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MAIA let out a sigh as she pushed open the door to the apartment she shared with her fiancé. She was still reeling from the drunken night out she had with Caroline and she couldn't help but remember the predictions that unfolded from the psychic.
In some way, the fortunes were simple and could be taken any way. But Maia knew deep down, there was something there. She didn't want to believe it, because it was just a prediction from some mediocre psychic. It could have a million meanings and most were things she didn't understand. The palm reading didn't exactly make sense, so why was she worrying about it in the first place?
Pressing a chaste kiss on Derek's cheek, she set her stuff down on the kitchen counter. Before she could release a greeting, he turned to meet her to say, "No dinner here tonight. We're meeting my parents."
Maia let out a scoff. Her fiancé's parents were sweet, but they were always bugging into the couple's personal life. But she was still grateful that Derek still had his parents in his life. Maia stopped talking to her own a long time ago, due to personal reasons.
"What?" Derek asked, stuffing a couple potato chips in his mouth. "You don't like my parents?"
She shook her head. "I didn't say that."
"Oh, c'mon, Catelyn Stark," he smirked, bringing her into a hug. "You know you love my family."
Maia scrunched up her face as she pushed herself away and walked to their bedroom. "Stop calling me that!"
•••
"Surprise!"
Maia sat around Derek's parents' vintage circular table, unfolding the extra large card they had just given the pair. Derek had his arm slung around his fiancé's shoulder, peering to see what the card entailed. His parents, Shelly and Michael, were practically jumping in their seats as they set a dessert on the table.
"Oh," Maia breathed out, "wow."
In truth, she absolutely had no words. The parents had booked a trip for Derek and Maia to stay in a small bed-and-breakfast in the middle of Washington, to celebrate their wedding coming up. Maia wasn't usually fond of them, but even she could admit that she was eternally grateful that they did this for them.
While Michael began to dig into the cake that his wife had set in front of him, Shelly exclaimed, "We thought it could be like an almost-honeymoon for you two. Just so you can relax before the wedding!"
"Thanks, mom." Derek smiled as he took a look at the booking tickets in Maia's hands.
"Yeah, seriously," Maia agreed. "I can't thank you enough for doing this. You both are too sweet to us."
So maybe some of that was a lie, but the thanking that came out of the blonde's mouth was nothing but true. Derek grabbed her hand, and Maia felt his grip go tight. She laughed awkwardly, feeling a strange sort of tension between her and Derek. The thought quickly went away.
"And we leave in just a couple of days," Derek stated and read off the tickets. "Well, looks like I have to DVR all my shows."
•••
That weekend, Derek and Maia finally left for Washington, and she was almost too excited. She needed a vacation, but was a little bit impatient for the honeymoon. She was already stressed about the wedding as it is, so this vacation was definitely something she needed in her life. She didn't care where she was as long as she was spending it with Derek.
The bed-and-breakfast had just one other couple sitting near the fireplace when they walked in, already being greeted by the owner. "Hello, I'm Mrs. Travis," she introduced, shaking both Maia and Derek's hands. "It's so good to meet you both and I hope your stay is satisfactory!"
"We're very happy to be here," Derek grinned as his fiancé wrote their names in the guest book.
Mrs. Travis seemed shocked. "This building is in the middle of nowhere, so it's always good to hear that people are going to enjoy themselves. It's a very relaxing time away."
The host ushered a random teenager who was sitting in the back room forward, scorning him for being on his phone before telling him to take the couple's bags up to their room. Maia and Derek followed him up the stairs, noticing the specific way they creaked with each step. The house looked so old and Derek whispered that it must've been built sometime in the 1900s.
Opening their room's door, the teenager set the bags down on the table located in the middle of the room before walking out. Maia loved the vintage décor. The room was adorned with a king mattress in the front, a fireplace in back with two chairs sitting in front of it, and a balcony that overlooked the beautiful dense fields of the countryside. She couldn't believe that she was being spoiled like this.
She walked out onto the balcony, mesmerized by the scenery that sat in front of her. Different breeds of flowers and weed popped up beneath the tall grass, and Maia could just spot out a running path in the distance. The fresh air blew her long, blonde hair from her shoulders and she relished in the clean scent that wafted from the nature around her.
Looking up to the sky, Maia noticed the dark clouds forming around the sunshine. "Looks like a storm is coming," she sighed. "I was hoping to explore the country today."
"We have three days to do that, and besides, this vacation is supposed to be for relaxation, Mai." Derek replied, wrapping his long arms around her. "This just means we have more alone time, doesn't it?"
Maia spun around in his hold, a sly grin engulfing her features. "I guess so," she agreed before pressing her lips onto her fiancé. Her nimble hands started tugging his short hair as he got the courage to lift her up and away from the balcony.
