AFTER Maria changed Sara’s clothes, she decided to take a bath and refresh herself. She needed to clear her thoughts about what happened last night. Euclid bid a million just to save her without knowing her real identity––that it was her, Maria.
While she was on stage dancing for her life, Maria expected that night to be a nightmare again for her. Everything was planned, from the moment that she stepped on the stage up to the bidding. But, Euclid ruined the night by beating the highest bidder––which was also the person that Maria needed to transfer all the items that’s in their possession that night.
Euclid was right on what he found out about her, she was a carrier, a runner, or whatever they called a person that delivers illegal items towards the customer. But, it was a different process for Maria. In order to get the items from her, the buyer should book a night with her.
The only reason why Maria asked for Euclid’s help who was disguised as a businessman that night, is because she doesn’t want to be with the old man that ordered the items from her. That old man was a usual customer, one of the big times, and even he paid her more than her service fee, Maria doesn’t want to be with him again. He’s a devil. A monster. He was like a hungry animal that ravished on her flesh the moment that she stepped inside his darkroom.
Maria didn’t expect that what she did was a wrong move. If she didn’t seduce Euclid to bid higher, she would’ve escaped the club. She wouldn’t be in prison. Euclid wouldn’t be here with her and near Sara.
Still, she has plans. Maria wouldn’t just waste all her efforts for nothing.
Wendy was cooking their dinner when Maria stepped out of the toilet. She looked at her and knotted her forehead when she noticed her staring at her. “What?
“What are those marks?” Wendy asked and pointed to the red marks on her arm.
Maria looked on her arm. “Just some scratches…” she rubbed her arm. “We’re crowded in there, remember?”
Wendy narrowed her eyes at her. “Did somebody hurt you inside the prison?”
“Prison?” Sara asked. “You went to prison, Mommy?”
“No, baby,” Maria and Wendy both denied.
“It was mommy’s friend that went to prison,” Wendy said and ushered Sara towards the couch. She turned on the TV and switched it to her favorite kid’s channel.
Maria noticed that Euclid wasn’t around. “Where’s Euclid?”
Wendy knotted her forehead. “Euclid? Oh, Sir Euclid, you mean?”
Maria rolled her eyes ceilingwards. “Yes, where he is?”
Wendy shrugged her shoulders. “He said that he has something to do and he’ll be back later.” She narrowed her eyes at her. “Tell me, is he your boyfriend?”
“Shh!” She glared at her. “Lower down your voice, Sara might hear you––”
“Wait, so he was really––?”
“No,” Maria cut off. “He was just assigned to guard us here,” she said and wiped her wet hair with a towel. “I told you––”
“Why does he have to guard you? Are you in danger?” Wendy asked, the creased on her forehead deepened in confusion and curiosity.
Maria hesitated to answer. She doesn’t know if she’ll tell Wendy about her case. But, if she tells her, she might get involved with the problem, and she doesn’t want that to happen. Wendy doesn’t deserve all of this, and so does Sara.
“It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me,” Wendy said suddenly. “The less I know, the better. But, Maria, whatever trouble that you’re into, please be smart to take care of yourself.”
“I know,” Maria said and smiled at Wendy. “Thank you for understanding me, Wendy.”
“I learned to respect your privacy from the time that you refused to tell who’s Sara father is,” Wendy said and continued on with what she was doing. “I know that she’s not the result of the abuse that you experienced. I can see it on how you take care of her––”
“Whatever the reason for Sara’s coming into my life is not important to me,” she cut off. “She’s my child, my flesh and blood. She’s the only person that I know that can love me unconditionally.”
“I know, Maria,” Wendy squeezed her arm. “That’s why I want you to think of your safety. Sara needs you, as much as you need her.”
Maria looked at her daughter who was now busy on her favorite kid channel. “You’re right, Wendy. I have to live long for Sara.”
*
Euclid put down the empty bottle of beer and asked the bartender for another. But, Fred stopped him. He doesn’t know when did he arrive or how the hell he knew where he was.
“Fuck those undercovers,” Euclid muttered when Fred sat beside him on the counter. “They tell you where am I, aren’t they?”
Fred knotted his forehead. “Did you forget that I’m an IT specialist? I installed GPS microchip on your watch––”
“Fuck, you can’t be serious, Frederick,” Euclid looked at his wristwatch and wondered where the hell did his partner installed that chip.
“Dude, is this a pre-celebration of an accomplished mission?” Fred asked and beckoned to the bartender to give him a bottle of Margaret.
Euclid laughed as soon as Fred grabbed the bottle of his favorite drink. “When you have decided to settle down, look for a girl whose name is Margaret I’m sure you wouldn’t get tired of her, just like how you loved that drink for decades.”
“Shut up,” Fred growled. “You should have invited me to this advanced celebration of yours––”
“Fuck off,” Euclid muttered. “Do I look like celebrating?”
Fred looked at him. His chinky eyes were like a slit peeking inside him. “Is staying with Magdalene’s house not worth celebrating?”
Euclid cursed under his breath. He remembered again how Maria shunned him away from her house just a while ago. “She doesn’t want me around…”
Fred almost choked on his drinks. He shot him with a surprised look. “Dude, I am not surprised that Maria shunned you, what am I surprised about is you are letting her violate our investigation protocol––and, also her sworn statement.”
Euclid didn’t answer. He stared at his empty bottle of beer and tried to ditch Maria from his thoughts, but he can’t. He can’t just erase her in his mind. She was like a bug that intruded on his system and corrupted his files one by one. Just like what she did when he first met her. She marked him, just like how he marked her before his graduation day.
“Tell me, are you in love with her?” Fred asked him.
Because of so many thoughts in his head, it took him seconds to answer. But even how many years have passed, his feelings for Maria didn’t fade. It was like gold that doesn’t tarnish, like a wine that gets stronger through the years of being buried. His love for Maria will never change nor alter. But, Maria’s love for him wasn’t like his love for her.
“She’s my life…” Euclid whispered. “But, I am just nothing to her.”
Fred tapped his shoulders. “I’m right. Maria is the same girl that you kept on mumbling the name in your sleep.”
Euclid looked at Fred with a knotted forehead. “That’s impossible.”
Fred chuckled. “My grandmother told me that people don’t lie in their sleep. That’s how she caught grandpa’s cheating.”
Euclid shook his head. “Give me another beer––”
“Dude, you have captured her again. Will you let her lose this time?”
He looked at his partner. “For the mission’s sake, I won’t.”
Agent Fred shook his head. “Go on and fool yourself.”
***