“What does that have to do with any of this?”
“This marriage was the answer to Maya’s prayers.” Before his parents could respond, he raked his fingers through his hair and added, “We’re pretty sure Maya’s old fiancé tried to get her visa revoked. Apparently, he’s got the money and influence to pull it off. Since he tried to marry Maya when she was thirteen, we already know he thinks laws don’t apply to him.”
“We appreciate you trying to help her, but what about you? How long do you intend to stay married? From what you’ve said, I gather this is a temporary situation.”
“We haven’t really talked about what will happen next,” Ben admitted. He ran a hand over his face. “If she survives the cancer . . .”
Jane leaned forward, sympathy in her voice. “Ben, I understand that you want to help Maya, but are you really willing to tie yourself to someone you don’t love?”
“And what about dating? Even if this is just a marriage of convenience, you certainly can’t start dating someone else in good conscience while you’re married.”
Ben thought briefly of Heather and his newfound challenges of dating as a professional athlete. Oddly enough, instead of feeling trapped by his current situation, he found comfort in having a reason to avoid the dating scene. He couldn’t think of another woman he’d rather spend time with than Maya. “I’m sure you can give me hundreds of reasons why I shouldn’t have made this decision, but for whatever reason, I know this was the right thing to do.”
“I have to tell you, I’m having a hard time with this, and I still can’t believe that you didn’t tell us,” Jane said. “I know Maya is a wonderful girl, but—”
“Mom, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I was afraid you wouldn’t understand,” Ben interrupted. “I guess right now, all I can say is that I hope you’ll support my decision.”
Steve looked at him. “You still haven’t answered my question. How long are you planning to be married to Maya? Is this temporary, or do you plan on this lasting forever?”
“I don’t know. Honestly, I’m worried that the reason I got the idea to marry Maya is that her forever isn’t going to last very long.”
Both of his parents fell silent at that. Apparently not wanting to face the unpleasant possibilities that Ben had laid out, Jane turned to Steve. “Maybe we should get a hotel room.”
“You can take my room,” Ben told her. “I don’t mind sleeping on the couch.”
“I think it would be best if we all have our own space,” Steve said.
“Dad, it’s really okay. Besides, you’re going to be here all the time anyway.”
Jane looked from her husband to Ben. “You’re father’s right. We’ll be more comfortable in a hotel, and I’m sure we’ll all appreciate a little privacy.”
“If that’s what you want, I’ll get a room for you,” Ben insisted.
“You’ve given us a lot to think about,” his father said, picking up the suitcases once more. “Would you mind giving us a lift to the hotel?”
“No problem. Let me go tell Maya where I’m going.”
His mother’s eyebrows lifted, but she simply nodded.
Ben knocked on Maya’s door, and when she opened it, he saw the apprehension on her face. “Everything’s okay,” he said reassuringly. “I’m going to go take my parents over to a hotel so they can settle in.”
“I’m so sorry, Ben.”
“It’s fine. Don’t start anything for dinner. I’ll see if I can convince them to let us take them out, and then we can have them join us for Thanksgiving dinner.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. Can you do me a favor and call the Westend Bistro at the Ritz-Carlton to see if you can get a reservation for six or six thirty? Use my name if you have to.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
Ben reached for her hand and squeezed it. “Stop worrying. Everything is fine. I promise.”
He watched her give him a little nod, and then he turned back to his parents and hoped his words were true.
Chapter 26
Maya put on a simple blue dress and belted it at her waist, Ben’s words playing through her mind. He thought she hadn’t heard him talking to his parents, but she had stayed beside her bedroom door listening to their voices as they carried through the apartment to her. She knew Ben was expressing the same concern she had—the possibility that Ben had felt inspired to marry her because she wasn’t going to live long anyway—but hearing the words spoken out loud made them seem more real, imminent even.
She thought of her family, regret flooding her as she considered that she might never have the opportunity to see them again. Despite the way she had left India, she always hoped that someday she would be able to go back, that she would find forgiveness and acceptance from the people she loved.
