27. Chapter 27

Maya walks into the house and is verbally assaulted straight away. “Since you’re spending all of your free time with those Italians now, why don’t you go live with them?”

Maya gulps. She stands there for a moment, letting her father’s words sink in. “That’s not possible. They are leaving for Italy right now.” She smirks at him, knowing she shouldn’t, but she has finally thrown something back at him.

Lane wrinkles his brows together. “For good?”

Maya laughs in his face. “No.” She turns and heads upstairs.

Lane gets up from his chair. “Get back here, young lady.”

Maya stops halfway up the stairs and turns to her father. “Yes?” She makes no attempt, though, to go over to her father and stand before him like she knows he wants her to, like he’s trained her to.

“Get down here.” He points at the floor and stomps his foot.

“Why? So, you can yell at me?” She’s defiant.

“You are being disrespectful. You need to respect your parents.” Lane demands.

Maya hums. “Generally, I would agree with you. But I can’t say that you have the same respect for me or my friends.”

Lane narrows his eyes angerly at her. “You are my child. I don’t have to respect you or your silly friends.”

“Okay.” Maya shrugs. Now that they are clear on that point. “Carina and her family are going to Italy for vacation. They will be back at the end of the month, so you don’t have to worry about me hanging out with her until then.”

“Damn it.” Lane stomps again.

“What’s going on in here?” Katherine comes into the room.

“You stay out of it.” He turns to his wife. At that, Maya goes the rest of the way up the stairs and into her room. She listens to the yelling that her father is doing downstairs. Mostly about her. Mostly about her disrespect and recent lack of following his authority.

She ducks Lane for the rest of the day by staying in her room. She only joins the family for dinner before grabbing the phone and going back to her room to call Vic.

Maya is feeling extra brave with all the rebelling and standing up to her father. She’s talked to him for the first time in over a week. It wasn’t a conversation or anything constructive, but now, she feels like she can say what she wants without being scorned or talked down to for it. Maya knows she might be yelled at but she’s going to try not to feel bad about it. And maybe she will be but it’s rather liberating to think she can speak her mind. That coupled with her relationship with Carina, Maya feels like a totally different person than she was a few months ago.

“Hey, Vic. What’s up?” Maya says as soon as Vic answers.

“Oh, well, I should be asking what’s up. You’re the one calling me.” Vic chuckles.

Maya hums. “Carina left for Italy this morning.”

“And how are you feeling about that?” Vic worries that her friend is going to spiral into a bad place. She knows how much Carina has meant to Maya in the time that they’ve known each other and how close they’ve become.

“Great.”

“What?” Victoria wasn’t expecting that to be the answer.

“Well, I didn’t think that at first but now- this will be good for her. And it will give me time to figure out everything here and where I stand with everyone. Speaking of which, I want to get together with you and Travis for my birthday. We don’t have to do anything fancy or elaborate. Just friends hanging out. Do you think Travis would be willing to do that?” Maya feels like she’s really riding a high today.

“You’d have to ask Travis that. He was really upset, Maya.”

“I know. And I want to make it better.” She needs to make amends.

“I don’t know if you can.”

Maya’s frowns. “Come on, Vic. Help me out here. Now that I’ve smoothed things out with Carina, I need to do the same with Travis.”

“For you or for Travis?” Vic doesn’t like the idea of Maya just trying to make things better so she can feel better about herself and the fact that she has a jerk of a father. It won’t actually change anything.

“I can apologize until I’m blue in the face, but that’s not going to get us anywhere. Carina didn’t want to hear me apologizing and making excuses for my father and I’m sure Travis doesn’t want that either. I want to have a conversation with Travis and let him know that what my father says, or thinks, isn’t what I have to say or think. You can be there. You actually should be there. If Travis is worried about that. We can all meet up.”

“Is your dad going to let you do that?”

Maya scoffs. “I’m making some changes. And I’m going to be eighteen. And I’m going to college soon. He’s not going to control who I hang out with or if I want to go somewhere like he used to. That was fine for- well, not fine I’ve realized- but it was that way for a long time. I’m going to start living my life and doing what I want.”

Vic grins, happy for her friend to break out of her father’s tight grip. “Good for you, Maya.”

Maya smiles. “Thanks. So?”

Vic laughs. “Okay, don’t twist my arm. I’ll get Travis and come pick you up tomorrow afternoon. Does that work?”

“Yes.”

Vic picks Maya up and the trio head back to Vic’s house.

