Perfect Doesn't Last Forever

Chapter Eighteen

            “I’m a sous chef right now, but I started out ten years ago,” Maya tells us, swiftly chopping up some onions and tossing them into a sizzling pan.  “I got hired right out of cooking school.”

            “Because she’s just that good,” Damien adds proudly, gazing at Maya as she moves fluidly about the kitchen.  She grabs things out of the refrigerator, tossing them on the counters, before chopping everything up and tossing it all into the same sizzling pan.  She blushes ever so slightly at Damien’s comment and then quickly brushes it aside. 

            “I’m sure she’s fabulous,” I say, glancing up at Preston before speaking again.  “So what about you Damien?  What is it that you do?”

            “I actually manage the country club,” he tells us.  He has a crooked smile plastered on his face as he pops a stray carrot into his mouth.  I know he is referring to the club in which we spent our first date at and basically every other big event his family held.  “My dad thought it would be a good idea since none of the owner’s family members wanted the job.  You know, we have quite a lot of stock in the place, so it was a no brainer.”

            “That’s great,” I smile.  “I’m sure all the kids enjoy going there as much as you did when you were younger.”

            “They do,” he nods.  “So what about you Preston, what is it that you do?”

            “I’m a partner at a law firm,” Preston says proudly.  Preston knows that he isn’t competing against anyone, but for some reason he feels the need to be superior to Damien, which is completely unlike how he usually is.  For a lawyer, Preston is fairly humble and keeps to himself; he never pushes his career at other people, only to other lawyers because it’s only fair to be competitive towards his lawyer equals. 

            “Very nice,” Damien whistles impressively.  I can tell by his demeanor that he is only trying to please Preston’s boastful attitude.  It was something that I liked in him; and it is something I love in Preston, the humbleness that most men didn’t seem to have, I guess I have a type.  “I see the Walsh family has a type.” 

            Damien and I chuckle simultaneously and Preston lets a deep laugh.  Maya absentmindedly washes her hands at the sink and I take a quick peek over at the kids.  All the boys have moved in closer towards Hayley and Melanie except for Lucas, who continues to sit alone, typing away on his phone.  I shoot a look at Preston, but he just shrugs back at me.  Preston doesn’t like to push his kids towards socializing with other people, he says it is something that they just do on their own, and most of the time Lucas is quick to be with the crowd, but right now Lucas just seems out of place. 

            “So I know that this is a bit awkward,” Maya starts, turning away from the stove and towards all of us.  “But I wanted to show Hayley that we weren’t trying to stop her from finding out who she was.  She needs us to all get along and this dinner was the easiest way to show her just that.”

            I don’t know what to tell Maya.  It’s hard to know that she raised my daughter.  It’s hard to know that Damien moved on with his life with her.  It’s hard to be mad at her for having the life that I used to wish I would have when she is the most selfless person alive.  She has done the job that I couldn’t bring myself to do and even though it still stings a little that in my sick wishes, where Damien was alone raising Hayley with his family, didn’t come true, I know that I can’t be jealous or annoyed, not at someone who is so kindhearted.  It took me months, almost a year, to get used to the fact that once Lucas and Lyle’s mom got out of rehab, she had the right to have them in their custody after she’d run away with her boyfriend to Europe and then took regular trips to rehab.  Lucas and Lyle were like my own blood.  I watched Lyle grow up and helped Lucas get used to living with Preston and I.  I know Maya’s struggles.