The Secret World of Maya Alexander

Chapter 20

Unsettled by the atmosphere during her Sunday visit, June had taken to inviting herself into her son's home as part of their weekly shopping ritual. Obliged by her insistence, Stephen would make tea and offer cake whilst enduring strained conversation. Maya rarely came to speak to their visitor. Stephen would convince himself and his mother that Thursdays were busy for his wife and she was just exhausted. There had been a few occasions when June had enquired further, commenting that it was not normal to be that exhausted from work, that it wasn't fair on Stephen to be taking everything on. Stephen either snapped back about it being none of her business or ignored her remarks, staring instead at his watch. And so after a few weeks, June's inquisitions ended.

She had however been doing a little plotting in between her weekly visits. She was certain Maya hadn't managed to get over losing the baby. She thought at Maya's age it must be awful for her not to have a little person of her own to look after. He had wondered why Maya and Stephen had never been more active in their auntie and uncle duties. It had never occurred to June that this was how Stephen preferred it. The fewer opportunities to endure his perfect sisters the better had been his view.

Maya had always insisted they visited his sisters for birthdays and Christmas and Easter. She would spend a long time finding the perfect gift for his sisters' daughters, Jessica and Eirwen. Jessica, Anna's daughter was the eldest of the two, and loved it when Auntie Maya came because she was not one of those visitors who used to just sit with the grown ups and ignore her. In fact, she was a visitor who would ignore the grown ups and go off in the garden searching for fairies.

Jessica was due to start school in September and Anna was hoping that her mother would collect her three days a week so she could finally go back to work. June was less sure about having such a big commitment interrupt her routines of early retirement. Just before preparing to let her daughter down in what she thought was a gentle way(by informing her that it would not be fair on Jessica for her mum to abandon her in such a sudden way, when she was going through a big change), June came up with an idea.

June knew that Anna and Maya were not particularly close but she also knew that for some reason Jessica was very fond of Maya. She made sure Jessica was close by when she broached the subject with her daughter.

'Anna, you know I think it will be great for you to get back to work don't you love?' June paused so her daughter would know that she really needed to pay attention.

'What is it mam?' Anna said without pandering to her mother, who liked to make a drama out of everything.

'Well, I think it is important that we work out a way so you can go back to work like you planned. I'm just not sure I can do three days a week at the school.' Another pause, this time left unfilled by Anna. 'Well you know, it would be hard on your father.' June continued, ensuring blame was always laid at somebody else's door. 'He doesn't like to be on his own for too long and I already have to meet Pam every Friday.'

'Oh don't worry, it was a lot to ask,' Anna responded flatly. She had been talking to her mum about helping out with childcare since Jessica was born. Before the birth, Nanna June had promised the world. Anna was beginning to feel guilty that she had burdened her mum with the suggestion, but at the same time felt agitated that her mum had managed to inflict that feeling upon her.

'Oh but I have a solution!' June interjected quickly without processing the disappointment in Anna's face. 'Maya has reduced her hours a little in work and finishes early on a Friday. Her office is not far at all! She was only saying the other week how she wished she could see her nieces more.' The last piece of information was not true. In fact Maya had spoken no more than three sentences to June in the last month.

'Mother, just because she said she wants to see her nieces more, does not mean she wants to pick Jess up from school every week! You can't burden people like that.' Anna was annoyed at her mum assuming she could make plans on her behalf. 'Anyway, I'm not sure it's appropriate. Just the other week you told me you thought she was still not over losing the baby. That things were strange in their house. That wouldn't be good for Jess. And what would the other mums think of me then?!' A knot in Anna's stomach began to tighten as she contemplated another difficult situation thrust upon her by her expectant mother.