Chapter 38: LIST

WARNING: DRINKING

Maya's POV

Things did not look better in the morning light.

I wake up to a pounding headache (the leftovers of a migraine), that shaky anxiety feeling I always get after an attack and the feeling of not having the energy to do anything despite getting more sleep than usual. My night had been haunted by the pain of a migraine and nightmares.

Great it was going to be one of those days were it was a battle to accomplish one task and even then there's that little voice in the back of my head telling me I'm doing everything wrong.

I sit up and run my hands through my hair and over my face. Okay to do list…

Coffee and breakfast

Shower

Get dressed

Laundry

Food shop

Paper work

I slowly get up and make my way to the kitchen and switch the coffee machine on and slowly get some cereal despite not being that hungry. I take my time with breakfast knowing I had till 18:00. Then I would go to my next shift. It was only 9:30. I get through the first four items on my list easily enough. The laundry runs while I pack my backpack for the food shop. I turn all appliances off apart from the washing machine and leave my apartment.

Bad choice.

Everywhere I look I see the girl from Centre Stage. In stranger's faces. In the windows of cars. In kids playing. As the food shop goes on my mood darkens and my drive to do anything slowly diminishes. I buy something I've only ever drunk once before. I knew what I was about to do was stupid but I remember the effects it had last time. It numbed the bad feelings.

Well mostly.

However a voice in the back of my head told me not to do this. I had a shift tonight. It was a bad idea. But the bad emotions run over the voice of reason. And I buy it anyway. I'll call in sick and pay the consequences tomorrow. And gosh will I pay the price tomorrow.

When I get in I do the stuff I'm supposed very slowly. I finish my laundry, put away the shopping and do my paperwork but at four instead of leaving I get into sweats and collapse on the sofa. My head is pounding and I felt exhausted. I take a deep breath and make the call. I wasn't lying when I said a migraine. I just exaggerated.

I don't open the bottle until about eight but when I take the first mouthful I knew it was a bad idea. But it was too late to go back. I keep going ignoring the burn.

-CODE BLACK-

Mario's POV

"Have you seen Maya?" I ask Nurse Salender as I go up to the nurse's station.

"No," He says. "I thought you knew. She called in sick just before the shift. Sounded miserable."

"Oh," I say surprised she didn't text me. "Thanks Nurse Salender."

With that I grab the next file and head to the next patient but I'm stopped by a concerned Doctor Rorish.

"Have you spoken to Maya?" She asks concern lacing her voice.

"Not since last night, why?" I reply confused.

"Look Maya didn't take losing that patient well last shift; that's why I sent her to TSI2 and TSI3," She says. "You know her better than I do. Is there anything I should know?"

"She's quite private and guarded. I wouldn't know if there was anything going on in the first place," I reply.

"Right, we're in code green at the minute. I don't think we're going anything further than code red to be quite honest. I don't usually do this but I want you to go check on her," She says. "Something seems wrong. I may be wrong but I'd rather be wrong than let something happen to her."

"What do you want me to do when I get there?"

"It depends. If she's okay and has a migraine come back, if not call me on this number," She says handing me a piece of paper. "Now go."

I nod and give Rorish the file I was holding. She rolls her eyes and I leave.

I arrive at Maya's apartment fifteen minutes later and knock heavily on the door. I knock twice with no reply. Crap.

"Maya? You in there?" I yell through the door knocking a third time.

When there's no reply I step back and scan the area. Where would she keep a spare key? I bend down and check under the mat. No. Under the flower pot. No. In the flower pot. There we go.

I was really going to have to talk to her about better hiding places.

I quickly open the door and carefully step inside closing it behind me. The light was on which was a good sign.

"Maya?" I say.

"Mario!"

Her voice comes from the living room and she quickly appears. She seemed giddy and was swaying. She looked awful but seemed hyper. A glass was in her hand.

Great.

"Did you not hear me knock the door?" I say walking over to her. I grab her before she falls.

"You knocked?" She slurs as I let her go. "Huh?"

"I think you should sit down," I say as she sways again causing me to yet again grab her.

"I think I'm fine here," She slurs swinging her glass in the air.

"How much have you had to drink?"

She looks at me confused. Okay Maya was not a smart drunk.

"How many glasses Maya?"

"Schnapps."

"Okay, I'll take that as a lot," I say taking the glass off her. "I think it's time you went to bed."

"My schnapps!" She says making a feeble attempt for the glass but stumbling. I grab her and lift her easily. She giggles. "Ohhh big strong man lifting me."

I roll my eyes and carry her into her bedroom. I take off her hoodie and shoes and put her under the covers tucking them around her.

"Go to sleep," I say.

"Not tired."

"Don't care," I say. "Go to sleep."

"Can't. The dreams will come," She slurs.

"Dreams? What dreams?" I ask.

"Of the accident. Of my parents," She whispers. The giddiness was now gone and replaced with seriousness. "Scared to sleep. Alcohol makes me numb."

"Awk Maya," I say. "Would you be able to sleep if I stay?"

"I can try," She mumbles. "I'm so tired but so scared."

"I know," I say sitting up beside her kicking off my shoes. I wrap my arms around her and she snuggles into me. "Sleep Maya."

Ten minutes later Maya is fast asleep every so often flinching. I look at her and realise that I may have feelings. Which is new for me. Really new.

I sigh as I pull out my phone. Now was not the time. I quickly dial the number for Rorish.

"Hello?" Her voice comes across the speaker.

"Hello, it's Mario," I say. "I'm with Maya."

"And…"

"She's not really in a state for me to leave her right now," I say. "I just managed to get her to go to sleep."

"What happened?"

"She tried to drink to forget…" I sigh thinking about how dangerous it was for her to drink with her spleen. "Gosh she could have severely hurt herself."

"We're lucky we got to her," Doctor Rorish says. "Stay with her and keep me updated. She's probably gonna wake up with a killer hangover depending on how much she drank. We'll address the why tomorrow and make sure she doesn't do it again."

"What about my shift?" I ask.

"I'll deal with that," She says. "Look after her and I'll see you next shift. Bye Mario."

And with that she hangs up.

I look at Maya who was still sound asleep. I rest my forehead on hers and restrain from sighing in case I woke her. The nightmare she must be living through. I had to protect her. I just didn't know how.

I close my eyes and hold her closer as I drift asleep.