Jason's Lover (Crystal)
Mareli
frenchkiss70
Mezz
Cocopucks
Scottie
r0swell_dreamer
Alien614
Realistic Dreamer (Sandy)
begonia9508(Eve)
Behrsgirl77 (Tanya)
roswellluver
LTL
IAmLongTimeFan (Liz)
Thanks once again to IAmLongTimeFan (Liz)for reading first.
I look forward to hearing from all of you.
Everything to You Part 78
Max sat at his usual booth in the CrashDown trying not to fidget. Jeff Parker had called and asked him to come down so they could talk, but when he got there, he ended up waiting because Mr. Parker had to deal with a problem in the kitchen.
Although he was curious why Mr. Parker wanted to speak to him, Max was not as nervous about it as he might have been just a few months ago. Since Liz left for school, he and Jeff Parker had become friends. Well, not friends exactly, but they had sort of gravitated together, bonding over their mutual feelings of missing Liz and Max wasn’t nearly so intimidated as he once was.
Whenever he came to the CrashDown to eat, Mr. Parker would take the time to sit with him and they would talk about Liz or school or whatever little things came up. It was nice to know that whatever animosity that had been between them was over. Still, Max was a little apprehensive about why Liz’s father wanted to speak to him, if only because he’d sounded so serious on the phone.
Max looked up as the kitchen door opened and Jeff Parker and his night manager, Randy came through it.
“It should be okay until I get back. Just call the guy tomorrow and see when he can come.” Randy nodded at Jeff’s words and Jeff turned around, grimacing apologetically at Max as he came to the table and sat down.
“Sorry about that. There’s a problem with one of the fryers. I needed to take care of it before I leave tomorrow.”
“It’s okay,” Max said.
“So, I guess you’re wondering why I called,” Jeff said, noting Max’s somewhat wary affirmation. He sighed and hesitated, finally rubbing a hand over his forehead. “This is really hard to talk about.”
Nervous frissons of disquiet tightened Max’s stomach as he waited for Mr. Parker to elaborate on that somewhat alarming statement. For a moment he thought something might be wrong with Liz but he immediately discarded the thought. He’d spoken with her just yesterday and she was fine. Besides, he would know if something was wrong. Their connection would tell him.
Mr. Parker sighed again and finally looked back up at Max. “Nancy and I are getting a divorce.”
Eyes widening a little, Max looked down at his hands, unable to meet Mr. Parker’s unhappy gaze. “I’m sorry,” he said.
“It’s been coming for a while,” Mr. Parker said tiredly, “but you probably knew that.”
Max nodded. Spending time with Jeff Parker the last couple of months, he knew that there were bigger problems in the Parker’s marriage than even Liz knew about. Mrs. Parker had gone back to Florida immediately after dropping Liz off at school and the few times that Max had been around when she called, he could tell from Mr. Parker’s end of the conversation that it hadn’t been pleasant.
“Nancy and I are going to tell Liz this weekend while we’re up in Chicago with her. We felt like it was best if we did it together.”
“Oh,” Max said, a crease appearing between his brows. His heart twisted a little at the thought of how Liz was going to react. He knew she was looking forward to this visit and it was going to be a blow to find out the real reason for it. He wished fervently that he could be there with her.
“It’s going to be hard on her and I wanted you to be prepared.”
“Thank you,” Max said, feeling that the words sounded inadequate.
Jeff smoothed his hands over his face again before settling his gaze on Max, and the younger man was surprised to see the sudden bitterness in it. “I’m going to tell you something in confidence now, and I’d appreciate it if you don’t tell anyone else.” At Max’s hesitant nod, Jeff continued. “Nancy has been seeing someone in Florida.”
A surprised frown appeared on Max’s face and Jeff Parker felt an unexpected lump in his throat. He thought he’d come to terms with his wife’s infidelity, but admitting it to someone else was turning out to be unexpectedly difficult.
“The reason I’m telling you this is because I’m not sure how much Nancy is going to tell Liz about what’s been happening, but I think she’s going to tell her the truth and….” Jeff paused, breathing against the tightness in his chest. “I just wanted you to be ready….in case Liz needs you.”
