“Ah, so I’m ‘Dad’ again. Ten minutes ago I was to ‘stop acting like your father since I’d been absent for most of your life.’”
Although he didn’t show it, I knew how much her words must have hurt him and I couldn’t cover the disappointment on my face as I turned to her.
She winced and lowered her gaze. “I didn’t mean it.” She looked up at Logan, eyes pleading. “I’m sorry. It was just… It’s embarrassing! Why did the head teacher have to tell you? But I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean it.”
Maia suddenly looked terrified, as if frightened Logan would turn away from her.
Instead his features softened. “Come here.”
Slowly she made her feet take her to him, and as soon as she was within reaching distance, Logan pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead.
Maia relaxed into him and hugged him back.
As touched as I was by his understanding, I wasn’t distracted from the main issue at hand. “We need to talk about who this boy is and how you are never, ever going to do this again.”
Pulling away slightly from Logan, Maia blushed. “Do we have to?”
I looked at Logan. “How would you feel if Maia and I discussed this alone?”
He actually looked relieved. “Fair enough… but” – he tugged gently on her arm, drawing her attention back to him – “whatever the discussion may involve, the outcome will be this: You won’t do this again, or, when the time comes that you’re old enough to date, I will scare the absolute shit out of every boy that even so much as smiles at you. Understood?”
Maia stared wide-eyed at him and nodded quickly.
“Good.” He nodded, satisfied, and then walked out, leaving me to it.
“I won’t do it again,” she said hurriedly. “Promise.”
“You have to understand that when you act like that with boys —”
“Grace, not to be a bitch or anything, but I know, all right? I’ve seen a girl a year younger than me having sex with an older guy in my stairwell back in Glasgow. And I’ve seen other stuff too. And the guys don’t respect the girls. I know all that. It was just a dare. And no matter what the headmaster said… it was just kissing. I’m not…” She blushed. “I’m not ready for anything else.”
Relief made me sag against my sofa. “You have no idea how happy I am that you said that.”
She chewed on her lip a moment and then said, “How old were you when you lost your virginity?”
“I still have it,” I lied. “And if you’re sensible, you’ll hold on to yours for a long, long time.”
Maia rolled her eyes. “Aye, and Santa is real.”
“He is. So is the Easter Bunny. And babies are dropped off at the doors of mums and daddies everywhere by giant storks. Now nod like you believe me.”
She giggled and nodded.
“And my work here is done.”
“I can’t believe you thought these would help make me feel better.” I raised the DVDs at Chloe as she sauntered back into my sitting room with two glasses of wine.
“What?” She frowned at my tone. “You’ve been moping around with a broken heart for quite long enough. I thought these would help you get over it.”
“I’ve had a broken heart for approximately two weeks, but thank you for your patience.” I dumped the DVDs on the coffee table. “How are The Notebook, Sleepless in Seattle, and Love and Other Drugs supposed to help me? They’re all about two people falling in love. With each other. La-di-da. I hate them already.”
“They’re supposed to act as a reminder of hope.” She smirked at my grimace. “These films aren’t just about two people falling in love. They’re about two people who fall in love but there are all these obstacles in their way and it’s a struggle… but in the end they do end up together.”
I took a massive gulp of my wine. “I really wish you’d give up on the idea of me and Logan, Chloe.”
“Nope.”
“I’d really consider it, if I were you.”