Eyes Of Muniz

Chapter 9

Marisa shifted in her seat and faced Michael. She avoided eye contact, she felt shy.
"We need to make up a story, a believable story." He said. Michael noticed that she was shy. He fed in that.
" Okay tell me" Marisa said. She faked concentration.
" We met in Mexico, I had came for business there. You were a waitress in a Café and we fell in love. We married in a private ceremony. Questions?" Michael said. He saw her frown.
" A waitress?"
" Yes....what?"
"Why can't I be a P.A or a secretary?" Marisa complained.
"No, we are not changing anything", Michael said.
"But I want to be a secretary" Marisa said. Michael stared at her. She was being cute but he did not want it to get to him.
"No, we are done talking let's go" Michael said.
"Why do you get to be everything and I get to be a waitress?" She complained.
"Because that's the truth about me. You are a housekeeper, at least you get to level up and be a waitress" Michael said. He had clearly offended Marisa and he saw that. She said nothing more. He felt a twinge of guilt, he hated it. He hated her for that too. He wanted to say more but kept quiet as he opened the car door and got out.
They were walked to their reserved table by the waiter and Maurisio Alfino and his wife were already seated. They stood up as Michael and Marisa approached the table.
" Michael Howard, good to see you again son" Maurisio said stretching his hand out to Michael. Michael shook hands with him.
" It sure is a pleasure Mr Alfino." Michael said. Marisa also smiled as she shook Maurisio's hand and then his wife's. They sat down.
" So I assume this is Mrs Howard" Maurisio said.
" Yes, this is my wife, sir" Michael said. He felt strange saying the word wife.
" You look pretty, you sweet thing!" Maurisio's wife, Salma exclaimed. " You don't know how delighted I am to finally meet you".
" It's mutual Mrs Alfino, my husband has told me about you and your husband, I'm honored to meet you", Marisa said with a smile. Michael relaxed, she had done well for her first statement.
They helped themselves to the red wine that had been brought buy the waiter as they chatted.
" So you two have been married for a year now?" Salma asked. Michael's impatience was growing by each question that the Alfinos asked that didn't relate to his deal.
" Yes, it's been a year now, how lovely is that" Marisa said as she gave Michael's hand a light squeeze. Michael returned the squeeze. She was doing a great job in making their fake marriage seem real.
"Lovely indeed", Salma replied.
They talked in-between the courses. Maurisio and Michael went to speak in private after dessert.
" This project has been on hold for too long, son. Now, you know I consider the needs of everyone involved. My son and wife are in this as much as I am and you and your wife are also in because I value family. These people will stand in for us when we die."
Michael nodded in agreement. He wanted to laugh at the statement '...you and your wife'.
It made him feel like a genius.
" So I assume there are no changes to the original plan and budget right?" Michael asked. He wanted to sink into the real deal already.
" If you don't wish to change anything I'll agree with you. I'm at peace with the original plan" Maurisio said to him.
" So that's good, so let's talk about the rest...." Michael said taking a sip from his wine glass.

Marisa and Salma had been talking since Maurisio and Michael had excused themselves from the table.
"You are a decent wife for him, Marisa. I was just your age when I met Maurisio. He was the sweetest man I've ever met" Salma said. She beamed as she took a spoonful of ice cream.
" Michael is a tough man, I adore him for that" Marisa said. She hated that about him.
   " Anyone would" Salma supported. Michael and Maurisio arrived at the table and took their seats.
" We are done. We have discussed  what we had to" Maurisio said.
  " Are we continuing as it was?" Salma asked.
" Yes, Mr Howard agreed with the original plan" Maurisio replied his wife. He looked at Marisa and said," I assume you are aware of the plan as well". Marisa didn't know anything. If she replied that she didn't know, she would make Michael look bad.
  " Yes, Michael went through the plan with me when this dream hadn't come to reality" Michael said. They all smiled.
" So that's it, we will come back in roughly five weeks time and put the plan into motion".
   " That's alright, Mr Alfino. I promise you that you won't regret making me your partner" Michael said.
They toasted to the success of the project.

The drive home was less tense. Marisa felt more comfortable and relaxed than she was on the ride to the hotel. She switched on the car radio, wildest dreams by Taylor Swift was playing.
  " That's my jam!" She screamed and started singing along.
" Keep it down" Michael said annoyed. Marisa ignored him. He switched off the radio.
  "My car, my rules" he said. He knew she wouldn't dare challenge him. They drove in silence for a moment. Marisa switched on the radio.
"Marisa...."
   "What? It's just music" she said.
Michael switched off the radio again. Marisa switched it on again.
"What's wrong with you? You just don't do what you want here" Michael fumed. He did not like the way she was getting comfortable with him. He stopped the car.
   " Why did we stop?" Marisa asked.
"Get out of my car. You'll finish the rest of the journey back home by foot" Michael said unlocking the door for her.
  " What? It's almost eleven pm I and close to two miles home. Are you..."
"Get out and walk" Michael said with a straight expression. She noticed he was serious about what he was saying. She waited for a few seconds but he kept his eyes on the road waiting for her to get out. Marisa stubbornly opened the door and got out. She slammed it shut and watched him drove away.
Marisa took off her shoes and started walking home. She couldn't believe that after helping the idiot he'd do this to her.

Michael had been working in his study for close to two hours. He glanced at the clock, it was one o'clock. He became slightly worried about Muniz. She should have come back home by now. It was past midnight and it could be dangerous out there. Michael did not want to go out and check on her, it was unlike him.
  He had worked for a few more minutes when he heard the sound of music. She was back, Marisa had arrived safely back. He felt relieved. Michael wanted the music down or he wanted an excuse to check up on her.
  "My house, my rules" he said to himself as he made his way to her room......

Sorry for the late update, I'm not not at a good position these days..I promise to try to update more frequently

Stay tuned 😉