Author's Note: Just a quick note, I am building up to something and the flashbacks to Maya's childhood will make more sense once I've written it. So I was wondering how to write them in and still keep the current present day storyline rolling on. In the end, I decided to write down the flashbacks away from the present day. So this chapter and Chapter Fifty-Seven will be just parts of Maya's childhood.

Chapter Fifty-Six

Flashback

16th November 1992

The year was 1992 and it was the day after Maya's 13th birthday. A Monday in this case. Thirteen year old Maya came downstairs in her school uniform (and her hair was up in a bobble for once). Her mother Henrietta in the kitchen making breakfast while her husband and Maya's step-father sat at the table in a smartly dressed suit. He was a maths teacher in another high school, Maya was always thankful it wasn't hers. For the child ( as she was back then) had no problem with him, it just wasn't exactly something she wanted. What child wants their step-father as a teacher in their school? The man was currently smothering his toast with butter. Henrietta placing a plate of two pieces of toast in front of Maya when she noticed she had come down at one. She wasn't her usual happy self, what happened yesterday in the shed naturally affected her. Though she didn't tell anyone until 1994 and that was only because she was sort of forced into it. Her step-father offering her the butter but she just shook her head. Making him grumble "Fine", before laying on more butter onto his toast as if it was going out of fashion.

"Paul!" Henrietta reprimanded to the man (for he was using up all the butter!).

Paul was his name. Paul Clark. He had married Henrietta not longer after her divorce from John in 1990 when Maya was eleven. Which didn't really bother her for her father still came round regularly and she spent most weekends at his house. Besides; Paul was quite friendly and he always helped her with her maths homework if she was struggling. Her homelife was quite normal until yesterday.

"Henri!" Paul shouted back in jest; giving a little chuckle afterwards.

"Paul Gabriel Clark...You are in so much trouble" Henrietta teased. Using his full name (his mother did sort of put the name Gabriel in there as a small joke, due to a famous actor being called Clark Gabriel).

Maya began to make a move during this, she barely touched her toast. She just wanted some fresh air. She hated sitting there and seeing them act all normal while all she could think about was Ethan and what he did to her. Henrietta looked over at her daughter again as she crossed her arms...

"Don't think you're going without getting some breakfast" Henrietta spoke up.

"I feel sick" Maya insisted.

Making her mother give a slight snigger, oldest trick in the book wasn't it? She really didn't take much notice of her sudden mood swings. Which in retrospect, she knows she should have took more notice of but she just put it down to hormones at the time. Maya was only thirteen and she didn't have any physical scars or bruises to suggest anything took place yesterday.

"You been reading fashion magazines again, Maya? Because let me tell you...those models are way too thin. Now sit back down and eat your breakfast" Henrietta told her firmly.

With a look of defeat, she slumped back down and began eating the toast. No, that wasn't it. Though she didn't want to tell her mother that. After finally getting through her breakfast, she got up again. Taking her schoolbag from the side and making her way out the door without even so much of a goodbye. Making her way to school however some minutes later, her seventeen year old cousin Ethan was standing and waiting. He knew her path to school by now, he stood in his usual leather jacket. Maya seen him and felt her heart beat quicker, she was now afraid of him.

"Maya" Ethan began as he stood in her way; purposefully blocking her path.

Even at seventeen, he was quite large. Not obese but he was slightly overweight and he was quite tall. His hair was shaved and he looked older, Maya looked tiny in comparison. Ethan took this to his advantage. He didn't really have many friends so he preyed on young weak schoolgirls. He was messed up in the head, that much was clear. Henrietta felt so stupid for missing the signs for he gave out many red flags. Though she just didn't want to believe her nephew could do such evil things.

"I got to go to school" Maya nervously replied; going to walk past him however he grabbed onto her arm.

"Wait! Listen, you haven't said anything about yesterday have you?" Ethan asked.

Like all people like him, he was only bothered about saving his own skin. Back then he had a shred of guilt but that soon changed. He got some weird kick out of it, even more so when his aunt Henrietta treated him the same way she always did. It was like he was untouchable or something.

"No" Maya assured him with a sigh; no she hasn't told anybody.

Though she wants to so badly. Though she was afraid that if she told, things would only get worse. She was thinking it would break up the family if they were to find out, her father John would beat him up for starters. The teenage didn't wish for that to happen, she just wanted things to go back to how they were. Though the damage has been done and things can never be the same again.

