I was sitting in Riley's bedroom window, while she wrapped the gift we had gotten Maya. I looked out and saw Maya coming. "Riley! She's coming!" I told her. Riley quickly rushed over to me and sat beside me. She held out the present. Maya crawled in through the window. "Happy 14, Maya!" Riley and I said in unison. "How's 14?" I asked her, as Riley handed her the present. "Tell us what it's like to be 14, but don't leave anything out." Riley said. "So far it's a lot of work." Maya said, still trying to un-wrap the present.
"Because you know we'll be there soon, and we want to know what we have to look forward to." I said. "Well, if you're like me, you can look forward to your mother forgetting your birthday." Maya said. I looked down, cause I knew about the whole mom forgetting Maya's birthday. "Oh, no she did not!" Riley said, trying to crawl through the window. Maya and I each grabbed a side of the suspenders she was wearing. "Where you goin', honey?" We both asked. "Must talk to your mom." Riley said. "Must not get involved." Maya said. We pulled Riley back down.
"Why do you tell me these things if you don't expect me to fix them?" Riley asked. "When you're 14, you'll understand." Maya said. "I still don't get how our own mother could forget your birthday, Maya," I told her. "I've stopped trying to figure it out. She was already gone when I woke up this morning. She probably just took an early shift at the diner." Maya said. "Rather than be there for your birthday? Nuh-uh" Riley asked. Riley and me this time tried to exit through the window, but Maya stopped us.
"Riles, Dyl, friendship ring." Maya said. "Yeah." Riley and I said. "Three of them." Maya said. "Yeah!" Riley and I cheered. "In case I lose one." Maya said. "No." Riley and I said. We stopped trying to leave and just sat there. "Well, anybody else would have just gotten me one." Maya said. "No." Riley and I said. "Oh, I get it. One for one hand and two for the other," Maya said. "No." We repeated. "I'll never take this off until I die." Maya said, putting on one hand. "You'll probably die before us since you're older." I told her. "Should I tell the people not to take it off your dead corpse body?" Riley offered. "Yeah, would you do that for me?" Maya asked.
"And, Maya, the other rings..." Riley started. "Are for you two." Maya said. I nodded. "Yeah." Riley and I said. We put the rings on. "Oh, no. If you're not there, who's going to tell the people not to take it off my dead corpse body?" Riley asked. "Don't worry, Riley. I will be there. Wait. Who's going to tell the people about my ring?" I asked. Maya giggled and we all shared a group hug. "Happy Birthday, Maya." Riley and I said. "Thanks for not forgetting." Maya said. "No problem. That's what sisters do," I told her. "Oh, yeah, that reminds me." Riley said. She tried to make an exit through the window, but Maya and I held her back.
~~~~
We had just came back from a little birthday brunch and were walking into the Matthews' living room. When we walked in, I thought I saw Shawn, but I wasn't too sure. "Are you really here?" Riley asked. "Yep, I'm here." Shawn replied. "Uncle Shawn!" Riley cheered. Shawn and her shared hug. He turned to me. "Hey," He greeted. "Hiya!" I greeted. We shared a hug. Then he turned to Maya. "Hey there." He greeted her. "Hey." Maya greeted. They then shared a hug.
"It's her birthday. Squeeze her good." Riley told him. "Oh, Happy Birthday, kiddo. You doing something special?" Shawn asked. "This is it." Maya said, still hugging him. They released when the front door opened. In walked Cory and Topanga. Cory was holding a cake, which I'm going to assume is for Maya.
"Honey, hide the cake before Maya gets here." Topanga said. "I know, but you know what we should do? We should bring this cake to Maya's mother just in case she forgot to get her own kid a cake." Cory said. Topanga looked behind Cory, since his back was turned to us. "Oh, you think that could actually happen?" Topanga asked, for Maya's sake. "Honey, I grew up with Shawn Hunter. Remember his mother? She forgot where she lived." Cory said, "See, my biggest worry is that forgetting to give your kid a cake is the first step to forgetting where you live." "Oh, that's not your biggest worry anymore." Topanga told him.
