The Truths Behind the Life of Maeve Sun Lively

44

When we reached the downstairs of my apartment building, Klarise started heading to the parking lot instead of the actual building.

"What are you doing?"

She turned around for one second, and then held up her car keys. "We're going to tell them, aren't we? Or do you want to do it on the phone?" As she said this, she was smiling tiredly, and I knew she was really trying. Really trying to make this work. Make us work. I shouldn't be so scared, what did I have to lose?

In her Sedan Tesla, Klarise drove us over to their place as I told her the navigation. And it was also my first time sitting in a car where she was driving. She was horrible. I held onto the assist grip for dear life, as if that will save me.

"You know," she says when we stop at a red light. I even exhaled a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

I wait for her to finish, but all she does is stare out in front of her at the road, her hands gripped on the wheel. "What is it?"

"There's something...if we want this to work, I think it would be best to know that I don't——"

My phone starts ringing, and before I could hang up on it and let Klarise finish, the red light also turns green. She steps on the gas and the break with such force I feel my head jolt back and hit the headrest. The conversation ends there.

It was Mason who was calling me, and I picked it up.

"Maeve, you haven't called me in the last three days. If I don't call you, does that mean you're not going to call at all? Who is your best friend again?" Through his voice, I could hear just how less stressed he sounded. He and Cameron must've been having fun.

"It's you alright, always you, Mase."

He laughs. "Well anyways, since it's Chinese New Years tomorrow, me and Cameron are thinking of doing some sort of celebration. And I know this isn't part of some Chinese New Year stuff, but I've been practicing this one recipe for days. I've finally got it, and let me present to you for dinner tonight, some Crème Brûlée. Yeah, so come over here right now?"

I glanced next to me at Klarise who was still focused on driving, not eavesdropping at all. "Um Mason, actually..." I wait, why tell him Klarise is here now when we're going over there already? That was the thought then, but really I was just too afraid to say it. "Yeah sure, I'm heading over now."

"Alright, and please don't bother to do the red packet thing this year. We're all a family, there is no point." I laughed and he hung off.

Klarise then tilts her head to me when we come to another stop. "Was that him?"

I nod.

"Well, I guess I can't wait to meet him."

She parks the car in the driveway of their house, and when we get out I see her looking around self-consciously. But when she caught me watching, she quickly smiled and we headed over to the door and rang the bell.

The door opens and Mason reveals himself, he had an apron tied around him and his cheeks had flour sprinkled on them, most of it at the tip of his nose. He quickly pulls me into a hug.

"Well Mason, you seem jollier than ever."

He pulls back from the hug, a too big of a smile on his face. "I have so much to tell you. I was really stressed before because of something, but now I think I figured it out, Maeve. Here, come in and I'll tell you all about..." His smile immediately drops, and I look behind me, seeing that Klarise has finally come into view.

There was this moment of whole silence, just Mason staring at her, and her sort of looking at me and glancing at Mason.

"What is taking so long, just let her in already." Cameron comes into the doorway, an apron also tied around him, and his eyes drop on Klarise.