As Time Passed By (A Josh And Maya Fanfic)

Epilogue: Ends Just Like How It Began

                 

Seven Years.

It's been seven years since I last stepped on New York soil – or asphalt rather. Not much as changed. Adverts are still flashing on Time Square. People are in a hurry. It's quite cold, hence the coat. Yellow taxi cabs are everywhere, honking their horns. It's absolutely noisy, but it's home. It always has been and always will be.

I hail a cab. I get in and tell the driver where I'm headed, "Grenich Village."

*****

I stand in front of the very same door that I knock on every single school day at seven in the morning with my luggage in tow. I knock on the door twice and wait for it to open.

The door opens, and the person I've missed the most, happens to open the door.

"Maya!" Riley says, throwing her arms around me in a tight bear hug. "Hey Riles."

I haven't seen Riley face to face for over two years. After we graduated, our careers took off and it brought us to different nooks and crannies all over the world. For the first few months, she and I lived in this amazing apartment that had the perfect view overlooking Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, but Riles had to move out.

She was offered a job here in New York, and it was too amazing an opportunity of pass up. I stayed in France, but I moved to a smaller apartment. T'was pointless keeping an expensive apartment when you barely stayed in it. I, myself, have been bouncing all around Europe.

It's been hectic the last few years.

I enter the Matthews' Apartment. "Welcome home!" My family greets. I look at everyone and everything, and memories come flooding back: my childhood spent here, my tween years obsessing over Josh, my teen years trying to set my life straight.

Everyone's here. Mr. & Mrs. Matthews are here, looking still in love as ever. Auggie, now seventeen, is here with Ava by his side. Dad's here with his four-year-old daughter, Katrina, and Angela of course. My mother is also waiting with a big smile on her face. Ranger Rick is here, standing next to Mr. & Mrs. Farkle Minkus. I know. Shocker right? Everyone is here. Except for the person I'm most anxious to see again – Josh.

Mom is the first to come and hug me. " I missed you so much baby girl," she says.

I take in her scent and reply, "I missed you too, mom."

Mom I saw often. She lived with me for almost a year, after Riley already went back to New York, after she got a movie role that was set in France. Other than that year, she would always come and visit on Christmas. With Dad, Angela and Katrina occasionally. Which brings me to the next person I greet,

"Hey Katrina." I say crouching down and hugging the little munchkin everyone loved so much.

"Maya!" She excitedly giggles and runs into my arms. Katrina is a miracle baby. Angela was – a bit old when she had her and the doctor said there was a possibility the both wouldn't make it. Dad was torn, but they went through with it. And thank God, they turned out well. Katrina was born on the seventh of July at three in the morning here back in Philadelphia. Everyone in the family went over. Even I took the earliest flight to Phili.

"How are you my little ray of sunshine?" I ask looking at her. She took after Shawn – with the porcelain skin, light brown eyes, and upturned nose. Except for her hair. She got her dark hair from Angela.

"I'm doing great! My kindergarten teacher told me I'm growing and that I'm a very smart student." She says proudly smiling, showing off two missing front teeth.