Page 23 of Broken Secrets
“Okay, spill,” she says, pulling her dark curls into a messy bun. “And don’t give me some ‘I’m fine’ nonsense. You’ve been weird all week, avoiding eye contact, eating lunch alone. What’s going on?”
I curl up next to her, suddenly feeling every ounce of exhaustion from the past few days. “It’s complicated.”
“The best stories usually are.”
So I tell her everything. About the cardiologist referral and the blank paternal medical history. About finding Jeremy’s website and seeing Emma’s face staring back at me like a mirror. About the affair that tore my family apart before I was even old enough to remember. About Mom’s eighteen years of careful omissions and outright lies.
Maya listens without interrupting, her expressions shifting from shock to sympathy to indignation on my behalf. When I get to the part about my mom making it legally impossible for Jeremy to see me, Maya’s eyes go wide.
“Oh my God, Liv! You have a sister! That’s like something out of a movie!” She sits up, bouncing slightly on the bed. “I mean, obviously the whole situation is awful and your mom should have told you, but you have a sister!”
“A sister who doesn’t know I exist,” I point out.
“Yet! A sister who doesn’t know you exist yet.” Maya’s enthusiasm is infectious, pulling me slightly out of my spiral. “What’s she like? From the photos, I mean?”
“She looks like me, but darker hair. And happy. Really happy.” I pull out my phone and show her the family photo from Jeremy’s website. “Look at her smile. That’s the smile of someone who’s never had to wonder where she comes from.”
Maya studies the photo intently. “She’s pretty. You both are. You definitely look related.” She hands the phone back.
“But Liv, just because she had a different experience doesn’t mean yours was wrong. Your mom loves you. Robert loves you. You have a good life here.”
“Built on lies.”
“Built on love and protection,” She says. “Your mom made choices based on what she thought was best for you. Maybe they weren’t perfect choices, but they came from love.”
I want to argue, but her unwavering optimism is exactly what I need right now. She has this gift for finding silver linings in even the darkest clouds.
“There’s something else,” I say, my cheeks warming.
“What?”
“Derek and I… we kissed. And we’re going to prom together.”
Maya’s shriek is loud enough to wake the neighbors. She grabs my hands, bouncing on the bed like a caffeinated kindergartner.
“I KNEW IT! I knew this would happen eventually! You two have been dancing around each other since middle school!” She’s grinning so wide her cheeks must hurt. “Tell me everything. When? Where? Was he a good kisser? Did he use tongue? Did you melt into a puddle?”
“Maya!” I laugh, her excitement infectious. “It was yesterday, at his house. And yes, he’s a really good kisser.”
“I’m so happy I could cry,” she says, and she actually looks like she might. “You deserve someone who looks at you the way Derek looks at you. Like you hung the moon and painted the stars.”
“How does he look at me?”
“Like you’re the answer to a question he’s been asking his whole life.” she flops backward dramatically. “It’s nauseating how cute you two are together, honestly.”
“We should go dress shopping this weekend,” she continues, already planning. “I know the perfect boutique downtown. And we need to coordinate with his tux. What color are you thinking? Blue would look amazing with your eyes.”
“Maya, slow down. I agreed to go with him yesterday.”
“Exactly! Which means we’re already behind schedule.” She sits up, pulling out her phone. “I’m making a list. Dress, shoes, jewelry, hair appointment, nail appointment,”
“This is why I love you,” I interrupt, watching her create what will undoubtedly become a color-coded spreadsheet. “You find joy in everything.”
“Life’s too short not to celebrate the good stuff,” she says simply. “And your first real relationship with Derek is definitely good stuff worth celebrating.”
“Even with all the family drama happening?”
“Especially with all the family drama happening. You need some happiness in your life right now.” She puts her phone down and looks at me seriously. “You’ve been carrying this alone for too long, Liv. I’m here for whatever you need—shoulders to cry on, people to complain about your mom to, someone to come to doctor appointments with you.”
