𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄. ᴍɪᴋᴇʏ

𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄

𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐑. On the day of her dead husband's funeral, Maria found out the love of her life- the ex-love of her life, was having an affair. Not only that but, he had multiple affairs. Several women looked at her and her children with guilt, pity, and regret. As if they didn't know she was his wife. She's met most of these women before, he introduced them as friends, colleagues, even fucking cousins.

There was one that stuck out to her though. She wore a face with pride and remorse as she hugged Kota's mother. Next to the woman was what looked like a six-year-old boy who looked similar to her now-dead husband. Maria felt as if she was going to throw up as she stared at the little boy who had a faint bruise on his face.

Maria didn't cry that day, instead she comforted others. Her mother, father, sister, nieces, and godmother were there. They noticed the panicked state their relative was in. She had done it before, but this time no one asked her if she was okay. There was the generic, "I'm sorry for your loss" or "Your families in our prayers".

No one asked about her or the kids except Mikey—of course, her family had. Maria had only seen Mikey a couple of times. He was friends with Kota, who used to work at Mikey's restaurant before Marie was pregnant. The man was funny and caring, but right now, he was uncomfortable around the funeral home.

"I don't fuck with funerals, sorry," he came anyway. He asked the question everyone avoided, "How are you and the uh- kids?" Mikey furrowed his brows as he looked at the woman, she looked tired as rubbed her swollen stomach and stared at her kids with their grandmother. "I'm fine," Lie. "I'm just tired" truth.

Mikey didn't believe her, hell, he didn't believe any of the bullshit Maria had said today. "if you ever need anything, call me, okay?" Mikey handed her his card while the pregnant woman nodded. "thank you, Mick, really." she smiled before he grinned at her and then walked to his card.

When he left Maria sighed looking at the card 'The Original Beef of Chicagoland.' Never had she wanted an Italian beef sandwich so bad. Soon in four years, she would get one and his name is Carmen Berzatto.

𝐅𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐈𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐒:

I didn't go into detail but Kota's affair was long.

Can anyone guess for how long?

This is four years before the pilot episode of Abbott Elementary. Maria, 28, Kota, 30, Bear, 12, Winnie, 11, August, isn't born yet.

Mikey and Maria were practically best friends after his death.

as I think about the ages don't make sense, just vibe honestly - 2025