The Edge of You

by Theresa Dalayne

  Maya rested her hand on her hip. “Well, they need to get to full-term first. And that means no more lifting or moving anything, of any kind.”

  Sara rolled her eyes. “You’re just as bad as Mike. But okay. No more lifting.”

  Maya nodded and turned, scanning the apartment. It never had much furniture, but now that it was empty, it seemed so cold. She noticed the change as soon as Jake left. Without him, this place was just four walls with a roof.

  The angel pendant that hung from her bracelet tapped against the palm of her hand. She smiled a little sadly as she brushed her fingers over the silver charm.

  Mike burst through the front door, sweat rolling down his temples. “Okay. The bed’s in the truck. Now I just need to get the couch, and we should be ready to bring this stuff to storage.”

  Maya walked to the couch and curled her fingers around the armrest. “I’ll help you move it.”

  Mike positioned himself at the other end. “Remember, lift with your legs.”

  Just as Maya bent her knees, her phone rang. Mike paused while Maya groped in her back pocket for her phone. Maybe it was Beth. She hadn’t heard from her in almost two weeks.

  A picture of her dad showed on the caller ID. She glanced up at Mike and lifted her index finger. “Just a second. Sorry.”

  Mike nodded and sat on the armrest as Maya answered the call.

  “Hey, Dad.”

  “Hey. How are you guys doing over there? Need any help?”

  “Mm, no. I think we’re all right.” She glanced at Mike’s red face. “As long as Mike doesn’t collapse from exhaustion.” She smiled wider when Mike melted into the couch.

  “I’m on my way home from work. Are you coming home for dinner? Maybe we can barbecue something. Mike and Sara are welcome over, too.”

  Maya checked the time on her phone. It was only four o’clock in the afternoon. “Wow. You’re getting off early.”

  “Like I promised. No more double shifts.”

  She turned toward Sara, who stood behind her, sifting through the last open box on the counter. “Sounds good,” Maya said. “I’m sure they won’t mind some barbecue.” Mike immediately lifted his hands with two enthusiastic thumbs up. “Let me finish here and I’ll call you when we’re on our way over.”

  “Great. I’ll get started then.”

  “Oh, hey.” She paused, hoping she wouldn’t regret what she was about to ask. “How’s Mom? Have you heard from the rehab place?”

  “Well…she’s not great, as you’d imagine. Detox is tough. But your mother’s a strong woman. She’s been through a lot in her life, and they’re taking really good care of her. She’ll come out of this all right.”

  Maya nodded, her chest fluttering with anxiety. “Let me know if you hear any updates, okay?”

  “You’ll be the first person I call.”

  “Thanks. Bye.” She hung up the phone and grabbed the couch, gesturing to Mike. “Let’s go, old man.” She grinned as he slowly rolled off the couch, moaning through the effort.

  “Old man,” he grumbled, gripping the other side of the couch. “On three. One, two—”

  Maya’s phone rang again.

  Mike dropped his head. “Seriously?” He looked at Sara. “Do girls always get this many phone calls? Because if so, those babies better both be boys.”

  “Oh, knock it off,” Sara said. “Let the girl answer her phone without you throwing a temper tantrum.”

  “Sorry.” Maya got out her phone again to see a private number on the caller ID. She answered it and pressed the phone to her ear. “Hello?”

  “May I speak with a Miss Maya Reed, please?” The female voice on the other end of the phone was familiar, but she couldn’t quite figure out who it was.

  Maya shifted her weight. “This is her.”

  “Hello, Miss Reed. This is Maloney Young, Adélie Bourg’s personal assistant.”

  Maya’s muscles tensed. “Oh. Hi—hello, Miss Young. What can I do for you?”

  What if Adélie Bourg had buyer’s remorse? What if she hated the painting she bought? Maya closed her eyes and prepared for the worst.

  “Miss Bourg has asked me to contact you and inquire about your other pieces. She would like to view them all. Would you be able to take some photographs and send them to me via e-mail at your earliest possible convenience?”

