"Oi!" Maria cried out in surprise as a hand reached out, seemingly from nowhere, gripped tightly onto her arm and dragged her into the Bistro's disabled toilet. "What are ya –!? Oh, it's you."
"Yes, it's me," Nick said as he roughly pushed Maria into the tiny room, locking the door behind them. "You've been ignoring me."
"Maybe that's because I've got nothing to say to you." Maria scowled up at Nick as she rubbed her arm where Nick's vice-like grip had left an angry red mark.
"That's too bad," Nick said. "Because I've got plenty to say to you."
"Well?" Maria stood with folded arms and eyebrow raised as she glared at Nick. "Go on then."
"It's about Liam," Nick said, his voice softening at the thought of his son.
"Why am I not surprised," Maria said as she rolled her eyes.
"Firstly, I want a DNA test."
"You don't believe me?" Maria asked, genuinely stunned at his doubt. "You think I'd lie about something that important?"
"You can't be serious?" Nick scoffed. "You've been lying about this for ten years. So no, I don't believe you. I need to know for sure."
"I'm sure," Maria declared with absolute confidence. "And do you know why? Because, at the time I got pregnant, my sainted husband was too busy chasing after that skank Carla to pay me any attention. Carla Connor," Maria sneered at the name. "I wish I'd never met any of that god-forsaken family."
"Even so," Nick pushed on with his agenda. "I want the test."
"Whatever," Maria shrugged her shoulders indifferently. "What else?"
"What?"
"You said firstly," Maria pointed out impatiently. "I assume there's a secondly?"
"Yeah, there is," Nick nodded. "I want access to Liam. Fifty-fifty."
"No way."
"He's my son. So you say."
"He doesn't know you!" Maria protested. "You're a stranger to him!"
"And who's fault is that?"
"It doesn't matter who's at fault. It's time to face facts, Nick, it's too late for you and him. You need to let it go. Let him go, for his sake."
"No," Nick shook his head as he stepped towards Maria. "No way. You can't keep me from him."
"Just watch me," Maria said with a smirk.
"I won't let you."
"You won't let me?" Maria asked with a laugh; an arrogant and reckless laugh. "You can't stop me."
"Give it up, Maria, just stop fighting me."
"Or what?"
"Hellooo!" the faint voice of Izzy Armstrong on the other side of the toilet door filtered through to the pair inside. "Are you gonna be long in there? I'm busting out here!"
Maria opened her mouth to reply but Nick, acting on impulse, clapped his hand over her mouth, guaranteeing her silence. For now.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Izzy pounded on the door; to no avail. Nick pressed his hand even more firmly over Maria's mouth, covering her nose now as well. She clawed at his hand, trying to pull it away from her face as she struggled to breathe.
"Rude!" they heard Izzy shout out before her mutterings faded away into the distance. "Probably not even disabled. No consideration some people, it's just…"
"What the hell, Nick!?" Maria gasped as she wrenched herself away from his grip. "What are you playing at?"
Nick stared at Maria, at the shock and confusion clearly evident on her face. He shook his head in disbelief. How had this happened again? He'd controlled this for so long and now…
"I'm sorry, Maria, I, umm, I didn't mean… I, umm… I need you to, you don't understand, I need you to understand. I need to –"
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
"Don't!" Nick warned Maria; he needed her to stop, he felt like control was slipping through his fingers.
"And you think you would be a good father to my son?" Maria asked, her voice dripping with contempt. "You've lost it, Nick!"
"Stop! Pushing me!" Nick pleaded with her, his hands raised to his head, his brow furrowed, a sign of his inner torment.
"Why shouldn't I? Hey?" Maria was on a roll, and she was thoroughly enjoying herself, enjoying Nick's obvious distress. "You always act like you're the big I am, this hot shot businessman, thinks he's better than everyone else. Better than me, that's for sure. You always made me feel stupid, you know, like some braindead hairdresser only good for one thing. A bit of fun. Nothing serious. Not with stupid Maria. But look at you! You're a mess!"
"I told you!" Nick slammed Maria up against the wall, his hands instinctively reaching for her throat. "Stop! Pushing! Me!"
"Ni–" Maria tried to speak, tried to protest, but her voice was no more than a gurgle in her throat.
"You stole from me!" Nick hissed at her, his face inches from hers, their eyes locked together, the terror in hers reflected in the blind rage of his. "The only thing I ever wanted you took it all from me. You ruined my life. You destroyed me. So now, I destroy you."
Author: thelocalknickermerchant