When Maya said we were going to visit her friend Maggie I imagined someone our age. Or someone close to it at least.

But I never would have expected a seventy-year-old woman.

Granted, Maggie doesn't look like any seventy-year-old I've ever met. She has purple hair and wears excessive amounts of blue eyeshadow for crying out loud. I guess the antique shop should have tipped me off, but a young person could own an antique shop. Hipsters love antiques.

Overall I do like her. She's very sweet and inviting. When Maya went in search for her set of cherry printed plates, she asked me to stay behind and help her put some things on a tall shelf for her.

"Is this the last one?" I asked as I put the last angel figurine on a high oak shelf.

"I think so," she replied, "A customer brought them in a while ago. She said they belonged to her mother, or maybe it was her grandma. I can't remember, but she was a real sweet lady, she brings stuff in all the time."

"Maggie, do you work here by yourself?" I can't imagine it's safe for her to be moving this heavy furniture by herself.

"My husband used to work here too, but he passed away a few years ago. It's just been me ever since."

"You don't have any kids or anything?" There has to be someone that could help her manage this place. And she must get lonely being here all alone.

She shook her head. "Nope. Kids weren't for me. Don't get me wrong, I love their fat little faces but they just weren't for me."

So she has no husband and no kids...

"Don't worry, handsome, if I need help with things I have someone I can call," she laughed. She patted me on the shoulder making the stacks of bracelets on her wrist jingle. "I'm not going to break any bones trying to lift anything."

I smiled, bashfully, "Sorry, if I'm asking you too many personal questions."

"It's okay, sweetie, I don't mind." She stashed away a few boxes in a cabinet. "Maya was the same way. She thought I was a serial killer or something."

"I'm not surprised," I laughed.

On the other side of the room, Maya sat on the floor rifling through boxes searching for those damned plates. Though she said she was looking for that specific set I saw her starting to form a pile of other dishes next to her.

"You make her happy," Maggie mused, watching Maya dig through another box. Her back was to us, so she couldn't see us staring. That was probably for the best, she hates it when people stare at her.

"Me?"

"Yes, she might not admit it to you," she smiled. "But I can see that you make her happy."

"She makes me happy too," I admitted to her. She makes me blissfully happy.

"Do you love her?" she asked, peering up at me. She's so small, like a fairy or a dwarf.

"Very much."

"That's wonderful." She gave my hand an affirming squeeze. "Have you told her?"

"Yes." Multiple times, actually.

"And what was her response?"

"Not good at first," I chuckled. "But she came around eventually. She only lets us say it twice a day though." I wish I would have never agreed to that stupid rule.

Maggie laughed, "I'm not surprised by that at all. I'm glad she has someone like you to show her love and affection. She deserves someone like that."

"Thanks," I smiled.

"I found it," Maya yelled across the room, "I found the plates!" She waved the small plate in the air excitedly.

"That's great, Chickpea! I knew you would find them. Bring them over so I can wrap them for you," Maggie told her.

Maya struggled to carry all the plates and cups she had picked up along the way, so I met her in the middle and carried a few.

"Aren't they so cute," Maya asked me, as Maggie wrapped a watercolor mug. "They were at the bottom of one of the boxes."

"It's nice," I replied. I didn't know much about dishes and stuff; a mug is just a mug to me.

"Will this be all," Maggie asked, wrapping the last plate in old newspaper.

"No, not yet," Maya responded, "I'm going to look downstairs first."

Maggie encouraged, "Go ahead."

"What's downstairs?" I asked as I followed behind her.

"It's a surprise," she said, approaching a doorway. "Be careful going down the stairs, they're a little steep."

They were steep and not to mention dark. I stumbled twice before Maya reached back to hold my hand and guide me down. Maya ran her hand over the wall searching for the light switch.

The old fluorescent lights turned on revealing the basement full of clothes. In all honesty, it was overwhelming. "Was this surprise for me or for you?"

"It's for the both of us," said Maya, clapping her hands together excitedly. "We're going treasure hunting!"

My brows knit together, I asked, "Is that not what we were doing before?"

"You mean what I was doing?" she scoffed, "You didn't help me find my plates or mugs."

"Because Maggie asked me to help her," I said justifying my lack of help, "I couldn't not help her."