"Good girl...You know what happened stays between us, right? If anyone was to find out about this, we would both get in trouble" Ethan insisted. Making out she would get in trouble too.

"I don't want to get you in trouble"

"Same! So it stays between us...Now have a good day at school, go on"

...

24th December 1992

Like every Christmas Eve, the Stepney family spent it at Rosa's. She had the largest dining room and thus special occasions were spent there. Maya use to really enjoy it there but she no longer did, Ethan lived there as well so that's why. The weather was very cold that day, frost was all over England. Therefore when Ethan suggested 'another walk', which was his code to go into the shed; Maya's parents said no. This made him angry for he couldn't get his sick little fix that day. He was just hanging out in the living room while thirteen year old Maya was watching the 1985 movie 'Santa Clause' which the BBC was currently broadcasting. Some of the adults in the household were helping with the dinner in the kitchen. John setting the table in the dining room.

"Stupid you are...We could have been together right now but oh no, you would rather stay inside and watch stupid movies" Ethan hissed.

"It wasn't my fault, daddy was the one who said no" Maya spoke in a shaky tone of voice.

"Yeah and you look real torn up about it! Seriously, you need to grow up. I thought you were more mature but you're not! I just wanted to spend some time with you"

"I'm sorry"

After a quick look backwards, Ethan grabbed onto her hand and dug his fingernails into her arm. Making her cry out slightly however this just made him dig deeper, the girl didn't understand as she managed to say..."You're hurting me"

"Good!" Ethan shouted.

He wouldn't stop, even when she tried to get up. His fingernails digging deeper, he really did begin to get a kick out of it. He enjoyed seeing her in pain, made him feel bigger. Ethan was abusive in every way. Though thankfully his sick little act was cut short as Maya's step-father Paul walked into the living room. He actually noticed what he was doing for he didn't ungrip himself from her quick enough.

"What are you doing?" Paul asked the young man.

"Just a bit of fun" Ethan insisted.

"It doesn't look like Maya's having fun"

This made Ethan look towards her as he urged her to keep up the pretence. So with a small nod, the girl just remarked..."It's just a game"

"See! Now get back in the kitchen...you're not even a real member of this family" Ethan hissed.

He was clearly in a mood and didn't care who knew it. Paul just scoffed as he walked in closer, he wasn't going to let that toerag tell him what to do. He doesn't understand why Henrietta doesn't scold the lad more often. The truth was that because his mother (and her sister) abandoned him as a baby, the woman gave him too much leeway to act how he wanted. Though Paul wasn't having that, he was seventeen years old now and needed to stop being treated as if he was some messed up little boy. No, he was an awful young man. That's what he was.

"You don't talk to me like that! And you don't go digging your fingernails into little girl's arms because you feel a bit sad!" Paul yelled.

"Little girl?! You wouldn't say that if you seen her in school, always flirting with the boys from her class. She's thirteen going on twenty-one!" Ethan dared to remark.

He got up by this point to face the older man.

"You want to argue with me? She's thirteen...I don't care what you think about her, you don't treat her or anybody else like this!" Paul further exclaimed.

This argument got the attention of the others in the household. John being the first one in of cause as he made his way there. Wondering what they were having an argument about, Henrietta and Rosa not far behind. They asked him what had happened and this panicked Ethan slightly as he went to leave however Paul rough handled him to prevent him from leaving. He wanted him to face up to things.

"I just walked in and found Ethan digging his fingernails into Maya's arm" Paul announced to the small crowd.

"That isn't what happened! I told him already...We were playing a game!" Ethan maintained.

Maya burst into tears suddenly as she ran past them all and made her way upstairs. She hated having to listen to it. John just looking between them with an angry look on his face, this was suppose to be a nice family evening. Like Henrietta, he was way too soft on Ethan. Which they would both later regret immensely. Why didn't they see what was going on right there and then?

"They are like brother and sister Paul, I hardly think he would do it on purpose" John spoke up.

"He dug his fingernails into her skin! Am I the only one sane in here?!" Paul snapped in disbelief.

"That wasn't my intention, I gently grabbed onto her arm and my nails must have just pressed against her skin. Maya's upset now because Paul is making a mountain out of a molehill" Ethan attempted to explain.

He was a good liar for sure. His version of events seemed general enough but John excused himself regardless. Making his way upstairs, hearing the faint sound of the argument downstairs continuing. Maya was in the spare bedroom in tears, her father walking in made her gasp slightly. For a second, she thought it be him again. Though he would only do that at night time. So deep down, she knew it wouldn't be him...

