“You didn’t.”
“I was hoping I could speak to you for a few minutes.”
“I don’t wish to discuss the past,” Maya responded. Just being with her family had conjured enough of her old insecurities.
Thomas lowered his eyes. “Quite frankly, neither do I. It wasn’t my finest moment.”
“Then what is it that you want? I don’t have all day.”
Thomas glanced up and Maya hated to see the regret in his eyes. But she wasn’t prepared for his next words. “It’s about Sophia.”
Maya’s ears perked up. “What about my mother?”
“You may have noticed she’s lost some weight?”
“Yes, I did, but I figured maybe she was dieting for the big event,” Maya offered. It wasn’t completely out of the realm of possibility. Her mother believed in looking her best, especially when the spotlight was on her.
“She’s not dieting, Maya. Your mother is sick.”
“Sick?” Maya clutched her purse to her chest. “How sick?”
“She has pancreatic cancer.”
“Cancer?” The words felt like an anchor around her heart, but she managed to ask, “What stage?”
“Stage three. Sophia has been undergoing treatments the last month and, needless to say, it’s taken its toll.”
“Months? How long have you known about her condition?”
“Maya...”
“How long?” How long had her family had been keeping her in the dark? Why they hadn’t told her Sophia was dying?
“Two months.”
“And you didn’t think to inform me sooner? She’s my mother.”
“Whom you’ve been estranged from for five years,” Thomas retorted with a huff, “along with the rest of this family.”
“You’re not my family.”
“I may not be a blood relation, but I care about Sophia. Raven and I have been carrying the load because her treatments are expensive even with insurance, not to mention the laboratory visits, PET scans and medications. And besides, it’s been tearing Raven up seeing Sophia like this and not having anyone to talk to beside me. She needs you.”
“She’s always needed me,” Maya responded tightly, “and I’ve always been there, but what do I get out of it? The short end of the stick.”
“I—I thought you were going to let go of the past, Maya. You came today.”
Guilt surged through her. Her mother was sick and this wasn’t the time or place to take score on who’d harmed who. “Thank you for telling me.” She started toward the door.
“What are you going to do?” Thomas inquired.
Maya had no idea. Today had been hard enough as it was. She needed a few minutes to digest everything he’d told her and come up with a plan. “I don’t know, but I’ll be in touch.”
* * *
When Maya finally made it back to her hotel room, she was mentally and emotionally exhausted. Confronting the members of her family who’d hurt her and feigning to be the happy aunt had been hard enough. But finding out her mother had cancer was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Not only did she have a splitting headache, but her feet were aching from the new designer sandals she’d bought to ensure she measured up to her mother’s scrutiny. All she wanted to do was run a hot bath, take some ibuprofen and go to bed. In that exact order.
Maya had kicked off her shoes and was unzipping her dress when there was a knock on her door. She glanced down at her watch. It was seven o’clock. She was in no mood for company after the bomb Thomas dropped on her. And who knew she was in town anyway?
Padding to the door in her bare feet, Maya swung it open in frustration. The person on the other side was someone she never thought she’d see again, not after the one night they’d shared.
“Ayden?”
“Hello, Maya.”
Copyright © 2018 by Yahrah Yisrael
ISBN-13: 9781488046322
Inconveniently Wed
Copyright © 2018 by Dolce Vita Trust
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