The Argument Got Worse

Maya stepped into the room and grabbed one of the bags.

Lauren grabbed the other handle.

“Leave it.”

Maya pulled it toward herself.

“Those are my things.”

“Maya.”

“Let go.”

Lauren held onto the bag.

“You are making this ridiculous.”

Maya yanked it free.

Several shirts spilled onto the floor.

Lauren immediately reached for Maya’s phone when Maya tried to call her father.

“Give me that.”

Maya pulled it back.

“Don’t touch my phone.”

“Your father is working.”

“I don’t care.”

Lauren tried to take it again.

Maya stepped away.

Then Lauren said:

“This is exactly why your dad said I should handle it.”

Maya froze.

“What did you just say?”

Maya Started to Believe Her

Her father, Daniel, had been working long hours.

He was preparing for a major project at work.

Recently, he had also been trying to keep the peace between Maya and Lauren.

Every disagreement ended the same way.

“Maya, give her a chance.”

“Lauren’s under a lot of stress.”

“The baby is changing things for everyone.”

Maya had tried.

She really had.

She had helped Lauren build the crib.

She had gone shopping for baby clothes.

She had even helped choose the baby’s name.

But recently, the house felt different.

Everything seemed to revolve around the new baby.

Where the stroller would go.

Which car they needed.

What furniture had to be moved.

What schedules had to change.

Now apparently Maya had to move too.

She asked quietly:

“Dad actually told you to do this?”

Lauren hesitated only a second.

“Yes.”

That hurt more than anything else.