Wow! Look at all the feedback! Thanks you guys! Here is part 2 of this fic. The song is from Dido's CD and I think the title is "My Love Has Gone". All fb is greatly appreciated! See part 1 for disclaimer and other info.
Beth
Part 2
The phone rings, but I pull the covers over my head and put the pillow that HE used to sleep on, on top of that to block out the sound. I’ve been in bed a total of three days now. I don’t really have any intention of ever getting out of it. I look over at my stereo and press play, wondering which song will come up. I’ve had a loop of several songs that we used to listen to or songs that remind me of HIM playing. As the machine finally picked up the phone, I turn the volume on the stereo up so that I can’t hear who’s calling.
My love has gone. His boots are no longer by my door.
He left at dawn, and as I slept I felt him go.
Returns no more.
I will not watch the ocean.
My love has gone. No earthly ships will ever bring him home again.
Bring him home again.
My love has gone. I know that kiss will be my last.
No more his song. The tune upon his lips has past.
I say hello, why do I watch the ocean?
My love has gone. No earthly ships will ever bring him home again.
Bring him home again.
My love has gone. His boots are no longer by my door.
He left at dawn, and as I slept I felt him go.
Returns no more.
I will not watch the ocean.
My love has gone. No earthly ships will ever bring him home again.
Bring him home again.
I hear the machine beep, signaling the end of the message. I reach over and hit the play button to listen to who called. The machine beeps as Jeffrey’s voice fills the silent room. My conscience pricks me. I haven’t seen Jeffrey in 3 days. I haven’t even called him to see how he’s doing. I had promised Max I would take care of him if anything ever happened to him. Was I already falling down on the job? I tried to ease my conscience by telling myself that I needed time to heal, and having Max’s son around would not help that process. My conscience tells me that I know better.
“Mommy? It’s me, Jeffey. Aunt Isabel said I could call you to see how you are. Are you ok? I know you miss daddy. I miss him too. I just wanted to know when I can come home. I miss you, mommy. Oh, Aunt Isabel says to tell you that Uncle Michael said he’s going to open the diner on Monday with or without you. Does that mean that we’ll be feeding people downstairs again? I hope so. I like having all those people around. Well, I guess I’ll say goodbye. I luv you, mommy. You can call me back if you want to,” Jeffrey’s voice says.
I sit up, letting the tears fall down my face. He calls me mommy because he doesn’t know. HE had decided that he didn’t want his son to know that his mother was a traitor. We would raise him as if he were mine. At first, I had a hard time accepting this tiny infant. This baby was the product of what I considered to be Max cheating on me with that thing that killed Alex. However, I found after a while that I enjoyed this tiny creature. He was adorable and fun to play with and he was half HIS. It hurt to look into those Siamese cat eyes of blue but when they smiled for me, it became easier. Max changed his name to Jeffrey Maxwell after my father’s death, and it helped that this child carried a name that I loved. As Ava proved herself to us, this also helped ease the fact that he was not mine. The final clincher had been when Max had all of us, (Maria, Kyle, Serena, Sean, Brody, and I), genetically altered so that we would be part alien too. I was the guinea pig in this new experiment, and as such there were complications, one of which was the fact that I would never have children of my own now. I was told that I was fortunate to be alive, but that was no comfort when I thought that I could never carry Max’s child. Therefore, after a time of mourning for the children I would never have, I had fully accepted Jeffrey as my own son.
I went into the bathroom, stripped and got into the shower. I stayed in there until the water that ran over me was freezing and I started shivering. Then I turned the water off and dried myself off. I put on some deodorant and fresh clothes and started to leave the bathroom. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and stopped. I was so thin from lack of food. My stomach growled at that. I can’t be hungry though; HE’S gone so I can’t do mundane things like eat. I didn’t want the world to go on with HIM gone.
I pull my hair into a ponytail and start to head downstairs when I hear someone in the basement below. Knowing that it is probably Michael, I am a little more relaxed as I head for the basement stairs, but only a little. That is what this war had done to us; made us paranoid, cautious beings like hunted animals. I open the basement door, and it squeaks a little. It’s enough for the movement below to stop.
“Liz? Is that you?” Michael’s voice filters up to me.
I let out a breath that I hadn’t realized I was holding. “Yes, Michael, it’s me,” I answer, heading down the stairs. I round the post at the bottom of the stairs and see him with clipboard in hand looking through the shelves. “What are you doing here?” I ask.
“Going over our stock,” he replied as if I should realize that.
“Michael, I’m not sure I’m ready to open the café yet,” I tell him.
He stops and turns to look at me. “That’s why I’m going to open it on Monday morning.”
Getting angry I tell him, “You don’t own this café, I do, and I say we aren’t ready to open yet. He won’t even have been buried a whole week on Monday. I think we need to show some respect.”
“How do you propose we do that, Liz, stay in bed for the rest of our lives? There are people who depend on us, who look to us for direction, and I can’t let them down. For one thing, I need something that resembles a kind of routine to get through this and this café is the only thing I can think of that is semi-normal,” he yells at me.
My eyes involuntarily fill with tears again. Michael softens at this and reaches a hand out to me. Hurt, though, I pull away from him. “No, Michael, if this is what you think the people need, then by all means open this stupid little café. I’m going back to bed,” I say, heading for the stairs.
“Liz, what about Jeffrey?” he asks, stopping me in my tracks.
I turn around and look at him hard. “What about Jeffrey?” I ask.
“He’s already lost a father that he worshiped. Is he going to lose the only mother he’s ever known too? He misses you and he’s scared. He wants to come home.”
“I’ll get him when I’m ready. I don’t think it’s any of your business,” I throw at him.
“You’re wrong, Liz. I promised Max at the beginning of this war that if anything were to happen to him that I would take care of you and Jeffrey. I don’t go back on my promises. You are going to keep on living, Liz. You have to for Jeffrey, for Max’s memory,” he says quietly. I cringe at his words. He looks at me. “Yes, Liz, I said his name. I know that it’s painful for you, but you have to accept that Max is dead. He died and he’s not coming back. But, Liz, he died knowing that his son was alive and well and safe. He died knowing that he was married to the woman he loved and who loved him too. He died knowing that we were going to win even with him gone. Now, for your sake I want you to say it out loud. Say that Max is dead and that you love him and miss him,” Michael orders.
“Go to hell, Michael!” I scream at him, fleeing upstairs. I slam the door to the bedroom shut and throw myself on the bed. I thought that I was all cried out but the tears came from someplace inside of me. I cried myself to sleep.
The dream came to me the same as it always did. I find myself in the basement with the baby, screams coming from above us. I want to cry out for Max but fear paralyzes me and I am silent. The small child is wide-eyed but quiet. I sit in the dark, waiting. I hear someone come down the stairs. Terrified, I put my hand out in front of me to blow away any enemy that might show his face. Relief floods me as I realize it’s my mother. She cries my name and comes over to where we are. There is blood all over her and she collapses at my feet. I scream and back away from her. She is still and quiet.
I sat up in the bed screaming for Max. I look around and realize that it was the dream again, but this time, Max isn’t there to ward off the demons that are chasing me. I cry and cry, not only for Max, but for all those we lost in the war. When I can’t cry anymore, I go into the bathroom and wash my face. I redo my hair and quietly open the door to the bedroom and peek out. It’s dark so I turn on the hall light. There is a tray of food outside of my door with water to drink. I’m suddenly ravenous and sit down on the floor beside the tray and begin to devour it.
After a couple of bites, I start to feel sick. I hadn’t eaten in almost a week and my body was protesting the starvation and devouring that I was forcing it through. I stopped and drank some of the water. Then I started eating again, slower this time. After I had my fill, I went back into the bedroom and turned on the light. I opened up the closet and looked at HIS clothes. I buried my face in them, drinking in the smell of him.
The phone rings and for the first time, I consider answering it. I don’t move, however, and the machine picks it up. “Liz? Are you there? Please pick up the phone. You have us all worried sick about you,” Maria’s voice says.
For some reason, I go over to the phone and pick up the receiver. “Hello, Maria,” I say into it.
“Oh, Liz, thank god you’re ok! Michael was worried that he had pushed too hard too soon and you would do something rash,” Maria said.
“I’m not ok, Maria. I have been through 6 years of war. I have been genetically altered so that I could fight that war, and in so doing, am unable to have children. I have had to deal with the fact that my husband’s ex-wife betrayed and killed one of my best friends. I have watched my parents killed. I have watched someone who was once a traitor prove herself loyal to us and then be blown away by the enemy. I have watched countless numbers of people killed in unspeakable ways. Last, but never least, I have lost my husband and king to the enemy, and I didn’t even get to say goodbye,” I yell into the phone. Then, I suddenly realize what I have said. “Oh god, Maria, Max is dead! He really is dead,” I cry. I let go of the receiver and drop to the floor, hugging my knees to my chest and rocking back and forth to try to rock this aching out of me. Somewhere in the back of my mind I hear Maria screaming for me to pick up the phone but I can’t move. Then I hear her scream for me not to move, they’ll be right over.
No, I don’t move. I don’t know how much time goes by, but I stay right there on the floor hugging my knees and rocking. Vaguely, I hear the door open downstairs and several voices. Somebody is running up the stairs; I hope it’s someone coming to kill me. I can’t live without Max, he’s my whole world and my life, my reason for living and going through this hell we call war. The person who pushes open the door to the bedroom isn’t going to kill me; it’s Maria with Serena and Isabel.
“Oh god, look at her!” One of them says. I think it’s Isabel.
“Michael, get up here!” Maria yells.
“Let’s get her onto the bed,” Serena says.
“I don’t think those sheets have been changed or washed in over a week, let’s put her in Jeffrey’s bed for now,” Isabel says.
“No!” I scream. “You can’t wash the sheets! Max slept on these sheets!”
Michael enters the room and asks what’s going on. Serena whispers some things to him and he nods. He comes over and kneels in front of me. “Liz? Can you hear me?” he says.
“I can hear you; I’m not deaf, Michael,” I answer calmly.
“Liz, we’re going to get things cleaned up around here ok? When was the last time you had a shower?” he asks me.
“I took one today,” I answer.
Michael smells my hair to see if I’m lying to him. He turns back to Maria, Isabel, and Serena. “Did she eat the food on that tray outside?” he asks. Serena looks outside the door and nods at him. “Good. She’s on her way. She’s just in shock right now. Let’s get her to Jeffrey’s bed.”
I can’t fight him as he lifts me up and carries me into my son’s room. Michael lays me on the bed and pulls the covers over me. He leaves and Isabel walks in and sits on the bed. “Liz, we’re going to change the sheets because it isn’t sanitary to leave them dirty. Max’s clothes still smell like him for now and you can sleep in those if it will help,” she tells me.
I sob hysterically. “Isabel, he’s really gone. Max is dead and I didn’t get to say goodbye! Why? Why did he have to die? He was a good king, a good father, a good husband, and everyone loved him except Khavar. Now he’s dead,” I manage to get out.
“I know, Liz, I know it hurts. I remember how much it hurt when Alex died . . .or was killed by that thing. I can only imagine how much it has to hurt to lose someone you’ve lived with for 6 years. But, Liz, he tried to prepare you in case this happened. I know that he talked to you and told you everyday how much he loved you because he never wanted you to think he hadn’t. He left Jeffrey for you to take care of and to take care of you. You still have us and we aren’t going anywhere for a long time. We need you, Liz; Jeffrey needs you. He’s downstairs and he’s terrified that he’s going to lose you too. Please try, Liz, for his sake,” Isabel pleads with me.
“He has his Aunt Isabel and Uncle Michael and he’ll be just fine,” I say. I roll over and pull the covers over my head.
Isabel gets off the bed and leaves after a minute. I stay under the covers and listen to all the noise outside the room and downstairs. Then I hear something not far from the bed. I peek out of the covers to see Jeffrey standing beside the bed and looking at me.
“Mommy?” he whispers.
I take the covers off of my head and look at him. He’s so small and yet, he’s been through so much already in his 6 years. He doesn’t move and the only thing I can figure out is that he is scared of me. I hold my arms out to him, and he runs into them. I hold him close and tight and he cries into my hair.
Isabel appears in the doorway and looks like she’s about to say something to Jeffrey but I hold up my hand to stop her. She looks at us for a minute and then walks away. I hold my son and realize that he needs to heal too, but he can never forget his father. I hug him to me and make a decision not to let him ever forget.
Picking Up the Pieces (UC,Mi/L,TEEN) Complete
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littleroswell
- Roswell Fanatic
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 7:45 am
- Location: Georgia, USA
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littleroswell
- Roswell Fanatic
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 7:45 am
- Location: Georgia, USA
You guys have been so patient that I'm going to give you guys a gift...2 parts today. I'm going to try from now on to post a part on this fic every Friday. So if someone would be kind enough to bump me up on Thursday nights or Friday mornings so that it's easier to find, I'd appreciate it. Here is part 3 and part 4 will follow it. Thanks again!
Beth
Part 3
I sit down on the bed that I used to share with HIM and start going through the boxes I have set in front of me. These boxes are full of memories, some bad, some good. All of them are a part of me now, however, and as hard as I might try, the worst ones will probably always be the most vivid.
I open the first box and pull out another box, smaller, that is full of pictures. I have been promising to put these in albums for years but have yet to get to it. They will ruin if I don’t do something with them soon. I even bought albums for them a while ago and put them in the box too. I pull those out too, determined to fill them right then and there.
Looking at the pictures brings back so many memories; I just close my eyes and let them wash over me. I still remember the beginnings of this war, this war that killed my husband and my soul mate. It all started with Alex. I had known something wasn’t right with his death. At first, we thought that it had to be the truck driver’s fault, but every shred of evidence pointed to it being Alex’s fault. The driver swore that Alex had swerved into his path on purpose. Max and the others didn’t want to believe me when I said that I knew in my heart that it had to be alien related. The only one who stood by me was Maria. Michael had finally listened to all the evidence we presented and agreed that it might be possible for it to be alien related.
Then we had actually proven that Tess had killed him. Kyle had unwittingly helped to cover it up, but she had been the one that killed him. That creature that I had never come to like even a little bit had killed my best friend, slept with my boyfriend and threatened to kill his son. I guess she got what she deserved when she whipped back to Antar. Khavar was waiting for her and had taken her away until Jeffrey had been born. Khavar’s first plan was to kill this child of the king, but then he decided that this could be a bigger claim to the throne for him if he played his cards right. So he decided to raise this boy by himself. His plan almost worked. He made one mistake, though; he had left Tess with Max’s son to go plan his attack. Larek had been watching his every move with spies in his household. He took advantage of Khavar’s absence to kill Tess where she stood. Larek told us later that she had died trying to kill Jeffrey so that we wouldn’t get him back. It always scared Max to think of how close he came to losing his son before he even knew him. We found Jeffrey at the cave where Tess had left and where the pods were when we went there to discuss how to get him back for the tenth time.
Brody had appeared at the cave to our dismay with Larek having taken over him again to deliver the message of Khavar’s plans and Tess’s death. Larek for some reason had lost contact with Brody, and Brody had awakened frightened in the cave and we had decided to tell him what had been happening to him. He had taken it well and said that it explained a lot. Then he was a part of it, that alien spiral of doom.
Looking back, I can see how naïve we were. We all secretly thought that it was over now. We had won! We had Max’s son back and we would be fine now. Tess was dead; everything would be fine. Unfortunately, that’s what the Hollywood version of war is. You fight a couple of battles, a couple of people on either side dies, and it’s all over in about two hours.
Soon after getting Jeffrey back, however, we found out differently. Real war goes on much longer than two hours and is a living hell. More and more skins showed up and other types of aliens, ones like Nesedo, also came to attack us and bring us down. So many humans were disappearing and dying and being killed that Max had decided that it would be better to come clean with who we all really were. The government wasn’t our worst enemy, as we found out when the President had been killed. Congress had decreed that this was an act of war by the other side on our planet. They had granted us all citizenship to earth and then to the United States. Not long after that Khavar’s forces attacked Washington D.C. and destroyed most of it, and along with it the entire government as we knew it.
The rest of the world quickly realized that it was in the middle of a civil war in which it wanted no part but was forced to choose sides. The United Nations was renamed the United Representatives of the Planet Earth. Max was brought in along with the rest of us to brief the members, which now included all nations around the globe, of exactly what was happening and what they were up against. Most nations sided with us, but a handful decided that they sided with Khavar. Now the earth too was at war. Those that sided with Khavar withdrew from the organization, and those who sided with us decided that they needed a leader. Max was quickly made this leader and the title of king was kept for him. All of this took place in six months. I felt I was in a whirlwind.
Max and I were quickly married after that. Isabel found love in Brody and Brody worshiped Isabel. They were engaged not long after we got married. Maria and Michael broke up, and Jim and Amy were married three weeks after Max and I. It wasn’t long after that that we got the bad news.
Word came back that Max and Isabel’s mother had been killed, and Max decided that we needed to go to Antar. So off we went, all of us, the Royal Three, Kyle, Maria, Brody, Sean, Serena, and me. We stayed just long enough to get the army together and to bring some of them back with us. Kyle, Maria, Sean, Serena, and I were changed so that we too would be able to have the parts of our brain that allows us to have the same type of powers that they had on Antar working. I learned so much from that time fighting on Antar and adjusting to my newly found powers. It was discovered that the basics of humans and Antarians were the same. There were definite differences but when you get down to the essentials we were a lot alike. Unfortunately, I was the first one they had changed the DNA of and they had made a mistake. I didn’t really understand what had gone wrong but I had gone to sleep, and then when I woke up it was two weeks later and I was told I was fortunate to be alive but that I would never have children of my own.
We came back to earth and another 7 months had passed. That’s when the war started going full force. Khavar thought that we would try to hide in a big city and decided that it would be easier to just wipe them out. Los Angeles was a mess along with Phoenix, Albuquerque and every other major city in the Southwestern United States. Finally, he sent his troops back to Roswell, although he never thought we would go back there.
I was in the Crashdown with Jeffrey and my parents, serving customers with Michael at his usual post at the grill and Maria taking orders. Max was out with Isabel and the others looking for trouble coming. They must have missed something because the next thing we knew, there was a tremendous explosion a few blocks away. I found out later that it was the UFO Museum. Several people screamed. Maria reacted first, screaming for Michael to get out of the kitchen and heading for the door with him quickly following. I started to follow Michael out the door but he stopped me.
“Liz, you’ve got to stay here and take care of the baby. He has to have someone watch him that can protect him. The rest of us will handle it out there. For now I want you to go to the basement and use your mind warp to hide the door to it and keep quiet,” Michael ordered me.
I started to protest, but my parents took the baby and I and pushed us to the basement. I went down and did as Michael had told me, disguising the door to the basement. It was hard to concentrate with all the noise upstairs. There were blood curdling screams and breaking glass and overturning tables and chairs. The baby was quiet, thank goodness, but I resented this small creature that was keeping me from seeing what was happening and from helping to fight this battle.
Finally, everything was quiet. I stood up and listened hard for anything coming from upstairs. I heard someone coming down the stairs. In my fright I had forgotten to keep the mind warp going. I put up my outstretched hand to blow away whatever came down those stairs, my heart about to leap out of my chest. I heard my mother call my name and let out a breath I wasn’t aware I was holding. Then she came closer and I saw that she was covered in blood. She collapsed at my feet and I screamed. She didn’t move again.
