The Secret World of Maya Alexander

Chapter 4

The next few days were a haze of comings and goings in the Alexander household. Stephen had cleared up the remnants of his latest expression of emotion long before his mother arrived to offer her advice and support at 10.03 the next morning. An apologetic phonecall to work had already put him under strain.  Up all night with toothache and an early dental appointment was the excuse provided for his tardiness. Like his wife, he was unfamiliar with lying.

The obvious flaws in various stories has been mulled over before the call. The one involving his tyre being blown by hitting a curb would never have fit with his reputation as a meticulous driver. Sleeping late was another unlikely explanation. Yet despite his discomfort with lying, it did not occur to him at any point that morning to divulge the truth. Stephen did not want sympathy or attention of any kind. Work should remain a sanctuary and distraction, away from family life. A place where he needed to focus on the difficulties of the financial climate and its impact on the world of insurance.

The freshly written note he had laid upon the bedside table was disposed of. Its only reader would have been his mother. Stephen's notes were usually brief and contained the word 'sorry'. This was no exception, 'I'm sorry and I love you' it had read. The inadequacy of the statement jeered at him. He grabbed at it and threw it in the bin. It quickly befriended the cold toast that Maya had left uneaten.

The morning light peered through the curtains and slowed his haste. Maya loved the Spring mornings. The coming of lighter and brighter days. 'There's the smell of Spring in the air', she would remark as early as February. Opening the curtains and windows seemed like a good idea. Birdsong swept into the room.

A new hideaway nestled in one of the trees. Tiny green cone shapes were unfolding from its branches; strong emerald beginnings. Stephen did not know the name of the bird he could see and hear, nor what type of tree was blooming in front of him. 'Look Maya!' He pleaded. 'I wish you could open your eyes and see this tree; it is like life is brimming from it!' The knife of his well intended sentiment stabbed as soon as it flew from his mouth. But before he could dwell upon the injury, a humming sound shifted his attention.

The sound was coming from the bed. It was Maya.

An echo of the birdsong and its wake up call, vibrated through the room.

Briefly lingering next to his wife on the bed, he stroked her arm, humming the birdsong back to her. He closed his eyes for a moment. He was with her, next to her, soothing her.

The doorbell rang.

10.03. 10.03. 10.03. Announced his watch and his foot. His mum was late. For someone who liked to be involved in everything, she might have managed to arrive punctually in such difficult circumstances.

Upon entering what she had always considered quite a sterile white hall, June hugged her son with an air of impatience. Stephen squeezed her briefly, before removing his mother's short chubby arms and taking a step back. He had never been comfortable with the hugs bestowed upon him by his mother. That warm safe feeling that he sometimes imagined a son should feel when held by their mother, had never been experienced. For him, it was more like a suffocation.

June invaded Stephen's personal space, just as she invaded his thinking space. Like the time she helped him understand who it would be best to invite to his 5th birthday party, or why going to football club was a better choice than chess. Or even now, why he should become a self employed broker rather than stay with that flailing company he currently worked for. 'Leap before you're pushed Stephen! Leap before you're pushed!' She had bullied him with her words on their shopping trip the night before. 'Why bother!?'  He had replied silently. He had spent most of his life quite familiar with the feeling of being pushed. Old habits die hard. 

Today it was Stephen's turn to do the pushing. He moved his mother aside and hurried out of the door. He would be of little help at home. Maya needed space. And he needed to go to work and make sure that at least one of them had a job to return to.  An uneasy panic gripped him as he secured the house door. He glanced back. His mother had already disappeared. His eyes shifted to his wrist. 10.27. 10.27. 10.27. Tap. Tap. Tap.

June began her scrutiny of her son's house with a judging eye, unsettled that Stephen had dashed off so hurriedly without going through the details of exactly what had happened: what the hospital had said, whether Maya had spoken to him since last night, if she had eaten or had anything to drink. As usual, it was down to her to try and make sure everything would be okay. She paced from room to room. At least he had kept the house clean. That would be a relief for Maya when she got up later.

After spending a little time checking there was no unopened mail that needed attending to, that there was sufficient food in the fridge and no washing festering in the wash basket, June finally ventured upstairs to check on Maya.

The open window invaded the bedroom with a sharp breeze and irritating birdsong. June reached out and closed the window with a thud. 'That's better isn't it Maya? You can get some proper rest now,' the dumpy little woman reassured her new patient.

Maya's body twitched. She gasped. The forest of her slumber darkened. The fresh air the trees had been breathing into her became warm and stifled. There was an invisible fight for breath. Silence surrounded her. The soft lullaby stopped dead. The birds were gone.

Fear crept into the emptiness that returned to envelop her.

A cold heavy weight shook at Maya's body. And a shrill voice called again and again, 'Maya! Maaaaayaaaaaa!' Maya wanted to move out of reach of the relentless prodding. To summon her voice and tell the noise to stop. But no movement came. No sound was formed.

The stubborn endeavour was halted by a shrill ringing that clawed its way into the bedroom. Footsteps pattered down the stairs. The ringing stopped.

'Hello, Alexander House, June speaking'
'Oh hello Helen...'
'Hasn't Stephen phoned you?'
'That's right Maya is not well at all'
'No, it wasn't her teeth. I think they're okay. No, if only it were. She lost the baby Helen.' 

A warm droplet landed on June's leathery hand. It fell without a sound. So its existence remained a secret.

A composed voice continued.

'Oh you didn't know. No neither did I!
'Don't you worry, we're looking after her here. Her mam's on her way now. And I'm holding the fort while Stephen's at work'
'She's in bed. She isn't talking much yet. I'm sure she'll come 'round and be able to talk later'
'I'll tell her, of course I will. She will appreciate that. Thanks for calling Helen.'
'I'll let Stephen know. Speak soon. Ta-ra'

Silence.

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

'Maya, that was Helen from the office. They send their love. I told them I'm looking after you. Your mam's on her way you know. So I think we should try and get you upright and eating before she gets here. It's no good a parent seeing their child like this! You wouldn't want your mam to worry would you?'

A strong arm wrapped itself around Maya. Her body gave way to the force and shifted into an upright position.

'There's a good girl! I knew we could do it!' The sturdy figure exclaimed.

Well June had nearly done it. Maya was sat up, eyes still closed tight, but upright for the first time since her legs had carried her sleepwalking soul to the comfort of slumber. June was convinced she just needed a few more minutes and Maya would have been chatting and eating and drinking. But she did not get a few more minutes. Because right then the doorbell rang.

Peering out of the window, a stab of irritation poked at the matriarch.

Jackie had arrived quickly in her daughter's hour of need. She had stolen June's thunder and chance to show how she could make everything alright.