help, Val." She said softly into the girl's ear.

"Anytime, Angela."

Riley wrapped her arm around Cory.

"What's this for?" Cory asked.

"Nothing. Everything. I think we're cute together." Riley smiled.

"I know." Cory wrapped his arm around his younger daughter "We all are." He pulled Val into the hug.

"Love you, Dad." Val whispered.

Word count: 3900 words
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Love,
The Author