Chapter 2042 All The Places We Know
âI came to check in on you. What are you doing?â Maya stole a glance behind him and frowned. Things of all nature were strewn on his bedroom floor in a haphazard way that even she did not approve of.
Wilbur used to have an obsessive-compulsive disorder. He must be in a really bad shape for letting his room get to this state. Poor guy! Wilbur gazed placidly back at her. âIâm playing. What are you doing here?â
âLetâs take a break and have a chat instead?â âNo! I donât want to talk to annoying people.â Maya was not offended at all. âThatâs fine. Maybe we can play a game?â
Wilburâs interest perked up at once though he tried hard to conceal his curiosity. âWhat kind of game?â Mayaâs eyes twinkled mysteriously. âLet me in and Iâll tell you.â
After a momentâs hesitation, Wilbur nodded and stood aside.
She sighed as inconspicuously as she could at the sight of the unfinished jigsaw puzzle on the floor.
What is this? âSuitable for ages three to seven?â This is too childish even for Joy and Zayden!
âWere you putting together a jigsaw puzzle?â Maya asked with feigned interest.
He nodded. âWould you like to join me?â
She agreed since it provided her with the opportunity to spend time with him in the hopes of jolting his memory.
âI would love to. Letâs work on the piece together.â
After taking their seats on the carpet, Wilbur pushed half of his pile to her. âYou work on these. Weâre not having dinner until weâre done!â
Maya took her pieces and allowed several minutes of occupied puzzle-solving to settle in before speaking again. âWilbur, do you recall any of the places weâve been to?â
Wilbur jumped slightly at the question before nodding like a nervous hen pecking for food.
âYou do, donât you?â Her eyes gleamed expectantly. âCould you tell me where weâve been?â Hopefully, Iâll be able to trigger him to recall something!
Wilbur was about to answer when he heard footsteps from outside his door. âOh, many places,â he answered.
âSuch as?â she prompted. âCan you remember anything specific?â
Wilbur knew that the owner of the footsteps was standing outside his door from the abrupt silence. âIâve soared to the skies to catch some birds,â he recited with a convincing imitation of a simpleton. âIâve been to the ocean and swam after turtles; Iâve scaled a mountain to fight a tiger. Letâs see, what else?â
Mayaâs anticipation faded only to be replaced by a look of disbelief.
He suddenly gave an excited shout as he clapped his hands. âOh, Iâve also explored the sewers in search of rats!â
âCome on, Wilbur,â she coaxed. âBe reasonable. How is it possible for you to have been to those places?â
âI have!â Wilbur protested in earnest, as though it was the gospel truth. âWe were there together, remember?â
Maya felt as if she was getting nowhere. Undeterred, she attempted another line of questioning.
âWilbur, do you remember what happened when you jumped into the sea? Why did you do it?â
Her tone was gentle and wary. Her mother had told Nina that Wilburâs accident looked suspicious and had asked her sister to look for evidence of foul play.
On the other side of the door, Mabelâs heart clenched involuntarily at Mayaâs question. The idiot wouldnât be able to recall anything, would he?
âThe wind blew me off my ship!â Wilbur shouted after a long deliberation.
âThe wind?â Maya repeated incredulously. âYouâre awfully large and heavy. How could the wind have knocked you down?â
âIt was a big gust of wind. Before I knew it, I was already underwater.â
As if suddenly recalling something, she pressed on, âCould somebody have pushed you instead? You didnât get a good look at your surroundings, right? Someone crept up on you and pushed you without you knowing, which is why you thought it was the wind.â
âI didnât get a good look at the surroundings,â Wilbur repeated stupidly.
âThat must be it! Think hard, Wilbur. Who could it be-â