The Professor's Daughter

“Maria?”

“Is she ok?”

“Maria?”

“Susie, go and get a glass of water and a cold flannel.”

“Maria.”

So many voices called to her through the white noise, trying to pull her from the darkness. She wanted to reply, tried her best to move her lips even just a little.

“Maria.”

“Maria, can you hear me?”

There.

There it was.

That voice.

The only one capable of dragging her back at a time like this.

She was beginning to feel now: she could feel the arms around her waist, trying to hold her upright and the cold cloth pressed against her forehead. Slowly her eyes peeled open.

There was Professor Leighton at the top of her vision, his eyebrows pinched together and a look that made Maria smile with inner happiness. Her mind flitted back to less than a minute ago though now it seemed like hours had passed when they’d been so close to… so close to….

“Here, drink this.” She tore her gaze from Leighton as Professor Daniels held a glass to her lips.

What was he doing here? And why was Susie stood behind him? Why was she giving her such a peculiar look? A mixture of pity and irritation.

Then she remembered and she pushed the glass away, pulling herself upright into a sitting position. But there was still that hand on her back, supporting her just in case.

“Wha-“ She croaked before clearing her throat. “What happened?”

“You fainte-”

“I mean to my mother.”

“Oh yes, of course.” Daniels handed the flannel and glass back to Susie who snatched them away. Then he moved a little, clearly bad news made him uncomfortable. “She took a fall Maria. A bad fall. On the stairs at your apartment building.”

The scene was conjured up in her head as soon as Daniels had explained. She could see it before her eyes, her mother in her long skirt and coat that hung from her frame like it was on a hanger. The wrong footing, the heel slipping on the edge of the stair, the sound of her cry and the way her body must have thumped on the splintered wood as she fell. How she must have lay all twisted up at the bottom calling for help.

Had she been able to call though? What if the fall had been as bad as Daniels had said? She was only a slight woman, pallid and frail.

Please no. Please no

“Is she…” The question Maria wanted to ask was one she’d never thought she’d have to. “Is she dead?”

She felt the hand on her back wind around her waist discreetly.

He was there for her, he wanted to let her know, When things got bad, he’d be there.

Daniels shook his head fiercely and Maria closed her eyes in sheer relief.

Thank you.

“Your father and a neighbour took her to the hospital. She’s in a very bad way but she’s still alive.”

She nodded and opened her eyes.

“I want to go home, please.”

“Yes, I understand. Your friend Curt is booking you a ticket on the next flight as we speak.”

Maria couldn’t be bothered to correct him right then. “Thank you.” She whispered, looking down at her hands.

“We can sort it all out downstairs.” She heard Leighton say behind her and Daniels nodded.

Suddenly she was on her feet with far less effort then normal and was guided down the stairs into the lobby, taking a seat on the bench in the foyer. The rest of the class were no where to be seen and it was all far quieter then it had been at dinner. It was only a small hotel with few rooms and so they’d taken it over completely for their short visit.

Maria sat there watching as Daniels, Susie and Leighton spoke lowly to one another a couple of meters away. She tuned in to their conversation, anything to take her mind off the scene of her mother’s accident playing through her head.

“She shouldn’t be alone.” She heard Leighton first followed by Daniels.

“No, no, I agree.”

“I’ll go with her, make sure she makes it back safely. She is still our responsibility after all.” He offered and Daniel’s nodded before turning to Susie.

“See if Curt can book a second ticket will you?” Susie nodded with displeasure. “And then go and pack up Maria’s belongings. Thank you my dear.”

Susie walked across to Curt who was sat with his back to the others on the hotel’s computer. Maria watched as Susie leant down and whispered in his ear, her eyes flicking over to Maria as she spoke.

Maria looked away and noticed Leighton take the seat next to her.

“Are you alright?” He asked.

Maria shook her head, not bearing to look at him and let him see the tears forming in her eyes.

“Everything will be alright though.”

“You don’t know that.” She whispered back, her voice shaking a little at the end as she brought her eyes up to him.