Max didn’t know what to say to this. As uncomfortable as he was with Jeff Parker’s unexpected confession, he was glad that he’d told him. Liz was going to be devastated.
“I almost asked you to come with us this weekend, but I think…I think that Nancy and I need to do this ourselves. We owe Liz that much and….”
“I understand,” Max answered and he did. It was a family issue and he wasn’t really a part of their family. Not like Liz was a part of his.
“I never thought it would come to this,” Jeff said, his voice thick and muffled by the hands he suddenly brought up to cover his eyes, then he sighed again and pulled himself together, standing up. “You’re a good guy, Max.” He rapped his knuckles on the table in farewell and headed back to the kitchen.
Max pushed away the plate in front of him, unable to finish his meal after the depressing conversation. Liz’s father was understandably upset and Max felt sorry for him, but it was Liz he was most concerned about. He knew that she and her mother didn't have the best relationship and this news was not going to improve it. He took a deep breath, unaware of the deep frown on his face as he remembered Liz’s earlier enthusiasm when she'd told him about all the places she was going to take her parents this weekend. She was going to be so hurt. He hated that he was left with only comforting her from afar. Max closed his eyes, resolving to do the best that he could. She had been there for him more times then he could count and it was his turn to be there for her.
Max’s eyes jerked open as he heard someone slide into his booth, relaxing as he saw that it was Michael, noting the tense way his friend ran his hands through his long hair.
“Maria’s not here, is she?” Michael asked, trying to look around nonchalantly but failing.
“Hi to you too. No she’s not,” Max answered.
“Good,” Michael said. He began picking at the fries on Max’s plate, his movements quick and jerky as he stuffed them into his mouth.
In spite of the lingering apprehension caused by Jeff Parker’s confession, Max had to fight the smile threatening as he watched Michael. Liz had told him of Maria’s plan to make Michael pay for the way he’d blown off his near proposal at her mother’s house and it was entertaining to see him slowly coming unglued.
Michael had confessed to Max the next day that at first he’d been relieved when Maria didn’t say anything about it, but now as time had gone by and she continued to pretend that it never happened, he was becoming more and more agitated. What the hell was her game? Was she doing it on purpose or was she really unconcerned? Did that mean that she didn’t want to get married? Her lack of reaction was driving him crazy. Sometimes, he almost expected her to start chanting, she was so serene.
“Please, help yourself,” Max said sardonically as Michael picked up what was left of Max’s drink and gulped it down.
“Did Liz talk to her? Did she say anything?” Michael asked finally, leaning back against the back of the booth, trying to appear casual when he was actually anxious as hell.
“I told you, Maria hasn’t said anything to her,” Max answered. That wasn’t strictly true, but Max wasn’t going to get in the middle of this game Michael and Maria insisted on playing.
“Shit,” Michael said, giving into his anxiety by running his hands over his hair again. He rested his head against his clasped hands.
“Why don’t you do what you said you were going to do and ask her to marry you? What are you waiting for? Her mother knows the truth now. Wasn’t that the only thing standing in your way?”
Michael didn’t answer, staring fixedly at the ceiling. It was true, telling Maria’s mother had been the major hurtle to be breached and that that was no longer a factor. In fact, Amy Deluca was proving to be much more accepting than he had anticipated. Michael grimaced as he thought of the last weekend when she’d had him over and proceeded to have him repair all of the little problems in her house with his powers. Maria had stood by watching proudly so he couldn’t exactly say no. He’d ended up promising to come back and help her pick paint colors by changing the walls for her this weekend. It was a little humiliating to realize that he’d been reduced to a maintenance man when his powers were supposed to be used for defense.
“Well?” Max asked after this moment of silence.
“I……I don’t know, okay?” Michael finally said forcefully, frowning when Max raised his eyebrows then shrugged.
“Let me know when you figure it out. I have to go to work,” Max said. He dropped some bills on the table for a tip and got up to pay the check. Michael followed, somewhat despondently, and a moment later they parted as Max headed for work and Michael headed for his apartment.