Maya apologizes again for her father. It feels like that’s all she’s ever doing anymore. But this time it’s only once and it’s because she’s sorry that she didn’t say anything, and she knows Travis understands why.

“Travis.” Maya turns to face the man. “I don’t want to have to say this on account of sounding like a broken record but I’m sorry. And I’m not apologizing for my dad, but that what he said hurt you and scared you and probably made you question me.”

“I did.” Travis admits. “I didn’t know if I could still be friends with you anymore. Maya, what he said was-“ Travis gulps. “I get the feeling that my own dad wouldn’t be very open to the idea of me telling him that I’m gay. And to have your dad throw it in my face. That’s, like, a big fear of mine.”

Maya reaches out. “May I?” She nods at Travis’s hands. He looks down at them, licks his lips nervously, and looks back up at Maya and nods. So, Maya takes his hands. “I have my own demons that I have to figure out with my father involving just that. I don’t plan on telling him that I like girls. That I like Carina.” Maya smiles thinking about her girlfriend. “So, I get it. You need to do what you need to protect yourself. If that means you never come to my house again, that’s fine with me. Even if it’s to wait in the driveway until I come out to meet you or get in the car or whatever. I’m fine with that. I know why. So, whatever you have to do is fine by me. And now that high school is over you don’t have to see him at track or cross country meets or anything. But I need you to know that his sentiments are not shared by me.”

Travis nods. “I know that.” He thinks that’s a good start. “How can you live with that man knowing that he hates people like me, you, us?”

“Well, I don’t exactly have any other options. Right now, I think I’m most scared that he’s going to find out that Carina and I are more than friends and kick me out and then I won’t have anywhere to go. And since I’ve got a scholarship to school, I’m not worried about that; but he could cut me off totally in other ways. I think I’m going to get a job on campus for my first semester. I don’t have any money to my name. I’ve never had a job. I don’t have a bank account. Another way that Lane has controlled me and pulled my strings. I literally couldn’t do anything without him approving. I couldn’t go to a movie or out to eat with you guys without asking him for money, or even if I could go. And I don’t want to take advantage of other people, like Carina. She pays for just about everything that we do.” Maya explains her position to her friends. It’s not a great one but she thinks she can make changes to improve it without disturbing too much.

“Vic told me you guys had a little celebration for your birthday before she left. How’d that go?” Travis wiggles his eyebrows, knowing that sneaky, creative Carina probably pulled out all the stops for Maya’s birthday.

Maya hums, not exactly enthusiastically, recalling the evening. “Dinner was great.”

“But?” Vic asks.

“Afterwards, we went back to her house and-“ Maya wrinkles up her face. She doesn’t know if she should be discussing her private life with Carina with her friends.

“Did she finally succeed in deflowering you?”

“Eww, gross. Don’t say it like that and almost.” Maya looks down at her lap.

“Oooooohhhhh. Do tell. I need all the details.” Travis leans into Maya’s side.

Maya shakes her head. She won’t be giving him all the details. “I knew that was the intention. Carina had set up this fabulous dinner at this fabulous Italian restaurant. She bought me flowers with a card.”

“No gift?” Vic asks. “What kind of person doesn’t get their partner a birthday present?” She offended for Maya.

“Didn’t I just say how she pays for everything. She didn’t, doesn’t, need to get me a birthday present. The night was enough of a present until I ruined it.” Maya picks at a hangnail anxiously.

“How?” Vic whispers like Maya is talking about some big scandal and she can’t believe all the details.

“By thinking about my dad.”

“Good grief.” Travis spits out. “That woman is a saint with everything you two have gone through. I’m shocked she still wants to sex you up.”

“Me too. I told her I wouldn’t blame her if she wanted to dump my ass because of everything with my father. I just feel like I’m the cause of all the problems. I feel like I need to do more. I don’t want Carina to resent me or something.”

Vic hums. “You probably should. Do something special for her.”

“We are going camping when she gets back. I’m planning that.” Maya grins at the thought.

“Cool.” Vic raises her hand for a high five. “There you go, Bishop. Get it. Just you and sexy Italy lady all alone in the woods for a few days.”

Maya smirks. It was one of her more brilliant ideas in recent weeks. “Well, that wasn’t all. Something did happen the night before she left.”

“What exactly?”

Maya shakes her head, too embarrassed to say. “It was silly and nothing really.” Maya knows it’s not nothing though.

“Like silly how? An accidental opps and I slipped into your vagina?” Vic chuckles with a shake of the head.

