Star Bright

by Christina OW

  Michael looked up at Maria and winked before he went back to his shake. Maria chuckled, “It’s nice to meet you Jane. Is there anything else, any part of the interview my son hasn’t covered yet?”

  “Miguel covered everything, just fill out the form and you can start work on Monday.”

  Maria’s eyebrow rose in amusement. Her son was more like a con artist than a lawyer, actually what was the difference? “I can’t start so soon, I have to find a school for my son.”

  “It’s a few weeks to summer, schools are about to close for the holidays, but there is a day care across the street, my daughter goes there. I’ll just fix that up for you on Monday. I’ll bring you your food.” She turned and left.

  Maria sat down opposite Michael, “Miguel? We only got separated for half a minute and you have a job, a day care and a whole new identity for us, are you sure you aren’t an old man in a four year old body?”

  Michael waited until his glass was completely empty before he spoke, “If you have a code name I don’t see why I shouldn’t. And anyway, I saw the for hire sign, and I want to see the building across the street.” He pushed the glass away to make space for the plate full of burger and fries that Jane brought. She had that familiar waitress smile on her face.

  Maria looked at Michael, this was one of the times she felt like she was talking to an adult and not a child, “Please go back to being a baby, you scare me when you act so mature like that.”

  “I haven’t been a baby since I was three,” he whispered. His face darkened for a while before it lit up again, “but starting today, I’m going to be a baby, promise.” He picked up a few fries and stuffed them in his mouth.

  Maria looked at him, she felt so guilty when she saw the shadow that crept over his face. It was her fault he felt the need to grow up so fast. He was going to have his childhood and never find out about Ricky, ever.

  Chapter Eight

  “Carol, please bring Elizabeth in here.” Dave put down the receiver and closed the files on his desk. He folded his hands behind his head and leaned back. He felt exhausted and annoyed that he had to work on a Saturday. He had hoped to take Elizabeth to the zoo or to the fair, but he had to take over Todd’s client because he couldn’t deliver. Being considered the best did have its disadvantages.

  Carol walked in with Elizabeth on her hip, “There is someone here to see you.” she stepped aside and let the man in.

  Dave sat up straight and looked at the trio. He waved to his daughter as the door closed, leaving him and his visitor alone. He pointed to the seat opposite him, inviting his guest to sit down. Dave looked him over and smiled. He had a habit of assessing the people he met. His guest was short and plump, his cheeks were chubby and he was balding in the middle of his head. He was dressed in black with heavy gold jewelery. He looked conspicuous, underhanded, and greedy, a person who made business deals in dark allies. Exactly the type of person he needed for what he wanted.

  “If you are here it means you have what I need?” Dave asked him directly, his voice stern. He’d waited weeks for the tape. Since he had called Amy out on her teenage boyfriend, she had avoided bringing him into the house, Dave wasn’t even sure she was still with him. But he didn’t care who she was with, the end result was what he wanted, and it was finally here.

  The man put a compact disk on Dave’s desk with a wide naughty grin on his face. Dave didn’t have to ask to know he had watched it, probably kept a copy. He pulled the disk closer to him, opened his drawer, took out a wad of cash and put it on his desk in front of his visitor.

  His grin widening, he pointed to the screen mounted on Dave’s office wall, “Aren’t you going to watch it?”

  Dave felt disgusted by his perverted look. He might not love Amy anymore, nor respect her in the least bit, but he didn’t appreciate other men looking at her in a pornographic light. That bothered him more than her affairs, she was still the mother of his daughter. “I hope you didn’t make copies, because if you did...” he gave him a harsh grin, “I don’t think I have to say more than that.”

  The man’s grin faded and he stood up, discomforted by the silent threat. He knew what Dave would do, everyone knew Dave and his reputation, he was the defender criminals were willing to pay anything for and feared more to face in court than the District Attorney. “No, you don’t. You have a beautiful daughter.” He walked to the door.