  Maya slowly opened her eyes. She braced one hand on the back of the couch, afraid she might fall on her face if this lady just said what Maya thought she just heard. “Other pieces?” The words croaked out of her throat.

  “Yes. Miss Bourg wants to view them. When can you send the images?”

  Maya’s eyes ping ponged between Mike and Sara, who were listening in silence. They must have noticed her face had no color. She felt it drain as a wave of nausea rose in her throat.

  “I…I don’t have any other pieces to show you.” Not that would stand up to Adélie Bourg’s expectations at least. Sara’s eyes widened, and she made a circular motion with her hand, as if urging Maya to keep talking. Maya pressed a button, transferring the call to speakerphone so Sara and Mike could hear. “But I do have some incomplete projects that I can send pictures of as soon as they’re finished, if that’s okay with Miss Bourg.” There was a long pause. Maya’s heart pounded, wondering if the call dropped, or if the woman just hung up on her out of pure annoyance.

  “Well,” the assistant said. “All right. But I have a request. Would you do the professional courtesy of giving us exclusive access to the pieces before allowing other studios to view them? I’m sure you have quite a few dealers—”

  “No, no. That’s fine. I don’t mind.” Maya pressed the back of her hand to her cheek, now blazing hot. “I’d be willing to do that. For Adélie Bourg, of course.”

  “Of course. Thank you very much. We’ll be in contact soon.”

  The light on her phone went dark, and Maya dropped it to the floor. She pressed her palm against the cool wall, hoping to gain some stability on her otherwise shaky legs.

  “Did that just happen?” Sara asked, her narrow eyes peering at the phone from across the room. “Because I think it did…”

  Maya shook her head. “I don’t know.” She turned to Mike. “Did it?”

  Mike grinned like a madman. “I’m pretty damn sure it did.”

  Chapter Forty-eight

  Jake

  Jake’s mom sat on the couch as light from the TV cast shadows over the room.

  The last few weeks had been slow. Especially since Jake wasn’t working. It was the first time in a long time he didn’t desperately need a job, and he didn’t know what to do with himself. Even with his online courses to keep him occupied, sitting around the house was slowly driving him crazy.

  All he could do was think about Maya.

  Jake paced to the far wall of his living room and flipped open his phone, staring at Maya’s number on speed dial. He called—again—and waited as it rang a few times before her voicemail picked up. She’d been forwarding his calls ever since he left.

  “You’ve reached Maya Reed. Leave a message and I’ll give you a call back as soon as I can.” The recording beeped.

  Jake rubbed the back of his neck, searching for something to say. God, he missed her. “Hey, Maya. I’m just calling…again. I hope everything’s going okay with the apartment. Call me back when you get this…please.” He lingered on the line silently for a moment longer, and then snapped his phone shut.

  “Well, honey, I’m off to bed.” Jake turned toward his mom. She pushed herself off the couch, dressed in her pajamas, a thick green skin mask thing smeared over her face.

  “Are you feeling all right?” he asked.

  “Sure.” She stretched her arms over her head. “But even healthy people get tired.” She dropped her arms to her sides with a yawn. “You should get some sleep, too.”

  It was only ten o’clock. After living on Kodiak for so long, the summers got him accustomed to not going to bed until two or three in the morning. It was a
habit he’d have to break now that he was back in a state where the sunlight kept regular hours.

  His mom sighed. “Okay then. Well, I’ll see you tomorrow morning, baby doll. Have a good night.”

  “Goodnight, Mom.” When she vanished into the bedroom, he grabbed the remote from the coffee table and turned off the TV. The house fell silent, except the ticking of the clock on the wall and the sound of the toilet running in the bathroom.

  He had to do something or he’d go nuts.

  A text beeped on his phone. He flipped it open and read the message from Marco. Hey, bro. Busy? I’m close to your house.

  Damn. Not Maya, but he did need some company. Jake replied. Just in time. Come on over.

  He pulled his hood over his head and walked onto the front porch. The screen door screeched shut as he let it fall closed.

  The cool night air prickled his skin, reminding him of Alaska, which made him even more homesick. The rolling mountains. The bald eagles, and the salmon fishing off the shores of the black-stone beaches.

