Maya POV
Valentines Day fell on a Tuesday this year and even though I wouldn't be able to see Lucas on the day of I still wanted to celebrate the holiday with him. I had already bought my plane tickets with saved up babysitting money so that I could fly out and see Lucas. I missed him so much. It's been almost a month since I had seen him. Topanga gave us an update the other day saying she is still working on it and is confident she'll get him off probation. I didn't want to get too excited though because what if he didn't? That means I'd have to go through another 4 months of this. Mom was sitting on the sofa when I walked in after a night of babysitting. She usually waits up for me to make sure I get home okay. I walked over and sat beside her . She put her arm around me and gave me a kiss on the forehead.
"How are you doing baby girl?" she asked me.
"I'm okay. Excited to see Lucas this weekend but at the same dreading the fact that it will eventually come to an end after only 4 days with him." I sighed.
"You can't think that way Maya otherwise it will ruin the whole trip. Topanga is saying she's really close to getting him off probation. Have faith in her." she said with a smile.
I lifted my head up and looked at my mom. I really needed to talk to her about something. "Mom, can I talk to you?"
She brushed a strand of hair out of my face and smiled "You can talk to me about anything."
"How do you know you are ready to go all the way for the first time?" I asked and she looked at me with a smile.
"Maya, you'll know when you are ready to take that step. It happens naturally but it's one of those things where you will just know it's the right time."
"But how though?" I curiously asked.
"Well, because you just will. It's just a being in the moment kind of thing." she replied. "Why? Are you thinking about doing that with Lucas?"
"We have talked about it. The farthest we have ever gone is making out."
"Just be careful, Maya. Make sure you take the proper precautions if you ever do take that step." my mom replied with a smile.
"I know Mom. You don't have to worry about it. After Lucas and I talked about it I decided to get myself on the pill." I said with a smile.
"I'm proud of you Maya. You are growing up before my eyes." she said and then hugged me.
"Thanks for talking with me Mom. I'm glad that I can talk to you about anything and it not be awkward. Most kids don't have that."
Mom and I talked for a little while longer and then I went off to bed. I had a lot to do tomorrow before I left for Texas on Thursday. I was going to miss school again but I didn't care. I had been doing really good and haven't missed a lot of days at all. I was also holding up good grades so I wasn't concerned about school and at this point I didn't care. I needed to see Lucas. I was missing him so badly. I have slept in his clothes every single night since he left. I picked up my phone off the bedside table and sent him a text.
"Hey, handsome Cowboy. I just wanted to text you before I go to bed to tell you that I love and miss you." - Maya
"Good night my blonde beauty. Get some rest. I love and miss you too. :) " -Lucas
I smiled widely at my cell phone. I loved hearing from him as it made me so happy. I placed my cell phone back on the table then got into bed. It didn't take me too long to fall asleep. The next day went by so slowly but I just kept telling myself that I get to see Lucas tomorrow and that I can get through it. After school I picked up McKenzie and we ran on a few errands together. She knew I was leaving for Texas tomorrow to see her brother. I promised her that we could make him something so I bought some art supplies for he to make a craft for him. She wanted me to draw him a picture of a horse in a field with a rainbow and sunshine behind. I drew it but in a way that she could color it in just like a coloring book.
"Maya?" she said and I looked up from the homework I was doing.
"Whats up Kenzie?" I asked her.
"Can I come with you to see Lucas?" asked me and I couldn't help but feel so bad.
"I'm sorry Kenzie but I already bought my plane tickets. Maybe next time you can come with me okay?" I smiled sadly.
"Can't you just sneak me in your suitcase?" she asked and I giggled in response.
"You know I can't do that. I'll tell you what, though I will FaceTime with Riley tomorrow so that you can talk to Lucas." I replied. "Does that sound good?"
"Yes, that sounds good." she replied. "When do you think he will be home Maya?"
"I don't know babe but I hope it's really soon." I answered. "You know I miss him too."
"Sometimes I get so mad at Lucas." she huffed.
"Why is that?" I asked confused.
"Because he doesn't want to be home." she said angrily.
"McKenzie!" I exclaimed. I was in shock by her anger. She looked at me with an upset expression on her face.
"What? It's true. Lukey doesn't want to be here. If he did he would just live with us." she pouted. "I don't believe Mommy one bit."
I stood up from the table and walked over to where McKenzie was sitting. I picked her up and carried her over to the couch so that I could talk to her. She looked at me and I could tell she was still really upset. I had never seen McKenzie like this before and one thing was for sure I needed to set her straight.
"McKenzie, your brother wants to be here more than anything in this world." I said to her as I pulled the hair out of her face. She had her arms across her chest.
"Maya, he could live with us but he won't. " she replied and I could tell she was getting angry again.
"McKenzie, I want you to listen to me." I said and tilted her chin up so she was looking at me. "You are to little to understand everything but I promise you Lucas wants nothing more than to be here with me, you, and Mommy. It's not his choice. He can't be here."
