MAISIE....I arrived home early that afternoon, exhausted but relieved.Klay had left immediately after our morning meeting concluded, which allowed me to finish my remaining tasks quickly and head out before the usual rush hour traffic. After the tension-filled evening at the party last night, I desperately needed this small reprieve.The house felt unusually quiet as I settled on the sofa at half past five. I glanced at the clock again, anxiously waiting for the delivery of Nathan's birthday gift so I could start wrapping it before tonight's celebration.I picked up my phone and called Miriam to update her about Klay's attendance."He's definitely coming to the party tonight," I told her, twirling a strand of hair around my finger nervously. After last night's encounter with Jason, I was grateful to have something else to focus on—Nathan's birthday would be the perfect distraction."Perfect timing," Miriam replied with excitement. "Don is helping me prepare a special surprise for N
MAISIEMy heart pounded against my ribs as I followed them. I knew what was coming: violence, pain, and more fuel for the cycle of hatred that seemed inescapable between these brothers.I hurried down the path to Jason's house, my footsteps quick but hesitant. The front door stood open, swinging slightly in the evening breeze, and I could hear crashes coming from inside. Furniture being overturned, glass breaking.I paused at the threshold with my hand gripping the doorframe. Did I really want to witness this?A particularly loud shatter from the living room made my decision for me. I stepped inside, drawn by concern despite my better judgment.The scene that greeted me was chaos. Jason stood in the center of his once-pristine living room, unwinding his silk tie from around his bloodied knuckles. His breathing was measured but heavy, like a predator conserving energy between attacks.The white shirt beneath his suit jacket was now spattered with crimson droplets."All my troubles bega
MAISIEJason didn't follow—perhaps he knew better than to try.I tried to concentrate on wrapping Nathan's present that had finally arrived, but my hands were shaking too much to fold neatly or tie the right ribbons.The sound of an ambulance arriving next door kept drawing my attention away from my task. The sirens wailed, cutting through the evening quiet like a harsh reminder of what had just transpired.I'm not saying Jared didn't deserve consequences for his actions. He had caused immeasurable pain with his interference in our lives yet did he deserve to be injured badly enough to need emergency medical attention?The question troubled me, even as I struggled with ribbon and tape that refused to cooperate with my shaking fingers."Stop giving people second chances they don't deserve, Maisie. It's maturity to accept that no good can come from some people!" Jason's words echoed in my mind.Perhaps he was right. Perhaps no good could ever come from Jared. However, the violence I'd w
MAISIEJason stopped briefly to get a bottle of wine on the way to Nathan's place. I was astonished by the label when he came back to the car and gave it to me."You didn't have to!" I exclaimed, examining the expensive bottle."It's not in my nature to arrive empty-handed, butterfly."When we arrived at Nathan's place, I carefully balanced both gifts in my arms as we got out of the car. Even from outside, I could hear Miriam's voice through speakers singing the birthday song.She had mentioned planning something special, but knowing Miriam, I expected something much wilder than whatever was happening here.We made our way directly to the back garden, where the celebration was taking place. As soon as Miriam spotted us, she set down her microphone on the table where Nathan sat and jogged over to greet us.She looked stunning in a modern black dress that showed off her legs with her hair pulled back in a ponytail.The garden around us was beautifully decorated in white, creating an atm
MAISIEI stopped at the door of Nathan's office when I got there. I peered in and saw Jason deeply absorbed in going over some papers, his face furrowed.I knocked softly on the doorframe and adopted a playfully formal tone. "Will you let me in, Principal Harding?" I teased, referencing his serious demeanor.He looked up with his expression immediately softening into a smile. "Come in."I stepped inside before closing the door behind me with a gentle click.Making my way across the room, I settled into the chair across from him while he returned his attention to the papers in his hands."I got you a surprise!" I announced, holding up the plate with a flourish."Surprise, is it a piece of cake?" he replied without looking up, though I could detect a hint of amusement in his voice.I raised my index finger dramatically as if making an important point. "Wrong, it's not just any cake... it's chocolate cake!"His eyes remained fixed on the documents before him. "No, thank you."Disappointm
MAISIEThe atmosphere between the two tables instantly chilled.Klay stood up, his posture rigid with barely contained anger."Follow me!" he commanded Dame:But Dame merely smiled provocatively. "Why?"Her defiance visibly increased his anger. He fixed her with a penetrating stare and said through clenched teeth, "Why?...""Should I care about your anger?" she challenged, lifting her chin.I swallowed nervously, watching the tension escalate between them. I'd never seen this side of their relationship before."Shut your fucking mouth and stand up fast!" Klay growled. His usual composure was completely shattered.Dame matched his intensity with a withering glare. "Stop cursing! You're not the only one who can do that, you ugly motherfucker!"Professor Hunt placed a calming hand on her shoulder. "Wait, Dame... calm down."Klay's gaze zeroed in on the professor's hand like a laser sight. "Get your hand off her!"I looked at Miriam nervously, and she returned the same anxious glance.The