She wasn’t surprised to hear Ben avoid the question of whether he loved her. She didn’t expect him to, of course, but his comment reinforced the fact that their marriage wasn’t real.
She tugged at her belt in an effort to hide the fact that, despite Ben’s efforts to help her eat better, her dress was still a size too big. After sliding on her shoes, she put on the hand-me-down jacket she had inherited from Kari. Then she pressed a hand to her stomach, where her nerves were fluttering wildly. Her heart continued to knock hard against her ribs, and she wondered if perhaps she should use her cancer as an excuse to stay home tonight.
Ben had assured her that his parents weren’t going to hold a grudge because of the situation, but Maya wasn’t sure she believed him.
Ben knocked on her door, and before she could answer it, he called out, “Maya, are you ready? It’s time to go.” When she didn’t answer right away, he added, “Don’t even think about making me go through this alone.”
She opened the door now and looked at him doubtfully. “I don’t know if I can do this.”
“Come on. My parents couldn’t stop raving about you when you came home with Kari last Christmas.”
“At that point in time, I wasn’t their newfound daughter-in-law.”
“True,” he conceded. He reached out and took her hand. “Come on. Once the shock wears off, they’ll be fine.”
Her hand felt warm in his, but her voice was wary. “Are you sure?”
“Not really, but it sounded good.”
Maya rolled her eyes. “Thanks a lot.”
“I can lie if you want me to, but I’m not very good at it.” Ben tugged on her hand to lead her toward the door.
“Are we picking your parents up at their hotel?”
“No. I got them a room at the Ritz, so they just have to walk downstairs to the restaurant. I told them we would meet them there.”
When she and Ben stepped out of the elevator, Maya shuddered against the chill in the underground garage. Ben looked down at her, his eyebrows drawing together in a look of concern. “Are you going to be warm enough in that jacket?”
Maya didn’t want to admit it was the only one she owned. “I’ll be okay.”
Ben looked unsure, but he continued leading her to the car, her hand still gripped in his.
As soon as he let go to open the door, as soon as that gesture of comfort was taken away, Maya’s doubts crashed over her again. “Are you sure you really want me there tonight? Your parents came to see you, not me.” She heard the slight waver in her voice and took a tentative step back.
“Hey, come here.” As though he could sense the whirl of emotions she was battling, he stepped closer and pulled her against him. “You’re borrowing trouble. We’re both adults, and there’s nothing my parents can do to change the fact that we’re married.”
Her arms came up to encircle his waist, and she wondered if he knew how desperately she had needed this simple human contact. Warmth flowed through her, and she wished she could stay in his embrace indefinitely. She rested her cheek against his chest and spoke in a low voice. “It’s just that they’ve always been so kind to me, and I don’t want to cause any hard feelings between you.”
“Which is why you need to come with me tonight. They need to remember why they were so enamored with you when you were just Kari’s friend. Besides, I don’t want them to try to divide and conquer.”
She pulled back so she could look up at him. “What do you mean?”
“You know, when you’re not around, they’ll tell me all of the reasons this is a bad idea, and then they’ll get you alone and tell you about all of my bad habits.” Ben stepped back and motioned at the passenger seat. “Let’s go, and we’ll get through this together.”
With her heart still pounding rapidly, she nodded and slid in. She felt like her whole body was shaking by the time Ben turned his keys over to the valet and escorted her into the Ritz-Carlton to the restaurant entrance, where his parents were waiting. She slowed as they approached, and Ben put his hand on her back to guide her gently forward.
Maya didn’t miss the difference in how the Evans looked at her now compared to when she had come home with Kari. They had been so warm and welcoming last December, and now they were stiff and formal.
After they were seated, Jane said, “It occurred to me while we were settling into our room that Kari may have had some involvement in everything that has happened between you two.”
Maya tensed when she noticed a waiter hovering nearby. Ben was being so careful about not talking about their marriage in front of anyone, and here his mother was trying to bring it up in public.
