Missing Martha

19

Martin walked into the hotel followed by the five students. He felt overwhelmed by how beautiful the hotel was, Zoë felt significantly underdressed, for the first time she was conscious at the fact she wasn't wearing any jewellery.
Martin walked up to the receptionist, giving his name and receiving four room keys.
The room had a cream flooring with a glass lift, the whole atmosphere was insanely expensive, Martin found it hard to contain his excitement.
He walked towards the lift, looking back at the rest of them, smiling. In their response, the kids laughed, utterly amazed. 
They got in the lift, shaking with excitement, none of them had stayed somewhere so posh.
"I feel like a queen." Giggled Zoë, putting her hands on the railings and looking.
"It's so beautiful." Gasped Lucy,
"I guess when you said it was gonna be posh you meant it." Said Zoe, "god, This is beautiful."
Once they reached the top, they looked around the corridor, how they managed to make the corridor so beautiful Martin would never know.
"There's a pool downstairs apparently." Said Martin, looking at the room numbers. "Oh look here's my room."
He opened the door with his card, he looked inside, immediately stunned by the insane view of Paris. The Eiffel Tower loomed in the distance above the antique buildings of the city. The sky was brightened by the sun.
"Oh my god.." Exclaimed Martin thrown back.
The six others peered in as he placed his bag on his bed.
"It's huge!" Called Ollie, his eyes wide and his mouth drooping.
"I am going to have a bloody good sleep." Said Martin, walking back towards the door and passing everyone their cards.
"Right- Ryan and Ollie, room 42, Lucy, Cloda and Jemma you're in room 43, and Miss Flynn you're in room 45." He pointed to the room right beside his.
"Now out of the two nights we stay here... how many are they going to sleep in their own room?" Asked Ryan, pointing to Zoe and Martin.
"Oh shut up." Laughed Zoe, opening the door to her room and closing it behind her.
She placed down her bag, looking over at the beautiful view; she walked around into a dining area and a huge bathroom. She then resumed back into the bedroom where she opened up the glass doors and walked out onto the balcony, sitting down by the glass table and looking out, enjoying the heat.

Martin sat down on his bed, looking at his ring. He found it strange that it was in his jacket, he hadn't worn it in months.
He walked outside onto the balcony where he saw Zoe in the room beside his, and the others adjacent.
"Hiya." He greeted, taking a seat, he took his jacket off and felt around in the pockets again until he found what felt like a piece of paper. He raised his eyebrows in confusion and took it out, unfolding it.
Hi Martin;
By the time you're reading this I'm dead (possibly long dead depending on how much you like this jacket)..
His stomach dropped, he immediately folded it up again and opened the door to go back inside.
"You okay?" Asked Zoë,
Martin could only nod, but he was shaken to the core.
Shocked, Martin sat down on his bed again, taking out the piece of paper.
I'm going to kill myself, Martin. And I'm scared. I know that I won't make it through another day without Martha, and I know you're trying to be strong but you can't either.
I wish I was like you, Martin. You're a good person, through and through. Your morals are so much better than mine, all I ever could think about is myself. That's why I aborted our baby. The doctors told me that I wouldn't survive labour, I can't even remember why. My instincts told me to abort my child, to kill her, and that's just what I did.
But now I've lost both my babies, both our children and it's all my fault and I can never forgive myself. You gave me a family and I destroyed it.
I'm sorry for being so selfish, I'm sorry for not telling you this in person but I don't think I can speak.
I hope that you can find a new life that's better than anything I gave you. Thank you for the memories, for Martha and for us. I hope you do well and go far. You deserve the world.
Emily.

Martin stared at the letter transfixed before the tears came.
He took off his clothes and walked into the bathroom, turning on the cold water and standing under the shower, just shaking in shock.

Zoe looked over at the others on the balcony beside her.
"Hey what's up with Mr McCafferson?" Asked Ryan, concerned.
"Dunno." Said Zoe,
"I'm sure he's alright." Replied Ryan,
"I don't know.." Added Ollie, who was sipping a bottle of water with his feet on the table. "I'm worried about him."
"You're worried about your teacher?" Chuckled Ryan,
"No seriously.. he found his wedding ring in that jacket this morning, and he walked out with a piece of paper he found from that jacket.. Miss, you should go and see him."
Zoe shook her head, "if it's a note from his wife I'm sure he needs to be alone." She said, before opening up her doors. "I'm gonna go and get ready, gigs at 8, gotta be there for half seven. Come on you two."
"We literally only have to change our clothes." Said Ryan,
"And a shower, come on it's your first gig, you're in central Paris! Do your hair!" Instructed Zoe,
"Alright mum!" Mocked Ollie, laughing as Zoë walked back into her room.
Meanwhile Martin sat down in the shower in utter despair, rubbing his hands down his face. He looked down at his wedding ring, remembering the good times before he stood up, turned off the shower and left the ring on the table, knowing he had to move on.