9 Ch 9: They are my life

"That must be Dylan and Victoria," he said heading for the door. "Isaac," Maya called, stopping him in his tracks. He looked at her and she smiled with a deep sadness in her eyes then sighed deeply. "Thank you." He smiled then went to greet Dylan and Victoria.

"Great, you're all here," Isaac announced once Maya had greeted Dylan and his fiancé. "Let's go outside and enjoy the fresh air shall we? The fires on and the games only starting in an hour"

"Enough time to drink," Dylan said lifting his glass in a toasting motion. "Here, here!" Isaac agreed, and then he led them all out to the patio. As soon as he made sure that his guests were comfortable he excused himself for a moment.

He went inside to tell the girls that they could bring the puppies out to the garden and play with them there, and he handed them a bag of puppy toys and two pink dog bowls: one to fill with water and one to fill with pellets from the kitchen cupboard under the sink. And then he returned to the patio, followed closely by two elated teenage girls.

Way to go, Maya thought to herself, if he is trying to impress me then he is doing a fine damn job. My girls adore him already! The game started five minutes late, and it was the Wolfs taking on the Fangs at Le Parc des Princes stadium.

N.T: Le Parc des Princes is an all-seater football stadium in Paris, France.

Isaac and Dylan were both Fangs supporters, Maya was a Wolfs' supporter, and Victoria wasn't really into rugby though she decided to support the Wolfs just so that Maya didn't feel alone.

Maya wouldn't ordinarily be the only Wolfs supporter in the room, but her two fellow supporters were otherwise engaged with two very playful little pups. The Wolfs defeated the Fangs 11 to 6, and though their team had lost, Dylan and Isaac didn't seem to mind.

They were both happy just to see Maya enjoying herself. By nine 'o clock they had eaten, and after Dylan and Victoria had gone home Maya and Isaac sat at the island counter drinking coffee.

Isabella and Samantha had passed out on the couch in the living room each with a puppy tucked comfortably under their arms. "They're growing up to be very beautiful girls, Maya. You must be very proud of them?"

"I am," she said adoringly. "They are my life, and they've kept me strong." "Oh I don't think you need help in that department," Isaac smiled affectionately.

"You are stronger then you give yourself credit for." Maya smiled humbly and took a sip of her coffee. "I'm serious," Isaac continued. "Not many women could do what you have done after going through what you have been through."

"I guess," she replied. "But we needed a drastic change. If we had stayed on the south coast we would have been constantly reminded of Keith, and I just couldn't live with that." "So you moved halfway across the country?" Isaac asked sarcastically.