I just stood there screaming and staring at her for a moment or two. Then I ran up the stairs to the café, what was left of it. I couldn’t believe my eyes. The front doors were completely gone, along with all the glass in every window. Tables and chairs were scattered everywhere. Everything was covered in food and blood, and there were bodies everywhere. I stood there frozen in place, thinking that this couldn’t really have happened. Then I remembered my father. I sat Max’s son in a car seat that I had kept behind the counter and ran to the kitchen. Jeff Parker, my father, lay in a pool of blood, his face badly burned along with his hands. I collapsed on the floor and threw up. I just sat there shaking, unable to move even when I heard people coming and the baby crying. I was paralyzed.
I heard the kitchen door open but I still couldn’t move. I heard Maria and Serena say at the same time, “Oh my god!”
Max was suddenly in front of me. “Liz, can you hear me? Are you ok? Are you hurt?” he asked in a panic.
I couldn’t seem to answer him. I heard Michael say, “She’s in shock. We’ve got to keep her warm. She should have never seen this.”
“Maria, Serena, Isabel, get her upstairs and in bed, now. Michael, can you get my son and get him quieted down?” I heard Max ask.
That was all I heard because I suddenly felt arms taking me up the stairs to my parents’ bedroom. I didn’t struggle or help and I didn’t say anything. I felt someone pull my shoes off and my headband. I was placed on the bed, and even though my eyes were open, I didn’t see anything but fog. I was wrapped in the covers and I felt tears fall down my face. I heard them all leave except one.
“Liz, can you hear me?” Maria’s voice asks. “Liz, please say something. I’m terribly worried about you and you’re scaring Max too.”
I lie there for I don’t know how long until I suddenly see Max’s face in front of mine, worry lines all over his forehead. I don’t want him to worry about me. I love him and I don’t want him to worry about anything. I try to tell him this.
What came out was barely a whisper. “They killed them. They killed my parents.”
Max cried and held me to him and suddenly my paralysis left. I shook with the force of my tears and my anger. “They killed my parents, Max. They tortured my father before they killed him. Why? Why did they torture him?”
Max’s voice was sad and soft. “To get information about us from him. They probably wanted him to tell them where you were with the baby. My parents were tortured and killed too. The whole town was turned upside down. Liz, honey, you’re ok though and so are the rest of us. We’re all ok and we’re going to get through this,” he told me.
I pulled away from him and look into his face to see if he is telling the truth about the town and his parents. I look over at Isabel in the doorway, crying on Brody and I realize it’s true. “Oh, Max, Isabel, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize they had gone through the whole town,” I cried.
Isabel rushed to me and hugged me and we both cried together. After I couldn’t cry anymore, I pulled out of her embrace and started to get up. “I’ve got to go downstairs and start cleaning up,” I say.
Max shook his head. “We’ll handle it. For now I want you to stay up here and rest. Take a nap or a bath or read. Isabel, you should stay up here with Liz. We’ve all been through a lot today and I don’t know if it’s over yet.” He handed me the young boy. “Here, take care of Jeffrey Maxwell,” he says gently.
I look at him questioningly. “I just changed it. There is no need for another Maxwell Evans in the world and we can call him Jeffrey after your father,” he answers my unspoken question.
“Thank you, Max,” I whisper and hug him.
Over the next two years, Serena and Sean were married, Ava came to Roswell to help us, and we lost Amy. Maria was hit hard and was numb at her funeral and I knew how she felt. This war was making all of us numb. Jim was widowed too soon. I had never seen a grown man cry as much for someone who had died as he did for Amy. He told me later that he felt that he had wasted so many years that he could have spent with her.
“You and Max are lucky that you found each other while you were young; you might have a long time together. But nothing is certain during a war, Liz. If something happens to either of you, I want you to remember that if you find love again, grab hold of it and treasure it,” Jim Valenti told me a year later.
“Mommy? Are you ok? Are you sleeping?” I hear Jeffrey ask me. His voice brings me out of the memories.
“No, sweetie, I’m remembering some things,” I answer quietly.
Jeffrey climbs up onto the bed next to me and looks at the pictures in front of me. He points to one of the group of us taken before our Junior Prom so long ago. He points to Alex and Tess. “Who are they?” he asks.
Tears form in my eyes as I answer him. “The man was a friend of mommy’s that died at the beginning of the war. His name was Alex Whitman and he and mommy and Aunt Maria were best friends since we were your age.”
“Who’s the lady?” he asks, persistent.
“Her name was Tess. She was killed not long after Alex,” I answer flatly.
“She was pretty. She looks like Aunt Ava,” Jeffrey says.
“Yes, she did, they were kind of like clones of the same person,” I tell him. I’m always as open as I can be with him.
He studies the picture a long time before speaking again. “You were so pretty in this picture, mommy. Daddy told me a lot that you were even more pretty because he loved you,” he tells me. “He did love you a lot you know.”
Tears form in my eyes and an ache forms in my stomach again. “Yes, he did, and I loved him very much,” I whisper. I shut out the memory that threatens to surface.
Jeffrey speaks again. “Mommy, my middle name is Maxwell right?” he asks me.
“Yes, Jeffrey it is. You have your father’s name for your middle name,” I answer him.
“Can I be called Max like daddy? I want to grow up to be just like him,” he says, tears forming in his crystal blue eyes. “I want to remember him.”
I sniff before I can answer him. “I think that would be nice, Max. I want you to remember your daddy too because he was special and he loved you too,” I whisper. I pull him into my arms and hold him tight. This was Max’s son but he was also my son, and I couldn’t have loved him more at that moment.
Beth
Part 3
I sit down on the bed that I used to share with HIM and start going through the boxes I have set in front of me. These boxes are full of memories, some bad, some good. All of them are a part of me now, however, and as hard as I might try, the worst ones will probably always be the most vivid.
I open the first box and pull out another box, smaller, that is full of pictures. I have been promising to put these in albums for years but have yet to get to it. They will ruin if I don’t do something with them soon. I even bought albums for them a while ago and put them in the box too. I pull those out too, determined to fill them right then and there.
Looking at the pictures brings back so many memories; I just close my eyes and let them wash over me. I still remember the beginnings of this war, this war that killed my husband and my soul mate. It all started with Alex. I had known something wasn’t right with his death. At first, we thought that it had to be the truck driver’s fault, but every shred of evidence pointed to it being Alex’s fault. The driver swore that Alex had swerved into his path on purpose. Max and the others didn’t want to believe me when I said that I knew in my heart that it had to be alien related. The only one who stood by me was Maria. Michael had finally listened to all the evidence we presented and agreed that it might be possible for it to be alien related.
Then we had actually proven that Tess had killed him. Kyle had unwittingly helped to cover it up, but she had been the one that killed him. That creature that I had never come to like even a little bit had killed my best friend, slept with my boyfriend and threatened to kill his son. I guess she got what she deserved when she whipped back to Antar. Khavar was waiting for her and had taken her away until Jeffrey had been born. Khavar’s first plan was to kill this child of the king, but then he decided that this could be a bigger claim to the throne for him if he played his cards right. So he decided to raise this boy by himself. His plan almost worked. He made one mistake, though; he had left Tess with Max’s son to go plan his attack. Larek had been watching his every move with spies in his household. He took advantage of Khavar’s absence to kill Tess where she stood. Larek told us later that she had died trying to kill Jeffrey so that we wouldn’t get him back. It always scared Max to think of how close he came to losing his son before he even knew him. We found Jeffrey at the cave where Tess had left and where the pods were when we went there to discuss how to get him back for the tenth time.
Brody had appeared at the cave to our dismay with Larek having taken over him again to deliver the message of Khavar’s plans and Tess’s death. Larek for some reason had lost contact with Brody, and Brody had awakened frightened in the cave and we had decided to tell him what had been happening to him. He had taken it well and said that it explained a lot. Then he was a part of it, that alien spiral of doom.
Looking back, I can see how naïve we were. We all secretly thought that it was over now. We had won! We had Max’s son back and we would be fine now. Tess was dead; everything would be fine. Unfortunately, that’s what the Hollywood version of war is. You fight a couple of battles, a couple of people on either side dies, and it’s all over in about two hours.
Soon after getting Jeffrey back, however, we found out differently. Real war goes on much longer than two hours and is a living hell. More and more skins showed up and other types of aliens, ones like Nesedo, also came to attack us and bring us down. So many humans were disappearing and dying and being killed that Max had decided that it would be better to come clean with who we all really were. The government wasn’t our worst enemy, as we found out when the President had been killed. Congress had decreed that this was an act of war by the other side on our planet. They had granted us all citizenship to earth and then to the United States. Not long after that Khavar’s forces attacked Washington D.C. and destroyed most of it, and along with it the entire government as we knew it.
The rest of the world quickly realized that it was in the middle of a civil war in which it wanted no part but was forced to choose sides. The United Nations was renamed the United Representatives of the Planet Earth. Max was brought in along with the rest of us to brief the members, which now included all nations around the globe, of exactly what was happening and what they were up against. Most nations sided with us, but a handful decided that they sided with Khavar. Now the earth too was at war. Those that sided with Khavar withdrew from the organization, and those who sided with us decided that they needed a leader. Max was quickly made this leader and the title of king was kept for him. All of this took place in six months. I felt I was in a whirlwind.
Max and I were quickly married after that. Isabel found love in Brody and Brody worshiped Isabel. They were engaged not long after we got married. Maria and Michael broke up, and Jim and Amy were married three weeks after Max and I. It wasn’t long after that that we got the bad news.
Word came back that Max and Isabel’s mother had been killed, and Max decided that we needed to go to Antar. So off we went, all of us, the Royal Three, Kyle, Maria, Brody, Sean, Serena, and me. We stayed just long enough to get the army together and to bring some of them back with us. Kyle, Maria, Sean, Serena, and I were changed so that we too would be able to have the parts of our brain that allows us to have the same type of powers that they had on Antar working. I learned so much from that time fighting on Antar and adjusting to my newly found powers. It was discovered that the basics of humans and Antarians were the same. There were definite differences but when you get down to the essentials we were a lot alike. Unfortunately, I was the first one they had changed the DNA of and they had made a mistake. I didn’t really understand what had gone wrong but I had gone to sleep, and then when I woke up it was two weeks later and I was told I was fortunate to be alive but that I would never have children of my own.
We came back to earth and another 7 months had passed. That’s when the war started going full force. Khavar thought that we would try to hide in a big city and decided that it would be easier to just wipe them out. Los Angeles was a mess along with Phoenix, Albuquerque and every other major city in the Southwestern United States. Finally, he sent his troops back to Roswell, although he never thought we would go back there.
I was in the Crashdown with Jeffrey and my parents, serving customers with Michael at his usual post at the grill and Maria taking orders. Max was out with Isabel and the others looking for trouble coming. They must have missed something because the next thing we knew, there was a tremendous explosion a few blocks away. I found out later that it was the UFO Museum. Several people screamed. Maria reacted first, screaming for Michael to get out of the kitchen and heading for the door with him quickly following. I started to follow Michael out the door but he stopped me.
“Liz, you’ve got to stay here and take care of the baby. He has to have someone watch him that can protect him. The rest of us will handle it out there. For now I want you to go to the basement and use your mind warp to hide the door to it and keep quiet,” Michael ordered me.
I started to protest, but my parents took the baby and I and pushed us to the basement. I went down and did as Michael had told me, disguising the door to the basement. It was hard to concentrate with all the noise upstairs. There were blood curdling screams and breaking glass and overturning tables and chairs. The baby was quiet, thank goodness, but I resented this small creature that was keeping me from seeing what was happening and from helping to fight this battle.
Finally, everything was quiet. I stood up and listened hard for anything coming from upstairs. I heard someone coming down the stairs. In my fright I had forgotten to keep the mind warp going. I put up my outstretched hand to blow away whatever came down those stairs, my heart about to leap out of my chest. I heard my mother call my name and let out a breath I wasn’t aware I was holding. Then she came closer and I saw that she was covered in blood. She collapsed at my feet and I screamed. She didn’t move again.
I just stood there screaming and staring at her for a moment or two. Then I ran up the stairs to the café, what was left of it. I couldn’t believe my eyes. The front doors were completely gone, along with all the glass in every window. Tables and chairs were scattered everywhere. Everything was covered in food and blood, and there were bodies everywhere. I stood there frozen in place, thinking that this couldn’t really have happened. Then I remembered my father. I sat Max’s son in a car seat that I had kept behind the counter and ran to the kitchen. Jeff Parker, my father, lay in a pool of blood, his face badly burned along with his hands. I collapsed on the floor and threw up. I just sat there shaking, unable to move even when I heard people coming and the baby crying. I was paralyzed.
I heard the kitchen door open but I still couldn’t move. I heard Maria and Serena say at the same time, “Oh my god!”
Max was suddenly in front of me. “Liz, can you hear me? Are you ok? Are you hurt?” he asked in a panic.
I couldn’t seem to answer him. I heard Michael say, “She’s in shock. We’ve got to keep her warm. She should have never seen this.”
“Maria, Serena, Isabel, get her upstairs and in bed, now. Michael, can you get my son and get him quieted down?” I heard Max ask.
That was all I heard because I suddenly felt arms taking me up the stairs to my parents’ bedroom. I didn’t struggle or help and I didn’t say anything. I felt someone pull my shoes off and my headband. I was placed on the bed, and even though my eyes were open, I didn’t see anything but fog. I was wrapped in the covers and I felt tears fall down my face. I heard them all leave except one.
“Liz, can you hear me?” Maria’s voice asks. “Liz, please say something. I’m terribly worried about you and you’re scaring Max too.”
I lie there for I don’t know how long until I suddenly see Max’s face in front of mine, worry lines all over his forehead. I don’t want him to worry about me. I love him and I don’t want him to worry about anything. I try to tell him this.
What came out was barely a whisper. “They killed them. They killed my parents.”
Max cried and held me to him and suddenly my paralysis left. I shook with the force of my tears and my anger. “They killed my parents, Max. They tortured my father before they killed him. Why? Why did they torture him?”
Max’s voice was sad and soft. “To get information about us from him. They probably wanted him to tell them where you were with the baby. My parents were tortured and killed too. The whole town was turned upside down. Liz, honey, you’re ok though and so are the rest of us. We’re all ok and we’re going to get through this,” he told me.
I pulled away from him and look into his face to see if he is telling the truth about the town and his parents. I look over at Isabel in the doorway, crying on Brody and I realize it’s true. “Oh, Max, Isabel, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize they had gone through the whole town,” I cried.
Isabel rushed to me and hugged me and we both cried together. After I couldn’t cry anymore, I pulled out of her embrace and started to get up. “I’ve got to go downstairs and start cleaning up,” I say.
Max shook his head. “We’ll handle it. For now I want you to stay up here and rest. Take a nap or a bath or read. Isabel, you should stay up here with Liz. We’ve all been through a lot today and I don’t know if it’s over yet.” He handed me the young boy. “Here, take care of Jeffrey Maxwell,” he says gently.
I look at him questioningly. “I just changed it. There is no need for another Maxwell Evans in the world and we can call him Jeffrey after your father,” he answers my unspoken question.
“Thank you, Max,” I whisper and hug him.
Over the next two years, Serena and Sean were married, Ava came to Roswell to help us, and we lost Amy. Maria was hit hard and was numb at her funeral and I knew how she felt. This war was making all of us numb. Jim was widowed too soon. I had never seen a grown man cry as much for someone who had died as he did for Amy. He told me later that he felt that he had wasted so many years that he could have spent with her.
“You and Max are lucky that you found each other while you were young; you might have a long time together. But nothing is certain during a war, Liz. If something happens to either of you, I want you to remember that if you find love again, grab hold of it and treasure it,” Jim Valenti told me a year later.
“Mommy? Are you ok? Are you sleeping?” I hear Jeffrey ask me. His voice brings me out of the memories.
“No, sweetie, I’m remembering some things,” I answer quietly.
Jeffrey climbs up onto the bed next to me and looks at the pictures in front of me. He points to one of the group of us taken before our Junior Prom so long ago. He points to Alex and Tess. “Who are they?” he asks.
Tears form in my eyes as I answer him. “The man was a friend of mommy’s that died at the beginning of the war. His name was Alex Whitman and he and mommy and Aunt Maria were best friends since we were your age.”
“Who’s the lady?” he asks, persistent.
“Her name was Tess. She was killed not long after Alex,” I answer flatly.
“She was pretty. She looks like Aunt Ava,” Jeffrey says.
“Yes, she did, they were kind of like clones of the same person,” I tell him. I’m always as open as I can be with him.
He studies the picture a long time before speaking again. “You were so pretty in this picture, mommy. Daddy told me a lot that you were even more pretty because he loved you,” he tells me. “He did love you a lot you know.”
Tears form in my eyes and an ache forms in my stomach again. “Yes, he did, and I loved him very much,” I whisper. I shut out the memory that threatens to surface.
Jeffrey speaks again. “Mommy, my middle name is Maxwell right?” he asks me.
“Yes, Jeffrey it is. You have your father’s name for your middle name,” I answer him.
“Can I be called Max like daddy? I want to grow up to be just like him,” he says, tears forming in his crystal blue eyes. “I want to remember him.”
I sniff before I can answer him. “I think that would be nice, Max. I want you to remember your daddy too because he was special and he loved you too,” I whisper. I pull him into my arms and hold him tight. This was Max’s son but he was also my son, and I couldn’t have loved him more at that moment.
Last edited by littleroswell on Fri May 02, 2003 10:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!
-
littleroswell
- Roswell Fanatic
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 7:45 am
- Location: Georgia, USA
Part 4
“Can I take your order?” I ask politely but not enthusiastically. I don’t look at the customer.
“Yeah, I’ll take a Will Smith with a side of Saturn’s rings,” the customer says.
I absently take the menu and take the order back to Michael. The café had been open for 3 weeks now, and I found that Michael had been right; working helped to take my mind off of HIM somewhat and gave my life some purpose. I post the order in the clip and ring the bell. Michael places two plates at the window and rings the bell. I pick up the plates but before I can carry them away, Michael grabs my arm.
“Liz, you haven’t had a break all day and you’ve been working since we opened this morning. At the very least, I want you to stop and eat something. You’re getting too thin,” he tells me.
“I’ll take a break as soon as Isabel gets here with Jeff . . . er, Max,” I tell him and walk away. I know he’s just trying to keep his promise to Max, but sometimes I wish he were less protective.
I set the plates on the table where they belonged. The Crashdown was packed, mostly with customers that wanted to see the pitiful widowed queen and the new king working as a waitress and short order cook. The doorbells jingled and I don’t look to see who it is anymore. I don’t care.
“Mommy! Look at what Aunt Isabel got me!” Little Max’s voice says. I whip around with a smile plastered to my face. He’s holding up a small kitten that is trying with all its might to stay glued to his hand.
I look at Isabel. “Where did you get it?” I ask. I hadn’t seen a kitten in a long time. I took the kitten from my son’s hand and look at its little face.
