The morning air was unusually crisp as Maya stepped onto the sidewalk. She brought it to her face for the day, giving away every thought that would ruin her mood.
She adjusted the straps of her bag and walked briskly toward the glass-fronted office building.
The lobby was quiet at first, which was unusual. Few employees were on site. Maya glanced at the wall clock to confirm the actual time she came to work.
The distant elevator greeted her, but as she stepped further in, she noticed more employees gathered near the notice board.
Something felt off, and her stomach tightened. Maya already knew it might not be a good one.
She adjusted her bag again, moving through the small group, which was a usual sight whenever a notice was out at the health center. On the board, a printed memo was being pinned neatly.
She spotted Claire a step away, talking quietly with a couple of colleagues. Her curiosity piqued as she made her way over.
"Claire," Maya called softly, "what's going on?"
Claire turned, eyes wide. "You haven't seen it yet?"
Maya shook her head, observing everyone's expression, which was either moody or tired for a day that was yet to start.
Claire leaned closer. "They said the company is undergoing major structural changes."
Maya's frown deepened, nodding for Claire to continue spilling the tea.
"The company is changing," she continued.
"A new CEO is taking over next year, partnering with a major shareholder."
Maya pressed her lips together, trying to digest the information she just got, even though it was not bad if it was just this news.
"Departmental reviews," Claire continued. "Promotion, reassignment, or demotion."
"All based on merit and productivity," another of her colleagues added.
Maya's heart pounded automatically; too much information to process all at once. She turned back to the memo, hoping it was a rumor, but the stamp already made it real.
Getting information like this means two things, and she hoped not to be at the receiving end. Too many things unexpectedly shifting all at once.
Now her mother's message she received an hour ago told her to come home for dinner. Dinner was just a word to her; she knew something more than that was already brewing.
She had packed out after her first year in college, since Kim had been dancing around her shadow every given moment.
Daniel had advised her to fully move out of the family's house to focus on her life until he is settled, and then they will start planning for their wedding.
Speaking of Daniel, Maya's mind jumped back to the message she sent him that notified her that it had been received but had yet to be replied to.
Dropping her phone to focus back on her work, Maya promised herself to call him after the dinner with her parents.
It was closing hour; Maya almost forgot about the family dinner. It was unusual for her to miss out, but this one seemed to involve Kim's welfare, not like she had never cared for her little stepsister. When Maya got to the family house, no longer her home, it was because the memories shared there were not pleasing for her to remember.
It seemed they had already started without her; maybe they second-guessed that she was not coming.
"Sorry I'm late,"
She apologized as she walked in, avoiding looking her father in the eyes so as not to meet the unpleasing look he was giving her.
Every one of them was already seated. Her father sat at the head of the table; this was his normal position.
Her mother was beside him, then her father's sister Gloria, whose presence made Maya question more about the reason for the dinner.
Kim sat across the table.
Maya couldn't deny it; she was glowing. She believed it had to be the pregnancy that was adding to her beauty rather than her bad personality. And next to Kim wasDaniel.
Maya stopped for a second. He had never been here without her inviting him over for dinner, and that had been a long time.
Or maybe he wanted to pay her a surprise visit since he had ignored her all this time.
"Daniel?" she called him, surprised. He looked up, giving her a small smile.
"Is this a surprise?"
Maya asked, trying to calm down and believe that she was busy overthinking about him being busy, but here he was planning a surprise in front of her family, and he was very aware that he detested them so much.
"I'm sorry, I thought I'd surprise you," Daniel replied, sounding awkward.
'Surprise me here,' Maya wanted to ask but refrained, since her family was here.
"You could have at least replied to my messages," she said lightly.
"Yeah, I'm also sorry about that," he replied, now rubbing the back of his neck. "I've just been occupied and busy with exams."
He kept apologizing, which was unusual of him. Something about his tone felt a bit off, but Maya brushed it aside and took it as it was, knowing she wouldn't still let it slide after today's dinner.
Dinner started normally. Her father was served first. Everyone was busy chatting, but Daniel seemed distracted, almost tense.
Wishing to see him or hear from him, now she was looking straight at him; he still felt far away, like some depth was occupying his soul.
A few minutes later, her father cleared his throat and tapped his glass lightly to get everyone's attention, which he did, causing Maya to drop the fork that was halfway to her mouth.
"Kim has something important to share with the family," her father said, his eyes briefly locking with hers.
Maya glanced back at Kim, confused.
Kim had something to share with the family with Daniel sitting right at the table, or maybe it was all business.
She was angry at herself for being left in the dark, feeling like she was the only one who was new to the information Kim was about to share.
Everyone continued eating, acting like it was old news, except Maya, who was tense, wondering why Daniel was privy to know her family situation.
Kim sat there, her hands folded in front of her, looking more peaceful than she was, unbothered when her name was called.
Then her father added, "We recently found out that our Kim is pregnant."
Maya blinked slowly. This was now old news to her. But she hated the fact that Daniel had to sit here and digest what her father was saying; she was never planning on telling him.
"And both of them will be getting married," her father continued.
"Both of them?" Maya asked, looking straight at her father, trying to process the unknown baby daddy and why her father was pushing fast for a wedding.
"Yeah, Daniel has taken responsibility since he is the father."
For a moment, it seemed that everything paused, just for her to be able to process the information. Maya believed she heard wrong.
She turned to look at Daniel, maybe not her Daniel, since the name was common.
And Kim must have gone for someone with the same name just to twin with her.
Trying to connect the dots, she looked at Daniel, but he wasn't looking at her, as he seemed to focus on the plate in front of him.
These things were now making sense: her messages that were left unread, the calls he never returned, and him visiting her family house without her being the one to invite him over as usual.
Maya wanted to believe that she was the one overthinking again.
She kept looking at Daniel, her eyes unwavering. He still was not looking at her, now making it obvious for her heart to believe that what she had refused to believe was nothing but the truth.
Maya turned to Kim; she was really hell-bent on making life unbearable for her, to the extent of getting pregnant just to be engaged with someone she has come to love.