THANK YOU to all who took the time to read this story and I hope it has made a few of you smile. 
Part 10 – Let Me Love U
You should let me love you,
Let me be the one to
Give you everything you want and need.
Baby, good love and protection
Make me your selection
Show you the way love’s supposed to be. – Mario
The group sat sprawled in the living room, their stomachs stuffed, their spirits lifted. There was a bottle of champagne on the table and the fireplace was spitting flames and crackling. Michael and Maria sat on the loveseat, going from argument to kiss in seconds flat.
Isabel and Alex were cuddling on one side of the couch, talking and catching up, sipping their hot cider and smiling at each other. Kyle sat on the opposite side of the couch. Tess was in his lap, and they were simply enjoying the fire before them, trying to rest the food in their stomachs.
Max sat in the rocking chair by the Christmas tree, twirling the small object in his hands. He smiled as he looked around at the group before him. Who knew after all these years, they’d be able to pretty much pick up right where they left off.
His smile faded slightly as he looked up to catch sight of Liz, hauling a large bag down the stairs. She was barefoot, obviously annoyed by the high heeled shoes Maria had forced her to wear for the first part of the night, and she had thrown on a pair of black slacks and a hunter green sweater. He smiled again, loving her soft, natural beauty and stood up to help her bring the rest of the bag down the stairs.
“Oh, thank you!” She looked up at him and smiled, her dark chestnut eyes looking into his amber ones. He nodded and picked up the bag as he brought it down the rest of the way and onto the floor.
“Ok….” She sighed as they reached the bottom and looked around at the people sprawled around the living room. “Everyone, it’s time for the gift exchange.” The room seemed to suddenly come to life as everyone sat up straight full of excitement.
Liz opened the large black garbage bag and handed several gifts of different sizes and color wraps to Maria who placed them neatly in a pile on the table. Isabel jumped out of her seat as she and Michael headed toward the closet to pull down some of their own gifts.
As the bustle of the room began to die down, Max led Liz to the rocking chair and let her sit, as he plopped himself on the floor before her. She lay her hands naturally upon his shoulders and let them sit there. He felt his blood begin to warm at her touch, and he cursed silently under his breath. His heart was beating a thousand miles an hour and he was afraid he might again see the food he’d eaten not so long ago.
“Ok, well, I’d like to go first.” Isabel stood, and began to go through her piles of gifts. She pulled out two small boxes, one in the shape of a square, and one more rectangular.
“Kyle… Tess… these are for you. Forgive me Tess, I didn’t know your name at the time… so I just put Kyle’s girlfriend.” Isabel smiled bashfully and handed them the gifts.
“Isabel, you didn’t have to.”
“Oh please, you’re part of the group now.” Tess smiled, her rosy cheeks taking on some more color. She excitedly opened the small box as her bouncy blonde curls twirled with her actions. Inside, were a pair of beautiful, dangling Christmas Angels.
“These are beautiful. Thank you Isabel.” Tess stood up and reached out to hug Isabel, as everyone watched with smiles on their faces.
Kyle opened his box and smiled, seeing the movie that sat inside. Rudolph’s Shiny New Year. He laughed out loud as Isabel smirked.
“Thanks.” He laughed, remembering the one year they spent together, practically best friends. When she had been having some trouble and Alex had gone away for a year as a foreign exchange student. They’d almost started a romantic thing, but they realized they were better off as good friends. It hadn’t helped that she’d also called him Alex once, in the middle of a very serious one on one conversation.
“That’s not it! Here.” Isabel smirked and handed him another small box. He opened that one as well and smiled widely.
“It’s a key.”
“Yup.”
“To what?” He asked, his eyes becoming wide with disbelief.
“To my store in Roswell silly, I’m making you manager. Well, you and Tess. You can make up to 45% profit from the sales. I just need someone there I can trust. Can you do it?”
Kyle nodded and looked over at Tess. “While I’m taking my exam for the police academy, she’ll watch over it.”
“POLICE ACADEMY!?”
“Oh, I might’ve forgotten to mention it. I’m going to become a Sheriff, like my dad. I’ll be good at it.” Everyone smiled and congratulated him.
“And here’s some cologne.” Maria laughed as she handed Kyle the gift he had yet to open.
“Thanks sis.”
“You’re welcome bro.” There was some laughter as he opened it, smelled it, and then handed it to Tess so she could smell it as well.
“That’s a pretty sexy smell. Good job Maria.” Tess winked as she put the cologne back in the box and onto the floor beside her.
“This is from Max and me.” Michael handed him a small envelope and Kyle ripped it open excitedly.
“WOOHOO! You guys rock my world.”
“What is it?”
“A full year’s subscription to Busty Biker Babes and a gift card to Blockbuster.”
“Oh great.” Tess murmured and they all laughed.
“Ok. Here’s my gift.” Liz handed them both two scarves and hats.
“These are nice!”
“I knitted them myself.” Liz smiled as they tried them on.
“Awesome. Thanks Liz.” Kyle smiled. She nodded in response.
“Ok, Alex.” Isabel smirked and pushed a box over before him.
“What’s that?”
“Your gift. Open it.” He got up and headed toward the large box as he ripped off the wrapping paper. Inside was a gray 5 piece luggage set.
“Woah… Isabel, these are expensive.”