“I found a whole litter under the house. I also found the mother on the highway. They all need homes. There were four kittens total. I could only keep two of them. Maria begged for one, and Jeffrey asked for the other one. I told him he’d have to ask you first, but as far as I’m concerned he can have it,” Isabel said.
“My name is Max,” Little Max tells Isabel. Then he turns to me with hope in his blue eyes. “Can I keep him, mommy?” he begs.
I look at him and then at the tiny kitten. The kitten mews and I hand it back to him. “Yes, you may keep the kitten but this kitten is a girl kitty. Do you know what you’re going to name her?” I ask.
Max looks at me and smiles. “Yes, her name is Sydney for Uncle Brody’s daughter. She was my friend.”
Isabel gets tears in her eyes. I smile at my son, proud of him. “I think Brody will like that. Now take the kitten to the kitchen and show Uncle Michael, and ask him to get some food for Sydney.”
Max walks to the kitchen, carrying the still crying kitten carefully. I look back at Isabel and let the smile drop. “Thank you for the kitten, Isa. Do you want something to eat while you’re here?” I ask.
“Actually, I can’t stay. I’m helping rebuild the retirement home over on Pride Street. There are just so many things that need doing to get earth back in order. I know starting here in Roswell seems funny with all those major cities such a mess, but this is home to me and if we get this in order, I feel like we can get the rest of the world in some kind of order too. Oh, I also wanted to tell you and Michael that both planets have called a summit meeting at the United Reps Building for next month to discuss a plan of action for reconstruction and also to discuss this issue of new leadership. I don’t remember the exact date and time so I’ll have to get back to you. I just got the email on it so you might have it on your email too,” Isabel said.
“I might have. I haven’t checked my email in over two weeks because of all the condolence mail. I just couldn’t go through all that. I’ll check for that email though. Oh, I want to talk to you later about a few things. It’s nothing really urgent but it is important,” I tell her.
“Ok, how about we get together tomorrow?” she suggests.
“Sounds good,” I answer as she heads for the door. “I’ll see you later. Tell Brody hello for me.”
“I will. Oh, and Liz? You need to take better care of yourself, like eating better, you look like death warmed over,” she says as she leaves.
I walk back to the kitchen and through the door. Max is holding the kitten up to Michael, wanting him to hold it. “Jeffrey Maxwell, I told you, I can’t hold the kitten right now because I’m working with people’s food. Yes, she is cute but you need to take her away from the grill,” Michael tells him, exasperated.
“Max, why don’t you take Sydney out on the back porch and play with her. Be careful with her and I’ll bring out some food for you to give to her,” I tell him.
He goes out the back door and I turn to Michael. “What is wrong with you? He just wanted to show you his new pet,” I yell at him.
Michael looks at me with surprise on his face. “Liz, he had the kitten over here by this hot grill, and I’m trying to get these orders out. I don’t think I was out of line here. He or the kitten could have gotten hurt and then what would you think about me for allowing him to play near the grill?” he asks.
I sigh. “You’re right, Michael. I’m sorry. I guess I’ve been a little short with you lately, at least ever since . . . but I’ll try to be nicer to you. Isabel said there’s a summit meeting at the United Reps Building next month to discuss reconstruction plans and your new leadership. She said she just received the email about it today and to check our emails for it,” I tell him.
“Ok, I’ll make the arrangements and get signs made up to warn our customers of our being closed. Speaking of which, Maria is here and serving customers as we speak so that means you are taking your break like you promised. Here, take this and eat it,” Michael tells me, shoving a burger plate at me.
I take it and go out to tell Maria that I’m on break. After delivering the food for the kitten to Max like I promised, I sit down in one of the empty booths. I hear the bells above the door jingle, and a guy with a camera and micro-recorder comes in the door. I tense up at the sight of this reporter knowing why he’s here. He spots me and smiles. I ignore the smile and continue eating although my stomach protests. Suddenly, he’s sitting at the table across from me.
“I’m Chris Sharp with the Chicago Chronicle, Your Majesty, and I’d like to talk to you about the king’s death and everything if that’s ok,” he says like he’s asking to buy me lunch.
I give him a look that could freeze most people’s blood in their veins, but not a reporter’s. They were some of the worse human beings on the planet, in my opinion. I understood that the public had a right to know some things, but this Chris Sharp’s approach offended me. He wasn’t talking about my loosing a pet dog here. My husband had been killed and had sacrificed himself for the good of two planets.
“Actually, Mr. Sharp, I do mind. I don’t want to talk about that right now with anybody but especially the press. Now I’ll have to ask you to move to another table or the counter for I’d like to be left alone,” I tell him icily.
“Surely, you must know that your people, your subjects on both planets, have a right to know what is going on in their beloved queen’s life and in the life of their future king Jeffrey Maxwell Evans,” he said.
I looked at him incredulously. So he was going to pull that one out of his hat of tricks was he? I had heard that line so many times! I was so tired of my life being one huge open book. I felt like a wing of a museum with every detail of my life written on those little tags. I could hear the tour guide telling the people now, “And in this case, we have the wedding gown worn by Queen Elizabeth Parker-Evans in her hasty war wedding. Most of you probably know the tragic story of how she lost her husband the King Maxwell in the war between our two planets.”
I shook my head. “I’m sorry but I’m not ready to discuss this with the public just yet,” I answer as politely as I can.
Before I can do or say anything else, Max comes over to me carrying Sydney. He puts her in my lap. “Here, mommy, she wanted to see you. She likes you, you know,” he tells me matter-of-factly.
“What a great picture!” Mr. Sharp says and suddenly there is a flash from a camera.
“Hey, just what the hell do you think you’re doing?” I yell at him.
“Ooh, mommy said a bad word!” Max said, delighted.
“I want that film, Mr. Sharp and I will ask you to leave now before I lose my temper, and believe me I’m close,” I tell him through gritted teeth.
“Come now, Your Majesty, it’s a great picture and if you won’t give me an interview, I could at least publish the pictures I take,” he says.
Before I could react, Mr. Sharp was being hoisted out of the booth and carried to the door. He had dropped his camera and Maria picked it up and ripped the film out of it. She then proceeded to hurl the camera out the door, where Mr. Sharp picked up the pieces to it. Michael stood in the doorway and yelled at the man.
“And don’t come back here, you as … jerk!” Michael yelled, straightening his apron.
He picked up Max who had come over to the door to watch the excitement and carried him over to me. He set him down and I realized that he had stopped himself from really doing that guy harm or cussing at him for Max’s sake. I gave the kitten back to Max and told him to go up to his room and play.
“Are you alright? That guy didn’t go too far before I could stop him, did he?” Michael asked me.
“Yeah, I’m fine, thanks. He’ll probably write some story of what cruel leaders we all are for not wanting to tell the public what’s going on,” I answer, forcing a chuckle.
“So what if he does? With everything we’ve been through, I’m sure people won’t believe it or at the very least care. Now finish that burger and those fries so you can get back to work. If that guy comes in here again, let me know and I’ll handle him,” he says and heads back to the kitchen.
I finish the burger and think about what happened. I guess that’s one thing that will be discussed at the summit meeting, what to tell the public. In a way, Chris Sharp was right, the people had a right to know how their king was killed and maybe even some of the details about it, but how much was the question.
A mewing at my side interrupts my thoughts. I look over to find Max staring at his kitten and looking back at me. “I thought I told you to go upstairs and play. What are you doing back down here?” I ask him in that mom tone.
“I wanted to talk to you, mommy. Can’t I stay down here for a little while more?” he begs.
“I suppose so. What did you want to talk to me about?” I ask him.
Max gets a very serious look in his young eyes and sits down opposite me. He puts Sydney on his shoulder where she curls into a ball. “Mommy, will you tell me how daddy died?” he asks seriously.
I swallow hard. How much should I tell him? I had already told him that Max had died saving earth and Antar so he obviously wanted more of an answer than that. Should I tell him anything else right now? I was debating the situation when Maria came over to me.
“Hey, you done? I could really use some help here if you are,” she asks.
I smile at her gratefully. “Max, go upstairs now, mommy has to go back to work,” I tell him.
“Will you tell me later?” he asks.
I look into his crystal blue eyes and say, “Yes, Max, I’ll tell you tonight how your father died.”
Satisfied, he plucks the half-sleeping kitten from his shoulder and goes upstairs. Maria watches him and chuckles. “He really loves that kitten already doesn’t he?” she asks.
“Yeah, he does. I’ll get these customers,” I say as three people walk up to the cash register.
“Can I take your order?” I ask politely but not enthusiastically. I don’t look at the customer.
“Yeah, I’ll take a Will Smith with a side of Saturn’s rings,” the customer says.
I absently take the menu and take the order back to Michael. The café had been open for 3 weeks now, and I found that Michael had been right; working helped to take my mind off of HIM somewhat and gave my life some purpose. I post the order in the clip and ring the bell. Michael places two plates at the window and rings the bell. I pick up the plates but before I can carry them away, Michael grabs my arm.
“Liz, you haven’t had a break all day and you’ve been working since we opened this morning. At the very least, I want you to stop and eat something. You’re getting too thin,” he tells me.
“I’ll take a break as soon as Isabel gets here with Jeff . . . er, Max,” I tell him and walk away. I know he’s just trying to keep his promise to Max, but sometimes I wish he were less protective.
I set the plates on the table where they belonged. The Crashdown was packed, mostly with customers that wanted to see the pitiful widowed queen and the new king working as a waitress and short order cook. The doorbells jingled and I don’t look to see who it is anymore. I don’t care.
“Mommy! Look at what Aunt Isabel got me!” Little Max’s voice says. I whip around with a smile plastered to my face. He’s holding up a small kitten that is trying with all its might to stay glued to his hand.
I look at Isabel. “Where did you get it?” I ask. I hadn’t seen a kitten in a long time. I took the kitten from my son’s hand and look at its little face.
“I found a whole litter under the house. I also found the mother on the highway. They all need homes. There were four kittens total. I could only keep two of them. Maria begged for one, and Jeffrey asked for the other one. I told him he’d have to ask you first, but as far as I’m concerned he can have it,” Isabel said.
“My name is Max,” Little Max tells Isabel. Then he turns to me with hope in his blue eyes. “Can I keep him, mommy?” he begs.
I look at him and then at the tiny kitten. The kitten mews and I hand it back to him. “Yes, you may keep the kitten but this kitten is a girl kitty. Do you know what you’re going to name her?” I ask.
Max looks at me and smiles. “Yes, her name is Sydney for Uncle Brody’s daughter. She was my friend.”
Isabel gets tears in her eyes. I smile at my son, proud of him. “I think Brody will like that. Now take the kitten to the kitchen and show Uncle Michael, and ask him to get some food for Sydney.”
Max walks to the kitchen, carrying the still crying kitten carefully. I look back at Isabel and let the smile drop. “Thank you for the kitten, Isa. Do you want something to eat while you’re here?” I ask.
“Actually, I can’t stay. I’m helping rebuild the retirement home over on Pride Street. There are just so many things that need doing to get earth back in order. I know starting here in Roswell seems funny with all those major cities such a mess, but this is home to me and if we get this in order, I feel like we can get the rest of the world in some kind of order too. Oh, I also wanted to tell you and Michael that both planets have called a summit meeting at the United Reps Building for next month to discuss a plan of action for reconstruction and also to discuss this issue of new leadership. I don’t remember the exact date and time so I’ll have to get back to you. I just got the email on it so you might have it on your email too,” Isabel said.
“I might have. I haven’t checked my email in over two weeks because of all the condolence mail. I just couldn’t go through all that. I’ll check for that email though. Oh, I want to talk to you later about a few things. It’s nothing really urgent but it is important,” I tell her.
“Ok, how about we get together tomorrow?” she suggests.
“Sounds good,” I answer as she heads for the door. “I’ll see you later. Tell Brody hello for me.”
“I will. Oh, and Liz? You need to take better care of yourself, like eating better, you look like death warmed over,” she says as she leaves.
I walk back to the kitchen and through the door. Max is holding the kitten up to Michael, wanting him to hold it. “Jeffrey Maxwell, I told you, I can’t hold the kitten right now because I’m working with people’s food. Yes, she is cute but you need to take her away from the grill,” Michael tells him, exasperated.
“Max, why don’t you take Sydney out on the back porch and play with her. Be careful with her and I’ll bring out some food for you to give to her,” I tell him.
He goes out the back door and I turn to Michael. “What is wrong with you? He just wanted to show you his new pet,” I yell at him.
Michael looks at me with surprise on his face. “Liz, he had the kitten over here by this hot grill, and I’m trying to get these orders out. I don’t think I was out of line here. He or the kitten could have gotten hurt and then what would you think about me for allowing him to play near the grill?” he asks.
I sigh. “You’re right, Michael. I’m sorry. I guess I’ve been a little short with you lately, at least ever since . . . but I’ll try to be nicer to you. Isabel said there’s a summit meeting at the United Reps Building next month to discuss reconstruction plans and your new leadership. She said she just received the email about it today and to check our emails for it,” I tell him.
“Ok, I’ll make the arrangements and get signs made up to warn our customers of our being closed. Speaking of which, Maria is here and serving customers as we speak so that means you are taking your break like you promised. Here, take this and eat it,” Michael tells me, shoving a burger plate at me.
I take it and go out to tell Maria that I’m on break. After delivering the food for the kitten to Max like I promised, I sit down in one of the empty booths. I hear the bells above the door jingle, and a guy with a camera and micro-recorder comes in the door. I tense up at the sight of this reporter knowing why he’s here. He spots me and smiles. I ignore the smile and continue eating although my stomach protests. Suddenly, he’s sitting at the table across from me.
“I’m Chris Sharp with the Chicago Chronicle, Your Majesty, and I’d like to talk to you about the king’s death and everything if that’s ok,” he says like he’s asking to buy me lunch.
I give him a look that could freeze most people’s blood in their veins, but not a reporter’s. They were some of the worse human beings on the planet, in my opinion. I understood that the public had a right to know some things, but this Chris Sharp’s approach offended me. He wasn’t talking about my loosing a pet dog here. My husband had been killed and had sacrificed himself for the good of two planets.
“Actually, Mr. Sharp, I do mind. I don’t want to talk about that right now with anybody but especially the press. Now I’ll have to ask you to move to another table or the counter for I’d like to be left alone,” I tell him icily.
“Surely, you must know that your people, your subjects on both planets, have a right to know what is going on in their beloved queen’s life and in the life of their future king Jeffrey Maxwell Evans,” he said.
I looked at him incredulously. So he was going to pull that one out of his hat of tricks was he? I had heard that line so many times! I was so tired of my life being one huge open book. I felt like a wing of a museum with every detail of my life written on those little tags. I could hear the tour guide telling the people now, “And in this case, we have the wedding gown worn by Queen Elizabeth Parker-Evans in her hasty war wedding. Most of you probably know the tragic story of how she lost her husband the King Maxwell in the war between our two planets.”
I shook my head. “I’m sorry but I’m not ready to discuss this with the public just yet,” I answer as politely as I can.
Before I can do or say anything else, Max comes over to me carrying Sydney. He puts her in my lap. “Here, mommy, she wanted to see you. She likes you, you know,” he tells me matter-of-factly.
“What a great picture!” Mr. Sharp says and suddenly there is a flash from a camera.
“Hey, just what the hell do you think you’re doing?” I yell at him.
“Ooh, mommy said a bad word!” Max said, delighted.
“I want that film, Mr. Sharp and I will ask you to leave now before I lose my temper, and believe me I’m close,” I tell him through gritted teeth.
“Come now, Your Majesty, it’s a great picture and if you won’t give me an interview, I could at least publish the pictures I take,” he says.
Before I could react, Mr. Sharp was being hoisted out of the booth and carried to the door. He had dropped his camera and Maria picked it up and ripped the film out of it. She then proceeded to hurl the camera out the door, where Mr. Sharp picked up the pieces to it. Michael stood in the doorway and yelled at the man.
“And don’t come back here, you as … jerk!” Michael yelled, straightening his apron.
He picked up Max who had come over to the door to watch the excitement and carried him over to me. He set him down and I realized that he had stopped himself from really doing that guy harm or cussing at him for Max’s sake. I gave the kitten back to Max and told him to go up to his room and play.
“Are you alright? That guy didn’t go too far before I could stop him, did he?” Michael asked me.
“Yeah, I’m fine, thanks. He’ll probably write some story of what cruel leaders we all are for not wanting to tell the public what’s going on,” I answer, forcing a chuckle.
“So what if he does? With everything we’ve been through, I’m sure people won’t believe it or at the very least care. Now finish that burger and those fries so you can get back to work. If that guy comes in here again, let me know and I’ll handle him,” he says and heads back to the kitchen.
I finish the burger and think about what happened. I guess that’s one thing that will be discussed at the summit meeting, what to tell the public. In a way, Chris Sharp was right, the people had a right to know how their king was killed and maybe even some of the details about it, but how much was the question.
A mewing at my side interrupts my thoughts. I look over to find Max staring at his kitten and looking back at me. “I thought I told you to go upstairs and play. What are you doing back down here?” I ask him in that mom tone.
“I wanted to talk to you, mommy. Can’t I stay down here for a little while more?” he begs.
“I suppose so. What did you want to talk to me about?” I ask him.
Max gets a very serious look in his young eyes and sits down opposite me. He puts Sydney on his shoulder where she curls into a ball. “Mommy, will you tell me how daddy died?” he asks seriously.
I swallow hard. How much should I tell him? I had already told him that Max had died saving earth and Antar so he obviously wanted more of an answer than that. Should I tell him anything else right now? I was debating the situation when Maria came over to me.
“Hey, you done? I could really use some help here if you are,” she asks.
I smile at her gratefully. “Max, go upstairs now, mommy has to go back to work,” I tell him.
“Will you tell me later?” he asks.
I look into his crystal blue eyes and say, “Yes, Max, I’ll tell you tonight how your father died.”
Satisfied, he plucks the half-sleeping kitten from his shoulder and goes upstairs. Maria watches him and chuckles. “He really loves that kitten already doesn’t he?” she asks.
“Yeah, he does. I’ll get these customers,” I say as three people walk up to the cash register.
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!
-
littleroswell
- Roswell Fanatic
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 7:45 am
- Location: Georgia, USA
Well, it's Friday and even though I don't think many people are reading this I will keep my promise and post a new part. Here is part 5.
Beth
Part 5
I go into the kitchen as Maria finishes locking the doors and cleaning the last couple of tables. Michael is finishing loading the dishes back in their proper places. I take off my apron and pour myself a glass of water. I know Michael knows I’m there, but somehow I can’t say anything first.
“Everyone gone?” he asks, not looking at me.
I smile at him gratefully anyway and answer with a heavy sigh. “Yes, thank God. I am so beat!”
“Yeah, I know exactly how you feel,” he says, giving me a reassuring smile. He puts the last dish away and starts wiping down the grill and work counters.
Maria pops in, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. “Ok, everything’s set up front. Liz, I don’t want to see you down here for opening tomorrow. You worked like a dog all day and only took that one break. I don’t want to see your face down here until at least ten o’clock, do you hear me?” she tells me.
