Hey everyone! Ready for more Handyman? I sure am! Enjoy!
Chapter Twenty-Seven: Molehills or Mountains?
"Maya!" Lisette called happily, knocking loudly, for the third time.
It was a quiet morning on the farm, it seemed. Lisette and Wayne thought the weather would be perfect for an early stroll, wandering the streets of Westown aimlessly, following the lazy chirping of the birds. It was, admittedly, a perfect morning to sleep in, but farmers rarely got such a luxury.
While everyone was just getting into the swing of their day, Maya should've been up to her elbows in the thick of hers.
"She should be awake by now," Lisette pouted, chewing on her bottom lip. Wayne waited patiently by the shipping bin, reading a small book that he'd produced from his messenger bag. His Southern roots shone through brightly, exuding an easy demeanor that matched the buzzing life of late summer.
It wasn't like Maya to sleep in anyway, but Lisette wasn't too worried about it. She knew her date with Ludus was last night, and if Sealight Night was anything like the Starlight Gala, then Maya didn't get home until very late.
If she made it home at all.
Lisette suddenly realised with a jolt that she could be barking up the wrong tree. Maya and Ludus had their first date last night, it wasn't totally crazy to think that, just maybe, it went extraordinarily well and Maya wasn't home yet.
As quickly as the thought occurred to her, she shot it down again. Wayne had finished his deliveries for the day already, and he'd been speaking to Ludus at the shop. If Maya spent the night in Lulukoko, she would already be home, showered, and working away in the field. Hey, that was a thought; maybe Maya was out with Josie. It was possible that they'd passed right by her on their way in and hadn't even noticed, despite the quiet midmorning-
A knot formed in Lisette's stomach. It was awfully quiet on Maya's farm. Almost too quiet, really.
The florist took a harder look at her surroundings, noticing a few things that didn't make sense, now that she was thinking about it. Maya's garden looked dry, like it hadn't been watered yet. Josie wasn't out to pasture, and there were some pestering weeds hanging around the property that Maya surely would've noticed and taken care of right away.
Where was she?
"Alright, I'm coming in!" Lisette called, a sense of foreboding taking root in her chest. She was overreacting, surely. Ludus was in good spirits, according to Wayne, so that had to mean Maya was fine. Lisette was giddy over that little detail actually, automatically assuming that their date went well. That was why she'd wanted to visit in the first place, to get all the details while they were still fresh in her friend's mind.
The door swung open without protest, revealing a dark house. Lisette let out a breath; she must not be home. That was a relief.
Still, she couldn't leave without being absolutely sure. What if the poor dear was sick?
"Maya, sweetheart?" Lisette called, a little more softly this time. She stepped gingerly onto the welcome mat, searching for the light switch. "Are you feeling ok?"
Light blinded Lisette as her fingers found the switch, illuminating the house faster than her eyes could process what she was seeing.
There were red stains on the floor and rug, deep crimson splatters that looked like rust. Lisette traced the patterns, unease flaring in the pit of her stomach as she took in the smashed plate, the toppled chair, and something she didn't quite understand huddled against the base of the bookshelf. It almost looked like-
"Maya!"
Lisette cried as sudden fear clenched her heart. Ignoring everything else she'd seen, Lisette sprinted to Maya's limp body.
She had blood smeared on her cheek, barely masking the deep bruise beneath. Her neck was bruised too, leaving her pale skin splotched with purples and reds. Lisette felt bile coat the inside of her mouth. It looked like someone had attacked her.
"Oh no, oh no," Lisette muttered, trying to ground herself. She dropped to the floor, hastily taking Maya's pulse. Her heartbeat thrummed beneath Lisette's fingertips, weak but consistent. She was alive. "Oh Goddess, what- Wayne!"
Lisette pleaded, her voice scraping out of her throat. Her mind was clouded with fear, she couldn't think straight. What the hell happened?
"WAYNE!"
Her screams finally reached the postman, and Lisette succumbed to her building tears as she heard Wayne's panicked footsteps thundering through the front door.
