Chapter 11

Maria awoke to the tantalizing smell of bacon and eggs. She slipped on her outfit and walked into the kitchenette where Charlie was pouring juice and coffee.

"Good Morning," she smiled, stretching.

"Good Morning. Hey, that shiner looks a lot better this morning. Maybe we can knock off a few of those hundred and ten years," he kidded as he served up breakfast at the small circular table.

"Charlie, I absolutely feel rejuvenated. Good company, a delicious dinner and a good night's sleep can do wonders, even for a hundred and ten year old," she smiled in return.

"Hundred and ten? Nope, you don't look a day over ninety five."

They laughed, sat down and enjoyed both the early morning meal and the company. Now finishing up their coffee, Charlie asked, "Plans?"

"Yes. First thing this morning, I go job hunting. I don't have a lot of education or training, but I can learn and I'm a hard worker."

"That's the spirit! But I do have one suggestion."

"What's that?" He looked to her outfit, not only hooker attire, but now wrinkled and the blouse torn from the episode in the alley last night. "But, that man took all my money, I can't affor..."

"Here, " he said slipping some bills across the table," to get you a fresh outfit for a fresh start."

"Charlie, I can't accept..."

"Consider it a loan. When you work your way into the Trump tower, you can pay me back," he grinned.

"Charlie, I don't know what to say."

"No need. After breakfast you can stop in at one of the shops and get something a little more appropriate for a job interview. Then you should be set."

A tear of joy misted Maria's eye.

"No one has ever done anything like this for me before."

"Oh, come on."

"I mean it Charlie. Last night, this morning you've been my knight in shining armor."

"Don Quixote might be more like it," he laughed, then sobered a bit. "But even his Dulcinea would pale in comparison to you."

Maria had studied the Cervantes novel in high school and now found herself reddening in embarrassment, self conscious at the comparison and compliment.

"Uh, the bathroom's through there and you'll find shampoo and soap next to the tub," he said, trying to extricate them both from the awkward moment.

"Thanks, Charlie. I'll never forget what you've done for me."

"Hey, all God's puppies need a hand now and then. You just make yourself a happy life, that's all I ask... oh, and that you stop in the shop this afternoon and let me know how the job hunting has gone."

"I will, I promise," she said, helping to clear the dishes.

Maria found a small used clothing shop not far from Charlie's. He had given her enough for a new outfit, but she wanted to be sure to have enough left over for something special. She found a very modest dress and shoes, changed, traded in the old outfit for a few dollars, then set off on her quest. She found a small, used bookstore down a side street and entered.

Last night after Charlie had retired, she had noticed a bookshelf in the corner. There were several of the classics as well as some of the current best sellers, but after bathing and dressing this morning, she had looked, but could not find a copy of the Cervantes classic. So now she asked the proprietor who located three different copies. One was paperback and another in Spanish. The third, however, was just what she was looking for, an old, leather bound edition, with gold gilding. The price was more than she had anticipated, taking virtually all the money she had left, but it was worth it. If she had to go without eating today it mattered little. She wanted to thank Charlie for his kindness and this, she felt, was most appropriate.

With wrapped book under her arm Maria set out to find a job. Charlie had suggested the want ads in the newspaper, so she stopped and with what little money she had left, bought a paper and searched out the jobs section.

She was disappointed to find that most were either white collar positions or blue collar jobs that required either training or experience. She did find three that sounded promising, but two had already been filled and when the white manager of a grocery store advertising for a check out girl, found she was Puerto Rican, he mumbled some excuses and dismissed her without even discussing the job, proof that racial and ethnic prejudice are still alive and well in the U.S.A.

Maria then began walking from business to business stopping in and asking about possible employment, but despite what the President had said about an economic recovery, it remained a jobless one with employment still at near record levels with the middle and lower classes being hit the hardest. There simply was nothing. Maria kept at it all day, but as evening shadows began to creep from building to building she had still found nothing. Heading back toward Charlie's shop, darkness was overtaking the city when she arrived.

He smiled, but noted the look of disappointment on her face.

"Tomorrow's another day. You'll find something, I'm sure."

"Yes," she replied, a sad smile appearing in return, "I'm sure I will."

"And in the meantime the couch is right where you left it. How about I order out and..."

"And how about I fix dinner for you," she offered. "it's the least I can do."

"Maria, it's really sweet of you to offer, but..."

"Please, I'd very much like to do this for you."

"Well, okay... sure. I've been tired of my own cooking for a long time. And it obviously only took you one night to grow tired of it as well," he grinned.

