MAISIEI ended up working late into the night finalizing Klay’s schedule for the upcoming month. By the time I finished up, it was already past 1 am.I had talked to Miriam earlier to give her and Don a heads up about the trip. While she was excited, she mentioned having some difficulty convincing Nathan to let her go. But in the end, he relented, knowing she would go regardless of whether he gave his permission or not.I trudged tiredly toward the elevators, already going through my unread messages on my phone. Most were just from various employees that I supervised. But one particular message caught my eye, making me smile. It was from Jason."Still at work?" he had typed out simply.I grinned, feeling a little giddy rush at his message for reasons I couldn't quite explain.I started to type out a reply, but then stopped, deciding I wanted to hear the deep rumble of his voice instead of just reading words on a screen.Deleting my half-written message, I tapped on his contact info an
MAISIEI woke up at 11:09, jolted by the sudden thought that I was late for work.Panic hit me like a bucket of cold water. I jumped out of bed, got dressed in record time, and was about to rush out of my room when it hit me—there was no work today.The trip.Klay had told me yesterday before leaving the company to pack my things and skip work.“There’s no need to come in tomorrow,” he’d said.Relieved, I dropped my bag, kicked off my shoes, and flopped back on my bed with a grin. I could still squeeze in a little more rest.But then it came back to me—the call.I scrambled to find my phone, my mind still foggy from sleep. The memory of last night was hazy, but I remembered Jason.I checked the call log. Four hours.Four hours?I stared at the screen, trying to piece it together. I’d fallen asleep, but what about him? What had he been doing all that time? Listening to me breathe? Did he fall asleep too? I didn’t know, but the thought made me smile.Even though he wasn’t beside me, I f
MAISIEMiriam’s playful tone and exaggerated gesture caught me off guard, and despite the ache in my chest, I couldn’t help but laugh.“They say a friend is a gift you give yourself,” I thought, smiling at her.Miriam was that gift for me. She was the kind of friend who walked toward me when everyone else walked away. Her kindness, sudden and unexpected, was like a balm for every wound life threw at me.I sighed and leaned my head on her shoulder as we walked.“If I were a man,” I said dramatically, “I’d have married you by now. We’d have two or three kids running around.”Miriam burst out laughing. “Two or three? You’re ambitious! I’d stop at one.”Her laughter was infectious, and soon I was laughing too. The absurdity of my words combined with her reaction lightened my mood—at least for a moment.I glanced over at Don, who was walking on Miriam’s other side, his headphones firmly in place. He was completely oblivious to our nonsense, nodding his head slightly to whatever music he wa
MAISIEI blinked then I turned to Klay, frowning. “What are you even talking about?”Klay leaned back in his seat. His expression was unreadable, but there was something sharp in his tone when he replied, “You tell me. Why are you wasting your time staying with him instead of being with me?”For a moment, I thought he might be talking about Jason. But then it hit me—he was talking about Philip.My stomach twisted uncomfortably.I scratched the back of my neck, avoiding his gaze. I didn’t want to have this conversation, not with Klay. It wasn’t in my favor to tell him about my breakup. If I did, he’d latch onto it and I knew he wouldn’t leave me alone.“I told you I love him, sir,” I said flatly, keeping my tone neutral.Klay rolled his eyes so far back into his head, it was almost comical. “Love him,” he repeated with boredom. “I’m better than him, and I can give you everything you’ve ever dreamed of. Honestly, I don’t see what’s so special about him for you to hold on to. You suit me
MAISIEI pulled myself together, forcing my voice to remain steady.“Don’t call me that silly name!” I snapped, glaring at him.Jason pulled the strap again, letting it snap against my skin. The sting spread through me like wildfire, sharp and unrelenting.My features trembled for a few seconds, betraying the chaos his vague, unreadable gaze stirred inside me.He didn’t let go this time. His grip was firm, deliberate then his voice came low and calm like a storm brewing in the distance.“Disobedience, much like any other aspect of life, evolves over time. Eventually, what once seemed intolerable transforms into something more acceptable, akin to the gradual metamorphosis of a butterfly.”Tolerable.The word lingered in the air, heavy and suffocating, wrapping around me like the rope in his hands.Then he released the strap without warning. The suddenness of it made my whole body jolt as if I’d been struck by lightning.My breath caught in my throat, and for a moment, I couldn’t move.
MAISIEMy heart pounded in my chest, each beat louder and faster than the last. It felt like I’d just run a marathon, but the only thing I’d been running from was Jason.I believe that when a person falls in love with the right person, they can forgive them for all their mistakes.When you love, you don’t care about what’s been said or done.What do I need in this world when my world is him?I went back to where Miriam and Don were sitting, watching something on my computer. I think it was probably a movie then proceeded to my seat.I couldn’t bring myself to care enough to check. Their laughter, soft and unbothered, filled the space, but it only made me feel more out of place.Karina had pushed her seat back a little, reclining to sleep. It was better this way. I didn’t have the strength—or the patience—to bear her closeness to him. Jason.I hated how aware I was of every little thing about her, about him. The way she’d leaned her head against the seat, the way he didn’t seem to noti
MAISIEI quickly sat up, my fingers moving instinctively to type a reply.I wrote that I had only just seen his message and apologized for the delay. But before pressing send, I hesitated.My pride stepped in, whispering that I didn’t owe him an explanation.My thumb hovered over the screen for a moment longer before I pressed delete. I erased every word as though they had never existed.The hardest thing is when you write something, pouring your thoughts and emotions into it, only to let your pride force you to erase it.I lay back down, staring at the ceiling, feeling the weight of the unsent message settle over me.What was I going to do with him? With myself? With my son?I just wanted to sleep—to escape the storm of thoughts swirling in my mind, even if only for a little while."I'm sorry, my soul," I whispered into the quiet room. "I made mistakes against you. I pressured you so much to be who they wanted you to be, thinking their approval would complete my journey."The words f
MAISIE My heart skipped a beat and my eyes sparkled with anticipation.Was I really about to learn something that no one else in the world knew about him?For a fleeting moment, I felt special—like I was the only person he trusted enough to reveal this part of himself.“What I’ve spent my life doing,” Jason began low and contemplative, “Is hating the success of others and taking pleasure in their failures. That’s who I was… until someone came into my life and turned it upside down.”He paused, staring out at the waves as if searching for the right words.“Before that someone, another person wreaked havoc in my life, tearing it apart piece by piece. They pushed me to the brink and left me with nothing but a sliver of myself. Yet… their hatred… their coercion never fully destroyed me.”I blinked, trying to make sense of his cryptic words. “Who is this other person?”Jason’s hand resting lightly on my thigh stilled.The sudden halt made my breath catch in my throat.“My brother!” His vo
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