February 10th 2024

Chapter 41
The Facts in the Beginning

Maya had met with Mara Sofer several times already, as she and her ex-husband had split the Parent Night visits for both Rochelle and Rolly. She was happy to see her again now for youngest son Elijah, and the feeling was mutual. She had not been aware that his art teacher was pregnant again, and she had the sweetest reaction, which made Maya laugh, her spirits lifted for this last batch of meetings, 'academic speed dates' as Shawn had called them on his way out.

Mara had been concerned about her son's transition into high school, as she shared now. He'd had a rough turn in middle school because of some of his classmates, and it stressed him to end up here with some of them and having to carry on that dance for the next four years. His older siblings and parents had all done their best to reassure him.

Maya had seen some of those feelings in him from the start, and while she couldn't speak to his entire experience, she could call up what she'd seen. He enjoyed art class very much, and he would sit at his station sometimes like he needed to stand back, and take in his work so far with the thought of 'alright, what else can I do, what is missing?' He had a great eye for detail, very observant. He did the same in art club, and in the musical he was showing wonderful potential. He was enjoying his time here overall, and that was a good sign, for his teacher and mother both.

When Maya met with Sarah Meyer, mother to the occasionally disruptive Logan, she felt like this was more or less what she had envisioned. The woman was small, even smaller than Maya herself, delicate and bird like, and an overall kindness about her that confirmed her thought that Logan was a very loving son, for all that some of his teachers would reprimand him for at school.

Mrs. Meyer mentioned as much, saying she'd been hearing complaints like she'd already received for years. But then the Logan that she knew at home was nothing like they said, and while she knew that none of them were lying - even if they might have exaggerated out of annoyance with him - she could not put too much stock in it. She knew her son better than them, and she did not excuse him, but she did trust that, given time, he would grow out of this phase. He just needed the motivation. Whether this was true or just the hopes of a mother, Maya chose to lean on her side. She believed that Logan had that potential in him, too, and she would do what she could to help him uncover it. She didn't say it out loud, but she had a good idea that, in this case, she might not be the biggest influence in making this happen for him. That honor would go to his neighbor, from across his station.

Demi Baxter-Ray did not talk about her family very much. From the near two months Maya had spent as her teacher, all she'd been able to piece together, and not so much from Demi herself, was that she was being raised by her grandparents. The reason for this was unknown, just as the state of one or the other of her parents was. Whether any of this would be answered tonight or not, she didn't know, but she wouldn't ask about it if her grandmother didn't talk about it.

Lucille Baxter was all of sixty years old and she could have been believed to be years younger. She laughed when Maya was surprised by her appearance, and she mentioned that she had often been mistaken for her granddaughter's mother. The thought in her eyes suggested that Demi was more than happy to let people go on with that assumption without correcting them.

Maya did bring up the fact that Demi had applied to be in AP and changed her mind. Lucille - as she insisted on being called - nodded, confirming that she'd been aware of this change, but without any explanation why out of her granddaughter. She went on to say that she could be very indecisive, not unlike her son, Demi's father. When she mentioned all this, there was a small twinge of an expression on Lucille's face, and Maya didn't know what to make of it, whether her son was dead, or if he'd left… They never got further than that on the subject, and their meeting soon ended.

Maya had seen Mary Baird several times before as she came and picked Isla up every afternoon. They'd crossed paths on some of those pick-ups, one of those leading to an introduction between the two women. Isla looked very much like her mother, and even in character they were similar. When she arrived now for her appointment, she showed it in the way she got distracted by looking around the room, taking in the students' art on display. Eventually, they were able to sit down and start talking about Isla.

She was always a delight to have in the room. She seemed to go through life in a constant state of awe, where so much of what she experienced had her brain shouting 'wow!' She could make Maya smile or laugh every day, and she did. In knit club, whenever she would pull off a new thing, or show progress in whatever she was working on, she'd be beyond excited, showing those nearest her, or running across the room to show Maya and Michelle Day. The club advisor was very fond of the freshman, too, as was the assembled cast and crew of the musical. Her mother was so happy to hear about all of this, and she thanked Maya, telling her how much she meant to Isla. Maya promised her that the feeling was completely mutual.