I smile at her. “I won’t be down before noon, I promise. I plan on spending some time with Jeff . . . er, Max. I’ll see you tomorrow. Go home and spend some time with Kyle before you crash. Oh, I forgot, I’ll be having lunch with Isabel tomorrow. I guess I won’t be in before 2.”
“That’s just fine. I’ll be leaving around 3 for a doctor’s appointment so that should work out ok. I’m leaving now. Bye, Michael,” she says quickly before heading for the door.
Michael just grunts for an answer, and Maria flees out the back door. Even two years after their breakup and a year after Maria and Kyle’s wedding, things were still really awkward between them. Maria told me that she had tried to talk to Michael to smooth things out, but he had quickly said he understood and cut her off. She hadn’t had the nerve to try again and frankly didn’t see a need. In her opinion, time was the only thing that would help them to become friends again.
After hearing her car drive off, I clear my throat, trying to figure out how to ask Michael what I want to ask. He looks at me expectantly. “Was there something you needed to talk about?” he asks quietly.
“Actually, yes. Max begged me to tell him how his father died. I promised I’d tell him, and I think he has a right to know, but I don’t know how much to tell him or how,” I answer in a gush.
Michael stops in his tracks and looks at me for a moment. Then he cocks his head to one side and looks up at the ceiling as if thinking about how he should answer. Looking back at me, he slowly answers, “Liz, I agree that you should tell him something, but you don’t even know exactly what happened. You only know the part I told you and that you saw. Max and I are the only two people that know exactly what happened and he’s gone so that just leaves me. I’ve been thinking that I should show you exactly what happened so you would understand completely what a hero your husband was. Would you like to see?”
I stare at him for a few minutes. Michael is serious, and I’ve never seen him so calm about anything that I know he cares for so passionately. I see the anger and pain in his eyes. After a few minutes, I’ve made up my mind. “Yes, Michael, I want to see it. First, though, let me put Little Max to bed and tell him that I’ll talk with him tomorrow morning.”
As I head for the stairs, Michael stops me with a question. “Liz, can I come up with you to say goodnight to him?” he asks.
I turn around and smile at him. I nod and he follows me. As I come to Max’s door, I hear him digging around in his closet. “Max, what are you doing?” I ask curiously.
He pokes his head out and sees me and Michael and smiles. “I’m just putting my dirty clothes in the hamper,” he says proudly.
I try not to laugh at his obvious pride in that he did something that he was supposed to and that I was constantly after him for. “Thank you, Max. That really helps mommy out. Now it’s time for bed,” I tell him.
At this, Max’s smile drops. “You promised to tell me what happened to daddy,” he says.
I pick him up, no easy task at six years old. Michael sees that I am struggling with him and takes him from me and carries him over to his bed. I come and sit beside him while Michael stands awkwardly next to the bed. “Max, I have never lied to you and I’m not now, but I don’t really know exactly how he died and I need to find out before I can tell you. I only know part of the story. Uncle Michael said he will tell me tonight and then you and I can talk about it tomorrow morning because I don’t have to be at work until two. So you and I can talk in the morning, and then we’ll have lunch with Aunt Isabel. How does that sound?” I ask him.
Max looks into my eyes for a moment and then smiles at me. “Ok, mommy, we can talk tomorrow. Before I go to bed, will you tell me a story?” he asks.
I nod and smile at him. “What story do you want to hear?” I ask him.
“The story of how daddy saved your life here at the Crashdown,” he answers quickly.
“Max, you must have heard that story a million times already. You already know it by heart, why do you want to hear it again?” I ask. Truthfully, I just don’t want to tell that story right now because it is so painful.
“Please,” he pleads.
I tell the story as I lived the day all over again, and by the time I was finished there were tears streaming down my face. Michael had absently sat on the bed, as enraptured by the story as Max. I felt like an old woman of 85, not a young woman of 23. It wasn’t possible that that day had happened almost 8 years ago. It seemed to have happened over 100 years ago. That was how it felt.
I looked down at my son and saw my Max in his face, and I quickly kissed him goodnight and fled the room. I rushed down the stairs and went to the cabinet that was locked, but I had the key. I opened it and pulled out a bottle of vodka and took it to the kitchen. I had just finished one screwdriver and was in the middle of stirring another one when Michael came down. He looked at me with raised eyebrows but said nothing.
“Want a drink?” I asked bluntly. “If you don’t like screwdrivers there’s other stuff in the cabinet.”
“Liz, you shouldn’t drink you know. You haven’t eaten anything since that burger plate at lunch, and we don’t know how alcohol will affect all of you that were genetically altered, especially you,” Michael tells me.
“I know, but I don’t care. I hope it kills me,” I say.
“Are you sure you want to know what happened tonight?” he asks quietly.
“Yes, let me finish this, and we can go in the back room here and you can show me,” I say as I down the second screwdriver.
Michael flinches at this swift move and I want to laugh. Yes, Liz Parker Evans knows how to drink. Yes, I have thought of suicide more than once. The only thing stopping me from doing myself in is in the bed upstairs, sleeping. I rinse out the glass and leave it in the sink and move to the back room. Michael follows me and we sit on the couch facing each other.
“I can’t show you without some kind of physical contact. Here, take my hands,” he says, holding his hands out to me.
I slowly place my hands in his and as he closes his over mine, the flashes come. At first, I saw Maria and felt an overwhelming pain and then peace. Those images and feelings were quickly pushed away from me, and I realized that Michael had not intended for me to see that. I don’t push but let him guide me to the images he wants me to see.
It didn’t take me but a minute to realize that I was seeing things through Michael’s eyes. He and Max were standing in front of the caves that had harbored us sometimes, and where the granolith had been sent back to us. Max and Michael had decided that as a security for the entrance to where the granolith was there had to be two of us at any given time to open it. Max and Michael put their hands up to the rock and Max turns to Michael.
“Do you want to keep watch out here or do you want to come in with me while I contact Antar?” he asks.
“Go ahead and contact Antar and see what the urgent message is, and I’ll keep an eye out for trouble out here. The others should be here any time now if they haven’t run into any trouble. Liz was coming with Kyle, Maria, and Ava. Isabel, Brody, Serena, and Sean are coming in Brody’s car. Jim has Jeffrey and he’s safe,” I hear Michael’s voice say. I never actually see Michael’s face because I’m looking through it.
Max nods and walks into the opening in the rock. The direction I, as Michael, am looking in changes to the horizon where a car is coming. Michael walks over to where it parks and I see Maria, Kyle, Ava, and myself emerge from the car. I hear myself ask where Max is and Michael answers in the cave. Brody’s car appears in the distance and is hurrying toward us when we all hear an unnatural scream come from the cave. Michael and Kyle reach the cave first, but someone on the inside has closed the door. Michael and Kyle place their hands on the rock and the door opens but not all the way and suddenly starts to close again, rapidly. Before anyone could stop him or say anything, Michael had dived into the cave just before the door slammed shut.
Before continuing with the vision, I feel Michael silently asking to see what took place on our side of the door. I allow the flashes to flow, and suddenly I am myself again and the feeling of helplessness washes over me yet again. I cry to Isabel, Brody, Serena, and Sean what has happened and they rush over. Maria and I place our hands on the rock but to no avail, it won’t open. Kyle tries with us, but still nothing happens. I am screaming to Michael and Max on the inside to tell us what’s going on and to open the door, but we hear nothing from the inside. Finally, after all of us trying without success to open the door, Isabel suggests we blast through the door.
No one wants to do this because it risks damaging the granolith, Max, and Michael. However, with no other options we agree that it has to be done. We all stand back and Isabel and Kyle call a warning inside to Max and Michael, praying that they hear us. We all raise our hands and suddenly there is a blast as the rock that disguises the cave is blown to bits. We start to rush in, but we have to wait for the smoke to clear.
Through the smoke, I see a sight that I can’t believe. Max is lying on the floor of the cave and not moving. Someone is standing over him, and even though I’ve never seen Khavar or even know that he’d taken human form, I recognized him right away. I scream and hold up my right hand, as do the others, and suddenly, Khavar screams and then is blown away. The others stand stunned, but I rush to get to Max’s side. Michael catches me before I can get close but winces from a wound in his right arm.
“Let me go, I have to help Max,” I scream.
Michael hangs his head and says quietly, “No one can help him now, Liz. He’s gone. Khavar killed him.”
“No! No, it can’t be!” I scream. I pull free of him and push him to the floor so that he can’t stop me again. I rush to my husband’s crumpled figure and collapse beside him.
Max is lying in a ball on his side facing away from me. I roll him over and see that he has several wounds to his chest, arms, and legs. It looks like Khavar tortured him before finally killing him. I put my shaking hand to Max’s face and cry out to him. I pull his head onto my lap and stroke his hair and forehead like I would Jeffrey and ask him over and over to wake up. He doesn’t move, he doesn’t open his eyes, his chest doesn’t move from breathing.
Kyle and Brody try to pull me away, but I scream at them and fight them off like a wild animal. Michael tells them to leave me alone, and everyone leaves the cave to give me some time alone with Max. I cry and sing to Max’s body our song, but when I get to the chorus I can’t continue. My tears choke me and blind me and I can’t go on. Then I hear a voice behind me, clear and sweet, pick up where I left off. It’s Maria. Then another voice joins in and another. I look up to see all of our friends in the cave, singing “I Shall Believe” for me so that it can be finished.
I can’t sing with them so I hug Max to me, and I notice that all of them have tears in their eyes too. Michael looks away from us but still he sings. Isabel collapses beside me and picks up her brother’s hand and holds it to her heart. I know she’s hurting too. I take her other hand in mine and we cry together.
I know Michael feels all the emotions that I was going through on that day. His hands were warm and clammy and clutched mine tighter. I felt him wince from the pain that radiated through both of us. Then there is a flash of light and suddenly, I’m looking through his eyes again and I am back in the cave.
As he looks up from his position on the floor from diving into the cave, he sees a flash of light come his way and rolls out of the way just in time. He hides on the other side of the granolith and tries to peek around the corner to see what’s going on. I felt his immediate dismissal that it is Max shooting this destructive energy at him.
“Michael, get out of here! It’s Khavar. Get the others so we can defeat . . .” and then there was a howl from Max. Michael looked around the corner to see his friend and brother on the floor with a wound on either arm.
“Silence, oh Great King! Your pitiful war has come to an end, and you have lost. Surrender to me and I might let you live,” a man’s voice spits at Max.
Michael steps around from the granolith, arm raised, ready to blow away Khavar. He didn’t know the power Khavar possessed as another bolt of energy was thrown at him and hit his arm and knocked him against the wall. He hit the wall and then dropped to the ground with a thud.
“I have no need of a second-in-command,” Khavar said as he raised his hand to send the last deadly bolt of energy at Michael.
“No!” Max cried, throwing himself between Khavar and Michael. He took the bolt squarely in the chest and fell to the ground in a heap.
Khavar moved to Max’s body to see if he was really dead and Michael stood up. Just then, there was a loud explosion and one of the walls of the cave was gone. In the midst of the smoke, I saw myself and the others, and I heard myself scream out. I saw all of us once again bring Khavar to an end. I also saw myself through Michael’s eyes as I went over to my husband’s body and held him and cried.
What surprised me in this flash of feelings and visions was the guilt I felt coming from Michael. I then realized that he blamed himself for Max’s death and felt that he should have died instead. I open my eyes and look at Michael, who quickly drops my hands and walks away from me a few feet. He stares out the window. I go over to him and around him so that I can see his face. He has tears running freely.
“Michael, it’s not your fault that Max was killed,” I tell him.
“Liz, he died saving my life. I should have been the one to die. I didn’t have a wife and a son. I wasn’t the king that governed two planets. Max should have let Khavar kill me,” he said to the floor. Then he looks up at me and my heart breaks with the pain I see in his eyes. “Oh, Liz, I’m so sorry. How can you ever forgive me for doing that to your husband, your soul-mate?” he asks pitifully.
I am crying harder now too. “Michael, it is NOT your fault. You have been so good to Max and I since it happened. If you want to do something for me, just keep being there like you have been,” I tell him.
He hugs me and for the first time, I feel truly close to Michael Guerrin. He just holds onto me in that hug that tells me more than his words that he is truly sorry. When he lets go, he’s back to the old Michael. “It’s late and you should get to bed and so should I. Kyle said he’ll be here to open tomorrow so you’ll have a cook and I won’t have to function on just a couple hours of sleep.”
I smile reassuringly at him. “Good night, Michael.”
He doesn’t really return the smile but heads for the door. “Good night, Liz.”
I yawn as I lock the door behind him. I turn out the lights in the front and in the kitchen and head upstairs. I check on Max one last time before heading for bed. I put on the radio, low to try to relax. The song that comes on is sad and fitting for my mood and circumstances.
Here I Am,
Playing with those memories again,
And just when I thought time had set me free,
Those thoughts of you keep taunting me.
Holding you,
A feeling I never outgrew.
Though each and every part of me has tried,
Only you can fill that space inside
So there’s no sense pretending,
My heart is not mending
Just when I thought I was over you,
Just when I thought I could stand on my own,
Oh baby, those memories come crashing through,
And I just can’t go on without you
On my own,
I’ve tried to make the best of it alone.
I’ve done everything I can to ease the pain,
But only you can stop the rain.
I just can’t live without you,
I miss everything about you.
Just when I thought I was over you,
Just when I thought I could stand on my own,
Oh, baby, those memories come crashing through,
And I just can’t go on without,
It’s just no good without, you.
Beth
Part 5
I go into the kitchen as Maria finishes locking the doors and cleaning the last couple of tables. Michael is finishing loading the dishes back in their proper places. I take off my apron and pour myself a glass of water. I know Michael knows I’m there, but somehow I can’t say anything first.
“Everyone gone?” he asks, not looking at me.
I smile at him gratefully anyway and answer with a heavy sigh. “Yes, thank God. I am so beat!”
“Yeah, I know exactly how you feel,” he says, giving me a reassuring smile. He puts the last dish away and starts wiping down the grill and work counters.
Maria pops in, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. “Ok, everything’s set up front. Liz, I don’t want to see you down here for opening tomorrow. You worked like a dog all day and only took that one break. I don’t want to see your face down here until at least ten o’clock, do you hear me?” she tells me.
I smile at her. “I won’t be down before noon, I promise. I plan on spending some time with Jeff . . . er, Max. I’ll see you tomorrow. Go home and spend some time with Kyle before you crash. Oh, I forgot, I’ll be having lunch with Isabel tomorrow. I guess I won’t be in before 2.”
“That’s just fine. I’ll be leaving around 3 for a doctor’s appointment so that should work out ok. I’m leaving now. Bye, Michael,” she says quickly before heading for the door.
Michael just grunts for an answer, and Maria flees out the back door. Even two years after their breakup and a year after Maria and Kyle’s wedding, things were still really awkward between them. Maria told me that she had tried to talk to Michael to smooth things out, but he had quickly said he understood and cut her off. She hadn’t had the nerve to try again and frankly didn’t see a need. In her opinion, time was the only thing that would help them to become friends again.
After hearing her car drive off, I clear my throat, trying to figure out how to ask Michael what I want to ask. He looks at me expectantly. “Was there something you needed to talk about?” he asks quietly.
“Actually, yes. Max begged me to tell him how his father died. I promised I’d tell him, and I think he has a right to know, but I don’t know how much to tell him or how,” I answer in a gush.
Michael stops in his tracks and looks at me for a moment. Then he cocks his head to one side and looks up at the ceiling as if thinking about how he should answer. Looking back at me, he slowly answers, “Liz, I agree that you should tell him something, but you don’t even know exactly what happened. You only know the part I told you and that you saw. Max and I are the only two people that know exactly what happened and he’s gone so that just leaves me. I’ve been thinking that I should show you exactly what happened so you would understand completely what a hero your husband was. Would you like to see?”
I stare at him for a few minutes. Michael is serious, and I’ve never seen him so calm about anything that I know he cares for so passionately. I see the anger and pain in his eyes. After a few minutes, I’ve made up my mind. “Yes, Michael, I want to see it. First, though, let me put Little Max to bed and tell him that I’ll talk with him tomorrow morning.”
As I head for the stairs, Michael stops me with a question. “Liz, can I come up with you to say goodnight to him?” he asks.
I turn around and smile at him. I nod and he follows me. As I come to Max’s door, I hear him digging around in his closet. “Max, what are you doing?” I ask curiously.
He pokes his head out and sees me and Michael and smiles. “I’m just putting my dirty clothes in the hamper,” he says proudly.
I try not to laugh at his obvious pride in that he did something that he was supposed to and that I was constantly after him for. “Thank you, Max. That really helps mommy out. Now it’s time for bed,” I tell him.
At this, Max’s smile drops. “You promised to tell me what happened to daddy,” he says.
I pick him up, no easy task at six years old. Michael sees that I am struggling with him and takes him from me and carries him over to his bed. I come and sit beside him while Michael stands awkwardly next to the bed. “Max, I have never lied to you and I’m not now, but I don’t really know exactly how he died and I need to find out before I can tell you. I only know part of the story. Uncle Michael said he will tell me tonight and then you and I can talk about it tomorrow morning because I don’t have to be at work until two. So you and I can talk in the morning, and then we’ll have lunch with Aunt Isabel. How does that sound?” I ask him.
Max looks into my eyes for a moment and then smiles at me. “Ok, mommy, we can talk tomorrow. Before I go to bed, will you tell me a story?” he asks.
I nod and smile at him. “What story do you want to hear?” I ask him.
“The story of how daddy saved your life here at the Crashdown,” he answers quickly.
“Max, you must have heard that story a million times already. You already know it by heart, why do you want to hear it again?” I ask. Truthfully, I just don’t want to tell that story right now because it is so painful.
“Please,” he pleads.
I tell the story as I lived the day all over again, and by the time I was finished there were tears streaming down my face. Michael had absently sat on the bed, as enraptured by the story as Max. I felt like an old woman of 85, not a young woman of 23. It wasn’t possible that that day had happened almost 8 years ago. It seemed to have happened over 100 years ago. That was how it felt.
I looked down at my son and saw my Max in his face, and I quickly kissed him goodnight and fled the room. I rushed down the stairs and went to the cabinet that was locked, but I had the key. I opened it and pulled out a bottle of vodka and took it to the kitchen. I had just finished one screwdriver and was in the middle of stirring another one when Michael came down. He looked at me with raised eyebrows but said nothing.
“Want a drink?” I asked bluntly. “If you don’t like screwdrivers there’s other stuff in the cabinet.”
“Liz, you shouldn’t drink you know. You haven’t eaten anything since that burger plate at lunch, and we don’t know how alcohol will affect all of you that were genetically altered, especially you,” Michael tells me.
“I know, but I don’t care. I hope it kills me,” I say.
“Are you sure you want to know what happened tonight?” he asks quietly.
“Yes, let me finish this, and we can go in the back room here and you can show me,” I say as I down the second screwdriver.
Michael flinches at this swift move and I want to laugh. Yes, Liz Parker Evans knows how to drink. Yes, I have thought of suicide more than once. The only thing stopping me from doing myself in is in the bed upstairs, sleeping. I rinse out the glass and leave it in the sink and move to the back room. Michael follows me and we sit on the couch facing each other.
“I can’t show you without some kind of physical contact. Here, take my hands,” he says, holding his hands out to me.
