This is Fire

A THANK YOU

MASON POV

The delightful coffee shop that I still have the privilege to work at, has become a sanctuary of calmness. The lunch rush or the rude customers don't disturb how I feel when I'm bringing orders or even sometimes making the orders. My manager has been delightful, hell he asked if there's anything more, he could do to make sure he could support me. The best thing that had happened though, was a surprise waiting for me on my first day. My homeless friend Chris worked here, apparently my sister had pulled a few more strings and secured both of us a job. This is something I'm yet to thank her for.

Chris no longer lives on the streets, in fact he has been looking for a roommate and without Jack, I might have him move in. I just don't know how to thank my sister, how am I meant to thank someone that I've purposefully asked space from. The one I asked to steer clear of me. With that thought and finding myself on my lunch break I reach out to Carina.

ME: How am I meant to thank Maya for what she's done with work and Chris?

SISTER IN LAW: Just say thank you, you know your sister. She doesn't need anything too crazy.

ME: But surely I should do something big. People do things in big ways when they thank others. But how do I do that?

SISTER IN LAW: What is with the Bishops and not understanding social cues? Just say thank you and get her some candy, she'll be more than happy with it.

I chuckle at Carina's message. It is true, we've never really had the people around us to teach us how to act towards different people and in different situations. Others make it look so easy to do the most basic thing, I still struggle to order food on a menu or call someone that I've literally been friends with for a year or more.

-

With work finished a few hours ago, I found myself with a small bag of different candy for Maya. My hand was shaking as I brought it up to their front door, all I had to do was knock and pass the candy over. My body was reacting as if I was disarming a bomb, I'd be useless in that situation.

"Are you going to keep standing outside with your hand up?" a voice brings me out of my thoughts as I turn and see Maya walking towards her front door, she wasn't even home yet.

"How long have you been standing there?" I inquire and she chuckles slightly and moves towards her door with her keys in hand.

"Why don't you come inside, and we can talk about whatever this is" she advices and I simply nod. Great Mase, suddenly you don't have words. Following her into her apartment, I can see how much it has changed. It looks like a home despite the boxes piling high in the living room.

"I wanted to thank you for giving me my job back and for helping Chris out" I announce after taking some deep breaths, I don't understand where the nerves have come from.

"Oh, it's alright Mase. You didn't have to come all the way here to tell me that. You could have shot me a message" She downplays what she did which in turn also makes me feel stupid for going through the effort of trying to remember what candy she liked.

"I've got you some candy as a thank you, anyway." I share and turn to walk out the door but I stop myself and for some reason ask Maya a question.

"Would you ever go to therapy with me? Like to talk about family and sort this out?" I asked and a panicked expression grew on both of our faces as we realised what therapy could do for us in both a positive way but mostly a negative way.

"We could if you want to. We're doing this by your words so when you're ready we can talk about it" Maya says quietly as she starts to busy herself, obviously not wanting to bring too much attention to the tension in the air.

"Is that Mase that I hear?" A happy voice pulls us away from the quietness.

"It may be" I say in a cheerful tone, and I feel arms wrap around me for mere seconds before Carina walked over to Maya and pulled her into a tight hug and a small passionate kiss, leaving Maya with a large smile on her face. I can't help but smile at her happiness.

"I'm gonna go but thank you again" I mutter and leave the apartment, already knowing that the two women are in their own trance when they're together.

CARINA POV
"Ah so he did come over and thank you then" I say, and Maya looks somewhat confused for a second.

"Yeah, he gave me candy, so I don't think I'll be sleeping tonight" she says with a mischievous look in her eye.

"Am I going to have to hide this candy like I hide all the other candy?" I question and shock takes over her face suddenly.

"Wait, where's the other candy? We have other candy?" she starts to question while looking around the apartment.

"Maya let's get through that candy first" I warn her but it only inspires her to pull things out and check behind things in the kitchen, in my kitchen.

"But if I have all the candy, I can eat all the candy" she says in the ultimate childlike voice, her big blue glistening eyes boring into my skull as I weigh up my options. Do I give her the candy?