MTLNOVEL Chapter 9: Chapter Three: The Weight of Comfort
Maya spent the rest of the day staring at her laptop screen, but her mind was elsewhere. The idea of Concrete Roses wouldn't leave her alone. It sat in the back of her mind, whispering possibilities. A magazine that told real stories—stories about women like Deja, about the ones hustling in the shadows, about the ones who weren't waiting for permission to take up space.
But then there was reality.
Her job at The Pulse wasn't just a paycheck; it was stability. It had taken her five years to climb from intern to editor. Five years of late nights, impossible deadlines, and proving herself to men like Mr. Langley, who never quite saw her as equal. Leaving meant risking everything she had built.
"Earth to Maya."
She blinked, realizing her best friend, Zora, was waving a perfectly manicured hand in front of her face. They sat in their usual booth at Mason's, a low-key jazz lounge in Harlem where the drinks were strong, and the live band played smooth, honey-rich melodies.
"You've been staring into space for five minutes," Zora teased, sipping her whiskey neat.
Maya sighed. "I'm thinking about quitting The Pulse."
Zora's brows shot up. "Wait. The Pulse? The job you worked your ass off to get?"
Maya nodded, swirling the ice in her glass. "I want to start my own magazine. A digital space for women like us. Our stories, our voices. No watered-down versions of what people think we should be."
Zora studied her. "Damn. You're really serious about this."
"I think I am."
Zora smirked. "Then do it."
Maya let out a short laugh. "It's not that simple."
Zora leaned in. "You know what's not simple? Staying somewhere that drains you because you're scared of the unknown."
The words hit hard.
Maya had always admired how fearless Zora was. She had walked away from a lucrative marketing job to start her own PR firm, ZL Strategies, and was now one of the top black-owned agencies in the city.
"What if I fail?" Maya admitted quietly.
Zora shrugged. "Then you figure it out. But what if you win?"
That was the question, wasn't it?