.
Ludus was having a fantastic morning, even though he'd barely slept. He was just too full of happiness to care about anything- the ache in his shoulders, the way his eyes stung from so little sleep, none of it mattered to him.
He'd kissed Maya last night.
The memory surfaced and made him smile again, and he hastily checked his phone. He'd texted Maya a good morning, like he always did, but he hadn't gotten a response. That was a little odd, but nothing to worry about. It was late when Ludus brought her home, maybe she just slept in and was rushing to catch up on her chores.
That's what he'd been telling himself since he opened. The reasoning worked to calm his nerves for about an hour, but as the morning wore on, it was becoming less and less effective.
What if Maya was regretting everything and she was trying to find a way to tell him? What if he'd done something wrong? What if she'd realised that she didn't like him after all? As much as Ludus was trying not to panic, intrusive thoughts like that were collecting in the back of his mind.
He shook himself, forcing the anxiety down. He was being ridiculous, he knew. Maya would show up eventually, just as she said she would, and then he'd really feel like an idiot. Maybe he'd even tell her what he was thinking, just to hear her tease him about it. That made Ludus feel better, and he returned to his work with vigor.
Maya was his girlfriend. He hadn't told anyone yet, so the knowledge sat in his heart like a secret, warming him through the chill of his doubts.
"Ludus!"
He was pulled from his thoughts with sudden hope that quickly dwindled as he put a face to the female voice that called his name. Lisette dashed towards him, her skirts gathered in her hands, and Ludus was too caught up in his own mind to notice the severe expression on her face.
"Good morning Lisette," He greeted as cheerily as he could, noticing that in all this time, the project at his feet remained practically untouched. He kicked it aside, embarrassed. "What can I do for you today?"
Lisette bit her lip, coming to a stop just shy of his work bench. She was out of breath, and paler than usual, her normally sunny disposition clouded by some unseen storm. Ludus finally took notice, dropping the hammer that he wasn't using anyway.
"What's wrong?" He prodded, his brow creasing in concern. Lisette caught her scattered breaths, meeting his gaze with difficulty.
"It's Maya," She whispered, her eyes brimming with tears. Aside from her white cheeks, her nose was stained red as though she'd already been crying. Ludus's heart seized in his chest. "Something's happened. Ludus, it's just awful. You need to-"
But he was already moving, fear clawing at his insides, a rabid animal trying to escape its prison. Ludus didn't ask any more questions, he didn't stop to see if Lisette would offer more information. He didn't care. Something was wrong. Very wrong. He heard it in the rasping of Lisette's voice.
Maya.
.
When Ludus and Lisette burst into Ford's clinic, Frank and Wayne were already there, waiting to intercept them.
"Where is she?" Ludus demanded, coming to a dead stop in front of Wayne. The postman was blocking the door to the main room of the clinic; Ludus could just see Ford over the brim of Wayne's hat, hovering over the only occupied bed in the building.
"She hasn't woken up yet," Wayne told him, his skin as pale as Lisette's. Ludus searched his face for answers, but found only fear and confusion. "Ludus, she's… we don't know what happened."
"Is she okay?" Ludus heard the words, but he didn't recognise his own voice. They sounded wrong, like he was listening through a faulty telephone line.
Frank and Wayne exchanged glances.
"Lis found her," Wayne drawled, heaving a sigh that deflated his entire frame. "We stopped by this morning for a quick visit, and after we knocked a few times and didn't get an answer, Lis went inside. Ford says she has a concussion, some bruising on her neck. A broken rib."
Ludus's blood ran cold.
"What happened?"
"We don't know," Lisette squeaked from behind him. She circled around to stand next to Wayne, clutching his arm tightly in her hands. She was shaking, tears dripping silently down her face. "We were hoping… we wondered if you might know something. Did anything strange happen when you brought her home? Anything out of the ordinary?"
