Eyes Of Muniz

Chapter 43

"My father in law?" Marisa asked. She saw Michael's shocked expression.

    "Yes, my son has mentioned me I suppose," Hebert said.

"Uh-mm he has mentioned.."

   "Marisa drop the call", Michael told her. She looked at him confused. Hebert was telling him to stay on the line on the other end.

"I think you should call your son, sir" Marisa said before dropping the call. She could see her hand shaking when she dropped the call. She then understood that Mauricio may have been right when he had mentioned 'family drama'. 

  "If he calls again do not take his call", Michael said taking his car keys. 

    "Where are you going?" Marisa asked him.

"To the river", Michael answered.

 "It is freezing cold", Marisa told him. He shrugged and continued to the door. Marisa went to bed when then the door closed. She had a flight tomorrow and whatever was happening between Herbert and Michael was waiting for them when they returned. First, she was going to tell Herbert that she was not his daughter in law.

Marisa rushed into the jet to avoid the chilly weather. Michael took off his shade as soon as he was in the jet. He had barely slept a wink last night because he had stayed up late at the river, lying at the back of the truck he had driven there and staring at the stars. He had dreaded going back but he could not stay. Michael had decided that he was going to take advantage of the long flight and sleep. He hoped Marisa would have changed her mind about leaving. Michael took one last glance at her before closing his eyes, she was not going to leave him.

It felt awkward for Marisa when they arrived at Michael's house after a long flight. He was making calls already and she wanted to talk to him about her moving arrangements. She also believed that he was now avoiding that conversation with her. She had taken a shower and went to take a nap. 

Marisa woke up around 5 am and headed to the kitchen. Michael was seated on the kitchen stool. He looked up and saw her come in. 

"Have you rested enough?" he asked her. 

    "Yes I have. I am starving though", Marisa said taking an apple from the fruit bowl on the table. 

"You want to go out and grab a bite?" Michael asked.

   "I feel tired, can we order something?" Marisa said. She really felt tired.

"Sure, what do you want?"

   "Pizza, pepperoni. I am going back to sleep", Marisa said turning to leave the room.

"Are you alright?" Michael asked her.

  "I guess I am. It's just that I may be tired", She replied and left. She had taken the same bedroom she had stayed in when she had been a maid. It was obvious that there was no need for her and Michael to share a bedroom anymore. There was no need to act and play roles anymore. Now she was back to being that pregnant girl who had issues with the baby's father. Marisa closed her eyes to sleep, shutting down any thoughts of whatever had happened in that bed. 

Michael came up to Marisa's room with pizza and orange juice. He found her asleep and hesitated before waking her up. He watched her while she ate. Marisa put the plate by her bedside when she was done. None of them said anything for a while.

"I need to be out of here by the end of the week", Marisa started.

   "We have not even been here for a day", Michael said. He had been dreading the moment that she was going to bring it up.

"I don't think it matters. We have to discuss this", She said. 

     "I am not letting you go more than mile from my sight, Marisa" Michael told her.

"You are not the boss of me", Marisa said.

   "I am not behaving like I am. I need to know that you and the baby are safe that is all", Michael replied her.

"I can take care of myself", Marisa told him.

    "Okay, do what you want. I can clearly see that this is about me. You are so eager to get away from me and that is fine", Michael said with frustration.

"I am going house hunting tomorrow", Marisa said.

    "Whatever you want. Rose can take you.."

"I would rather go on my own", Marisa said stubbornly.

    "Have it your way", Michael said leaving the room. He hated how desperate she was making him appear. Michael took his jacket and eft for the office. He was going to spend the night there.

Next morning, Michael waited until 11am to go back home. He knew Marisa would have gone out by then. Michael went to the kitchen before going upstairs to the bedroom. He saw Marisa lying on the kitchen floor, unconsious. He threw his jacket and ran to her. 

   "Marisa! Wake up! Come on, wake up Muniz", Michael said trying wake her. He immediately carried her to the car and rushed to the hospital. 

Michael sat on the waiting benches with his mind racing. He was regretting not ever going to the office. He always letting her down. Michael remembered that Flora, his former housekeeper had told him that Hebert had rarely been around throughout his mother's pregnancy. Michael was turning out to be the same man he did not want to be.

   "Mr. Howard you can follow me, she is awake", A tall doctor clad in a milky white coat said to him. He followed him feeling as if the doctor was walking slower. Michael saw Marisa sitting up in the bed. She looked pleased to see him. 
  "So we ran some texts, Mr. Howard", The Doctor said and waited.
      "And?" Michael was impatient. Marisa did not look at him.
"The good news is that nothing is wrong with the baby. You wife seem to have developed gestational diabetes. It develops during pregnancy when the pancreas does not do a good job in producing insulin to counteract the pregnancy hormone that spike up blood sugar levels. We can term it a high risk pregnancy because of that. She may develop stage two diabetes. That may have been the reason why she collapsed earlier", The doctor waited for Michael to ask questions or comment. Michael looked at Marisa, she had been told. 
    "So how can you treat it?"

"Well, she can take some scheduled physical exercises, she will have to take a special diet, and the baby also has to be checked constantly", The doctor told Michael. 

      "Doesn't it get better or.."

"Well, it eventually gets better after she gives birth. She needs to be monitored, Mr. Howard", The doctor said taping his notepad with a pen.

   "When can I take her home?" Michael asked him.

"She needs to rest so if you can make sure she rests then you can take her home today", the Doctor replied. He gave an 'if-there-is-nothing-else' gesture before politely giving them space.
   "How are you feeling?" Michael asked walking to the bed where Marisa lay.
"I am feeling fine", She replied.

    "Do you want me to take you home today?" Michael asked her.
"I think that will be best", Marisa replied not intending to say anything more. She was too stressed to speak. This condition had made her dependent on Michael right at the moment she wanted to leave. Michael sat by her bed side.
     "I know you are scared but it will be okay, Muniz. I will not let anything happen to you or our child", Michael said.
 "I want to stay at my own wing at the house", She said. She did not want that but at least he had to feel that she was not dependent on him.
   "That is okay", Michael replied her. His mind was racing. He knew he would have to slow down at the office because he did not trust anyone else to take care of Marisa while he was gone. He figured that he could get a nurse to come by and check up on her but he had to spend a lot of time at home. He was going to be better than Herbert.

At the reception desk in the hospital, Herbert Howard was holding flowers asking to see his daughter in-law.