  Dave stood up and looked at him, his posture and face stern and harsh. The man reached for the door and rushed out of it scared by the impressionable stance of Dave. He didn’t take the threats lightly, especially the harsh one that countered his implied threat to his daughter. As much as he liked watching Dave’s wife and her young lover, he had to get rid of the copy he made, if he intended on staying a free man, or a live one.

  Dave followed him out his door and watched him leave. The implied threat on his daughter had angered him, if it was under other circumstances, he wouldn’t have let it slide, but he wasn’t going to provoke the little pervert into uploading the video of his wife on the internet. But he would have to keep an eye on him, a closer one on Elizabeth.

  He felt a sticky palm on his cheek and heard a shrilly laugh in his ear that melted all his anger away. He turned to look at her tiny face. She had her bright smile on, her blue eyes were lit up excitedly. He looked at her and laughed, she looked very sticky and pink. She waved a big pink lollipop in his face, and then stretched out her hands for him.

  He took her from Carol, but held her hands away from him, “Really Carol?”

  “What, her teeth are going to fall out anyway.” She took a wet wipe from her desk and wiped his sticky cheek.

  “So you thought you’d help them along? This is too big for her mouth.” Dave pulled the lollipop from her hand. She looked at him, the smile gone, her eyes shifting between the candy and her father.

  Wiping Elizabeth’s sticky hands and face, “She’s going to blow Dave.”

  “I’m not giving this back to her, she’s making a mess and she’ll get a cavity.” Elizabeth stretched out for her candy, but Dave held it away. She looked at him, her face creasing in anger, “She looks so cute when she does that, like...” he stopped, and then looked at her, looking at the resemblance to Amy.

  “Like Amy. Just because she’ll look like her, doesn’t mean she’ll be like her,” Carol took the lollipop from Dave, wiped the stick then wrapped a wet wipe around it, “And besides, you have dental.” she said, with a smile handing the candy back to Elizabeth. She smiled managing only to put half of it into her mouth.

  Dave pointed at her mouth, “See, I told you it’s too big.” He wrapped his fingers around her hand, tried to pull the candy away from her mouth, but she patted and pulled his hand away. He chuckled and left it alone, he did have dental.

  He walked into his office, but walked back out, “Carol, ask Todd to see me on Monday, tell him it’s about my divorce.”

  Carol squealed, which made Dave smile. He had expected her reaction to be that of jubilation about his divorce, “Do you really want Todd to handle that, he might screw it up, like he does everything else?”

  “I’m not stupid. I’m preparing the papers, he’s just going to sit and look pretty at the mediation meetings.”

  “Why does he still work here anyway, since he’s so useless and we have to fix his messes?”

  “His last name is McKenzie, which might have something to do with it.”

  “We are wasting each other’s time here, I’m not giving you a divorce.” Amy spoke cooly. She faced Dave across the conference table, a wicked smile across her face. Dave had informed her about wanting a divorce close to two months ago. She thought of it as one of his silly threats, until he served her divorce papers. She was peeved about it at first, begged a few times, tried to seduce him too, when that didn’t work she convinced herself it was for the best. A divorce would relieve her of her motherly and wifely duties which she hadn’t performed in years and it would ensure a constant money flow in alimony. She
loved Dave, but hated him more for the fact that he loved Elizabeth than he did her, and so her best revenge would be milking him out of as much money as she possibly could.

  “Why not?” Dave answered with his professional voice.

  “Because you won’t give me what I want.”

  “I’m not giving you that much, so take what I’m offering.”

  Amy leaned forward on the table, “I’ll only take that if I have sole custody of Elizabeth.”

  Dave banged his fist hard on the table that it made the glasses tip over, spilling the water. Both their lawyers were startled by Dave’s anger and pulled back away from the table, “Over my dead body!”

  Amy leaned back, pleased by his reaction, “Then give me what I want, or we can go to trail and the judge will give us joint custody, and me half of everything you own.”

