Chapter VII - The Morning After

François was sitting in bed looking at the celling. What just happened last night? It was too much for his mind to understand.

First the dance fight between Con and Tess, which reminded him, what was Con up to? Or what was that all about.

Then he went to the bar, just to see Maria approaching him. Maria, who he did not see for over 20 years. And she just came out of the blue to ask him to sleep with her. The nerves on that lady. How could she? How could she still make him feel like a 19 years old boy, how could she treat him with so much disrespect, showing up and asking him to have sex with her. That woman was mad. She was bad news the moment he saw her, those angelic looks are just that, looks, and he should know better.

And what about Mia? He never heard her speaking with him like that. Never ever. Did he really make her feel so unsecure? Did he really treat her like a school girl? Well, he didn’t realize how much she grew, the woman that she is, but that mostly because those giggles when she first saw him where still there from time to time. Maybe that’s her thing and has nothing to do with her maturing into a woman. Maybe he should give her some credit. And he definitely needed to give her an explanation about last night. After all, he was the one dragging her into the situation. He was the one acting like a school boy, lying about getting engaged.

He needed to make things right between him and Mia. He needed to talk to her. And he knew just were to find her.

…

He knocked 2 times and a sleepy Tess opened the door. She seemed surprised to see him there so early. But she welcomed him in her house.

At the kitchen table, an even sleepier Mia was laying with her head in her palm. All messy hair and wrapped in a fluffy pinkish rope. She looked up at him and straighten her back on the chair.

- Hi Mia, said Francis in a quiet voice.

- Hi.

A couple of seconds of silence. Tess was moving her gaze from one to another, not really knowing what to say. Then Mia broke the silence.

- I will get going upstairs to get ready for my day, so you can chat, she said while getting up.

- No, it’s actually you, Mia, I want to talk to, if you don’t mind Tess, said Francis.

Tess was looking at them for a second. It was so early in the morning, her brain must not function properly. She then saw Mia’s wide-eyed expression and got her back on track:

- Oh, yes, excuse me, I will change and will be out the door to grab a coffee, said Tess on her way out of the room.

Mia motioned to a chair, for Francis to sit down.

- No, I am ok, I think I prefer to stand.

- You look like a mountain! I'll break my neck if I continue to look at you from my chair, just sit down, will you?

- Oh, yes, of course, sorry.

- Ok, what’s that you wanted to talk to me about? Mia said. She was surprised how cool, collected and arrogant she sounded. She felt like melting under the table. She recalled the chat she had, well the monolog, she had last night and she was so embarrassed. Having him here could either be a good thing, him coming to explain things, or a bad one, him coming to ask her what was up with her last night. The thing is she did not want to go back to intimidated Mia, she wanted to keep the same attitude from the club, to show him she’s a grown up woman.

- Listen, Mia, I am sorry about last night. It was so immature of me to drag you into this like that. I had no right to do that and I realized how childish that was. I acted poorly and I am sorry for that.

- It’s ok, we all act childish now and then, it’s the beauty of your inner child still being present.

- Well, you can put it that way I suppose, said Francis. Then again a couple of seconds of silence.

- Is that all you came to say? said Mia.

- No, it’s not. I can’t seem to find my words or the beginning of this discussion.

- Well, start by telling me who is she?

- If I do that, I better start preparing some breakfast, as it’s a long story. And lunch, and maybe dinner as well.

- Ok, is that so? Then, I will turn on the coffee machine and go up to get dressed while you scramble some eggs or something and gather your thoughts, is that ok?

- I guess so, ok, said Francis.

Mia got up and left the room. He was going to tell her. She wasn’t sure. But she knew she will find out the key to his heart. But she had to play it cool. He came to her as her friend, and that’s what he needed now. It is one step closer to him, and that’s what she needed out of this. So she went upstairs to change in less that 2 minutes, she was right back down, getting the coffees ready for them.

He was still putting some bread in the toaster and getting the butter on the table.

- You were fast!

- Well, I can be when needed. And I already showered when I got home last night. Could not go in bed all sweaty from all the boom boom.

- Aha, sure!

- And from all the stress you put me through with the lady!, said Mia jokingly.

- Yes, of course, all the stress!, agreed sarcastically Francis.

- So, are you ready to tell me who this mysterious Maria is?

- Yes, I am, breakfast is ready, so let’s sit down.

- Are you gonna talk with your mouth full of food?, asked Mia surprised.

- No, my mother will hear me and hunt me down, said Francis laughing.

- I bet she would. Such a fancy woman.

- Fancy indeed. Not fun, but fancy indeed.

- Ok, start talking and stop avoiding the subject.

- Yes, ok, fine. She is an old…let’s say lover of mine.

- Ok. That’s a confusing choice of words.