MAISIE"What about Don?" Jason quirked an eyebrow, sliding his hands into his pockets elegantly.The realization hit me. Don! How could I forget?I slumped back into my seat dramatically, resting my forehead on the cool surface of the table."I really wanted to go with you," I mumbled, frustration evident in my voice. Something inside me yearned to be near him, like a magnetic pull I couldn't explain or resist.Miriam's gentle hand patted my head. "What kind of friend would I be if I didn't help you get what you want?"I lifted my head, confusion written across my face. "What do you mean?""The audio equipment is rented for today only," Miriam explained, leaning closer with a conspiratorial gleam. "I need to return everything before ten tonight. I'll tell Don he needs to help me because Nathan has a headache. We'll take our time, maybe drive around a bit before I drop him off. You just need to be back before we return.""I don't have a headache!" Nathan protested.Miriam shot him a war
MAISIEJason propped his chin in one hand while his fingers danced across the keyboard."Outrageously beautiful!" He glanced at me from the corner of his eye.I placed my foot on one arm of his chair and pulled my hair back with deliberate slowness. The silky strands slipped through my fingers as I held his gaze."Doesn't my outrageous beauty make you feel anything?" My voice came out huskier than intended, betraying my nervousness."Something like what?" He threw his weight on the back of his chair and placed his warm hand on my leg.His touch sent electricity through my skin, making it difficult to maintain my composure.I bit my lower lip, hesitating for several seconds while gathering my courage. The office suddenly felt too warm, too intimate."Jason... do I not excite you?" The words tumbled out before I could reconsider.His eyebrows rose slightly as he began stroking my leg with gentle, circular motions.My heart hammered against my ribs, and confusion clouded my thoughts."Do
MAISIEI froze, then rushed closer to her. "Lily, what did you say? Say it again!"She placed her tiny palm on my cheek."Amma!"It wasn't perfect, but it was close enough. After months of trying, she'd finally said something resembling "Mama."Joy exploded through me like fireworks. I started bouncing up and down, unable to contain my excitement."She said it! She said 'Mama'! Did you hear that? She called me 'Mama'!" I shouted, throwing my arms wide and then forming a big heart shape with them for Lily.Suddenly, I realized I hadn't captured this momentous occasion. "Wait, I need my camera! This is important!"I started frantically searching through my bag. "Don't say anything else until Mama comes back with the camera, okay?" I called over my shoulder as I dug through my belongings.I've always been one to wear my emotions openly, especially happiness. After everything I'd been through in my life, I'd promised myself I would never downplay joy when it came my way. I would celebrate
MAISIEI was making my way back from checking on Don and his friends who were busy taking photos and being typical teenagers when Lily suddenly began squirming in my arms, making urgent sounds and pointing.Don had asked us to keep his relationship with Jason private at school. As far as his classmates knew, Jason was just his stepfather, the school principal who had married his mom.I understood his need for privacy; teenage social dynamics were complicated enough without adding that layer.Lily's movements became more insistent, drawing my attention back to her. She was staring fixedly at something, her little body practically vibrating with excitement.Following her gaze, I realized we were standing near the elephant enclosure. A massive African elephant was resting in the shade of a large tree, separated from us by sturdy metal bars and a deep moat.I moved closer to the viewing area, and Lily immediately grabbed onto the bars, her eyes wide with wonder as she took in the enormous
MAISIEI turned back to face her, noting the familiar look of contempt that always appeared whenever Karina's name came up.Miriam had disliked her from the start, but her hatred had intensified after I'd explained the full story of how Karina had conspired with Jason's brother Jared, how she'd betrayed years of friendship with Jason just to trap him in a relationship."What's she done now?" I asked, not entirely sure I wanted to know.My feelings toward Karina were complicated. For a long time, I'd seen her as nothing but a manipulative obstacle standing between Jason and me. Then, during our final confrontation, I'd glimpsed something else—a young woman crushed under the weight of family expectations and desperate choices.However, that brief moment of sympathy had evaporated when Jason finally told me everything. The extent of her deception, the calculated way she'd worked with Jared to keep Jason tied to her... I'd never wished anyone ill except for Jared, but Karina had earned a
