The Patchwork Hearts

Chapter TWENTY FOUR

Holden

My mom ran into Maya in a parking lot, and now she wants to make her her BFF. She didn't say that exactly but I know it. She's been missing those Becker girls for years and now is her chance to get them back into her life. She knows what it could mean - having to deal with their father - but she's willing to do it anyway.

   I envy her.

   If I thought I had any chance at all to get Maya back into my life, I'd do it. My mom has that chance. Me? It's pretty obvious that I do not.

   After I drive Landon back to his dorm and drive back home again, it's after 9P.M. Honey and I get out of the truck and go into the house, where I scoop some food out for her. She already ate a ton of scraps at dinner, but she eats some of her food anyway. I head up to my bedroom - the bedroom I had since I was a kid - and pull off my clothes. For some reason, I'm exhausted. Maybe I'm just mentally drained, but I fall asleep almost as soon as my head hits the pillow.

   I wake up too early and realize it's already Monday. I usually like Mondays. I always take Honey to the pet store for a treat and to get her food. I get a coffee through a drive thru before stopping at the Harbour for a bit. Honey likes running up and down the docks; I like people watching from a distance. 

   But today I don't feel like getting dressed or leaving my house. I pull on sweat pants and head downstairs, where Honey greets me, her tail wagging. After my coffee, I go right to my studio and rip open a new canvas. I have been working on two different paintings, for a couple weeks now. My usual routine is get one done, start to finish, in one to two weeks time. One of these is personal and one a commissioned piece, for a wedding gift. But I know I can't work on those today. After staring at them for a few minutes, I just look back at the brand new canvas.

   Today I'm painting from my heart and that is obvious as soon as I pick up my paint brush. It starts off as a mix of bright colors. I'm in the zone and my favourite music mix is playing, and the painting ends up, an hour later, fully finished as a non detailed portrait of a girl with wavy blonde hair.

   Damnit. I can't get Maya out of my head.

My mom comes by the next morning to water her plants. I have no idea why she doesn't trust me to water them, or why she didn't bring them to Eddie's. Well, she brought a few. But the rest fill my kitchen. There are some on the window sills and some on the floor. I've just gotten so used to them, it would be weird if she took them now.

   It's 7A.M. when she comes in the back door, without knocking. I'm awake and sitting in the kitchen, drinking coffee. She waves and starts watering her larger plants while I pour her a coffee into a travel mug, that she can take to work. This is sort of a weekly ritual for us.

   "You know I'm capable of watering those?" I ask, adding cream to the coffee for her.

   "Sure. But you know I like checking in on you." She grins, but then her eyes land on the canvas that I did yesterday. It's leaning against the wall, just outside the kitchen. I don't know what I'm even going to do with it. "What's that?"

   "Nothing," I say quickly.

   "I know it's not nothing, Holden. Your paintings never leave your studio until they are ready to go to whoever bought it."

   I sigh. She knows how I work. "It's not for a client."

   "Then I can see it, can't I?" But she's already across the kitchen and looking at it. She literally gasps, dramatically. I roll my eyes. "Holden."

   "What?"

   "When did you do this?" she wants to know.

   "Yesterday"

   "You painted this in one day?" She's completely flabbergasted.

   She knows I usually take at least a week to complete a painting, depending on the size. This Canvas is 24in by 36in, so it's not small. I nod.

   Instead of telling me that it's beautiful or asking about Maya - who it very clearly is - she just comes back to the kitchen and hugs me. That's why my mom is the best.

   I leave the house that afternoon. I walk around the Harbour with Honey. I stop in the coffee shop next to the Art Hub and get a coffee and then I go back and forth with myself for awhile about whether I should go in. I told myself that I wouldn't seek Maya out. I said I would leave her alone. But I can't help myself, obviously. And as I'm pulling open the door to the store, I'm praying she's there.

   "Holden Prescott," Kayleigh's voice calls out from behind the counter, like ten feet away.
I walk slowly towards her, wondering if I should just go buy something that I don't need, so it doesn't look like I came looking for Maya.

   "Hey," I say, as calmly as I can.

   "I heard you were here on Saturday. You need more supplies already?" she asks, and I know she's testing me.

   "I forgot something," I say quickly. "I heard you got married."

   "I did." She smiles big.

  "Congrats. That's awesome. A local?" I ask. Anything so that she doesn't think I'm there to see Maya.

   She shakes her head. "He's a pilot. He's only lived here a couple years."

   "That's cool. So... I'll just grab what I need," I finish, turning away.

   She watches me go and I sneak into the isle with brushes. I always need new brushes, so I grab some thin ones and some canvas tape and go right back to the counter. There doesn't seem to be anyone else in the store. Honey is waiting in the truck, so I have to hurry, anyway.

   "Did you come here to see Maya?" Kayleigh asks suddenly, and for some reason I'm not expecting it.

   "What? Maya? No."

   "You saw her, on the weekend. You're both back in Boothbay for the first time. And then you come back into the store, three days later?"

   "Kayleigh..." I shake my head. She's not wrong. Why am I so easy to read?

   She holds up her hands. "I can't tell you when she's working."

   "No. I mean, obviously not." I step back embarrassed.

   "It's a small town, though. I'm sure you'll bump into her." Now she's smiling and I'm confused.

   "Yeah."

   I pay for my things and spin around again. I need to get out of there. That could have gone worse, at least. But now Kayleigh - who is Nella's best friend - knows I'm hoping to run into Maya again. She could see it on my face, hear it in my voice, I was sure.

   "Hey, Holden?" Kayleigh calls, when I'm almost at the door again.

   I turn back. "Yeah?"

   "Do you think she wants to see you? Like... will that be something that she'll be on board with?" Kayleigh is asking about Maya. She's asking me if I think Maya will want to see me. I already know the answer.

   I try to act like I'm considering this, then shrug. "I don't know. But I can't stop thinking about her, since I saw her," I admit.

   Kayleigh gives me a smile and then waves, so I turn away again and push the door open. I made it worse. I should have stayed away from the Art Hub. God, this is a nightmare.