From Panic to Perplexity

As Maya's adventure in Thailand came to a close, the memories lingered. It was a bittersweet moment.

She felt a lump in her throat as she sat in the car with Cole at the airport gates.

They locked eyes for a moment as it said it all. It felt like she was leaving behind a piece of her heart, the thought of returning to a place where she was neglected and disrespected, made her feel a pang of sadness.

"I can't wait to see you again." Cole said as he cradled her face. Maya tried to speak, but her words came out in a mess.

He embraced her softly, and squeezed her hand reassuringly, as he planted a kiss on her hand.

The rising sun's rays crept through the window, Maya's flawless skin glowing. Cole draws her in as he kissed her lips - A goodbye kiss.

Each time she turned to leave, he pulled her back, their lips meeting passionately, leaving him yearning for more.

Finally, with one last kiss, she pulled away. Cole drives off as she got out, she watched the car until it was out of sight.

She wondered if they would ever cross paths again, or if she would experience the same depth of connection again.

Her heart sank at the thought of returning to the Russo's.

She climbed into the jet, the seat enveloping her as she sat down.

She wrapped her arms around herself, her fingers digging into her shoulders. With a deep sigh she looked out the window, the sky slurred as tears filled her eyes.

As the plane soared into the sky, the ground below grew smaller, she felt a stab of sadness. She thought of Salma, whose bright smile caught her attention.

But even that friendship was momentaneous, a brief reprieve from the troubles back home.

As Maya's jet touched down at the San Diego Airport, she slowly exited.

A mix of frustration and anxiety washed over her, her heart raced with anticipation, finally ready to embrace her family.

She stepped out of the airport and into the sleek Mercedes - Benz waiting for her. The chauffeur, with a warm smile on his face, held the door open as she settled in.

It's engine purring smoothly as the car glided through the streets in the dark, taking her straight to her Aunt Lily's apartment.

The car turned to a familiar street, and she caught sight of the house.

She was nervous but thrilled.

The driver pulled up in the driveway, her eyes scanning the windows, expecting to see a warm light or a familiar face.

But, the house was dark, and silent.

Maya's discomfort grew as she got out the car and onto the driveway.

She approached the front door, her footsteps echoing. She pushed the door open, calling out, "Aunt Lily? Kathy? Is anyone here?"

Her words hung in the air, echoing off the vacant space.

She felt a chill in her veins as she walked into the house, it was empty and replaced by an eerie silence.

Maya moved from room to room searching for a sign of life, but she was alone.

She wondered where they could be, her mind flooded with the worst-case scenarios. Her worry turned to alarm as she dialed her aunt's number but it rang out.

She tries again, her hands shaking. With every failed call, her fear escalated. She ran out of the house screaming for help.

"Someone help! My family's gone! Call the cops!" She said, sobbing uncontrollably, as she ran towards the car.

The driver alighted, concerned. He tried to ask her what was wrong, but his limited English made it difficult for him to express himself fluently or understand her either as he could only speak French.

"I said call the fucking cops! Can't you understand? My family's gone!" Maya snarled as she gestured to the empty house.

The poor driver attempted to communicate with her.

He had been using Google Translate to communicate with her, fastidiously typing out phrases, hoping the translations were accurate enough.

The language barrier never felt more intimidating as he stood there with a dead phone. Maya's frustration reached its peak when she realized it. "Oh my fucking g -"

Her hand trembled as she dialed 911, her eyes fixated on the silent and dark house.

"911, what's your emergency?" A dispatcher's voice answered.

"My family's gone, the house is empty and I can't reach them. I'm worried…something might have.. happened." Maya said breaking down in tears.

The dispatcher's tone turned sympathetic but calm. "Okay be calm, what's your name?"

"Maya Russo."

"Okay Maya, can you give me your location?"

Maya recited the address, her eyes moving around the dark and quiet street. "They are just…gone."

"Help is on the way ma'am." the dispatcher said reassuringly. Maya nodded, even though the dispatcher could not see her.

She waited anxiously, her imagination running wild with terrifying possibilities.

Maya's eyes darted towards the police cars as they pulled up to the driveway. She looked exhausted.

The streets were filled with the deafening blare of sirens. The officers approached her.

"Officers, I need your help, please. My family's missing, I.. I was supposed to meet them…here."

Just as she was about to explain further, her phone rang. She reluctantly answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey Maya, it's me, uncle Jack." The familiar voice sent a wave of relief.

"Uncle Jack! Where are you? I've been extremely worried."

"Sorry, kiddo. We're all safe, we tried reaching you earlier, but aunt Lily's cell phone got stolen."

Maya's mind raced with questions but before she could ask any of them, her uncle continued.

"Lucas came to get us."

She stared in disbelief, confused.

"Wh..why?"

"He brought us to a new house, he was surprisingly nice to us."

Maya stood in stunned confusion, her mind reeling in disbelief.

Her husband who had utter contempt for her, had suddenly done something as thoughtful as buying a new home for her family.

The gesture seemed out of character, a stark contrast to everything she thought she knew about him.