As Far As My Arms Can Hold You

Jason stood at Maya's apartment door. No smile. No hesitation.

"I just want to talk," he said.

Maya didn't open the door all the way. Just a crack. "You already talked. Five years ago. When you walked away after Luna's funeral."

"I know. And I was wrong."

"Why now? Why after everything?"

Jason exhaled. "Because Rafael's back. And because I read the letters Luna left behind."

Maya tensed. "You weren't supposed to—"

"She left a copy for me. Buried under Leo's baby things. I have a right to know too."

"What exactly do you think you know?"

Jason looked her in the eye. "I know she said Leo might not be Rafael's son."

Maya's throat tightened. "That's not an answer. That's fear. Luna wrote that when her mind was in pieces."

Jason stepped closer. "You and I were together after Rafael left. For a few weeks. You remember."

"We don't know the exact dates, Jason."

"But we could. We could get a test. Real answers."

Maya didn't reply.

"Has Rafael already tested?"

She nodded slowly. "Yeah. The results aren't back yet."

Jason clenched his jaw. "If Leo's not his… I'll want my place."

"What place?"

"My place in his life. My chance. I don't want to be a ghost anymore."

Maya opened the door wider, her voice rising. "You all left. You and Rafael. You left me to figure it out alone. And now you show up, now that Leo's whole, now you think you have rights?"

"Because we were wrong, Maya. But being wrong doesn't mean we should be erased."

Maya stepped up to him, her voice low and cutting. "You know why I never told you about Leo? Because the last time I mentioned kids, you said—and I quote—'I'm not ready to give up my freedom.'"

Jason lowered his eyes. "I remember."

Maya's hands shook. "You don't get to rewrite that."

"I'm not trying to rewrite it. I'm just… I need to know. If I'm his father, I deserve the truth."

Maya took a breath. "And if you're not?"

Jason didn't hesitate. "Then I disappear. For real this time."

She looked at him, not blinking. "Don't make promises. I've had enough of broken ones."

He nodded. "I mean it."

Before she could close the door, he said it.

"There's more."

"What now?"

"I saw Rafael. At the park. Yesterday."

Her face turned to stone.

"He doesn't know I'm back. But I watched him with Leo. I couldn't move. I just… I had to see it."

"What did you see?"

Jason swallowed. "A man trying to hold himself together. A kid who looked free. And me—too late, again."

Maya stepped back, like his words physically hit her. "You need to leave."

"I will."

"And don't come back until the results come in."

Jason's voice softened. "And then what?"

"Then I'll decide who gets to stay in my son's life."

He nodded. Once. And walked away.

Maya closed the door with a hand that wouldn't stop trembling.

On the kitchen table, Leo's drawing sat half-finished. A family of three. Two tall figures. One child in between.

No names.

Just crayons.

And a heart drawn above their heads.

She stared at it until her eyes burned.

---

Jason had just walked away.

But the knock on the door came again. Just five minutes later.

Maya swung it open fast, ready to explode.

"Jason, I told you—"

It wasn't Jason.

It was Rafael.

"Bad time?" he asked, already knowing the answer from the storm on her face.

Maya froze.

Rafael stepped in without invitation.

"I saw him. Jason. He was across the street watching us at the park yesterday, wasn't he?"

She shut the door behind him, her shoulders tight. "Yes."

Rafael folded his arms. "And now he's here. What did he say?"

Maya stayed silent.

"You're not going to tell me?"

"Don't push me," she said, voice low and tight.

Rafael didn't move. "Tell me what he said."

"He wants a DNA test."

Rafael blinked. "He thinks Leo is his?"

"He's not sure. Luna wrote something in one of her letters. It scared him. It scared me too."

Rafael took a step back. "So you read the same letter and didn't tell me."

"I didn't want to set you on fire when we were already burning."

Rafael's laugh was bitter. "That's not your choice to make."

Maya shot him a sharp look. "And what about you? You walked away for three years. I had to make all the choices. Alone."

Rafael's voice cracked. "I came back for Leo."

"Too late."

He looked at her with pain in his eyes. "You think I don't regret it? Every day I'm around him, I see what I missed. But I'm here now."

"He's not a trophy, Rafael."

"I know that. I'm not trying to win."

"Then stop acting like you own him."

They stood in silence, breathing hard. Until Rafael stepped closer.

"I'm scared," he said.

"So am I."

Rafael's voice dropped. "If he's not mine… I don't know if I can handle that."

Maya looked at him, finally letting the truth in her voice spill. "Me neither."

He touched her hand—just for a second.

"We test him," Rafael said. "Together."

She nodded slowly.

"And if he's not mine?" Rafael whispered.

"Then we figure it out. Together or apart. But we don't destroy him over this."

Rafael nodded. "I can live with that."

Then Maya added, "But if you start another war with Jason, I'll shut you both out."

