| Maria rolled over on her side and pulled the comforter up to cover her from the chilliness of the room. It was the touch of something cold and wet on her nose that made her open her eyes, but then quickly close them when the sunlight started to sting. She finally ducked under the covers as Cookie started to lick her face, making it difficult to get back to sleep. She held the comforter tightly as it was being pulled away with constant jerking motions. Maria giggled when Cookie started to scratch the cover with her little paws trying to dig her way to Maria. The wind was knocked out of her when Cookie pounced on her with all of her weight. Maria quickly sat up, knocking Cookie off balance, making her fall on her hind legs. Cookie shook her head to regain her composure then got up and hopped over to her master. Maria quickly assessed the room. Her stomach flip-flopped as she realized where she was. Groaning, she fell back into the bed and covered her face with her arm. The pressure on her chest made her peek under the protective arm. She smiled at Cookie, who was looking at Maria with a tilted head. “I know I know! Don’t look at me like I’m crazy. I already know that.” She picked Cookie up as she sat up on the bed. Looking Cookie in the eyes Maria gave her a firm nod. “Yes, I can deal with this. Nothing to worry about, it's a piece of cake.” Maria scratched behind Cookie’s ear to reward her for making her feel better. She looked around and finally found one of Michael’s t-shirt and got dressed before she got out and looked for him. She really didn’t want to be caught naked again. The room was a mess. She started to pick up the stuff she had thrown last night. She didn’t realize she had caused such commotion; maybe she was overreacting just a bit. A nervous giggle escaped her as she realized why she acted as she did, throwing things at him. She was really on edge on the ride up to this loft. She tried to sum up some of the courage that she had that morning, but it seemed all but disappeared. Seeing him and noticing how really sexy he looked in his sleeveless black T-shirt kind of surprised her. She always knew that Michael was always good looking, that was a known fact, but it never really struck her how sexy he could look with his face all scruffy and having paint all over him. Her nervousness was further agitated by his smugness and how calmed he was seeing her. The high-pitched whimper caught her attention and broke her train of thought. She looked down as Cookie scampered away on three legs. * Peering over the ledge from his studio Michael saw Maria crutching on the floor, holding Cookie close to her body. Michael stopped to clean his brush before he went downstairs. "You stepped on her paw?" Michael asked as he ascended the stairs. Maria looked up and gave him a puzzled look. "I stepped on her paw a few times yesterday." Michael explained. Maria looked up and quickly darted her eyes away from his shirtless body, trying to calm herself down with deep cleansing breaths. She finally looked at him and made a face and stood up to walk away from Michael, holding Cookie protectively, fending her from the evil boogy man. Michael just rolled his eyes, Maria could be so infuriating at times, almost annoying. "Hey, it was an accident. That dog kept on following ME around. Just be happy she isn't dead." Ignoring Michael, Maria spoke quietly to Cookie. “My poor baby. Did the mean OGRE hurt you?” Maria went and sat down on Michael's favorite chair and started to rub Cookie’s tummy. Cookie was laying on her back, spread angle, enjoying the attention that Maria is lavishing over her. Michael could have sworn that Cookie’s beady little black eyes were laughing at him as her tongue hung out from the side of her open mouth. “Well this mean OGRE took that MONSTER out while the Princess stayed in bed and slept.” “I’m not a PRINCESS!” Maria stood up and placed her hands on her hips, pursing her lips together. Michael just gave her a sideward glance and started to walk away. He clicked his tongue a few times and walked towards the kitchen with Cookie in tow. Maria’s mouth hung up. She wasn’t finished talking to him yet, how could he just walk away like that. “Don’t walk away when I haven’t finished talking to you,” Maria warned. Michael peeked his head from behind the refrigerator door and ducked back. “Are you hungry? Want some breakfast?” he asked casually. “No thanks! I’m not hungry,” said Maria in her most annoyed voice. She flopped down on the couch with her arms crossed. She sat there watching him as he took the milk out of the refrigerator and placed it on the counter, followed by two bowls and a box cereal from the cabinet. Michael looked up and smirked as he poured the milk into a bowl then put it on the floor for Cookie. Cookie was wagging her tail appreciatively as she waited for her breakfast. Michael was doing all of this in slow motion just to annoy Maria. He finally poured himself a bowl and started to eat his cereal as if he had never eaten before. Michael was making lude faces at her, taunting her because he knew she was hungry. Maria finally got up and stomped towards the bathroom with her clothes in hand. Michael cringed as she slammed the door. That didn’t go very well. * Laying her head on the door, Maria tried to calm herself down. She promised not to get so worked up, but somehow Michael always seemed to push her buttons. She quickly undressed and got back into her scrubs, then realized that her underwear was missing. Maria let out an angry groan. She needed to get out of his apartment. Maria took a longer time than she usually did in the bathroom to calm herself down. She had washed her face at least ten times to let the coldness of the water cool her ragging temper. Taking one final calming breath, she opened the door to face her demons. Two heads turned her way as she walked out of the bathroom. Michael was sitting on the couch watching TV with Cookie sitting on his lap. He turned his attention back to the TV, which made her slightly angry again. Cookie just sat there on Michael’s lap, looking at Maria with interest. Maria felt betrayed, her own dog didn’t even come to her; she preferred the enemy. Maria walked around the room and started to gather some of her stuff, but she couldn’t find her underwear. Turing around to face Michael, she spotted it, sitting on the couch a couple of feet away from him. Maria let out a determined sigh and walked toward the couch and reached for her belongings. His hand caught hers before she was able to get the