Free Web NovelChapter 150: Stefan and Maria
"OK, I get why Anna is embarrassed about getting into that thing," thought Maria as she walked towards Stefan’s parked Aventador, which mercifully, was parked a little way outside the school and not in the parking lot.
Stefan himself, was leaning casually against the hood, looking too handsome for his own good in his black business suit that showed off his lean and tall frame with broad shoulders.
Maria felt her heart flutter, as she approached, wishing she had worn heels instead of her sensible black ballet flats, or a nicer dress, instead of the plain black knee-length skater dress with a white peter-pan collar and black pantyhose she was wearing.
"Ms. Washington, is that your boyfriend?" asked one of the boys in her fifth grade class, staring at Stefan.
"I’m not yet her boyfriend, but I am a lawyer. Here’s a hundred bucks, you never saw or heard of me got it?" said Stefan, handing the boy a $100 bill.
"Yes sir," said the boy, and scurried off, as Maria blushed furiously.
Stefan clicked a button on his key fob, and the Aventador’s scissor doors swung open.
"Shall we?" he asked, gesturing to the car.
Maria nodded nervously, and got into the passenger seat.
Stefan started the car, its engine letting out a powerful rumble, and slowly pulled onto the road.
"How do you not get fined each time you come out of the Sirius Zone and into this area?" asked Maria, as Stefan kept a steady pace.
"The perks of having a Sirius Zone license plate. It has been granted an exception under that Draconian Environment Protection Act the rest of the state is under. Plus, not having an ADAS system that tattles to the government also helps," said Stefan.
They soon approached the Sirius Zone checkpoint.
The SZPD officer manning the checkpoint waved Stefan through, and Maria heard a distinct change in the rumble of the Aventador’s engine, as Stefan clicked the paddle shifters.
She braced herself, as Stefan accelerated at a blistering pace, forcing her into the back of the seat.
"Do you do this with Anna?" asked Maria, over the roar of the Aventador’s engine.
"Unfortunately not," chuckled Stefan as he slowed down.
They reached Stefan’s Victorian mansion house, and Stefan disabled the spike strips with his RFID key card.
The Aventador rumbled smoothly up the driveway, and Stefan parked it near the front porch of the house.
Maria had just gotten out of the car, when Anna came marching up the driveway.
"Hey there, Anna," said Stefan.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" asked Anna, glaring at Maria.
"What did you just say young lady?" asked Stefan, his eyes narrowing dangerously.
"I asked a question!" snapped Anna.
"For your information, I invited Ms. Washington over for dinner. Now, apologize for that foul-mouthed greeting," said Stefan.
"Make me!" snapped Anna.
"Anna Stanislaus, it is the beginning of winter break. Perhaps you would like to start it with a good old-fashioned belting across the ass?" asked Stefan, grimly pulling off his black leather belt, and wrapping it around his fist.
"You can’t! It’s illegal!" said Anna, her eyes widening in fear.
"Not in the Sirius Zone it isn’t," said Stefan, advancing on her.
"I-I’m sorry," whimpered Anna, seeing no mercy in Stefan’s eyes.
"Good. Now, get inside and freshen up. This had better be the last time I hear such language out of your mouth," said Stefan, and Anna scurried into the house.
Stefan turned to Maria, and flushed slightly.
"Impressive, Mr. Stanislaus. Most single fathers I know spoil their daughters rotten," said Maria, looking at Stefan through her eyelashes, a blush creeping up her cheeks.
"Yes, well. I’ve never heard her curse like that before. I mean she’s still only ten years old! It threw me off guard, and triggered me," said Stefan, a little sheepishly.
Maria pulled herself together with a shake of her head, and cleared her throat.
"Well, I don’t exactly approve of Corporal punishment, but since it was merely a threat, I will let it slide," she said primly.
"Shall we, then?" asked Stefan, gesturing for her to enter the front door.
Maria nodded, and went inside.
---
"When are you leaving?" asked Anna, the second she came down the stairs to find Maria sitting in the living room, sipping a coffee with Stefan.
"I leave in the morning, Anna," said Maria.
"Seriously Dad? You barely know this woman, and you’re going to sleep with her?" asked Anna.
"Hey, I’m a guy. I have needs, but as much as I would like a booty call, that’s not actually happening. Ms. Washington is staying in the guest bedroom," said Stefan.
"Ugh! Fine!" snapped Anna, and stormed back up the stairs.
"What the hell is with her? Is it puberty hitting?" asked Stefan.
"It is possible, but I don’t know. Perhaps I should leave?" asked Maria.
"No, stay please. I invited you, and Anna had better learn to behave," said Stefan.
"OK," said Maria, as she pulled out the papers she needed to grade from her bag.
---
"Anna, it’s dinner time. Get your butt down here," said Stefan, rapping on Anna’s bedroom door.
"I’m not hungry! Leave me alone!" shouted Anna from the other side.
"Suit yourself," growled Stefan, and padded back down the stairs.
"No luck?" asked Maria.
"Not yet," sighed Stefan, setting the table for himself and Maria.
"That smells good," said Maria, inhaling the scent of the beef casserole that Stefan had made.
"It’s one of the few things I know how to make. I’m not a culinary master like Ivan," said Stefan with a wry smile.
"Doesn’t matter. This tastes good," said Maria, savoring a mouthful.
"So, how goes the grading?" asked Stefan, as he sat down opposite her at the dining table.
"Bad for my conscience. I suppose you know about the privilege weighted grading system that Boston Public School uses?" asked Maria.
Stefan’s expression darkened.
"It was one of my reasons to try and enroll Anna in St. Ignatius. She took one look at the brochure and chopped her damn hair off to stop me from filling out the application form," he growled. freewebnoveℓ.com
"Well, yes. Because of that, I have to deliberately lower grades from students who are considered privileged. Meaning Mikaela for example, gets a C even though she has scored an A plus, all because her mother is a teacher at the school, and she lives in a suburb like Pine Springs. Meanwhile, a boy like Malik gets a C even though he scored a D minus, because he’s living in the Projects. I’m OK with Affirmative Action programs like after-school sessions or outreach programs to level the playing field, but I hate the fact that the school administration is just using this grading system instead of doing the actual work," grumbled Maria.
"Well, it is what it is, unfortunately. I actually tried suing the school over it, and got stonewalled by judges. Almost killed my career," said Stefan.
"You would think that with the Sirius Zone now fully independent they would stop that sort of thing," said Maria with a sigh.
"I’m afraid the room for being quote-unquote moderate, is no longer a luxury we can afford," said Stefan.
"Well then, Mr. Stanislaus. Here’s to coping," said Maria raising her glass.
"To coping," chuckled Stefan, clinking his glass with hers.
