Smiling, “I’m not a shark, just good at what I do.”
“The way your wife, or ex-wife acted yesterday, and your rep on the streets, I beg to differ.”
“You see how showing emotions would be damaging to my street rep?” Dave leaned back making way for the plate Jane brought, his eyes glued on Paula’s beaming face. Jane dropped the plate on the table, startling everyone. Thankfully there was only a tiny splutter on the table cloth. Dave looked at her with a raised eyebrow, not at all amused by her behaviour. She feigned an apologetic smile and walked away. Dave stared after her, even more peeved.
Maria laughed at his reaction, “Forgive the poor service, I think it’s me more than it is you.”
“Why?” he turned back to her. Her smile captivated him again, making him stare at her blankly, completely wiping out his annoyance.
“You are the lawyer, tell me your theory,” she said, ignoring the stare, “when the kids aren’t around.” she added quickly.
He leaned closer, a wide grin on his face, “Are you asking me out?” He felt disturbed when her face faded out again. He leaned back and picked up his fork, “because my manhood would really be in jeopardy if you made the first move.” He put some mashed potatoes in his mouth.
Maria laughed, “Oh please! Times have changed, and that notion is very ancient.” she took the napkin and wiped the sauce from Elizabeth’s hands and face, and then she raised the glass of water to her tiny lips. She smiled, watching her tiny lips sip in the water.
“Times may have changed, but some things should stay the same.” he watched Paula and Elizabeth under his eyelashes. He didn’t want Paula to retreat to her shell that she constantly seeks refuge in, but he was pleased that it had been easy for him to pull her out of it.
“While you still live under that rock, women ask men out, and they even propose marriage. There is nothing left exclusive to men anymore.”
“Tradition cast aside all in the name of equality between men and women.” he lamented jokingly as he picked up Michael’s and Julie’s empty plates and placed them in the middle of the table.
“You are such a chauvinist, is your male ego that big? That’s probably why your wife left you.” Maria wished she could take the last words back immediately, she saw the change in his expression. His fingers tightened around his fork, his jaw tightened, a rage quietly simmering inside him. It scared her to the point she held Elizabeth closer to her.
“Mama what’s wrong?” Michael asked concerned. He stood up and went to her, he had been distracted by his conversation with Julie and hadn’t noticed the change in Dave, but he noticed the change in his mother. No matter what he was up to, he always had a keen eye on his mother.
Dave looked up and met her scared eyes, and Miguel’s guarding stance next to her, but what unsettled him more was the grip she had on Elizabeth. She looks scared of me? Dave wondered as he watched the fear dance on her face. But he hadn’t done a thing, he hadn’t even responded to her accusation, was it his reaction that scared her?
Maria forced a smile, pulling her eyes away from Dave and settling them on Michael. She felt like she could breathe, now that his expression had smoothed over, but she was still nervous, “Nothing, help me take the plates to the kitchen and you guys should wash your hands. Julie lets go.” she stood up with Elizabeth still held tightly against her and she rushed into the kitchen, praying not to trip over her trembling feet.
Dave stood up to go after her, but he was stopped by Todd’s annoying smiling face, “What do you want?” he asked bleakly, staring after Paula.
“Do you want to give your wife ammunition to sue for more money? What are you doing here with that waitress, having lunch like some big happy family?”
“What do you want Todd?”
Todd shrunk at his harsh gaze, “Your divorce is in, and you’ll be a free man in three weeks.”
“Is that all?” He asked impatiently. He wanted to go talk to Paula, he didn’t like the fact she seemed scared of him. He wondered what happened to her, to make her so nervy.
“No. I need your help with a case.”
Dave laughed, irate, he had to do everything, and yet they still hadn’t given him the promotion he asked for, “It’s my day off and I’m busy.”
“The client is going to sue us if you don’t fix this.” Todd begged.
“Why do I always have to fix all your messes? Can’t you do one thing right?” He barked.
“Dad said if you fix this, you get the promotion.” Todd added quickly, taking a few steps away from Dave. He knew Dave wouldn’t take the request kindly, but he didn’t expect him to lose his temper over it.
Dave stared at him, quietly counting to ten to reel in his anger. He wanted the promotion and the man was handing it to him, “How did you know I was here?”
“I saw your car, and Leo said you were here.”
Dave sauntered past him, “Let’s go.”
“What about Elizabeth?” Todd asked, following him to the door.
“She’s safe with Paula.” Dave said softly. He knew his daughter would be happier and safer with Paula. He saw how protective of her she got a few minutes ago. Whatever demons that were haunting her, it made her protective instincts over the children acute.
***
Maria listened to the conversation behind the kitchen door. She was glad he was gone, it did save her the agony of trying to figure out an explanation for her petrified reaction, and she was happy that he trusted her with his daughter. She wondered if he had figured her out in the few minutes they had spent together, because she had, at least she thought she had, she has been wrong before. He seemed like a kind, proud, ambitious, and highly principled man. He doesn’t trust people easily, but he likes to know people who came into his life, short or long term. What she was sure of was his bad and quick temper. She knew rage only too well. She hoped he was the one man in her life that would be like Tom. She was lonely in this big city, and having a friend didn’t seem so bad, all she hoped was that he was looking for a friendship, nothing more.
“Paula,” Maria turned to Rose’s voice, the owner and manager of the cafe, “Jane told me about what happened. Why don’t you take the rest of the day off?”
Maria wasn’t sure if Jane’s intentions were sincere or negatively motivated. “I’m fine.” she pulled Elizabeth higher on her hip.
“You haven’t taken a day off since you started, and you look like you have your hands full,” she smiled at Elizabeth before she shifted her eyes back to Maria, “I’m not firing you, I’m just saying take a break.”
Maria watched her expression in search of a lie, but Rose looked sincere, “Okay. I’ll just be across the street at the day care centre.”
Rose looked at her surprised, “Your version of down time is going to a room full of noisy children?”
“What can I say, they have a calming effect on me.” “You were born with the motherly genes in abundance, I, however, just have a tolerance for kids. See you tomorrow.”
Maria went to the dressing room to change. She did need a break from her mind more than her job. She was sure after the day’s scare with Michael. She wasn’t going to have a full night’s sleep. She better make the most of the afternoon, and probably go see the shark at work, she was sure his rep didn’t do him justice. With a temper like his, he was much worse, or better, depending on how one looked at it.