Star Bright novel Chapter 3

She responded turning around and walking to the back room. She pulled her jacket out of her locker and shrugged it on. She sat down on the bench with her purse held on her lap, silently waiting for Jane to finish up so they could go home. She knew she would get into trouble for leaving those jerks unattended, but that would be child’s play compared to what Ricky would do if he walked in and found her with them.

Maria took a deep breath and fought the urge to search for Ricky, fearing he might at any second attack her for the idiot’s remark. The thought of another beating sent a cold chill down her back, and it angered her that she lived in constant fear. She hated men. If she could, she would take them all out, starting with Ricky, then the assholes at her table and then maybe find her dad and kill him too. If he bothered to visit once in a while, he would have taken care of Ricky like a father should and she would finally breathe easy.

She hated men.

All men.

Every single one of them.

They were like roaches infesting the world, never dying. And if one did, another one was born to replace him and pick up the trend of objectifying, hurting and using women like toilet paper.

Michael was a child, so he didn’t count.

****

Maria stood on the porch and watched Jane drive away before she went into her home. Edna was wonderful enough to take care of both their kids while they were at work, but Maria always felt like she was taking advantage of her mother, all things considered. She went into her son’s room to watch him sleep. She loved doing that. It gave her the peace that she so badly needed. She sat down next to him gently stroking his long hair. Edna always said he looked like Miguel, but Maria could see some traces of Ricky and she hated that. He had his brown eyes, his chin and a stare that scared her when he got mad because she could see more of Ricky in it than her beautiful son. But the rest he got from her or Miguel.

She reached down and kissed his forehead. He stirred awake and turned to face her, his fists rubbing his sleepy eyes, “Mama.” he whispered.

“Hi honey, go back to sleep.” She pulled the covers higher under his arms. He stretched his arms out for a hug. Maria bent down and held her son tightly against her. She loved him so much, she was sure it was what kept her alive.

“Sleep here with me please?”

Prompted by the worry in his voice, Maria pulled him back and stared at him. The only time he asked her to sleep in his bed was when Ricky was drunk or he was scared, and there was only one thing that frightened him—Ricky.