Waif

"Yeah, but it's fun to drive!"

I laughed. "I know, right? Go get Talley."

She kissed me and she was off.

By the time I got cleaned up, they were home. Maia was showering, and Talley chattered at me, all about her day. Maia appeared at the top of the stairs, wrapped in a towel and asked what she should wear.

"Just casual. Jeans and a top," I said

I took them to Monroe's Hot Chicken, and they both loved it. It was a little spicy for Talley, but not Maia. We giggled at Talley drinking glass after glass of lemonade, and had a great time.

We soon fell into a routine, and the summer passed quickly. It was getting close to time for school to start, and we moved Talley back to her mom's. Talley insisted that Maia was going with us. I knew that was going to be awkward as fuck, but we didn't have anything to hide. Talley reminded me that I'd said she could tell Anna whatever she wanted, once Maia was 18, and she wanted to tell her mom that she had a "sister."

It went as badly as I thought it would. We pulled up and got boxes of Talley's stuff to carry in. Talley opened the door and called for her mom. "We're here, Mom."

"Be down in a sec," Anna called down from upstairs. "You know where stuff goes."

We carried the boxes into Talley's room and went back for another load. How had the girl accumulated so much stuff over the summer? We started unpacking and putting stuff away, and Anna walked in.

She still looked as good as she always had. She was a beautiful woman, no doubt about that. A little blonde pixie, like Talley was going to be. She had those looks that were always going to be cute, even when she was 70.

Talley grabbed Maia's hand and led her over to Anna. "This is Maia," she said. "She's helping us."

"Hi," Anna said. "Thanks for helping."

"You're welcome." Maia's voice was that barely audible tone she took on when she was uncomfortable.

"How do you know Rogers and Talley?" she asked.

"Umm... Mom, she lives with us," Talley blurted out.

"What? What do you mean, 'she lives with you?"

"She lives with us," I said. "How is that confusing?"

"She... How old are you?" she snapped at Maia.

"She's 18," Talley said.

"You mean she's like a nanny? She's your housekeeper?"

"What the hell? When did you become a damn racist, Anna?" I shot off. "Because she's black, she's like some kind of menial?"

"No... I didn't mean..." she was on the defensive, now. "I don't understand why she lives with you."

"She's part of our family," Talley said. "We all love her, Gram and Grandpa, Aunt Sarah, everyone. She's my big sister!"

Anna glared at me, her eyes full of suspicion. "What does this mean, Rogers? Are you sleeping with this..."

Maia was looking very pale and embarrassed. I needed to end this. "You should stop right there," I told Anna. "How dare you? I'm not the one who sleeps... No, we're not going there. I don't owe you an explanation, Anna. Not for anything. You gave up the right to question anything I do. Maia came over here because Talley wanted to introduce her to her mother, and then you act like..."

I kneeled and hugged Talley, who was also looking horrified. "I'm so sorry, baby," I said. "I didn't mean to upset you. Everything is fine. I just need to talk to your mother for a second. Show Maia around your room.

I walked into the kitchen and Anna followed me. "She shouldn't be..."

I interrupted her. "Who are you to be telling anyone what they should or shouldn't do? Don't act like you have some moral standing to criticize anyone."

"She's 18, and you're..."

"I'm nothing," I hissed. "She has the bedroom upstairs in the back. She works for me. She was living on the streets and we helped her. Talley loves her like a sister. You better not say one bad thing about her to Talley, or give Talley a hard time, either. I let you live in this house, which I don't have to do, because of Talley, because you're her mother, and you've been a good one. You're about to fuck that up if you say one more negative thing about Maia. You feel me?"

She looked nervous. "She loves you," she said. "It's written all over her."

"Yes, she does," I said. "I love her, too, but I'm like a father figure she never had. Don't start making this out to be some nasty shit you're imagining in your mind. Just because you have no morals... No. Stop, Anna. Remember what I said? One negative thing to Talley, and you'll regret it."

I left her standing there and went to get Maia. We hugged and kissed Talley, telling her we'd pick her up in two weeks for our weekend with her, and I took Maia's hand and led her out. When we got in the truck, I just sat there for a minute, letting the adrenaline ebb. "Fuck!" I pounded the steering wheel with my fist, making Maia jump.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," I said. "I knew this was a bad idea."