“Not exactly. I mean- we still had our clothes on and everything.” Maya thinks back. Now that Carina isn’t around, she’s thinking about their first sexual encounter and wondering if it was standard, if it was appropriate, if she had done more. “That’s bad, right?”

Travis laughs.

“Do not laugh about this. I don’t know.” Maya’s cheeks turn bright red. “I didn’t even do anything back to her.”

“Did she ask you to?” Vic asks.

“Did she seems like she wanted you to?” Travis adds.

“No. And no. I just laid there the whole time. But Carina had this goofy happy smile afterwards.” She recounts with as little detail as possible, but still enough to let her friends have an idea of what happened.

“Aww, then it’s fine.” Vic says. “Don’t worry about it, Bishop. As long as she didn’t force you into something you didn’t want to do.”

Maya sighs. “No. Not at all.”

“Then you’re golden.” Travis rubs a hand across Maya’s shoulders.

“Make the most of it though, girlie. If she’s still crazy about you and having you around, despite what your dad said, go for it. Go all out.” Vic advises.

“Yeah.” That’s kind of the thought process Maya has had the last few days. She wants to spend as much time with Carina as possible upon her return and do as many things as possible too. “So do you guys have something planned for my birthday?”

Vic and Travis laugh. “No.” They say in unison.

Maya frowns. “But it’s my eighteenth birthday.” She pouts. “And my girlfriend is on the other side of the world.”

“Do you want me to throw you a party?” Vic asks. “Who would we invite?”

“I don’t know. Andy. Addison.”

Vic laughs. “Oh, our little Maya is growing up and branching out.” She wraps Maya in a side hug. “How about we have movie night at my house. I’ll see if my parents will whip up a feast for us.”

“Ohhh, that sounds perfect.” Travis wraps his arms around Maya from the other side. “That way we don’t have to spend any money.”

Maya laughs at her cheapo friends. She’s in the same boat that they are, though. “One day we are going to have to be grown ups and do things for ourselves.”

“Not as long as I’m living at home.” Travis grins.

“Yeah, mommy’s boy.” Vic teases.

Travis pouts. “I can’t help it that my mother likes me and dotes on me.”

Vic laughs. “I suppose not.”

Maya sighs in relief. She’s happy they can hang out again and be friends and she can relax knowing that Lane’s hatred isn’t going to plague her forever.

“Hey, dad. Can I talk to you about something?” Maya comes into the living room one evening after dinner while her father is reading the paper.

He doesn’t say anything, so Maya takes that as a sign to continue. “I know you want Mason in soccer because you want him to be a better athlete, more involved, more social.”

“Yes. And?”

Maya grimaces, standing before her father. “Mason doesn’t want to play soccer anymore. He told me so himself. It’s not his thing, dad. He’s just a kid.”

Lane puts his paper down and narrows his eyes at his daughter. “Exactly. He’s just a kid. He doesn’t know what he wants. And neither do you. You are both just kids.”

Maya wants to roll her eyes. She’s going to be eighteen in two days’ time. And while, she doesn’t know everything about life yet, she thinks that gives her some freedom to do what she wants. Know what she wants. Carina has helped her realize that she can actually do the things she wants and not just do what her father wants her to do. She wants Mason to have that same freedom.

“Okay, but he really doesn’t want to play soccer. He’s not like me.”

“No.” Lane scoffs. “He’s not.

“He’s not motivated by sports or winning or trophies. He likes to draw and he’s really good at it. He likes to read. He’s more creative than I’ll ever be. Dad, can you at least consider letting him drop soccer? Maybe suggest some other activity that he can do to keep him social and active that isn’t sports, if that’s what you want.”

The steely glare that Lane sends in Maya’s direction is unnerving, but she holds her ground.

“Are you trying to tell me how to raise my own son?”

Maya folds her hands together in front of herself. “Not at all. I’m just saying that Mason is unhappy playing soccer. He likes some of his teammates and they are friends, but he doesn’t like the sport.”

Lane lifts up his paper again. “I’ll think about it but he’s not quitting in the middle of the season. I paid for the whole season; he’s going to play the whole season. After that we can make a determination.”

“Okay.” Maya nods. “That’s great.” She turns to leave.

“Stop.” Lane grits out. “Turn around.”

Maya stops and turns back to face her father.

“I want a full report. How was your run today? How is the leg? Better, I hope. I want you training at full strength again starting after your birthday.”

“Oh. Good. I’ve been jogging and it hasn’t tightened up again. No setbacks. I think that rest really helped.”

