In Her Bedroom….

Eve was sitting on her bed, hyperventilating. It was her bedroom, her sanctuary. She could be alone here, have some Privacy. She raised her head slowly and looked around; they were everywhere. He was sitting on her couch and smoking a cigarette; his eyes were on her. The little boy with brown eyes and wearing the Blue jumpsuit was playing with a Toy Train on the carpet. Mrs Benedict was there too, going through her cupboard, sifting through her dresses, admiring her jewels. She turned and gave Eve an admiring look; her pearls were hanging between Mrs Benedict’s fingers, hanging loosely on them.

The little boy came up to her, and took her hand in his, tugging her along to come and play with his Toy Train. She was near tears, but his lovely face and the eager look in his eyes was enough to compel her. She got up from her bed and went to sit on the carpet. Her eyes were on Frank; he was puffing smoke, the nicotine-infused air was hitting her nostrils, it made her cough. He knew she was allergic to smoke. He has known her for quite some time.

Mrs Benedict came and sat down on the couch, next to Frank, her hand on his thigh. He looked at her and smiled; she smiled back, they both looked at her in unison and laughed to see her play with little Matthew. Matthew was squealing in delight; he was clapping his little hands, Frank and Mrs Benedict clapped along with him. She was crying; they can’t be here, they had no place here, they should go. She had told them all several times to leave her alone.

“Hey Eve, come on, now stop being so angry. Can’t you see we are all so happy to be together.”, Frank said and extended his hand to her, beckoning her to him. She licked her lips and swallowed hard before placing her hand in his palm.

“That’s our Eve, the smiling, charming girl. Don’t listen to what those doctors say, darling. You are perfectly fine. And so are we all.” Mrs Benedict beamed at her with these words. She wanted to believe her; she wanted to believe them all. She wanted to be in arms, to play with Matthew, to have tea with Mrs Benedict just like they used to and chat about anything and everything.

Just then she heard a knock on the door.

“Madame. It’s your tea”, called out Lousie from outside the door. Lucy, her maid.

“Yes Lucy comes in dear”, she called.

Lucy pushed open the door to the side of her body as both her hands were occupied with the tea tray. She placed the tray on the centre table that lay in front of the couch. Eve saw it had just one cup.

“Lucy, how many have I told you, bring another cup of tea for Mrs, Benedict, coffee for Frank and Chocolate Milk for Matthew”, she buffed the maid with a hint of anger. Lucy looked at her with sad, wide eyes.

“Oh Madame, you are seeing them all again”, the maid said with a miserable look on her face and started to sob.

“Are you insane? Lucy, tell me are you crazy? Can’t you see Matthew here, playing with his train? Can’t you see Frank, looking at me with love in his eyes? And there is Mrs Benedict, waiting eagerly for her Evening Tea. Have you gone blind girl ?”, Eve scolded the maid angrily. She had had enough of this. She would not take all this more and fire Lucy right now.

“But, but Madame, they all died years ago, in a car accident. Please try to be sane Madame; I don’t want you to live in that madhouse again.” Lucy said between fat tears, but Eve was no longer listening. She had gone white and pale; her eyes were unfocused. She was looking into oblivion.

Eve could hear the maid’s voice coming from far off, “The accident”, she could see Matthew smiling at her, Mrs Benedict looking concerned and Frank holding her when she lost all sense and saw black. It was swallowing her up; she could feel herself falling fast, into a bottomless crevice.