His mind was flooded with panic, but Ludus tried to remember. He pushed aside the memories of their kiss, of their time in the boat. They were too painful to think about right now.
Slowly, he shook his head.
"I dropped her off at the door," he said it deliberately, lingering on the statement, hoping he might trigger a detail he'd missed. "She was fine when I left. She was fine…"
"Did you go inside with her?" Frank interrupted, speaking for the first time since they arrived. "Did you see inside the house?"
Ludus shook his head again, his throat tight.
Silence crashed on them like an icy wave. They were all thinking the same thing, but no one was brave enough to say it aloud. Whoever did this, whoever hurt Maya, had been inside her house. Maybe after Ludus left, maybe before, but they'd been there. They'd been there, and Maya was all alone.
"A clinic is hardly a place for social gatherings, you know."
They turned to the sound of Ford's disapproving voice; the doctor attached to it appearing just as suddenly behind Wayne. He assessed their group over the rim of his glasses, furrowing his brow in mild irritation.
"Is she awake?" Frank spoke first, rasping out the question before anyone else could get a word in. Ford shook his head, glancing at his chart.
"I expect she'll wake up in a few hours," he mused, making a quick note. "I've finished my assessment, so you may go in now. All I ask is that you don't crowd her. My clinic isn't built to house a circus."
Ford left them, heading brusquely for the staircase leading to his living quarters. The tail of his coat was still visible even as everyone moved to Maya's hospital bed.
Ludus didn't know what to expect, but he couldn't have possibly prepared himself for the feelings that overcame him seeing Maya that way. She looked so fragile, dwarfed by the pristine white linens of the cot. Her skin was paler than Lisette's had been, except where shockingly bright ivory bandages covered her injuries. There was a cloth wrapped around her head like a band, adhesive bandages on her cheek, and what looked to be a large ice pack resting on her ribs.
All of it pained him to look at, but it was nothing compared to the bruises.
Rage sank its teeth into Ludus's stomach as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. Inky purple splotches spread across the skin of Maya's neck, dotted with areas of red and yellow. It stood out in stark contrast to her milky complexion, clearly outlining the imprint of someone's hand.
Ludus thought he was going to be sick.
"One of us should stay with her," Lisette murmured, her voice barely loud enough to be heard over the sound of the machine monitoring Maya's heartbeat. "In case she wakes up."
"I'll stay," Ludus didn't think he could still speak, but the words came out clearly and with conviction. "I'll stay with her."
"Lis and I will be in and out all day," Wayne promised, his hand coming to rest on Ludus's shoulder. "We wouldn't leave at all, but…"
"Someone might've seen something," Lisette supplied, "we're going to ask around. Besides, some of the others saw us bringing her here. There've been questions…"
"Damage control," Frank grunted, pulling his attention away from Maya at last. "Miranda has been pacifying people all morning. I'm going to step out and give her an update, and then I'll be back. Ludus?"
Ludus looked at Frank.
"Just… watch her. I won't be long."
It could've been a few minutes, or a few hours, but to Ludus it felt like seconds. Seconds since Lisette found him at his shop, they ran to the clinic, and when he was left alone with Maya.
At first, he didn't know what to do. What was expected of him? Should he talk to her? Watch her? Just stand there?
Ford answered at least one of those questions, appearing silently with a flimsy guest chair. Ludus accepted it wordlessly, setting it down next to Maya's bed. He wanted to collapse into it, give his shaking legs a rest, but he was afraid he'd never get up again.
Who did this to her?
In his wildest imaginations, Ludus could never picture someone willfully hurting Maya. She was the embodiment of sunshine, generous, kind-hearted, and friendly to everyone. Who would ever hurt someone like that?
Ludus didn't know, but he had a pretty good idea of what he'd do to them when he found out.
The morning dragged. Frank came back a mere ten minutes after he left, wandering in and out of the clinic at random. Ludus had known Frank for a long time, he suspected he was having trouble seeing his niece in that state. Whenever he entered the room, he paced. When he was forced to stand next to Maya- whether he was speaking to Ford, Ludus, Wayne, or Lisette, he stared at the ground. Ludus couldn't blame him.