“I’m sure it did.” Lane grumbles, annoyed, totally not believing that rest is what Maya needed.

“I’ll get back into the swing of things.” Maya confirms for her dad.

“That’s right. You will.” Lane smirks at her over the top of his paper.

Maya nods. “Is that all?”

“Yes, kiddo. That’s all.”

“I’ll be in my room.” Maya retreats quickly, before her dad can rope her into anything. She makes a pitstop in Mason’s room and lets him know that she talked to their father about his time in soccer.

The next evening Maya hangs out with Travis and Vic. They watch movies all night and spend some time talking about the future. They all promise to stay in touch when they go off to school. Vic is going to Culinary School and Travis doesn’t know what he wants to do yet, but is going to Technical School to for business for now.

On the tenth, Maya spends her day like most other days. She starts with a jog, to get her legs loosened up and then does a round of arm and core exercises.

She asks Mason to go down to the park with her in the middle of the morning. They mostly just sit and watch the runners go by and watch the little kids run around on the playground.

They come back and her mom has lunch ready for them and is starting on a carrot cake for Maya’s birthday cake.

“Lunch is ready.” Katherine says as they come in the back door.

“Thanks mom.” Maya sits down and a plate is set in front of her. She frowns at it. Even on her birthday she has to have a healthy meal. Asparagus, a cup of rice, and a few little chucks of grilled chicken shouldn’t be a birthday meal.

“I’m starting on the carrot cake for after dinner.”

“What’s for dinner?” Mason asks and sits down.

Katherine laughs. “One meal at a time, dear. But I think we will have fettucine alfredo with chicken and broccoli.”

Maya frowns at the thought of having chicken for two meals in a row but than backs up to what her mother said before the chicken. “Alfredo?” She assumes that she’ll just get the noodles and broccoli and chicken. No sauce for Maya’s plate.

“Yes, dear. It is your birthday. I already talked to your father about it. I know it’s not on the training diet but it’s a special day.” She kisses Maya on the top of the head before going over to the counter to peel carrots. “Oh, speaking of Italian. Maya, you had a phone call while you were out.”

“What?” No one ever calls the house looking for her. “Was it Coach Larson?” Except maybe him.

Katherine chuckles.

“Carina.” Mason says with a little smirk.

Maya looks over at him. That can’t be right.

“Yes.” Katherine points the vegetable peeler in her hand at Mason. “Calling all the way from Italy. I told her you were out with your brother.” Katherine remembers how Carina commented on how cute that was. “She said she would try to call back this afternoon.”

“Oh.” Maya mumbles, a bit stunned.

“I thought you would be more excited than that.” Katherine says.

Maya thinks about it for a bit more. She’s nervous. Excited, yes, but she hadn’t thought that Carina was going to call. They never talked about keeping in contact while she was in Italy. But maybe it’s just because today is her birthday. A smile slowly takes shape. Carina called her all the way from Italy on her birthday.

She’s been thinking a lot about Carina in the last few days. Like, all the time.

“I am excited.” Maya knows she’s not going anywhere the rest of the day. No afternoon jog. No going outside in the yard. No nothing. She’s going to sit in the house and wait for that phone to ring.

They eat lunch and Mason goes to his room and Maya helps with the dishes. She wouldn’t normally, but she needs something to do to occupy her time. Something to keep her busy so that she doesn’t go crazy waiting for the phone to ring.

“I think it’s cute.” Katherine speaks up as she washes a plate and hands it to Maya to dry.

“What?” Maya says automatically.

“Your relationship with Carina.”

Maya’s eyes go wide and panic set in. “What do you mean relationship?”

Katherine chuckles lightly. “Don’t worry dear, you don’t have to explain it to me. Whether its platonic or not.” Maya isn’t sure if she knows exactly what the word platonic means. She just stands there in horrified silence.

Katherine continues. “When she was here- ah-“ She shakes her head. “She’s such a nice girl. Lovely disposition. Helpful. I know your father doesn’t think so. All he sees is an arrogant attitude and someone who is trying to mess with him.”

“She is.” Maya mumbles. “Trying to mess with him. Or was.” She knows she shouldn’t have said it, but she also knows that her mother isn’t her father and that she is much more understanding. Maya doesn’t think Carina is going to be challenging her father anymore anyway. He’s knocked her down a peg or two with his mafia comment and Maya doesn’t see the same gusto from Carina anymore when it comes to her father. There was something alluring about what Carina was doing to her father. The bravado that she had in standing up to him. Something that Maya had never done until very recently.