"You won't have to."

But even as he said it, his eyes were already calculating. Already preparing.

And Maya knew.

This was only the beginning.

---

That morning, Maya sat at the kitchen table

Leo was still asleep but her mind had been running since sunrise

Rafael sat across from her

No one spoke

Two cups of untouched coffee between them and a truth that wouldn't leave

"Jason agreed" Maya finally said "He wants the test done as soon as possible"

Rafael nodded slowly

"And Leo?" he asked carefully

"He doesn't know I don't know how to tell him…"

"What does he think of me right now?"

Maya looked straight at him

"He thinks you're a stranger he saw once at the park"

Rafael swallowed hard

"Maybe that's all I deserve"

She ignored the comment

"We need to tell him eventually But not yet Not until we're sure"

A knock at the door interrupted them

Jason

Earlier than expected

His face was stiff expression unreadable

His eyes went straight to Rafael the moment Maya opened the door

"We doing this or not?" he said flatly

Maya didn't answer just stepped aside to let him in

Inside the tension was thick

Rafael and Jason faced each other like two cliffs that had waited years to collapse

Jason dropped a folder on the table

"Lab's nearby I booked the appointment for this afternoon All we need is your signatures and a blood sample"

Rafael looked at Maya before speaking

"If the results say Leo isn't mine what do you plan to do?"

Jason didn't flinch

"I won't take Leo from you I'm not here to fight I just need to know the truth I can't keep living with the doubt"

"And if he is mine?" Rafael's voice tightened

Jason inhaled sharply

"Then I'll stay too But I'm not here to erase you I'm not trying to win I just want clarity"

Rafael scoffed

"You came with a weapon the second you showed up"

Maya slammed her hand on the table

"Enough If you two want to fight go outside But Leo is not your battleground"

Both men went quiet

Jason nodded

So did Rafael

But Maya knew that kind of peace never lasted

That afternoon the three of them went to the lab

No more arguing

No small talk

Just paperwork needles silence

No one knew which truth would hurt more

---

That night Maya sat alone in the living room

Leo was asleep

Her phone silent

The test results would be ready in two days

Two days of hell

Then Rafael messaged her

> "Thanks for letting me be there. Whatever happens… I meant what I said. I want to be someone Leo can count on. No matter what."

Minutes later Jason messaged too

> "I'm not here to ruin anything. I just need to stop wondering every time he smiles."

Maya stared at both texts

Then at the ceiling

Then at nothing

She didn't reply

Because there was no right response to a question still waiting for its answer

The next day came slowly

Maya tried to act normal around Leo

She made pancakes he laughed at the funny faces she drew on them with syrup

But inside her stomach was tight her hands slightly trembled every time the phone buzzed even if it was just a random ad

Jason had sent no more texts

Neither had Rafael

They were waiting too

In the afternoon Maya took Leo to the park

Let him run

Let him be a kid

But her eyes kept drifting to other families

Fathers pushing swings

Fathers tying shoelaces

Fathers lifting kids onto monkey bars

What would Leo remember?

Who would he call Dad when he was fifteen?

Her thoughts were broken when a familiar voice spoke behind her

"Can I sit?"

It was Rafael

Maya nodded slightly surprised to see him there

Leo was still climbing the slide unaware of their conversation

"I didn't know you'd be here," she said

"I figured this is where you go when you need space" Rafael said

"I used to come here too"

There was a pause

Then he added "I'm scared Maya"

Maya turned to him "Me too"

"Not of the test" Rafael clarified "Of what comes after"

She nodded slowly

"I don't know how we undo all this Even if the test says Leo's yours… or not… it doesn't fix everything"

He looked at her

"But I want to try. Do you believe that?"

"I don't know what I believe anymore" she said honestly

"But I see you trying. And that matters"

Then Leo ran up to them panting

"Mama I want to play longer!"

Rafael smiled at him

"You're fast little guy"

Leo blinked "Do I know you?"

Maya stood

"This is Rafael He's… a friend of Mama's"

Rafael crouched "I'm good at making paper planes Want me to show you?"

Leo nodded without hesitation

And within minutes the two were sitting on the grass folding flyers

Maya watched in silence

Her heart thudding louder than the park noise

Later that night Jason came by

Maya met him outside the apartment

She didn't want Leo to see both men again

Not now

Jason didn't say hi

He just held up his phone

"The results come in tomorrow morning 9AM sharp"

Maya nodded

He looked at her like he wanted to ask something else

But he didn't

He just said

"If it's me… I'm not walking away. I hope you understand that"

Maya answered

"If it's not you… I hope you won't disappear either"

They both nodded

Then he left

---

That night Maya lay in bed unable to sleep

Two men

One boy

One truth

She didn't know which outcome would be worse

She just knew

No matter what the test said

Someone would break

And she had to be the one strong enough to hold the pieces

---