Love Affairs

Chapter 2: The Room Between Us

Maya barely slept.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Daniel standing in the doorway.

I did.

Two words.

That was all he had said.

But they had stayed with her all night.

By morning, the rain had stopped. Grey light came through the curtains, making the room look colder than it was.

Maya sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the suitcase she had not finished unpacking.

Two weeks.

That was the deal.

She could survive two weeks.

She had survived five years without Daniel.

She could survive fourteen days in his house.

At least, that was what she told herself.

She showered, dressed in a simple blouse and jeans, then went downstairs.

The house was quiet.

Too quiet.

She followed the smell of coffee into the kitchen.

Daniel was standing beside the counter.

He looked up when she entered.

For a second, neither of them spoke.

"Good morning," Maya said.

"Morning."

His voice was calm.

Almost too calm.

Maya walked toward the coffee machine.

"Is there anything I'm not allowed to touch?"

Daniel looked at her.

"You're not a prisoner."

"Victoria might disagree."

His jaw moved slightly.

"She left early."

"Oh."

Maya poured herself coffee.

She felt his eyes on her.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You were staring."

"I was wondering if you still take your coffee with too much sugar."

Maya stopped.

She looked at him.

"You remember?"

Daniel shrugged.

"Some things are difficult to forget."

Her fingers tightened around the cup.

Before she could answer, footsteps came from the hallway.

Victoria appeared.

She was dressed for work, carrying a small handbag.

Her eyes went straight to Maya.

"You're still here."

Maya took a sip of coffee.

"Good morning to you too."

Victoria ignored the comment.

She looked at Daniel.

"I need to speak with you."

"About?"

"Privately."

Maya immediately stepped away.

"I'll go upstairs."

Daniel looked at her.

"Stay."

Victoria's expression changed.

"Daniel."

"I don't have anything to hide."

Maya wished he had not said that.

Victoria looked at her for several seconds.

Then she turned back to Daniel.

"You promised me she wouldn't become part of our lives again."

Daniel's face hardened.

"I didn't promise that."

"You said she was gone."

"She was."

"And now she's sleeping under the same roof."

"She's staying for two weeks."

Victoria laughed.

"Two weeks becomes a month. A month becomes six months. You know how this works."

Maya put her cup down.

"I won't stay longer than I have to."

Victoria looked at her.

"I hope you mean that."

"I do."

Daniel said nothing.

Victoria walked toward him.

"You know what happened the last time."

Maya felt the room change.

She looked down.

She knew exactly what Victoria meant.

Five years ago.

The night everything had ended.

The accusation.

The photograph.

Daniel's anger.

And the man everyone had believed Maya had chosen over him.

Maya had never explained herself.

Not properly.

She had tried once.

Daniel had refused to listen.

After that, she left.

Victoria picked up her handbag.

"I'll see you tonight."

Daniel nodded.

She walked out.

The front door closed.

Maya released a breath.

Daniel looked at her.

"Don't."

She frowned.

"Don't what?"

"Start thinking about what she said."

"I wasn't."

"You were."

Maya looked at him.

"You always did that."

"Did what?"

"Decide what I was thinking before asking me."

Daniel stared at her.

"You haven't changed."

"Neither have you."

"I've changed a lot."

"Maybe."

He walked past her.

Maya turned.

"Daniel."

He stopped.

She hesitated.

"Why did you let me stay?"

He didn't answer immediately.

"I told you."

"You said I looked like I was about to sleep on the street."

"That's true."

"That's not the whole reason."

Daniel turned around.

"You want the truth?"

"Yes."

He looked at her for a long moment.

"I don't know."

Maya didn't expect that.

Daniel walked away.

She stood alone in the kitchen.

For the rest of the morning, she tried to find something useful to do.

Sitting around the house made her uncomfortable.

She hated feeling like a guest.

So she asked the housekeeper if she could help with anything.

By noon, she was in the garden trimming dead flowers.

It reminded her of the old days.