black sheer thong that she was looking for. She looked down, thankful that he had put on a shirt, to see him looking at her with thoughtful eyes; she almost forgot that she was still mad at him. Both of their eyes glanced towards her hand and Michael slowly released his hold on her. “Maria- I’m, you know, sorry for taunting you-” Michael apologized as he scratched his eyebrow. “Well- Yeah, I’m sorry for being such a brat.” She gave him a weak smile. “I think we need to-” “You know what? I’m late. I have a thing with Liz today. Lunch. So- I better be going,” rambled Maria, as she interrupted Michael in mid sentence. She started to turn around and walk towards the elevator. Michael quickly stood up, ready to stop her, but he realized that she was trying to avoid it, the conversation. He’d rather have it out in the open, but he could wait until she was ready, or at least semi-ready. Maria turned around and looked for Cookie, but she was nowhere to be found. The little black rag finally came out when Maria called for her. Cookie walked halfway between Michael and Maria and sat down, looking back and forth between them. Maria called her again, but the dog sat there unmoved, just wagging her tail. “I don’t think she wants to go-” Michael stated with his hands in his pockets. “I don’t care what she wants. I don’t have time for this.” Maria was getting agitated again. “How about I keep her here for another day and you just drop by and pick her up when you are ready?” She didn’t want to be in his apartment any longer, since the whole situation was making her nervous. She needed to get out here now. Maria stood there looking at Michael, uncertain, mulling over what he just offered. It was actually a very good solution since no one would be home with Cookie anyways. Maria gave Michael a lopped-sided smile and nodded. * The wind picked up. Liz’s hair danced like ribbons as she sat outside of the restaurant waiting for her date to arrive. She looked up at the sky for any signs of rain. The clouds looked menacing as they moved across the sky and turning grayer than when she first left her house. Maybe it was a bad idea to sit in the patio. Liz was already out of her chair, ready to go back into the restaurant, when Maria showed up. “Sorry for being late.” Maria leaned in and gave her best friend a big hug. “You know, you didn’t have to stand up on my account.” She winked and smiled at her friend as she reached for a chair to sit down. Liz grabbed Maria’s hand and turned her around. “Inside- I think it’s gonna rain soon.” Maria looked up at the growing darker sky. “Oh, okay.” It started to pour outside as they scooted into the booth next to the windows. “So what are you craving for Maria?” Liz asked as the thumbed through the menu. She looked up to see Maria staring outside, looking at the rain running down the window. “Maria- Maria? Maria- Ma-ri-a-” Liz reached over and touched Maria on her arm, getting Maria’s attention. “Maria? Are you ok?” Liz asked as concern etched her face. “Yeah- why do you ask?” “Well, I don’t know. Maybe because I’ve been calling your name like five times, but you kept on looking outside. You seem preoccupied.” “Oh sorry- I guess this storm took me by surprise. I mean we never get this kind of rain this time of year. It’s kind of scary and beautiful at the same time.” Liz raised her eyebrow at Maria’s last statement. Something was up with Maria; Liz just knew it. Maria only got this “this way” when her mind was preoccupied, and that usually meant a guy was involved. “So who is it?” “Huh?” “Who’s the guy? What’s his name?” “There’s no guy-” “Ma-ri-a, I know you- And you have that confused aura around you.” “Gosh you sound like my mother!” Maria gave Liz a smile, which quickly turned slightly upside down. “You know, I miss her sometimes. And days like these make me miss her even more.” Maria looked down and started to move the silver ware around aimlessly. “I’m sorry sweetie. I know you do and so do I, but I’m not letting you off the hook that easy. So don’t try to change the subject. So who’s the guy?” Liz gave Maria a determined look, the kind that could only be shared between long time childhood friends. “I swear! There is no guy. Well-” Maria looked up under her lashes, seeing if Liz caught the bait. “Well-” “Unless you want to count Brody Davis. I mean, Dr. Brody Davis.” “Dr. Davis? Sounds interesting-” “Not really, I kinda blew him off, I think, can’t really remember,” explained Maria in her most uninterested voice. “-I’ve been lacking in sleep.” “I’m not buying it. You’re hiding something-” Liz was interrupted by the waiter who appeared from nowhere. The waiter quickly left after he got their orders. Liz finally decided to drop the subject. Sooner or later, Liz knew that Maria was going to break; it was just a matter of time. “So Max told me that Michael was sitting Cookie for you. How did that happen?” Maria was grateful that Liz was sipping her drink and not looking at her. Her stomach jumped and all the blood rushed out of her face at the mention of Michael’s name. “Ah, yeah- Tess made him dog-sat Cookie.” “Really? Why?” “Kyle took Tess somewhere for the weekend. Dunno-” “Oh? Really? Hmmm…” “Hmm? Hmm what?” “Oh nothing- just wondering.” “You know something and you’re not saying. I know you Liz. I know when you are keeping a secret from me. It's in your eyes,” Maria said as she leaned closer towards her friend. “Then you know how I feel!” Maria gave up in defeat. She just wasn’t sure how Liz would take it. She wasn’t scared of criticism, because Liz was not that kind of person. But at time Liz could be a little overprotective, not as bad as Kyle, no one is as bad as Kyle, but Liz was a close second. Maria gave Liz a questioning look when she saw Liz's face after the food arrived. "What?" "You must be really hungry?" Liz couldn’t believe that Maria was going to eat all that food. "Yeah- kinda. Didn't grab anything when I left Michael's this morning." Maria started to eat her Lemon-Herb Roasted Chicken with gusto. “Why were you at Michael’s?” Maria’s stomach lurked at Liz’s question. Slowly chewing her food, Maria answered with a semi-full mouth, “he’s sitting Cookie again.” “Oh, I see. So I guess you’ll be seeing him tonight again?” Liz asked casually as watched Maria eat. She’s known Maria all her life and she knows when Maria was keeping something from her. Keeping her eyes down, Maria shrugged her shoulders to answer Liz. She was relived when Liz’s cell phone rang. TBC |
| Part 5 |
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