The Secret World of Maya Alexander

Chapter 27

It was not long after midnight when the train finally arrived in Lucerne. Darkness surrounded the carriages and its final passengers as the train began to empty of  its tired contents at the small station in the Swiss city. The mother and daughter did not bother to look at their watches as they wearily made their way into a taxi and showed the driver the name of their hotel. Even though Stephen had not spoken to Maya since he left the house weeks earlier, (because Maya had refused to answer his calls, rather than any absence in his own endeavour), he had still phoned the hotels to ensure that the double room bookings were changed to twin rooms to accommodate the change of travel plans. He even paid the administrative charge to change the name on the train tickets. He had done it to try and make amends.

He had been so angry with Maya on the evening that his rage had taken over, and preferred to keep from remembering the details of his anger. So instead, he had focussed on trying to do what little he could to show his wife from afar that he was trying to make things better. From time to time he would question himself as to why she deserved his efforts when he was the injured party. Another voice would remind him that deep down he was an inadequate husband who had not even been able to take care of his wife. These voices tormented and tortured him most nights, as he sat in the spare room at his parent's without the distraction of work targets to provide a welcome relief.

As the midnight train emptied, Stephen laid in his childhood bedroom with the debate in his head becoming angrier than ever. He had been marking his wife's journey out on his watch all day. Sometimes the watch told him she might be enjoying a few hours in Paris, sometimes it told him he should have left more time for Paris and sometimes it became angry and shouted that he should have been in Paris with his wife! Luckily he had been allowed to cancel his leave so he had been at work all day which had helped him contain his emotions for at least part of his day.

He had been waiting for the clock to reach 00.00. He knew that it would be 01.00am in Lucerne and that his wife would probably be settling into bed. His tapping had increased building to a crescendo as he checked his watch almost by the minute until it reached the awaited hour. June had become increasingly impatient with the tapping coming from his childhood room. She could be just as relentless as her son, and with each trio of taps she would call 'stop your tapping'. In the end she had to relent because the taps would come again before she could even catch her breath. Instead, she moaned to her husband. 'You will have to have a word with that son of yours!' At least Paul had acknowledged her words with a nod, which was more than the response that she was able to get from her son.

At last the moment arrived.

00.00
00.00
00.00

There were three almost final but especially loud thuds as Stephen was granted permission to send a message to check his wife had arrived safely and let her know he was thinking of her on their anniversary. He had already decided he would message his mother in law and wife together to increase the likelihood of a response.

The exhausted travellers were too tired to take in the splendour of their room as they arrived and set their luggage down. They had agreed that it would be best to settle straight to sleep so that they could enjoy the next day exploring a city which neither of them had seen before. Just as Maya settled herself under the unfamiliar blankets, two identical beeps sounded from either side of the room, announcing a message had arrived on their phones.

'It's probably Alice checking we have arrived,' Jackie suggested as she reached for her phone on the bedside table.

Maya closed her eyes and waited to hear from her mother if she needed to move from the comfort of her soft and sinking bed.

'Hi both. Hope you have arrived safely and are not too tired. Texting you both in case Maya's battery has died. Have a wonderful time. Happy Anniversary! Keep in touch, Stephen xx'

Stephen had taken a long time to compose the message earlier that day. He was not sure what Maya had told her mother about their marriage and wanted to keep it vague and light. Not too pushy. He wanted it to sound just like any other message a husband would send to his wife.

'Awww, you forgot to let Stephen know we had arrived safely my sleepy girl!' Jackie's tone was soft and non-judgmental. She did not think anything more of the text other than it being from a husband who was a bit of a worrier according to her youngest daughter, and who was missing his wife on their anniversary. 'You really should reply sweetheart.' Jackie looked over at Maya who had remained undercover throughout her mother's announcement.

Even though on the outside her body looked as still and relaxed as it had when Jackie first glanced over. The words that had been spoken had stirred a racing in Maya's heart which she had not felt for a long time. Not even during the very last turbulent encounter she had had with her husband. There was a tightness in her throat and a knot in her tummy. She felt a million uncertain thoughts race through her head without words.

'Maya...?' Jackie wondered if her daughter had fallen asleep and not heard a word she had said.

Maya managed to push some token words out from her throat, 'Can you reply, I am so tired I don't think my eyes could bear to look at the screen right now.' It wasn't a lie. She was extremely tired and her eyes could not bear to look at the screen which meant that she would have to contemplate the emotions and sentiments behind the words of her husband. It would begin a wave of sorrow and guilt that she felt certain would drown her.

12.04. 12.04. 12.04. 12.04. 12.04. Stephen had not taken his eyes from the screen of his phone since hitting the send button. A chant was echoing around his head, as it repeated the minutes past the hour in precise intervals. Finally a flash at the top of the screen announced the arrival of a message.

Jackie Mobile: Arrived safe and sound thanks Stephen. Maya would have messaged you back but she is so exhausted she can't even manage to look at the screen. You young ones! Can't keep up. She said she misses you. We will keep in touch! Jackie xx

Even though the message had not come directly from Maya, Stephen felt a wave of relief wash over his body. It was a warm feeling. Like the feeling he used to get when Maya would squeeze his arm and tell him everything would be okay. He reached and wiped his brow, surprised at the moisture which covered his hand and sleeve. He took just one last glance at the time from the timekeeper on his wrist, 12.06. As his mouth exhaled a sigh, his head found its way to the pillow and his eyes shut down his mind from the world. He slept better than he had for weeks.

Not quite a thousand miles South-East, his wife's mind had tossed and turned most of the night. When she finally drifted off to sleep, she found herself confronted by the face of her husband looking at her sorrowfully from the inside of a mirror. She turned from the mirror and found four walls but no door. The walls were papered with sorry notes and smiley faces. A drawn out hissing sound called her back to the mirror. This time, instead of her husband's face a vulture stood pecking at the barren soil beneath its feet. It looked weak and weary. Maya felt scared but compelled to confront the creature. It stared her in the eye as it let out an almighty shriek 'Not now! Not ever!' Before stepping forth from the mirror and swooping to devour each note from the wall, blood and guts spilled from its mouth with every word it consumed.