Lisette and Wayne were true to their word, passing through the clinic more often than not. They'd asked around the three towns, not gleaning anything of import. Miranda was handling the rumors impressively; she'd roped Megan, Tototara, and Ginjiro into helping keep everyone informed and calm. Maya would hate knowing that news of her attack spread so quickly, but Ludus knew it was impossible to avoid. Better to get it over with as fast as possible.
Morning turned into afternoon, afternoon into evening, and eventually, it was nearly nightfall. Maya hadn't stirred, but Ford assured everyone that there was nothing to worry about. No one believed him.
At first.
Finally, just as everyone was contemplating getting something to eat for supper, Maya showed signs of waking.
Ludus was the only one in the room at the time, Lisette having gone to get Ford the moment Maya's eyes began to flutter. He waited, his limbs tense and shaking, as she struggled awake.
Maya blinked, her pupils dilating as she focussed on her surroundings. She looked confused at first, scanning the unfamiliar ceiling, walls, bedsheets, and windows. She sniffed, processing the unfamiliar chemical scent of disinfectant and medicine.
"Where-" The words caught in her throat, spawning a fit of coughing that took far too long to subside. Ludus's heart clenched. Maya paused, took a breath, cleared her throat, and tried again. "Where is-?"
Recognition crossed her face before she could get the question out, realising with a pang that she knew exactly where she was. Bracing herself, she let her head fall to the side, her grey eyes finding Ludus at last.
He stared back at her, searching his brain for something, anything he could say, but he came up short. Emotions battled endlessly in his head, leaving his tongue heavy and useless in his mouth.
Maya waited, hoping he would speak, tell her that her suspicions were wrong, that she wasn't here because of Dunhill. She fainted, or she had a fever, something mundane and easily explained, but she knew it wasn't true. She was in Ford's clinic, bandaged and broken. Her secret was out, and there would be no saving face now.
"Who found me?"
Ludus didn't understand the deep, inconsolable anger that surged through him in that moment. Maybe it was the acceptance in her expression, acceptance that told him she knew this would happen, maybe it was the guilt in her voice, guilt that she shouldn't feel, maybe it was the quiet rasp in her throat, a result of the pain she no doubt felt. Maybe it was something else entirely, but it didn't matter. All Ludus knew was that someone was going to pay for what they did to her.
"Lisette and Wayne," Ludus muttered, keeping his tone under tight control. He couldn't let Maya know how angry he was. Somehow, she'd just blame herself. "They stopped by your house this morning."
Maya nodded, easing back into the pillows. Her eyes fixed on the ceiling, thinking.
"Are they okay?" She asked eventually, returning her gaze to Ludus again.
Ludus almost laughed. He knew nothing about what had happened the night before, no one did, but Maya clearly understood everything. She was calm, resigned, and, as per usual, thinking about everyone other than herself.
"Maya-"
Heavy footsteps on the stairs cut him off, drawing both of their attention to the doorway. Ford re-entered the room before Ludus could finish, followed closely by Lisette, Frank, and Wayne, trailing hot on his heels.
"Maya!" Lisette cried, rushing to the bed across from Ludus. She wrapped her arms gently around Maya's shoulders, hugging her as closely as she could without hurting her. Maya smiled reassuringly, trying her best to soothe her friend.
"How are you feeling?" Ford asked, jumping directly to the point. His voice cut through the buzz of questions hovering in the room, scrambling to be let out.
"I'm sore," Maya answered honestly, turning her head from side to side. Her neck ached, her head was pounding, and her ribs felt like she'd been hit by a truck. But she could live with that. "Nothing to worry about, really. I'm sure I'll be fine in a few days."
"Nothing to-?" Frank sputtered, his face turning an alarming shade of red. Ludus had never seen him so angry- the normally well-meaning, easy-going farmer was quaking, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "What in Goddess's name happened?"