"Maya's behind me, isn't she?" Cory asked, "Why is everybody always behind me?" I stifled a giggle. "Okay, Maya, I'm not going to turn around because I'm all embarrassed, but you know how much I like your mother." Cory said. "I know you do. You always defend her." Maya said. "Now that I think about it when was a time you didn't defend her?" I asked. "Oh, hey Dylan. I defend people. It's just what I do. Because at least your mother is no-" Cory began. "No, everything's fine! Stop talking." Topanga ordered.
"Shawn's mother! What a cuckoo. Ah,it's Tuesday! I better run away!" Cory said, laughing, "You have to laugh, huh, Topanga?" Topanga gave Cory a look. "Nice face." He commented. "You want to turn around or you want me to turn you around?" Topanga asked. "How you doin', Shawn?" Cory asked, figuring out Shawn was here. "Well, it ain't Tuesday, so pretty good." Shawn answered. Cory turned around.
"Shawny!" He shouted. Cory and Shawn shared a bro-hug. "Ah! How you doin', buddy?" Cory asked. "Just here doing a photo essay "Weekends in New York for under $100." It's impossible. Can I stay here?" Shawn answered. "We found him on the couch." I said, cheerfully. "Can we keep him?" Riley asked. "Wait a minute. Who let you in?" Topanga asked. "I have a key." Shawn answered. "You gave him a key?" Topanga asked Cory. "Fine, I'll give you a key." Cory asked. I raised my eyebrows. "You didn't give your own wife a key?" I questioned. "You love me!" Topanga shouted. "I do love you. You have the key to my heart." Cory told her. I resisted the urge to Aw!
Riley, Maya, and I sat next to Shawn on the couch. "So who has the key to your heart?" Riley asked. "Yeah, you ever been in love or what?" Maya asked. "Ever felt like nothing else mattered when you were with this person?" I questioned. "Angela time?" Shawn asked Topanga and Cory. "Seems unavoidable." Topanga told him. "Angela," Riley began. "Spill it." I finished. "Yeah, was she all tortured poet-wanderer?" Maya asked. "You know. A female-you type?" I asked. "You guys want to know how they fell in love?" Cory asked. "He went through her purse." Topanga said. "What?" Riley asked.
"I can explain that." Shawn told us. "Girls, trust us, it was very romantic in high school." Topanga told us. "Going through a woman's purse? That's romantic?" I questioned. "So basically he fell in love with a concept?" Riley asked. "It was doomed from the start." Maya said. "Never let me do that." Riley said. "We would kill it immediately." I reassured her. "That's what best friends are supposed to do." Maya added. "Ring power!" We all shouted, touching our rings together. "Thunder!" Maya shouted. "Lightning!" Riley shouted. "Rain!" I shouted. Shawn pulled our hands back down.
"So where's Angela now?" Riley asked. "I don't know. I tried to make it work." Shawn replied. "But you couldn't commit?" Maya questioned. "No. You know, people have it all wrong about me. I-I was all in. She's the one who left. I got left." Shawn told us. I nodded. "Yeah, we-we get a lot of that too." I told him. "Who's on your list?" Maya asked. "Mother, father, girlfriend." Shawn listed. "Wow. What is it with us?" I asked. Spending time with Shawn reminds me of how much we all have in common. Shawn chuckled. "What is it with us?" Shawn repeated. Riley suddenly stood up.
"Window! Window right now!" Riley shouted. Maya and I stood up. "Not you." Riley said, pointing to Maya. "But it's my birthday." Maya reasoned. "Yeah, I know." Riley said. She turned around and pointed at Topanga. "You." She said. "Really?" Topanga asked. "And you!" Riley shouted, pointing at Cory. "Oh, boy!" Cory cheered. The three Matthews' left to go to Riley's bedroom. "Dylan, you coming?" Riley asked. "Oh! Coming!" I shouted. I ran into Riley's bedroom.