- Well, see, I was 18 when I saw her first. She was perfect, she came to the club one night with a few girls. I thought she was in her 20s….she was 35 then.

- What? No way! That lady? How old is she now? She looked 45!

- Well, she might look 45, but she is turning 60 soon. That’s why she was looking for me.

- What? Were you supposed to be her birthday present or something?

- Something like that. But let me start with the beginning.

- Ok, go on, but God she didn’t look a year older than 45.

- Yeah. So I met her when she was 35. She was celebrating her divorce. I noticed her, but she didn’t seem to pay much attention to me. Then, at the end of the evening, she came to me and asked me to go home with her.

- Just like that?

- Just like that.

- And you did?

- I did.

- Ok.

- Well, I was 18. And I just fell in love with her right there and then. She was gorgeous. We dated for a year, I would say dated, she would say we were having fun. The thing is she never opened up to me, I could barely find out something about her, and then she wouldn’t be interested in me more than my body, like a lot of women are.

- Well, did you see yourself in the mirror? Really? I mean, you, as men, are always about appearances. What did you first notice at Maria when you fell in love with her?

- Her looks.

- Her looks. See?!

- I know, I know. But then I thought she will want more, I thought I was more to her. She was never interested in my music, in me in general. She just wanted to have sex with me.

- I am sorry about that. I am sure you felt used.

- I did. And then, after more than an year I managed to talk to her about us. She told me we were just having fun. When I told her I felt more than that, she ended things between us. She was actually dating someone else, someone her age. She wanted kids and to get married. I wanted that with her. I could have offered her all that. But she never asked. She never knew.

- And because of that you never wanted this with anyone else?

- Well, I never realized it till last night. When she came out of the blue, asking me to sleep with her because it’s her birthday.

- That bitch! Sorry, but that bitch.

- You’re right. She is ruthless and she always has been, wanting to use me one more time. Presuming I have no one in my life.

- That’s why you told her I am your fiancée.

- Yes. I was sad, because she was right, I have no one. Why didn’t I have someone? She could storm into my life, as nothing changed, to take things where we left them. And she was right, I am where she left me. Single, no kids, no commitment. Free to please her.

- But you are single by choice, not because you couldn’t settle. You didn’t want to.

- I know, but still. I’ve realized I gave her more importance than I should have. I thought she was the best, when she treated me so bad. I don’t even know why I was considering her my soul mate. The greatest love story of my life is actually shit! said Francis laughing

- Well, that’s your decision. And the best is yet to come, if you allow it, said Mia looking into his eyes.

- If you say so, said Francis, trying to avoid her gaze, but couldn’t resist it. After a couple of seconds of silence, Francis decided to change the subject. So, woman Mia, what was that all about, last night?, said Francis teasing her.

- Oh, no you don’t. You won’t act like it was out of the blue! You just refused to see me the way I am, or the way I have become over the years.

- Yeah, probably you are right. I am sorry, it has nothing to do with you, I just never trusted an angelic face. Not after her.

- Not after Maria.

- Yes, not after Maria.

- You sure gave her a lot of importance for a 19 years old.

- I sure did. And I know it’s all my fault. But when I fall in love, I fall hard, all of me, my heart, my soul, my mind, my body, everything.

- Did you ever allow yourself to fall in love half of that ever since?, asked Mia. She needed to know everything she could about him. And she wanted all of him to fall in love with all of her. She wanted so bad with every minute she spent chatting with him.

- No. Not even close. I never allowed anyone to get to me. To make me feel that way.

- Then you just allow everyone to use you for your body.

- Probably, and I used theirs. Let’s say it’s change of services.

- Well, if that made you happy.

- It didn’t, but I wasn’t looking for someone to make me happy, or make me feel loved. I wasn’t looking for a relationship. Now, stop changing the subject. Did I really treated you like you were 15?

- Yes you did. You never seemed to give me credit. Or trust, or see me for who I am. You always treated me like I am not mature enough or not serious enough to be able to carry a conversation with you. You are not that sophisticated, you know that, said Mia looking into his eyes.

- Oh, Mia, sophisticated is the last thing I think about myself. But yes, you are right. I mistreated you. And I am sorry. It is not your fault at all. I never gave you a chance to show me you are more than that 15 years old girl who was checking me out and giggling without being able to say anything.

- Well, I was 15. Meeting a man for the first time, beside my dad or family friends. A man that spoke to me. Of course I was giggling. But that was years ago, you should let that go, honestly. It’s ridiculous.

- Yes, it is. I did let it go. I just needed a verbal slap in the face like last night. You should have done that earlier, said Francis smiling.

- Well, I should have, I know that, but I never knew how you would react.

- Ok, so are we friends now?, asked Francis timidly.

- We’ve always been friends, answered Mia and reached for his hand. The question is, should we be just friends?, she said, caressing Francis hand with her thumb.