Getting Even With Mister Smooth

Chapter 11

Maria didn't know how to react so she left right away. She expected someone to follow her out, instead she heard her dad stopped Mister Smooth, "We have another urgent issue." She was already out the door so she couldn't turn around to hear the details. She rolled her eyes and stormed off to the elevator. Damn it! Ignorant was bliss and if only yesterday was today and beyond.

"Mom, I need to talk to you in person," She demanded over the phone. She angrily hit the hang up button and stuffed the phone into her purse. As she pushed the first floor button, her phone rang. It was her mom calling back. As she answered, the call dropped as the elevator went down. Unable to hear, she gave up and said, "Mom, I can't hear you. I will call you back."

When she got out of the elevator, she heard a couple of beeps and then realized her cell was out of battery. Taking a couple of deep breathes, she walked coolly out of the building and towards her car. Her mom should be home and they will have a nice long talk about why she was lied to about her dad her whole entire life.

Maria's mom listened to the voicemail left by Maria and knew exactly what she wanted to talk about; however, she wasn't ready. She was braved for a moment and returned the call, however, it went straight to Maria's voicemail. She walked to her bedroom and went to pluck the picture frame of Maria from her side table. She quietly opened the back and looked at the other picture hidden inside of the frame. It was a picture of her ex-husband holding Maria as an infant and her. She took a deep breathe and let it out slowly. Ignorant was bliss during those last few days. Those memories she sworn she will never look back on, slowly crept in against her will. It felt just like yesterday when her world came crashing down.

Flashback to the day they were leaving the hospital...
"She is adorable," The nurse cooed at the baby as snuggled in Rea's arm.

"Can you take a picture of us?" Mead asked the nurse.

"Of course," the nurse agreed and took the camera. "Say, sleepless nights."

"Thank you," Mead thanked the nurse as he took the camera back. "Alright, it looks like we are packed and ready to head back home. I want to stop by the store quick to develop these photos. I can't wait to frame them up. I love you Rea and Maria. You two are my best girls."

"We love you, too," Rea smiled brightly at her husband.

That day was suppose to be great. They were going home from the hospital. Instead, Maria cried the entire way home and Mead insisted he needed to develop the photos. When they arrived home and Rea was ready to crash from the lack of sleep. No sooner after they settled into the house and Mead got the baby to stop crying, the door bell rang. Annoyed, Rea got up and begrudgingly opened the door. In front of her stood a ten years old, with disheveled hair and clothings. Never would Rea imagined that day went from bad to worst.

"Hi, my name is Rose and I'm looking for my dad. Do you know him? Mead? Mead ..." The girl introduced herself. "Are you okay? Lady? Lady? Help! This lady fell down ..."

Back to present day ...

"Mom," Maria called out into an empty house. She turned on the lights and went into the kitchen. She jumped back a little when she saw her mom sitting at the table silently. Her mom looked lost in thoughts. Maria called out again and then walked up to her, placing her hand over her shoulder, "Mom, are you okay?"

"Sweetie," her mom responded and looked up with tears in her eyes, "I'm so sorry I made you missed out on your dad. He was a good man and he just wanted to do the right thing. I shouldn't have made him choose between us and Rose ..."