I slowly place my hands in his and as he closes his over mine, the flashes come. At first, I saw Maria and felt an overwhelming pain and then peace. Those images and feelings were quickly pushed away from me, and I realized that Michael had not intended for me to see that. I don’t push but let him guide me to the images he wants me to see.
It didn’t take me but a minute to realize that I was seeing things through Michael’s eyes. He and Max were standing in front of the caves that had harbored us sometimes, and where the granolith had been sent back to us. Max and Michael had decided that as a security for the entrance to where the granolith was there had to be two of us at any given time to open it. Max and Michael put their hands up to the rock and Max turns to Michael.
“Do you want to keep watch out here or do you want to come in with me while I contact Antar?” he asks.
“Go ahead and contact Antar and see what the urgent message is, and I’ll keep an eye out for trouble out here. The others should be here any time now if they haven’t run into any trouble. Liz was coming with Kyle, Maria, and Ava. Isabel, Brody, Serena, and Sean are coming in Brody’s car. Jim has Jeffrey and he’s safe,” I hear Michael’s voice say. I never actually see Michael’s face because I’m looking through it.
Max nods and walks into the opening in the rock. The direction I, as Michael, am looking in changes to the horizon where a car is coming. Michael walks over to where it parks and I see Maria, Kyle, Ava, and myself emerge from the car. I hear myself ask where Max is and Michael answers in the cave. Brody’s car appears in the distance and is hurrying toward us when we all hear an unnatural scream come from the cave. Michael and Kyle reach the cave first, but someone on the inside has closed the door. Michael and Kyle place their hands on the rock and the door opens but not all the way and suddenly starts to close again, rapidly. Before anyone could stop him or say anything, Michael had dived into the cave just before the door slammed shut.
Before continuing with the vision, I feel Michael silently asking to see what took place on our side of the door. I allow the flashes to flow, and suddenly I am myself again and the feeling of helplessness washes over me yet again. I cry to Isabel, Brody, Serena, and Sean what has happened and they rush over. Maria and I place our hands on the rock but to no avail, it won’t open. Kyle tries with us, but still nothing happens. I am screaming to Michael and Max on the inside to tell us what’s going on and to open the door, but we hear nothing from the inside. Finally, after all of us trying without success to open the door, Isabel suggests we blast through the door.
No one wants to do this because it risks damaging the granolith, Max, and Michael. However, with no other options we agree that it has to be done. We all stand back and Isabel and Kyle call a warning inside to Max and Michael, praying that they hear us. We all raise our hands and suddenly there is a blast as the rock that disguises the cave is blown to bits. We start to rush in, but we have to wait for the smoke to clear.
Through the smoke, I see a sight that I can’t believe. Max is lying on the floor of the cave and not moving. Someone is standing over him, and even though I’ve never seen Khavar or even know that he’d taken human form, I recognized him right away. I scream and hold up my right hand, as do the others, and suddenly, Khavar screams and then is blown away. The others stand stunned, but I rush to get to Max’s side. Michael catches me before I can get close but winces from a wound in his right arm.
“Let me go, I have to help Max,” I scream.
Michael hangs his head and says quietly, “No one can help him now, Liz. He’s gone. Khavar killed him.”
“No! No, it can’t be!” I scream. I pull free of him and push him to the floor so that he can’t stop me again. I rush to my husband’s crumpled figure and collapse beside him.
Max is lying in a ball on his side facing away from me. I roll him over and see that he has several wounds to his chest, arms, and legs. It looks like Khavar tortured him before finally killing him. I put my shaking hand to Max’s face and cry out to him. I pull his head onto my lap and stroke his hair and forehead like I would Jeffrey and ask him over and over to wake up. He doesn’t move, he doesn’t open his eyes, his chest doesn’t move from breathing.
Kyle and Brody try to pull me away, but I scream at them and fight them off like a wild animal. Michael tells them to leave me alone, and everyone leaves the cave to give me some time alone with Max. I cry and sing to Max’s body our song, but when I get to the chorus I can’t continue. My tears choke me and blind me and I can’t go on. Then I hear a voice behind me, clear and sweet, pick up where I left off. It’s Maria. Then another voice joins in and another. I look up to see all of our friends in the cave, singing “I Shall Believe” for me so that it can be finished.
I can’t sing with them so I hug Max to me, and I notice that all of them have tears in their eyes too. Michael looks away from us but still he sings. Isabel collapses beside me and picks up her brother’s hand and holds it to her heart. I know she’s hurting too. I take her other hand in mine and we cry together.
I know Michael feels all the emotions that I was going through on that day. His hands were warm and clammy and clutched mine tighter. I felt him wince from the pain that radiated through both of us. Then there is a flash of light and suddenly, I’m looking through his eyes again and I am back in the cave.
As he looks up from his position on the floor from diving into the cave, he sees a flash of light come his way and rolls out of the way just in time. He hides on the other side of the granolith and tries to peek around the corner to see what’s going on. I felt his immediate dismissal that it is Max shooting this destructive energy at him.
“Michael, get out of here! It’s Khavar. Get the others so we can defeat . . .” and then there was a howl from Max. Michael looked around the corner to see his friend and brother on the floor with a wound on either arm.
“Silence, oh Great King! Your pitiful war has come to an end, and you have lost. Surrender to me and I might let you live,” a man’s voice spits at Max.
Michael steps around from the granolith, arm raised, ready to blow away Khavar. He didn’t know the power Khavar possessed as another bolt of energy was thrown at him and hit his arm and knocked him against the wall. He hit the wall and then dropped to the ground with a thud.
“I have no need of a second-in-command,” Khavar said as he raised his hand to send the last deadly bolt of energy at Michael.
“No!” Max cried, throwing himself between Khavar and Michael. He took the bolt squarely in the chest and fell to the ground in a heap.
Khavar moved to Max’s body to see if he was really dead and Michael stood up. Just then, there was a loud explosion and one of the walls of the cave was gone. In the midst of the smoke, I saw myself and the others, and I heard myself scream out. I saw all of us once again bring Khavar to an end. I also saw myself through Michael’s eyes as I went over to my husband’s body and held him and cried.
What surprised me in this flash of feelings and visions was the guilt I felt coming from Michael. I then realized that he blamed himself for Max’s death and felt that he should have died instead. I open my eyes and look at Michael, who quickly drops my hands and walks away from me a few feet. He stares out the window. I go over to him and around him so that I can see his face. He has tears running freely.
“Michael, it’s not your fault that Max was killed,” I tell him.
“Liz, he died saving my life. I should have been the one to die. I didn’t have a wife and a son. I wasn’t the king that governed two planets. Max should have let Khavar kill me,” he said to the floor. Then he looks up at me and my heart breaks with the pain I see in his eyes. “Oh, Liz, I’m so sorry. How can you ever forgive me for doing that to your husband, your soul-mate?” he asks pitifully.
I am crying harder now too. “Michael, it is NOT your fault. You have been so good to Max and I since it happened. If you want to do something for me, just keep being there like you have been,” I tell him.
He hugs me and for the first time, I feel truly close to Michael Guerrin. He just holds onto me in that hug that tells me more than his words that he is truly sorry. When he lets go, he’s back to the old Michael. “It’s late and you should get to bed and so should I. Kyle said he’ll be here to open tomorrow so you’ll have a cook and I won’t have to function on just a couple hours of sleep.”
I smile reassuringly at him. “Good night, Michael.”
He doesn’t really return the smile but heads for the door. “Good night, Liz.”
I yawn as I lock the door behind him. I turn out the lights in the front and in the kitchen and head upstairs. I check on Max one last time before heading for bed. I put on the radio, low to try to relax. The song that comes on is sad and fitting for my mood and circumstances.
Here I Am,
Playing with those memories again,
And just when I thought time had set me free,
Those thoughts of you keep taunting me.
Holding you,
A feeling I never outgrew.
Though each and every part of me has tried,
Only you can fill that space inside
So there’s no sense pretending,
My heart is not mending
Just when I thought I was over you,
Just when I thought I could stand on my own,
Oh baby, those memories come crashing through,
And I just can’t go on without you
On my own,
I’ve tried to make the best of it alone.
I’ve done everything I can to ease the pain,
But only you can stop the rain.
I just can’t live without you,
I miss everything about you.
Just when I thought I was over you,
Just when I thought I could stand on my own,
Oh, baby, those memories come crashing through,
And I just can’t go on without,
It’s just no good without, you.
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!
-
littleroswell
- Roswell Fanatic
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 7:45 am
- Location: Georgia, USA
Part 6
Little Max wipes the crumbs from his mouth and smiles at me. I had made us breakfast and we were eating it in bed and watching cartoons. I smiled at him and started to kiss his cheek but he dodges me. He studies me to see if I’m hurt by this move, but I smile and pat his head. I knew this was a stage he would go through, but I didn’t realize it would start this soon.
“I’ll get you yet, Jeffery Maxwell,” I tell him.
He sets down his bowl of cereal and gets a really serious look on his face. “So tell me about daddy. I want to know,” he tells me.
I sigh and turn off the TV. I’ve been dreading this discussion all night. I start off slowly, choosing my words carefully. I tell him the story of that terrible day, making his father a hero in his young eyes and heart. When I’m finished, Max’s eyes are shining with worship for his dead father.
“Max, your father was a great king whose people loved him and who had many friends. He died saving his best friend’s life. Uncle Michael feels like it’s his fault your dad died, and he feels like he should have been the one to die instead,” I explain to him, hoping for a certain reaction.
“But it’s not Uncle Michael’s fault! Khavar is the one who killed him. He could have killed Uncle Michael too if it weren’t for you and Aunt Maria and Uncle Kyle and the rest of you,” Max answered upset.
I hadn’t thought of it like that. In an effort to teach my son a lesson, he had inadvertently taught me something at the same time. He saw me as a hero too, as he did the rest of our little group. We had almost lost Michael too. What would we have done if we had lost them both? Where would I have been the last few weeks? Who would be leading everyone?
“When will I be king?” Max asked me, breaking through my thoughts.
“When you are old enough to handle the responsibility and have gone through some training. It will be a while. For now, Michael is Acting King or Temporary King,” I answer.
Max sighs and rests his head on my shoulder. “I’m glad. I’m not ready to be king, and Uncle Michael will be a good king.”
I lay there holding Max’s son and wish it were Max or that he would walk in and find us and come sit with us. I miss him so much. I kiss the top of Little Max’s head and start to get up. “Come on. We need to clean this stuff up and get some things done before we go to Aunt Isabel’s for lunch. Will you help me wash the dishes?”
“Mom, are Aunt Isabel and Brody ever going to get married?” he asks, climbing off the bed.
“That’s one of the things that Mommy wants to talk to Aunt Isabel about,” I tell him.
“Are you ever going to get married again?” he asks.
I stop and look at him as I am startled by the question. I want to answer, “No, never!” but something holds me back from saying that. It makes me feel guilty and disloyal to Max’s memory. Why couldn’t I just say no, that I would never find anyone like Max?
I finally manage to say, “I don’t know, Max. I haven’t really thought about it. Now let’s go and get you dressed.”
* * * * * * * * * * *
Isabel opens the door to the home she once shared with her parents and her brother but now occupied alone. She took one look at her nephew and burst into laughter. I grinned and chuckled with her. Max had insisted on bringing Sydney with him, and the kitten had climbed up and over his shoulder and was halfway down his back, clinging to him, just out of his reach. He was trying to stretch his arms behind him to reach her without success.
“Hey there, cutie, need some help?” Isabel asks him. When he nods, she plucks the kitten from the back of his shirt and hands her to him. “Come on in,” she tells us, opening the door wider and moving aside so we can enter.
We go inside and I hug Isabel before moving to the kitchen. I tell Max to take Sydney outside and play until we get lunch ready. Then I ask where Brody is today and help Isabel by washing and cutting up some tomatoes for the salad. She smiles at the question and there is no doubt in my mind that they are crazy about each other.
“He’s over at Roswell High helping to repair the damages there. I’m so proud of him. He’s been out helping with clean up and repair work all week without complaining even a little bit although there are cuts and bruises all over him. I’ve offered to help heal some of them but he said those bruises were small compared to some of the ones that people carried inside. He’s such a kind person,” Isabel said.
“Remember when he held us in the Crashdown because all of Larek’s memories were getting mixed up with his? I thought he had completely lost his mind. He certainly turned out alright in the end,” I answered with a smile. “Isabel, I want you guys to go ahead and set a date to get married. Don’t wait on my account because it will be a very long time before I’m over Max’s death. I want you guys to be happy. Hell, I want everyone that can find any trace of happiness left in all this destruction to grab onto it and not let go. We’ve mourned enough without a break, and we need to find something to be happy about and we could all use a good celebration like a wedding. I’m not trying to pressure you into deciding; I’m just saying that you guys should seriously consider setting a date,” I tell her.
Isabel throws her arms around my neck and hugs me so tight I can’t breathe. “Oh, Liz, thank you so much! It’s funny that you should bring that up because we have set a date and we wanted to tell everyone, but I wanted to see how you were about it first. You are the closest thing I have to a sister, and I want you in the wedding as my matron of honor.”
I hug her back. “I’m so happy for you guys but, Isabel, you would be asking too much of me right now to stand up in a wedding. I’ll be fine at the wedding and will just get by with tears but to stand up next to you would be too much I’m afraid. I’m sorry, please don’t be offended.”
She smiles at me and brushes some hair away from her eyes. “Of course I’m not offended, and I completely understand. However, if I can’t have you as my matron of honor we just won’t have bridesmaids and groomsmen. It’ll make things simpler anyway.”
We finished fixing the lunch and Isabel told me all of the wedding plans she had so far. There weren’t many that she had really decided on. They would live on earth of course but she was trying to decide if they should be married on Antar. She decided she would bring it up at the meeting if there was time at the United Reps Building. She was also trying to decide who should conduct the ceremony. Jim was the obvious choice but she was wondering if Michael shouldn’t do it as the new king. I smiled and told her that it would be completely up to her.
As we placed the salad and sandwiches on the table, I went to the back door to call Max to lunch. I watched him play with the kitten that he so loved and I had mixed feelings. I loved this little boy with all my heart, but I’d be damned if I’d let him grow up and end up like his birth mother. I prayed that Max and I, along with all of our friends, had helped to weed out the damaging part of his personality; the less of Tess in him the better. At the same time, I saw the boy that Max was, loving, sweet, caring, smart, brave, and self-sacrificing when he really needed to be, just like his father.
All of a sudden, he disappeared. I couldn’t believe it! One moment I was watching him, and the next he was gone. Suddenly I shook my head and rubbed my eyes and he was standing at the door, laughing at my face and pointing at me. He opened the door and grinned at me. Max set the kitten on the floor and went over to the sink.
“Mommy, you looked funny! You should have seen your face! Pretty good trick huh?” he said still laughing while washing his hand.
I was confused as was Isabel, by the look on her face. I grabbed Max by the arm and turned him to face me directly. “What do you mean that was a good trick?” I asked him harshly.
“I just used my mind to make you see that I wasn’t there anymore and then I snuck up on you,” he answered, clearly uncomfortable.
“Jeffery Maxwell, you scared the hell out of me! Don’t you ever do that again!” I yelled at him. Then seeing that tears were forming in his young eyes, I softened and let go of his arm. “Max, I’m sorry but you really scared me. I thought something had happened to you and I had missed it. I love you so much that it would really hurt me if something were to happen to you.”
He threw his arms around my neck and sobbed into my hair. “I’m sorry, momma, I didn’t mean to scare you. I won’t do it again, I promise.”
I patted his back and said into his ear, “It’s ok. I didn’t even know you knew how to mind warp someone, Max. It is a power that is useful to have, but you have to use it properly, and you can’t use it on the same person over and over again because it hurts them after a while. Promise me that you won’t use it on us again unless we’re telling you to ok?”
He pulled away and smiled at me, wiping his nose on the back of his hand. “I promise.”
“Good! Now I’m hungry so how about we eat?” I asked with a smile. He smiled back and agreed with me.
Isabel sat down at the table and I heard her in my head. “He’s not Tess, Liz. He’s just trying out his new powers. Be careful you don’t forget that he’s also Max’s son and that he is being raised right. He’s a good boy and doesn’t do anything wrong deliberately.”
I looked at her and at the boy with Max’s hair and ears and Tess’s eyes. “I know that, Isabel, but I’m so scared that something of his mother’s will come through, and I don’t want it to be the wrong thing. I won’t allow him to go in that direction,” I thought back at her.
Isabel kicked me under the table. “HE HAS TO BE ALLOWED TO MAKE HIS OWN MISTAKES, LIZ! You can’t make him perfect. He’s not Max, he’s not Tess, and he’s not you. Let him discover who he is on his own and then you can learn who he is. Guide him, but don’t push him,” she transmitted to me.
I nodded at Isabel and pushed her out of my head. I thought seriously about what she had said and studied the boy that I was left to raise. I slowly admitted to myself that Isabel had been right. I was too much like the type of mother that I hated. I watched everything Max did so carefully, so afraid he’d make a mistake like Tess or even one like Max or me, that I jumped to stop every action too quickly and didn’t let him make his own mistakes. I promised myself that I would work on that.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“Oh, good you’re here!” Maria tells me, tearing off her apron. “I’ve got to get to the doctor’s office.”
“I’m sorry we’re late, but Sydney got under the couch and we had the hardest time getting that little kitten out. Go and I’ll pick up where you left off,” I tell her.
“And if Kyle asks, tell him I’ve already left. Thanks!” she said, sailing toward the door. She passed Max playing cards on the table by the door. “See ya later, kiddo!” she called to him.
“Bye, Aunt Maria!” he called happily.
I was busy with customers the rest of the afternoon and before I knew it, it was dinnertime. Kyle stuck his head out of the kitchen door and called me over to him. I excused myself from the customers I was with and went over to see what he wanted. He looked strange, with a kind of blissfully happy look on his face.
“What’s up, Kyle?” I asked him.
“Listen, is there anyway we can close a few minutes early tonight? Maria’s coming over and wants to talk to all of our little group about something,” he said in a low voice.
“Why are you almost whispering? I suppose we can close a little early, maybe half an hour. Will that be enough?” I answered.
“Yeah, that’d be great. I’ll tell her; I’ve got her on the phone right now,” he said, disappearing into the kitchen again.
Later, as we were cleaning up, the group filed in, Serena and Sean, Brody and Isabel, Michael, Kyle came in from the kitchen, and Max came down the stairs in his pajamas and sat in Michael’s lap. Maria walked in the door and went directly over to Kyle who took her hand and kissed her. I went over to the counter and sat on a stool.
“Liz, why are you sitting way over there? Come join the group,” Isabel told me.
I slowly got up and went over to sit next to Michael and Max. Maria smiled at everyone and looked at Kyle. “Everyone, we wanted to tell you all the good news together. Kyle and I are pregnant! Or rather I’m pregnant and Kyle is going to be a father. I got the confirmation today at the doctor’s office,” Maria announced bluntly.
I sat stunned for a moment. Isabel and Serena squealed and jumped up and hugged Maria. Sean and Brody slapped Kyle on the back and shook his hand in congratulations. Michael said nothing and Max looked confused. Michael stood up and set Max in my lap, walked to the door, opened it, and walked out it without saying a word to anyone. Maria looked hurt, as did Kyle, who also looked angry.