Katherine sighs. “Yes, well, maybe she shouldn’t.” It’s the only negative thing she has to say about Carina. “But when she was here you two were inseparable. I’ve never seen you like that. Smiling. Happy. That’s all I wish for my children. That they are happy.” Katherine knows that she isn’t helping to meet that requirement, but she is trying to be the best mother and wife and homemaker that she can be under the circumstances.

Maya moves over to the closest kitchen chair. She pulls her feet up onto the chair, wrapping her arms around her legs, chin on top of a knee.

Her mother goes on. “It’s okay with me if you want to spend time with her.”

“She’s in Italy.” Reminds her mother.

“Oh, and how exotic is that.” Katherine has never been anywhere outside the United States. Other than Portland, where Lane’s sister lives, she hasn’t even been outside the state of Washington. “And being able to speak Italian.” Katherine sighs wistfully.

If Maya didn’t know any better, she would think her mother had a crush on Carina.

“And very beautiful. I know you are just kids but- such a pretty young woman.”

She has to say something now. “Mom?” Maya raises an eyebrow.

“Sorry, dear. I know she’s your-“ She turns around and raises an eyebrow at Maya.

“What?” Maya shakes her head. She’s not going to give her mother any clues or information.

“Crush? Girlfriend? Friend?”

Maya doesn’t want to tell her mother the truth. “Girlfriend.” She can’t believe the words are coming out of her mouth.

Katherine smiles softly and comes over to Maya. She places a kiss on her head. “As long as you are safe.”

“MOM.” Maya yells and scrambles to her feet.

Katherine chuckles. “It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. And good for you. She’s very attractive. I like Carina a lot.”

“You hardly know her.” Maya moves to a different chair at the table and sits down again. She’s a bit grossed out that her mother thinks her girlfriend is attractive.

“No, but what I do know, I like. She has a big personality. Very funny, playful. I like that. I like that for you.”

Maya frowns. She’s getting uncomfortable now. This is going into a territory that she doesn’t want it to. They are just kids. They are going off to college soon. Different colleges in different states. And while Maya feels a certain connection to Carina, she doesn’t want to get too attached. She doesn’t want to be left hanging when they start their separate lives at school. When they met new people. When they have new friends.

One question plague Maya the most right now. “How did you know?”

“Know what, dear?”

“That I- that I like her.”

“Oh, well, a mother just knows these things.” Katherine smiles and goes back to the dishes.

Maya spends a few hours sitting in the kitchen waiting for the phone to ring. Her mother comes in and out. Mason comes down from his room to get a popsicle and then sits at the computer in the living room playing some video game loudly.

But then the phone rings. Maya jumps to her feet. “Turn that down.” She yells at her brother.

“You turn it down.” He yells back but turns the volume down.

“Hello.” Maya answers the phone.

“Ciao, bellisima. Buon compleanno.” Carina says when she hears Maya’s voice. “Come sta andando il tuo compleanno?” (how is your birthday going?)

“What?” Maya asks dumbly.

Carina laughs. “Scusa. I said how is your birthday?”

Maya grins. “Boring mostly. But my dad approved fettuccine alfredo for dinner so that’s a bonus.”

“Ah, Italiano.” Carina cries into the phone.

Maya can hear a commotion in the background of wherever Carina is. “It was my mother’s idea.” She supplies. “Where are you? It sounds loud.”

“We’re out to eat.” Carina nearly yells into the phone. Maya looks at the clock. She’s been doing the math. It is nine hours ahead where Carina is in Italy. That makes it after ten at night. “Maya?”

“I’m here. I was just doing the clock math.” Her eyes linger on the clock.

Carina laughs again. “Ah, si. It’s late here. We don’t eat early like in America. Eight, nine o’clock can be normal especially in the summertime.”

“Oh.” Maya didn’t know that.

“Are you having a good day? I wish is was there to celebrate with you.” Carina pouts.

“It’s been alright. I hung out with Travis and Vic last night. We watched movies and talked.” Maya fills her in. She knows that Carina would want to know what was happening on the Travis front and if they’ve patched things up.

“Oh, good. I’ll glad you and Travis are good. I would hate for my girlfriend and boyfriend to be fighting.” Carina chuckles a little at her own joke.

That gets an eye roll out of Maya. “Haha very funny.”

“I’m very funny, bella. You’ll have to get used to it.” Carina smirks even though Maya can’t see it.

“Carina, stai ritornando?” Someone says in Carina’s background.

