She's Having My Baby: A 12 Days of Christmas Special

Dressing Room

December 17th

Maya was determined this time. She was going to spend good, quality time with Riley if it killed her. Even though she was about to collapse with fatigue and even though she was going to have to bring the baby with her, she was going shopping with Riley after work.

Lucas showed up with April fifteen minutes early.

"You're gonna have to wait with her until six. My boss hates when I miss as much as a minute because you show up early," Maya told Lucas.

"What's the difference? You're serving popcorn, not handling nuclear equipment," Lucas grunted.

"Yeah, I know that and you know that but he doesn't seem to know that," Maya snapped.

April started to cry and Maya shot Lucas a glare. He replied with a glare that mocked hers and stood in a corner comforting April while Maya finished out the last fifteen minutes. Just as she was about to leave, she was stopped by her manager.

"Is that your kid crying?" he asked abruptly.

"Yeah, I gotta go get her now," Maya said, hoping to get off easy.

"Why was your boyfriend here early again?" he asked.

"I don't know. He forgot I guess."

Maya had stopped bothering to correct him by telling him that Lucas was no her boyfriend. It wasn't worth it.

"I can't really have two teenagers with a screaming kid in my establishment every single day," he said sharply.

"Yeah, I know," Maya nodded.

"I don't think you do know. He shows up here with the kid one more time, you're out," he said, pointing a finger at Maya.

Maya just nodded and finally headed towards Lucas. She took April, who was still crying, and bounced her up and down.

"What'd he say?" Lucas asked, concerned.

"Nothing, it doesn't matter. You have to go to work. Give me the bag," Maya requested.

She didn't want to tell Lucas about her boss's warning. It would just get him all riled up.

"You going home tonight?" Maya asked, putting the diaper bag on her shoulder.

"Yeah, I think so. I'm not done with work 'til nine, so I may as well. I can come over in the morning though," Lucas offered.

"No, it's fine. See you tomorrow," she said, strapping April into her stroller.

"Bye," Lucas smiled as he hurried out the door.

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Maya sat on a bench at the mall and waited for Riley. She gave April a bottle while she waited. To pass the time, she counted how many stares she got from strangers. She then tried to decide if she got more stared when she was pregnant or now that she had the baby. She decided it must have been when she was pregnant. At least now there was always a shadow of doubt: maybe it's her little sister, maybe it's her niece, maybe it's her cousin. There was none of that when her belly was 90% of her and could be seen a mile away.