When Worlds Collide

The Confrontation

Her therapy session with Diane had been emotionally charged and as Maya was turning on to her street she was struggling to put all those emotions into focus-and she felt like she was failing miserably.  She hadn't been on the hormones since she was in the hospital but the residual effects were still popping up.  Coupled with recovering from the crush injury, the anxiety of everything surrounding her brother and her concerns about the mysterious car that had been watching her wife, Maya felt like she needed to go for a good long run to clear her head and put everything into perspective.
To her shocking surprise, she saw Mason sitting on the curb in front of her house.  Pulling into the driveway, Maya turned her SUV off and got out as she stared at her brother.
"Mason, what are you doing here?"
"I heard you've been looking for me Maya...so here I am."
"Why are you stalking me?"
"You're pretty full of yourself Maya, but then again, you've always been all about yourself and fuck anyone else who gets in your way, right?"
"What are you talking about? I've never treated you that way."
"Right, you just never stood up to Dad when he shit all over me, because that would have meant he wasn't focusing everything on you and your Olympian dream."
"Mason, what has happened to you? Why are you so hateful? This isn't the brother I grew up with."
"Surprising isn't it?  Then you can imagine how surprised I was to find out my sister's a fucking dyke."
Maya blinked and stared at her brother.  She'd encountered homophobia before, but to hear the venom coming from the only other person she'd ever said the words 'I love you' to-her heart suddenly felt incredibly heavy inside her chest.
"Mason, I-"
"Save it.  There's nothing you could say that would change my mind.  Your kind are destroying the fabric of this country.  And you disgust me."
"I disgust you? That's fucking rich coming from a man child who hides behind a mask and taunts innocent people and children at a parade!  And how about the fact that you were part of a fucking massacre Mason? Is that the twisted shit mentality that you and your 'brotherhood' spit out in an attempt to make you feel good?"
"Look, like I told your friend, I wasn't there for that reason and I didn't even know they were going to do that!  We were going to harass some fags and that was supposed to be it!"
"Ohhh so THAT makes it all ok then, right?  Because you didn't 'mean' for people to be killed?  People who probably weren't even gay for fuck's sake!  So how are YOU and YOUR KIND so much more superior to me and my community?"
"Because we aren't sick perverts Maya!  What you're doing is wrong!"
"Don't you dare!  I'm willing to agree to disagree on anything Mason, but my humanity is mine and no one, not even Dad or you has any right to minimize that! Jesus Christ Mason, I'm a goddamned first responder!  I'm that asshole who helps everyone...even your community! Your friend who almost died at the parade didn't seem to have a problem when I was saving his fucking life!"
Mason glared at Maya as she stood her ground and glared back.
"Fine Maya, then why don't you introduce me to your wife, hmm?  Let's go in so I can meet my little nephew and show him what a real man looks like.  Lord knows he's going to need some sort of masculine influence.  I saw the two guys who were visiting-a cripple and another fag.  Your kid is so fucked when he gets big enough to have friends.  Or are you going to 'protect' him by enrolling him into some fag school where he's 'safe'?"
Maya took a deep breath and held back the tears she felt coming as her brain began to process what she was about to say.
"Mason, I am your sister, and I will always love you no matter what.  But this? Whoever you have become, I can't allow you to be part of the life I'm building.  I refuse to repeat the patterns Dad burned into us.  He was an abuser who was allowed to terrorize his family.  You and your 'brotherhood', you take that abuse to another level-and it's so disgusting and wrong.  I'm going to ask you, if any good and decent part of you is still in there, please just go away.  Your poison has no place in my world.  I'll miss you Mason, but we are done."
Maya stood facing her brother and looked at him for a long moment before turning and walking up the driveway to her home.  She stopped at her front door and looked back to see Mason standing there watching her.  She unlocked the door, opened it, walked inside and locked the door behind her.  It was only then that Maya couldn't hold back the tears as she slumped to the floor and cried.

Carina had been in the kitchen getting dinner started when she heard the voices from outside.  She went to the living room and looked out the bay window to see Maya and Mason on the sidewalk.  Carina had resisted the urge to run outside and step in between them, deciding instead to keep vigil silently.   It was only when Liam began to fuss that Carina stepped away from the window to check on him. 
She was changing his diaper when she heard the front door open and a moment later, the sound of Maya crying softly had Carina hurry to place Liam in his crib and turn on his white noise machine before she headed to the living room.
Carina's heart broke to see Maya so sad and vulnerable, sitting there crying.  She crossed the space between them in long strides as she knelt to take her wife in her arms.
"I'm so sorry Bambina, are you ok?"
Maya  shook her head and continued to cry as she buried herself in Carina's chest.  They sat there on the floor until Maya's tears finished falling. 
"I told you I loved you and I chose you forever, and I meant it Carina.  I'm never not going to be broken, but you are my family now-my brother is gone."
Carina reached down and lifted Maya's chin up toward her face and kissed her.  Maya's lips were salty from the tears as she returned the kiss passionately.  She pulled away slightly and whispered.
"I need you..please."
Carina nodded and they both stood, continuing to kiss as they made their way down the hall to their bedroom.