“Si, si. Un minuto.” Carina says before returning to her conversation with Maya. “I have to go, bella. I wanted to call as a little surprise. I wanted to say that I miss you and I can’t wait to see you again. And I can’t wait to get you in bed again.”

“Carina.” Maya scolds but the words have Maya squirming in her seat.

“Okay, okay. No in bed anymore.”

“I didn’t say that.” Maya protests.

Carina hums into the phone. “So, you’ve been thinking about it then?”

Maya sighs. “I’d be lying if I said no.”

Carina laughs. “Then I really can’t wait to see you. Three weeks. I’ll be back in three weeks. Real quick. Before you know it. I do have to go, Maya. I’m glad that we could talk today. I’ll see you soon.”

Maya wants more though. Their time too short. “Wait.”

“Cosa? What’s up?”

“I just-“ Maya struggles for a moment. “I miss you too. I can’t wait until you’re back. I’ve planned and booked our camping trip.” The words rush out of Maya’s mouth quickly.

“Wonderful. Even better.” Carina sighs. She really wishes she could time travel or teleport. That way she could spend Maya’s birthday with her and then be back in Italy with her family the next day or the next hour. “Anything else.” Carina realizes she did most of the talking, monopolized all of the time.

Maya sighs. “No.”

“Okay. I’m going to say bye now but I’m going to sing you happy birthday in Italiano. Okay?”

“You don’t have to.” Maya ducks her head a little.

“I can’t talk to the birthday girl without singing happy birthday. That’s got to be some sort of crime.” Carina grins.

Maya chuckles a little.

“A little more, bella.” Carina encourages.

Maya tips her head to the side. “A little more what?”

“Ahhh, a little more laugh. I want to hear your laugh.” Carina admits.

“Oh.” Maya isn’t just going to laugh on command. “Then you’ll have to actually say something funny.”

Carina chuckles. “That’s how it’s going to be?”

Maya nods even though Carina can’t see her.

“Well, I can’t think of anything, so you’ll have to just get the birthday song and I’ll have to suffer without hearing you laugh. We can’t all get what we want all the time.” She delves into the birthday song. Singing the entire thing through. “Ciao, bambina. Buona notte. O buon pomeriggio a te.” (Good night. Or good afternoon for you.)

“Ciao, Carina. And thank you.”

“Piacere mio. Bye.”

Maya hums. “Bye.” Maya waits for the line to disconnect. She sets the phone down on the table. Carina’s Italian words ringing in her ears. Her mother is right, how exotic.

Mason walks into the kitchen making kissing noises.

“Knock it off.” She knows he was listening in on her conversation. Maya glares over at him as he gets a soda from the fridge. He opens it and raises a challenging eyebrow at Maya.

“Or what?” He makes more kissing noises.

“Who told you?”

Mason shrugs. “Andrew.” He takes a sip of his soda.

Maya frowns. “Don’t tell dad.”

“Oh, god no.” Mason holds a hand to his heart. “He’d banish you like he banished Carina from this house.”

Maya rolls her eyes. “I know. That’s why you can’t tell him.” Maya gets up. She puts the phone back. “I’ll be in my room. Don’t bother me.”

“Going to daydream about your girlfriend?” Mason smirks.

Maya whips around on him, shocked at the words coming from the boy’s mouth. He smirks right in her face, openly, enjoying teasing his sister. “What? You are, aren’t you?”

“Shut your mouth.” She points a finger in his face. “I talked to dad for you about soccer. Remember that.”

Mason comes back down from his little high. He nods and Maya turns and walks away from him. “Maya.”

She stops to hear what he has to say but doesn’t turn to look at him. “What?” She doesn’t want to hear it.

“Carina’s great.”

Maya sighs. “You’re just saying that cuz you like her house and her food.”

“Yeah, but she’s cool too.” Now that sounds more like a thirteen year old. That’s a big compliment coming from a teenage boy.

Maya goes upstairs, laying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, thinking about Carina. She thinks about what Carina said today on the phone and smiles like a fool. She smiles like that all the way until dinner as she thinks over their phone call again and again. Carina called. All the way from Italy. She has no idea how much that call is going to cost but an international call, she knows, isn’t cheap. And it’s not so much what Carina said, it’s more the fact that Carina called that sticks with Maya most.

She spends most of her four weeks in recovery mode and then in training mode. Her legs are weak and out of shape from not running every day. So, she gets back in shape.

