**Confronting the Past**

The door to the room creaked open once more, and Sean's mother, Catherine, stood in the doorway, her eyes scanning the room with a mixture of disapproval and curiosity. Maya felt a surge of anxiety as Catherine's gaze landed on her, her expression critical. "Well, well, well," Catherine said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Look what we have here. The little pregnant girlfriend, still wrapped around Sean's finger, I see." Sean's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched in annoyance. "Mother, what are you doing here?" he asked, his voice firm. Catherine ignored him, her attention still focused on Maya. "I heard about the pregnancy, Maya. I must say, I'm shocked. Sean, you can't be serious about this...this..." She waved her hand dismissively towards Maya's stomach. Maya's face flushed with anger, but before she could respond, Sean jumped out of bed, his eyes blazing with fury. "That's enough, Mother," he said, his voice cold. "You have no right to speak to Maya like that." Catherine raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I have every right. I'm Sean's mother, and I know what's best for him. And this..." She gestured towards Maya again. "This is not it." Sean took a step forward, his eyes locked on his mother's. "You want to talk about what's best for me? You, who were never there for me when I needed you? You, who were too busy with your own problems to care about your own son?" Catherine's expression faltered, and for a moment, Maya saw a glimmer of guilt in her eyes. But it was quickly replaced by her usual mask of superiority. "That's not true, Sean," she said, her voice rising. "I did the best I could with what I had." Sean snorted. "The best you could? You were a drug addict, Mother. You were high more often than not. And Dad...he was an alcoholic. You both abandoned me, left me to fend for myself. And now, you have the nerve to come in here and try to belittle Maya and our relationship?" The room fell silent, the only sound the heavy breathing of the three people in it. Catherine's face was pale, her eyes wide with shock. Maya could see the hurt and anger simmering beneath the surface, but Sean didn't back down. "Maya is the best thing that's ever happened to me," Sean said, his voice firm. "And this baby...our baby...is a blessing. You may not approve, but you're going to have to live with it." Catherine's expression hardened, and for a moment, Maya thought she saw a flash of anger in her eyes. But then, she turned and walked out of the room, leaving the three of them in an uncomfortable silence. Sean turned to Maya, his eyes softening. "I'm sorry about that," he said, pulling her into his arms. "You don't have to deal with her, Maya. I'll protect you and our baby from her negativity." Maya smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Sean. She knew that she had his love and support, and together, they could face anything, even Catherine's disapproval.