Maya bit her lip, hesitating.
"Yes, I think we'd all like to know," Ford tutted, examining Maya's injuries again. She let him poke and prod at her until he was satisfied, the gears in her brain whirring frantically. She couldn't lie. Frank would know immediately if she did.
"My?"
Ludus's voice startled her, pulling her from her panic with the desperation in his tone. He held out his hand, resting it palm up on the mattress. Maya blinked, timidly placing her fingers in his. He smiled, squeezing them comfortingly, like he always did.
No more hiding.
Maya sighed. Taking strength from the warmth of Ludus's calloused skin, she turned to Frank. They shared a look, one that seemed to chill the very air in the room.
"I was behind."
Three little words that meant nothing to anyone, except Frank. Maya's words, whispered, weak, hung in the air, weighing it down. Ludus watched with a furrowed brow, trying to understand, but the phrase wasn't meant for him.
All eyes turned to Frank.
He went pale, his expression turning to rock. Maya stared at him, waiting. For what, Ludus didn't know. A few minutes of silence passed, but finally Frank was able to speak.
"I'm going to make a call."
"Uncle Frank, no," Maya insisted, struggling to a seated position. She reached out to him with her free hand, but she didn't get far, wincing in sudden pain as she inadvertently stretched her injured ribs. Ludus jumped forward, catching her shoulder and gently pushing her back. "Please!"
Frank hauled himself far out of her reach, his temper flaring.
"Maya Claire, this has gotten out of control!" He thundered, jabbing his finger at nothing. Maya flinched, despair staining her face. Ludus brushed his thumb across the back of her hand; he didn't understand, but he never wanted to see her like this.
"It's not his fault," Maya tried, the sentiment falling weakly from her lips. Frank whirled, catching his breath as his anger boiled over.
"Not his fault? Not his fault? Maya, have you lost your damn mind? All of this is his fault! Everything! And it's about fucking time he dealt with his mistakes and kept you out of it!"
Frank's fist collided with the doorframe, making it shake. Maya flinched again, tears spilling down her cheeks, as Frank ground his knuckles into the wood, trying to calm himself and failing.
Ludus knew Frank would never hurt her, but he couldn't fight the instinctive need to do something, to shield her. He moved in front of Maya, seating himself on the edge of her bed and angling his body so that he was firmly in between her and Frank. She smiled gratefully, clutching their joint hands to her chest.
Ford huffed, perturbed by the near destruction of his property.
"I think you better take a break, partner," Wayne offered, nodding to the door. Frank dipped his chin, his jaw twitching, and then stormed out.
The room fell silent. Maya stared after Frank, heartbreak on her face, before the stress of everything she'd been through overcame her. She started to really cry, quiet, shivering sobs that reverberated through her entire body.
Ludus wrapped her tightly in his arms, affording her whatever privacy he could. She buried her face in the crook of his neck, clinging to his shirtfront for dear life.
He swallowed. She was so delicate in that moment, struggling with a crushing grief that Ludus couldn't begin to fathom. He wanted to protect her from it, he wanted to kick everyone out of that room and just let her cry, he wanted to take her pain away.
He wanted to understand.
"I think Maya has had enough for today," Ford announced crisply, unimpressed with the way things were devolving. "You can pick this up again tomorrow-"
"No," Maya insisted, lifting her head just enough to lock eyes with the doctor. "No. I need to tell them. They need to know."
Ford looked like he wanted to argue, but he kept his mouth shut. Maya was demonstrating a good burst of energy, and he didn't want to discourage it. It was promising for her recovery.
"Are you sure?" Ludus whispered, low enough so that only she would hear. Maya nodded, fixing him with a wide-eyed stare that pierced his heart. She needed him, needed his strength, and she was begging him to stay with her. She didn't have to; Ludus wasn't going anywhere.
He let her pick herself up again, his hands falling to his lap and clutching hers tightly between them. Maya took a deep, shuddering breath.
