Conrad
“I won’t be too late to bed, sweetness,” I say, kissing Maya softly.
“Take as long as you need, my love. I know you and Chelsea have a lot to catch up on.” She smiles.
It is just after midnight. Maya is in bed because she is tired. Chelsea is still here; she was staying tonight. She and I were going to have another drink and spend some time together before we go to bed, too.
“Sweet dreams, beautiful. I love you.”
“I love you too. Don’t forget to take some pjs through for your sister.” Maya reminds.
I nod, kissing her forehead and get some pjs for my sister before leaving Maya to sleep. I believe she is tired, but I think she has also decided to go to bed so I can spend time with my little sister.
I join Chelsea back in the living room, handing the pjs to her. She disappears to change, and I grab us another beer while she does. I have missed Chelsea. Yes, we have an age gap, but we have always been close. I was closer to her than my brothers.
Chelsea returns a few minutes later, sitting next to me on the sofa and takes a swig of her beer. She turns to me.
“How are you doing with everything going on? I know you are staying strong for Maya’s sake, but none of what is going on can be easy on you.” She asks softly.
“Honestly, I am stressed out and constantly on edge. Not for my sake, but Maya’s. I am terrified he will go after her. He put her through so much hell when they were together. She has told me most of it, but I don’t think she has told me everything. I believe there was more than physical and emotional abuse involved.” I sigh, my heart breaking even at the thought of what he put her through.
“You think there was sexual abuse, too?” she asks.
I nod, “I really do. The idea of us getting intimate at first scared her. The littlest of touches made her flinch.”
“I can’t even imagine the hell she has gone through. I think we sometimes forget how lucky we are.” She replies.
“Yes, we do. Even before her ex, her family life was bad. She ran away at seventeen, but I am sure she was taking care of herself way before that.” I whimper.
Chelsea reaches over and places her hand on mine, “She is safe now with you, Conrad.”
“Is she? Look at everything that has happened, even with me by her side?”
“Yes, she is. If you weren’t around, there would have been a chance she would have gone back to him, or he would have hurt her worse than what he previously did. She feels protected with you and that is important.” She says and squeezes my hand.
“I just wish I could take all her pain away and protect her from all the bad.”
I didn’t realise I was crying until I felt the tears run down my cheek.
“I know you do. But you need to remember, you are helping her heal, Conrad. You have given her a home, somewhere she is safe. You show her love she has never had before. Maya will be okay, and she loves you so much. Her ex will get caught, and she will eventually be able to stop living in fear. You are doing everything you can for her.” She smiles.
“She has become my entire world. I didn’t know I could love someone in the way I love her. I didn’t realise a piece of me was meeting until I met Maya. There is a chance I fell in love with her the first night we met, but I just didn’t realise. I need all the bad to be gone in her life. I want to give her the best life I can. I want us to live in peace, get married and eventually have a family, but I know that isn’t going to be possible until that bastard is behind bars.” I hiss, my fists clenching.
“Conrad, breathe, and please calm down. You will be able to give her all of that. Why don’t the two of you go somewhere else until he is caught? Come to London and stay there until things are sorted.” She suggests.
“I suggested that, but she said she doesn’t want to run again. I know every day she is constantly looking over her shoulder and is fearful in case something happens, not only to her but to me too, but she doesn’t always admit it because she wants to be strong. She can’t see how strong she already is. She is still standing, even after everything. I want Maya to see herself the way I see her.”
I would do anything if I could make all her pain and bad memories disappear.
“Everything will work out in the end. I am sorry, Dad and Bridget are making things more difficult for you both. I don’t understand why Dad is acting like this. It is not him. Bridget, I understand because she is a horrible human being, spoiled and jealous, but Dad, I don’t see his problem.” She sighs, shaking her head.
“I have no idea why he is acting like an idiot. He has gotten it into his head that Maya isn’t good enough for me and that I should be with Bridget. Even if her ex didn’t try to kill me with a damn car, I believe he would have found another excuse to dislike Maya.” I reply honestly.
“It is wrong. Maya is the best thing that has happened to you. Dad needs to learn to accept that. As for Bridget, she needs to fuck off too.” She hisses.
“I told him until he stops acting like an ass, taking Bridget’s side and dismissing my girlfriend, he and I can’t have a relationship. Maya has been through enough, and I refuse to let him be another person, making her feel like she is worthless.”
“Good, you need to be firm with him.” She agrees.
“I worry about the event coming up. It may end up being too much for Maya because of him, Bridget and Meredith.”
“Don’t worry about any of them. I will be there, and so will Mom. We will have Maya’s back. As for Bridget and Meredith, if they even start, leave it to me. I never liked any of them.” She states firmly.
“Thank you. I don’t just mean for what you just said. Thank you for accepting Maya and treating her with respect. She needs you on her side.” I smile.
“No need to thank me. I really like her. She and I are going to be great friends. I also couldn’t think of anyone better I would as my future sister-in-law.” She gushes, a proud look on her face.
“I would like that. Maya doesn’t have any friends. She only has me. Her ex made sure he isolated her from everything and everyone.”
“That breaks my heart. She will have me now. So, be honest with me since she isn’t here. If all of what is happening wasn’t happening, when would you propose?” she asks with a raised brow.
I chuckle. I am not surprised by her question.
“Honestly, I probably would have already asked. I don’t have a single doubt in my mind about Maya being the one for me. The only reason I have not is because of everything we are dealing with. It would be too much for her. She would be overwhelmed.”
Chelsea smirks, “I knew it!”
“Once everything is over with, it will be the first thing I do. If I could, I would probably marry her tomorrow. No, we haven’t been together long, but everything feels right with Maya.” I smile brightly.
“Amazing! It is good to see you happy and in love, big brother.”
“Thank you. What about you, anyone special in London?”
Chelsea shifts in her seat and becomes a little nervous, “There is someone, but it is still new. I am not ready to tell anyone about him yet, but I hope that when you and Maya come to London, the four of us can have dinner together.”
I look at her strangely. Why is she being anxious about it? She must have her reason. I won’t push.
“Okay, I won’t ask any questions since you aren’t ready to talk about it. Yes, we can do that when we come to London. The four of us can get together.” I smile.
Whoever he is better be good enough for her. He had better be a good man who treats her right because she deserves it. Chelsea has always gone for the wrong guys. The bad boy type, but she has gotten past that phase with any luck.
“Great! I think you will like him. He isn’t like any of my exes. He is a good man who takes care of me and works hard.” She gushes.
“Good because you deserve a good man, little sister.” I smile.
She nods, “I do, and I have finally found one.”
I only want the best for her. It really is great to see her and catch up with each other’s lives. I have missed this. I really need to start making more of an effort to see her, even more so now with Maya, since I agree with Chelsea and think they will become great friends.