Missing Martha

8

Zoe turned on the engine of Martin's old BMW, sitting in the surprisingly comfortable worn seat.
She took a glimpse in the pockets on the car door, seeing some sort children's toy.
"He lost his child, Miss.." sighed Ollie, still shaken. Ryan had had a seizure.
"I know.." responded Zoe with an undertone of sadness.
"Did he tell you?" Asked Jemma, sitting in the front seat.
Zoe nodded, not wanting to elaborate.
"He's lost everyone. How can he just walk back into work and pretend he's okay?" Said Lucy, thinking of their talk that morning.
Zoe didn't know how to respond to that, so she carefully drove out of Martin's parking space and out of the hospital.
"Right who lives the closest?" Asked Zoë,
"Are you dropping us home?" Asked Cloda, plaiting her long ginger hair with her shaking fingers.
"You Guys Are not in the right minds to go back to school." Said Zoe, "I'll ring Mrs Watson later."
"Thanks Miss." said Ollie, looking out the window as the sky started to break and rain poured from the clouds.
"Should I go to the funeral?" Offered Zoë, noticing a Clarins moisturiser in one of the compartments and thinking about Martin's wife.
Nobody responded, knowing that this was a tense topic for all of them.
"Yeh you should go, Miss. He needs you." Said Cloda,
"He doesn't need me. I just feel that.. that I should go."
"Who else has he got?" Asked Ollie,
"His parents, siblings, friends.." guessed Zoë,
"You only met him a week ago.." Ollie pointed out, looking in concern at his teacher.
Zoe sighed, "He's a good person, he's got that about him, he didn't deserve this."
"Nobody deserves that." Muttered Lucy in a hollow voice, looking down and thinking of Ryan.
"What's wrong with him.. what's wrong with Ryan?"
"He had a seizure.. he's very unwell." Said Zoe, turning into Cloda's driveway.
"Will he ever be back to normal again?" Asked Cloda, opening the car door.
Zoe shook her head, "I don't know, Cloda."

The funeral was typical. People cried, people sighed. And that was that.
Martin gazed down at the coffin as it was brought down into the ground. A wave of nausea hit him, knowing that this was it, she was gone now: it was over for good.

Martin leaned against the gate of the graveyard, looking at the numerous graves. He'd watched this cemetery grow: both his parents had been buried here three years ago. Martin often brought flowers for his parents' graves, but without love or compassion. Just merely because he felt he should. His parents never gave him anything that he wanted, never gave him a choice. And Martin couldn't forgive them for that.
"Hey." Said a voice.
Martin turned over to see Zoe lean against the fence beside him.
"Hi." Greeted Martin with surprise,
"I-is everything okay? Where's the kids?" Asked Martin,
"I dropped them home don't worry about a thing." Replied Zoë, blankly smiling.
Martin looked down, his red eyes drooping low,
"And Ryan?" He added, wiping a tear before it fell.
"The kid's got epilepsy." She told him,
"Epilepsy?" Asked Martin in shock, "Christ..."
Zoe nodded, unsure what to say. She didn't want to go into detail about Ryan's condition and about what happened at the hospital.

A couple that looked in their mid-sixties began to walk over to Martin. Martin had dreaded this. These were Emily's parents; George and Michelle.
Martin looked over at Zoe, not wanting her to get involved with a controversial conversation.
"Excuse me for a minute.." he pardoned, walking up to George and Michelle.
The couple had always been known as 'auntie and uncle' to Martin as he grew up even though they weren't related; he hated them. Every time they came around he knew that he'd have to compliment or flatter Emily in some way. Even as just eight-year-olds.
They were both in their mid-sixties now, their eyes small and the wrinkles elongating.
"See you've found a replacement for Emily." Croaked George, looking at Zoe.
"Sorry?" Asked Martin, taken aback.
"Didn't take you long did it? To sweep up another girl: that's why she killed herself." Stated George, making Martin take a step backwards in shock,
"I don't have time for this." He growled. "Emily killed herself because our daughter died."
"So why aren't you dead too? You were supposed to do everything together. You've broken the rules and these are the consequences."
"What rules?!" Exclaimed Martin, "you forced us to get married and our daughter got shot!"
"You wanted to get married, you loved each other." Insisted Michelle.
"18." Said Martin, "that's the number of times I've kissed her in my whole lifetime. I knew her thirty years! We didn't want to get married! But you and my mother just wanted to be related! We didn't want a child! But you wanted a grandchild! Look at the mess you've made. Look at what you've done to us. You killed my best friend and my daughter.."
"You killed them, Martin. This is your fault. You're going to have to live with that or die with that."
Martin took a look back at Emily's parents in absolute horror before walking off towards the cemetery gates rushing with rage.
Zoe had heard some of the conversation in which Martin had had with George and Michelle, and as Martin barged off, Zoë didn't know if she should follow.

Martin walked all the way back to his house and looked in the mirror again to see that his green eyes were illuminated by the redness around them. He sat on the sofa rubbing his hands down his face before he walked over to the cupboard and took out a beer. He never usually drank, but his sober-self was too upset. He just wanted to forget life for a while, he just wanted everything to stop.

Zoe knocked on the door of Martin's house, it was lashing rain outside, the plan was that he would drop her home then he would drop her to the school to collect her own car before they both went home. But Zoe knew it wouldn't work out like that.
Martin knew it was her at the door, so he quickly collected all the beer bottles and threw them in the bin before making his way towards the door.
He let Zoe in, it was bitter outside, her blonde hair was soaked from the rain. As was her grey shirt.
"Come in, Zoë!" He insisted, seeing her shiver in the coldness.
"God I didn't realise how wet it was.." he said to himself. He noticed Zoe looking at the mirror in the hall,
"Sorry- you aren't superstitious are you? That stuff about covering mirrors on funerals.." he asked, feeling light-headed and knowing that he had to do more.
Zoe shook her head, "no." She replied, smelling the alcohol off him. She should have expected this.
"Sit down.." he told her, walking into the living room beside the fire.  He picked up a blanket and wrapped it around her.
"T-thanks." Said Zoe, feeling awkward, sitting down on the couch.
Martin sat on the sofa opposite, looking down,
"I'm sorry.." he said, referring to the drink he'd taken.
Zoe shook her head, "I'll call a taxi."
"I'll pay for it. And I'll pick you up tomorrow morning for work." Said Martin, taking out his wallet.
"Seriously, Martin.." said Zoe, "please it's just at the other side of the town."
Martin stopped, realising that he was panicking. He put his hand over his mouth, thinking about Emily's parents again.
"I can't do anything right, Zoë.." he muttered.
Zoe put her hand on his, looking into his eyes and whispering back, "yes you can, Martin."