7. Chapter Seven
Maya
T he weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas were always busy and chaotic as hell.
I hadn’t heard from the guys since Thanksgiving, but I hadn’t reached out either.
Things with Hunter had been decent enough, if not a little boring and predictable.
He was great, and things were easy, but I’d be lying if I wasn’t missing the spark that was between me and Marcos, Jason, and Nico.
It was the weekend before Christmas break and all through the campus people were partying…
I laughed at my own joke, even if it were true.
Everyone was partying, including me and my friends.
We were a little more low-key though, compared to the rest of the campus.
Out at Arturo’s and Karma’s house, my group of friends were drinking and playing cards, smoking weed and eating munchies, all while laughing and having a good time.
The small ranch style home Arturo and Karma had bought over the summer was a simple two-bedroom starter home.
Both of them were a year older than me, but I had met Karma in the nursing program and had learned a lot from her over the years.
Her and her husband Arturo were high school sweet hearts, who everyone thought would be pregnant by now.
Karma had rolled her eyes every time someone brought it up, but she had no plans of being pregnant any time soon.
Arturo was on his last year of Architect school and Karma was working full time at Mourningside General already, driving the hour south three days a week.
New adult life was tough, but we made it work and still managed to keep in contact with old friends.
Our group and I tried to visit every other weekend.
With Arturo and Karma living an hour south of campus, we all had to make an effort to spend the night, or someone had to suck it up and be the designated driver.
Regardless, the evening was everything I wished for and more when I got time to hang out with my friends.
Terri and Travis were dancing around the living room, while Kyle and Kara headed outside to smoke.
Stephanie, Karma, and Hunter were in the kitchen making more drinks, or snacks as was the case for Karma.
She was making me a snack, since I’d drawn the short straw and was the designated driver for Kara, Stephanie, and Terri .
Sitting at the table with Arturo, my good buddy, I laughed as he told me the jokes he was considering for his stand-up comedy gig.
He finally going to hit the stage at school for amateur night and see how a crowd of strangers reacted to his jokes vs his best friends.
“I don’t know man,” I laughed shaking my head. “You’re funny, anyone will see that.”
The phone on the table beside me rang, but I ignored it, it wasn’t mine.
“You say that, but I think you’re biased.” Arturo shook his head and ran his hand over his face.
“Bullshit dude, you have all of us rolling every time we see you!” I argued.
Arturo shook his head and ran his hand through his short black hair, slicking it back before he pulled his hat over his head.
Kara’s phone continued to ring on the table beside me.
“You should answer that,” Arturo said, nodding toward the phone.
It had already stopped ringing, so I shrugged. I was stoned and feeling lazy. “Not my phone. It’s Kara’s.”
“Bet it’s important,” Arturo said.
When it rang again, I picked it up. Turning it over, I saw it was Marcos and frowned, answering it quickly. “Marcos, hey, it’s Maya.”
“Where’s Kara? I need to speak to her.” Marcos’s voice was thick with emotion, his words rushed .
“She’s outside. Is everything OK?” I quickly stood up; phone pressed to my ear.
“No. I need—” Marcos choked up, like he was stifling a sob.
My heart plummeted to my stomach as a chill went down my spine. Something was wrong. “Hold on, let me find her.” Rushing toward the back patio door, I heard Marcos sniff and clear his throat.
Opening the door, I looked around the back porch, cursing when I didn’t immediately see Kara and Kyle. “Fuck,” I grunted. Turning around, I closed the door and rushed to the front door.
I threw open the front door, startling Kara and Kyle mid make-out session. They jumped apart as I rushed forward. “Kara, it’s Marcos.” I pushed the phone at her, knowing I probably looked frazzled—because I was.
I’d never heard Marcos sound like that before, and it tore at my heart.
“Marcos?” Kara asked.
I hovered, not giving my friend space to speak to her brother. I needed answers.
“What do you mean? Mom?” Kara choked out.
My heart broke as I watched Kara’s face fall, before her whole body fell as her knees buckled and Kara collapsed onto the front porch.
“Shit,” Kyle swore, swooping in to catch Kara before she could hit the concrete .
I jumped with him, grabbing the phone as it ground. “What happened?”
“Mom’s—” A sob tore out of her.
Carlita is gone . I just knew it in my heart, the panic in Marcos’s voice, Kara’s knee-buckling reaction—I just knew it.
I wrapped my arms around Kara and held her tightly, “I’ve got you.” I looked down at the phone in my hand and saw the call with Marcos was still connected. “Hey Marcos,” I murmured softly, “we’re going to call you back in a little bit, OK?”
Marcos cleared his throat. “Yeah, Maya. Thanks.” His voice was thick, the tears evident.
I ended the call and tucked the phone in my back pocket. “Come girl. Let’s get you in the house.”
Kyle and I helped Kara to her feet, sobs wracking her body as we guided her in the house. Kara was inconsolable, and I felt helpless. Our friends were startled as they took on the scene, as everyone realized that something serious had happened after I had rushed outside.
“What happened?” Stephanie asked, her eyes wide, as she rushed to Kara’s side.
I shook my head and mouthed, her mom .
