They were all in, packed to the brim and sitting in Lily’s driveway. Diana and Maggie stood in front of the car, having just hugged each of them. Hanna had been watching Diana and Maggie sadly, but then, in a very unexpected turn of events, her father had arrived to say goodbye to everyone. He had since left, but Maya could tell the gesture had meant everything to Hanna, and so it meant everything to her and Lily.
“Can we at least get an hour into the drive before you turn on your investigative podcasts about what goes bump in the night?” Maya said from the back seat. Lily laughed and Hanna feigned offense.
“I’ll have you know that I only listen to ethical true crime.”
“Whatever that means,” Lily said. “Alright girls look alive, they’re waving.”
Maya shifted to look around the front seat where she could see the two moms waving through the windshield. She smiled and waved back, as did Hanna and Lily.
“Alright ladies, wait till you see the final place I got for us,” Lily said, starting the car and sliding the gear into reverse.
“Ah, we’re on the lease too, right?” Hanna asked.
“No, I took all that personal information from you and had you sign that paperwork so that I could steal your identity and run for mayor,” Lily said, turning to back out of the driveway. Even though the car came with a backup camera, Maya noticed Lily still liked to check.
“Mayor, huh?” Maya said, shaking her head.
“Yes, to answer your question, you are both on…the deed.”
Maya felt the floor give away from her. “The—what?”
Lily reached the end of the private driveway and swung the car onto the path that would lead them to the main road. She beeped the horn and everyone gave one last wave to Maggie and Diana at the end of the driveway. As they pulled away, Maya saw them hug. It was sweet that Diana was going to be there to comfort her mother. She knew Maggie was going to have a tough time with her gone.
“Lily, the what?” Hanna repeated, bringing Maya back into the shock she’d previously felt.
“Yeah well, one way my mom has continued to grow her wealth? Real estate, baby. And look, if we are going to share ahome, I want it to be something we actually share, something that benefits all of us.”
“Lily, but—” Hanna began, her voice revealing the same nerves that Maya felt.
“We already agreed on the rent. That will just go towards the mortgage.”
Maya rolled her eyes, “But we didn’t help with the down payment! We can’t buy you out if something?—”
Lily cut her off. “Stop! I’m trapped. We’re U-hauling. You both are stuck with me. I don’t expect any of the down payment money, but this way we all build equity for ourselves.”
“Lily—”
“I don’t know, look, reparations? Am I allowed to make that joke?”
“Holy shit,” Maya said, and she found that couldn’t find anything to say beyond that.
“Okay so no, not a great joke, but let me do this okay? I love you both, and I’m invested in us, okay? This hasn’t done anything to hurt me in any way, so win-win, it's done.”
There was silence in the car.
“U-hauling huh? So you’re admitting to it?” Hanna said.
Maya and Hanna had been so distracted with their own personal affairs, Maya kicked herself for not looking at the paperwork more closely.
“Fine, fine, but know that I don’t expect to be a kept woman,” Maya said.
“Mhmm speak for yourself,” Hanna joked.
“Listen, this place will be ours, and I wouldn’t have done it if I wasn’t sure that I want you both with me. And this way, if something does happen, neither of you feel like you have to stay because of finances. This way we’re all financially equal when it comes to our home.”
Maya took a beat to digest, and then she felt immense gratitude to Lily, not simply because she had quite literally bought them an apartment, but because of the thought process behind it.
“Okay,” Hanna said.
