Page 78 of The Interns

Maya and Reed

May 15, 12:14 PM

Reed: we did it.

Maya: We did. Congrats Reed Stanton, J.D.

Reed: congrats maya hendricks, jd

Reed: i’ll call you tonight after everything dies down.

Maya: You better. Have fun at your graduation party. Tell everyone I say hi.

Maya: Except Dustin.

Reed: will do.

Maya: You know I’m just kidding, right? He gets a hi. No hug, though.

Reed: i got ya.

44

Epilogue

Maya

“I’m almost certain that everyone in this room knows the story of how Adam and Evan met.” Maya was met by a swell of chatter from those nearest and dearest to them confirming they indeed had.

“By heart, I’m sure,” she teased as she glanced at the two of them, sitting side by side in their black suits at the sweetheart table in front of the room. “But for those who don’t know, it was on a blind date, and I just so happened to be there when Evan arrived to pick Adam up. It would have been love at first sight had they not mistaken my friend for each other…”

Laughter erupted in the room, and one particularly raucous table in the front began to razz them about this mystery man who almost came between them.

“What?” Evan laughed nervously. “Just look at him!”

He motioned toward the table full of her friends on the other side of the room, and received an assist from Sydney who pointed at the man to her left who was shaking his handsome, blushing face as he locked eyes with her from across the ballroom. She mouthed sorry as she beamed at him.

“We’ve made our peace with it,” Adam stated confidently, trying to settle the scandalized room. “And no, he is not available if anyone is wondering because what Maya did not mention is that he’s now her boyfriend.”

A wave of ooohs spread across the room as if they were in a third-grade classroom and not a wedding reception. Even her parents who were seated at the table next to her friends got in on it. Now Maya’s cheeks burned from the attention. She fanned her face with the notecard in her hand and laughed along with the rest of the room. Today was all about love anyway, right?

Once the laughter died down, Maya carried on with her toast. “But luckily it all got straightened out and everyone ended up exactly where they were meant to be, including me,” she added off the cuff. “Last summer, I had the privilege of seeing my cousin fall in love. And yes, we gave them a hard time for falling so hard and so quickly, but never once did we question it because the love and respect between them was obvious from the start.” She folded the piece of paper she held in her hand just in case she lost her place and dropped it to her side as she turned to the men of the hour. “Life rarely goes exactly as planned. Your happily ever after will have the brightest, most beautiful moments, but there will still be challenges and difficult times along the way. You’re so lucky to have found each other. No matter what lies ahead, I know that you’ll meet it together with love, a sense of humor, and the support of all of these beautiful people.” She raised her glass of champagne in the air. “To Adam and Evan, and the start of your life together.”

The room saluted the couple, and she gave the grooms a hug before handing the microphone back to the DJ and making her way to her seat amidst the sound of laughter, applause, and clinking glasses as the music began to swell in the room again. As she neared the table, her friends erupted into cheers, happy to finally have her join the ranks of the lowly wedding guests who were fed, buzzed, and ready to get the party started. She laughed at them and placed her hand on Reed’s shoulder just as he looked up to see her behind him. He smiled and stood to pull out the chair that had been waiting for her all night.

“You did great,” he whispered as he leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek.

“Thank you,” she whispered back.

She began to lower herself into the chair but felt a squeeze on her shoulder and looked up to find her father passing behind her with her mother in tow.

“Wonderful job, sweetheart!”

“Thanks, Dad,” she said with a warm smile as she tried again to take her seat.

“Yes, such an inspired speech,” her mother agreed, giving both Reed and Maya a loaded look. Maya wasn’t sure if it was the bubbly talking or just the way the end of one wedding always had people looking for the next couple to tie the knot. “Don’t you sit down now, they just called everyone out to the dance floor!”

“Mom, I haven’t eaten anything all day,” Maya protested.

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