All I see is Sainz

Chapter 2

"No fucking way!!" Cassidy says loudly, earning us a couple stares from some co workers. "Sorry" I apologize laughing to no one directly. "You have to go to dinner!! He said it's a date!" She teases me and gives my arm a nudge with her elbow. "You know I can't. I have to put Elias down for bed. Plus what do I even tell him? 'Mommy's going to go on a date with some guy while you sleep? Nooo! Plus, it'll be pretty late for dinner by the time I put him down for bed." I say, shutting the idea down.
"Stop right there. You know I'll watch him for you. I have nothing better to do. I'd love to babysit for the night. I don't mind putting him to bed. You deserve this! You NEED this! You're young, and hot! Go have some fun. Carlos Sainz is too hot to turn down. You always turn guys down. Just go have some dinner. Who knows where it'll lead?" She tries to persuade me. "I'll think about it. I promise. I gave him my number, he said he'll be in touch to try and schedule this 'date' I doubt he even remembers. If anything I told him I'm off on Wednesdays and could do brunch or coffee." I add. "Girl brunch? Wackkk! You will go to dinner!" She scolds me. "Whatever let's just get to work!" I remind her and grab my coffee cup and head back to my little work cubicle.
The morning goes by swiftly. We were actually pretty busy this morning, I was all over the office. From one floor to another, room to room. Making hundreds of copies and stapling papers. Making sure to hand out all important papers to the right person. Scheduling appointments, the usual secretary stuff. Finally lunch time rolled around and Cassidy and I grabbed our lunch bags and headed to the lounge. We took turns cooking back home. It was her turn to make lunch. We got settled in our usual table in the corner when I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I'm always on alert with my phone in case Elias's school calls me or anything like that.
Unknown number: Hey it's me Carlos, from the cafe earlier this morning :)
Me: ah, yes. Hey, how's your day going?
"How's your day going?" Jeez could I be anymore awkward. I mentally slap my face with my palm and add his number to my contacts.
Carlos: good, good. It's been a pretty easy day. And you? Have you thought about dinner?
Me: just your pretty typical office day. And yess...dinner sounds lovely. When?
Carlos: does tomorrow night work for you? And really no pressure if dinner can't work for you I don't mind brunch.
Me: no no, dinner is lovely. Tomorrow night works for me.
Carlos: perfect. I'll be in touch with more details on our date. Can't wait ;)
Cassidy stood next to me reading our conversation. She was better at this whole dating thing. "Good. Now don't text back. Don't come off too desperate!" She tells me as if I'm a child she's teaching something to. "I'm not desperate!" I remind her. She walks back around the table to sit in front of me and we dig into our lunch. We talk about work and then just ideas for dinner tonight. It's my turn to cook. She then talks about what she plans to do with Elias while I go on my date tomorrow night. She promises to have him in bed on time. "I will tell him I'm going to run some errands. He shouldn't ask too many questions. Plus this is just one date. I don't want to confuse him and tell him I'm going on a date." I remind myself and Cassidy. "You don't know it's just one date, maybe it could lead to more" she tries to sound persuasive. "I don't know. If he asks for a second date I'll have to tell him about Elias. That'll surely send him running for the hills." I joke
"Maybe he'll surprise you" she says and winks. We enjoy the rest of our lunch break and before we know it, it's time to get back to work. After lunch work seems to have calmed down. Not so busy running around everywhere. I couldn't help but think about Carlos and our impending date. Surely it'd only be one date. I don't want to tell Elias anything. I'm not sure how he'd react. I haven't been with anyone romantically since I got pregnant with him. His father isn't exactly the best guy or dad to have around. I haven't had contact with him since a week before I gave birth. I promised myself I'd only focus on Elias and I. I don't know how Elias would feel about me seeing a man who's not his father. He used to ask a lot about his dad. I always told him he's not important since he's not here with us and it was better for him to not know him anyway. As he gets bigger he's understanding more and asks less. I wish his father was a better man and we could've given him a perfect two parent family. But Atlas, it's him and I. I'll always put him first.
The day dragged on slowly and I would get lost in thought but get pulled back into reality when someone would dump a stack of papers on my desk to file or make copies of. The pile seemed to never get smaller until I finally stapled the last of the stack. It was time for me to clock out and start heading to Elias's school. Everyone else around me still hard at work. I went as usual and knocked on my boss's door. "Come in". I slowly opened the door and stuck my head in. "I'm heading out now Pablo. See you tomorrow." I politely say. "See you tomorrow Angela." He responds looking up from his computer. I close his door and tell Cassidy I'll see her at home for dinner. I tidy up my desk and grab my purse. 3pm. I decided to take a short taxi ride to the school this time and got there much faster. I stood outside the gates with a group of parents. The bell finally rang at 3:15pm and you could instantly hear all the kids yelling, ready to go home. The gates open and a hoard of children come running out.