  Headlights shone down the gravel path as Marco’s car pulled up. Jake walked down the porch steps and waited for the old green van to roll to a stop. The engine shut off and Marco stepped out. “Well what do you know? He’s alive and kicking,” Marco said with a wide smile. He patted Jake on the back. “Good to see you, bro.”

  “Thanks, man. How have you been?”

  Jake shoved his hands in the deep pockets of his hoodie to keep them warm. “Good.”

  Marco glanced at the house. “How’s your moms feeling?”

  Jake nodded. “You wouldn’t believe it. It’s like she was never sick.”

  “Soo…” Marco took out a cigarette and lit it. Smoke rose in from of his shadowed features. “You stickin’ around then, or what?”

  “Yeah. I mean, I don’t have a job anymore on Kodiak. So I couldn’t afford to pay rent even if I wanted to go back. Besides, my mom seems happy to have me.”

  Marco took a long drag of his cigarette. The cherry burned bright red, casting a soft light over his face. “Well, that’s life, right? If it’s not one thing it’s another. I was trying to come by to see your moms before it got too late, but I pulled a double and wasn’t able to get off work in time.”

  “That’s okay. She still needs to rest.”

  Marco leaned against his car. “What are you doing with yourself these days?”

  “School. Other than that, not a damn thing.”

  A bright beam of light cast over the trailer park as a motor roared through the air. Jake was used to hearing old, shitty cars with a hole in the muffler or a bad belt driving through his neighborhood, but as the noise grew louder, it tore his attention away from Marco.

  Two Harleys cruised by, slowing to a crawl as they approached.

  Jake peered at the men on the bikes, unable to see their faces through the bright headlights shining directly in his eyes. He lifted his hand to shield his face.

  As his vision came into focus, his heart sank.

  Jake would recognize Wayne, his Harley with flames painted on the gas tank, his bald head and those shitty tattoos anywhere.

  “What the fuck, man,” Marco said. “Is that who I think it is?” Jake dropped watched the two bikes turn a corner and ride out of sight. “How the hell did he get out of prison, bro?” Marco flicked his cigarette.

  “I have no idea.” However he managed to get out early, it was pretty clear he wasn’t going to let sleeping dogs lie. If Wayne was coming around, it meant he wanted something.

  He glanced back at his house where his mom slept in her bed. His hands went cold when he recalled the doctor’s warning.

  Whatever it took, Jake had to keep her safe. If it meant dropping his online classes to get a full-time job, he’d do it so they could afford to move out of that shithole and finally get away from Wayne. Somewhere secure. Somewhere they could make a life for themselves once and for all.

  Jake turned to Marco. “Listen. I know you’ve done too much for me already, but I need to ask you for one more favor.”

  Chapter Forty-nine

  Maya

  Maya grabbed the last box out of the back of her dad’s SUV and carried it through the entrance of her new apartment building. A few weeks had passed since Maya’s mom went into rehab, and a lot had changed. For one, she decided not to move back to California, and instead get an apartment of her own on Kodiak.

  The surge of income from selling her art at the museum meant Maya could afford a few luxuries, like a used car and regular groceries. But she was most excited about her new home. The balcony was big enough to fit an easel, and gave her an amazing panoramic view of the coast.

  She walked into her apartment and set down the box. The wall of windows was like having front row seats to the clown-like shenanigans of the island’s black and white puffins with their orange beaks and webbed feet. Now, during the fishing season, the birds clustered on the slate cliff sides and dove into the waters, picking off fish until they grew so fat, they couldn’t even fly.

  Her dad groaned as he sat on the wood floor, panting, his shirt soaked in sweat. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand.

  “You okay?” Maya said. “Or am I going to have to call an ambulance?”

  He chuckled. “Watch it. I’m a Lieutenant in the United States Coast Guard, and I can still run circles around you.”

  She blew out a puff of air. “Yeah. Okay.” Maya set down the box and examined the empty room, perfect for an art studio. She’d need the space. With Adélie Bourg’s proposal to buy the collection she just started, it would be necessary to spread out her work.