~~~~
We were all now sitting in Riley's window. "Okay, I have heard all of the stories. But tell me the truth, mom. When you guys were our age, was dad really that good at schemes?" Riley asked. "Schemes?" Topanga asked. "You know, rackets, scams, pulling stuff on people, changing their lives." I finished. I still have no idea what Riley was planning. "Cory Matthews was the best there ever was." Topanga said. "Why?" Riley asked. "Well, because when he believes in something, his will is stronger than anybody's." Topanga replied. "I'm retired." Cory told us.
"But what if I believed in something?" Riley asked. Cory turned to Topanga. "Your move." Topanga told her husband. "Riley, you want to pull me back in the game, then this has to be monumental. A scheme of schemes. Schemetata de schemetata." Cory said. "Is he just making this stuff up?" I questioned. "Yep," Topanga answered. "A scheme that makes the angels sing. Otherwise, I'm out forever. You hear me?!" Cory said, "Now you've got one minute, Riley. Wow me."
"I want Shawn to be Maya's and Dylan's dad." Riley said. My eyes widened as I turned to her. "Wow." Cory said. "Wow, in deed," I said, still in shock.
"Riley, you can't just want Shawn to be Maya's and Dylan's father. Your dad can't possibly make that happen." Topanga said, "Can you?" "Tough one. It's the stuff legends are made of. But if we can pull it off, it would make the angels sing." Cory said. "Could you stop with the whole angel singing stuff?" I asked. Cory shook his head.
"I want to do this with you, dad. Teach me. I want to do it for Maya and Dylan," Riley said. "Riley, I appreciate the thought, but. It's not going to happen. Just-Just don't want you to get your hopes up. Okay?" I told her. "But if there is anyone in the world who has a chance of pulling this off, it's him." Topanga added. "Well, the best master plan involves how well we know our two subjects." Cory said. Riley and I held up our hands. "We got rings." We said in unison. "So do we." Cory said.
Topanga held up her hand. "Shawn gave me mine when I was 25 years old. Your mother won't let me wear it." Cory said. I giggled.
"Okay, so the next step in our plan is we need a cutting-edge tech guy." Cory said. "Ladies!" We heard Farkle say from the window beside me. "Farkle!" We all cheered. "Want to see my new computer watch?" Farkle asked. He held up his wrist which had his watch on it. "Sure, it looks like an old calculator watch, but I updated the hard drive and added an interesting new feature." Farkle said. His watch beeped. "Riley is within five feet of you." Riley's voice said through the watch. "Hey, that's my voice." Riley said. "Yeah, I've been recording it for years. But don't worry, I would never take advantage of it." Farkle said. "Well. I'm glad it's not-" I started, but stopped when I heard the watch beep. "I love you, Farkle." My voice said through the watch. "Okay, don't make me take that away from you," I warned him.
"Well, I guess we found our tech guy." Cory said. "So the team's complete." Riley said. "Not quite yet, Riley. See, the best master plan usually involves a distraction." Cory told her, "And usually it comes in the form of a pretty face." "Oh, you guys." Topanga said, thinking Cory was talking about her. "Hi, everybody." Lucas said, popping up in the window beside Topanga. Topanga took a good look at Lucas. "Yeah, okay." She said. "That's how you think of me?" Lucas asked, slightly offended. "A lot of the time, yeah." Riley said. "Not really," I said. I did not know if I was lying or not. "Okay." Lucas said. We all then talked about our plan.
~~~~~
We finished talking about the plan in 10 minutes. But just stayed in Riley's room. When we walked in Maya stood up. "Where have you been? It's my birthday. And when did you guys show up?" Maya questioned, "You've all been in there talking for the past hour?" "Actually, we said what we needed to say in 10 minutes." I admitted. "Looks like you two have been talking for the past hour, though." Riley said. "Yeah, well, you wouldn't let us in your room, so it's like you trapped us out here." Maya said. "Uh-huh." I said. "So of course we've been talking for the past hour." Maya told us.
"Actually, according to my watch, it's only been..." Farkle said. His watch beeped. "Maya is within five feet of you." Maya's voice said through the watch. Maya glared at Farkle and walked closer to him. "Danger! Danger!" The watch shouted. Maya took the watch, threw it on the floor, and stomped on it. Farkle pulled out another watch. "I love you, Farkle." Maya's voice said through the watch. "Yeah, okay." Farkle said.