“No, but I can promise it.”

“My father always said never to make promises you can’t keep.” She sniffed.

“Well then I’ll have to make sure I keep to it then won’t I?” Leighton smiled in an attempt to make Maria return it and she did, ever so slightly.

“Uncle?” Susie called as she skipped back over to him. Leighton and Maria both focused their attention on the pair. “I’m afraid there’s only one seat available. Maria will just have to go on her own.”

They both turned away and Leighton heaved a sigh.

“Sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. I’m a big girl, I can do this alone.”

“But you shouldn’t have to do it alone, Maria.” His expression looked truly dismayed.

She gave a watery-eyed smile. “I don’t think I have much choice.”

Leighton smiled apologetically and headed over to see Curt to check everything was booked and printed off. Maria’s smile soon faded and she felt extremely tired even though it wasn’t that late. She shut her eyes and let her head rest back against the wall.

“But don’t think you it’s a bit suspicious, Uncle?” She heard a distant voice ask.

“Susie, there are more important things to be thinking of right now. We need to focus on getting Maria home safely to see her mother instead of asking mindless questions.” Daniels argued, it was rare that his voice was so serious and it was surprising how effective he was in such cheerless circumstances. “Now, have you finished packing up her belongings?”

“Almost I just need to bring the bag down all those stairs.”

“Well then I suggest you go and do that.”

A minute or so later, Maria felt someone’s presence nearby and opened her eyes.

“The taxi’s here.” Leighton stated gravely. Maria nodded and stood as he helped her put her coat on. “I’ve put my telephone number in your pocket. You can call me at any time. Ok?” Another nod. “Good. Stay safe.”

“I’ll see you back in London?”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Maria gave him a thankful smile just as Susie arrived at the bottom of the staircase, her cheeks a flushed red as she lugged the suitcase over.

“I don’t know why your father can’t invest in a wheely one.” She sighed, handing over the bag.

“Thank you Susie. You too Professor Daniels.”

“Keep us informed won’t you.” Maria bobbed her head. “Goodbye my dear.”

The four of them followed Maria out onto the cobbled street and she handed her bag to the driver who shoved it in the boot. Not trusting herself to speak whilst the thought of what she was about to do flashed through her head, she simply raised her hand and got into the car glancing back at her audience.

There was Susie, biting heavily down on her lips, her arms folded around her. And there was Curt, his arm around Susie as he smirked callously. And there was Professor Daniels with a pitying bristly smile, waving his pudgy fingers.

And then there was Thomas Leighton.



The plane was sparsely filled, in other words there had been plenty of spare tickets.

Maria brushed her hand along the fabric of the empty seat next to her. Now, more then any other time, she needed someone with her. On a journey where all she had to occupy herself was her thoughts.

Her memories of her mother as she grew up, the overprotecting nature she had over Maria from her often grumpy father, the way she’d been a woman attending numerous dinners, galas and charity lunches but always made time for her daughter. And was always the one to tuck her up in bed, always the one to put her food on the table even if she couldn’t cook to save her life.

Because all she had done was her best, always.

A tear trickled from Maria’s eyes as her vision blurred. She wiped it away and sniffed the rest back.

“Are you alright?” Asked the man in the next seat along as he looked over the top of his paper.

Maria nodded, watching the empty seat as if somehow a person would appear in it to comfort her and hold her so tightly, vowing never to let her go.

“I will be.” She stated and the man went back to his paper, not entirely convinced but then again he was only a stranger, what business was it to him?

Maria sighed and leant her head against the plane wall, her eyes looking out of the little round window into the dark skies. Those memories still fluttered about in her head though every now and then they were dispersed by that scene. The slip, the agonizing cry and the thud as she reached the bottom.

She banished the thought quickly knowing it would be back again soon nevertheless. She just had to make it to the hospital, there was no way to make the plane go faster and patience had to simply ensue. She would be by her mother’s side soon enough. But for now she wept silently and unnoticed.

For now she was alone.