Full Time Fiction

 

Maria had always lived near the border, she regretted not going to university like her sister, to make

that break is so much easier when you are younger, and when you are that age there is so much

possibility.

She felt her career in the police had done her well, although now , with the prospect of retirement

looming, she wished that she had had a promotion, the time never seemed right, and she thought

that maybe management had felt that she was too good a Detective Sergeant to lose.

Here she was on a late winter's night going to a meal at Sian's, on her own since her husband had

left her. 'Married to the job' was the old cliché he used, couldn't he at least thought of something less

trite? As with most cliché’s there was an element of truth in what he said. That is why they only had

the one child, and now Rochelle was teaching in Nottingham.

Sian and Dafydd had been friends of hers for years and seemed to have the perfect relationship, why is it that when you are single everyone else seems to have the ideal partner?

Maria would admit that she was not easy to live with, a few relationships had gone sour since her

divorce, her last fling was with Anna, a young PC from a neighbouring Division, good fun while it

lasted. She hoped that tonight Sian was not going to set her up with one of her teaching colleagues.

As usual Sian was beaming, always the optimist,

'How are things Maria? So good of you to come, no crime wave keeping you away tonight'

Maria laughed, so many occasions like this had to be cancelled, all part of the job.

Dafydd was in the kitchen, struggling with something completely unrecognisable on the cooker.

'I've always felt I was domesticated' , With Dafydd Maria was never sure whether he was talking to

himself.

'Anyone else coming? Maria had asked before but she felt as though she should make the point.

Another dreary teacher perhaps who would only talk about work?

'Only Indira from the college and a new member of staff who has moved here, he doesn't know

anyone yet so we both thought we'd invite him.. and before you say anything..'

'OK but you remember the last time?'

At least Indira could take care of any male colleague, that woman with her wonderful skin and

winning smile would have men around her wherever she went. Maria often thought and knew, that

anything in trousers and something resembling a pulse would go straight to Indira.

Sian grinned, Maria loved the way she could be so serious and coy at the same time.

'Name,? Subject? Just so as I can try and make some conversation'

'He's called Alex, Alex Martin and he teaches Media Studies, it's a bit odd though'

 

An odd teacher, this sounded far too ominous for Maria but she asked why.

'Well no one knows anything about him, they did not think that they were recruiting anyone in

Media Studies and he doesn't say anything about his past. Students seem to love him though.'

Dafydd, as was his usual way, chipped in, Maria had long since learned that a conversation with

Sian was three sided.

*

The meal was over , soon enough thought Maria: Indira, Sian and Dafydd were always good

company and Alex seemed personable enough. It was actually quite amusing to see a man, and a not bad looking one at that , not be mesmerised by Indira. Suddenly, without any prompting Maria

knew where she had heard the name Alex Martin before. It had not occurred to her at all previously,

a name that had been lost somewhere in the back of her mind, long ago when she and Sian were

inseparable and then there was the tragic third figure, Alys Dowding.

She did not want to bring the subject up, but once in a while Alys' name would crop up and they

would be transported back to the King Henry VIII school in Abergavenny.

Maria felt a lull in the conversation and said'

' Do you remember Sian where we heard the name of Alex Martin before? It's only just come back

to me'

Sian knew immediately.

'The title of a short story by poor Alys'

Did she want her to go on? Sian decided to.

'A girl who had everything, and Alex Martin was a prize winning short story, even got it on BBC

Radio, fantastic for a girl in her last year of school'

Indira felt the need to ask what had happened. Sian looked at Maria for her to carry on, Alex Martin

was following things eagerly.

'There was a history of ill health in her family, her grandmother and aunt both died young,

sometimes it felt as if Alys did know something' Maria regretted that at once, was Alys really like

that? Or what is Maria forging her own memory of what happened since?

'She developed a rare form of cancer, varying treatments were tried but all came to nothing. She

died two months after her 21st birthday, still writing so her mother said, filled three or four

notebooks.'

 

The night wore on but after that it all seemed subdued, and it was before twelve when , as is so

often the case, everyone was waiting for someone to make the first move to go. Luckily, Indira got

up and announced that she was off, was it annoyance at not being the centre of Alex's attention?

Maria soon followed.

'Where do you live Alex?' she asked, purely out of politeness , she had inadvertently opened a door

for the conversation to take a turn she did not want.

'I live up near Five Locks Road' Mercifully he said nothing else but Maria could not now go back,

especially as earlier she had mentioned she lived near the golf club.

'It's on my way if you want a lift?

*

It wasn't a long drive but Alex was so very quiet, Maria felt that it wasn't shyness, more a case of

observing.

'You can drop me anywhere around here'

Maria was initially startled and asked where exactly did he live. There was an awkward silence for

a few seconds but to Maria it felt like ages.

'You know who I am don't you? I guessed it when you spoke of Alys'

'Alys' Alex?'

Maria had by now stopped the car and was transfixed.

'She was following up her story about me when she died, I'm left in limbo now, constantly looking

for someone to complete me'

Maria felt she was not hearing correctly, and yet Alex was undoubtedly sincere. He went on:

'This is why I go to dinner parties..to maybe meet someone who will write me again. I am a half

completed story, but then aren't we all?

'Someone somewhere is perhaps writing a story about you now, maybe you could move away,

maybe you had promotion and are now a chief inspector'

Alex got out and walked away. Maria watched until he had reached a turn in the road and followed

in the car.

There was no sign of him.