Stephanie’s eyes widened in shock. Karma gasped from the dining room.
“What happened?” Arturo’s deep voice carried from the dining room of the open concept layout .
I ignored them as I held and rocked my devasted friend.
Eventually Kara’s sobs slowed and she pushed away from me. “I need to go home.”
I nodded, jumping to my feet. “I’ll drive you.”
Kara didn’t respond, just stood from the couch and headed to the door without saying goodbye to our friends.
I quickly grabbed my coat. “I’ll text you guys later,” I said, glancing at my friends as I stuffed my feet into my shoes.
“Are you guys going straight south?” Stephanie asked.
“Probably. I’ll text later.” I rushed out of the house, heading straight for my car at the end of the driveway.
The drive south to Mourningside from Arturo’s and Karma’s only took an hour.
In the middle of the night, I made it in forty-five minutes.
I had called Marcos from Kara’s phone once we hit the road.
Kara hadn’t spoken once on the drive; silent sniffles and occasional sobs filled the car.
I kept the music low and the peddle on the floor.
When we pulled into the parking lot of Carlita’s apartment complex, I immediately saw Marcos, Jason, and Nico standing in front of the building, smoking cigarettes.
I turned the car into an empty spot right in front of them.
I barely had the car in park before Kara was throwing the door open and rushing to her brother .
I sighed, watching the siblings embrace. My heart hurt, tears prickled my own eyes as I shut off the car. I slowly unbuckled my seat belt, wondering if I should stay, or just head back to school.
Nico came around the driver’s side and opened the door for me.
I slowly unfurled my body and stood from my Honda Civic.
Nico pulled me into his arms, holding me tight.
Leaning into him, I let him take my weight and bear some of my burdens.
My body was wound tight after my tense drive, my belly an anxious mess of nerves.
Holding onto him, I let out a deep breath, savoring his warmth in the cold night.
“Come on, let’s get inside,” Nico murmured.
I pulled away, glancing over my shoulder at Kara and Marcos.
Neither one was paying attention to anyone but each other, and they deserved their privacy.
Nico patted me on the back and pulled away.
I followed him and Jason toward the stairs, briefly recognizing that Nico’s hair was much longer than the last time I’d seen him—now reaching the middle of his back.
After two years of coming to Kara and Lita’s apartment, it was like coming home.
It certainly felt more like home that living with my own parents did.
We let ourselves into Lita’s apartment and I glanced around the living room, expecting Lita to come walking out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a dish towel—like she’d greeted me so often in the short time that I’d known the women.
A sob tore out me and I tried to stifle it, but it was too late.
Jason reached for me before Nico could, pulling me toward him.
He wrapped me in his arms before he scooped down and picked me up bridal style.
He walked over to the couch and sat down, arranging me in his lap and holding me tight as I was overcome with emotions.
I buried her face into the crook of Jason’s neck and let out all the emotions I had bottled up on the drive there.
I had been strong for Kara on the way there, Kara had needed her family, but now that I was able to relax, I felt like I had come home too.
I let the emotions pour out of me, my tears soaking Jason’s neck and shirt collar.
I didn’t care. His arms around me were the safe space I needed, along with Nico’s heat as he took a seat beside us.
A while later, I heard footsteps outside the door before it swung open.
I scrambled to ease my breathing and wipe my tears as the door opened and Kara and Marcos walked in the living room.
Kara rushed for her bedroom, but Marcos stood in the doorway, stoic and staring after his sister, looking utterly lost and helpless.
I rose from Jason’s lap and walked around the couch to greet Marcos.
He took one look at me before his face crumpled and he wrapped me in a tight embrace, pulling me into him.
“I’m so sorry.” My voice was broken, but I had to say the words, even once, even if they were meaningless in the grand scheme of things.
Being sorry would not bring his mother back, being sorry would not cure the pain.
Marcos sobbed into my shoulder, his arms almost bruising me with how tight he was holding me. I didn’t move though—wouldn’t move—until he pulled away first. I stood there in the open doorway, letting in cold air, for as long as he needed me.
Someone—Nico I thought—got up and closed the door behind us.
“Come sit down,” Nico murmured from behind Marcos.
Marcos sniffled and pulled away slightly, just enough so he could see where he was going as he carried me to the couch. Sitting down between Jason and Nico on the sofa, with me in his lap, Marcos leaned back and cradled me against his chest.
I let him position me however he needed to feel comfortable. If he needed a human blanket at the moment, I’d gladly be that blanket. “What happened?” I asked softly.
“Drunk driver. She was hit head-on, by a drunk driver.” Marcos’s voice was hoarse and broken.
Tears poured down my face, my heart broke for him and Kara, and what they had lost. “I’m so sorry,” I murmured again.
He squeezed me tighter, burying his face into the crook of my neck. I gave him a few minutes before I sighed. “I should go check on Kara.”
Marcos nodded and I slid off his lap and walked into the Kara’s bedroom. Shutting the door behind me, I found Kara laying in her bed, holding a stuffed bear and crying silently. “Hey, babe. Maybe we should get some sleep?”
Kara shrugged solemnly. “I can lend you some clothes.”
I nodded.