“That son-of-a . . . would it kill him to have been just a little bit happy for us?” he yelled.
“Kyle, don’t. Michael is going through a lot right now and this was another shock. Let him find his way and then come to you when he’s ready,” Isabel said, standing up for Michael.
Maria turned to me. “Liz, don’t you have anything to say?” she asked.
I plastered a smile on my face and stood up. I placed my arms around her neck and pulled her to me. “I’m incredibly happy for you, Maria. You too, Kyle, you must be so happy,” I told them. “Now, I’m sorry but I am bushed. I need to get Max to bed and then myself. I’ll see all of you guys in the morning.”
Little Max wipes the crumbs from his mouth and smiles at me. I had made us breakfast and we were eating it in bed and watching cartoons. I smiled at him and started to kiss his cheek but he dodges me. He studies me to see if I’m hurt by this move, but I smile and pat his head. I knew this was a stage he would go through, but I didn’t realize it would start this soon.
“I’ll get you yet, Jeffery Maxwell,” I tell him.
He sets down his bowl of cereal and gets a really serious look on his face. “So tell me about daddy. I want to know,” he tells me.
I sigh and turn off the TV. I’ve been dreading this discussion all night. I start off slowly, choosing my words carefully. I tell him the story of that terrible day, making his father a hero in his young eyes and heart. When I’m finished, Max’s eyes are shining with worship for his dead father.
“Max, your father was a great king whose people loved him and who had many friends. He died saving his best friend’s life. Uncle Michael feels like it’s his fault your dad died, and he feels like he should have been the one to die instead,” I explain to him, hoping for a certain reaction.
“But it’s not Uncle Michael’s fault! Khavar is the one who killed him. He could have killed Uncle Michael too if it weren’t for you and Aunt Maria and Uncle Kyle and the rest of you,” Max answered upset.
I hadn’t thought of it like that. In an effort to teach my son a lesson, he had inadvertently taught me something at the same time. He saw me as a hero too, as he did the rest of our little group. We had almost lost Michael too. What would we have done if we had lost them both? Where would I have been the last few weeks? Who would be leading everyone?
“When will I be king?” Max asked me, breaking through my thoughts.
“When you are old enough to handle the responsibility and have gone through some training. It will be a while. For now, Michael is Acting King or Temporary King,” I answer.
Max sighs and rests his head on my shoulder. “I’m glad. I’m not ready to be king, and Uncle Michael will be a good king.”
I lay there holding Max’s son and wish it were Max or that he would walk in and find us and come sit with us. I miss him so much. I kiss the top of Little Max’s head and start to get up. “Come on. We need to clean this stuff up and get some things done before we go to Aunt Isabel’s for lunch. Will you help me wash the dishes?”
“Mom, are Aunt Isabel and Brody ever going to get married?” he asks, climbing off the bed.
“That’s one of the things that Mommy wants to talk to Aunt Isabel about,” I tell him.
“Are you ever going to get married again?” he asks.
I stop and look at him as I am startled by the question. I want to answer, “No, never!” but something holds me back from saying that. It makes me feel guilty and disloyal to Max’s memory. Why couldn’t I just say no, that I would never find anyone like Max?
I finally manage to say, “I don’t know, Max. I haven’t really thought about it. Now let’s go and get you dressed.”
* * * * * * * * * * *
Isabel opens the door to the home she once shared with her parents and her brother but now occupied alone. She took one look at her nephew and burst into laughter. I grinned and chuckled with her. Max had insisted on bringing Sydney with him, and the kitten had climbed up and over his shoulder and was halfway down his back, clinging to him, just out of his reach. He was trying to stretch his arms behind him to reach her without success.
“Hey there, cutie, need some help?” Isabel asks him. When he nods, she plucks the kitten from the back of his shirt and hands her to him. “Come on in,” she tells us, opening the door wider and moving aside so we can enter.
We go inside and I hug Isabel before moving to the kitchen. I tell Max to take Sydney outside and play until we get lunch ready. Then I ask where Brody is today and help Isabel by washing and cutting up some tomatoes for the salad. She smiles at the question and there is no doubt in my mind that they are crazy about each other.
“He’s over at Roswell High helping to repair the damages there. I’m so proud of him. He’s been out helping with clean up and repair work all week without complaining even a little bit although there are cuts and bruises all over him. I’ve offered to help heal some of them but he said those bruises were small compared to some of the ones that people carried inside. He’s such a kind person,” Isabel said.
“Remember when he held us in the Crashdown because all of Larek’s memories were getting mixed up with his? I thought he had completely lost his mind. He certainly turned out alright in the end,” I answered with a smile. “Isabel, I want you guys to go ahead and set a date to get married. Don’t wait on my account because it will be a very long time before I’m over Max’s death. I want you guys to be happy. Hell, I want everyone that can find any trace of happiness left in all this destruction to grab onto it and not let go. We’ve mourned enough without a break, and we need to find something to be happy about and we could all use a good celebration like a wedding. I’m not trying to pressure you into deciding; I’m just saying that you guys should seriously consider setting a date,” I tell her.
Isabel throws her arms around my neck and hugs me so tight I can’t breathe. “Oh, Liz, thank you so much! It’s funny that you should bring that up because we have set a date and we wanted to tell everyone, but I wanted to see how you were about it first. You are the closest thing I have to a sister, and I want you in the wedding as my matron of honor.”
I hug her back. “I’m so happy for you guys but, Isabel, you would be asking too much of me right now to stand up in a wedding. I’ll be fine at the wedding and will just get by with tears but to stand up next to you would be too much I’m afraid. I’m sorry, please don’t be offended.”
She smiles at me and brushes some hair away from her eyes. “Of course I’m not offended, and I completely understand. However, if I can’t have you as my matron of honor we just won’t have bridesmaids and groomsmen. It’ll make things simpler anyway.”
We finished fixing the lunch and Isabel told me all of the wedding plans she had so far. There weren’t many that she had really decided on. They would live on earth of course but she was trying to decide if they should be married on Antar. She decided she would bring it up at the meeting if there was time at the United Reps Building. She was also trying to decide who should conduct the ceremony. Jim was the obvious choice but she was wondering if Michael shouldn’t do it as the new king. I smiled and told her that it would be completely up to her.
As we placed the salad and sandwiches on the table, I went to the back door to call Max to lunch. I watched him play with the kitten that he so loved and I had mixed feelings. I loved this little boy with all my heart, but I’d be damned if I’d let him grow up and end up like his birth mother. I prayed that Max and I, along with all of our friends, had helped to weed out the damaging part of his personality; the less of Tess in him the better. At the same time, I saw the boy that Max was, loving, sweet, caring, smart, brave, and self-sacrificing when he really needed to be, just like his father.
All of a sudden, he disappeared. I couldn’t believe it! One moment I was watching him, and the next he was gone. Suddenly I shook my head and rubbed my eyes and he was standing at the door, laughing at my face and pointing at me. He opened the door and grinned at me. Max set the kitten on the floor and went over to the sink.
“Mommy, you looked funny! You should have seen your face! Pretty good trick huh?” he said still laughing while washing his hand.
I was confused as was Isabel, by the look on her face. I grabbed Max by the arm and turned him to face me directly. “What do you mean that was a good trick?” I asked him harshly.
“I just used my mind to make you see that I wasn’t there anymore and then I snuck up on you,” he answered, clearly uncomfortable.
“Jeffery Maxwell, you scared the hell out of me! Don’t you ever do that again!” I yelled at him. Then seeing that tears were forming in his young eyes, I softened and let go of his arm. “Max, I’m sorry but you really scared me. I thought something had happened to you and I had missed it. I love you so much that it would really hurt me if something were to happen to you.”
He threw his arms around my neck and sobbed into my hair. “I’m sorry, momma, I didn’t mean to scare you. I won’t do it again, I promise.”
I patted his back and said into his ear, “It’s ok. I didn’t even know you knew how to mind warp someone, Max. It is a power that is useful to have, but you have to use it properly, and you can’t use it on the same person over and over again because it hurts them after a while. Promise me that you won’t use it on us again unless we’re telling you to ok?”
He pulled away and smiled at me, wiping his nose on the back of his hand. “I promise.”
“Good! Now I’m hungry so how about we eat?” I asked with a smile. He smiled back and agreed with me.
Isabel sat down at the table and I heard her in my head. “He’s not Tess, Liz. He’s just trying out his new powers. Be careful you don’t forget that he’s also Max’s son and that he is being raised right. He’s a good boy and doesn’t do anything wrong deliberately.”
I looked at her and at the boy with Max’s hair and ears and Tess’s eyes. “I know that, Isabel, but I’m so scared that something of his mother’s will come through, and I don’t want it to be the wrong thing. I won’t allow him to go in that direction,” I thought back at her.
Isabel kicked me under the table. “HE HAS TO BE ALLOWED TO MAKE HIS OWN MISTAKES, LIZ! You can’t make him perfect. He’s not Max, he’s not Tess, and he’s not you. Let him discover who he is on his own and then you can learn who he is. Guide him, but don’t push him,” she transmitted to me.
I nodded at Isabel and pushed her out of my head. I thought seriously about what she had said and studied the boy that I was left to raise. I slowly admitted to myself that Isabel had been right. I was too much like the type of mother that I hated. I watched everything Max did so carefully, so afraid he’d make a mistake like Tess or even one like Max or me, that I jumped to stop every action too quickly and didn’t let him make his own mistakes. I promised myself that I would work on that.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“Oh, good you’re here!” Maria tells me, tearing off her apron. “I’ve got to get to the doctor’s office.”
“I’m sorry we’re late, but Sydney got under the couch and we had the hardest time getting that little kitten out. Go and I’ll pick up where you left off,” I tell her.
“And if Kyle asks, tell him I’ve already left. Thanks!” she said, sailing toward the door. She passed Max playing cards on the table by the door. “See ya later, kiddo!” she called to him.
“Bye, Aunt Maria!” he called happily.
I was busy with customers the rest of the afternoon and before I knew it, it was dinnertime. Kyle stuck his head out of the kitchen door and called me over to him. I excused myself from the customers I was with and went over to see what he wanted. He looked strange, with a kind of blissfully happy look on his face.
“What’s up, Kyle?” I asked him.
“Listen, is there anyway we can close a few minutes early tonight? Maria’s coming over and wants to talk to all of our little group about something,” he said in a low voice.
“Why are you almost whispering? I suppose we can close a little early, maybe half an hour. Will that be enough?” I answered.
“Yeah, that’d be great. I’ll tell her; I’ve got her on the phone right now,” he said, disappearing into the kitchen again.
Later, as we were cleaning up, the group filed in, Serena and Sean, Brody and Isabel, Michael, Kyle came in from the kitchen, and Max came down the stairs in his pajamas and sat in Michael’s lap. Maria walked in the door and went directly over to Kyle who took her hand and kissed her. I went over to the counter and sat on a stool.
“Liz, why are you sitting way over there? Come join the group,” Isabel told me.
I slowly got up and went over to sit next to Michael and Max. Maria smiled at everyone and looked at Kyle. “Everyone, we wanted to tell you all the good news together. Kyle and I are pregnant! Or rather I’m pregnant and Kyle is going to be a father. I got the confirmation today at the doctor’s office,” Maria announced bluntly.
I sat stunned for a moment. Isabel and Serena squealed and jumped up and hugged Maria. Sean and Brody slapped Kyle on the back and shook his hand in congratulations. Michael said nothing and Max looked confused. Michael stood up and set Max in my lap, walked to the door, opened it, and walked out it without saying a word to anyone. Maria looked hurt, as did Kyle, who also looked angry.
“That son-of-a . . . would it kill him to have been just a little bit happy for us?” he yelled.
“Kyle, don’t. Michael is going through a lot right now and this was another shock. Let him find his way and then come to you when he’s ready,” Isabel said, standing up for Michael.
Maria turned to me. “Liz, don’t you have anything to say?” she asked.
I plastered a smile on my face and stood up. I placed my arms around her neck and pulled her to me. “I’m incredibly happy for you, Maria. You too, Kyle, you must be so happy,” I told them. “Now, I’m sorry but I am bushed. I need to get Max to bed and then myself. I’ll see all of you guys in the morning.”
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!
-
littleroswell
- Roswell Fanatic
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 7:45 am
- Location: Georgia, USA
Ok, guys, it's Friday and that means a new part! Thanks so much to those of you who left fb! (Cinder, RosLover2, and VanilCoke) Here is part 7. Let me know what you think!
Beth
Part 7
I awoke to a persistent knocking on the front door. I squint my eyes at my digital clock. 2:23 a.m. Who in the universe could be calling at this time of night? I jumped up and turned on the light. I threw on my bathrobe and tied the belt as I headed down the stairs. I left the lights off until I got to the door. I switched on the outside light and found it was Michael standing outside. I unlocked the door and opened it just enough to get my face in the doorway.
“Michael, it’s 2:30 in the morning! What are you doing here?” I asked in a low tone.
“Can I come in and talk, Liz?” he asked. I started to say no and ask him to come back at a decent hour, but I saw that he really did need to talk. I opened the door for him to pass through. “Thanks,” he sighed.
“Have a seat. I’ll put some coffee on and check on Max, and then we can talk,” I told him.
I started the coffee pot and went upstairs and cracked open my son’s room door. He was sound asleep but had kicked the covers onto the floor. I picked them up and put them back around him. I kissed his cheek and left the room quietly. I went back down the stairs and yawned as I fixed a cup of coffee for Michael and myself.
As I placed the mug in front of him and sat down, I waved my hand over my mug so that it would be the way I liked it. Michael did the same. “I’m sorry, Michael, I didn’t know how you liked yours.”
“No problem. Liz, what I wanted to talk to you about is Maria and Kyle and the new Valenti coming into the world,” Michael started.
I took a deep breath and looked into my coffee cup for a minute before responding. “Michael, I know that Maria really meant a lot to you but sooner or later, you’re going to have to let her go . . .”
“No, you don’t understand. God, that’s probably what Maria thinks too, and Kyle. I’m not jealous because of Maria. I’m not in love with her. I’m actually happy for her and Kyle. I just was so shocked by their announcement. I mean, the only baby we ever had around was Jeffrey Maxwell, and I just took it for granted that it would always be that way. I feel so much older than I am. Liz, I realized when they made that announcement that I would probably never get married or have children of my own and that hurt. Ever since Little Max has been in my life, I’ve loved kids, and I always thought that one day I would have some of my own but now I realize that no one will ever be able to live with me as my wife, and I certainly don’t want children without a mother in the picture,” Michael explained.
My eyes filled with tears. “Michael, you are a good man and someday you will make some woman very happy and have children and be a great father. You’re lucky that you can have kids. Remember that not all of us have that option even if we did remarry, which I probably won’t.”
Michael’s face had a look of self-hatred on it. “I’m so sorry, Liz. I should have realized this had to be painful for you too. I forgot that you can’t have children. At least you have Max though,” he said.
“Michael, do you have any idea what it’s like to raise someone else’s child? I love Max, and I couldn’t love him more if I had given birth to him myself but he is the product of Max and Tess’s love affair. I want a child that is a product of love between myself and Max. I want to go through the birth pains and the pregnancy and everything that goes along with that, but I’ll never be able to do that now. Thanks to this stupid war, I’ll never have children or grandchildren that carry the Parker’s blood in their veins. I know that sounds ridiculous, but that’s why I’m jealous of Maria and Kyle too. However, I bit my lip and tongue and hugged them and congratulated them. Can’t you do the same? They were really hurt when you ran out of here this afternoon,” I told him.
“I guess we have more in common than I thought. I know you miss Max, but, Liz, he loved you and you need to remember that. You don’t need his child to know that. I will apologize to Maria and Kyle tomorrow. I’m sorry that I got you up like this but it was bugging me,” he said.
“It’s ok, Michael. God knows you’ve done a lot more for Max and I since Max died. That is a hard phrase to say. Max is gone and he’s not coming back, and I didn’t even get to say goodbye or that I loved him one last time,” I said quietly. Then I gathered myself together and looked back up at Michael. “Well that’s enough of that. So what are we going to do about this meeting coming up at the United Reps Building? What all do you think will be discussed?” I asked changing the subject.
Michael and I talked for another hour and finished three cups of coffee apiece. Then Michael apologized again for getting me up and left to go home. I locked the door behind him and headed back upstairs. I crawled into bed and hugged the other pillow to me. This was the worse time of night for me, those hours just before dawn when I couldn’t sleep for thinking of Max and missing him. I closed my eyes trying to block out the pain, but all I got was a flood of memories.
Flashback
“Liz, honey, are you ok?” Max says as he rubs my back as I lay on the bed with my face buried in my pillow.
I look up with tears in my eyes and tear stains all over my face. “Max, I’ve just been told that you and I can never have children! How do you think I am? I’m miserable,” I answer.
“I know it’s hard to take but, Liz, we have each other and we have little Jeffrey. You and I have more love without children of our own than most people ever find in their whole lives even with children. It would have been great to have kids but as long as we have each other that’ll be enough. We’ll take care of everybody else’s kids when they need us to and we’ll take care of Jeffrey and that will be enough. Please don’t take this too hard. We had to do this for us to all survive; I feel that in my bones,” he tells me softly.
I close my eyes as he kisses me and puts his arms around my waist. We make sweet love over and over again. I have never felt Max be so tender and passionate with me as he is now. When we’re both too tired to move, we fall asleep still wrapped up together. I feel content and happy despite the revelation made to me that day.
I open my eyes and look around the dark room and reach for where Max had been. He’s not there; there’s only a cold empty bed. I pull the covers over me and whisper his name, wishing he were there with me. I cry and cry and cry until my body aches. How can I keep going without him? Without him and without a child of our own to care for, it’s no longer enough.
I couldn’t stop the memories from flowing so I turn on the radio hoping for a distraction. I turn the volume down so that it won’t wake Max and pray for something that won’t be too depressing. I am surprised at the song that ends up coming on. It’s an old song but I’ve always loved it.
Smile, though your heart is aching.
Smile, even though it’s breaking.
When there are clouds in the sky,
You’ll get by
If you smile through your fear and sorrow.
Smile and maybe tomorrow,
You’ll see the sun come shining through
For you.
Light up your face with gladness.
Hide every trace of sadness,
Although a tear maybe ever so near.
That’s the time you must keep on trying.
Smile, what’s the use of crying?
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile,
If you’ll just smile.
That’s the time you must keep on trying.
Smile, what’s the use of crying?
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile,
If you’ll just smile.
I don’t know why but for some reason I felt better. Old songs did that sometimes. I curled up under the covers and fell asleep dreaming about simpler times with Max.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“Ladies and gentlemen, humans and extraterrestrials, thank you for coming out to support our reconstruction projects. We’ve had such a great response from so many that want to help, and while we have a long way to go, we wanted to take this afternoon to thank you for your time and energy that you’ve already donated and to thank you in advance for future contributions,” Isabel told the audience.
