Chapter 8: Tonight, Tonight (Tony and Maria POV)
Short chapter but will lead up to the best chapter yet!
(Tony POV)
Tony had never worked so hard in his life; especially since the store closed 2 hours ago. He was busy preparing for his date with Maria. He still couldn't believe she said yes. He knew that he'd have to make this perfect for her. He enlisted Valentina's help in making dinner for the two of them. She agreed only after Tony promised he would behave like a gentleman since the two would be alone late together.
Tony had already cleaned and set the table for the two of them. Valentina was currently instructing him on how to make an authentic Puerto Rican dish. She called it Carne Guisada, which she explained was a kind of beef stew. He continued watching over it for fear he would ruin it. Once finished and Valentina gave her seal of approval, Valentina wished him luck and reminded him no funny business.
As he finished dressing in one of Doc's old suits, he was suddenly hit with a memory of his mother. He hadn't thought about her for years; not after dying from influenza when Tony was ten. Now he was reminded of the first and, unknowingly, last lesson she gave him. It was about love.
Flashback:
He was five years old, sitting in his mother's lap as she hummed to him. When he asked her what she was singing, she replied it was called "Cheek to Cheek" by Irving Berlin. She said it reminded her of his father. They had danced to it on their first date. She gave Tony a sorrowful smile. She looked at Tony and whispered, "When you find love my son, hold onto it tight. It might not be forever, but every second is precious. Don't waste it."
Present:
Tony hadn't understood what his mother meant then. Love was foreign to him. But after meeting Maria, he wasn't going to waste a single second of his time with her. Before he finished tying his tie, he silently whispered to heaven, "Thanks, Ma".
(Maria POV)
Maria's room looked like a storm had blown through. Nothing she own seem right for her date. It was already nerve racking with the fear of being discovered before the date even happened. Now she was throwing dresses around, unsatisfied with every one of them. As she threw herself on the bed, Maria feared she would be left wearing the dress she wore to the dance as the only acceptable option.
Suddenly, she had a brilliant idea. Anita had dozens of dresses she worked on. Anita wouldn't miss one dress disappearing for one night. Maria made quick work of the empty apartment and went through every dress in the parlor/Anita's workroom. She finally stumbled onto the perfect one. It was a black dress with a sweetheart neckline and a deep red sash around the waist. She grabbed it and ran back to her room. When Maria tried it on, the woman in the mirror was alluring and mature. It filled her with confidence and made her feel like the woman she truly was.
The front door opened with a slam. "Maria! Help me with these bags".
Maria quickly locked her door and said, "Just a moment!". She stripped off the dress and hide it under her bed along with a pair of Anita's black heels.
She ran out and started helping Anita with dinner. All through the evening, Maria stayed silent for fear she would be noticed by her brother and Anita. Every few minutes she looked at the clock, praying 9:30 would come quickly. By 9:39, Bernardo and Anita wished her sweet dreams and closed their bedroom door. Maria walked, barely making a sound, around her room getting ready for her night with Tony.
She put on the dress, makeup, and stud earrings since they were the only ones she owned. She was even able to sneak some of Anita's perfume while she and Bernardo were doing the dishes. Once she gave herself one more onceover, she was ready. She grabbed her shoes to put on once she made it down the fire escape and climbed out the window.