Mayra
John and the twins were waiting for him at the station the following morning. Michael and Mark ran to hug him, Albert was surprised at how much they had grown in so little time. They looked tanned, healthy and happy, it was clear that they were taking profit of the summer holidays. When the twins left him, John patted him on the back.
-I'm glad you are here.
-I am too, dad.
-Your sister is worse, this night she has hardly slept, your mother took her to the emergency unit so they would give her some sedatives to calm her down. I think your presence is going to do her good.
-Albert, Albert, how long are you going to stay in here?- asked Mark and Michael at the same time, paying no heed at the seriousness of both adults.
-I don't know boys, we will see...
During the car trip they told Albert all that they had done so far during the summer, and all that they would be doing. He ended up overwhelmed at so much talking, but he was happy to see the boys doing so well. Asha's car was parked in the driveway, so it meant that both her and Mayra would be home already. And, in fact, they found them in the kitchen preparing lunch. Mayra had a sleepy look on h , and was doing everything in a slower manner than she used to, most probably because of the drugs they had given her. Albert kissed both of them on the cheek and took his backpack upstairs to his room. When he went back downstairs John and the boys were already setting up the table.
-This smells delicious, mom. I've missed your cooking.- he said while raising the lid of a casserole.
-You know you could cook for yourself, right? I'll make sure you get a copy of my book as soon as it gets published.- she teased him.
-Oh, it would never taste as good as this.- he told her as he tried some of the stew.- I would most probably burn the kitchen down.
He helped her to finish prepare everything and then they all sat down on the table. Seeing Mayra so absent did hurt Albert, and he decided he would take her for a walk afterwards. Everyone on the table, but the twins, was tense, looking at Mayra just to make sure she was okay, but she only ate slowly and in silence, not caring about what was happening around her. When they were done he offered to wash the dishes so Asha could rest a bit, however she preferred to stay with him in the kitchen.
-Is she always like this lately?- he asked.
-It's the sedatives, you know? It's the only way she can stay calm, it hurts so much seeing her like this, but she suffers a lot when she doesn't take them.
-I feel so bad seeing her like this, maybe I can help her, I will take her for a walk this afternoon, unless you have any other plans, that is.
-No, take her, it will do her good. I don't have much time to take her to places other than the hospital, and she needs to get outside the house. She doesn't even want to see her high-school friends, she is becoming a hermit. And some fresh air is going to be good for her lungs too.
When he was gone with the dishes he went to Mayra's room and found her sleeping. He was glad that she looked to be peacefully asleep, maybe the sedatives would help her have a dreamless nap. He left her a note on her nightstand telling her to go find him as soon as she woke up to go for a walk. Then, he himself went to sleep, he hadn't slept much on the train as the seats were extremely uncomfortable and he was feeling tired.
Mayra woke him up shortly after he had fallen asleep. He felt even worse than he had before getting inside his bed, but his sister needed him. She looked calm, but there was something strange in her eyes.
-Are you okay?- he asked.
-Let's go for the walk.- was her only reply.
They walked in silence under the sun for a while. Every attempt that Albert made to get his sister say something was met with a wall of indifference. They arrived to the lighthouse and sat down on the same bank they had seated on months ago.
-I've taken a decision, Al. And I don't want you to stop me.- she said calmly.
-What are you going to do?- he asked anxiously.
-Today, as I was sleeping, I heard a voice, it was a sweet voice, telling me not to be afraid, telling me that everything was going to be okay. Telling me to be brave to do what had to be done.- she stood up.- Goodbye, brother, tell mum that I love her.
He felt how his voice abandoned him, and how a strange force kept him stuck on the bench as his sister walked up to the edge of the cliff and jumped. Only then he was free. He ran to the place her sister had disappeared to see her body crashing against the rocks.
-MAAAAYRAAAAAA.- he could finally shout, clutching to the rocks.
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