Troubled Child

She's Better Off Without Me

Lucas opened the door for the two laughing teenagers. They rushed past him because he froze, his hand still on the doorknob behind him. His feet refused to move as the air left his lungs. He stared at her with wide unblinking eyes.

"Hey, you okay?" He could see blue eyes staring at him, but he could barely hear the words coming out of her mouth. "Dad?"

Hearing his daughter actually call him Dad snapped him out of it and he finally let go of the door. It closed behind him and he took a step forward. "M-Maya?"

Emily was looking at her teacher slash father with concerned eyes, but when she heard him breathe out her mother's name she turned. Her big blue eyes locked on the blonde woman sitting across from Riley. She took a deep breath and let it out slow. "Y-You're Maya?"

The woman set down her mug and looked at the young girl. She nodded. "I was told you were going to Farkle's house." She said then she glared at Riley. "Tricky."

Riley shrugged innocently.

"You told me to bring them over here today." Lucas said slowly approaching the women at the table. "You said that Farkle and Smackle had to work late tonight."

Riley shrugged again and sipped her tea. "Did I get the wrong day?"

"You did this on purpose." Maya snapped. "You made them come here the same time you made me agree to meet with you." Maya sighed. "You set me up."

Riley sighed. "Maya, you wanted to meet her and she wants to meet you. I knew you were scared to set it up, so I set it up." She smiled.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Lucas said through clenched teeth. "I can understand tricking Maya, but me? You don't give me any kind of head's up and just let me walk in not knowing?!" He yelled.

"Lucas-"

"I've waited years to see Maya again! I gave up when it seemed like all hope was lost, but Farkle found her and you bring her here without telling me?!" He scoffed.

Riley stood up from the table and walked over to him. "Lucas, I understand that you're upset, but this was the only way I could think to get Maya here. She's here now! You can talk to her!"

Lucas shook his head and stepped away from Riley. "You gave me no time to prepare. No warning. You just surprise me like this?!" He snapped at her. "I don't know what to say to her and- and I don't want to talk to her!" Lucas yelled.

He started walking towards the door when it heard it a second time. His daughter calling him Dad, calling out for him to stay, staring at him with big blue eyes that were begging him not to leave. That was all it took for him to turn around. He stood by the door letting her know he wouldn't leave, but letting Maya know that he wanted to, that he was angry with her for not telling him.

Holly frowned and walked up to the older blonde sitting at the table. "Why did you give her up?"

Emily gasped and choked on her own air. The question she wanted to ask for years was finally going to get answered, but since she couldn't ask it her best friend did.

The woman looked over at Holly and smiled. "Farkle and Smackle's daughter, right?" She asked.

Holly nodded. "Yeah. Why did you give your daughter up?" She asked again being more specific so Maya couldn't avoid the question.

Maya looked down at her hands on the table and shook her head. She sighed letting her eyes close. "I didn't." She swallowed and looked up at Holly again. "I asked my mother to save her life and that's what my mother did."

"Giving her up saved her life?" Holly asked innocently.

Maya shook her head. "No. But at the time we didn't think she would have a mother and giving her up for adoption seemed like it would be for the best." She swallowed again, fighting back her tears.

"But you're her mother."

Maya nodded. "Yes, but I was-" She cut herself off and looked over at Riley. Riley wanted to know everything, but Maya sat there in silence avoiding her questions and drinking tea. Now that a child was asking Maya felt compelled to answer and that meant Riley would find out. She took a deep breath. "But I was dying." Maya whispered.

Riley's jaw dropped in shock.

Emily frowned and looked away.

Lucas could only stare.

"You were dying?" Holly asked. She moved to the chair Riley was previously in and sat down. "How Come? What happened?"

Maya sucked in a breath. "A car accident when I was eight months pregnant. At the time they said they could only save one of us. I chose her." Maya looked over at Emily the same time Emily looked back over at her mother. "I told my mother to save her. I think it was the hardest thing my mother ever did." Maya looked down at the red striped mug in front of her. "They saved her, she was premature, but she survived." Maya let some tears slip out. "My little fighter." She choked out.

Lucas felt a lump forming in his throat. He felt this pull towards Maya, he just wanted to hold her, but looking at his daughter stopped him. Instead he walked closer to his little girl and gently placed his hand on her shoulder to offer her comfort and support.

"My mother signed the paperwork so she would have a good home." Maya took a deep breath. "By some miracle I survived, but when I woke up it had already been six months. I asked my mom and she said they already took her, my little Emily. My mom said she made sure that they would give her my locket." She looked over at her daughter and smiled with tears in her eyes. "I'm glad they did." She slowly stood up from the table and grabbed her purse hanging off the back of the chair. "I'm glad you found Riley and your father." She told Emily.

"Maya, don't leave." Riley said. She could tell Maya was getting up to walk out of the apartment.

"I'm sorry." Maya shook her head. She pulled something out of her purse and clicked it together. "She's better off without me. I have to go. Take care of her." She said as she slowly walked to the door avoiding Lucas on her way.

Lucas let go of his daughter and spun around. "You have a cane?"

Maya glanced back over her shoulder. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." She sighed and walked out of the apartment.

Lucas took a shaky breath, then he shook his head. He turned to face his daughter. "Emily, stay with Aunt Riley. I can't- I can't lose her again." He sighed before running out the door after her.