Ryan was still reeling from the whirlwind of teasing, confusion, and awkward questions that had come from his family when Linda, his mother, finally pulled him aside.
"You know," Linda began, her voice warm but slightly teasing, "it's not every day you see someone as sweet as Maya with a kid."
Ryan frowned. "Yeah, she is." His tone was clipped, still confused about everything that had just happened.
Linda smiled softly, nodding toward the little boy again. "Yes. That's why I said you shouldn't assume. It's clear they've got a strong bond, but it's nothing more than family."
Ryan sighed, rubbing his temple. "I didn't assume…" His voice trailed off as if his words didn't match the confusion still swirling in his head.
"Well, it's obvious now that you're a little confused," Linda teased a glint of humor in her eyes. "But don't worry, son. You'll figure it out. Maya's family means a lot to her."
Later, as the group sat down for a quick meal in the mall's food court, Ryan remained quiet, absent-mindedly pushing his food around. Maya was still her usual composed self, casually answering questions about her family. It seemed like everyone was genuinely interested in her life outside of work, and for the first time, Ryan realized just how little he knew about her.
As the conversation died down and the others got up to check out some more stores, Ryan found himself alone with Maya for a moment. He hesitated, then cleared his throat. "Maya, I'm sorry for my mom's behavior earlier. She can be… a bit much sometimes."
Maya smiled, her gaze softening, as she tilted her head. "It's fine. I'm used to it." She paused for a second, then added, her voice quieter, "It's nice to have people who love you, you know? Like your mom and dad…" Her eyes shimmered slightly, and Ryan caught off guard, noticed the hint of tears threatening to well up in her eyes.
It was a brief moment, but it didn't go unnoticed by Ryan. He stared at her, his mouth suddenly dry. There was something vulnerable in her expression, something deeper than the usual professional Maya he saw every day. Before he could say anything, Maya quickly blinked away the emotion, giving him a small, reassuring smile.
"I'm fine," she said lightly, as though brushing it off. "Really. It's just… nice to have a family that supports you."
Ryan opened his mouth, but no words came out. His heart was suddenly racing, and he wasn't sure how to respond. What could he possibly say to something like that? Maya had always been a steady presence at work, but this was different. She wasn't the colleague he could banter with or the professional he could rely on for tough projects. This was Maya, the person, and he realized how little he truly knew about her life.
He was still processing her words when Maya stood up, giving him a final, light smile. "Let's catch up with Mom and Leo or they would probably buy the entire mall by now."
Ryan blinked, almost shaking himself out of the moment. He nodded, a small, unsure smile appearing on his lips. "Yeah. Sure."
As they walked back to meet the others, Ryan found his mind still wrapped around Maya's words. It was like he was seeing her in a completely new light—one he wasn't sure he was ready for. But deep down, he couldn't ignore the shift in himself, the way he felt drawn to her in a way he hadn't before. Something about her, about the way she spoke so simply and truthfully about family, had cracked open something in him.
Ryan didn't say anything more about her family, but his mind was made up. One thing was for certain now: he couldn't look at Maya the same way anymore.
As they continued walking toward the others, Ryan couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted. He stole a glance at Maya, who was already chatting with Claire and his mom, her laughter echoing through the mall. She seemed so at ease, so comfortable in her skin, and yet there was an undeniable depth to her that he couldn't quite grasp. Something about her vulnerability earlier tugged at him in ways he hadn't expected. It was like he saw her not just as his colleague but as someone who could be a part of something much bigger than work—something personal.
As they all made their way out of the food court, Ryan felt a sense of clarity he hadn't experienced before. There was something about Maya—something genuine—that made him want to be a part of her world, to be close to her in ways he hadn't imagined. And as he glanced back at her, his thoughts were clear.
I'm going to make her part of my family, he vowed to himself. No more running from these feelings. He didn't know what the future would hold, but he knew one thing for sure—he wasn't going to let her slip away.