"Riley, Dylan, I thought we were doing something for my birthday." Maya said. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure something's going to happen." Riley said. "Something really interesting," I added. Shawn then started to talk to Riley's parents.
"You two, window!" Shawn shouted at the parents. "Us?" Topanga asked. "Whatever for?" Cory asked. "You four," Maya said, pointing to the four of us. "Us?" We all asked in unison. "Window now." Maya ordered.
~~~~
We were sitting in Riley's room and Lucas was playing with some rope. "You want to see a rope trick?" Lucas asked Maya. "Maya, it's important that you know that what we're about to do to you is for your own good." Riley told my sister. Farkle's watch beeped. "Maya, it's important that you know that what we're about to do to you is for your own good." Riley's voice said through the watch. "Farkle." I hissed. "I'm the wonk!" Farkle cheered.
"Okay, I get it. Now what is so important?" Maya asked. "You want to see a rope trick?" Lucas repeated, swinging his rope. "Will you stop distracting me with that? It's not like I actually believed you're a real cowboy." Maya told him. "Yeah, 'cause if I was, then I could do this." Lucas said. The next thing I know Lucas was tying Maya up. "Why did you tie me up?" Maya asked.
"Oh, Shawn's going to meet our mother," I told Maya. She growled. "Why would you want him to meet my mother? My mother drives men away. This will end up just like my father, Riley, Dylan! Shawn will run for the hills!" Maya told us. "Run for the hills? Who says run for the hills?" Riley questioned. Maya growled. I jumped up. "Run for the hills!" I shouted. We all, except for Maya, ran out of the windows.
~~~
Riley, Cory and I were sitting at a booth at the diner my mom worked at. We were waiting for Shawn. And to hide ourselves from my mother, we were using menus to block our faces. Finally Shawn showed up. He walked over to my mom who was behind the counter.
"Katy?" Shawn asked. "That's what it says right here. Yeah?" Mom said. "Hi." Shawn greeted. "Hi. What'll it be?" Mom asked. "Oh, me? I'll have some birthday cake." Shawn told her. "What?" Mom asked, confused. "What kind of mom are you, Katy?" Shawn asked her. "What? Hey, unless your business with me is tuna melt, meatloaf, or pie, you can walk your nosy little butt right out of here." Mom said, "Who are you, buddy?"
"My name's Shawn Hunter." Shawn introduced himself. "Whoa." Mom said. "What do you mean, whoa?" Shawn asked. "You're the guy Maya and Dylan don't stop talking about, the Matthews' friend. You guys all went on a family weekend together." Mom answered. I looked down in embarrassment but then back up. "They had a really good time and I appreciate it. Thank you very much." Mom told him. "You're welcome." Shawn said. "And if you ever question my motherhood again, I will smash a plate over your head." Mom threatened.
"You know what, lady? You already don't like me, so I'm just going to keep talking, okay? Today is Maya's birthday. What are you doing here since first thing this morning?" Shawn asked. "You're right. I don't like you at all." Mom told him. I bit my tongue to stop myself from laughing.
The two Matthews and I lowered our menus. "Show's over." Riley said in disappointment. "That went better than I thought it would," I stated. "Let's move." Cory said. We put the menus in front of our faces and walked out with them.
~~~~
Riley and I walked into Riley's room to find it a mess. "Whoa." I mumbled. Riley and I sat down next to Maya who was still tied up. "Maya, we tried. It didn't work." Riley told her. "Riley, Dyl, I told you, some things can't be fixed. She does this. She makes men leave. Shawn's probably in Mexico by now. Why did you do this?" Maya told us.
"You're angry at us," I said. "I am." Maya stated. "How about now?" Riley asked. "Right now I'm kind of, like, furious." Maya said. "Should we untie you then?" Riley asked. "I wouldn't." Maya warned us. I didn't listen to Maya and untied her. She stood up and wiggled out of the rope. She sat back down. "If you want to give us back the friendship ring, we'll understand." Riley said. I nodded. "I am never giving this friendship ring back as long as I live." Maya said, holding up her hand. "Wow, you said kind of a nice thing in a really mean voice." Riley told her. "Impressive," I said.
