Chapter 4

Maya

When I left Mr Nathaniel’s office I knew the promise I had made to him was useless, or even impossible to achieve. Nora had always been adamant to go for treatment, telling me not to force her to find her own apartment to stay in.

The days that I pushed, she broke things and left the house, coming back after days. My shoulders slumped in defeat as I walked to my car and open it with my key. I slid inside and pressed the button to start it, putting it in drive and heading towards the office.

After an hour’s drive I arrived at RV Fashion house and pulled into my designated parking spot, looked over at Nora’s spot beside mine but it was empty. My heart skipped a beat, and some intrusive thought crept to the back of my mind but I pushed it aside; I decided to call her instead of overthink of possible horrible scenarios. She didn’t pick up after 5 rings and I started to panic but I still muster courage to walk into the building, receiving good mornings and other awkward stares as I press the elevator button and it opens.

I stepped inside and hit the third floor arrow, it closes and takes me there.

Everyone’s eyes follow my movements and I feel the thick tension that had taken root in the aura. Leleti almost immediately lifts her head to meet eyes with me as I approach my office. Her eyes widen and it darts to Nora’s office. I follow her gaze and see that the office is empty.

‘Where is she?’ I ask her, my gaze not leaving her empty office and Leleti mumbled an ‘I don’t know’. I nod and walk into my office, which is opposite Nora’s and close the door. Slumping into the swivel chair. Leleti walked in, her face was morphed with panic. ‘What?’ I snapped, my anger and irritation from earlier today getting the front row seat to control my actions. ‘The French investor has been here since three pm, as scheduled but Nora hasn’t showed up today- and her phone is switched off. Ma’ she spoke in one long breath, and my eyes scanned her again ‘where is he?’ I asked her and she nudged towards the board room.

I stood up and walked behind her as we made our way to the room. Even though he was a little pissed off about the time, he agreed to give me five minutes to convince him, which I did.

He left after two hours and promised to send us a check. The rest of the day went by slowly, or so I thought, because I was dreading the conversation I was going to have with my daughter. ‘Nora will have to come for professional help on her own accord’ he said to me, confirming my fear. I had heard those words from five therapists already and I still thought maybe, this one might be different.

As the day left us, turning the sky into shades of orange, pink and purple, creating a breath taking gradient of hues just above the horizon. It reminded me of life, the colours are so bright sometimes giving us a picture of perfection until it turns a darker shade but still bright enough that we have hope then finally it slips to the night allowing total darkness to dwell. I drove in silence, only the radio was playing soft songs in the background and it reminded me of my late night drives with my daughter.

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‘No way you that are playing that song’ Nora said to me, laughing hard as tears sprung out of her eyes and I joined her. ‘Stop-I’m not that old’ I argue with her, waving my hands in the air and she laughs again, shaking her head in disbelief. ‘Mom, stop. You and I know you are older than Grace. And Grace is what? Fifty-three?’ I gasp, feigning anger as I swat her arm playfully while she mouths an ‘ouch’.

These memories felt old, as old as time. She wasn’t the same bubbly, crazy girl who loved to travel and appreciate nature, basking in the warmth the sun radiated or the breeze blown by the sea’s tidal wave. She was happy, every single day and optimistic. I hit my steering wheel, as a way of fighting reality but as unfair as everything else, I’m the one bearing the pain, guilt, shame and dissatisfaction. Life had replaced my happy Nora with a bitter one.

A woman who was allowing the currents of life sway her, instead of fighting through it. I don’t even realize the time I reach home or how I managed the drive but I do. I get down and walk straight into my house in search for Nora. I knock on her door once I’m upstairs but there is no reply. I started to bang on the door, hard. My panic started to take a hold of me, but push it aside as I continue to assault her door. Stephanie came upstairs and I turned to look at her.

‘She left around noon Ma.’ I nodded at her information and headed downstairs to call her again and as I suspected, her phone went straight to voicemail. I groan in annoyance and throw my phone against the wall, smashing the screen