Chapter Forty Eight
Maria walked from store to store buying things for the party. She went to the bakery and ordered Cinderella and Batman cakes then went to a party store and bought pink and blue decorations, and her last stop was at a catering office. This was both Izzy’s and Miguel’s first birthday party and she was determined to make it memorable.
She shifted Izzy on to her other hip and carried food samples in her other hand and walked out of the office. She was feeling exhausted after her late night and the whole morning of shopping. She wasn’t going back to the cafe to get Dave lunch, instead she’d just warm up the leftovers in his office and try the food samples. She didn’t think she could go back to the cafe after what happened.
She wanted to forget it ever happened and avoid everything that would remind her of it. She couldn’t go back to the whimpering state she was in before, she had a family and a new life and she wasn’t going to be able to live it if she lived with the fear of it happening again. Amy was bound to send her terror squad back for her, and she wasn’t going to keep working there and be a sitting duck, waiting for further harassments. She would go back and quit and just dedicate her time to her family.
She opened the back of the Prado and carefully put the food containers in a corner behind other party favours then closed the trunk. When she turned to face the traffic, a cold chill ran down her back and her knees buckled under her. She felt a familiar fear consume her as she stared at Ricky standing across the street smiling at her. With a whimper of distress she turned around hoping it was just a figment of her imagination. She leaned against the car for support, closed her eyes and took a few deep breathes.
Izzy’s small wet palm on her cheek forced her to open her eyes. She looked into her big, beautiful, blue eyes and willed herself to find refuge in them. She turned back around slowly and searched the streets for Ricky. When she couldn’t spot him, she wasn’t sure if she should be relieved or scared.
She kept stroking Izzy’s hair back and kissing her forehead nervously, “He wasn’t really there, it was just my imagination. We are safe, very safe because he isn’t here, he isn’t in New York.”
She pushed her legs to move to the side of the car. She opened the back door and put Izzy in her chair, and buckled her in with shaky hands. She moved to the driver’s door and got in. She sat there for a few moments, pacing her breath as she tried to calm down. She couldn’t panic, she had nothing to fear, Ricky was in Jacksonville, and if he was here, Edna or Jane would tell her.
She started the car and drove slowly. That pep talk didn’t comfort her, she was still frightened and unsure of what she’d seen. The man was not only haunting her dreams, but also when she was wide awake. If it was really Ricky, she needed to get Michael and run, or she could tell Dave the truth, he would surely know what to do.
***
Ricky watched Maria drive the car away and laughed to himself. He felt jealous to see she had moved up in life. He was sure she had found a lover, a rich one, it would explain the baby she was carrying. He doubted she was a babysitter, or she could have started as one before she began warming his bed, otherwise Michael would be with her and no rich family would let a nanny drive an expensive car like that just to run errands. A quiet fire simmered inside him. She now had everything and he still had nothing, but soon she would lose everything, starting with Michael.
***
Maria walked into Dave’s office to find four policemen seated on the couch. She moved slowly towards Dave, who was standing facing them. Her mind ran a marathon as she thought of everything that could be wrong. Did he already know about Ricky? Or did something bad happen to Michael?
“What’s going on? Did something happen to Michael?” she asked, worried.
Dave took Izzy from Maria and placed the other arm around Maria’s waist, “No, Michael is fine and in school.” He kissed the top of her head and held her closer.
“Then what’s going on?”
“We are here because of the break in at the apartment.” Two police officers commented.
“We are here about your harassment yesterday.” The other two said.
“What?” Maria turned and looked up at Dave.
“You really didn’t expect me to let them go free?” Dave answered her puzzled look.
“Would you like to press charges against the boys and Mrs. Greer?”
“Daniels, her name is Daniels.” Dave corrected. He didn’t want her to keep using his name anymore, he’d stated that as a term in the divorce. The moment she signed the divorce papers was the moment she relinquished his name.
“No I don’t want to press charges against anyone.” Maria took Izzy back and put her in her play pen.
“Maria you can’t be serious!”
She walked back to the four cops and shook their hands one by one as she ushered them out, “Thank you for coming. You guys are doing a great job, but I’m sure there are people who need you more than I do now.” She smiled courteously at them before she closed the door.
“What are you doing Maria?” Dave asked, moving towards the door.
Maria stood in his path, “We have more urgent problems to worry about.” she felt a lump in her throat as her eyes began to sting full of tears.
Dave’s annoyance changed to worry, “Honey what’s wrong?”
She used her knuckle to brush a tear away. She swallowed the lump in her throat before she spoke, “Ricky…” she cleared her throat as she shifted her gaze between the floor and Dave, “Ricky is alive and I think… I think I saw him.” She placed a hand over her mouth to muffle her sobs as tears flowed freely down her cheeks.
Dave pulled her to him and held her tight. He had hoped she’d never find out he was around, but she had and now her whole life had been rocked.