Chapter 28

• Chapter Twenty Eight
• The day at the zoo went smoother than Maria had anticipated. She expected Dave to hit on her, maybe ask her out, without the kids, but he didn’t. Instead he kept the conversation general, about himself and away from her personal life. He told her about Amy and how they had started so very in love and ended despising each other because of Elizabeth. Maria could understand why a father wouldn’t want his own child, she’d seen it with Ricky and Miguel, but what she couldn’t understand was how a mother, after nine uncomfortable months of pregnancy, hours in labor and finally child birth, not love her baby.
• Maria watched Michael and Dave, watching and imitating the animals. Dave would read and explain the information on each animal’s cages. They both looked so excited and it made Maria feel a pang of guilt, because Ricky would never be with him like this. Dave went everywhere with him, as they watched the animals and talked about the most ridiculous things Maria had ever heard. She didn’t expect Dave to indulge in such conversations, but his air of arrogance, which she found very appealing sometimes, had taken a back seat with Michael.