I felt her cool little hand on my forearm, her long slender fingers caressing me. "It's okay, Rogers," she said. "Yeah, that wasn't fun, but what did you expect? She's still in love with you. Anyone can see it."

I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing. "What?" she asked.

"She just told me the same thing about you." I chuckled.

Maia never made a sound. She just sat there doing that blushing thing. "Let's go get a piece of pie," I said. "You like pie?"

"Oh, yes, I do. Apple, with vanilla ice cream."

We got our pie and talked. "How long will it be before your divorce is final?" she asked.

"Ten more days," I told her.

"Do you think you'll ever get back together with her?"

I shook my head. "No, Maia. That ship has sailed. That would be ideal for Talley, of course, and that's the only reason I ever considered it. You see me now, almost a year after all this went down. I don't think about it much now, but for those first few days, weeks, months, it filled my head every time I wasn't occupied doing something else. She ripped my heart out. It was all so casual, like it didn't mean anything to her. She just cheated, blatantly, in front of friends of ours we knew for years growing up, then acted like it was no big deal."

"I think cheating is a big deal," she said. "I can imagine how you felt. I don't understand how anyone could do that."

"Neither do I."

Maia was pensive for a minute, just eating her pie. "You know, I have kind of an idea of myself, like inside. I think about what kind of a person I am, and I have this image of who I am and who I want to be. Cheating would destroy me, Rogers. It would be so against everything I am, everything I want to be."

I put my arm around her and squeezed her. "You are amazing, Maia. How did you get to be so smart? And you're only 18."

"I got a big-ass head," she said. "Room for lots of brains in there."

I laughed. "Well, you don't have a 'big-ass head,' but you obviously have a big brain. We gotta get you enrolled in school this week, so we can fill up that big brain."

Sarah did some of her magic with the state, and we got Maia's school records, birth certificate and all her papers. She had to get some vaccinations, but she was up and off to school on the Thursday it started.

That district didn't have school on Mondays, and she worked Monday and delivered one load after school every day. She was ecstatic and so proud when she got her first paycheck.

"Oh, my God! It's so much," she danced around my office. "How much do I make an hour?"

"You make $32 an hour, just like all the other new drivers," I said. "I think they top out around $40."

"It's so much! I can't believe it," she pumped her fist. "How do I cash it?"

"Do you want to have a bank account?" I asked.

"I do. Can I get like a debit card?"

"You can," I said. "If you get up early in the morning, we can get to the bank before noon and get you set up."

She was up by eight, which was unusual for her on a Saturday, and I took her to the bank I used. She showed them her driver's license and social security card, they took her check, she got $200 in cash and deposited the rest. They thought it would take 3-5 days for her to get her debit card, and she was so excited.

"I can't believe I have a bank account!" she exclaimed.

"Well, do you think you'll be the kind of girl who spends all her money""

"Noo, Imma save it so I can go to college," she said.

We were on our way home, and I pulled into Mary Coyle, we got ice cream, and talked.

"About that, Maia..."

"What?" she asked.

"Paying for college," I said.

"Oh, no. Don't you even start," she commanded. "Yes, I know what you're going to say, and I'm grateful you feel that way, but hell no."

I laughed. "You read my mind. That's not all I have to say, though. You don't have any parents, Maia. You're an 18-year-old minority woman with no parents, and your income isn't that high. I'm sure there are scholarships, grants, loans you could get."

"I don't want any loans," she insisted. "I'll talk to the school counselor about the grants and scholarships, though."

"Smart girl," I said. "I pay huge taxes, and you should take advantage of every opportunity to get some of it back."

"Oh, yeah. I will."

"How are you liking school?"

"Well, it's kinda school," she said. "I'm not having a hard time with any of my classes, though, and people are nice to me. I have a new friend."

"I figured you'd have dozens," I said. "I mean, you're gorgeous, funny, smart. Any boys sniffing around I need to worry about?"

She blushed. "No. Well, they ask me out, but Ion wanna go."

"Are you going to hang out with your new friend?" I asked.

"Yes, I want to invite her over so she can meet you and Talley next Saturday. Would that be okay?"

"Of course," I said. "I'd love to meet her. What's her name?"

"It's Elica," she said. "She's really cute. You'll love her."

"If you do, I know I will," I said.

"Can we take out the jet skis?"

"Absolutely. I'll make sure they're ready to go," I assured her.