  Dave stared at her, fighting back the urge to reach over the table and break her neck. He knew Amy would be difficult about the divorce, yet he was still hopeful they would settle it quick and out of court. He didn’t want to go to court and expose how his wife really was, but they had been at it for weeks and her demands were becoming more and more insane.

  “You want to go to trial? Okay then,” he spoke, his voice harsh and cool, “You studied law and your lawyer can help refresh your memory. Todd let’s go out for lunch while our guests watch a movie.” He sauntered out of the room.

  “Dave,” Todd called after him. He stopped and turned to him, “I’ll stay and wait for their decision.” Dave stared at him so austerely that it made Todd cringe. He knew why Todd wanted to stay and it had nothing to with his professional obligation.

  “Do what you want. Give them the pictures first, that should be an ice breaker,” he turned, “I’ll be across the street.” He spoke as he walked away.

  He went to the day care center and picked up Elizabeth, his daughter always had a calming effect on him. He took her to the cafe and quietly ate his lunch as he watched his daughter play on top of the table. He didn’t want to go to court, not because he thought he would lose, but for his daughter. Showing all his peers and the public that the mother of his child was a slut was something he was trying to avoid. His colleagues would have a new found respect for him if he could rip his wife apart, he would surely do it with anyone else, but he didn’t intend on being a laughing stalk for the rest of his legal career.

  “Mama, are you sure everything is alright?” Maria spoke to Edna on the phone in the cafe kitchen. They talked everyday about Maria’s new life, Edna and Ricky. Maria felt a little relieved confirming Ricky was still in Mississippi, she didn’t even bother to ask her mother how she knew that, and Edna wasn’t offering any explanations.

  “Everything is fine. I moved back to my house yesterday, it looks better than it did before.” Edna placed a beer in front of her guest before she went back to the kitchen for the tray of sandwiches.

  “Won’t Ricky go back there for you?” Maria asked in a panic.

  “No, he wouldn’t dare. The sheriff has my house and Jane’s watched just in case. For a law man he was really disappointed Ricky was still alive.” she set the tray down and sat next to him. She turned to face him, she hadn’t realized he had been watching her with so much longing, and she knew why. She put the phone on speaker and moved it in between them.

  “Everyone is disappointed he’s still alive. Michael can’t know about it mama.”

  The man moved closer to the receiver, his lips parted in a smile. Edna felt a warmth rush through her when she saw how happy he was, “How is my little Martinez, I’ve missed him.” Maria’s laugh made the man grin even wider.

  “He goes by Miguel these days, mama you made him idolize a man who is never going to turn up,” the man’s grin shrunk. Edna was about to say something, but he stopped her, “Anyway he should be here for lunch. Call back in a few minutes, I’ll go get him.”

  Edna looked at him, he had a pained look on his face, “You didn’t have a choice.”

  “Yes I did. I should have stayed.” Miguel said out of frustration.

  “And get arrested and put in for life? You didn’t have a choice,” Edna stood up and walked to the kitchen. She didn’t want to get into an argument about it, she had the same argument with Maria for over ten years.

  “Then I should have taken you with me.” he followed her, continuing the argument.

  “You didn’t want us to be on the run.” Edna went back to the living room.

  “There is no excuse for what I did! My daughter got roped up with a low life and she’s now on the run, and you want to tell me it’s not my fault!” Miguel yelled, frustrated.

  “You should start with that when it’s time to bond with your daughter, that’s something you both take one side on,” Edna sat down and held the phone out to him, “now just wait a few minutes and then call your grandson.”

  Maria walked out of the kitchen to the dining area. It was her turn to get the kids for lunch while Jane held down the fort. She passed a man eating quietly, his daughter playing with the salt shaker on top of the table. She smiled, he looked so peaceful watching her, that’s how fathers were supposed to be. She didn’t get far before Michael and Julie came rushing through the door.

  “I told you to wait for me, what if something happened?” Maria spoke to the kids. Julie smiled up at her before she disappeared into the kitchen, Michael looked at her with the same amusement he always had, watching Maria make an effort of scolding him.