"The man who attacked me is a loan shark named Dunhill," she sighed, rubbing her tired eyes. She looked decades older than she was in that moment. "He primarily operates his business out of Echo Village, but obviously he makes exceptions sometimes."
"Echo Village?" Lisette repeated, frowning. "I've never heard of it."
"I get mail comin' through from that way sometimes," Wayne supplied. "It's somewhere north, ain't it?"
"Mhm," Maya nodded, averting her eyes. "We used to live just a few towns over. It was maybe an hour away? My father did a lot of business there."
She hesitated, hoping someone would interrupt, tell her she didn't have to say anything more. Of course, no one did. She didn't expect them to.
"My father borrowed money from him when my sister and I were young. He was struggling to make bills and pay back his student debt, and if he didn't figure something out soon, then he was going to lose the house. He couldn't afford to, not with two young kids. So, he made a deal with Dunhill.
"He had one year to give back the money, with steep interest, before he'd have to start giving Dunhill a portion of his weekly income for an indefinite period. As you can probably guess, he didn't get the money. Dad has been paying off Dunhill for as long as I can remember.
"We went without disposable income for years. My parents didn't spend anything extra, they kept strict tabs on their budgeting, but it was never enough. One time, when I was nine, Dad tried to stop the payments. He thought there wasn't much Dunhill could actually do since they'd never signed a contract, but of course loan sharks don't work that way."
Maya took a breath, swallowed, and started again.
"He came after my family. Almost killed me, right under my parents' nose. Dad pleaded with him, trying to make something work, but it was no use. Dunhill has a bit of a reputation for being ruthless."
"Forgive me," Lisette ventured shyly, brushing Maya's hair away from her face. She was still pale, but some of the shock had faded. "I don't understand what this has to do with you now?"
Maya smiled sadly.
"When I moved here," she began, "I made a deal with Dunhill. I would take over my father's payments in exchange for him leaving my family alone. Lynn is getting old enough to understand things now, and I didn't want her to have to go through that.
"He accepted, and I've been paying him weekly ever since. He sends me letters with the amount I owe, and I send it back in cash."
And there it was. Everyone began to fit the rest of the pieces together themselves- Maya's money troubles, the strange envelopes, her insistence on keeping it a secret, everything.
"Uncle Frank… he's upset at Dad." Maya chewed her lip, looking to the door again. "He thinks that he should be the one taking care of this, not me. He was livid when he found out that Dad had just stepped aside and let me take over the payments."
"As he has every right to be!" Wayne exclaimed suddenly, huffing, "I'm sorry if I'm oversteppin' here Maya, but this isn't your responsibility. I mean, how can your Dad be okay with-"
He stopped himself, but everyone knew what he was going to say. They all looked at Maya, barely able to sit up in a hospital bed, and thought the same thing. Maya hesitated, her eyes downcast.
"I don't think he realises how bad it is," she admitted, but the quiver in her voice betrayed her. "I haven't been updating him or anything, so, how could he?"
The room fell silent again. No one wanted to say what they were thinking, least of all Ludus. They held their tongues for Maya's sake, but the atmosphere in the hospital had soured.
"I'm gonna go check on Frank," Wayne muttered, pulling his hat low. He was visibly tense, barely nodding to Lisette as he barreled out the door. She watched him go with a troubled frown; Wayne was a lot like Frank when it came to the people he cared about. Lisette was sure that he was just as angry, if not more.
"I think it would be best if you all gave Maya some breathing room," Ford interjected then, flipping through a pile of medical charts. Ludus had almost forgotten he was there. "Her body has been through quite a lot. She will need peace, quiet, and rest in order to recuperate."
Lisette nodded, pulling herself to her feet. She fussed over Maya's hair once more, offering her an encouraging smile.
"I'll bring you some flowers from the shop tomorrow," she promised, glancing at Ford to make sure there was no objection. When he remained stoic, she assumed it was alright. "Feel better, sweetie."
Ford waited until Lisette was gone, before he turned to Ludus. He stared expectantly, eyebrow raised.
