Although Maura is in a committed relationship with Nina, that commitment is tested when she discovers her short string. Maura’s journey is about how to move forward in her life with Nina, despite the knowledge that her life will be a short one. Maura also struggles with wanting children, a desire that only manifests after she learns about her short string. She keeps it a secret, as Nina keeps a secret of her own, illustrating the theme of The Impact of Secrets. However, they are able to overcome their fears and enjoy their life together. Maura is strong and thoughtful, and so she and Nina manage to make a life together in spite of her prognosis.

Although she joins reluctantly, Maura is also a valuable member of the support group. As a queer Black woman, she has already faced discrimination all her life, and she understands how pervasive and unyielding it can be. More than some of the other group members, she knows how slowly change happens, and how hard one has to push. Maura is a fighter, although she struggles with her exhaustion at being “forced to keep fighting for [her]self, over and over again” (195). Maura admires Venice, the sinking city, thinking, “The odds are against it, the water always rising.