"Did you reschedule all my evening dates, Xavier asked.
She nodded, still perusing through a file.
"Why would you do that?" He curiously asked.
She shrugged.
"Today is the 11th of June." She simply stated, going back to her work.
"11th of June and so?" He asked, arching his brows, a gesture Maya finds insanely attractive while he wonders what goes on in the head of this assistant of his.
Why cancel appointments? Because it is June, he thought.
She stared at him in disbelief.
"11th of June, doesn't ring a bell in your business cramped memory?" She asked.
He stared at her, thinking hard but shook his head.
She threw a mini-sized stapler at him, which he timely dodged. Then glared at her, wondering what had crawled up her ass and died there.
"You know, I have seen men who are jerks to their friends, girlfriends, Fiancees, and even wives. But I have never seen anyone act like a jerk to their mother." She said her voice laced with incredulous wonder.
"And what have I done this time?" He asked confused.
"Today is your mom's birthday, your sister tweeted about it. I follow her on Twitter."
"You now follow Mel on Twitter?" He asked surprised at how close she was becoming with his sister. He had even seen a picture of them, hanging out on his sister's phone. She had shown him the picture and then in her own words, had stated he was a lucky bastard, undeserving of Maya but landed her anyway.
"On Instagram too, Friends on Facebook and we FaceTime and Skype also. But I can't believe that you are shocked about that and have 0 reactions to the fact that your mom is clocking 50 and you had no fucking idea?" She asked standing up, baffled.
He shrugged.
"I told Melissa we are going to show up for her birthday party. From Melissa's reaction, I doubt she even believes that and I can only imagine mom's reaction...."
"Firstly did you just call my mom, mom?" He asked, his lips curved in a thin smile.
"Now I see what is happening here, alright... Now you are all buddy-buddy with my sister, then you call my mom, mom? You just might as well, change your name to a Salvador." He stated.
"I am just looking out for your family, your mother... Trying to make..."
"Fucking concentrate on your family Maya, make your mother happy. Oh I remember, you don't fucking have one and so you have no idea what a family is." He yelled in one breath.
Her eyes were almost lifeless, as she took a step back and then staggers on her heels and fall.
_______________________________________
"You don't have a mother okay?" She yelled, sniffing the drug on the table.
"You are just a mistake! A nine months hangover that even your father called a bastard." She laughed hysterically.
She crawled closer to Maya who was crying beside her. Yanking her ears.
"The only good thing about you is that you have genitals that can be put into good use. So in a few years from now when I introduce you to the family business, never spread your legs open for any man named Darius, irrespective of how much they have to offer. Bastards with loads of active sperm! " She yelled.
________________________________________
"Fuck! Maya, I never meant that. I just... It just. Fuck. I am such a dickhead!" He whispered.
She shook her head.
"I bet you have been dying to say this. You are right though, I have no idea what the concept of the family feels like and it is your family, Your mother, Your sister, Your Terms. I am sorry for interfering." She said and then she struggles to stand up.
He made to help her.
Her brown irises were aglow with fierce anger.
"Don't you fucking try to touch me!" She yelled. Ignoring her protest, he gathered her in his arms, and then after thrashing and hitting him, she sobs breaking down.
Allowing him to hold her, tired of fighting him, tired of fighting the safety she felt in his arm.
She didn't know how many hours passed as she sobbed in his arms as he cradled her, caressing her hair. She honestly wasn't keen on knowing.
It was evening already, as he helped her buckle her shoes and she straightened her dress, refusing to look at him even as he gives her, her bag.
"I will come to pick you up ..... You didn't exactly tell me the time." He stopped, cupping her jaw so she looks at him unavoidably.
She gazed at him confused.
"We are going." He said, smiling at her.
She looked away, removing his hand from her face.
"I didn't have any right whatsoever to act out of line like I did today and the canceling of your appointments and then daring to even force you to do something that doesn't sit well with you...."
" Yes, you didn't have the right to do all that. But you did, because you are a good person and you can't help but think about the happiness of others, my mom inclusive. You are way too good for me Maya, and honestly in Melissa's voice, " he said, "I am a lucky bastard."
She frowned, noticing the creases and dried tears on his expensive tailored dress shirt.
"I am so sorry for the drama I caused..."
"Isn't that all we do here, you too are also getting entangled in a drama you have no idea about. My family drama." He whispered, smiling.
"I will reschedule All your dinner dates soon." She whispered.
"On second thought, don't." He whispered.
Their stares clashed for seconds.
"The party starts at 7."
"Expect your ride ma'am." He said with an exaggerated French accent, making it comical.
She laughed.
"It is a date then." She paused, "Not like a date, date, or anything of the sort. Just since we..."
He shook his head amused at her rant.
"It is a date." He whispered.