Chapter 6: The Woman Behind the Door
The voice came again.
“Maya, don't open the door.””
Maya couldn't move.
Victor stood between her and the hidden entrance.
Evelyn covered her mouth.
Maya whispered, “Mom?””
“Yes.””
The answer was soft.
Older than Maya remembered.
But unmistakably hers.
Maya rushed toward the door.
Victor caught her shoulders.
“Wait.””
“Let me go.””
“You don't know who's out there.””
“My mother is out there!””
“That's what I'm afraid of.””
Maya stared at him.
“What does that mean?””
The woman outside spoke again.
“Victor, move away from her.””
Victor closed his eyes.
Maya pushed his hands away.
“You heard her.””
He stepped aside.
Maya reached for the latch.
Evelyn grabbed her wrist.
“Wait.””
Maya turned.
“Why?””
Evelyn stared at the door.
“Ask her something only your mother would know.””
Maya froze.
The idea made sense.
She looked at the door.
“What was my favorite toy?””
Silence.
Then the woman answered.
“A little yellow rabbit.””
Maya’s eyes filled with tears.
She remembered it.
A yellow rabbit.
One ear bent.
A red thread sewn around its neck.
Her mother used to hide it beneath Maya’s pillow.
Maya whispered, “Mom?””
“Yes.””
Maya reached for the latch.
Victor stopped her again.
“No.””
She turned furiously.
“Why?””
“Because I don't understand how she got here.””
“What do you mean?””
“The back entrance is locked.””
“She could have come through the front.””
“No.””
Victor looked at the door.
“I've been standing in this restaurant all night.””
Maya stared at him.
“You're saying my mother couldn't have entered?””
“Yes.””
“Then who is behind that door?””
The woman outside spoke.
“Because he still doesn't trust me.””
Victor went pale.
Maya looked at him.
“Mom, who is he?””
The woman answered immediately.
“Raymond.””
Victor stepped backward.
Evelyn whispered, “He's here?””
The woman said, “He's been here for years.””
Maya felt cold spread through her body.
“Where?””
No answer.
“Mom?””
Then the voice came closer to the door.
“He owns the building.””
Victor shook his head.
“No.””
Maya looked at him.
“You said Raymond didn't own it anymore.””
“He doesn't.””
The woman laughed softly.
“He does.””
Victor's expression hardened.
“Alana, stop.””
Maya's heart pounded.
“You're really my mother?””
“Yes.””
“Why did you leave me?””
Silence.
The question hung in the small room.
When Alana finally answered, her voice broke.
“I didn't.””
Maya's tears fell.
“Then why didn't you come back?””
“I tried.””
“When?””
“Every year.””
Maya stared at the door.
“Every year?””
“Yes.””
“Why couldn't I find you?””
“Because every time I got close, someone moved you.””
Maya turned toward Victor.
He looked down.
“Who moved me?””
Alana answered.
“Your grandmother.””
Maya's face hardened.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“She thought you were dead.””
“She knew I wasn't.””
Evelyn closed her eyes.
Maya looked at her.
“Is that true?””
Evelyn's lips trembled.
“I received letters.””
Maya stared.
“What?””
“From Alana.””
“How many?””
“Seven.””
Maya's voice cracked.
“And you never gave them to me?””
Evelyn began crying.
“I was scared.””
“You were scared?””
“I thought Raymond would find you.””
Maya backed away.
“And you thought keeping me from my mother would protect me?””
Evelyn nodded through tears.
“I thought it was the only way.””
Victor stepped forward.
“It was.””
Maya turned on him.
“You don't get to defend her.””
Victor lowered his voice.
“She was trying to save you.””
“Then why did you hide my mother's letters?””
“I didn't.””
Maya looked at him.
“You didn't?””
Victor shook his head.
“Your grandmother did.””
Evelyn whispered, “Some of them.””
Maya looked at the boxes.
“Some?””
Evelyn nodded.
“I gave Victor the rest.””
Maya stared at Victor.
“Where are they?””
Victor didn't answer.
“Where are my mother's letters?””
He looked toward the photograph.
“The photograph.””
Maya frowned.
“What about it?””
“It was one of the letters.””
She looked down.
“What?””
Victor pointed to the faded photograph.
“Your mother used the back of it to write something.””
Maya remembered the photograph from earlier.
She looked at its back.
Victor reached toward her.
“Don't.””
Maya pulled it away.
“You already told me not to look.””
“Because I wasn't ready to tell you.””
“You're out of time.””
Maya turned the photograph over.
Her fingers found the edge of the paper.
She slowly peeled back a thin layer.
Underneath was another photograph.
Maya gasped.
It showed her mother standing inside this same restaurant.
But she wasn't alone.
Beside her stood Raymond Cole.
And between them was Victor.
All three were smiling.
Maya stared.
“This was taken before I was born.””
Victor said nothing.
She turned the photograph over.
Written in black ink were four words:
*Victor knows where I went.*
Maya slowly looked up.
“You knew.””
Victor’s eyes filled with tears.
“I knew she survived.””
“You knew where she went.””
“I did.””
“Where?””
Victor couldn't answer.
Behind the door, Alana suddenly screamed.
“GET DOWN!””
The sound of a gunshot shattered the restaurant.
Maya dropped to the marble floor.
Evelyn screamed.
Victor lunged toward the hidden door.
And from the other side came a man's calm voice:
“Twenty-two years, Victor.””
May you like
A pause.
“You should have stayed quiet.””