"Dylan, Riley, people only get upset with each other when what they're talking about is important to them." Maya told us. "Huh. Then maybe there's still hope." Riley said. "I don't believe it," I told Riley. "Thank you for untying me." Maya thanked/ "Are you still angry at us?" I asked. "I'll think about it." Maya said, "Yes!" Maya then shoved Riley and I onto Riley's messed up bed. "So do you two want to sleep over?" Riley asked.
~~~~
"We just wanted to give you a birthday you'd never forget, Maya." Topanga told her. "You're my sister. You've done a lot for me. I wanted to do something special for you," I told her. "I know and I appreciate it." Maya said. She and I shared a side-hug. "Some things are just impossible." Maya said. "I used to not believe that." Cory told us. "I still don't." Riley said. The front door opened and in walked Shawn and mom.
"Happy Birthday. Everything you two think is wrong." Shawn said. "I asked you not to tell them. Why would you do this?" Katy said to Shawn. "Because they deserves to love the parent who stayed." Shawn said. "What?" Maya asked. "Come again," I said. "Your mother had nothing to do with your father leaving, Maya. All right? All this time she's just been protecting him for you. And for you too, Dylan," Shawn told us.
Maya and I turned to mom. "Mom? You got left?" We questioned her. "I'm sorry." Mom said. "She's one of us." Shawn told us. Maya and I walked over to mom and gave her a hug. "I couldn't afford to get you what you wanted without working a couple extra shifts, but I got it, honey. Shawn helped me." Katy said. "A locket?" I asked. I knew Maya had wanted a locket for her birthday. She has been talking about it for like 2 months. "Yeah," Mom replied. "Where is it?" Maya asked.
"It's in my purse." Mom replied. "I'll get it." Shawn said. "You can't go through my purse." Mom told him. Maya, Riley, and I shared a look. "Let him," We told her. Shawn reached into mom's purse and pulled out the locket. He handed it to mom. Mom put the locket around Maya's neck. I helped a little. Shawn then pulled out a camera. Maya and I stood in front of mom, and she was standing in between us. We smiled for the camera, as Shawn took the picture.
~~
"Did you see what I did there, Cor? I got Maya, Dylan and their mother together." Shawn said. "Yeah. You did great, Shawn." Cory told him. "Well, I'd be happy to include you in my next scheme." Shawn told him. "Sorry, buddy. I got me a new partner now." Cory said, wrapping an arm around Riley. "So you're with her now, huh?" Shawn asked. "Me and her. You're on your own." Cory told him.
"Come on! What fun is pulling off schemes by yourself?" Shawn asked, as he walked towards Maya and I. "Oh, it's you and us now?" Maya asked him. "Well, hey, I'm in the market for some new partners in crime." Shawn said, putting an arm around Maya an I. "Yeah, all right, we'll try you out and see how you do. Shawny," I told him. "Cake time." Topanga announced. Mom walked over to Maya with the pink cake in her hands. Shawn and I stood up. We stood on either side of mom.
"Happy Birthday, baby girl. Make a wish." Mom said. Maya looked up at Shawn, mom, and I. A smile appeared on her face. She leaned forward and blew out the candles on her cake.
~~~~
"Wow. You're right. I can hardly move." Riley told Maya. "I see why you were kind of furious at us," I said. Maya had tied Riley and me up and we were sitting in Riley's window. "And I can see why you wanted to tie us up too, so we could share your experience." Riley said. "We understand that you want us to share every experience because we're friends, with friendship rings!" I cheered. Maya held her hand up. "Maya, could you at least say one word to us?" Riley asked.
"Good night." Maya said. She walked out of the window. "My nose itches." Riley said. Maya scratched her nose. "Thank you. Happy Birthday." Riley told Maya. "Oh! Maya tell mom I'll be late coming home," I told my sister.