Reality or Not?

Anne walked down the stairs. Her husband would be home soon and she knew her daughter would be excited. She heard a door open from upstairs and the pitter-patter of small feet. Her four-year-old daughter appeared at the top of the stairs.

“Mommy!” She called. Anne turned on the steps and looked up.

“Hello darling,” she replied. She opened her arms and her daughter ran down to the same step. Hand in hand they went into the kitchen. Anne wanted to put the finishing touches on dinner and her daughter wanted to help.

Maya was Anne’s greatest joy. The green eyed, brown haired, child never ceased to amaze her. She had a way of making people smile without realizing it. When the door leading to the garage opened, Maya scrambled off the chair and ran to her father.

“Daddy!!”

“Hello Princess,” he greeted warmly. He picked her up, kissed her cheek, and brought her to her mother. Mark kissed his wife on the cheek and asked what dinner was.

“You’ll see,” Anne replied. Maya was placed back on her feet and told to sit at the table. Anne served the meal and over dinner heard that a friend of her husband’s was coming later. The meal came to a close at 6:30 and Maya went upstairs with her mother. It was bath time and Anne always made sure there were plenty of bubbles in the tub. Mark had remained downstairs to do the dishes and await his friend.

Maya played upstairs after her bath, while Anne returned to the kitchen. She and Mark went into the family room to have coffee and discuss their days. It was something they always did, and were grateful to be able to spend time together. Mark’s friend arrived and soon joined the conversation. Mark was rambling about politics when Maya entered the room. He abruptly stopped and looked towards his wife. Anne, who was more than a little tired with the conversation, looked towards her daughter.

“Maya?”

“Mommy it’s time.”

“Is it really?” Anne asked looking over at the clock. She beckoned Maya to her and Maya crawled into her lap. Anne rose taking the child with her and retreated upstairs to Maya’s room. There was a rocking chair that Anne sat in and rocked Maya while they read a story. Downstairs the men continued their conversation, when the friend asked what time it was for Maya.

“Oh, snuggle time, I think is what she calls it. She gets to spend some quiet time with Anne and they bond or something,” Mark answered. Upstairs, Maya was curled up in her mommy’s lap resting her eyes. Anne put her down in the bed and tucked her in.

“I love you, Mommy.”

“I love you too.” Ann kissed her daughter and left.

Time seemed to fast-forward and Maya grew quickly. Soon she was 15 and snuggle time was a thing of the past. Maya and Anne came into the house together to talk about their days. As teenage daughter and mother bonds went theirs wasn’t incredible chaotic. Sure, they had the occasional argument, but generally they could to talk to each other. Anne like any mother should had taken an interest in her daughter’s schooling when she got to the point where colleges would be looking.

“Maya, did you do well on that test?” Maya shrugged her shoulders.

“Define well.”

“Maya.”

“Okay, I did my best, but it wasn’t great,” Maya explained. Anne looked over the test. It was an 86, not terrible, but not incredibly wonderful either. Maya went upstairs and Anne followed.

“Maya, I want you study a little more. I know you have a lot of work, but I also know you’re failing a few classes.” Maya looked down at the floor.

“Yes ma’am,” Anne sat down on the bed next to Maya and hugged her tight.

“I know you think I’m mean, but I DO love you, Maya.”

“I know. I love you too, Mommy.”

Later that evening, Anne called Maya down for dinner. Maya came running, even though she’d been told not to run in the house. She tripped and fell down a good portion of the stairs and hit her head. Anne came running to see what had happened and saw her daughter lying semi-live.

“Maya!” She screamed. She knelt down next to the girl while her father called 911. Anne held Maya trying to get her to say something. “Maya, talk to me!”

“Mommy…”

Anne Moore was trying so hard not to completely breakdown. Maya lay in front other on the hospital bed. She held the girl’s hand and called to her softly. Terra, knew Anne wasn’t Maya’s mother or even related to her. She also knew that Anne and Maya were extremely close and this was killing her friend to see Maya in between life and death. Terra stood at the foot of the bed and listened to Anne’s cries to the barely live child.

“Maya! Maya please come back! Maya, talk to me!”

“Mommy…” came the faint reply. Anne froze.

“What did she say?” Terra asked, making sure she’d heard correctly. Maya’s eyes fluttered open and took in their surroundings.

“Ms. Moore?”

“Oh, Maya, you’re alright!”

“I’m fine, I think. I had the weirdest dream, you were…” Maya faded off wondering if there may have been another reason she’d seen or dreamt what she had.

“What? Who was I?” Anne inquired anxiously. She was curious to see if Maya had really been calling to someone in the room.

“Never mind, it was just a dream,” she sighed. Anne nodded and hugged Maya closer to her. Maya rested her head and eyes. If only it had been real…