A Parallel Line

"Burning the midnight oil again?" Carper said while leaning against the table. "Can you not for one 1 day?" Maya drummed her fingers on the table, her foot tapping with a restless beat against the floor. As she glanced at Carper with an annoyed look, her patience wearing thin. "Look, I'm just saying you don't have to force it." Carper emphasized, while surrendering her hands on the air. Maya's eyebrows furrowed creating several lines on her forehead. She then, looked at the clock for the umpteenth time. Feeling a lot more anxious as the minutes go by. "Oh god I still need to pick up Mae!" Maya then stood up while hurriedly snatching every documents and what look like scrap paper layed on the table. "shoot! shoot! shoot! -ow!" She hissed as she felt the stab of the tack on the tip of her index finger. Without a second thought she pulled the tack off, forming a small red dot spot on the tip of her finger. "That's what happens when a writer force themselves to write when clearly they're having a Writer's Block-" Carper lecture whilst mysteriously pulling a bandaid from the side of her skirt which contains pockets. She then grabbed a hold of Maya's bleeding finger "-Listen Ms. Singe-" While using the other hand to hold Maya's bleeding finger. Carper ripped the bandaid's wrapper using her teeth. "You can't keep doing this to yourself-" She then gently placed the bandaid on the her cut. "I know you're the only one your mother is depending on, but that doesn't mean you're going to push yourself this hard. You need to rest too, especially your brain."Emphasizing more on the last part of her statement before picking up all the papers on Maya's desk then combining them all into a pile. "As much as your family needs you, I also need you-" She then shoved the pile of papers to Maya's chest. " Now run along, you workaholic" Maya looked stunned and frozen for a little bit before her expression turned from surprised to soft. "Thank you Chef, I'll do just that" She implied before giving her a small but genuine smile. Just as soon as Maya was just about to get out of the building. The rain started purring "You've gotta be kidding me" Maya hissed under her breath as she approached the entrance which on her point of view is now the exit of the building. She then pulled out an umbrella from her bag to shield herself from the rain. "Taxi!" She called out, while her other arm is busy flagging all the incoming cabs she can see, the other is holding the umbrella upright where her bag is also on. One two or three taxis has passed her and the rain is now stronger than it was before. Maya's now more anxious than she was before. As she continued flagging her arm hoping one cab would stop, the side of her bag vibrated. With the arm she used to flagged down cabs, she inserted her hand on her bag attempting to search the phone on it without looking through. When her hand finally found the vibrating object. She then tapped the answer icon before placing her phone against her right ear. "Hello?" Maya spoke to the phone "WHERE ARE YOU?!?" The women on the other end can be heard yelling even through the strong pouring rain. "You were supposed to pick up Mae an hour ago!" The women continued. "I'm sorry Mom, I was at work" Maya spoke with a hint of apology in her voice. "Seriously?? Can't you just like take a break from work and fetch her before resuming ?? You're always like this!" Her mother on the other end lectured with disbelief. "Forget it, Mrs. William already accompanied her home. She even went an extra mile to stay with her until someone gets home. Good thing Mae knows where the spare key is cause if she didn't. Mae would still be at Mrs. William's place up until now. Now wouldn't that be more embarrassing! We've already troubled Mrs. William as it is!" She continued to yell on the other end. "WELL I'M SORRY I HAVE TO BE THE MOM MAE NEVER HAD BECAUSE YOU CAN'T BE THAT MOM SHE WISHES YOU WERE!" Maya shouted back to the phone, no longer witholding the anger she is keeping in before hanging up the call. Abondoning her position on the side of the road. Maya stopped flagging down the incoming cabs. Since Mae is already home she no longer feel the urgency to get home immediately. The reason why Maya needed to get to Mae's because, Mae was staying at a nieghbor's house for the mean time while she and her mom work to be able to pay their daily expenses. Mae was diagnosed with Rett Syndrome around 6 to 8 months. She needs to be taken care of all the time. Since Maya and her mom are always not at home. Her mother settled on asking an old friend of theirs a favor if they could take care of Mae during the day. Still holding the umbrella with her other hand, Maya then continued to walk on the side of the road with no destination in mind, she felt her phone continously vibrated on the side of her bag where she put her phone after hanging up on her mother. She then let out a loud sigh simultaneously her phone started vibrating on her bag. Reaching out for the vibrating object in her bag, she didn't even take a glance on the screen to see who's calling before she scrolled down onto the notification bar and pressed 'Do not disturb'. That was the first time I ever used DND. Maya thought still continuing to walk carrying the heavy weight on her heart. As slow tears starts to run down her face while the heavy pour began to soften. Turning the heavy rain into a drizzle. She then closed off the umbrella that was occupying her other hand. Quiet sobs escaped Maya's lips as she continued on. Continuously walking down the city sidewalk, her mind was preoccupied with thoughts of their conversation. How it went on the phone with her mom and how it ended. She regretted talking back to her. Things have just felt hectic for her. She didn't mean to talk back during the phone call. The stress of the week had just caught up with her, since her writing block started. And before she realized it, her tone had become sharper than intended. Now that she's in much calmer state of mind she wished she could take back the words her mouth have spilled. I don't wanna go home, not after what I just did Clutching her smartphone in one hand, she glanced at her screen, quickly scanning her contacts. Trying to look for someone to call to, when her finger froze before she could even press the call button. 'Tyler' is the name displayed on the screen. Another long and heavy sigh escaped Maya's lips. When she was just about to reach for her bag to put her phone away, a sudden jolt of panic surged through her. In a flash, a hand darted out, snatching her phone from her grasp before she could react. The shock of the moment left her stunned, her fingers still hovering in the air where her phone had been just seconds before. In an instant her phone which contains almost everything she needs just got snatched in a blink of an eye.