"Something you want to tell us?" John asked her; sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Nothing" Maya quietly spoke.

"You sure?"

"Yes daddy! I'm fine, I'm absolutely fine! Now just get out and leave me alone!" Maya shouted.

This just made him give a slight tut as he left the room. Shutting the door behind himself as he did so. Maya still crying into her pillow, nobody ever questions why. The resentment started quite early on. They just put her bad attitude down to being a typical teenager (while Ethan's strange behaviour was put down to abandonment issues). Paul was the only one who seemed to question it all, he moved to Australia with his real daughter a few years later. Henrietta always partly blamed Maya for his leaving. Though of cause she wasn't to blame back then.

...

6th April 1993

The abusive relationship between Ethan and Maya was in full swing. She was currently spending time at her great-aunt Rosa's. Laying in her bed no longer made her feel warm and cosy, it made her feel nervous. Ethan would sometimes come into her bedroom in the middle of the night (as she would go on to tell Jacob) and do things he shouldn't do. Even pretending to be asleep didn't discourage him, in fact the sick bastard seemed to prefer it. Hence him making that 'your turn or mine?' "joke" decades later. If she was obviously awake, Ethan would just tell her to be quiet. Her mother actually had began to question why her thighs and neck had scars (for he was very rough with her). She never told the truth, she was just being "clumsy" she would tell her mother. Tonight however the girl felt too exhausted to face that again. So she quietly got out of bed and tiptoed to her great-aunt's bedroom, creaking the door open. Rosa still slept upstairs at this point as the woman turned on her bedroom lamp and asked...

"Maya? What it is?"

"Can I sleep in here tonight?" Maya nervously asked (this should have been a red flag too). She was practically crying out for help.

Though her great-aunt was half-asleep and could barely think straight, let alone think about the reason why. So she just gave a nod, making the girl come in as she shut the door. Getting on the far side of the bed, Rosa turning her lamp back off. Closing her eyes again and going to sleep, Maya doing the same. For she felt safe enough in there with somebody else, Ethan wouldn't be able to get to her there.

7th April 1993

The following morning came and the sun shone through the curtains. Rosa looking to her side to see her great-niece still fast asleep. Now she was no longer sleepy and was thus more aware of her surroundings, the woman did finally question Maya's motives. She was a tad bit old to be afraid of the dark, thirteen was usually the age where children would be too embarrassed to do things they use to do. So what was this all about? The woman shook the girl until she was awake. Making the teenager gasp as she opened her eyes, she gripped tightly onto the covers. For a second, she thought it was him. Ethan really has damaged her and it was beyond repair, what she did in later life proved that.

"What?" Maya asked in a panicky tone; her heart beating very quickly.

"I was just seeing if you were alright. Why are you so touchy, petal?"

"Sorry...Bad dream"

"Is that why you came to my room last night? Because you had a bad dream? I don't believe that, you're thirteen years old"

"I can still have bad dreams"

"Maya. You stopped getting into my bed by aged three"

"So?"

"So tell me the real reason. Maya, I'm really worried about you. You use to love staying over at mine and now you try and make excuses. Now you're getting into my bed at goodness knows what hour, what's wrong?"

She shook her head in response, her great-aunt had put her on the spot. Tears came down her cheeks for she couldn't think of a lie. Why couldn't she just say something? Anything! Though nothing seemed to come, she just got upset. Ethan was heard walking out of his bedroom by this point, his footsteps on the landing. He was aware that Maya spent the night in his great-grandmother's bedroom. All you could hear now was him laughing on the landing, making his way downstairs soon after and departing the house.

"Nothing is wrong...I have to go to school" Maya managed to blurt out.

"Is this about a boy?"

"No"

"Then what? Your mother has said you been crying in your room and writing in your diary at silly hours in the morning. We want to know what's going on, please. We can't help you if we don't know what's wrong" Rosa tried to reason with her.

"It's just some people at school, that's all"

"Are they bullying you?"

"Yeah"

Though of cause these bullies at school didn't exist. She would make Jacob use this same excuse decades later. These non-existent bullies would explain the bruises and her mood being down all the time. The adults in the family believed her because why would she make it up? Rosa just giving her a nod, she was thinking how that explains everything. That was the problem sorted.

