Discovering the Rare

Part Five: Maria's Declaration

Maria just poked the food with her fork, with a disgusted look on her face. The chicken cat food was slimy and mushy and something she would not consider edible.

"Is there a reason why you aren't eating, Maria? I thought you were hungry." Tina stated with a cold smile. Maria looked up, still poking in the can with the fork. She was trying to decide if she should speak up about the food or not eat it.

"I'm not fond of this canned food you brought to me. It hardly tastes like chicken and has a very disgusting consistency. I can't eat this." Maria said with a straight face. She didn't want to make trouble, but she couldn't help if she found her food inedible. Tina's smile faded, and her facial expression turned more stern.

"Am I hearing complaints from the one I am allowing to stay with us? You have some nerve when we willingly invited you into our household." Tina was getting upset. She had never heard such complaints, even from her son. "If you won't eat, then you will have to starve because that is all the kind of cat food that we have here. Maybe it's not something fancy like I'm sure James has a chef prepare for you, but it's still food."

"This is not food; this is slop. REAL food is what you all are eating on your plates." Maria snapped back. "I just don't understand why we don't get a home-cooked meal." Thomas looked at Maria and then at Tina. He was very nervous about what was going to happen next. Everyone knew better than to talk back to Tina. Tina's expression turned dark; she was furious.

"Are you being ungrateful and talking back? You wouldn't even be here if I didn't agree to let William bring you here, little miss." William places his hand on Tina's arm to try and calm her down.

"Sweetheart, maybe you should calm down a little bit. Maria has been through so much already."

"No, William! She needs to hear this because she needs a reality check." Tina turns back to Maria. "You want to know why you aren't eating the same food as we are?"

"Tina, don't! Please." William pleads. He knew where Tina was going with this, and unfortunately, so did Thomas. Connor, however, was just very nervous hearing his mother shout at Maria.

"--Because you aren't like us! You are just an animal in human care, just like any other pet! You don't see dogs sitting at the table eating eloquently with a fork and knife, do you? That's because they only know how to eat with their face." Maria began filling up with anger from Tina's ranting. She had never met such a racist individual.

"Excuse me?" Maria said calmly as the rage built up inside. "So I'm just some animal, and Thomas here is just a pet, huh? The only real animal here is you! So maybe you should be the one eating with your face!" Maria shouted at Tina as she tossed the canned food at her face. Everyone fell silent and stared with wide eyes. Tina stood there covered in cat food while everyone sat there nervously, except for Maria.

"Why, you little feline slut!" Tina yelled as she moved from her seat toward Maria. Both Connor and Thomas got up from their seat to protect Maria. Connor jumped in front of Maria before Thomas could.

"Mommy, wait! Please don't hurt Maria." Connor said with pleading eyes. "Would it be better if I gave her my food?"

"Move out of the way, Connor! I'm going to teach her a lesson about manners in my household!" Tina said as she attempted to push Connor out of the way. William got up from his seat and grabbed Tina's arm.

"Tina, don't put your hands on her. What example would you be setting for our son?" William said with concerned eyes. Tina turned to face him, and she did not look amused.

"Oh, I see what this is. You like that whore, don't you?

"Tina, what are you talking about?"

"Don't lie to me, William. I saw the way you looked at her when you brought her here. You don't want me anymore, is that it?"

"You aren't making any sense. I wasn't looking at Maria in any manner. I'm just worried for her because she had to leave her home." William said to her in a confused tone. He didn't know where she was going with this.

"Fine, you don't have to say anything," Tina said as she yanked her arm out of his grasp. Tina turned back to Maria. Connor was still guarding her, and Thomas slinked back into his seat nervously. "I'm sick of you trying to take my family away from me, you lowly creature." Maria looked at her angrily.

"If that's how you feel, then why have Thomas? Is he just a pet to you? He isn't a house cat; he's a person. You can't just choose when you want to ignore him or feed him differently than everyone else." Maria ranted with every breath. She wasn't going to sit there and let Thomas get mistreated in what was supposed to be a loving home. She knows what it feels like to want a loving home.

"Well, if you and he are people, then you can take care of yourselves. Get out of my house right now. As for you, Thomas, I will deal with your paperwork later. William, you can sleep on the couch when you get home from work. Connor, get your backpack so you can head to school. I'm going to take a shower." William cleared his throat and grabbed his briefcase before heading out for work. Connor went upstairs to get his backpack, and Thomas followed after him in fear of being alone with Tina. Maria just stared at Tina. "I thought that I told you to leave my house."

"You're going to have to make me."