Chapter 3: Final Release
The fluorescent lights of the Kalamazoo station buzzed overhead, harsh and unforgiving after the bus’s dim womb. Maya smoothed her sweater for the twentieth time, the wool suddenly itchy and accusatory. She could still feel Ethan inside her, a phantom fullness that made her walk a little differently, she was sure of it.
Her father, a broad-shouldered man in a flannel jacket, spotted them first. “Maya! Over here!”
The hug was tight, smelling of pine chips and Old Spice. “Hey, Dad.”
“And you must be Ethan.” Her father’s grip was firm, his eyes assessing in a single, sweeping glance. Ethan met it with a steady smile, though Maya saw the pulse jump in his neck.
“Sir. Thank you for having me.”
“Long ride?” her dad asked, leading them toward the parking lot.
Ethan’s eyes flickered to Maya, a flash of heat so quick only she caught it. “It was… eventful.”
The car ride was a barrage of familiar sounds—the local news radio, her dad’s commentary on the new downtown traffic lights. Ethan held her hand in the backseat, his thumb tracing slow circles on her palm. Each pass was a secret message, a replay of where that thumb had been less than an hour ago. She was hyper-aware of the dampness still seeping into her panties, the tender ache between her legs. A testament to their madness.
Home was a kaleidoscope of sensory overload. The cacophony of her mother’s greeting, the overwhelming scent of cinnamon and pine, the blinding blaze of Christmas lights framing the front window. Her younger brother, Liam, gave her a half-hearted wave from the couch, eyes glued to his phone.
“Let me look at you,” her mother said, holding Maya at arm’s length before pulling her into a crushing hug. Then she turned to Ethan. Her smile was warm, but her eyes were lasers. “We’ve heard so much. Finally, a real person to put to the stories.”
“Hopefully the stories were good,” Ethan said, charm effortlessly switched on.