26th May 1993

Maya returned home from what felt like a long day at school, she was keen to just come in and relax. Though much to her dismay, she walked in to find her mother sitting at the dining room table with some young boy. This was the ten year old George that Henrietta would later tell Leyla, Tracy (and the others) about decades later. As soon as she noticed her daughter, she excused herself. Telling George to just relax while she spoke to her daughter, he was at her home for emergency accommodation. That was a common theme as she would later describe to them also. Maya just crossed her arms when her mother approached her.

"I got a call from work, the poor boy needs somewhere to stay while his father is under investigation" Henrietta explained.

"Yeah, I can see that"

"Nobody else has any space at the moment so he's coming to stay here for a little bit. He's called George and is aged ten, he doesn't have any other issues as far as I know...You should be safe but I'm going to lock your bedroom door anyway so make sure you don't drink anything after nine o clock"

"Great" Maya spoke with sarcasm.

"He's a very nervous little boy but he's very creative. So come and meet him Maya, make him feel more at home" Henrietta urged.

That was another thing that made Maya into a bitter woman. Her mother would see all the signs and red flags with the children she took him in, she would help them. Though not her, it was like she was blind to her problems. Maybe it was because she was so preoccupied with other people's children and their problems that she thought her own didn't have any. Maya was brought up right, she didn't have any problems she thought. That would all change in the following year (which was the year of Alexander's birth).

"George...This is my daughter Maya, she's just got back in from school" Henrietta began. Her voice sounding more energetic.

The little boy just giving her a nervous half-smile. Like her mother, Maya changed her expression. Her mother leading her to the living room table as Henrietta sat back down next to George while Maya sat on the opposite side of her mother. This George of cause was thankfully not abused, he was just confused and grieving for his mother. Though they didn't know this at the time.

"Why don't you two pick a film to watch together? I'm going to cook us all a lovely dinner and you two can watch a film" Henrietta further spoke; she had to do all the talking it seemed.

"Yeah come on...My mum's got to cook" Maya finally spoke.

The boy nervously following her into the living room. She bent down to look at the movies and told him to pick one. Maya was only thirteen at this point of cause, the child's face lit up for the first time he got here. As he knelt besides her and began to look through the videos, he went for the movie 'Hook' in the end. Maya telling him to sit down then while she put it on, Henrietta giving a slight smile.

"He's got better taste then your step-father" Henrietta teased (for he watched nothing but James Bond movies).

"Yeah I guess" Maya replied.

Placing the video into the player before sitting on the far end of the couch. Henrietta giving one last glance before she moved into the kitchen to make said dinner. That is what would always happen when she would bring in a child, she would tell Maya to either play with them or watch a movie with them. Abused and neglected children were her only playmates as a child, her mother's temporary foster children made up for her lack of siblings.

...

Some time had passed and dinner was had. Henrietta having put George to bed by nine, the foster children spent time in the spare bedroom. Like she told them all, if he needed her then just knock on her bedroom door (or come downstairs if she was still awake). So the boy was in the spare bedroom by this point. Maya coming down the stairs (knowing the coast was clear) as she sat besides her mother on the couch. Seeing that little boy made her want to tell the truth about what had happened to her. So with a slight hesitation, Maya nervously spoke out...

"Mother"

"What it is?" Henrietta asked her; not realising how upset she was.

The girl actually cuddled up to her for the first time in months as she rested her head on her mother's lap. Letting tears come down, she felt her mother combing her fingers through her unruly curly hair as Henrietta said with a confused laugh..."What's this? Why are you crying?"

"I should have told you this months ago but I was so scared" Maya began.

"It can't be that bad, whatever it is"

"I'm just scared if I tell you then it will cause trouble for everyone, I don't want anybody to get hurt"

"Has somebody hurt you?"

"I brought it on myself-"

Just as she was about to go into further detail (for she did blame herself). A small voice upstairs was heard calling for Henrietta. The little boy had woken up and sounded afraid. Which really did make the older woman torn as she quickly said to Maya..."I got to go up and see him, tell me later please"

"Just forget it" Maya replied; removing herself from the couch.

"Maya...Tell me later"

"I said forget it!" Maya snapped.

Storming upstairs and going into her bedroom, slamming her door soon after. Henrietta giving a large sigh. Muttering insults about herself under her breath for that sounded so important, her daughter was generally going to tell her the truth then. Though like always, she had to put the needs of another child before her own. She wasn't to blame of cause for Maya becoming what she was but it did explain her attitude for sure. Henrietta going upstairs, giving Maya's bedroom door a quick glance. Before retreating to the foster child's room as she always did.

...

TBC