Mario - A Story - 7

“Daddy, look,” Wil said seconds after Mario came through the front door of Maria’s place. “I made you an ashtray.”

Mario took it and chuckled when Maria said, “I tried to convince him to call it a candy dish since you don’t smoke but he said it was too small for that.”

“Well it is,” Wil told them adamantly.

“It’s great, no matter what we call it,” Mario replied as he picked Wil up and swung him around. “So, what’s for dinner?”

“That, brother mine, depends on what you’re cooking. The kitchen is all yours.”

“Maria,” Mario growled.

“Okay, okay, I’ll help,” her husband said. “Better than babysitting.” He grinned when the three kids protested as one that they weren’t babies, and then he followed Mario into the kitchen.

As Mario checked the fridge to see what was available David got a box of almost instant dinner from the cupboard to hand to him as he said, “Okay, fill me in. Maria was sort of cagey with the kids around.”

“Jonah showed up at the restaurant again, only this time he was two sheets to the wind and threatening.”

“Shit. Did you call the cops?”

Mario shook his head. “Though if he tries that again I might. They’ll say there’s nothing they can do but still…”

“It’ll be on file, Mario, that’s what counts.”

“I know.” Mario found the hamburger and began to brown it while David got out the rest of the ingredients they needed and opened the box.

“Can I make a suggestion?”

“Sure.”

“Hire a PI or something like that to help you stay safe, or at least tell you how to.”

Mario frowned. “They do things like that?”

With a slight smile David told him, “They do on TV, might as well find out if that’s anywhere close to reality. If you find one who will you’re going to feel a hell of a lot better about it all.”

“I’ll…see what I can find, or who I guess.”

“Good.”