Author's note: Again, I must thank xfilesfanatic for encouraging me to post this story and reminding me that Maris is a powerful, yet I feel understated character. Please enjoy!
Life is fabulous for me.
It pretty much always has been.
Sure, I've been through some hard things, but it's nothing I can't handle.
Oh my, where do I begin?
Well, I suppose Niles has always been an issue for me.
I loved the man, despite what you must think. He meant the world to me, and then one day he left. I must admit I was proud of him, though ultimately crestfallen. For years, he let me control him, he let me tell him what I wanted and then have it done.
It's funny how I view all of that now. I don't feel remorse, but I'm not proud that I did it. I suppose I've accepted it.
Anyways, one day I had some divorce papers made up to see if he was serious about the whole "couples therapy" thing. He signed them and it took me completely by surprise. I agreed to comply and we started seeing someone together.
He was a wonderful man, Bernard was.
Poor Niles, I couldn't say no to him.
When he figured out what I had done, he really did file for divorce.
And then Bernard left me, too.
Not too long after our divorce, Niles began dating my plastic surgeon, Mel. She was always so much like Niles.
And a lot like me, too.
It turns out she began to treat Niles like I had, only better.
But that didn't really matter, because before long he was running off with that sweet little woman, Daphne.
I'm not going to lie to you, I always liked her. Girls in her form are hard to come by, polite and kind, yet strong.
That is why I'm glad Niles married her.
They have a wonderful little child now, and if I'm not mistaken his name his David.
Not long after their marriage, I was accused of murder.
I am innocent; I will swear it to you. I am not one to lie. That didn't matter, though, because they put me behind bars anyways. Every chance I received I called Niles, the only person in the world who possibly cared about me in the smallest sort of way. After a while, he became aggravated with all the calls he was receiving and told me to stop.
Again, I was proud of him.
I was released not long after that, and I've lived drowning still in my own wealth ever since. The servants keep me company, and I still maintain the lifestyle I once lived.
What sort of lifestyle is that? Well, it's mainly the way I treat my body.
Obesity has always disgusted me. When I see the overweight I cringe and shut my eyes tight, wishing them away with all of my might. I let nothing that can make me like them enter my body.
When I was married to Niles I got plastic surgery. Now I see no need for it. It hit me that all of my friends and acquaintances never change their faces and why should I? It's not like they are any more beautiful than I am.
Don't ask me why I'm pale. The truth is, I haven't the slightest idea.
Now, my days are uneventful, save for the occasional soiree or other event of such nature. And yes, I have run into Niles a few times. In fact, I did just last week.
I hadn't seen the man in years, and all of a sudden there he was in the middle of my friend's dinner party. I don't know how he came to be invited, honestly.
"Hello, Maris," he said. "You're looking well."
I only laughed.
"As are you, Niles," I told him. "How have you been doing?"
"I'm doing well, thank you," he replied. I could tell by the tone in his voice that he felt awkward, and I'm not going to tell you that I wasn't. I knew he had become quite the family man, so I asked him, "How is that lovely wife of yours? And that beautiful child?"
Niles just stared at me strangely, as if I was a different person. "They're fine…David is excelling in school and Daphne becomes more beautiful with each passing day."
He used to say the same thing of me when we were married, but this time I knew he meant it.
Did you think I was completely blind? I knew the way Niles felt about Daphne. I always knew. It didn't bother me for two reasons.
Number one is that it was Niles' problem and not mine.
The second one is that I knew that Daphne would never engage him in an affair. The woman always treated me like I was a normal, living, breathing, person, unlike Martin, Frasier, and even Eddie, that wretched little hound. Therefore, I knew that she was to be trusted.
Back to my story.
I sighed deeply at the situation, imagining how deliriously happy Niles must be. "Wonderful," I said to him.
He looked at me in the same odd way as before. "Maris," he began, "is there something I should know about?"
Sighing again, I stared down at my feet. The people I knew had been asking me the same question for months. I had no idea how I was supposed to answer them.
Everything had changed for me. I don't know how to describe it.
To begin, I might say that after getting out of prison I re-thought some things long and hard.
Something changed, but I don't know what.
I answered him, "No Niles, nothing at all."
He smiled at me and we talked for the rest of the evening.
As we were about to leave, I spoke up and told him, "Niles, you'll be getting a package in the mail."
A worried look crossed his face. "I'm going to send you that glockenspiel we bought together all those years ago. You enjoyed it more than I ever did."
After that the oddest thing happened.
I found myself giving my ex-husband a hug.
Of course, it wasn't much since I have little arm strength, but it was a hug nonetheless.
Then I let go, turned around, and went home.
True to my word, I sent him the glockenspiel.
Life now goes on.
And it continues to be fabulous.