"Ford, I'd like to stay here with her," Ludus squeezed Maya's hand in his, unwilling to let her go. He held Ford's stare for a time, until the doctor beckoned him.
"Ludus, can I have a word with you outside?"
He didn't like the sound of that. Reluctantly, Ludus followed Ford into the hallway. Maya watched them go, a worried crease in her forehead.
"I don't believe it would be a good idea for you to stay here with her," Ford quipped, all business. His words were not harsh, but Ludus bristled anyway.
"You can't expect me to just leave her here alone, Ford," Ludus argued, feeling panic rise in his throat. Even the thought of leaving Maya's side after everything she'd been through was too much for him.
"I understand your position here, Ludus," Ford began, adjusting his glasses, "and how difficult this must be for you. But Maya is my patient, and her well-being is my top priority."
"You don't think it's mine too?"
"I'm sure it is," Ford conceded, finally looking Ludus in the eye. He and Ford were never close exactly, but he knew resolve when he saw it. Ludus wasn't talking to Ford, his friend. Ludus was talking to Ford, the doctor. This Ford would do anything if it was in the best interest of his patient, and Ludus knew it. "The fact is, Ludus, that Maya has suffered a severe concussion. She'll need to be under constant surveillance for the next 24 to 48 hours, and I'm afraid I can't do my job with half the town milling about. If I make an exception for you, I will have to make an exception for everyone."
"Ford, I can't leave her." Ludus sighed, his mind conjuring up images he didn't want to see. Maya, by herself in a strange room, suffering from her nightmares, and no one there to comfort her. "Not after all she's been through. If she wakes up in the middle of the night, all alone, what is she going to think?"
"I assure you she won't be alone." Ford checked his watch absently, probably not even realising he was doing it. "I'll be buzzing around all night. If anything should happen, I'll know about it immediately. What's best for Maya right now is to let her recover."
"But-"
"Ludus," Ford interrupted, placing his hand on Ludus's shoulder. "I promise you. I will not let her out of my sight. Once I'm confident that she's no longer at a significant risk of relapsing, you may stay here with her until she's discharged."
Ludus wanted to argue. He really wanted to argue, but he could see that he was fighting a losing battle. Instead, he took a steadying breath, trying to force down the bile in his throat.
"Can I at least bring her something?" he asked, hating every word as it left his lips. "A quilt from home?"
"I don't see why not," Ford checked his watch again, this time more deliberately. "If you go get it now, then I'll let you have a few minutes with her before I close up."
Ludus nodded mutely, darting from the clinic as fast as he could, praying no one would stop him on the way. He didn't know how he'd react if they did.
While he was only gone for a few minutes, it felt like a lifetime. Ludus didn't know how he was going to survive the next 24 hours, but if Ford's determination was any indication, he didn't have a choice. It felt wrong, it felt so, so wrong, but he was helpless to do anything about it.
Maya was waiting for him when he returned, propped up in her bed, and she smiled brightly as he walked in.
"You brought my quilt!" she exclaimed happily, helping him drape it over her. Ludus felt the pull of a smile- even now, battered and bruised in a hospital bed, Maya radiated her normal sunshine.
"I thought it might help you sleep tonight," he told her, seating himself on the edge of her bed once again. Every fibre of his being was screaming at him, telling him to say to hell with Ford, he wasn't moving from this room until Maya left with him.
Maya took his hand in hers, rubbing soothing circles over his palm.
"Thank you," she murmured, tracing her index finger along the lines in his hand. Ludus had seen a palm reader do something similar, but he didn't think there was any rhyme or reason to what Maya was doing now. "For everything. I'm sorry I made everyone worry."
"You really need to stop apologizing," Ludus teased, flicking her nose playfully. She made a face at him, but he could tell her mood had brightened. "The only thing you need to worry about now is getting better, yeah?"
She dipped her chin, avoiding his gaze.