“Well, hopefully you’ll put them to good use, since you love to travel. Maybe you can come visit me in L.A. when I head out to open my boutique.” He smiled and nodded as he reached out to hug her.
“Ok, ok! My turn! Here you go.” Maria handed him a small wrapped object. He ripped it open as his mouth turned upward in a smile.
“An MP3 player! Thank you!”
“You’re welcome! That way you don’t have to carry around your entire CD collection on your trips.”
“And here… I got you CD’s, which can sit and collect dust on your desk at home.” Liz laughed as she handed him the blank CDs box and the other gift.
“What’s this?”
“My plan B, since Maria and I sometimes think too much alike.” He opened it up to find the sweater.
“Let me guess, you knitted it yourself too.” Liz nodded and smirked.
“Ahem… Liz, honey. You’re making everyone look bad.” Max sat her back down as everyone continued opening their presents.
Michael was still talking about the signed Metallica CD, and Maria was still shocked that Michael had painted a portrait of her.
Just as everything was dying down he looked around. It was now or never.
“Liz.” He stood from his spot on the ground and grabbed her hands to get her up from the rocking chair. She had the remainder of a smile on her face, and a pure glow of happiness and warmth radiating from her cheeks. He walked her past the mess of gifts and paper and over toward the stairs, as everyone turned to look at them in pure silence.
“Max.”
“I want to give you my gift.” She nodded and smiled, her eyes looking at him curiously, wondering why he was looking so serious. He dug his hand in his pocket. He pulled out the object and pinned it to the thin scarf around her neck. She looked down, her eyes widening at the sight of it.
“My Christmas pin.” She looked up, her eyes now staring into his questioningly. “Max, I gave this to you. It’s yours.” There seemed to be a touch of hurt in her eyes. He tightened his jaw nervously, hoping he was doing this right.
“I’m giving it back. As a reminder of what it stood for.” The room was deathly quiet, everyone’s eyes glued onto the two in front, the tensions swirling between them.
“I know what it stood for… that’s why I gave it to you.” Suddenly, her eyes registered an understanding and then a sudden flash of jealousy. “Oh I see… you no longer need it. Of course.” She laughed at her own stupidity but he grabbed her hands tightly into his own.
“No, just wait. You’re not getting this. Liz… I’ve been dating Christine for two years. It was just something I did, you know? Something that was harmless and fun. I never really thought too seriously about it. A few months ago, she said something about marriage. It kinda hit me hard at first, but I thought… why not? You know? People get married all the time. I’m at the age, where it’s about right. Then… I was looking through some of my things and I found this. This pin. And it all came flooding back to me. And I just… I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t do it until I came here and asked you one last time. I can’t marry her because I’m in love with you Liz. Now, what I want to know is… can you love me in return?”
She looked over at the eager faces in the room. Maria’s eyes were wide, pleading with her to accept. Isabel had tears in her eyes and Kyle and Michael sat with satisfied smirks. She looked back at him, her eyes nervous and unsure.
“Max… I… I do love you. But… Christine?”
“It’s over Liz. I can’t cheat her that way. I can’t be with her when I really want to be with you. So, I called her a few days ago. We’re through.”
“Beacause of me?”
“No… because of me. Because I’ve always known that there was never anyone else I could be with.” He took a deep breath and dropped down on one knee as the room took a united gasp.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small black box.
“Please don’t make me out to be a liar. I came here in hopes to be an engaged man. So, Liz Parker, love of my life, will you do me the honor and marry me?” There was a collective breath in the room as they awaited her answer.
Her eyes were full of tears as she looked down into his eyes. He could see everything she was feeling. Why had he waited so long? There was no doubt in his mind that this was and had always been the woman for him. He waited eagerly as leaned down and planted a soft kiss on his lips.
“Of course!” The room suddenly erupted in screams as everyone stood up to congratulate them.
***
The night had come and gone, as Liz turned comfortably in Max’s arms. She looked up at the alarm clock which was now flashing 6AM. It had been perhaps the best day of her life.
She thought of the bodies lying happily in their own rooms… and those lying in others’ rooms. She laughed, remembering when Michael and Maria snuck off before midnight. She felt the warm body beside her turn and sigh. She looked down at her hand, a sparkling diamond looking back at her. She had no choice but to smile.
She could never have imagined just a week before when Max had arrived that life would change so drastically.
“You ok?” She turned to face the sexy, groggy voice of the man beside her.
“I’m perfetect.” She smiled and kissed him softly, enjoying the feel of his strong arms around her.
“It’s early.”
“I know. I couldn’t sleep anymore.” He smiled and wrapped his arms around her tighter, in order to bring her closer to him.
“Come on, I’ll put you back to sleep.” She leaned into his chest and closed her eyes, allowing herself to take in his familiar scent. The one she’d always recognized and adored from afar.
He rocked slowly, and she enjoyed the sweeping motion of his body. She felt his chin softly against the top of her head. She sighed loudly, in complete satisfaction.
“It’s snowing again.” He whispered, as she raised her head to look out the window.
“Hmm, yea.” She was beginning to relax again, to fall into that peaceful place of sleep. She placed herself between him again, and closed her eyes as she felt the warm whisper above her head.
“Merry Christmas love.”
“Merry Christmas.” She breathed out and then drifted silently off to sleep.
<center> THE END</center>
