NOTHING BUT A BAD TASTE. (✓)

19. HORIZON

( unedited )

MAYA WAS DESPERATE TO FORGET her betrayal, as her brain was burdened with the fact that she had danced with the devil. For thirty gruelling long seconds. She was not best pleased with herself knowing that this was the only thing she had asked of Ebén — not to betray her trust, when she had inadvertently betrayed his. She was lumbered with bags and bags of guilt, wondering how on each she would part with the truth and let it leave her lips.

She could be honest and explain the mechanics of their kiss but Ebén was not an even-tempered man. He was a hothead naturally and fiercely protective of Maya, especially when the subject was Reuben. Maybe she could forget it happened at all, but then she would be just as worse as Reuben — something she vowed she never wanted to become.

It was never her intention for their ambush to be anything but a frosty affair, but a moment — one of weakness had caused all this.

She walked into The Ivy; a boutique brunch hotspot for London's elite, carrying the weight of her world on her broken shoulders. The only thing that Maya wanted in this very moment was to hide. Hide from the people that poked fun in her misery and gossiped about her personal pitfalls as though it was a dinner table topic designed to 'break the ice.' She was a real, imperfect person who lived and battled her own scars day to day, not just the fiancée of a global star. It was one of the only detriments Maya had to being tied to Ebén. She lost the anonymity that she loved and could no longer blend into a crowd full of people like she previously could. It had been something that she was willing to forfeit, especially for his love; she just didn't think she would lose it so quick.

Maya winced silently to herself, she could smell that trouble was afoot and was sure Ebén could smell it too... wherever he was.

Her mint-green Valentino coat streamed behind her, her bump obscured by the placement of her hands. Without hesitation, her distracted hazel-green eyes warmed to the soft blue of the male host, as he greeted her, like an ordinary server would.

"Mrs. Cástro... good afternoon" There was a lightness to him in contrast to the grey overcast present within Maya, who seemed to struggle with balance.

She took an inconspicuous glance at his gold name badge that read his name, "Hi Harry. And call me... Maya please. There's no need to be so formal." She was not Ebén's missus yet, and neither was she sure that Ebén would still be on course to marry her if he was to know of her illicit, adulterous kiss. There was no gesture that she could perform that would lessen the blow, or nothing that she could even say that could make it sound less than it seemed.

She was about to be in deep water.

"It's lovely to see you again... Maya" said Harry with difficulty as being on a first-name basis with a patron as famous as Maya was filled him with an insurmountable amount of dread. The Ivy prided itself on its stellar service and there was nothing stellar about this exchange. There was a brief silence of seconds; and in those seconds — Harry's eyes of riveting ocean blue seemed to be bewitched by Maya's soft hazel green. There was a calmness to it, contrary to her own private life.

"I've... always loved this place," Maya replied back in a restive husk, everything about her body language screamed 'disengaged' whilst her brain remained overactive replaying the kiss over and over.

How was she going to explain it? Could she even trust herself to find the words when put on the spot?

"This place loves you." He immediately cleared his throat — not allowing his words to settle, "Can I take your coat... before I show you to your seat?" At the sound of the word take, Maya instinctively reached for the lapels of her coat, crossing it over her body and not wanting to part with her secret. Yet.

"I'd like to keep my coat... if you don't mind" said Maya, almost immediately, her eyes sizing his.

"Of course" said Harry in a cordial tone with a service-friendly smile, "Please follow me." And that she did, her strut into The Ivy was pensive and unassured, which was unlike her. Whispers were already swirling even before other patrons got a proper glimpse of her (and not because of an immoral kiss with a certain someone) but because of who she was and whose she was.

Blaze's eyes perked up at the sight of Maya, noticing her slight pregnant waddle as she let Harry lead the way. The table Blaze chose was designed to hide Maya in plain sight but the walk to the said table was the equivalent of doing a walk of shame — something Maya hadn't done for years.

"Mrs. Cástro has finally decided to grace us with her presence!" Blaze trumpeted, causing both Eve and Rhodes' eyes to lift up from their menus and onto Maya. Her eyes of shimmery hazel green no longer held its magnetic pull and the natural shine to her skin seemed to dull. Instead, she looked grey and distant — and it was hard not to notice.

"Hi guys." Maya managed to squeak a reply out; clutching onto her Jacquemus bag so tight — the stitching started to make impressions on her palms.

Rhodes raised his beer glass so that it was level with his right eye and winked, his very own way of saying hi whilst Eve in her own amorous French drawl, said, "Hey love. You look really well."

"Thank you," Maya's lips curved into a pained smile; she was exerting so much of energy having to pretend that her marital home wasn't on fire. The rumour was bound to blaze ferociously and in a world full of illicit affairs and huge sums of money; there was no such thing as keeping a secret.

"It must be all that... newly wedded sex, hm? It does wonders for the skin." Blaze jibed, her gaze centred on Maya's colourless eyes.

"Somethin' like that." 

Maya finally parted with her coat; setting it on the back of her chair before taking her seat to face the eyes that were gesturing at her. "Harry," she whispered to him, gently stashing a couple folded notes into his palm, "Here. Thank you."

"No, thank you." Harry gleamed; now a couple thousands pounds richer as he took his leave.

Drinks were aplenty on the table; some full glasses, some half full and others empty. Eve, Rhodes and Blaze were already on a boozy wave; having started a couple hours before. If not for the gift of new life that was currently being birthed inside her, Maya without any reservations, would have joined them.

"What you feenin' to drink?" asked Blaze, her head almost sucked into her wine glass as she swirled it.

"I'm just gonna get... a glass of bottled water." Maya's eyes flocked to her phone after noticing its buzzing.

One missed call from Ebén.

The little colour left in her colourless face had been completely wiped out; as she felt a cold shiver slam through her. It made her shoulders sink low and her heart rap hard. He knows. He knows. He knows — she chanted in a whisper to herself.

"Water?" Rhodes was bemused at her drink of choice when he had known her to like the heavy stuff. Eve quietly nudged Rhodes to leave whatever questions he had at the door but Maya could no longer be this book of secrets and she needed to tell.

"I'm pregnant, Rhodes."

"Oh, congratulations! I'm happy for you bo—"

"And... I kissed Reuben." She blurted. Just as those three words departed from Maya's mouth, reflected back at her were the faces of plain, unedited shock.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

I think it's been three or so months since I wrote the last chapter and for that, I'm sorry. Life has just been really crazy but enough of all that, hope you enjoy this chapter :)