Page 16 of Not For Keeps
Maya shrugs. “I want to be a ninja.”
He nods, unsure what to say next. Maya picks at a loose thread on her sleeve, quiet, staring at him.
“I used to play baseball,” he tries again. “Maybe I could take you to a game sometime?”
That’s when she finally looks at me again. And I know that look. I invented that look. It’s her help me look.
I clear my throat. “I think we’re okay for today.”
Nico blinks. “Oh. Yeah. Of course.”
He looks like he wants to say more. Like there’s a speech in his head that he’s been practicing and he’s just now realizing that this isn’t the time to get it out.
Maya hops down from the bench, brushing her hands on her jeans. “It was nice to meet you,” she says.
Nico stands, too. “Yeah. You too, Maya. Really.”
She walks to me, slips her hands into mine without a word, and we start to leave.
“Analyse,” Nico calls softly behind us.
I pause, turn slightly.
“I meant it,” he says. “Thank you. For bringing her. For…for giving me this chance. I know I can win you back if you’ll just let me.”
I let out a slow breath, tired down to my bones. “Just don’t make it harder than it has to be.”
We walk away—hand in hand, her grip tight in mine, the breeze catching the edge of her jacket, lifting it. Once we’re settled in the car, I start the engine and let it idle for a moment before pulling out of the lot.
“Was that okay?” she asks.
I glance over at her. “You were perfect.”
She leans her head against the window. “I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel, Mami.”
“That’s okay,” I say gently. “You don’t have to figure it all out right now. And I’ll be here with you, helping you, every step of the way.”
She’s quiet for a while then says, “I love you so much, Mami.”
“I love you, too, mija. More than you could ever imagine.”
As we pull into the lot, I notice something waiting on front porch—a small white paper bag, folded neatly at the top. My chest tightens as I step out and peek inside. Florecitas for Maya. Pan sobao for me.
A note in Mateo’s messy scrawl sits on top:
For my girls. Thought you might need these today.
I glance around, but he’s not here. He didn’t stay. Didn’t hover. Just…knew.
Maya peeks into the bag and grins, wide and genuine, for the first time all day. “He remembered.”
“Yeah, baby,” I whisper, brushing a curl off her forehead. “He did.”
Chapter Seven
ANALYSE
Maya comes racing into my room and jumps onto my bed. “Mama! Mama! Wake up!”
