MAYA
Maryland, 1996
“MAYA,IT’SAmistake to tell him. He may stay for a bit, but he will run. Trust me.” Her mother’s voice held fourteen years of disappointment, resentment and loss. But Maya held firm. Sam should at least know he had a child. She would make it clear that he was under no obligation to her. Especially if Bridget was pregnant, too. No way Maya wanted to be tied toherfor the rest of her life. She grimaced inwardly. You really couldn’t make this shit up. Who got two girls pregnant in the same summer? Her mother was starting another round with Maya when the doorbell rang.
Grateful for the disturbance, Maya peeked through the window and her body tensed. What was Sam’s mother doing here? She took a deep breath and put a smile on her face as she answered the door. “Auntie! What a surprise.” Her eyes were still red-rimmed and swollen from crying, but she hoped Hema-auntie wouldn’t notice.
“Maya.” Hema-auntie’s smile only reached her lips. Her eyes were black coal, though there were bags under them, as if she hadn’t been sleeping well. Her skin also seemed to lack some of the rosy glow Maya had remembered from meeting her before.
“Won’t you come in?” Maya’s stomach lurched as she caught the scent of lavender when Hema-auntie passed. She led her into the family room where her mother was sitting.
“Mum, this is Hema Hutcherson, Sam’s mother.” Maya’s voice trembled so she cleared her throat in a vain attempt to steady it. “Auntie, this is my mother, Sunita Rao.”
Her mother stood and nodded to Hema-auntie. “Hello.” She wasn’t cold as ice, but she was clearly not going to spare any warmth for Sam’s mother.
Hema-auntie matched her mother’s nod. “Hello.”
Ever the hostess, Maya’s mother did not miss a beat, inviting Hema-auntie to have a seat and offering water or tea.
“Actually, this is not really a social call. I was hoping to have a word with Maya.” She rested her eyes on Maya. “Alone.”
The corners of her mother’s mouth curved into the semblance of a smile. “Of course. I’ll leave you to it, then.” She turned to Maya as she left. “I’ll just be upstairs, should you need anything.”
Maya sat across from Hema-auntie and waited. Hema-auntie moved slowly, almost as if she were in pain. Maya had always had the feeling that Sam’s mother was not fond of her, but she didn’t know what she had done to offend her, except date her son.
Oh.
“Maya.” She wasn’t so much cold as she was businesslike. “The summer is over, your employment at my brother’s house will come to an end in a few days and you will return home.”
Maya’s heart pounded. “Yes. That’s true.”
“You have had an enjoyable summer with my son, but that is going to end. Now. Go home. Forget you came here.” Her steady gaze remained focused on Maya.
Blood drained from Maya’s head and she had a sense of falling. She reached for her glass of water. “I’m sorry, what?”
“You heard me. You come from different worlds. You had your summer fun, and he had his. So, put it behind you. Go back to Queens.” She spoke as if this were the most obvious conclusion of things. As if she were telling a ten-year-old that the party was over and it was time to go home.
Maya gripped the side of the chair to steady herself. Surely she had misunderstood this woman. “I don’t understand.”
“What’s to understand?” Her tone was impatient, as if Maya were daft. “You are not the type of woman my son needs. He’s going tobesomebody someday.” She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Youare just agirl. It’s not personal—I’m sure you are lovely. But you grew up the daughter of a single immigrant mother inQueens. You don’t have the upbringing or the connections that my son will need to move forward with his ambitions.”
The words hit her like a punch in the stomach. Her breath became short. She searched Hema-auntie’s eyes and found only disapproval. Had she planned on leaving Sam? Yes. Then why did her insides scramble to hear his mother confirm it? Maybe she didn’t want to leave him. Maybe it wasn’t right for her. Or for him.
“Did he tell you he loves you?”
Maya’s face must have revealed the answer.
“Hethinkshe does.” Sam’s mother chuckled, but without humor. “But did you not notice that he had a different girl on his arm three months ago?” Hema-auntie waved her hand dismissively. “He thought he loved her, too.”
Maya’s stomach dropped and she placed a protective hand on her belly. It was a small gesture, easily overlooked. But women have been making this small gesture since the beginning of time. Womenknew.
Hema-auntie’s eyes flew open as she took in the gesture. She flicked her gaze to Maya’s face. Whatever she saw there brought her hand to her mouth. “Oh my,” Hema-auntie whispered and looked at Maya’s belly. “You are pregnant.” She met Maya’s eyes. “And Sam does not know.”
Maya pressed her lips together. Silence filled the room for a long moment as all the information in the air was digested.
Hema-auntie took a few steps closer to Maya and placed her small cold hand on Maya’s cheek as if talking to a small child. “Surely you did not think you were the only one?” Maya broke her gaze and Hema-auntie’s voice filled the air. “Oh dear, you did.” She looked Maya up and down. “How naive.”
Maya’s stomach turned and the taste of bile coated the back of her throat. Was she talking about Bridget? Had Hema-auntie made the same visit to Bridget’s house? She clenched her jaw and forced her chin up.
