Maria walked into the studio apartment. It looked small, but yet quaint. It was an open space, there wasn’t a boundary between the kitchen and the living room, and the bedroom was closed off by a folding reed stand that went completely around the bed and closet. There were only two doors, that leading to the bathroom and that leading out of the apartment. Maria was grateful it was furnished. There was nothing fancy, just the essentials, all dark and bold, exactly what a bachelor’s pad should look like. She was glad she didn’t need to buy anything else for the place and that it was rent free, one less worry as she went around looking for a job. She set the bag down and closed the door behind her, double bolting it. She chuckled at her urge to wedge a chair against it. Ricky had really screwed her up. She watched as Michael ran around the space, exploring their new home. She hoped he would like it as it was their new home.
“So, what do you think?”
Michael stopped at the kitchen counter and climbed onto the stool. Maria moved and sat next to him, anxiously waiting for his answer.
“It’s okay. It’s kind of smaller than home, but it’s nice.” He spoke softly with a smile.
Maria pushed his hair back. She was worried he was just saying that for her benefit, “Are you sure you are okay with this?”
“Yes, and it’s a good thing grandma didn’t come, we can’t all fit here,” he jumped off the stool and rushed to the living room. He dove on the seat and turned the TV on, “Can we have pizza for super?”
Maria looked at him. She could see he was doing it again, putting on a front for her sake. She couldn’t help but think he had figured it out, why they moved, she just hoped his little genius mind didn’t figure out that Ricky was still alive, “Sure.” she smiled gently and picked up the phone.
It crushed her seeing Michael pretend to be alright with everything when he evidently wasn’t. She wanted to protect him, but she wasn’t going to let him be miserable, he’d had enough misery in his short life. Michael was a five year old who did everything that he thought Maria wanted because he wanted to make her happy, to make her life easy and stress free. Maria had seen how normal five year olds were annoying, loud, and stubborn and a constant temptation to murder, but Michael wasn’t like that, and it broke her heart.
He was going to have a normal childhood, even if it meant she forced one on him.
She put down the phone and picked up their jackets, “How about we go exploring. It’s only midday and we can get pizza on our way back.”
“I’m watching this.” he mumbled his eyes glued to the screen. Maria turned to the TV, there was a documentary on fish. She turned off the TV and began tickling him. She almost cried when Michael’s shrilly laugh filled her ears. It was loud, pure and honest she couldn’t detect any fake to it. She picked him up and held him against her, and then she planted numerous kisses on his face. He fidgeted, trying to dodge them, but Maria had him locked in place.
“Mama, stop!” he said between giggles.
“I’ll stop when you say yes.”
“Yes, yes!” Maria stopped. Michael kissed her nose before she put him down. She put his jacket on and they walked to the door. Maria looked around before she let Michael shoot out of the apartment. As much as she wanted normal, the paranoia was never going to leave her.
They got into a tour bus that went around the Big Apple. Michael got excited as he pointed out to the tall buildings, the big screens and flashing lights. Maria let her guard down and enjoyed the scenery, as excited as Michael. New York to her was like a whole other world, noisy, busy and vast, a complete new experience for her. They got off the bus when Michael spotted a parking building next to an equally tall building. He wanted to see the cars and get to the top of the building, and of course, eat.
When they got to the huge glass doors, they were stopped by a tall, huge, bellied man. Maria pulled Michael behind her and greeted the man with one of her fake- waitress smiles, “I’m sorry, but you can’t come in here.”
Maria looked him over again. His voice didn’t match his physic. He looked intimidating while his soft voice was welcoming.
“It’s just that my son wants to go to the top, he’s never seen a building this tall, neither have I.” She confessed.
The man’s lips parted in a smile, “It’s the weekend, and I can’t let anyone in without an appointment card,” he crouched down and looked at Michael, whose face was partly hidden behind Maria’s long legs, “Come back on Monday and I’ll take you up,” he looked up at Maria, “After I get permission from my boss and your mother.”
Michael moved from behind Maria, a huge grin on his face, “Mama please!” he begged.