We were all at the park where once Isabel stood up there for the Christmas pageant that Sydney had been in. The small structure of the stage and sound system had had to be rebuilt but it looked great. It had been Serena and Isabel’s idea to give this small bit of entertainment for so many reasons. People were still grieving over lost loved ones and the loss of their king, but there were so many that still volunteered their time, energy, and possessions to help those who needed it and to rebuild the community. Isabel said they needed to be thanked for that in a small way at least. Serena also said that it would help cheer people up as well as celebrate Isabel and Brody’s coming wedding as well as Maria and Kyle’s coming child.
The rest of us had all thought it a great idea, and one of the main highlights was Maria’s singing. Somehow Michael, Maria, and the others had heard me sing to myself and thought that I should sing something too. Many of the neighbors and children were going to do something talent-wise. The high school orchestra and band were to play. The elementary school’s 5th and 6th graders were also to perform.
Things went well and I was surprised at the number of celebrities I saw in the audience. Among them was the group of young people that were playing our little group on the TV show based on our lives here in Roswell. I was surprised at how much they looked like us. Jason Behr looked almost exactly like Max, and I had a hard time looking at him because it hurt so much. Even Little Max had thought he was his father for a moment.
The elementary school grades sang the song “This Used to Be My Playground” by Madonna, one celebrity that hadn’t made it through the war. I had told Maria that I specifically wanted her to sing “Smile” and she thought it was a good choice. She was encored and she sang “I Shall Believe” in a dedication for Max and I. I thanked her and hugged her right on stage.
Then all of a sudden, it was my turn. I had chosen a song that I had wanted to dedicate to Max. I prayed I made it through the whole song. I cleared my throat and thanked everyone again for coming before Brody started playing the music to accompany me.
‘Til my body is dust
‘Til my soul is no more
I will love you – love you
‘Til the sun starts to cry
And the moon turns to rust
I will love you – love you
But I need to know
Will you stay for all time
Forever and a day
Then I’ll give my heart
‘Til the end of time
Forever and a day
And I need to know
Will you stay for all time
Forever and a day
Then I’ll give my heart
‘Til the end of all time
Forever and a day
When the storms fill my eyes
And we touch the last time
I will love you – love you
I will love you – love you
I will love you
There wasn’t a dry eye in the audience, and they stood up for me and encored me but I didn’t think I could do another one. I ran off the stage but Maria, Serena, and Isabel dragged me back on, encouraging me to sing another one. I couldn’t think of anything for a moment but then I remembered the movie “West Side Story” and so I sang “Somewhere” from that movie. Everyone cried again, including me and I felt a release of some kind; not anything big but a release nonetheless. I was ready for that meeting in New York next week or so I thought.
Beth
Part 7
I awoke to a persistent knocking on the front door. I squint my eyes at my digital clock. 2:23 a.m. Who in the universe could be calling at this time of night? I jumped up and turned on the light. I threw on my bathrobe and tied the belt as I headed down the stairs. I left the lights off until I got to the door. I switched on the outside light and found it was Michael standing outside. I unlocked the door and opened it just enough to get my face in the doorway.
“Michael, it’s 2:30 in the morning! What are you doing here?” I asked in a low tone.
“Can I come in and talk, Liz?” he asked. I started to say no and ask him to come back at a decent hour, but I saw that he really did need to talk. I opened the door for him to pass through. “Thanks,” he sighed.
“Have a seat. I’ll put some coffee on and check on Max, and then we can talk,” I told him.
I started the coffee pot and went upstairs and cracked open my son’s room door. He was sound asleep but had kicked the covers onto the floor. I picked them up and put them back around him. I kissed his cheek and left the room quietly. I went back down the stairs and yawned as I fixed a cup of coffee for Michael and myself.
As I placed the mug in front of him and sat down, I waved my hand over my mug so that it would be the way I liked it. Michael did the same. “I’m sorry, Michael, I didn’t know how you liked yours.”
“No problem. Liz, what I wanted to talk to you about is Maria and Kyle and the new Valenti coming into the world,” Michael started.
I took a deep breath and looked into my coffee cup for a minute before responding. “Michael, I know that Maria really meant a lot to you but sooner or later, you’re going to have to let her go . . .”
“No, you don’t understand. God, that’s probably what Maria thinks too, and Kyle. I’m not jealous because of Maria. I’m not in love with her. I’m actually happy for her and Kyle. I just was so shocked by their announcement. I mean, the only baby we ever had around was Jeffrey Maxwell, and I just took it for granted that it would always be that way. I feel so much older than I am. Liz, I realized when they made that announcement that I would probably never get married or have children of my own and that hurt. Ever since Little Max has been in my life, I’ve loved kids, and I always thought that one day I would have some of my own but now I realize that no one will ever be able to live with me as my wife, and I certainly don’t want children without a mother in the picture,” Michael explained.
My eyes filled with tears. “Michael, you are a good man and someday you will make some woman very happy and have children and be a great father. You’re lucky that you can have kids. Remember that not all of us have that option even if we did remarry, which I probably won’t.”
Michael’s face had a look of self-hatred on it. “I’m so sorry, Liz. I should have realized this had to be painful for you too. I forgot that you can’t have children. At least you have Max though,” he said.
“Michael, do you have any idea what it’s like to raise someone else’s child? I love Max, and I couldn’t love him more if I had given birth to him myself but he is the product of Max and Tess’s love affair. I want a child that is a product of love between myself and Max. I want to go through the birth pains and the pregnancy and everything that goes along with that, but I’ll never be able to do that now. Thanks to this stupid war, I’ll never have children or grandchildren that carry the Parker’s blood in their veins. I know that sounds ridiculous, but that’s why I’m jealous of Maria and Kyle too. However, I bit my lip and tongue and hugged them and congratulated them. Can’t you do the same? They were really hurt when you ran out of here this afternoon,” I told him.
“I guess we have more in common than I thought. I know you miss Max, but, Liz, he loved you and you need to remember that. You don’t need his child to know that. I will apologize to Maria and Kyle tomorrow. I’m sorry that I got you up like this but it was bugging me,” he said.
“It’s ok, Michael. God knows you’ve done a lot more for Max and I since Max died. That is a hard phrase to say. Max is gone and he’s not coming back, and I didn’t even get to say goodbye or that I loved him one last time,” I said quietly. Then I gathered myself together and looked back up at Michael. “Well that’s enough of that. So what are we going to do about this meeting coming up at the United Reps Building? What all do you think will be discussed?” I asked changing the subject.
Michael and I talked for another hour and finished three cups of coffee apiece. Then Michael apologized again for getting me up and left to go home. I locked the door behind him and headed back upstairs. I crawled into bed and hugged the other pillow to me. This was the worse time of night for me, those hours just before dawn when I couldn’t sleep for thinking of Max and missing him. I closed my eyes trying to block out the pain, but all I got was a flood of memories.
Flashback
“Liz, honey, are you ok?” Max says as he rubs my back as I lay on the bed with my face buried in my pillow.
I look up with tears in my eyes and tear stains all over my face. “Max, I’ve just been told that you and I can never have children! How do you think I am? I’m miserable,” I answer.
“I know it’s hard to take but, Liz, we have each other and we have little Jeffrey. You and I have more love without children of our own than most people ever find in their whole lives even with children. It would have been great to have kids but as long as we have each other that’ll be enough. We’ll take care of everybody else’s kids when they need us to and we’ll take care of Jeffrey and that will be enough. Please don’t take this too hard. We had to do this for us to all survive; I feel that in my bones,” he tells me softly.
I close my eyes as he kisses me and puts his arms around my waist. We make sweet love over and over again. I have never felt Max be so tender and passionate with me as he is now. When we’re both too tired to move, we fall asleep still wrapped up together. I feel content and happy despite the revelation made to me that day.
I open my eyes and look around the dark room and reach for where Max had been. He’s not there; there’s only a cold empty bed. I pull the covers over me and whisper his name, wishing he were there with me. I cry and cry and cry until my body aches. How can I keep going without him? Without him and without a child of our own to care for, it’s no longer enough.
I couldn’t stop the memories from flowing so I turn on the radio hoping for a distraction. I turn the volume down so that it won’t wake Max and pray for something that won’t be too depressing. I am surprised at the song that ends up coming on. It’s an old song but I’ve always loved it.
Smile, though your heart is aching.
Smile, even though it’s breaking.
When there are clouds in the sky,
You’ll get by
If you smile through your fear and sorrow.
Smile and maybe tomorrow,
You’ll see the sun come shining through
For you.
Light up your face with gladness.
Hide every trace of sadness,
Although a tear maybe ever so near.
That’s the time you must keep on trying.
Smile, what’s the use of crying?
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile,
If you’ll just smile.
That’s the time you must keep on trying.
Smile, what’s the use of crying?
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile,
If you’ll just smile.
I don’t know why but for some reason I felt better. Old songs did that sometimes. I curled up under the covers and fell asleep dreaming about simpler times with Max.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“Ladies and gentlemen, humans and extraterrestrials, thank you for coming out to support our reconstruction projects. We’ve had such a great response from so many that want to help, and while we have a long way to go, we wanted to take this afternoon to thank you for your time and energy that you’ve already donated and to thank you in advance for future contributions,” Isabel told the audience.
We were all at the park where once Isabel stood up there for the Christmas pageant that Sydney had been in. The small structure of the stage and sound system had had to be rebuilt but it looked great. It had been Serena and Isabel’s idea to give this small bit of entertainment for so many reasons. People were still grieving over lost loved ones and the loss of their king, but there were so many that still volunteered their time, energy, and possessions to help those who needed it and to rebuild the community. Isabel said they needed to be thanked for that in a small way at least. Serena also said that it would help cheer people up as well as celebrate Isabel and Brody’s coming wedding as well as Maria and Kyle’s coming child.
The rest of us had all thought it a great idea, and one of the main highlights was Maria’s singing. Somehow Michael, Maria, and the others had heard me sing to myself and thought that I should sing something too. Many of the neighbors and children were going to do something talent-wise. The high school orchestra and band were to play. The elementary school’s 5th and 6th graders were also to perform.
Things went well and I was surprised at the number of celebrities I saw in the audience. Among them was the group of young people that were playing our little group on the TV show based on our lives here in Roswell. I was surprised at how much they looked like us. Jason Behr looked almost exactly like Max, and I had a hard time looking at him because it hurt so much. Even Little Max had thought he was his father for a moment.
The elementary school grades sang the song “This Used to Be My Playground” by Madonna, one celebrity that hadn’t made it through the war. I had told Maria that I specifically wanted her to sing “Smile” and she thought it was a good choice. She was encored and she sang “I Shall Believe” in a dedication for Max and I. I thanked her and hugged her right on stage.
Then all of a sudden, it was my turn. I had chosen a song that I had wanted to dedicate to Max. I prayed I made it through the whole song. I cleared my throat and thanked everyone again for coming before Brody started playing the music to accompany me.
‘Til my body is dust
‘Til my soul is no more
I will love you – love you
‘Til the sun starts to cry
And the moon turns to rust
I will love you – love you
But I need to know
Will you stay for all time
Forever and a day
Then I’ll give my heart
‘Til the end of time
Forever and a day
And I need to know
Will you stay for all time
Forever and a day
Then I’ll give my heart
‘Til the end of all time
Forever and a day
When the storms fill my eyes
And we touch the last time
I will love you – love you
I will love you – love you
I will love you
There wasn’t a dry eye in the audience, and they stood up for me and encored me but I didn’t think I could do another one. I ran off the stage but Maria, Serena, and Isabel dragged me back on, encouraging me to sing another one. I couldn’t think of anything for a moment but then I remembered the movie “West Side Story” and so I sang “Somewhere” from that movie. Everyone cried again, including me and I felt a release of some kind; not anything big but a release nonetheless. I was ready for that meeting in New York next week or so I thought.
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!
-
littleroswell
- Roswell Fanatic
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 7:45 am
- Location: Georgia, USA
Ok, here is part 8. Let me know what you think!
Beth
Part 8
We stepped into the lobby of the Plaza Hotel and Little Max looked around with his mouth open. “Mommy, are we rich?” he asked.
I laughed and hugged him. “You are so funny sometimes; you make me rich. Since we are royalty, they put us up here when there are summit meetings for free.”
“I’ll go check everybody in,” Michael said, heading for the desk.
“I’ll help,” Isabel said, following him.
I turned to Maria. “How are you holding up?” I asked her.
“Ok, my stomach is still doing flips in the mornings though,” she answered. “Liz, did I tell you what Michael said the other day?” I shook my head to tell her she hadn’t. “Well, he came by our house and brought a huge stuffed giraffe and a stroller. When Kyle and I asked about it, he said that he just wanted to apologize for the way he had acted the other week when we told everyone that the baby was coming. He was just so sweet and sincere. I was so impressed.”
“Yeah, he even asked to make sure there were no hard feelings,” Kyle chimed in.
“That’s sweet alright. I guess Isabel was right; you have to just let him come to you in his own way,” I said with a smile.
“I think that’s the first real smile I’ve seen on your face in a long time, Liz,” Serena said, hugging me.
“Ok, that was easy enough. We’re on the 10th floor. They said not to worry about the bags; they’ll send them right up. Kyle, here is the key to yours and Maria’s room. Sean, here is yours and Serena’s. That leaves Brody and me and Liz and Isabel with Max,” Michael said, handing out room keys.
“I don’t want to be in the room with momma and Aunt Isabel. Can’t I stay with you and Brody, Uncle Michael?” Max asked.
Michael tousled his hair. “Fine by me, but you have to ask your mother first.”
Max looked up at me and I shrugged. “I have no objections, but you have to behave and listen to what Brody and Uncle Michael tell you. Ok?” I told him like a mother.
“Ok, mommy, thank you,” he said, throwing his arms around my waist.
We went upstairs to the rooms, which were just as beautiful as the last time we stayed there for a meeting. I was always impressed with our accommodations at the Plaza. Isabel and I unpacked. Unsure of how long the meeting would last, I had packed enough for a week. Watching Isabel unpack, however, one would think we were here for a month. I teased her about it.
“It’s good to see you in such a good mood. We’ve been really worried about you lately, Liz,” Isabel told me.
I sighed and sat on the edge of one of the double beds. “I know. I’m trying to get out of this slump, for Max’s sake. It’s just so hard. I miss Max so much. I fell like my heart was cut out of me and thrown in a blender.”
Isabel came and sat next to me. “Do you want to talk more about it? It might help. Like, when do you miss him the most? What is your favorite memory of him?”
I looked at the ceiling for a moment. Then I closed my eyes and whispered, “I miss him all the time but mostly at night. It gets cold in the bed alone knowing what I once had. As for my favorite memory, there are so many to choose from. Little Max loves to hear the story of how he saved my life at the Crashdown. There was that Valentine’s Day when he got drunk and was a complete goof for the night, but it was over me and I loved it. He was such a good husband and king. I could tell him anything that was in my heart or on my mind and he really listened. He didn’t judge me but patiently reasoned with me when I was wrong, and when I was right, he backed me up. I couldn’t have asked for better than Max Evans.”
There was a knock on the door. Isabel opened it to let Michael, Brody, and Max in. Max ran over to me and threw his arms around my neck. “I think we should go get some dinner and then we should all hit the hay early tonight; we have a big day tomorrow,” Michael said.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Michael, Isabel, and I took our seats at the head table in the enormous room. I knew that somewhere on the opposite side of the room was Maria with Kyle, Max, Brody, Serena, and Sean. The members of the council brought the meeting to order with remarkable speed. I had my new suit on that Isabel had helped me pick out and I had felt very business like but now, among all these leaders from the two planets, I felt very small and out of place.
“This session has begun. There are several issues at hand and I don’t think that anyone here expects to finish settling them all today,” the Head Steward for Antar began. He was a true diplomat and was the brother of Larek. “So the first order of business is the reconstruction of our two planets. I know that on Antar, we are ahead of schedule on several projects. How are things going here on Earth?” he asked the Head Steward for Earth.
She nodded her head. “Yes, things are going very well here as well. The citizens of Earth would like to officially thank the members from Antar for all their help in the reconstruction. It would have taken a lot longer without your help.”
“You are quite welcome, I’m sure. We will be discussing the reconstruction at length at a later time, but for now are there any questions with regards to the plans?” Larek’s brother asked. When no one spoke, he decided to move on. “That takes care of that then. Now the next issue before us is the coronation of the new leader. First, however, I believe we should observe a moment of silence out of respect for the late King Maxwell Xan Evans and his widowed queen.”
Everyone bowed their heads respectfully, but I couldn’t help but wonder what they were thinking about. Were they really sorry that Max was gone? I missed him sitting here beside me. I was so proud of the person that he was.
“Now then, Queen Elizabeth, we understand that you had talked with Michael Rath and Isabel Vilandra and you all decided that Michael would be the acting king. May I ask why you didn’t want to accept the throne yourself for now? You would have been an acceptable choice for everyone involved,” the steward asked me.
I cleared my throat and stood to answer his question loud enough for everyone to hear. I had prepared for this question. “I thought about this, but I feel that I cannot fairly make decisions for the people of Antar as I know little about the planet and your ways. Michael’s memory has been completely restored and therefore remembers the ways of your planet. He is the better choice,” I answered.
“Do you have anything to say about this, Michael or Isabel?” he asked them.
Isabel stood first. “I would like to say that I support whatever Liz’s decision. I would have backed her up as queen but if she doesn’t feel she can bear the responsibility, I certainly understand.”
Michael stood. “We talked about this at great length because to us, any one of us that would be chosen as the ruler would be basically a spokesperson for the group. We basically make decisions together. I have graciously accepted that Liz wants me to act as king until Jeffrey Maxwell is of age to assume the throne, but I will keep consulting her as well as Isabel and the others in our small group before making any hasty decisions.”
Everyone nodded and murmured their agreement. The Steward of Antar said, “Very well. It will go down in writing that Michael Rath will be acting king until such a time that Crown Prince Jeffrey Maxwell can assume his duties. Liz Evans, however, will keep the title of queen until such a time that Michael marries or Jeffrey Maxwell assumes the throne and marries. She will be awarded the honor of that title as well as the respect that should go with it. We will hold the actual coronation the day after tomorrow. That will give the reporters a chance to get wind of it and get here.” He chuckled. “Now let’s break for lunch and reconvene here in 2 hours.”
Everyone was dismissed and we went to meet up with the rest of our little group in the lobby and go eat. Max let go of Maria’s hand and took mine. “Mommy, this is boring. We’ve already talked about this stuff. Can’t we go home? I miss Sydney,” he asked.
“That’s not all they wanted to discuss, Max. We still have some things to talk about. I’m sorry you aren’t having the best time but it’s important. We’ll be able to go home soon enough,” I told him.
“I have to go to the bathroom,” he declared.
“I’ll take him,” Kyle volunteered and led him in the direction of the bathroom.
I turned to Michael. “What else do you think they’ll want to talk about? I thought the main reason we were here was to discuss reconstruction but they sort of skimmed over that,” I asked him.
“Yeah, that didn’t make sense to me either,” Isabel said.
We headed for the buffet tables and picked up our plates. “I talked to the Steward of Earth and she said that they want to go more in depth on the reconstruction projects, particularly Washington D.C. tomorrow afternoon so that was just kind of an overview. As for what they’ll want to bring up this afternoon, I really couldn’t say. They didn’t want to talk about it outside of the summit room,” he told us.
