Chapter 13 The First Meal in the New Home
"He had to leave early," Fiorello replied as he started the car. "I'll take you two home."
He drove Maggie and her daughter back to their rented apartment, visiting Maggie's place for the first time.
The apartment was tiny, a one-bedroom setup.
A bed was placed in the living room, separated by curtains, and although the space was limited, it was spotlessly clean.
Clearly, Maggie was living in the living room and had left the bedroom for Arya. The capital's rent was high. Even for such a small place, the monthly rent was over two thousand dollars.
Maggie's income was around six thousand a month, and Arya worked at a hotel housekeeping, earning a bit over three thousand a month. Together, the mother and daughter's earnings were just enough to get by in the capital.
Fiorello thought about the eight thousand five hundred dollars Maggie gave for the car. That amount of money must have taken her a long time to save.
To Fiorello, eight thousand five hundred dollars wasn't a big deal, but for Maggie, it was something she would have to pinch pennies for a long time to accumulate.
When Fiorello looked around the rental house, Maggie felt somewhat embarrassed. "I only have tap water at home. Is tap water okay?" she asked. They didn't even have coffee in the house as she ordinarily didn't drink coffee.
The house was too small, lacking a dining room. Maggie usually ate her meals at the coffee table in the living room. When compared to Fiorello's three-bedroom home, the disparity was immense, and naturally, Maggie was a bit self-conscious.
Yet Fiorello didn't show any signs of disdain as he sat down on the sofa. "That's fine," he said.
Maggie poured Fiorello a glass of tap water when Arya suddenly said, "Maggie, Mr. Flores is off today. You should move in with Mr. Flores now that you got your marriage certificate. You can't keep living here forever."
Maggie looked at Arya in surprise and asked, "Mom, what about you?"
It was apparent from Arya's words that she had no intention of joining them.
"We've already paid a year's rent here, and it hasn't expired. The landlord won't refund us, and it would be such a waste for me to leave. I’ll just stay here. I'm an old lady. I won't intrude on you two," Arya explained, then turned to Fiorello with a smile, "Mr. Flores, please take Maggie with you."
Arya was a clear-headed person. Earlier, while Fiorello was settling the bill, Maggie had mentioned to her that Fiorello intended for her to move in with him.
That Fiorello cared enough to offer was enough for Arya. With Maggie and Fiorello recently married and without a strong emotional foundation yet, it wouldn't be proper for her to interfere.
As an elder, it was important to know when to step back.
Maggie quickly objected, "Mom, that won't work. Your health isn't good. You need someone to look after you."
Fiorello understood what Arya meant when she said, "Mom, why don't we move in together? The neighborhood over there is nicer and we can save some money on rent. As for the rent you've already paid, I'll talk to the landlord about getting it refunded. You're not in the best of health, and both Maggie and I are worried about you."
Fiorello knew that Arya and her daughter were thrifty, and mentioning the rent was the best way to get Arya's approval for the move.
However, Arya shook her head, adamant, "I'm used to living here, and Cityhomes West isn't far. If there's an issue, I'll just call you. Maggie, stop dawdling, pack your things, and go with Mr. Flores."
Neither Fiorello nor Maggie could sway Arya, who insisted that Maggie move out that day.
Maggie, feeling a bit helpless but realizing they were only a twenty-minute drive away, stopped pressing the issue. She packed her clothes that day and moved in with Fiorello to Cityhomes West.
Moving was physically demanding and also a hassle. By the time Maggie had moved everything and got things organized, it was already dark.
She chose the bedroom to the left of the living room, while Fiorello took the master bedroom to the right.
After she finished, Maggie sat on the sofa, took a sip of water, and said, "I'll go grocery shopping and cook dinner."
Fiorello grabbed her arm, "You've been busy all afternoon. Let's go out to eat tonight instead of fussing over a meal."
"We already spent money for lunch. Let's not go out to eat tonight. Save the money. Besides, you did all the moving. I'm not tired," Maggie said with a smile. "I saw there were vegetables in the supermarket downstairs when I was coming in. I'll go buy some and be right back. It's our first meal in the new home, and I want to have it here."
The thought of their first meal in the new home stirred something in Fiorello's heart, but he chose not to say anything more.
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