66 - Hide and Seek

Although Maia was desperately missing Reid, she was delighted to be greeted at the door by her family when she returned home. 

And the timing of her return was fortunate as her sunshine-haired toddlers were ready to age up into children.

Happy birthday Tesla!

Happy birthday Pascal!

After everyone finished their cake, Maia fondly watched her twins chase each other around the yard in a game of tag, followed by a game of hide and seek.

Now that her vacation was officially over, it was also time for Maia to return to her job.  She didn’t mind in the least.  In fact, she threw herself into her work; even going in a couple hours early every day.  She learned a great deal very quickly and she even received a few promotions, but mostly, working helped to take her mind off of Reid.

Mostly.

But as time passed, Maia realized that she hadn’t conceived during the time she had spent in Isla Paradiso, and that was enough to send her spinning into a depression.  As ambivalent as she had been about possibly having a child by Reid, now the idea consumed her thoughts and she was filled with the ache of regret that it hadn’t come to pass. She had felt certain that a relationship between them wouldn’t have worked out and that she would be denied the pleasure of a lifelong partner in him, but not becoming pregnant was an additional blow. There would be no baby to remember Reid by, as well as a further delay in her challenge. Now it would be even longer before she finished her task and was free to seek the happiness that seemed to hide from her—that of a soulmate to share her life with.

But as much as Maia might wish to wallow in her self-pity, she knew her children needed her. So she picked herself up and wiped away her tears.  She knew keeping herself busy would help.

The timing couldn’t have been better, as Phineas, Sibyl and Cassandra were now entering toddlerhood.

Maia set to work on teaching the triplets their skills immediately.

Between all that training and working as a fortuneteller, Maia was physically and mentally exhausted.  She always fell asleep promptly, and if she had any dreams she never remembered them.

Maia’s life went on this way for awhile, and before she knew it, it was time for Ryder to become a teenager.

Happy birthday Ryder!

And afterwards, Ryder made his IF Hobby real.

Sometimes, though, the two boys would both revert to their doll forms. Luckily for Maia, they looked different enough and she was able to tell the two apart!

Soon, Ryder and Hobby were both clamoring to learn to drive.  While Maia taught one, the other would watch the triplets while they played with their own IF dolls—Rune, Crystal and Cookie.

“You know, you guys are going to have to change out of your doll forms for your driver’s license pictures...”

But finally, Maia had run out of things to do, and she realized she had to get back on track with her task again.  And although Reid no longer dominated her thoughts on a daily basis, she was still heart-sore and had no interest in going out and finding a new daddy. But it was time to stop hiding, so she decided to pull out the list of potential daddies from Isak and choose someone from there.

Maia hoped to find someone who wouldn’t make the situation feel more awkward than it likely would already be for her, and noticed a man on the list by the name of David Shawkti who claimed to have a good sense of humor. Maia felt like she could use a break from the seriousness in her life, so she gave him a call and they made plans for him to come over. 

David didn’t disappoint. Although Maia was nervous initially, he was quite witty and soon had her laughing and completely at ease with him.

He also had a rather playful side, and Maia soon found herself romping around with him in a boisterous game of tag. The chase was on!

Of course, Maia eventually allowed him to 'catch' her.

But then she took off running up the stairs and jumped into her wardrobe to hide.

And unsurprisingly, David ‘found’ her.

Olly, olly oxen free!

The childlike silliness of that afternoon was exactly what she had needed, and it wasn’t too long afterwards before Maia found out that she was pregnant once again.

But she got something more from David than a new pregnancy, and more than the ability to laugh again.  She understood now, more than ever, that if there was something she wanted, something that was hidden from her, she could seek it out. And maybe, if she was persistent enough, she would eventually find it...