The Secret World of Maya Alexander

Chapter 6

Upon his daily return to the sanctuary of his empty living space, Stephen would not usually be relieved to be greeted by an invasion of visitors, but this was a rare moment in his life, when comfort held him close amidst the faces of his family members. His father Paul had not made the five mile trip to be beside his son at this difficult time. A boy needed his Mother at a time like this. It was no good a father seeing his son upset. That was not the way things should be. Stephen's parents had been in complete agreement about these facts, so Paul had stayed at home to look after the cats.

June held out her arms to her son as he came through the door. He accepted her long embrace with a little less stiffness than usual. Jackie followed with a brief squeeze of Stephen's arms, before finally it was the turn of Alice, a little taller and more sturdy than her elder sister, to put her warm arms around her brother in law.

Maya had never told Alice all the intricate details of her difficult marriage, but Alice had gathered from the occasional text message or remark shared when Maya could not keep everything in anymore, that there was more to Stephen than his outward assertiveness and self-assured demeanour. This could not be easy for him. Despite his apparently brave face.

'Thank you all for coming,' he offered with an unfamiliar sincerity. 'Can I get you a cuppa?'

Alice began mulling over some tactful words to gently encourage Stephen to go to his wife, but before the words were formed, June's loud voice interrupted her thoughts.

'No my boy! I am here for making tea! You need to get upstairs to that wife of yours! You're just like your father. I thought I'd brought you up better than that!'

Only Alice noticed Stephen shrink a little as his foot began to tap nervously at the sound of his mother's tone.

'Well? What are you waiting for?' The fierce little woman questioned his hesitance.

Unsettled by the expectant looks of the three women before him, Stephen quickly composed himself. 'I just wanted to check how she was and if she was sleeping before I headed up'. For a man unfamiliar with lying, he was becoming quite the expert.

'She woke up for a little while earlier and had a good cry.' Jackie offered. 'She seemed more 'with us' after that, if you know what I mean. I think she just needs us to let her know we are here with her. To help her stop imagining she's alone'.

None of them realised how insightful Jackie's words were, even though they all nodded in agreement.

Once out of sight of his guests, Stephen paused at the bottom of the stairs to look at his watch three times. He tapped his foot in quick succession. 18.36. 18.36. 18.36. The usually reassuring ritual provided little comfort. The rhythm of his timepiece only ever eased his own edginess. It could not cure his wife. He was failing her once again! Failing to give her what she needed. Failing to help her feel better. Anger hit him hard in the chest. He looked at his watch three times and pressed his foot forcefully into the floor. 18.37. 18.37.18.37. This time the ritual calmed the monster within him. Going to see Maya whilst feeling angry would not help. Showing his anger in front of others was also something he could not allow to happen.

Stephen took solid, purposeful steps up the stairs. He counted '1,2,3' quickly in his head with each stride. It seemed like an age had passed when he arrived outside the bedroom door. Three times he looked at his watch. He tapped his foot. 18.39. 18.39. 18.39. Calm. Calm. Calm.