Mentality

Chapter Eighty One: Maia

I sighed deeply. Dan was spending time with Howl, and Eloise was filming a video with Phil. That left me all alone. Well, as alone as I could be. Technically I was never alone. I always had two little babies with me. But, they couldn't keep me company.

In order to keep myself occupied, I flipped through the comic book Eloise and I wrote. It had been published about a week ago. By some miracle, my publisher was willing to publish this as well.

I enjoyed it. It wasn't your usual superhero comic. Instead, it had a twist. The male hero died while trying to protect his sister and the love interest. As soon as he died, the two girls stepped up and avenged him. It's not at all what you would expect. Especially since all of the advertising is about the male hero.

Eventually, flipping through the book got boring. I shut it abruptly and stood up. What was I doing? I had never been to New York before! Why wasn't I exploring?

I slipped my shoes on and grabbed my purse before I left. Dan wouldn't like me going out alone. He seemed to think that being pregnant meant I was dying. Honestly, it could get a bit annoying, but I still loved him.

The streets of New York were crowded. People were packed like large sardines in an even larger box. Horns blared, people shouted, and others spoke in loud voices. It was a lot to take in at once. Still, I pressed on.

I found myself at a tiny bakery. There weren't a lot of people in it, but the smell was intoxicating. I stepped inside and took a deep breath.

"Morning, dear," the old lady behind the counter stated, "What can I getcha?"

I looked at the pastries lining the glass case, "Um, I'll take a cupcake and a cup of coffee."

"Coming right up."

It didn't take her very long to get the coffee and the cupcake. I took it from her, paid, and went to sit down.

It was by far the best coffee i had ever had. Rich, creamy, and not in the slightest bit burnt. It was like a party for my mouth.

The cupcake was just as good. The strawberry icing was thick and not to rich. The vanilla cake was fluffy, and warm. Almost as if it were fresh out of the oven.

As I was eating, my phone rang. I quickly answered it, "Hello?"

"Where did you go?" Dan asked.

I smiled, "To a bakery down the street. Care to join me?"

"Absolutely."

I told him the name, and we hung up. Twenty minutes later, he walked in. He got the same thing as me before sitting across from me.

"How's Howl doing?" I asked.

As of late, we had been trying to grow closer. Considering we would be basically family, it was about time we got to know each other. Although, she still seemed to be a bit apprehensive.

"She seems fine, but she also seems like something's bothering her," he frowned, "She'll tell me eventually."

I nodded. They were close, there's no way she would keep it from him.

"Why did you leave the flat?" Dan asked.

"First of all, this is America, they're called apartments here," I pointed a sarcastic finger, "Everybody was busy, and I was bored, so I decided I wanted a cupcake and some coffee."

"That sounds like you," he laughed.

I smiled at him. We stared out the window for a moment. My mind reverted to Vidcon. I would be spending most, if not all, of it with Howl. Dan, Phil, and Eloise all had their own panels. I also resolved myself to keep Pj away from Eloise.

After our coffee and cupcakes, we decided to head back to the apartment. When we arrived, we found all three of our friends in the living room. Howl was nervously sitting on the couch next to Phil, who was on his laptop. Eloise was wrapped in a blanket, on the armchair, completely out cold.

Howl glanced at Dan. Why was she so nervous? It wasn't like Howl. She and Dan went to the kitchen to talk as I sat on the couch.