From a Distance

Shawn

Maya spends so much time at your apartment with Riley that it's no surprise that they're such good friends.

Every night, just as you did the night you first met her eight years ago, you set the dinner table for five. She used to only eat breakfast with you before school, but that was before you found out she wasn't eating dinner at home.

She complains that it costs you and Cory too much money, but you don't ask her to eat the breakfast and dinner you put in front of her, you tell her to, and that settles it.

Nine-year-old August, as he likes to be called now, is helping you set the table as you make spaghetti and meatballs for dinner, Maya's favorite.

It's her birthday and you know she's had a rough day because you heard her talking to Riley in their bay window. You overheard Maya telling your daughter that her mother forgot her birthday.

You're not angry at Katy, you know she's working hard to provide for her daughter and is doing what she thinks is best. You take it upon yourself to pick up the slack that Katy inevitably left, hence the spaghetti and meatballs you're preparing and the cake your husband will be back with in fifteen minutes.

You finish making dinner and your husband slips in with the cake and hides it before you call the girls to dinner. The five of you eat dinner and clear your plates as Cory brings out the cake.

"Mrs. Matthews, you didn't have to," Maya starts.

"We don't have to do anything," you tell her. "We wanted to," you say as all of you hug her and wish her happy birthday.

"What are you guys waiting for?" Riley asks since five minutes have passed and you have yet to cut the cake.

The answer box at the door buzzes. "That," you tell her. "Come on up," you say pressing the button.

The door opens and Cory immediately runs to it. "Shawnie!" he screams wrapping his arms around Shawn.

"Hey, Cor," Shawn says a little less enthusiastically.

"Hey, Uncle Shawn," Riley says giving him a more normal hug.

"Hey, Maya," he says giving her a hug. "Happy birthday, kid. Doing anything special for your birthday?"

"This is it," she answers referring to the hug.

"We were just waiting for you to have cake," you tell Shawn.

"Did I miss opening presents?" he asks.

"Riley got us matching rings," Maya tells him, both of them holding their hands out to show him. "And the Matthew's got me this cake."

"What'd your mom get you?" he asks her curiously, despite your hands trying to discreetly signal him not to.

"Umm, I haven't seen her yet today," Maya admits. "I'm pretty sure she forgot."

You see the pain and pity in Shawn's eyes.

"Can we wait a little bit to have the cake?" Maya asks. She must have felt uncomfortable with the way everyone was looking at her.

"Of course, honey," you assure her. "Just tell me whenever you want to have it."

She nods and heads into Riley's room without another word. 

"I'll go check on her," Riley says following the trail of her best friend.

Shawn angrily walks out the door. 

"Where are you going?" you ask him.

"To talk to her mother," he huffs down the hallway.

You tell Cory to follow him and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid while you and Auggie clean up from cooking dinner.

Five minutes later, Riley comes down with Maya under her arm. Maya's clearly been crying, her eyes are slightly red and she's still sniffling.

"Where'd Shawn go?" she asks, her voice raspy from crying.

"He went to talk to your mother at the diner," you tell her.

"What?" she screams. "How could you let him do that? She's gonna chase him away just like my father."

"Shawn's not going anywhere," you tell the worried blonde.

You've known Shawn almost his whole life, you know his past that is eerily similar to Maya's. You know he'd never let Maya down.

Nonetheless, Maya still runs out of the apartment to try and stop him, determined to keep her mom from getting hurt and stop Shawn from disappearing from her life for good.