Eyes Of Muniz

Chapter 21

Michael ignored Marisa's appealing nightwear and gazed around the room. He seemed to have forgotten what she'd asked him.
" Excuse me, why are you in here?" Marisa asked him.
"Italy, end of this week" Michael said trying to focus on the decorated lamp on her bedside.
"What are you saying?"
" We'll be going to Italy so I don't know if you prefer changing your wadrobe her or you'll do it there?" Michael knew she was going to protest but he had no time for that today.
"Italy? What for? You can't drag me with you over there and I know this is not because of our situation but rather your personal benefit. Mauricio.."
"I think it'll be wiser if you do the shopping here. They say they're nice clothes in Italy but I wouldn't want you moving around a lot" Michael said cutting her off.
"I am not going with you'".
"Shut up!" Michael roared. He saw her eyes widen with shock.
"Did you just..."
"I am not doing this with you. Stop acting like a child. Where I go, you go unless I tell you to stay. I need to keep an eye on you" Michael said. He would have made his exit but he still had more to say.
"So I can't make decisions for myself? Do I still have a life?"
"You leave first on Thursday then I come on the weekend. I still have stuff to take care of. I'll fill you in on the details on Wednesday", Michael said. He turned and exited Marisa's bedroom. He didn't care if she had something to say or not. He wanted to slow her down. She was getting too comfortable around him.

Marisa was in the kitchen later in the evening, cooking. She had told the maid to get some rest. Besides, she was not used to having anyone running around trying to make her feel comfortable. She did not like the new arrangement at all. Living under the same roof with Michael was monotonous. The worst thing was that she was pregnant. She knew it was going to be difficult for her to share the responsibility with Michael. He seemed down for it but she did not buy that. Marisa knew a nothing about his childhood or parents. She was curious. What if he was actually a good person who had been consumed by the darkness of an unspoken past? Marisa found out she was not curious but rather concerned. She did not really understand Michael, he would be a bit cheerful then the next second he'd want to destroy you.
Ned had been blowing her phone up and she wouldn't dare tell Michael. She did not know how he would react.
Marisa sighed as she served herself spaghetti and sauce. She was feeling really hungry. She took a soda from the fridge and left over beans to go with her tortillas. Marisa knew it was too much but she had a huge appetite. Michael was not going to be there till Wednesday so she didn't care. She let down her waist length hair and relaxed. She was going to eat in the kitchen because the dinning room was large and lonely.
Marisa started wolfing down the spaghetti and tortillas. She opened a can of soda and gulped it down. Never had eating felt so good.
"Is that Soda?" Marisa jerked up and saw Michael walking in. Wait, was he supposed to be home?
"What, no. What soda? Where?" She said taking the can and throwing it in the small bin.
"Damn woman! I saw that" he exclaimed.
"Saw what? I didn't see a thing" she faked confusion. Michael stared at her. She looked beautiful with her hair down. He wanted to scold her for eating unhealthy but he was distracted. Of course he did not want to be in her space but she was just looking beautiful. He tried to push it at the back of his mind.
"Were you seriously drinking a soda?"
"Are you hungry?" Marisa dodged the question. She knew he wouldn't take any of it.
"Garbage in, garbage out. What will happen to the baby if you eat junk food?" Michael asked. He was starving but he couldn't admit it.
"Okay, I won't. Have some tortillas, will you?" She said taking the tortilla and filling it up with spiced beams.
"I'm not hungry, okay?" Michael said vehemently. Marisa took the tortilla and stretched out her hand to him.
"Have a bite" she offered. Michael stared at her and waited. He took a bite, the tortilla still in Marisa's hand. It was delicious. He took it from Marisa and devoured it.
"Teach me how to fill it up" he said sitting on one of the stools next to her.
"Sure, just take your tortilla and I'll help with the filling" Marisa said to him. He was pleasant today and she didn't know what that made her feel. Or she knew.
"Do I need my fork and knife to eat?" Michael asked after he had filled his tortilla up with spiced beans.
" Of course but where's the fun in that?" Marisa filled up another one and wolfed it down. Micheal watched her eat.
"We really don't need a fork and knife" he said laughing. Marisa froze. Michael had laughed. She reluctantly gazed at him. He was breathtakingly gorgeous. He munched into his tortilla and Marisa was still watching him. Michael looked up at her and went back to his tortilla.
  "You look good with your teeth out" Marisa said causally.
"We talk with our teeth out" Michael said with a shrug. He forked into Marisa's spaghetti.
  "That's mine!" Marisa said taking the fork from him. He took another fork and and went back to his seat.
"Can I?"
   "Sure, you were starving were you?"  She asked him.
"Because I am eating?"
  "Well, yes. Why are you home?"
"So I cannot be in my house when I want to?" Michael asked putting the fork down.
  " I didn't say that. I thought I was supposed to see you on Wednesday just like you said in the morning" Marisa said. She was scared he was going back to himself again. He had been pleasant and she had never seen him like that ever. Marisa did not want to upset him. She was enjoying his company. He was eating in the same plate with her! She felt a sudden rush of blood in her body. What was she doing?
"You won't see me anymore on Wednesday. Someone will take you to Italy on Thursday" Michael said standing up. He pushed the plate away.
  "Did I say something wrong?" Marisa asked him. She felt a painful ball of withheld emotions on her throat. She didn't even know why Michael's sudden mood swing was bothering her that much.
"You never say anything right", Michael told her.
  He left the kitchen and went to bed. Marisa wasn't the person to be around for a long time. She'd change him, he didn't want that to happen.
   Michael heard his door crack open and he appeared from the bathroom only to see....