Ben must have been thinking the same thing. “Mom, I’d rather not talk about that here. Tell me how everyone is back home. How’s the grandbaby?”
Jane relaxed enough to tout the latest exploits of Ben’s older sister’s little girl, who was now nearly two years old. Maya listened to the story of exactly how far a gallon of milk could go when spilled on a kitchen floor, a little pang of envy running through her. If she was cured of her cancer, her doctors said she could have a normal life, possibly one that included children, but right now, she still couldn’t get past that little two-letter word: if.
She tried to force her unspoken dreams aside and read through the menu. She was debating between a salad and the salmon when Ben asked, “Do you know what you want?”
“Not really.”
“You should get the salmon. Then you can take the leftovers home and put it on a salad tomorrow.”
“That’s a good idea,” Maya agreed, already knowing he would get a steak and then eat some of her meal.
After the waitress took their orders, Ben’s mother turned to Maya. “Maya, have you spoken with Kari lately?”
“Yes, I called her a few days ago.”
“Then I gather you know about the new boyfriend.”
Maya managed a small smile. “She mentioned she was going home with him for Thanksgiving.”
They chatted for a few minutes about Kari’s love life, and Maya was grateful the earlier tension seemed to have eased somewhat. When their meal was served, Maya automatically cut her salmon fillet in thirds, one to eat, one to take home, and one to give to Ben.
Before taking a bite, she slid her plate toward Ben’s, and he scooped off the offering. Then she pulled her plate closer once more and started eating her dinner.
Conversation over dinner flowed easily between Ben and his parents, and they seemed to take Ben’s earlier hint that he didn’t want to discuss personal matters in public. Maya sat quietly, rarely commenting, except when someone asked her a question.
When they finished dinner, Ben’s mom said, “I hope it’s okay if I make a turkey dinner for all of us on Thanksgiving. I should be able to go shopping tomorrow.”
“Actually, we already bought a turkey,” Ben told her. “Maya wanted to make dinner at home instead of going out to eat for Thanksgiving.”
“Oh.”
Realizing that Ben’s mother might think she wasn’t wanted or needed, Maya said, “Is there any way you might be willing to come over tomorrow and help us get ready for the dinner? I was going to have Ben help me make a pumpkin pie, but if you wouldn’t mind doing some cooking . . .”
Ben picked up where Maya left off. “Yeah, Mom. It would be so great if you could help us. Maya isn’t strong enough to stand for long, and we both know how I am in the kitchen.”
His mother chuckled. “I still keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen even though you haven’t lived at home for years.”
“Then you’ll help?”
“I’d be happy to. Why don’t you pick us up tomorrow around ten.”
“I can do that,” Ben agreed. He signed the credit card slip and pushed back from the table. Then he eased Maya’s chair back and put a hand under her elbow to help her up. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”
Ben noticed the speculation on his parents’ faces when they all said good-bye, but he didn’t understand the cause. A little uneasy, he led Maya toward the exit and leaned down to whisper in her ear, “See. You survived.”
“Yeah. I survived.”
* * *
Ben held the door open and waited for his parents to walk inside. They both took a good look around, and then his mother turned back to Ben. “Where’s Maya?”
“She’s at the hospital. The doctor adjusted her treatment schedule so she wouldn’t have to go in on Thanksgiving.”
“Should I wait for her to get back before I get started?”
“Mom, Maya will be thrilled with anything you do. She didn’t say so, but I can tell she’s been stressing over whether we could really cook a whole Thanksgiving dinner by ourselves or if we should pick up some things premade from the store.”
“Well, I am not eating store-bought pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving,” Jane said with a combination of pride, stubbornness, and humor.
“Of course not.” Ben chuckled. He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “You know, I’m really glad you’re here.”