  “We were fine, Leo was watching us.” He said with a smile.

  Leo, Maria was glad she was wrong not to trust him. He had turned out to be a good friend to them and Michael was very fond of him. He was her personal security guard, making sure Michael didn’t walk out the building with any strangers, or alone at any time before and after lunch. He watched them cross the street and sometimes he brought them over himself. It made Maria even more relaxed worrying less about Michael. She still hadn’t garnered up the courage to tell him their real names, she felt embarrassed about it.

  “Make sure you carry some cake for him, right now go to the kitchen, your grandma will be calling soon.”

  “Grandma!” Michael yelled, running to the kitchen.

  Maria watched him, laughing. If she wasn’t sure he loved her more, she would have been very jealous of Edna. A woman marched past her, bumping her and almost tipping her over. When she got her footing she stared at the lady, peeved, she was about to go to her and give her a piece of her mind when the lady slapped the man who was sitting with his daughter. The man didn’t even look unsettled. He brushed his hand over the cheek she had hit and smiled up at her proudly. Maria watched them confused, if she had done that to Ricky, she would have been on the floor bleeding and crying.

  “I should have expected this from you!” Amy yelled, her voice venomous.

  “Which did you like best, the pictures or the movie?” He placed his hand on Elizabeth’s foot, she didn’t look at all stirred by the commotion her parents were causing.

  Amy lowered her voice to a dangerous whisper when she noticed several eyes on them. “That’s invasion of privacy!”

  “For the pictures, you were spread out on the lawn, and the video, you were in my house. What were you doing in law school Amy? Probably what you are doing in my house.” He spoke directly, the amusement gone from his voice.

  “I’m going to get you for this Dave!”

  Dave pulled Elizabeth closer to him. She laughed as she skidded across the table. “Take the deal and get out of our lives.”

  “Will you shut up!” Amy yelled at Elizabeth. The child went quiet, all the joy wiped from her face. She looked scared and close to tears. Maria got the urge to hit her for yelling at the baby, but she was sure the man would do much worse when she saw his face turn red, she could practically see the steam coming from his ears.

  Dave shot off his chair and grabbed Amy’s arm. He could feel his blood boil and his temper rising fast. He pulled her back and stared down at her, forceful
ly restraining himself from knocking the daylights out of her. Amy stared up at him petrified, she had never seen Dave so red with anger.

  Maria shifted her gaze between them. She felt her heart tighten as her breath shortened in a panic, more for herself than the woman. She could feel his anger from where she was standing, and the next thing she expected was a beating. She wanted to run out of the cafe, but she couldn’t leave the woman alone, so she held onto the chair next to her tight, and prayed someone would stop the fight before the man began swinging.

  “No deal.” Dave hissed out before he dragged Amy out of the cafe, away from the intrigued eyes. Amy’s scratching at his hand didn’t make him loosen the killer grip he had on her, instead it made him tighten it even more. He couldn’t bring himself to hit a woman, but he was going to take the little physical pain he was causing her.

  Maria stood there dumbfounded, as her heart got back its rhythm, not because of the rage she seen in the man, she was used to anger, but at the restraint he showed. If that woman was a man he most certainly would have hit her, and if he was Ricky’s type, without a shadow of a doubt she would have been black and blue. Maria watched them go at it from the window. The man had placed a considerable amount of distance between them, more restraint.

  Maria’s attention was attracted by the crying child they had left on top of the table. She went to her, picked her up and soothed her until she was quiet. It didn’t take long before she got distracted by the pendant Maria had on around her neck. Maria danced around with her, something Michael always loved when he was that tiny. The little girl’s face lit up and her beautiful laughter filled the room once more, Maria could see why the man was at peace when he was around his daughter, her smile and laugh were infectious.

  She looked out the window again, the couple was gone. Maria was shocked, she would never leave her child alone like that, especially in a public place, but they just did. She walked out and looked around the street, they were gone. She went back in, holding the bubbling girl, wondering what she was going to do with her.