After her conversation with her father about Andrew not wanting to be in soccer they’ve had polite but cold exchanges. Not that her father’s was ever overly warm with Maya. But he asks about her training and if she’s getting back on track. He rides his bike along with some of her runs. She asks her mother for permission to go hang out with Vic and Travis like once a week. She never asks her father for permission.

But then the day comes and she is so excited that she can’t sleep. Maya is up early riding her bike through Carina’s neighborhood seeing no sign of the family yet. She rides through again just before lunch. Nope, still nothing. She rides through again mid-afternoon. She sees that the curtains in the living room have been pulled open. She wishes Dr. DeLuca would have just parked his car in the driveway and then she would know for sure. She wonders if it’s just Maria preparing for the family to come home.

Maya rides down the street and then back. She pulls her bike into the driveway and parks it out of the way, on the grass, next to the sidewalk that leads up to the door. Her palms are sweating, knees weak and shaky as she walks up to the door. Maya rubs her palms on her shorts before she presses the doorbell.

The door swings open and it’s not who Maya wants to see. She looks past the woman, trying to look inside the house and see if she can spot Carina or Andrew or maybe Mr. DeLuca.

“Hello, Maya.” Maria smiles.

“Hi.” Maya’s hands go behind her back, her fingers tangling together, she rocks forward on the balls of her feet. “Uh-“ She looks up, catching Maria’s eyes.

“No. They’re not back yet, child. Come in, though. You can help me.”

Maya frowns. She doesn’t want to help. She just wants to see Carina. She does want to be in the house though. So, she steps inside.

“Do you want to dust every surface or clean the bathroom?” Maria asks.

Maya wrinkles up her face.

So that’s how Maya got roped into cleaning Carina’s house before she arrived home from Italy. She’s been thinking she needs to do more for Carina, but this isn’t what she imagined. She was thinking more like cute little gestures, or notes, or planning and organizing dates; not cleaning.

She’s wiping down all the counters in the kitchen when she hears the garage door open. Maya stills. She hears footsteps and then Maria comes into the kitchen. “They’re back.”

Maya turns her head, slowly, almost as if she moves too fast it won’t be real.

Maria waves her over to the other side of the room so they can stand together to greet the family, but Maya’s feet are frozen to her place.

The door to the garage open and Andrew comes barreling in. He kicks off his shoes and tugs his suitcase behind him.

“Ciao, Andrea.” Maria says.

He looks up, surprised, not expecting anyone to be there.

“Hola, Maria.” He grins. He looks over when he notices something move out of the corner of his eye. He sees Maya standing their and smirks. “Oh, Carina’s gonna love this.” He chuckles and turns toward the stairs.

“What am I going to love?” She steps into the house. Carina sees Maria first. The woman comes over and gives her a hug. “I do like hugs but-“

“No. No. No.” Maria shakes her head and then looks over her shoulder.

“Maya?” Maria moves out of the way and Carina steps fulling into the kitchen.

“Hi.” Maya smiles but then looks down at her feet.

“What are you doing here?”

Maria explains. “She came by to see if you guys were home yet and I let her in. She’s been helping me clean up a bit.”

Carina nods at the answer. She looks over at Maya, who’s staring down at her feet in embarrassment. She crosses the room.

As soon as Carina is in front of her; Maya can’t help but look up and smile. The Italian looks absolutely amazing. She’s got on a short pair of denim shorts and a band t-shirt with the sleeves cut off. Her skin absolutely glows.

“Ciao, bella.” Carina bites at her lip and holds her arms out, wanting a hug.

Maya steps into Carina’s body. “You’re so tan.”

Carina wraps her arms around Maya and laughs. “Thank you. Lots of time spent at the beach, in the sun.” She peels away from Maya and holds her at arms length. “You look well. How have you been?”

Maya looks down at herself, feeling shy around Carina. “Good.”

“Good.” Carina pulls Maya into another hug. “Let’s go outside.” She doesn’t want eyes or ears on them.

They go and sit on the edge of the deck patio.

Maya asks how the flight back was and listens to Carina talking. There’s something different about it. She had gotten really used to the sound of Carina’s voice. It’s become something she could recognize anywhere. Except there’s something different about it now.

Carina is talking about their flight back to Seattle and how many hours it was and how it’s her least favorite part of going to Italy.

“You have an accent.” It dawns on Maya.

“Oh.” Carina stops in the middle of her sentence. “Sorry. That happens.”

“No, no, no.” Maya puts her hand on Carina’s knee. “It’s fine. I just couldn’t- something was different. And I couldn’t put my finger on it right away. It’s only slight. It’s cute.”