Maria looked at him, her guard up. She was suspicious of the man and his offer, all she could think of was that he wanted something, they always want something, “No, I don’t want to inconvenience you.” she said politely.
The man stood up and he was back to towering over her, “It will be no problem we have a number of tourists who tour the building. The owner says its free advertising, I’m sure they don’t have buildings this tall in Mexico.”
Maria was taken aback by the comment she thought her accent would give away where she was from.
“I’m Leo, if you change your mind, I’ll be here on Monday.” He extended his hand.
Maria hesitated from a moment before she took his hand, “I’m Paula, and I’ll let you know on Monday. Thank you for the offer and I might take you up on it.” She smiled before she turned and walked away, pulling Michael behind her.
“Mama, why did you lie?” Michael asked concerned.
Maria hadn’t bothered to consider his reaction. She had unconsciously lied to the man. As pleasant as he might have sounded, she still didn’t want him to know anything about her, he was a complete stranger, and she knew more than to trust only what she saw.
“I thought it sounded more Mexican.” She beamed a smile down at him.
Michael giggled, “We really do look like Grandpa Miguel.” He pushed open the Cafe Rose’s door and walked in.
Maria was always uncomfortable when Michael put grandpa before Miguel. All he knew about him were the stories Edna told him, and she was annoyed at Edna for filling his head just as she did hers. Michael spoke excitedly about him sometimes like they’d met, she was once like that when she was young, then she grew up and got tired of waiting for him and the constant excuses Edna would give and once she met Ricky, she prayed he would never come back. She didn’t want her son to face another disappointment.
“Mama, here you go.” Michael held out a paper at Maria.
“What’s this?” She took it and read the caption at the top. It was an employment contract, “Michael…” she stopped when she didn’t see him in front of her anymore. She looked around the cafe, slowly rising into a panic.
“Mama.”
She followed his voice to find him on a table waving at her. He had a chocolate milk shake on the table in front of him, a smiling blond waitress in a white, long sleeved shirt and a short black skirt next to him. Maria liked the uniform already.
She walked to the table and rubbed her knuckles on Michael’s head. He winced but went back to drinking his shake. She turned to the waitress with a smile, “Hi, are you hiring or did my son wrestle the form from you?”
She chuckled, “We are hiring, and your son is very convincing. He would make a perfect lawyer. I’m Jane.”
Maria could feel her smile fade. The name of her best friend gave her a chest pain. It had only been a day and she missed her like crazy, “You are Paula, your son already did your interview on your behalf.”
Michael looked up at Maria and winked before he went back to his shake. Maria chuckled, “It’s nice to meet you Jane. Is there anything else, any part of the interview my son hasn’t covered yet?”
She chuckled, “You got a character recommendation. Just fill out the form and you can start work on Monday.”
Maria’s eyebrow rose in amusement. Her son was more like a con artist than a lawyer. Actually, what was the difference? “I can’t start so soon; I have to find a school for my son.”
“It’s a few weeks to summer, schools are about to close for the holidays, but there is a day care across the street, my daughter goes there. I’ll just fix that up for you on Monday. I’ll bring you your food.” She turned and left.
Maria sat down opposite Michael, “Miguel? We only got separated for half a minute and you have a job, a day-care and a whole new identity for us, are you sure you aren’t an old man in a five year old body?”
Michael waited until his glass was completely empty before he spoke, “If you have a code name I don’t see why I shouldn’t. And anyway, I saw the ‘for hire’ sign, and I want to see the building across the street.” He pushed the glass away to make space for the plate full of burger and fries that Jane brought. She had that familiar waitress smile on her face.
Maria looked at Michael, this was one of the times she felt like she was talking to an adult and not a child, “Please go back to being a baby, you scare me when you act so mature like that.”
His face darkened for a while before it lit up again, “Starting today, I’m going to be a baby, promise.” He picked up a few fries and stuffed them in his mouth.
Maria looked at him, she felt so guilty when she saw the shadow that crept over his face. It was her fault he felt the need to grow up so fast. He was going to have his childhood and never find out about Ricky, ever.