My Moiras

The red window had always been Moira's sign that she was almost home. A perpetual glow emanated from the room behind the ancient, misty glass panes at the top of the weed riddled red brick building, so curiously out of place between the silvery new-build flats to the right and the stark white light from the mini-mart to the left. Her almost-home marker was constant, Moira had never once witnessed the room unlit. Moving quickly along the pavement she would catch a glimpse of the source of the light for only a moment. A chintz lamp, atop a dark wood cabinet, wooden stem, tassels of gold hanging from a ruby shade, transforming the bulb's already warm hue to pure claret, flooding the room and staining the frames of the window. Moira could smell it- the whole room. Dust, but not unpleasant choking dust, no, that kind of warm and settled-in must. The faint smell of something doused in rosemary, roasted the previous day clinging to the stiff woven cushions on a firm sofa, undertones of a sweet vanilla whiff, a lady's perfume, cherished and sparingly applied to ensure the bottle lasts, reminding the wearer of summer evenings belonging to the hazy, heady past.

Moira was about to tear her eyes from the window when a distant clattering summoned her attention. She slowed her pace, sure it had come from above, from the red window. It sounded like a fall, like a hard fall. Seemingly with no control of her own legs she had come to a halt. In reality what could she do? She was nowhere near bold enough to ring the bell for the flat, to check on the welfare of it's inhabitant, but her body refused to move her forward. In fight, flight or freeze she had always been a freezer. Her mind was racing, attempting to reason her body into movement but she remained stuck firm.

As she stood, paralysed, staring at the room, hoping for illuminating answers to all her questions to materialise, she heard more thumping- rhythmic this time, growing louder, closer, until the jet black front door across the road, adorned with a needlessly dramatic gold knocker shaped into a fist, flew open at the bottom of the building and a young woman stuck her head out expectantly from the hallway within, a shock of blonde hair flying, barefoot, a fairytale-esque white dress flowing around her- certainly underdressed for the biting chill of the season, wide eyes searching the street until her gaze found and fixed on Moira.

"There you are! Please, come quickly, she fell so hard"

In an instant the yellow haired woman had whipped around and disappear back into the building leaving the door wide open.

Still Moira didn't move. Her questions had multiplied and now resembled a mass of frogspawn in her mind. Completely overwhelmed, her body was still acting on some higher level than her mind and it moved towards the open door without its pilot.

Up three flights of stairs the door to the flat was slightly ajar and from within Moira could hear a vague argument underway.

"You need to stay still, I really think you could've done yourself some damage this time."

"Oh don't fuss me child, I'm perfectly fine. Is she here yet?"

"I left the door open for her, she'll be along soon, let me look at your foot you stubborn old mare."

The intoxicating smell that Moira had imagined realised itself as she gently pushed the door in and entered the flat. Warm, layered scents filled her chest as she breathed. The sofa she had pictured almost perfectly, more pieces of dark wood furniture than had been visible from outside were placed around the room, adorned with intricate bone china plates, small ornaments and books with bent spines and yellowing pages scattered across tables and shelves. Photographs filled with embracing people from the distant past in mismatched frames pointed in all directions- surely angled to ensure at least one could be seen from any part of the room, and that red light- bathing everything in a comforting blanket of kindness.

The two women were in the kitchen. The warmth of the lamplight didn't reach in here. Instead a cold strip of white illuminated a sorry scene of a elderly woman leant against a chipboard cabinet, an upturned step stool discarded beyond, the blonde girl crouched at her ankle, tentatively prodding at the wrinkled foot with thin dedicate fingers.

"OUCH!" The old lady exclaimed. Her frail frame jerked away from the girl's touch. She was draped in colourful shawls, a shock of curly red hair framed her face, lined ruby lips vaguely smeared across her pale skin, eyes smoked in black charcol. Moira thought she looked as if she belonged behind a crystal ball, up-lit, velvety voice promising a tall dark stranger's imminent approach.

"Do you... do you need me to call someone?" Moira spluttered out slightly embarrassed as her voice cracked.

Both women looked up at her and a wide smile spread across the elder's face.

"Ahhh my love I'm so glad you're here, now here you are finally, both my Moiras."

Silence extended between the three. The old lady on the floor beaming widely, the younger blonde's gaze flicking suspiciously between her companions and Moira one again frozen, framed in the doorway between the cold, stark kitchen and crimson doused living room

"Is It true? The young woman finally asked, "Is your name Moira too?" Her expression and tone betrayed a inevitable sense of acceptance with only a hopeful hint of scepticism.

Moira could only nod.

"Well, I suppose you were quite certain of it this time Moira." The young blonde addressed the old lady.

"Indeed my darling Moira." The old lady smiled back at the girl before extending a knowing look to Moira in the doorway.

"Fate sure does have a way of being resourceful, does it not my Moiras? I only wish it had chosen a less painful way to manifest you darling."

Moira knew the old woman was talking to her despite her gaze being fixed on her own rapidly swelling ankle.

"Now, how about we make our third a nice cup of tea whilst we explain ourselves?"

Blonde Moira stood and sighed. "Of course Moira, I'll put the pot on. Moira, please help me get Moira off the floor and onto the sofa and I promise, we'll explain everything."