**************************
“This is really good, honey,” Jeff Parker said to his daughter after he tasted his first forkful of the Chicken Picatta on his plate.
Liz smiled at her father then turned back to her own plate of pasta. They were seated at an Italian restaurant in downtown Chicago, enjoying a leisurely dinner after a day of sightseeing.
“How’s yours, Mom?” Liz asked, more to get her mother involved in the conversation than anything else.
“Fine,” Nancy Parker answered, a small smile of politeness rather than sincerity creasing her mouth and Liz tried not to let the hurt show as she nodded and looked back down at her plate.
It had been like this all weekend. While her father showered her with affection and commented enthusiastically on all the sights and events during their stay, her mother was a polite stranger and Liz was rapidly losing heart. She didn’t understand her mother and she didn’t understand why it had to be so difficult between the two of them.
After their meal, the three of them rode back to her parent’s hotel. As they rode, Liz and her father chatted about the places they’d been that day and how the restaurant was doing. Her father enthused about how Randy was handling things and even brought up Max.
“I think he’s single handedly keeping the place in business. Doesn’t he ever get tired of greasy, fried food?”
“Are you disparaging your own cooking?” Liz asked, laughing.
“Of course not, but even I like vegetables and healthy food once in a while. The kid’s going to die of a heart attack before he’s thirty if he keeps this up.”
“Don’t worry, Dad. Max has a pretty sturdy constitution.” Liz smiled as she looked out the window. She couldn’t exactly tell her father that Max couldn’t get sick. She glanced at her mother who was staring out the other window, a sad, remote look on her face and her smile faded.
They pulled up to the hotel a few moments later. “Let’s go up to the room,” Mr. Parker said, ignoring the look that Nancy Parker gave him. He knew she knew he meant his room. They were obviously not sharing a room, but Liz didn’t know that, at least not yet.
After unlocking the door and letting his wife and daughter precede him inside, Mr. Parker took off his jacket to hang in the closet. He took a deep breath, his heart heavy at what they were about to do and turned around to address Liz only to find her standing in the middle of the room, staring at his suitcase….the only suitcase in the room. She looked up at him, then at her mother, her dark eyes shadowed and apprehensive.
“Tell me what’s going on,” she said in a low voice.
Jeff crossed the room and took her hand to lead her to the bed. He pulled her down and kept hold of her hand, glancing at his wife before turning back and looking her in the eye.
“Your mother and I want you to know how very much we love you,” He began, but his words, meant to be soothing, only increased Liz’s apprehension.
“And we want you to realize that our decision has nothing whatsoever to do with you.”
“What decision?” Liz asked, looking from her father to her mother and back again. She pulled her hands away and got up from the bed, wrapping her arms around her as if to ward off whatever bad thing they were about to say. “Just tell me,” she said when neither one of her parents answered her.
“Jeff, let me talk to her alone,” Nancy Parker got up from her chair. “Please?” Jeff hesitated then reluctantly grabbed his just discarded jacket, leaving the two women by themselves.
“Why is he leaving? What’s going on?” Liz asked, her voice cracking slightly in fear, knowing deep down what her mother was about to say to her.
“Sit down, Liz.” Nancy Parker took her daughter gently by the arm and brought her back to the bed where she and her father had been sitting a moment ago. She smoothed the dark hair back from Liz’s face, staring at her with a mixture of too many emotions to name, among them, love, sorrow….and regret.
Her mother’s sudden transformation into this caring person she rarely showed didn’t do anything to relieve Liz’s heart. She felt tears already forming even though her mother hadn’t uttered a word.
“Your Dad and I ….are getting a divorce.”
The tears now hung on her lashes as Liz felt the words like a blow. Her lower lip trembled and she could only stare at her mother for a moment before finally asking, “Why?”, her voice husky and thick.
“That is a complicated question. There isn’t any one reason.”
“But why?” Liz said again, dashing the tears away with the back of her hand. “Aren’t you….I mean…..you love Dad… don’t you?”