She hummed."I guess you're right." She pointed a finger to the center of my chest, "But you don't have an excuse this time, you're going to help me."

"And what are we looking for, exactly?" Treasure hunting was a very vague statement, and what is considered treasure?

"Anything and everything," she explained. I walked behind her as she began going through one of the many racks. "If you go in looking for something specific you won't find anything, but if you keep an open mind--that's when you find all the good stuff. Tasha taught me that."

I looked around the cluttered room. "We're going to look through all of this?"

Maya looked up at me her brow raised, "Do you have something better to do?"

"Uh," I hesitated, "No."

"I didn't think so." She turned back towards the rack and began shuffling through the clothes. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I rested my head on her shoulder. I know I'm supposed to be looking through clothes, but I couldn't resist.

"Nick," Maya sighed, "This doesn't feel like treasure hunting to me?"

"Can I tell you a secret?" I said into her ear.

"Sure. But just one."

"I love you."

"Nick," she laughed, "that's not a secret." She pulled my arms from around her waist and placed them back by my sides. "Let's keep our hands to ourselves," she said, giving me a kiss, "you're distracting me."

"It's not my fault you can't handle being around someone as beautiful as me," I said cockily.

"I'm actually distracted because of how hideous you are," she fired back, quickly. For that, I pinched her side. She stuck her tongue out at me.

I went on the opposite side of the rack, that way I was doing as she said but I was still close enough to talk to her.

"You know Lavender thinks we act like a married couple," Maya said, holding out a sweater. It was blue with a deep scoop neck, she folded it over her arm to keep.

"Is that a bad thing?" If she meant married like how my parents were, then maybe it wasn't such a compliment. But if she meant like her parents then it might not be such a bad thing.

"She meant we're boring." Oh.

Boring.

Sure we don't go out a lot, and most of our time spent together is spent playing with Charlie and watching movies, but that's not that boring. Is it?

"Maybe we can make an effort to go out more."

"I guess so," she shrugged, "It might be nice to leave my apartment every once and awhile."

"But I hope we are not going to host parties or anything," she said wrinkling her nose. "I wouldn't like that."

"You didn't like my party?" I asked already knowing the answer.

"From what I remember, you didn't like it very much either," she reminded me, "I distinctly remember you hiding in your room to get out of the party. Your party."

I pursed my lips together hiding a smile. "Maybe I just wanted to talk to you."

She narrowed her eyes at me over the clothing rack, "You didn't even know I was there."

That's not completely true, I knew she was coming, but I hadn't gone out of my way to talk to her. "I knew you were there, I just didn't know where you were."

"Nice save."

My hand landed on a grey hoodie with NYC stitched in red on the front. There weren't any visible stains, and it seemed warm enough. I liked it, so I held on to it.

Maya and I scoured the whole room, and when we were done Maya had a significantly larger amount of things than I did. She had pretty much supplied her whole winter wardrobe in one afternoon. I, on the other hand, only had two items, my new york city sweatshirt, and a black sweater. Maya said she thought it would like nice on me and that pretty much confirmed my decision to get it.

"It was so nice to meet you, Nick," Maggie said as we were leaving. "I can't wait to see you again!" She hugged my neck and pressed a kiss to my cheek.

"Take care of my Chickpea," she whispered into my ear.

"I will," I promised.

Maya came up to Maggie and squeezed her hands. "Don't get in too much trouble while I'm away," she smiled.

"I can't make any promises," Maggie laughed. "You know I love having a good time."

"You watch yourself, old lady."

Maggie bumped her with her hip, making Maya laugh. "You stay in touch now."

Hugging her, Maya said, "Of course. See you later, Maggie."

We waved goodbye from the front seat of my car. "You have lipstick on your cheek," Maya observed, reaching over the median and wiping the smudge away with her thumb.

"She tried to mark you."

"Oh, Maya, you're not jealous are you?"

She threw her hands up. "You caught me!" Rolling her eyes, she said, "Just kidding. I'm not afraid of a little competition."

I laced my fingers through hers. "Of course, you're not."

"Do you want to get dinner somewhere?" she asked. "My treat."

"Are you asking me on a date?"

"I don't have any flowers for you, and you can't get anything too expensive. But yes, I am asking you on a date."

"I accept," I grinned, "But I do expect flowers next time."

"I will buy you the most beautiful flowers I can find," she told me.