*****

Elica turned out to be a charmer. She was a tall brunette, just gorgeous, she was from London, and she had this wonderful, precise, English accent. She was as smart and funny as Maia, but it was a very dry wit. She would say things that had us in stitches, and Talley loved her, too.

I sat on the dock and watched them fly up and down the river, Talley clinging to one or the other of them, and just chilled. Sarah came over to hang with us, and she was just as charmed by Elica as we were. She, Maia and Elica made surreptitious plans to do girl shit after they were done on the water, and I watched them, smiling at their antics. Sarah really wasn't much older than they were, at 27, and I remembered well her being just like them. Hell, she still was.

*****

I finally got the final divorce papers in the mail. It was a bit sad, traumatic and a relief, all at the same time. You don't watch 10 years of your life go up in smoke without feeling some way about it. I was a little depressed for a few hours, and I think Maia sensed it. She came and sat beside me, curling her legs up in that impossible way she had, as if she had no bones.

"Is that it?" she asked, looking at the papers.

"It is," I told her.

"Are you okay? Are you sad?"

"A little. I didn't ever expect to be here. I imagined in my mind that Anna and I would grow old together, watch Talley grow up, look forward to grandkids someday. Then it all went to hell in a day."

She wrapped her arms around me. "I'm so sorry, Rogers. I wish there was something I could do."

I played with one of her curls, twisting it around my finger. "You're doing something now," I said. "You make me feel good. I've realized that relationships aren't about who you've known the longest. They're about who walked into your life, said "I'm here for you," then proved it."

"That's you, for me," she said.

"That's you, for me," I echoed. "You're here for me, right now."

She snuggled a little closer. "I plan always to be here for you."

"Same, sweetheart," I said.

*****

She sailed right through the school year. It was an experience watching her. Our weekends with Talley were a little oasis every two weeks, and she spent Christmas week with us. Anna got her for Thanksgiving, and there was an empty place in our hearts as we sat around the table at Mom and Dad's.

Christmas was wonderful, though, and we hosted the dinner. Elica came over in the afternoon, and we opened our presents.

Maia had perfect grades, and she proudly showed everyone her grade report on her phone. "See, I told you I could work and keep my grades up."

"You did," I admitted. "I should never have doubted you. You are Supergirl."

She gave me an impish grin. "I am, and don't you forget it, buster."

She graduated the last day of May, and we were all in attendance as she marched proudly across the stage. She turned to look at us and gave us a thumbs up. We all screamed, or whooped, depending on our sex, and she bounced back to her chair. After some long boring speeches, it was over and they all threw their caps in the air. Maia was quick to rescue hers, though, and she made her way through congratulatory people. I saw the counselor stop her and they talked for a minute. Maia made a little dance step, pumped her fist and gave the counselor a high five. I wondered what that was about.

She finally made her way back to us, and we all hugged her and congratulated her. She was full of excitement, and I could tell there was something she wanted to say.

"I have some news," she said "I just want you all to know, I could never have done it without you. Thank you for being there for me. The counselor just told me something. Guess what? I have a full-ride scholarship to Arizona State."

That had a fresh round of congratulations and hugs all around. "I went to Arizona State, you know," Sarah told her. "It's a good school, and you can make it whatever you want it to be."

"Oh, I know what I want it to be," she said.

"What?" Talley asked.

"I want to get a degree in construction engineering," she explained. "I think that would be good for our business, don't you, Rogers?"

I loved that she considered it "our" business. "You're too smart for me, kiddo," I said. "Poor old Rogers has a business degree. I think you'll be good for any business."

"Oh, I'm going to work for you," she said.

I noticed Mom and Sarah looking at her oddly, but I didn't pay any attention at the time.

"Hey, I'm taking everyone out to the Arrowhead Grill to celebrate," Dad said.

"Is it good?" Maia asked.

"Best steaks in town," Dad assured her.

"It's really good," Talley said. "Grandpa has taken me there a few times. Let's go."

Talley went with Sarah, since she was spending the night with her, and Maia and I were in the Lexus. We walked out where we were parked, and I chirped the locks. "Wanna drive?" I asked Maia.

"Oh, yeah," she said. "Pop the trunk. I wanna yeet my stuff in the back." She took off her graduation robes, hat and the shoes she'd been wearing, and tossed them back there, getting out another pair to wear to the restaurant.