Ludus knew what she was doing. This was still Maya, after all, and Maya was never one to let others fuss over her. Even if she was suffering a major concussion.
"Hey," Ludus slipped his finger beneath her chin, tilting her head back to look at him again. "Be honest with me: are you really okay?"
She didn't answer right away, her tongue caught in her cheek.
"I'll be fine," she promised eventually, which Ludus knew to be Maya-speak for 'no, but I don't want to admit it'. "I just need some sleep and I'll be right as rain."
Ludus raised his eyebrow at her.
"I'm going to go talk to Ford again," Ludus huffed, worry permeating his insides. He couldn't leave Maya alone, he just couldn't. "I'll see if I can get him to change his mind about-"
"Ford already told me that I'm not allowed to have visitors until tomorrow," she said, shrugging. Ludus paused, his heart beating painfully loudly in his chest. "Don't worry about me, please? I'll be fine. It's just one day. I've gone longer."
It was supposed to be a joke, but it didn't feel that way to Ludus. It's just one day. I've gone longer. Maya had been attacked last night, and yet she was the one trying to reassure him. Ludus failed. He failed to be there for her when she needed him, he failed to keep her safe, and now he was going to leave her here, alone, after failing to comfort her.
Something fell out of place within him, and all of the fear he'd been holding onto slipped away. Maya was here, in front of him. She was going to be okay, he knew that. But it didn't ease his pain.
Guilt and regret crashed over him. All of the things he'd been holding back during the day were released at once, like turning the valve on a compressed air tank. He gently pulled her into a hug, burying his face in her neck.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered against her skin, squeezing his eyes shut. Maya began to hush him, shaking her head in denial, but Ludus wouldn't let her finish. "If I had come in with you last night, then this wouldn't have happened."
"You're right," Maya agreed, annoyance sharp in her tone. "If you had come in with me last night, then you'd probably be hurt too. Or worse."
"I don't care what would've happened to me," Ludus ground out, lifting his head to lock eyes with her. "Your safety is the only thing that matters to me. If I was there, I never would've let this happen to you. I would've died before I let him lay a hand on you."
"Ludus, stop it," Maya insisted, placing her hand against his cheek. "What happened to me is not your fault. It's a lot of peoples', including mine, but it definitely isn't yours."
"Don't you dare blame yourself for-"
Maya cut him off with a kiss, instantly dissipating his anger. In all the chaos, he'd almost forgotten what kissing her felt like, but he was jarringly reminded in that moment. Ludus inhaled sharply, his hands going to her hips to steady himself.
"I'm okay," Maya whispered, tracing soft lines over Ludus's skin with her fingertips. Goosebumps sprang up along his arms and neck. "I promise. You don't have to worry about me."
Ludus almost laughed.
"I'm always going to worry about you," he quirked his lips, gathering her into his embrace. "Especially now."
"Especially now that I'm injured?" Maya teased, bumping her nose against his. "Or especially now that I'm your girlfriend?"
Ludus's heart leapt hearing her say it, nearly choking him. He pressed another kiss to her lips, humming in contentment.
"A little bit of both."
There was a knock at the door, signalling that Ludus's time was up. He pressed his lips into a tight line, standing up as slowly as he possibly could.
"I'll be back tomorrow, okay?" he swore, gently kissing the top of her head. Maya nodded, still smiling, but then she seemed to remember something. Her eyes widened, and her hand went immediately to her throat.
"Oh no!" she cried, tears collecting on her cheeks. "My necklace! Dunhill- he- oh, Ludus, I'm so sorry-"
"Would you stop apologising?" he chided, taking her hands in his. "We'll get it back, okay? Don't worry. I'll take care of it."
"You're not going to do anything stupid, right?" Maya frowned, eying him suspiciously. She was already worried about Frank and what he was planning to do, she didn't want to have to concern herself over Ludus too. "You're not going to go after him or something?"
Ludus smiled reassuringly, but it only made Maya more wary.
"Sleep well, Maya."
Follow, Favourite, Review!