Nancy looked away and sighed. “Your father and I are two different people, Liz. We always have been. Your father’s dreams…..his goals….aren’t mine. They used to be….a long time ago, but things changed and I….deluded myself for a long time that it didn’t matter, but lately…..I’ve found out differently.”
“What do you mean lately?”
“I mean…..since I’ve been away.”
Liz swallowed to ease the tightness in her throat. “But….you and Dad….the restaurant….”
“That was his idea, not mine. When we were dating, your Dad had other dreams, other aspirations. Did you know he wanted to be a singer?” Nancy stared at her daughter’s lovely face, her hand still tucking her hair back.
At Liz’s negative response, Nancy smiled a little sadly. “Those poems I told you about that he used to write….he would turn them into song lyrics. We were going to move to California and live on the beach and your Dad was going to form a band. We had it all planned.”
“So what happened?”
“I got pregnant.”
Liz paled at the words, but Nancy wasn’t looking at her.
“And we needed money. We couldn’t go off to California without a penny to our names with a baby coming. So your Dad got a job at Grandpa’s restaurant just long enough so we could save some money and then we were leaving.” She sighed and sat down in one of the chairs at the small table in the corner of the room. “But it didn’t work out that way. Your Dad liked working at the restaurant and when we saved enough money, instead of leaving, he opened his own. The CrashDown became his life.”
Liz felt sick to her stomach and literally thought she might gag. “So…..so you gave up your dreams….because of me.” She got up from the bed and turned away from her mother to stare out of the balcony window, before turning back, her large eyes shadowed with hurt in her pale face. “Did you….did you even want me?”
“Oh honey, that isn’t it at all.” Nancy got up from the bed and approached her daughter, gently taking her by the arms. “Your Dad was completely honest. This has nothing to do with you. I always wanted you. And I was content while you were growing up. Not happy maybe….but…..”
“So what changed?” Liz asked, stepping back from her mother’s grip.
Nancy stared at her for a long moment before turning away, and Liz felt her stomach tighten even more at the hesitation in her mother’s demeanor.
“When I went to Florida to take care of your Aunt Beth…..I……met someone.”
“Oh…” The word was barely a sound, but it was forced from Liz’s throat as the she felt the force of her mother’s words hit her. Nancy turned back to see her daughter staring at her as though she’d never seen her before, and Nancy felt her own tears finally forming as she saw the devastation on her daughter’s face.
“I didn’t plan it and I…..tried to …….” Nancy stopped and looked away. “It just happened. I know nothing I can say can make it better, but….I didn’t set out to hurt you or your father.”
Liz turned her back on her mother and Nancy put her hands over her face for a moment, trying to pull herself together.
“I know I haven’t been the mother you’ve wanted or needed, Liz. But it wasn’t because I didn’t love you. You were the main reason I stayed as long as I did. Please honey…..I know this is….hard…but……..
“Leave.”
“Liz……”
“Please…..go…..” Her voice was a hoarse whisper and Nancy could only stare for a moment at her daughter’s taut back before wiping at her own tears.
“I hope…..I hope you’ll be able to forgive me….one day. I love you….”
Standing rigidly, Liz listened to her mother’s footsteps as she crossed the room, the door closing quietly behind her. Liz walked woodenly to the window by the balcony, staring at nothing as tears coursed down her cheeks.
Something flickered on the edges of her consciousness and realizing immediately what it was, Liz closed her eyes, letting Max’s comforting presence in. Somehow, even from the distance, he’d felt her pain. Renewed tears burned her eyes as her soulmate reached across space to comfort her. His love surrounded her wounded heart and Liz felt some of the weight that was crushing her chest, lessen.
The door of the room opened and Liz turned around. Her father’s face reflected her own hurt feelings and with a small sob, Liz went forward into his arms.
“I’m sorry, Daddy.” Liz whispered it against his coat as her father held her tightly.
“Me too, honey.” He held her for a moment longer, then Jeff let her go and brought her to the bed with him.
“Listen to me. I don’t want you to be angry at your mother.”
Liz stared at him. “How can you say that? She…..”
“I know what she’s done, but it takes two to make or break up a marriage and I’ve made my share of mistakes. I never realized how unhappy she was until it was too late.”