"Mami!" Elias shouts and run to me. As always, he wraps around my lower body and hugs me. I wrap my arms around him in return. "Ay mi niño. How I've missed you!" I tease and bend down to kiss the top of his head. "I have something to tell you. You'll never believe me!" I could barely contain my excitement. He's going to go crazy. "Que pasa mami?!" He gets anxious. "I went to get coffee after I dropped you off, and you'll never guess who entered the cafe... CARLOS SAINZ. The race car driver you like!" I tell him. "No way mami! Did you get a picture? Autograph?!" He says jumping up and down. "No my love. I'm sorry. I was so in shock I completely forgot. Plus I had to get to work" I say sadly. "No way. I wish I got to see him!!" He pouts. "Maybe you'll meet him one day. Now come. We have to stop at the grocery store." I try and cheer him up. "I'll buy you a candy?" I throw in. "Yippy!" He yells. That always gets him. I couldn't help but laugh.
          We walk hand in hand to our nearby grocery store. It's pretty busy this time of day so I grab a shopping cart and put Elias in. I grab the coffee first to make sure I don't forget. I decided to also buy some stuff for the apartment. Groceries to make dinner throughout the week, snacks and basic home necessities. "Ok I think that's everything." I say to myself out loud. "Mami! My candy!" Elias whines and reminds me. "Oh right sorry mi niño." I laugh and I go to the candy aisle. He's quick to choose what he wants and we get in line to check out. By the time we get back to the apartment it's already 4:30pm. I guess we lost track of time in the grocery store. I make Elias get started on his homework as I put all the groceries away. By the time I'm finishing up, Cassidy gets home from work. "I'm backkk" she yells from the door. "Perfect. I'm going to get started on dinner" I yell back.
           Elias finishes his homework and we sit around our small dining table to eat dinner together. Our little family. Cassidy has take. Elias in as her nephew and he calls her his Tia. "Tia, did mom tell you she met CARLOS SAINZ?!" He says a bit too loud from excitement. "She did papa, inside voice remember" she tells him. "Mami doesn't even watch the races! That's not fair I want to meet him." He pouts and slouches in his chair. "Don't pout baby, you never know maybe one day you'll meet him" I try and encourage him.  We sit around the table talking all together after we've finished eating. As it gets late I decide to start clearing the table and start cleaning the kitchen. Cassidy goes to shower and Elias stays in the living room and watches tv. "Hey papi, I have to run some errands tomorrow night. Cassidy will be here with you and put you to bed ok?" I tell him as I wash dishes in the kitchen. "Oh ok mami. Will you be back late?" He asks without turning to face me. "Just a bit mi amor" I tell him. "Ok" he says.
         That night as I put him to bed and kiss his forehead goodnight, I can't stop and think about how life would be if he had a male authority figure. I like to give myself credit for how I've raised him. We don't need his father. We're better off without him. But I know he wants a dad. He doesn't ask as often why his friends and classmates have two parents and he doesn't anymore, but I know he wishes he did. I start rethinking my dinner date for tomorrow with Carlos. But then I start to think about the last time I went out anywhere with a guy, I decide to listen to Cassidy this once. I mean, he's a famous race driver, I doubt he'd really be interested in a small nobody like me. Plus, if he knew about Elias he'd for sure run for the hills. Not that I'd blame him, but might as well try and have a nice dinner with him.
        The next morning it's the same morning routine. Down to the waffles for breakfast with a glass of orange juice. By 7am we're all in the elevator going down to the lobby. The door opens when we've come to a stop and we go our separate ways for the time being. In our walk to school, Elias tells me about how Carlos is back home in Madrid after having raced in Miami this past weekend, that his next race is in Italy in two weeks. He goes to tell me that Carlos came in 3rd place at the race. I let him go on until we reach the school gates. "Ok papi, it's time to go into school. You can elk me more later ok?" I say and kiss his cheek. "Be good. Te amo" I wave him bye. "Y yo a ti mami" he yells back before running inside the gates. I watch him join a group of boys and how they all laugh together. I turn back in the direction of the apartment and head to work. My phone buzzes in my purse and I carefully take it out while trying not to bump into anyone walking nearby.
Carlos: Buenos Dias hermosa ;)
Me: Buenos Dias :)
Carlos: 7:30pm ok for dinner?
Me: sounds good!
Carlos: any specific place? Or certain cuisine?
Me: No, no worries, I'm not picky.
Carlos: Ok great :) send me your address, I can pick you up at 7:30pm sharp.
Me: you don't have to. If you tell me where we're be dining, I can walk or get a taxi.
Carlos: nonsense. A beautiful woman like you should be picked up. Send your address hermosa, I'll be there on time.
Me: Okk :)
I send him my address and he sends a smiley face emoji. I couldn't help but feel a strange feeling in my stomach. Maybe it's the nerves. I haven't been on a date since Elias's father. Oh lord. I've been out of the game for a while. I'm going to embarrass myself. I put my phone back in my purse and pick up the pace on my walk to work.