Simple satisfaction gave her cheeks a warm glow. His father headed for the living room while his mother walked into the kitchen and retrieved an apron from the bottom drawer. She opened one cabinet after another, taking stock of their contents, apparently pleased to find everything was arranged the same as when she had visited last. “Ben, go ahead and keep you father company. I’ll be fine in here.”
“Okay. If you need anything, let me know. Maya gave me a grocery list a couple of days ago, but if we missed something, I can run by the store on my way to pick up Maya at the hospital.”
He watched her open the refrigerator and riffle through a few items on the second shelf. She muttered to herself. “Sour cream, more butter, celery . . .” She glanced at Ben. “I’ll make you a list.”
“Sounds good.” He went into the living room to join his dad. He dropped down on the couch beside him and looked at the television screen, where his father was scrolling through the guide in search of something worth watching.
“Keep scrolling down if you want sports or up if you want one of your Westerns.”
He scrolled up.
He was still deciding between John Wayne and Clint Eastwood when Jane walked into the living room holding a narrow piece of paper. She handed it to Ben. “Here you go.”
Ben glanced at the rather extensive list of spices and other ingredients. Knowing it might take him some time to find everything, he stood. “I think I’ll head to the store now. If you need anything else, call me on my cell.”
“Thanks, Ben. While you’re doing that, I’m going to start on the pies.”
“Pumpkin pie?” Ben asked hopefully.
Jane chuckled. “Yes, pumpkin pie.”
Already looking forward to Thanksgiving dinner, Ben left his mother to her baking. He took care of her shopping list, though he had to ask someone to help him find the water chestnuts, and then picked up Maya from the hospital. When they arrived home, Ben carried the groceries upstairs and found his mother pulling the pies out of the oven.
“What can I do to help?” Maya offered.
“Let’s see.” Jane picked up a worn piece of paper off of the counter that Ben knew to be her outl
ine for her Thanksgiving routine. “You can put those groceries away and then help make the corn bread for the stuffing.”
“I’ll put away the groceries,” Ben told them. Then he pulled out a tall step stool and placed it beside the kitchen counter for Maya.
He noticed his mother’s surprise when he leaned over to read the recipe she’d pulled out and gathered the ingredients for Maya. He looked at her curiously. “What?”
“Nothing. It’s just nice to see you helping out in the kitchen.”
“Putting stuff in and out of cabinets is easy. It’s the cooking part that’s beyond me.” He edged closer to the counter, where two pumpkin pies were cooling. “I’m happy to sample one of the pies though. We don’t really need both of those for tomorrow, do we?”
His mother shooed him out of the kitchen. “Yes, they’re both for tomorrow night. Go watch TV with your dad. I think Maya and I could use a little girl time.”
“Fine.” Ben took a few steps. Then he turned back and gave his mother a hopeful look. “Just one piece?”
The shake of her head was instant. “Tomorrow.”
Chapter 27
Ben wasn’t sure what to think about his mother since her visit at Thanksgiving. He had expected her to spend the better part of the weekend interrogating Maya and him or at least trying to convince them to find another solution to Maya’s problems, but to his surprise, except for that first day, his mother had taken Maya’s presence in stride.
Now that his parents were gone, Ben was enjoying getting back to normal life again. Or, he supposed he should say, his new normal. Maya’s treatments seemed to be going well, at least well enough that she was slowly regaining her strength and her appetite. Her next scans wouldn’t occur until January, but the doctor seemed optimistic that she might be able to have her surgery as soon as early spring.
With that eventuality looming, Ben now had to deal with the challenge that he had thus far been putting off. He was going to have to talk to someone in the Nationals’ front office about adding Maya to his insurance.
He had given Maya everything she needed to satisfy the doctor right after their wedding, but when he found out the clinical trial was covering her current treatment and that she was automatically covered for the first sixty days, he hadn’t felt any sense of urgency. Besides, deep down, he hadn’t wanted to talk to anyone about his marriage until his parents knew about it. Now that he had crossed that bridge, he knew he needed to take this next step.
Chances Are Page 17