Estronomicon Christmas 2008

MARIE O’REGAN wondered? Was she ill? He moved closer, silent, unwilling to disturb her now she seemed to be resting.

She lay on the bed, eyes closed, and the old man became aware of the plaintive strains of Für Elise once more, the CD player beside the bed set low.

He had named her for this song, over her mother’s wishes. She had thought it too fanciful, instead of beautiful. He supposed it was lucky she’d loved the tune as much as he did.

He sensed movement beside him, and realised Matthew had joined him at his mother’s bedside. The boy stared forlornly, and the old man was saddened to see how pale he was. Elise rolled over, and before he could think what to do, he found himself and the boy back out in the hall, just in time to sink deeper into the shadows as Mark returned.

The hall brightened for a moment as Mark went into the bedroom, then darkened again. Matthew and his grandfather stood just outside the door, listening, a little ashamed of themselves. Elise and Mark thought they were alone, and perhaps that was best – though neither of them could have said why.

Mark sat on the edge of the bed, a steaming mug of tea in his hand. He shook his wife gently. “Elise, wake up. Your tea.”

She opened her eyes and stared blankly at him for a moment, then smiled and sat up, taking the cup. “I must have drifted off.”

“Not surprising, love. You must be exhausted.”

Her smile faded as she tried not to cry. “I’ll rest when he wakes up.”

Mark opened his mouth as if to speak…and then closed it again. This was old ground, gone over too many times already. The wounds were fresh, just under the surface, and he had no wish to open them again.

The phone shrilled, and Elise dropped her cup.

Matthew sat on the hearth, his arms wrapped tightly around him. He stared up at his grandfather.

“Where did they go, Grandpa?”

“I don’t know, boy.” He was staring out of the window, at the tracks their car had left in the snow as it screeched out of the drive. “I don’t know.”

Matthew wasn’t about to give up. “But it’s late – the middle of the night.

Why didn’t they check I was alright, or take me with them?”

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