"That's not true. Dinner last night was wonderful. It's just that... I'd like to do this for you."

"Then do it you shall," he answered with a flourish, gesturing to the kitchen,

"Once she located where everything was, it took her only a matter of minutes to prepare a very tasty dish she had learned how to prepare from her mother.

They again were finishing the meal with wine when Maria got the wrapped book and shyly, handed it to Charlie.

"What is this?"

"I... I wanted you to have it. I hope you like it."

As Charlie opened it, she noted first the look of surprise, then fascination with the volume and finally the genuine warm appreciation.

"Maria, you didn't have to..."

"I wanted to. You mentioned it last night but I didn't see it on your bookshelf."

"When Jenny's condition got really bad, I used to stay over at the hospital. I brought my copy to read while she was asleep, but forgot it, left it in the room the day she..." His voice tailed away.

"Oh, Charlie, I'm sorry if I..."

"No, not at all," he replied smiling warmly. "I always intended to get another copy, but somehow I just never got around to it. And now you've... you've given me something very precious. Thank you Maria," he whispered as their eyes locked and his hand went across the small table to hold hers briefly. "Thank you from the bottom of an old man's heart."

"Not so old," she smiled. "I bet you haven't made it up to my ninety-five."

They shared a laugh, another glass of wine, then together they did the dishes. Maria asked Charlie to read something from the book. He chose the passage where Don Quixote professes his love privately for Dulcinea even though she is totally unaware of even his existence.

"Sad, but very romantic," she observed.

"Yes, his windmills were of many different kinds," mused Charlie... "I know you're tired and that you want to get an early start tomorrow, so I think I'll bid you good night and turn in."

Maria watched him walk into the bedroom and the door slowly close. She wondered how lonely it must have been for such a sensitive man, these last nineteen years.

The next day yielded no better results and the third day was a repeat of the first two. Charlie could tell Maria was getting terribly discouraged. She had insisted at dinner tonight that she must move out, perhaps stay at a shelter -- that she could simply not continue to impose on Charlie's hospitality. He was just as insistent that she stay as long as she liked, that he enjoyed her company even more than her great cooking.

"But Charlie, I can't simply continue to..."

"Maria, look. I've been doing some thinking. The pet store is doing well, very well. So well that I've been thinking for some time about hiring someone to help me."

Maria's face brightened, then clouded.

"Charlie Branham, are you just saying that to give me a... ?"

"It's true, but would it matter if it weren't? In the last nineteen years I haven't enjoyed life as much as I have in the last three days with you Maria. I know you'll eventually want your own place, but you could still stay here until you find something. However, I really do need the help and while you may not get rich, I think I can pay you a fair..."

"Charlie, I know whatever you'd offer would be fair. I just want to be sure you've not just creating some position..."

"Look, you need a job. I need someone to help with the shop. If you don't take it, I'll just wind up getting someone else who'll probably not be nearly as beautiful as you are, not nearly as good a cook and certainly not as good company. So what do you say?"

Maria almost flew into his arms with a big hug.

"I say, I'm a very lucky woman for having met you."

Over the next few weeks, Maria learned the pet business from Charlie and as time went on became more and more help to him around the shop. She started by running errands and helping unload supplies and such, but was soon waiting on customers and learning to keep the books.

During that time the two grew closer, sharing stories of their childhood, dining out on occasion and seeing a movie or two. During that time Charlie was ever the gentleman, never trying to force their relationship in any way. Maria found herself enjoying being around the sixty-two year old, hearing his stories, laughing at his jokes and listening as he read to her from some of the works in his bookcase.

Perhaps most endearing however, was when, during one of their long talks, Maria had revealed how she had sold her mother's necklace to purchase the gift for JImmy. Charlie had asked a couple of indirect questions, deduced where she had pawned the necklace and the following evening had surprised her with a small box. Maria was overwhelmed to find Charlie had purchased the necklace so she and the piece of jewelry which meant so much to her, could be reunited.

But while each found him or herself growing fonder of the other, it was a night several weeks later that changed their relationship forever.

They had heard the weather report that severe storms were moving into the area, but when they retired that night, rain was still nowhere in sight. Maria had no more than started to doze off however when the front began moving in, winds began picking up and the first bolts of lightning and thunder made themselves felt.

Maria was mortified. Since a small girl, she had been terrified of storms, especially the thunder and lightning. As the storm grew worse, she tried covering her head with the blanket but the intense streaks of lightning sent flashes through the window which illuminated the entire apartment and the booms of thunder reverberated, rattling some of the dishes in the kitchen.