She could not have been happier to see Natalie McAllister for the second time that night, as it marked the push into her final group. Natalie understood this, as she was married to a teacher, though Ingrid didn't have nearly as many parents to see, as many kids to talk about and keep straight in her mind, especially midway through a pregnancy as she was now. She loved to talk to the parents, she did, but she would be glad when she was through with the last of them.

For now, she was going to be discussing Rosie McAllister, the second of the family, with four more to follow her and older sister Max. The next in line was Wendy McAllister, though she was presently in seventh grade, so they would have to wait. In the meantime, they all had their hands full with Max and Rosie, though some would say their hands were already full by having Rosie there.

She had already landed herself in detention a few times, enough that they'd gotten a call from the vice-principal about it. Natalie and Ingrid were both caught up between recognizing that her behavior could be a problem and also knowing their daughter enough to understand there was nothing about it that was new. Rosie was Rosie, and Rosie was wild and free, down to the core, which got in the way when the world needed her restraint. They tried, they always tried. She didn't behave as she did without consequence, but always they would get stuck at an impasse. The feeling Maya got was that they were afraid to push too hard, and she knew that feeling too well.

When she saw that Peter Quinland was next, Maya sighed. She had seen how it had all gone when it was Reese's turn, and she knew very well what to expect when they would talk of Mason. He would be painted as the golden boy, and while it wasn't as though he didn't deserve praise, it would feel hollow coming from a father who would undoubtedly take that praise and that affection away the moment that it no longer fit his high demands. And Mason wouldn't even have to do much of anything to be dealt that hand. He'd just have to stand against what his father had decided he should say, do, believe…

And it was only made worse for how she had been getting to know Mason Quinland this year. He was a smart kid, and this showed in many ways, but the one she was coming to understand more and mors that night was the most regrettable way. He was all too aware of his tenuous hold on his father's care and approval, having seen what happened with his brother and their comparison after Reese had ended up in juvenile detention. At first, Maya had seen him as only wanting to keep quiet so not to be associated with his brother and what he'd done, but now it was much clearer. Now what she saw was a boy afraid to end up out of favor.

She was very happy to trade in Peter Quinland for Carrie Sheridan again. This time, she was coming along for second daughter Peggy. She had been going from one teacher to another since they'd last seen each other for Allie, not too long ago, but already it was as though they had not done this and she was back to talking about both her eldest daughter like a unit, so Maya again had to direct them back to the daughter in the spotlight.

Peggy was a big hit in the Friar house even before they'd met her in person at the diner. Her diary was one of the kids' favorite, and all that went to who Peggy was. Hearing about her parents and her siblings, more and more as time went on, Maya could tell that both she and Allie had been forced by circumstances to grow into being more than big sisters. They were like Mom #2 and Mom #3, and they had long settled into the role. Peggy had been drawing her family in her diary a lot, which was part of why the kids loved it so much. Maya suspected that she'd figured this out and sort of catered to her young audience in her pages. It was her diary, so she could do what she wanted with it. When she drew herself and Allie, she would refer to them both as the Cinnamon Sisters, and the more Maya thought about it, the more she felt it suited them well.

She had very casually allowed herself to schedule her last interview of the night to belong to Ada Marie Minkus, specifically to her mother, Isadora. When she would get to see her friend's face, she would know that the night was finally over. The meeting, as far as Ada herself was concerned would be an easy one, and they would not be expected to finish in the given amount of time.

Maya was just so happy to have Ada in her class, the very first of the junior turtles to come along, the very first of them to be born, too. It might have sounded strange to some people that she, with a grown girl in her twenties with a husband and three children, should say so, but she still couldn't believe that any of them had kids in high school. It wouldn't be long that the others would follow her, year after year. Just to think that Marianne would be in middle school in the fall…

Ada's start with them had not been easy. She was still adjusting to the divorce, and the move… It was better now, for sure, but not to the point that she didn't have days where her head felt in a fog, missing the past when it had been her and her brother and her parents together. Isadora felt it, too, and as they left the class together, she made sure to tell Maya just how much she appreciated her, in this and in all things. The feeling was mutual.

TO BE CONTINUED

See you tomorrow! - mooners