MAISIE"It's okay, sweet girl," I murmured, holding Lily close as our car pulled away from the driveway.Her eyes were still watery, her little chest occasionally hitching with the aftermath of tears. She'd been crying for Don, who had left earlier with Chen and their friend to meet us at the zoo.Don had snuck out while Lily was distracted with her toys, but she'd noticed his absence almost immediately. It was almost comical how both her father and brother would try to slip away unnoticed, terrified of upsetting a twenty-month-old."Come on, Lily," I said brightly, trying to distract her. "Say 'Mama'!"I'd been trying to coax her first words for weeks now. However, she seemed determined to take her time.The pediatrician assured us it was normal. Some children were simply more observant before they started speaking still I couldn't help feeling a little anxious.Lily ignored my prompting, becoming fascinated with the buttons on my jacket instead. She leaned forward, her chubby finger
MAISIEThe next morning, I emerged from a quick shower and headed to the dressing room to get ready for the day.I'd passed by Lily's room earlier and found both her and Jason still asleep, though she had somehow migrated onto his chest, her favorite sleeping position since she was born.Whenever she was with one of us while sleeping, she'd inevitably crawl up and settle herself on our chest, her ear pressed against our heartbeat.I pulled on ripped jeans, a white tank top, and a soft gray blazer, then headed back to the nursery, eager to tell Jason about his unprecedented night of sleep.When I reached Lily's room, the bed was empty. I found them on the other side of the room, where Jason was sitting on the floor with Lily in his lap, carefully putting tiny shoes on her feet.She looked adorable in a white sundress, her hair tamed into two small pigtails.I was about to speak when Don appeared behind me with Lily's sippy cup of milk in his hand."Time for breakfast, everyone," he ann
MAISIE~A couple of years later~I gave birth to the most beautiful little girl in the world two years after our wedding. We named her Lily, after Jason's mother. Sometimes I call her Lil when she's being especially cute, which is pretty much all the time.It was actually my suggestion to name her after his mother. I knew it would make Jason happy, and it truly did. The way his eyes lit up when I proposed it—that moment alone was worth it.Now she's one year and eight months old, toddling around our home with a determination that makes us all smile.Lily has filled our lives—mine, Jason's, and Don's—with a kind of joy I never knew existed. Her little voice, still forming words but full of expression, makes the whole house feel alive. She's become the unexpected glue that has truly brought our family together.Don had accepted my relationship with his father, but in those early days after the wedding, he still spent most of his time with his best friend.He was trying to adjust to this
MAISIEThe moment we appeared, the guests rose to their feet, turning to watch our approach.I saw familiar faces on both sides of the aisle—colleagues from work, parents from Don's school.Miriam stood in the front row, her pregnancy now visible beneath her flowing dress, tears already streaming down her face as she clutched Nathan's hand.But my eyes were drawn inexorably to Jason, waiting for me beneath the arch.The look on his face as he watched me approach… wonder, joy, love so intense it was almost painful to witness made everything else fade away.In that moment, it was just the two of us, connected by an invisible thread that had been drawing us together since our first meeting.Don and I moved slowly down the aisle, each step bringing me closer to my future. The weight of my son's arm beneath my hand was both grounding and symbolic. He wasn't just giving me away; he was walking with me into our new life.When we reached the front, the officiant smiled warmly at us. "Who give
MAISIEThe moment I stepped on the back porch, the world seemed to pause. Across the lawn where rows of white chairs arranged in a semicircle. Wildflowers in shades of blue, purple, and white lined the aisle—the same flowers that grew naturally along the stream at the property's edge, now woven into garlands that transformed our backyard into an enchanted garden.Jason squeezed my hand once before releasing it. Then he moved ahead to take his place at the simple arch we'd constructed from twisted branches and adorned with more wildflowers and fairy lights that would twinkle as evening approached.His best man, Klay, stood beside him, while Felix and the rest of Jason’s friends lingered a few feet away. Dressed in sleek black silk suits, they exuded an air of refined elegance, each one strikingly handsome in their own way.I took a deep breath, steadying myself in the quiet moment before everything would begin.The subtle scent of my bouquet—wildflowers mixed with sprigs of lavender—he
MAISIEWe lay tangled together afterward.Jason’s weight was a welcome pressure on top of me and his heartbeat was strong against my chest, gradually slowing to match my own.My ring caught the candlelight and sent prisms dancing across his sweat-dampened skin like tiny rainbows that seemed a fitting metaphor for the joy that filled me.Eventually, Jason shifted to the side and gathered me on him so that my head rested on his chest with his arm a protective band around my waist.Outside, the night had deepened, but inside our sanctuary, time seemed suspended in amber like the honey that still faintly flavored our kisses."When did you plan all this?" I asked, tracing idle patterns through the light dusting of hair on his chest.His fingers combed through my hair, gentle and soothing, occasionally working through tangles with careful attention. "I bought the ring before our trip to Greendale," he admitted, the rumble of his voice vibrating against my ear.I nodded.Tears slipped from t