Chapter Forty Six
Dave looked at her, stunned by the fear in her voice, “I’ll bring my work here, that way if you feel sleepy you can nod off comfortably.”
“Thanks, I’ll just fix up the bed so you can use it.” “Eat.” he said, before he walked out the room.
Maria looked around the room, alone again. She went into the bathroom and washed her face clean. Her eyes were red and swollen and her face felt puffy. She braided her hair back then put on her pyjama pants. She wasn’t going to take off the shirt. It felt good wearing Dave’s clothes, especially when it smelled so much like him.
She walked out the bathroom and found him sitting cross legged on the bed, his face creased seriously as he scribbled notes in a book. His lap top sat in front of him, papers scattered everywhere on the bed. She walked quietly across the room, picked up the tray of food and went to the couch. She ate the dull food quietly and watched him work, she was sure he didn’t notice her in the room. When he worked, he would get so engrossed, nothing else existed.
She sat there watching him for close to two hours before she saw him start to fade. She stood up and moved to the bed, “You need to sleep.” she pulled all the papers, laptop and notebook to her side.
“I still have a lot to get done.” He rubbed his hand over his face, feeling so exhausted. His body hurt and felt completely knotted up, he did need to sleep, but he couldn’t until he got everything put together.
Maria pulled the covers down and straightened his legs under them, “How much do you have left to do?”
“I just have to type my notes, but my fingers hurt.” he stretched out on the bed, glad to feel the comfort of the soft pillow under his head.
“I’ll take care of it.” she said repeating his famous line. She covered him, tucking the covers around him.
Maria then settled on her side and pulled the book and the laptop towards her. She chuckled softly when she saw his handwriting. It was completely like a woman’s, gentle, shaped and straight, even his scribbles were good. If she hadn’t seen him writing it, she could have easily concluded that it was Carol’s writing. She turned and looked at Dave’s peaceful face before she turned back to the laptop, “Let’s see how much of this I can get done.” She took to the keyboard and typed fast and frantically, silently thanking Edna for the night school secretarial course she had forced her to take once she found out she was pregnant with Michael.
After a few hours and thirteen pages done, Maria massaged her fingers and her neck. She was sore and her back felt more like a stiff board than flesh. She wondered how Carol could do this kind of work on a daily basis and still afford to smile and be so jovial, one thing Maria was sure of, was that she was never going to be a secretary, except when she needed to be Dave’s home secretary.
Waitress, mother, ‘wife’, home keeper and now home secretary, she was more useful with Dave than she’d ever been in her life, and as tired as she always was at the end of the day, she didn’t mind it at all. This was different, she wasn’t the bread winner, the slave, and neither did she bury herself in work just to avoid him. She was a human being, an equal partner, well, forty-nine percent, in the home and she was happy and Michael was happy.
Michael was happy, that’s all that mattered. She set the alarm to go off in an hour’s time, then she snuggled into bed close to Dave. She wanted to be closer, but she didn’t want to risk waking him up. She was a little stunned when Dave moved closer and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him. She looked up at him from under his neck, he was still soundly asleep. She smiled then settled back on his shoulder, closing her eyes and enjoying their closeness. His were a set of hands she didn’t mind having touch her.
***
Dave stretched out on the bed, his body feeling loose and rested. He couldn’t remember the last time he woke up without dreading to get out of bed. He turned to find the space next to him empty, Maria was up, probably making breakfast. He stretched out over her side and picked up the clock. He jumped out of bed and rushed to the shower, he was late for work, an hour late. He took a quick shower and went for the clothes that had been laid out on the couch. He was grateful Maria had thought of that, he only wished she had woke him up on time too. He looked around the room for his documents and laptop, they weren’t there, Maria.
He ran out the room, down the flight of stairs and into the kitchen. Maria was standing by the stove cooking bacon, eggs and sausages in a blue bath robe, her hair damp and smelling of jasmine. Michael was at the counter eating his breakfast, already dressed in his uniform, Izzy was in her high chair chewing on a peanut butter and strawberry jam toast. Normally Dave would take the time to admire the perfect picture of his family, but he was late and had work to get done.
“Maria why didn’t you wake me, and where are my things?” he stood behind the kids briskly tying his tie.
Maria placed a full plate on the counter, poured some orange juice in a glass and set it next to the plate, “You looked too peaceful to disturb.” she licked the jam from her thumb and picked up her cup of coffee, “Good morning Dave, there is your breakfast.” she said with a smile.
“Maria I’m late.” he shrugged on his jacket, “Michael is the only one who seems ready, and he will be late because you aren’t ready.”
“Kids.” Maria said completely ignoring him, “say good morning.” then she raised the cup to her lips with half a smile.
“Morning.” Michael said with a full mouth.
“Hi.” Izzy sang out with a smile, waving the toast at him.
Dave kissed the top of their heads, “Good morning.” then he turned to Maria impatiently, “Thank you for laying out my clothes, now I need to go to work.”
“Eat your breakfast.” she said coolly, combing her fingers through her hair.
“Maria, there won’t be any more breakfast if I get fired.” he moved round the counter to stand next to her.
“I called Carol and told her you will be late.” she placed her cup down and pushed Dave to the stool in front of his plate, “Last night’s work is already typed and emailed to your office and Todd has been instructed not to start anything else until you get there.”
Dave sat on his stool and stared up at Maria stunned, “I passed out before I finished, you tucked me in. Who made the calls and the emails?”
“I did.” she said proudly, “I told you I’d take care of it.”
Dave’s lips rose in a sweet smile, “You are awesome.”
Maria shrugged her shoulder and returned the smile, “All in a day’s work. I’m going to get dressed.” She turned and left the kitchen with a new skip in her heel, “Your things are in the living room.” she shouted over her shoulder.
“I already told you she was the best.” Michael turned on the stool to face Dave, “Now will you ask her to marry you? I’m tired of waiting.” he whined.
Dave chuckled loudly, “I’m trying.” cutting into his eggs. Now that everything had been taken care of by super woman, the only thing he could do was bask in the warmth that filled him and enjoy the morning with his family.