  “You wanna catch a bite to eat before it gets too late?” her dad asked.

  “That sounds good. I’m starving” Maya walked toward the floor-to-ceiling windows that faced the open ocean. The waves sparkled under the crisp autumn sun.

  She still missed California, but there was something about the skies in Alaska. Their various shades of blue were a striking contrast to the black cliffs and the white clouds. Kodiak had captured her heart. The luscious green. The snowcapped mountains.

  “Maya.”

  “Hmm?” She turned toward her dad.

  “Dinner?”

  “Oh. Right.” She reached her hand out to help him up. He took it, groaning as he stood. “Want me to order in?” Maya asked. “My treat.”

  “Don’t let all that money go to your head. You may be a famous artist now, but you’re still my daughter. And as your dad, dinner’s on me.”

  Maya smiled and nodded. “I’ll take that.” She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. It was good to have him back.

  “So, Chinese food or pizza? Or Chinese food? Or—”

  “Pizza?” Maya said.

  “Exactly.”

  She crinkled her nose. “Gotta love Kodiak’s vast culinary variety.”

  Before she could reach for her phone, it rang. She pulled it out of her back pocket. “It’s Sara. I hope the babies are okay.” She answered. “Hello?”

  “Hey, honey. Are you and your dad done moving?”

  “Yeah, we just finished up. You okay?”

  “We’re great. I was going to ask if you guys wanted to come over for dinner. I’m sure you’re tired and hungry, and the only things you’ll find to eat if you aren’t cooking are—”

  “Pizza and Chinese food.” Maya smiled at her dad.

  “Exactly. So how about some barbecue and mashed potatoes instead? We owe you a meal since your dad cooked for us last time.”

  Maya’s mouth watered. “That sounds awesome. We’ll be over in about fifteen minutes.”

  “Okay, sweetie. Bye.”

  Maya slipped her phone back in her pocket. “Looks like we’re going to Sara and Mike’s for dinner.”

  Her dad lifted his jacket from the floor and slid it on. “Great. Let’s head out.”

  They drove there in Maya’s Jeep. Red exterior with taupe leather seats, it was exactly what she needed, with enough space to
carry any art supplies, and hardy enough for the island’s bumpy terrain.

  A few minutes later Maya parked in Mike and Sara’s driveway. Maya and her dad stepped out of the car and walked to the front door. It opened before she had a chance to ring the bell.

  Sara stood in the entryway. “Hey. Come on in.”

  The smell of savory baked chicken lingering in the air made Maya’s stomach growl. Moving was hard work, and they had another long day ahead of them tomorrow when her furniture would be delivered.

  Maya’s dad shook Mike’s hand, and the two guys immediately fell into conversation. She was glad to see her dad and Mike get along so well. Mike talked shop while her dad bored him with stories from his military career.

  “How about you help me in the kitchen while the boys keep each other busy,” Sara said as she rested her hand on her belly.

  “Do you know what the babies are yet?” Maya asked as they moved into the kitchen.

  “We were supposed to find out last week, but Baby A’s little butt was all we could see in the ultrasound, so the doctor said we’d have to wait.”

  “Aw. Well as long as they’re healthy, right?”

  “Absolutely.” Sara poured a glass of water and sipped it.

  A woman walked in from the living room and paused. She smiled warmly. “Well, hey there.” She glanced at Sara. “Who’s this pretty little thing?”

  “Oh.” Sara set her glass carefully on the counter and leaned back. “Sheryl, this is Maya. Maya, this is my sister, Sheryl. She’s staying here for a while.” Sara rubbed her belly. “Now that I’m getting bigger than a house, I’ll need some help around here.”

  “Especially after those babies are born,” Sheryl said.

  Maya extended her hand. “Well it’s very nice to meet you.” She glanced at Sara. “I didn’t know you had another sister.”

  “Did you know Maya’s an artist?” Sara said. “And a damn good one, too.”

  Sheryl’s lips shaped into a soft O. “You’re Maya.”