She and Daniel used to spend hours outside.

He had once planted a small rose bush because she liked roses.

She looked toward the far corner of the garden.

The bush was still there.

Maya walked toward it.

It had grown much bigger.

She touched one of the leaves.

"You still remember?"

Daniel's voice came from behind her.

Maya turned.

He stood several feet away.

"I didn't know you were here."

"I've been here for ten minutes."

She smiled faintly.

"You're getting good at sneaking up on people."

He looked at the rose bush.

"You planted that."

"I remember."

"I nearly killed it."

"You did."

"It survived."

"So did I."

Daniel looked at her.

Neither of them smiled.

Maya regretted saying it.

She turned back to the flowers.

Daniel moved closer.

"Your mother."

Maya's hand stopped.

"What about her?"

"I'm sorry."

She swallowed.

"Thank you."

"I wanted to come to the funeral."

Maya looked at him.

"Why didn't you?"

Daniel looked away.

"I didn't know where it was."

"You could have asked."

"I didn't think you'd want me there."

Maya stared at him.

"I didn't know you cared."

"I did."

Her eyes burned.

She looked down quickly.

Daniel noticed.

"You okay?"

"Yes."

"Maya."

"I'm fine."

She placed the garden scissors on the table.

"I need some air."

She walked away.

Daniel didn't stop her.

Maya went around the side of the house and sat on an old stone bench.

She wiped her face.

She hated crying.

Especially because of him.

A few minutes later, Daniel came outside.

He sat beside her.

Not too close.

Just close enough that she could feel him there.

"I'm sorry," he said.

Maya looked ahead.

"For what?"

"For what happened five years ago."

She laughed softly.

"That's a little late."

"I know."

"You believed I betrayed you."

"I was angry."

"You called me a liar."

"I know."

"You told me you never wanted to see me again."

Daniel lowered his head.

"I know."

Maya looked at him.

"Do you remember everything?"

"Unfortunately."

She looked away.

The silence between them felt heavier than it should have.

Finally Daniel said, "There were things I didn't know."

Maya frowned.

"What things?"

He looked at her.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out."

Before she could ask what he meant, his phone rang.

He checked the screen.

His expression changed.

"Excuse me."

He stood and walked away.

Maya watched him.

Something was wrong.

She could tell.

Daniel answered the call near the house.

His voice was low.

Maya couldn't hear everything.

Then she heard one sentence.

"Are you sure?"

He became silent.

A few seconds later, he said,

"Don't tell anyone yet."

Maya stood.

Daniel ended the call.

He turned and saw her.

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

"You don't look like nothing happened."

"It's private."

Maya nodded.

"Fine."

She started walking away.

"Maya."

She stopped.

Daniel looked at her.

"Your stepbrother."

Her stomach tightened.

"What about him?"

"Did he tell you everything about your mother's debts?"

"No."

Daniel stared at her.

"Then we have a problem."

Maya's face went pale.

"What kind of problem?"

Daniel walked toward her.

"The debts aren't what you think they are."

She stared at him.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying someone put those debts in your mother's name."

Maya couldn't speak.

Daniel stopped in front of her.

"And I think I know who did it."

Her heart began beating faster.

"Who?"

Daniel looked toward the house.

Then back at her.

"Your stepbrother wasn't acting alone."

Maya felt the ground disappear beneath her.

"Then who was helping him?"

Daniel didn't answer.

He only looked at her with the same expression he had worn five years ago.

The expression that told her something was about to change.

This time, she knew better than to walk away.

"Daniel," she whispered.

He finally spoke.

"The person who helped him is someone you know."

Maya stared at him.

"Who?"

Daniel's phone rang again.

He looked at the screen.

Victoria.

He rejected the call.

Maya noticed.

Daniel looked at her.

"We need to talk."

"About my mother?"

"About everything."

Maya's stomach twisted.

Five years ago, she had left Carter Estate believing she had lost Daniel.

Now she was beginning to wonder if that had been the smallest thing she had lost that night.