"I don't know if I believe that Maya." she said and then got up off my lap before running into her room slamming the door behind her. I sighed feeling a bit defeated. It was then that I decided I was going to have to call Lucas and get him to talk to her. I picked up McKenzie's iPad and walked towards her room with it. I opened the door and walked in. She was sitting on her bed looking out the window as she hugged her teddy bear tightly against her chest.
"Kenzie, if you don't believe me then maybe you will believe Lucas. I'm going to call him but you are not to say anything about me coming to Texas tomorrow as it's supposed to be surprise or I will not FaceTime with you tomorrow. Got it?" I replied and she nodded. "Okay good. I'll be right back."
I walked back out to the kitchen to grab my cell phone. I decided rather than FaceTime him right away I would call him first to make sure he wasn't busy. I wanted to explain to him what had just happened. He picked up after the first couple of rings.
"Hello gorgeous girl." he greeted.
"Hey there handsome. I know this is usually a lot earlier than we talk but are you busy right now?" I asked.
"Nope not at all, Is everything okay?" he asked and I could tell by his tone he was worried.
"Not really. I think you need to talk to McKenzie." I replied.
"Why what's going on?" he answered.
"She is really angry with you." I replied and he didn't reply right away.
"With me? Why?" he asked.
"Well she thinks you are choosing to not be here and she's mad." I replied.
"Oh boy. Did you try to explain it to her or anything?"
"I did. She got angry and stormed off. She won't believe me and that's why I called you. She is currently in her room. Can you FaceTime?" I replied. "I think if it comes from you she will believe it. Apparently she does not believe your mom either."
"Yes, of course." he responded. "I'm so glad that you called me."
Lucas and I hung up and then I called him back via FaceTime on the iPad. Once connected he couldn't help himself and just had to comment real quick about how hot I looked. I blushed and rolled my eyes at him. I walked off to McKenzie's room and she was still sitting on her bed with an angry look on her face.
"Lucas wants to talk to you." I replied as I held out the iPad in her direction.
"I decided that I don't know if I want to." she replied and that's when Lucas spoke up in a tone I had never heard him speak to her.
"McKenzie Nicole you best take that iPad or I will call Mom and tell her how you are being with Maya." he said in a very stern voice. She looked over at me and held her hand out.
"Okay." was all she said and I have to admit I was impressed.
"Look at me." he said to her but she kept looking out the window. "Look at me now."
"What?" she mumbled.
"You're going to change your attitude and you are going to change it quick. Maya and Mommy are not lying to you. I want to be there so badly. If could be there right now I would hop on plane right now no matter what time it was and I would be there."
"But I miss you and you won't come home." she replied and she was crying now.
I walked over and crawled into bed with her, pulling her into my lap. I saw Lucas sigh.
"Kenzie, I'm not allowed to come home. It's a lot for you to understand but I'm only allowed to come out for Holidays and without getting into anything that would be too confusing for you, it's because its only for a few days. I know this is very confusing for you but it's the truth. I want to be home with you, Maya, and Mom so badly but I just can't. But this isn't going to be forever. As soon as I'm allowed to come back home I will be on the first flight out."
She wiped the tears from her eyes, "Do you promise?" she asked him.
"I promise. You more than anyone know that I don't break promises." I gave him a questionable look and he noticed it right away. "Let me rephrase that. What I meant to say is that you and Maya know more than anyone that I don't break any promise that I make."
"Much better" I replied with a grin.
"Okay, I believe you." she sniffled.
"Good. Now you need to apologize to Maya for not believing her. She loves you and would never ever lie to you." he replied.
McKenzie turned around to look at me, wrapping her arms tightly around my neck. "I'm sorry for getting mad and not believing you Maya."
"It's okay, kiddo." I replied hugging her back.
"That's much better." Lucas replied. "I expect you to treat Maya with respect from here on out otherwise it won't be Mom that you'll be in trouble with. Are we understood"
Kenzie nodded "Understood." She said simply then looked up at me. "Can I go color now Maya?"
"Of course. Go ahead I'll be out in a minute." I repleid and she crawled off my lap..
"Bye Lukey. I love you." she said blowing him a kiss before disappearing through the door.
I picked up the iPad and once she was out of ear shot not and no longer in my distance I looked at Lucas. "I'm impressed, Huckleberry."
"With what?" he asked confused.
"With the way you handled that entire situation. You really got through to her." I replied. "You're going to make a great dad someday."
"Thank you. She has no male authority figure in her life and has always listened to me when I got stern with her if she would act up for Mom. I honestly think that's why she bonded with you so much. I don't think I ever told you but Kenzie's dad was killed in a car accident before she was born and never got to meet her. I was 11 years old when she was born."
"Oh my god that is so sad." I replied in shock
"Yeah, that's why she is having such a hard time with me being gone. She idolizes me and I always told her I know that she doesn't have a Daddy but she has a big brother that will be even better than a Daddy."
"Oh my god Lucas you are going to make me cry. I had no idea." I replied trying to not tear up.
Lucas and I didn't talk very long because he had to go out and do chores around the farm. I went out and joined Kenzie in the kitchen. She was like a whole different person after talking to her bother and now I understood why she missed him so much more. I couldn't wait to see him tomorrow.