“Paula, did you send someone to pick up the kids?” Jane placed the cups of tea down on the table before she turned to Maria.
Maria looked at her with a raised eyebrow, “What are you talking about?” She walked to the counter and placed her tray down, placing her next order on it.
“The day care just called, they said a man picked up the kids.” she spoke quietly, walking to the back of the counter.
Maria stood there frozen. She could feel all the blood rush out of her head, to her feet, her heart beat hard, ready to explode out of her chest. She could feel her former companion fear creep up her spine as she slowly broke into a panic. It had been too soon, too fast for Ricky to have found them already. Edna reassured her that Ricky was nowhere near New York, and how was it possible he found out where Michael was? Was he watching the apartment, did he follow them here? Leo wouldn’t let him take Michael and the day care knew better than to give her child to a complete stranger? And what would Ricky want with Julie? No, it had to be someone else.
“It could have been Leo,” she spoke with a quivering voice.
Jane looked up at her suspiciously. She heard the fear in Maria’s voice and thought it unusual. Her eyes were already filling up with tears and her body seemed to shake as her chest moved up and down, as if she was struggling to breath. Jane had never seen her like that and it made her wonder.
“No it wasn’t him, it was some guy called…”
Maria didn’t wait for Jane to finish speaking. She turned around and jetted towards the door, her mind already imagining all the cruel things Ricky was already doing to Michael. She stopped a few feet from the door when it swung open, revealing a laughing Michael and Julie, each holding Elizabeth’s hand, Dave walking closely behind them smiling down. Maria rocked on her feet dizzy, the relief of seeing Michael crippling her. She fell on all fours crying, struggling to breathe.
Michael ran to her and pulled her head up in his little hands. She pulled him to her and held him tight against her, her sobs reducing, “Don’t ever go off with anyone ever again without telling me!”
Michael nodded, “I’m okay mama, everything is okay, remember?” he pulled away and looked into her eyes with a smile.
Maria looked at him, jealous of his false sense of security. He wouldn’t be this at ease or as happy if he knew how very wrong he was. They weren’t okay, they would never be okay, and they had more reasons now than before to be scared out of their minds, but he didn’t need to know that, he would never know that. She nodded and kissed his forehead drawing him into her arms.
“I was just worried.” she spoke into his hair, her mind filled with Ricky’s face and threatening voice.
He pulled away from her, kissed her nose, something he loved doing, and took Elizabeth’s hand and walked past her, “Good, can we have lunch now?”
Maria took a deep breath and wiped her wet face dry. Her surroundings came alive to her when she noticed the whole cafe staring at her, she stood up to meet Dave’s worried eyes, but she saw more than worry in them and she didn’t like it.
***
Dave stood there quietly watching mother and son. His first reaction when she went down was to go for her, but Miguel beat him to it, soothing and comforting her like a parent would do a child, for those few minutes he was her shoulder. He knew there was something more to the child. He’d acted more mature than his cute baby face let on. What he found surprising was Paula’s reaction, he thought he was a paranoid parent, but she took the cake. He saw something more than paranoia in her eyes. Before she went down, he saw intense fear, then blinding relief, and her tears and cries expressed the relief she felt when she saw Michael, and then there was a distant pained look in her eyes once she soothed down. Dave missed nothing. He knew instantly she was running from someone, and her son was the glue holding her together. He felt the urge to protect her, to comfort her like she had done for Elizabeth, but he felt intrigued, and the hunger to solve the puzzle he saw her life to be.
“I’m sorry, I should have called.” he spoke softly, moving closer to her. She took a step away, her stance cold.
“Yes, you should have.” she said coldly, turning away from him. She went to the table the kids were at and stroked Michael’s head tenderly then she disappeared into the kitchen.
Dave understood the anger she must have been feeling towards him, but he didn’t want her to shut him out before he got to know the person behind those expressive green eyes, which harboured a lot of emotions, so he followed her into the kitchen ignoring the cook’s protests.
“I figured since you kidnapped my kid, I should return the favour.” he joked with a smile.
Maria turned and looked, at him irate. She was in no mood for his obsequiousness after the stunt he pulled.
“The difference is, I knew where my kid was,” she put three plates on her tray and walked around him, “Jane, I’m taking my break.”
“After your break down, you should take the rest of the day off.” Jane mumbled.
Maria gave her an unmasked stare. She placed the plates of mashed potatoes and veggies in front of the kids. She put Elizabeth on her lap and helped her eat. She sat with her back to the crowd, half embarrassed by the melt down they had witnessed.
Dave stared at her with his daughter on her lap. They looked good, like a perfect picture. Elizabeth smiled up at her before she took the little spoon she offered, and turned her attention to her food. Paula looked uncomfortable, but a little at ease, stealing glances at Michael and talking to the kids about their day. Dave sat down opposite her next to Miguel, his eyes glued on Paula watching her sad face slowly get replaced by a joyous one. The need to know her became intense as he watched her pink lips part in a smile, reflecting the smile in her eyes, her beautiful green eyes.
Dave was stunned at how he ogled the stranger. This wasn’t him, it was very unlike him to feel that sort of attraction, not the kind men have when they meet a woman and want to bed her immediately, his attraction was something…… different.
“What will you have, sir?” Jane stood next to him with her notebook in her hand. Dave didn’t answer her, it was like he hadn’t noticed she was standing next to him.
Maria looked up at Jane, then at Dave, he looked dazed, “Dave what will you have?” she asked, repeating Jane’s question.
“Huh?” Dave woke up at her question. The sincere smile on her face and the new sparkle in her eyes dazzled him. She was beautiful, and he couldn’t believe it had taken him so long to notice. He had an excuse for the day before, it was a difficult, frustrating day for him, but he didn’t see how he didn’t notice right off the bat. She looked fragile and precious when she cried, but she looked like the epitome of beauty when she was happy and smiling.
“Do you want a menu?” Maria asked him again.
“No, I’ll have what they are having.” he said, pointing to Miguel’s plate. Jane creased her face angrily before she left. Maria was shocked, but yet amused by that, she knew Jane didn’t like her and she really didn’t care. She wasn’t here to make new friends, she liked the one she had back home just fine.
Maria looked back at Dave, finally noticing the look he was giving her. She hated that look, more with each passing day and with every man who gave it. If he tried to touch her, she was going to join his hand, the table, and a fork, and make them an artistic piece. “I’m sorry about snipping at you.” She wanted to distract him with conversation. She liked his daughter too much to hate him.
“Don’t worry about it. I would have balled up too, if I wasn’t afraid of looking like less of a man.” Dave tried to look normal once he saw her light fade. She was feeling uncomfortable under his gaze and it made her pull back into herself.
“Men and their pride,” Maria mumbled unconsciously.
“Well, that, and I think my boss would have fired me if he saw his top lawyer crying in a public place. Emotions aren’t good for my business.”
“You work at McKenzie and Associates?” Maria remembering their short conversation the day before, “You are Dave Greer the shark!” She had heard of him, he was apparently the man you would want on your side and not against you.