A nurse in a purple uniform moved close to Maria, “What’s your son’s name?” she asked softly
“Mich… Miguel.” Maria said, catching herself. She lifted Elizabeth higher, and wrapped her properly with her coat when she stirred and changed positions.
“Scofield! I bet he broke out again.”
Maria turned to face the unconcerned voice. The stoutly nurse faced Maria, “He must be out roaming the building again.” Maria was about to yell at her for being irresponsible and letting a child leave the room, and not even bother to go out and look for him. “Miss Michaels, your son is in Dave Greer’s office.”
Maria exhaled in relief. Dave’s office should have been her first guess. Michael was at ease enough to go to the cafe with him, why wouldn’t he visit him at the office. He probably went to tell him where they were. She thought of sitting back down and waiting for them to come, but she felt too anxious to wait. She wanted to make sure Michael really was with Dave and he was safe.
“Thank you.” She said to the lady and went out the door.
She knew where Dave’s law firm was, Leo showed them when he took them for the tour weeks after she had gotten to know him better. Apart from Tom, he was another man she had come half way to trusting, and now Dave was making his way onto that list, to the top of that list actually. If he trusted her enough to leave his daughter with her, she didn’t see why she couldn’t trust him the same way. But she had a stronger reason rather than the love for their kids not to.
She walked slowly into the large busy firm. A few people stared at her as she made her way to the reception desk at the entrance, it made her uncomfortable. If it wasn’t for the sleeping baby in her arms she would have pulled her hair forward to partially cover her face.
“Hi, could you tell me which way to Dave Greer’s office?” she spoke, above a whisper.
“Go straight, then take a left down the hall, it’s the last office. There will be a red head secretary at his door.” The brunette lady spoke, unconcerned, without looking at her. Maria would have considered it rude, but it was relieving to have one less person staring at her.
“Thank you.” She walked down the wide corridor, past a number of desks, keeping her eyes down. She looked down the hallway, to meet a number of eyes on her. She was a little bothered with the weird questioning looks most of them gave her, but she could feel her anger mount when she saw the familiar, lustful looks some men gave her. Those looks always made her feel like her beauty was a curse and not a blessing, as most women she met told her.
They kept telling her she could get everything she wanted with her looks, what they forgot to tell her, or didn’t care to know, was all the bad things it brought too.
She stopped in front of the red head’s desk and spoke coldly and quietly to her, “Is Dave in?”
The lady looked up and smiled, “That little hunk must be yours. I can see where he gets his looks from.” She stood up and rapped on Dave’s door, “Are you the new baby sitter or his girlfriend?”
Maria felt guilty about being so rude when she complemented her son, but she was taken aback by the girlfriend remark, “Excuse me?”
“I’m Carol, his secretary, and I only said that because, as much of a gentleman as he is, with an ex—wife like his, I was sure he had his own little action on the side.”
Maria felt even guiltier. He had ended his marriage and not his wife, and by Carol’s words, she must have cheated on him. It did explain his sudden rage at lunch, “I’m Paula, and no, I’m not his girlfriend nor his sitter. How long have they been divorced?”
“He filed the papers today,” she said quietly, looking at Maria more keenly, “How is it he left you his child? He never leaves Lizzy with acquaintances, let alone complete strangers. He must have done…” she stopped when the door suddenly opened. Dave stood there with a smile that lit up his whole face, his hands jabbed in his pockets.
“Someone won’t be winning parent of the year anytime soon either.” The edge of his lips rose in half a smile. He looked at her and then at his sleeping daughter, he loved seeing them like that, they looked perfect.
Maria stared at him, a smile automatically dominating her face, “Your parenting skills are contagious.” She noticed how much happier he seemed when his eyes darted to his daughter and then back to her. There was no doubt he really loved Elizabeth, and Maria liked that about him.
Carol shifted her gaze between them. She was more shocked at how Dave looked at her. She’d only seen him look at one person like that once before, since she started working for him three years ago, his wife Amy. Then the look faded and disappeared when Amy started cheating, and now she was seeing it again. She had to admit, the girl was gorgeous, but she knew there must be something more to her that was making Dave slowly fall for her. He might not know it, but she did, and she was sure in another few months there would be more than one girl in his life, as much as Dave saw women as evil right now.
“That’s not the only thing that seems contagious.” Carol said, as she sat back down.
Dave and Maria gave her a questioning look, but didn’t bother to ask for further explanations. “Would you like me to take her?” Dave asked, raising his arms. He was hoping she would say no, he didn’t want to ruin the picture.
“No, she’s comfortable and I’m already used to having her there.” Maria rocked gently when Elizabeth stirred again.
“The earlier the better,” Carol mumbled. Maria and Dave turned to her again. Dave smiled, finally catching on to her innuendos, but Maria was still out of the loop.
Dave shifted out of the door way and motioned for Maria to go in, “Don’t mind her, she’s a little imbalanced.” Maria was even more confused, but she walked into the office, leaving Dave outside. Dave leaned down to whisper in Carol’s ear, “Quit it, there is nothing going on between us.”
“That’s what you think.” she whispered back, pushing him away.
Dave walked in and closed the door behind him. Miguel was already at his mother’s side, beaming up a very adorable smile, he was sure Dave would get him out of trouble. She shook her head, bent down and kissed his forehead before she went to the pen and gently put Elizabeth down. She lingered over her for a moment to make sure she didn’t wake up, whispered something in her ear, kissed her cheek, then walked away slowly, light on her feet. Dave loved that image even more than her just holding his daughter.