Moments in time flashed through Liz’s head as she remembered late nights when her father worked until the wee hours….seeing her mother’s unhappy face as their vacation to the mountains was canceled because of an unexpected catering order that couldn’t be passed up…..hearing her father telling her mother that he was missing another Christmas party because he couldn’t be away from work.
“Just don’t judge her too harshly, okay?” When Liz didn’t answer, Jeff sighed and put his arm around her to hug her close again. “I’m going to go talk to her. Will you be alright for a minute?”
Liz sniffed and nodded.
“I love you.” Jeff got up from the bed and headed out of the room and Liz wiped at her tears, pulling her cell phone from her purse and hitting the speed dial.
It was picked up almost before it rang.
“Liz……”
Max’s voice on the other end of the line brought fresh tears to her eyes, and Liz couldn’t speak for a moment.
From his end, Max heard the hitch in her breath and he sat back down on his bed from where he’d jumped up when the phone rang. Liz’s sorrow was like a beacon to him and he’d been unable to keep from reaching out to her in comfort. Now he concentrated on keeping the connection alive, letting his loving presence flow through.
“My parents are getting a divorce.” Liz’s husky voice finally came over the line and the sadness in it was like an arrow in Max’s heart.
“I know. Your Dad told me before he left.”
“He did?” Liz asked in surprise.
“He wanted me to know so I could be ready when you needed me. I’m really sorry.”
There was silence over the line for a moment and Max could feel Liz trying to get a grip on herself.
“I always knew she was unhappy. I just never understood why.”
Max kept silent knowing that no words could make her feel better. She hesitated another moment.
“I’m not sure she ever really wanted me.”
“I’m sure that’s not true,” Max said immediately, hearing the anguish in her voice.
“That’s what she said but….” Liz swallowed her tears and explained the things her mother had told her.
“Maybe things didn’t turn out the way they planned,” Max said when Liz was finished, “but I’m sure she meant what she said, Liz. Just because she was unhappy with your father doesn’t mean she was unhappy with you.”
“I know. It’s just…….”she stopped on a small sob and Max tightened his grip on the phone wanting so much to be there to hold her. He closed his eyes and concentrated.
Liz felt their connection strengthen and her tears subsided a little at the feel of Max’s arms closing around her. She stayed quiet, letting herself be comforted, happy that she didn’t have to be strong on her own. A few moments later, she sighed and opened her eyes, knowing her father was going to be back any moment.
“Dad’s gone to talk to her, but he’ll be back in a minute.” Liz sniffed and tried without success to stop the incessant flow of tears. “I really wish you were here,” she whispered.
“Me too,” Max answered, never meaning more than he did right at that moment.
“I’ll call you tomorrow when he’s gone.”
“Okay. You can reach for me whenever you want to. I’ll be here all night.”
“I know,” Liz said, comforted beyond measure at his words. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“Bye.”
“Bye.”
Liz clicked off the phone and went to the bathroom to find a tissue. She was just coming back into the bedroom when her father reappeared, looking tired and sad.
“Your mother’s catching the next plane out tonight.”
Liz didn’t answer, dabbing at her wet eyes as she sat on the bed.
“I can try to stay past tomorrow if you want me too.” Jeff sat down opposite her.
“No, it’s okay. I know you have to get back.”
“Nothing is more important to me than you are, honey, so if you need me to stay, I will.”
“No, really. I’ll be alright. And we have until tomorrow afternoon.”
“Okay,” Jeff said, relaxing back in the chair. “So…did you talk to Max?”
“Yes. He told me that you told him before you left.” Liz gave her father with a small, wan smile. “Thank you.”
“He’s a good kid, and I’m sorry I gave you such a hard time about him.” Jeff spoke sincerely and Liz was warmed by his words even through her sorrow.
Jeff got up from his chair to sit beside her on the bed. “We’ll get through this, honey.” He put his arm around her and Liz leaned gratefully against him, still feeling Max’s phantom presence with her as well.
“I know we will,” she answered. “I know we will.”
TBC.....