Carina bites her lip. “You think I’m cute?”

Maya leans into Carina’s side, resting her head on the girl’s shoulder. “You are cute and so much more.”

“Like what?” Carina coaxes.

Maya grins, lifting her head. “You’re cute and adorable.”

“Those are the same thing.” Carina slips her arm across Maya’s back, her hand gripping onto Maya’s opposite shoulder.

“You’re hot.”

“Now we’re talking.” Carina wiggles her eyebrows.

“And smart. And honest. Caring. Funny. A great kisser.” Maya leans in.

“Oh, bella.” Carina meets her for a sweet kiss. “I missed you.”

Maya sighs. “I missed you too.”

They relax into each other and silence for a while. Enjoying just being together in the same place again.

Carina looks up at the dark cloud that is moving in their direction. “It looks like it might rain.”

“I rode here on my bike.”

“We can put it in the garage.”

“I have to be home for dinner.” Now that she and her father are on speaking terms again, family dinner can’t be missed.

“Can I come over after?” She just got home but still wants to see more of Maya today.

Maya looks at Carina at that one. “Have you gotten amnesia since you left?”

Carina chuckles. “No, bella. I could never forget you.”

Maya wrinkles her brow together at that.

“I want to steal you away from your papa. I don’t want you around him. I don’t want you to be afraid of him. I want to protect you and keep you safe.” Carina has thought a lot about Maya’s dad since she’s been away.

Maya doesn’t know what to say to that. “Lay down.” She requests.

“What?” Carina questions, but there is a hand on her chest, pushing her back until she has to catch herself. Maya makes sure Carina gets down to her back before she leans over her and presses her lips to Carina’s.

Carina takes Maya’s face in her hands kissing her back. Maya is mostly blocking her, but Carina feels the raindrops on her arms as they start falling. “Maya.” She doesn’t stop kissing her though.

“I know.” She puts her hands on either side of Carina’s head on the deck boards, trailing off with a few quiet pecks of the lips before sitting up. She stands and pulls Carina to her feet as the rain really starts to come down. “Hurry.”

They run into the house. “I’ll get the garage door.” Carina moves towards the garage entrance and Maya goes to the front door back out into the pouring rain to grab her bike and wheel it inside the garage. She tries to shake off the rain from her arms and hair and clothes.

“You’re like a wet dog.” Carina grins as she stands there watching Maya try to shake the wet off.

“Do I smell like one too?” She raises an eyebrow.

Carina wrinkles up her face at that. “No, bella. You always smell wonderful.”

“Even after I’ve been running?”

“Okay, maybe not always.” She grins, guilty about saying that Maya doesn’t always smell good.

Maya steps closer to Carina, putting a hand on her chest, but making sure that none of the wet rest of her is touching the Italian. “You’re not really coming over later, are you?” Maya doesn’t think it’s wise. While her dad hasn’t said anything about Carina in weeks, he also knows that she’s been gone. But now that she’s back, Maya wonders if that means things have to go back to her watching what she says to him and tiptoeing around him and hiding what she does with Carina from him.

“We don’t have to stay are your house, right?” Carina shrugs. “Like, he’ll let you leave, right?”

Maya shrugs. “I guess.”

“Then I’ll be over.” Carina leans in and presses her lips to Maya for a quick kiss. “I’ll get you a towel. Stay here.”

Maya pouts.

“Maria would have a fit if you got water all over the house. And you just cleaned.” Carina grins. “What a surprise? I definitely didn’t expect to see you here when I got back.”

“You told me-“ Maya licks her lips. “I promised I would be here.”

“Yes. And I’m glad you did but I didn’t expect you to be in the house. I didn’t really expect to see you today. I thought maybe you would call this evening or something.” She looks Maya up and down. “This is so much more. So much better.” She’s feeling so many things as everything catches up to her.

“I couldn’t wait. I couldn’t sleep this morning.” Maya admits. “I rode my bike down your street twice this morning and then once this afternoon until I noticed that the curtains were open.”

Carina smiles, soft, delicate as Maya speaks. I love you. She thinks. She knows not to say it though. Carina has felt it for a while now and her time in Italy has only made her feelings for Maya more evident. Distance makes the heart grow fonder and all that bullshit. But, it’s true. “I’ll get you a towel. And some dry clothes.”

Maya just nods, stuck with the way Carina is looking at her right now. Those rich brown eyes feel like they are not only staring at her with such reverence, but feel like they are searching for something more, deeper.