I raised one eyebrow. "Okay, those weren't exactly my best purchase," she said with a giggle. "Yes, I know, you told me. They're hella cute, though."

I had to admit they were, but I couldn't imagine walking in them. "Hey, if you want to tower over everyone like a tree, who am I to object," I said. "They make your legs look amazing, though."

She blushed, as she always did when anyone complimented her. "Thanks," her voice was almost a whisper.

I handed her the keys and held her door.

The steaks were every bit as good as Dad had promised, and we had a regular party up in there.

Elica was going to Arizona State, as well, it turned out, and they carpooled. Maia wanted no part of living on campus. "Noo," she objected when I mentioned it. "How would that work? I'm going to work in the afternoons. You know that, Rogers."

She did, too. She got out of school about one, and she was always loading up by two. I rode along with her a couple of times on deliveries, and I was both amazed and not surprised. When we pulled in, work stopped at that location. The workers fell all over themselves helping her unload, and even the head honchos would come around and chat her up. She was a star, and I could see why.

That skinny little waif was gone. She'd put on at least 20 needed pounds, and she worked out with me, three days a week. She was still slender, slim hipped, broad shouldered, but she was becoming muscular, too.

Her clothes fit tightly, and what was under them was spectacular. Her boobs had grown, becoming full, if not large, mounds of femininity under whatever she was wearing. We had company polo shirts for all the workers, and they looked better on her than anyone else.

When the first college semester ended, she had a perfect 4.0. I was impressed. I knew how smart she was, of course, but she had an unbelievable work ethic, too. She threw herself into every assignment, and Elica told me all her professors loved her.

One thing I noticed was she never went on any dates, and my curiosity got the better of me. "Any of the college guys looking like potential boyfriends?" I asked her one night.

She blushed. "Noo," she said. "I guess I should tell you, Rogers, I'm gay."

She laughed herself into hysterics at the look on my face when she said that. "Oh, my God. That was everything I hoped for," she gasped. "I was just kidding. I'm not gay, Rogers. I mean, if everything was just right, I might try a girlfriend. I do think women are pretty."

"Me too," I said, and that set her off again.

"I don't have time for a boyfriend, anyway. Between school and work, I'm busy. I get asked out a lot, but I'm not interested. I know I'm pretty, but I'm more than that, and the guys who ask me out are only interested in one thing." She waggled her eyebrows up and down at me.

I laughed. "Yeah, I know. Hey, they're wired that way. They'll grow up."

"Well, they'll do it without me," she said. "I don't want to date immature jerks. It would be a waste of my time. When I'm not in class, I want to be working, or here with you and Talley. Isn't it our weekend?"

"It is," I said. "Anything special you want to do?"

"Nah, it doesn't matter," she said. "As long as we do it together, I'm good. I miss her, Rogers."

"I know," I said with a sigh. "Me too."

She surprised me one evening, just after the end of her second semester. We were sitting on the dock in the camp chairs, her feet on my legs as she always liked them.

"Rogers, I have something to tell you."

"Oh, my God. You're pregnant. Who's the father?"

She laughed. "No, dummy. I'm on the pill. You took me, so you outta know."

"Yeah, there is that."

"Did you know Sarah and Elica are dating?" she asked.

I had no idea. "Really? I didn't know Elica rolled like that. Didn't she have a boyfriend like last week?"

She laughed. "If a year ago is last week, then yeah. She's bi, Rogers."

"Oh. Are they serious?"

"I don't know," she said. "I mean, they hang out together all the time, and I know they really like each other. They don't tell me if they're lovers. It's none of my business," she said.

"No, mine either. I love both of them, and I hope they make each other happy."

She looked at me and did that little head cocking thing. "How come you don't have a girlfriend, Rogers?"

I nearly choked on my beer. "Well, after I found out about Anna, I had kind of a crispy heart there for a while," I said. "I really had no interest in having a girlfriend."

Her cool little hand stroked my arm. "I know. I'm sorry, Rogers. Aren't you pretty much over that?"

"I guess," I said. "As much as you ever get over something like that. I haven't really met anyone I wanted to be my girlfriend. I want to spend as much time as possible with Talley. Besides, I've got you," I teased her.

She blushed furiously. Her eyes fell, and she said, so softly I almost didn't catch it. "Yeah, you do."