Page 1 of Pucking Fate

1

Maya Lawrence

“Mom, please…please do something. Y-you can’t let Daddy kick me out,” I whisper. My throat feels like it’s on fire as a cascade of tears run down both my cheeks.

“You heard your father, Maya – just marry the boy and make this right,” she replies while wringing her hands, refusing to look at me from the edge of her seat on the sofa.

“Maya isn’t going to marry Christian,” Preston grumbles as he paces in front of the fireplace. “Her and that asshole ended things weeks ago, before she even found out she was pregnant.” Then he turns to me with his eyes softening. “It’s going to be okay. Dad’s just…angry right now,” Preston says. “He’ll calm down in a few minutes and take it all back–”

Before he can finish his thought, our father storms back into the house carrying a stack of cardboard boxes piled so high I can’t even see his face. The sudden bang of the boxes hitting the hardwood floor right in front of me makes me jump. “Go startpacking. I want you out of here tonight. Don’t come back until you make this right.”

“I’m…I’m sorry, Daddy. I didn’t mean for this to happen…” I say as I begin to sob. I knew my parents would be angry and disappointed, but I didn’t think they would throw me out of the house like I’m trash.

“Your mother and I are going to Bible study, and when we get back tonight, you better be gone from here.”

“You can’t do this to her!” Preston shouts as he gets in his face, taller and more intimidating than even our father now.

“This is my house and my rules! She broke them, so now she has to deal with the consequences of living in sin. Your sister will not step a single toe in my house again until there’s a ring on a finger!”

“That’s bullshit!” my brother argues.

“You can take her in since this is your fault as much as it’s hers and that careless boy’s. It was your job to look out for her and you failed!” he shouts at my brother.

“This isn’t Preston’s fault. It’s mine…” I sob.

“You’re both a disgrace to this family,” my father says. “Your brother can help you raise the bastard, because your mother and I don’t want anything to do with it.”

Maya

Nearly six years later…

I hate change.

Whoever said “change is good” lied. Change is never good, just inevitable.

I especially hate big changes like the one I feel coming this morning. My brother is already showered, dressed, and awake with a cup of coffee in his hand, his back braced against the kitchen counter. His brow is furrowed, as if he’s thinking hard way too early this morning, one of the first days of his summer break that’s supposed to be relaxing.

“Morning,” I say in greeting as I pour a cup of coffee for myself. Between the two of us, we can go through a whole pot, which is why we prefer the old-fashioned method to the new single cup machines.

“Morning,” he replies. His tense, six-foot-four frame doesn’t move from his contemplative stance as I sit at the breakfast table.

“What’s up, Preston?”

“So, I’ve got some news,” he says gravely, as if preparing me for the worst. Which is confusing since my brother just won the freaking national hockey championship, everything he’s ever worked toward his entire life.

“Okay. Give it to me,” I tell him, since the suspense is killing me.

“I signed a contract this morning with the Greensboro Bobcats.”

The mention of the Bobcats automatically makes me think of Christian.

“Oh wow. So, it’s really happening? You’re moving to North Carolina?” Moving to the same city as the man I still can’t stop thinking about years later. And just thinking about the M-word nearly has me breaking out in hives thanks to old trauma.

“Yes, it’s definitely happening.”

I should’ve realized it was a done deal. Why wouldn’t he want to move to be in the same city as his sweet girlfriend Elle?

“My offer still stands,” he says. “I know you hate the idea of packing up and moving, but I want you and Finley to come with me to Greensboro. I’ll find us a house big enough for the three of us.”

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