Maria put the kids in the back of Dave’s Prado before she went back to lock the house door. She had stopped working at the cafe full time and became a part time nanny for Dave. At the rate he was working, Izzy was going to be neglected. She couldn’t stay in day-care because he would only be distracted, worrying himself. Dave was very pleased that she quit and he felt more relaxed with this arrangement. It was her way of paying him for Michael’s tuition, it wasn’t much but a start.
It was a very different experience for her the last couple of weeks, with her new extended family. Her mother thought it fate that she had finally landed a proper man and a functional family, unlike what they had. Maria however didn’t see it that way, to her it was a further complication in her already screwed up life. She had been a woman on the run with her child, now she was technically a mother of two children, taking care of a home and making sure Dave didn’t forget to eat and had a change of clothes when he didn’t stumble into the house in the middle of the night completely exhausted.
Maria got into the car laughing, remembering the first time he came home at two in the morning. She almost knocked him out with his own baseball bat, he gave her a tired smile before he leaned against her half asleep, she had to drag him up to his room and tuck him in bed, then a few hours later he was gone and back at work.
“Mama, what’s so funny?” Michael asked from the back seat.
“Nothing honey. So, are you ready for school?”
“Yes, but…. mama can Dave take me?” Michael begged.
Maria looked at him through the rear view mirror. She had gotten use to him asking for Dave, but it still made her very uncomfortable, “He can’t, he has work, but we’ll see him after and you can tell him about your first day.”
“Da!” Izzy yelled, waving her doll around.
Michael pulled the doll out of her hand, turning her attention to him, “It’s dad, say dad or daddy.”
Maria kept her eyes on him. She’d never heard him say that, at least not like that. When Ricky forced him to say it, it was empty and very resentful, but when he said it referring to Dave it was heavy with emotion, she knew what emotion, but she wasn’t going to admit it to herself.
Maria started backing out of the driveway, stopping just in time. A red Covet was parked behind the car and she almost ran into it.
“Stay in the car.” She told Michael as she got out. She walked to the blond leaning against the Covet. She was in a very short, black skirt with an exposing slit over her thigh and a white blouse that showed too much cleavage, leaving very little to the imagination. Her red high heels, which looked like a potential threat to her neck, matched her blood-red lips and the Covet.
Maria understood that she came from a small town and things were very different in New York, but this woman’s dress screamed desperate and very willing. Edna would never let her out of the house dressed like that and Ricky would most definitely use it as an excuse to beat her unconscious, not that he needed an excuse, but he would say it was her fault and she had provoked him.
“Hi, can I help you?”
She looked Maria over, sizing her up with the coldest stare, “No.”
“Okay then, please move your car, I need to leave.” Maria returned in the same tone. She turned to leave, already irritated by the woman.
“You must be Dave’s new toy?” She barked, standing upright.
Maria turned around, her eyes slit harshly, “Excuse you?”
“He’s letting you play with his old toy,” she pointed to the Prado, “that means he must be playing with you.” Her lips rose in a malicious smile.
Maria moved closer to her, her patience slowly wearing off, “Who are you?”
“Amy, his wife.” she responded with a wider smile.
Maria laughed, acknowledging the hostility, “You are the ex-wife?” She looked Amy over, “I’ve got to say, Dave is pretty good with descriptions, and I should have recognized you immediately.”
Amy hiked her knee to pull the slit higher up her thigh, “I know, I’m a knock out.”
“Aha, you are close, but what he really said is that he’d like to knock you out.”
“It’s called sexual tension. He’s still in love with me.”
“No it’s called belligerence and hate. And not even you believe that, he choose Izzy remember?”
“Izzy” she said with disgust, “It’s Elizabeth, I’m sure where you come from they can pronounce that.”
“Just as well as we pronounce la punta diabla,” Maria answered back. Amy’s condescending manner was getting to her and she was close to knocking her out herself.
“Where is my daughter?” Amy asked harshly.
“Do you even know what that word means?”
“I didn’t come here for English lessons, where is Elizabeth?”
“She’s in the car, but you aren’t going anywhere near her.” Maria pressed the lock button on the car remote, all the doors locked with a beeping sound.
“You have no right…” She stepped closer to Maria, her hands fisted at her sides.
Maria took a step towards her, closing the gap between them, “Yes I do, Dave has full custody and she’s under my care.” She felt good standing up to Amy, not giving her a chance to belittle her again. Standing at the top of the side walk did put her at a height advantage in her sneakers, but the courage inside her made her feel tall enough. “Don’t you have little boys to chase after?” Amy’s eyes widened and her lips parted in a gasp, “Move your car before I crush it with my toy.”
Maria turned around and got into the car. She moved the car forward and waited for Amy to move hers. Amy moved the car back, completely blocking Maria in. Maria looked at her in the rear view mirror and smiled, she could see how petty Amy was being and the best way to reciprocate was by being pettier. Maria revved the car as a warning, but Amy didn’t move, then she backed it up fast and stopped inches away from Amy. Amy was frightened and even more enraged, but she didn’t move.
“Okay, if that’s the way you want it.” Maria said moving the car forward.
“Mama, what are you doing?” Michael asked quietly, then turned to look out the back window.
“Keep your eyes forward honey.” she revved the car and reversed it fast. Amy pushed her car forward, but she didn’t make it in time. Maria scratched her back bumper before she drove off, leaving a screaming Amy on the road alone.
Michael laughed, sitting properly on his seat, “Mama, you need a time out.”
***
Carol opened Dave’s door laughing, drawing Dave back to reality, “Your wife’s lawyer is on the phone. She says your girlfriend tried to run Amy over.”
“What?”
“I knew I liked Maria a lot, I bet the witch tried to take Izzy, she didn’t bet on mama bear.”
“Mama bear?” Dave picked up the receiver, smiling at the thought of Maria running Amy over, but he hoped she hadn’t, because she had enough problems on her plate.
She turned to leave, “Maria is very protective of Izzy and Miguel, I mean Michael.”
“Carol.”
“Don’t worry, my lips are sealed.” She closed the door behind her.
“What is it?” Dave asked directly into the receiver, his professional voice on.