We ate lunch and talked about the way New York was shaping up in the midst of the clean up. Max looked extremely bored and I felt sorry for him. I wished I had thought to get a babysitter to come from Roswell to take him around New York. F.A.O Schwartz was still open and doing more business than ever. I promised myself to take him that evening as a reward for putting up with all this grown up stuff.
As everyone piled back into the summit room after lunch and took their seats, I couldn’t help but get a feeling of dread come over me. I really didn’t know why that would be the case as there was nothing really making me feel that way. I sat down between Isabel and Michael and tried to shake it.
“The second session of this summit meeting will come to order,” the Head Steward of Earth said. She was to lead the second half of the day. After everyone had settled down again, she turned her attention to the Steward of Antar. “Steward of Antar, I believe you have some news for our queen.”
He stood and cleared his throat. I braced myself for whatever might be coming. I was still not prepared. “When you were transformed to one of us, you were told that you could not have children. Do you remember the reason given for this?” he asked.
I swallowed as my mouth suddenly felt very dry. “No, I’m afraid I didn’t understand it,” I heard myself say.
“It was because our scientists were unable to study human anatomy carefully enough before they performed this experiment. Your eggs were destroyed, as were your ovaries and fallopian tubes. There were some other complications but that was the main reason. We also weren’t sure that humans and Antarians could have children together anyway. It seems that King Max had secretly arranged for a special project to be started to work on this. Before you were put under our anesthesia for your transformation, he had asked that several of your eggs be removed to test if humans and Antarians could indeed have children. This was kept very secret and only recently was brought to my attention. Only the three scientists working on this project knew of it. The reason I bring it up now is that your husband also froze some of his sperm and through their experiments have succeeded in creating an embryo,” he explained.
My mouth fell open. “Are you telling me that you have a child that is half me and half Max in one of your laboratories on Antar?” I practically screamed.
“We do indeed. We wanted to tell you in front of everyone here so that any Antarians and humans considering marriage will not have to worry about reproductive problems. You don’t have to make a decision as to what to do with the embryo just yet. We would just like to inform you of your options. You can donate it to either a human or Antarian female who wants children. You can have a surrogate mother have the child for you and then raise it or we can get rid of the embryo,” she told me.
“Or I can have the child myself and raise it myself,” I said.
“Yes, but it isn’t recommended at all because we aren’t sure you would survive carrying the child or delivery. It would be extremely dangerous. Any way you choose, it is a big decision and the council will not accept an answer from you before the end of thirty days so that we know you have given this decision a good deal of thought,” she told me.
The steward asked if anyone had any questions about this matter and the rest of the afternoon was taken up with people’s questions on how this miracle came to be and how the anatomies of both species would work together. I sat lost in my own thoughts. This was the child I had wanted so I immediately eliminated two choices, that of discarding the embryo and also the giving away of the embryo to someone else.
I couldn’t believe that I had the possibility of having a child that was a part of Max and a part of me. Tears filled my eyes at the thought of Max starting this project so that all couples would have the chance to be happy and to have children, no matter what planet they came from. He was such a wonderful person. I reflected on memories of Max for the rest of the session as they discussed this scientific discovery, only half listening to them.
Beth
Part 8
We stepped into the lobby of the Plaza Hotel and Little Max looked around with his mouth open. “Mommy, are we rich?” he asked.
I laughed and hugged him. “You are so funny sometimes; you make me rich. Since we are royalty, they put us up here when there are summit meetings for free.”
“I’ll go check everybody in,” Michael said, heading for the desk.
“I’ll help,” Isabel said, following him.
I turned to Maria. “How are you holding up?” I asked her.
“Ok, my stomach is still doing flips in the mornings though,” she answered. “Liz, did I tell you what Michael said the other day?” I shook my head to tell her she hadn’t. “Well, he came by our house and brought a huge stuffed giraffe and a stroller. When Kyle and I asked about it, he said that he just wanted to apologize for the way he had acted the other week when we told everyone that the baby was coming. He was just so sweet and sincere. I was so impressed.”
“Yeah, he even asked to make sure there were no hard feelings,” Kyle chimed in.
“That’s sweet alright. I guess Isabel was right; you have to just let him come to you in his own way,” I said with a smile.
“I think that’s the first real smile I’ve seen on your face in a long time, Liz,” Serena said, hugging me.
“Ok, that was easy enough. We’re on the 10th floor. They said not to worry about the bags; they’ll send them right up. Kyle, here is the key to yours and Maria’s room. Sean, here is yours and Serena’s. That leaves Brody and me and Liz and Isabel with Max,” Michael said, handing out room keys.
“I don’t want to be in the room with momma and Aunt Isabel. Can’t I stay with you and Brody, Uncle Michael?” Max asked.
Michael tousled his hair. “Fine by me, but you have to ask your mother first.”
Max looked up at me and I shrugged. “I have no objections, but you have to behave and listen to what Brody and Uncle Michael tell you. Ok?” I told him like a mother.
“Ok, mommy, thank you,” he said, throwing his arms around my waist.
We went upstairs to the rooms, which were just as beautiful as the last time we stayed there for a meeting. I was always impressed with our accommodations at the Plaza. Isabel and I unpacked. Unsure of how long the meeting would last, I had packed enough for a week. Watching Isabel unpack, however, one would think we were here for a month. I teased her about it.
“It’s good to see you in such a good mood. We’ve been really worried about you lately, Liz,” Isabel told me.
I sighed and sat on the edge of one of the double beds. “I know. I’m trying to get out of this slump, for Max’s sake. It’s just so hard. I miss Max so much. I fell like my heart was cut out of me and thrown in a blender.”
Isabel came and sat next to me. “Do you want to talk more about it? It might help. Like, when do you miss him the most? What is your favorite memory of him?”
I looked at the ceiling for a moment. Then I closed my eyes and whispered, “I miss him all the time but mostly at night. It gets cold in the bed alone knowing what I once had. As for my favorite memory, there are so many to choose from. Little Max loves to hear the story of how he saved my life at the Crashdown. There was that Valentine’s Day when he got drunk and was a complete goof for the night, but it was over me and I loved it. He was such a good husband and king. I could tell him anything that was in my heart or on my mind and he really listened. He didn’t judge me but patiently reasoned with me when I was wrong, and when I was right, he backed me up. I couldn’t have asked for better than Max Evans.”
There was a knock on the door. Isabel opened it to let Michael, Brody, and Max in. Max ran over to me and threw his arms around my neck. “I think we should go get some dinner and then we should all hit the hay early tonight; we have a big day tomorrow,” Michael said.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Michael, Isabel, and I took our seats at the head table in the enormous room. I knew that somewhere on the opposite side of the room was Maria with Kyle, Max, Brody, Serena, and Sean. The members of the council brought the meeting to order with remarkable speed. I had my new suit on that Isabel had helped me pick out and I had felt very business like but now, among all these leaders from the two planets, I felt very small and out of place.
“This session has begun. There are several issues at hand and I don’t think that anyone here expects to finish settling them all today,” the Head Steward for Antar began. He was a true diplomat and was the brother of Larek. “So the first order of business is the reconstruction of our two planets. I know that on Antar, we are ahead of schedule on several projects. How are things going here on Earth?” he asked the Head Steward for Earth.
She nodded her head. “Yes, things are going very well here as well. The citizens of Earth would like to officially thank the members from Antar for all their help in the reconstruction. It would have taken a lot longer without your help.”
“You are quite welcome, I’m sure. We will be discussing the reconstruction at length at a later time, but for now are there any questions with regards to the plans?” Larek’s brother asked. When no one spoke, he decided to move on. “That takes care of that then. Now the next issue before us is the coronation of the new leader. First, however, I believe we should observe a moment of silence out of respect for the late King Maxwell Xan Evans and his widowed queen.”
Everyone bowed their heads respectfully, but I couldn’t help but wonder what they were thinking about. Were they really sorry that Max was gone? I missed him sitting here beside me. I was so proud of the person that he was.
“Now then, Queen Elizabeth, we understand that you had talked with Michael Rath and Isabel Vilandra and you all decided that Michael would be the acting king. May I ask why you didn’t want to accept the throne yourself for now? You would have been an acceptable choice for everyone involved,” the steward asked me.
I cleared my throat and stood to answer his question loud enough for everyone to hear. I had prepared for this question. “I thought about this, but I feel that I cannot fairly make decisions for the people of Antar as I know little about the planet and your ways. Michael’s memory has been completely restored and therefore remembers the ways of your planet. He is the better choice,” I answered.
“Do you have anything to say about this, Michael or Isabel?” he asked them.
Isabel stood first. “I would like to say that I support whatever Liz’s decision. I would have backed her up as queen but if she doesn’t feel she can bear the responsibility, I certainly understand.”
Michael stood. “We talked about this at great length because to us, any one of us that would be chosen as the ruler would be basically a spokesperson for the group. We basically make decisions together. I have graciously accepted that Liz wants me to act as king until Jeffrey Maxwell is of age to assume the throne, but I will keep consulting her as well as Isabel and the others in our small group before making any hasty decisions.”
Everyone nodded and murmured their agreement. The Steward of Antar said, “Very well. It will go down in writing that Michael Rath will be acting king until such a time that Crown Prince Jeffrey Maxwell can assume his duties. Liz Evans, however, will keep the title of queen until such a time that Michael marries or Jeffrey Maxwell assumes the throne and marries. She will be awarded the honor of that title as well as the respect that should go with it. We will hold the actual coronation the day after tomorrow. That will give the reporters a chance to get wind of it and get here.” He chuckled. “Now let’s break for lunch and reconvene here in 2 hours.”
Everyone was dismissed and we went to meet up with the rest of our little group in the lobby and go eat. Max let go of Maria’s hand and took mine. “Mommy, this is boring. We’ve already talked about this stuff. Can’t we go home? I miss Sydney,” he asked.
“That’s not all they wanted to discuss, Max. We still have some things to talk about. I’m sorry you aren’t having the best time but it’s important. We’ll be able to go home soon enough,” I told him.
“I have to go to the bathroom,” he declared.
“I’ll take him,” Kyle volunteered and led him in the direction of the bathroom.
I turned to Michael. “What else do you think they’ll want to talk about? I thought the main reason we were here was to discuss reconstruction but they sort of skimmed over that,” I asked him.
“Yeah, that didn’t make sense to me either,” Isabel said.
We headed for the buffet tables and picked up our plates. “I talked to the Steward of Earth and she said that they want to go more in depth on the reconstruction projects, particularly Washington D.C. tomorrow afternoon so that was just kind of an overview. As for what they’ll want to bring up this afternoon, I really couldn’t say. They didn’t want to talk about it outside of the summit room,” he told us.
We ate lunch and talked about the way New York was shaping up in the midst of the clean up. Max looked extremely bored and I felt sorry for him. I wished I had thought to get a babysitter to come from Roswell to take him around New York. F.A.O Schwartz was still open and doing more business than ever. I promised myself to take him that evening as a reward for putting up with all this grown up stuff.
As everyone piled back into the summit room after lunch and took their seats, I couldn’t help but get a feeling of dread come over me. I really didn’t know why that would be the case as there was nothing really making me feel that way. I sat down between Isabel and Michael and tried to shake it.
“The second session of this summit meeting will come to order,” the Head Steward of Earth said. She was to lead the second half of the day. After everyone had settled down again, she turned her attention to the Steward of Antar. “Steward of Antar, I believe you have some news for our queen.”
He stood and cleared his throat. I braced myself for whatever might be coming. I was still not prepared. “When you were transformed to one of us, you were told that you could not have children. Do you remember the reason given for this?” he asked.
I swallowed as my mouth suddenly felt very dry. “No, I’m afraid I didn’t understand it,” I heard myself say.
“It was because our scientists were unable to study human anatomy carefully enough before they performed this experiment. Your eggs were destroyed, as were your ovaries and fallopian tubes. There were some other complications but that was the main reason. We also weren’t sure that humans and Antarians could have children together anyway. It seems that King Max had secretly arranged for a special project to be started to work on this. Before you were put under our anesthesia for your transformation, he had asked that several of your eggs be removed to test if humans and Antarians could indeed have children. This was kept very secret and only recently was brought to my attention. Only the three scientists working on this project knew of it. The reason I bring it up now is that your husband also froze some of his sperm and through their experiments have succeeded in creating an embryo,” he explained.
My mouth fell open. “Are you telling me that you have a child that is half me and half Max in one of your laboratories on Antar?” I practically screamed.
“We do indeed. We wanted to tell you in front of everyone here so that any Antarians and humans considering marriage will not have to worry about reproductive problems. You don’t have to make a decision as to what to do with the embryo just yet. We would just like to inform you of your options. You can donate it to either a human or Antarian female who wants children. You can have a surrogate mother have the child for you and then raise it or we can get rid of the embryo,” she told me.
“Or I can have the child myself and raise it myself,” I said.
“Yes, but it isn’t recommended at all because we aren’t sure you would survive carrying the child or delivery. It would be extremely dangerous. Any way you choose, it is a big decision and the council will not accept an answer from you before the end of thirty days so that we know you have given this decision a good deal of thought,” she told me.
The steward asked if anyone had any questions about this matter and the rest of the afternoon was taken up with people’s questions on how this miracle came to be and how the anatomies of both species would work together. I sat lost in my own thoughts. This was the child I had wanted so I immediately eliminated two choices, that of discarding the embryo and also the giving away of the embryo to someone else.
I couldn’t believe that I had the possibility of having a child that was a part of Max and a part of me. Tears filled my eyes at the thought of Max starting this project so that all couples would have the chance to be happy and to have children, no matter what planet they came from. He was such a wonderful person. I reflected on memories of Max for the rest of the session as they discussed this scientific discovery, only half listening to them.
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!
-
littleroswell
- Roswell Fanatic
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 7:45 am
- Location: Georgia, USA
First, I want to thank RosLover2 and Cinder for the fb as always! Shocking news on the embryo huh? Next, I want to thank you guys for being patient. I was out of town on Friday and Saturday so I'm sorry for not posting the new part. Anyway, here it is. Part 9 is below. Let me know what you think!
Beth
Part 9
The next morning the meeting reconvened in the summit room. The Head Steward of Earth called the third session to order and declared that the morning’s topic would be an in depth discussion of the reconstruction projects as they had decided to switch them from the afternoon session.
The damaged parts of the White House had been rebuilt, although everyone wondered what to do with it now. There was no President even though other countries still had their leaders. The only leader the US had was Michael who declared he was not moving to Washington. He suggested that a new President be elected. Each country would have its own leader and then two leaders would be appointed for each continent. They would in turn report to the Head Steward of Earth who would report to me, Isabel, Brody, Kyle, Maria, Sean, or Serena. We would in turn report to Michael.
Everyone liked these ideas and decided to follow this plan for Antar as well. This would help keep order on the two planets without overwhelming one person. Roswell, New Mexico was declared the capital of the Antarian-Earth Empire as that was where our group with Michael wanted to stay.
Other projects on both planets were discussed, and I felt sorry for Little Max who had to sit through all this. We finally broke for lunch at 1:30 and Michael, Isabel and I caught up with the rest of our entourage. Maria declared that if she had to listen to one more building project she was going to scream.
“I know there’s a lot of work to be done, but do we have to go over each building one at a time and what has to be done to it?” she asked.
“It is rather boring but it’s necessary. Maybe you could take Max and go shopping or something this afternoon,” Isabel suggested.
“That’s a good idea. Why don’t you, Maria?” I agreed.
“Oh, thank you. I will,” Maria sighed.
“I think I’ll come with you guys if you don’t mind,” Serena said.
“Not without me you don’t,” Sean told her.
“Great so all you guys are leaving?” Michael asked.
“I’ll stay, I’m finding this stuff kind of fascinating,” Brody said.
“So will I, as long as Serena and Sean promise to keep a good eye on Maria,” Kyle said.
So we ate lunch and half the group left and said they would meet us back at the hotel around 5:30. The rest of us went back inside the summit room and I stifled a yawn. Building projects weren’t exactly my forte either. As I sat down, however, I realized that the Head Steward of Antar was putting away his notes on the reconstruction projects. I smiled at the thought of Maria leaving to take Max and the others shopping to avoid a boring subject that was finished.
After calling everyone to order, the Head Steward of Antar turned his head to me. “Our next topic is something that has been on the minds of all your subjects, Queen Liz, but especially those on Antar. We would like to discuss the future of the Crown Prince Jeffrey Maxwell. More specifically, we’d like to discuss his education.”
I suddenly felt like a deer at a river that has just heard a rustle in the forest. My ears perked up and I was very wary of what was coming next. “What exactly did you have in mind to discuss?” I heard myself ask.
“When were you planning to begin his formal education?” he asked.
“He knows how to read and write his name already. He’s extremely smart and learns quickly,” I began.
The Head Steward held up his hand for me to stop. “You’ve done well, but the boy is of schooling age and his training should begin as soon as possible. I should mention that his training needs to be done on Antar not Earth.”
I jumped up out of my seat. “You can’t take my son away to Antar! Earth is the only home he knows!” I declared.
“Exactly my point. He will be ruling both planets but how can he do so when the only home he’s ever known or knows anything about is Earth? No human teacher is going to be able to teach him what he needs to learn about Antar. How will he rule a planet he’s never even seen? We would help you move or if you would like to stay, we can take good care of him,” he explained.
“Never will I allow Max to go to Antar without me and I can’t go. Roswell is my home and my son’s home,” I said.
He looked at me dead on and said the words that stung every time they were said. “Remember, Your Majesty, he is not really your son. You have done a good job of raising him but the truth is he is an orphan. His parents are dead and his education must be started.”
I collapsed back into my chair as if he had slapped me. Michael came to my rescue. He got to his feet and returned the Steward’s look. “You had better be glad for your sake that the boy wasn’t present to hear that. Your job would have been over at this very minute. King Max himself put in the law that no one other than Liz, Isabel, me, or himself were to ever tell Jeffrey Maxwell that Liz is not his mother. That is a law that will be strictly enforced and anyone that breaks that law will be punished. As for Max being of schooling age, I agree but it doesn’t make sense to take him away from Earth now. The only mother he’s ever known is still grieving for her husband and he too is still grieving for his father. The only way Liz will be able to really get through this is with the help of her loved ones who live here. You cannot take a boy of Max’s age away from his mother; it would devastate him,” he said clearly.
“What would you suggest then? His training is critical to his future reign and it needs to begin early,” the Steward said, clearly becoming exasperated.
Michael thought about it a moment before answering him. His suggestion impressed me. “I suggest that the boy begin his training here on Earth with a tutor from Antar. That way, he has a teacher that can really explain what Antar is like and still live in the home he knows and has thrived in. Then if at some point in the future he wants to move to Antar, he will be helped to do so. Meanwhile, we can bring him to Antar for vacations and such,” he said.
There were murmurs around the room. It was obvious to me that Michael had a good head on his shoulders to come up with such a good suggestion so quickly. I couldn’t breathe as I waited for the Stewards to answer. Seeing that they were starting to sway, Isabel spoke up next.
“I would just like to point out that just because Michael has most of his memories of his previous life on Antar, I chose not to get my memories back and yet many people still have told me that I am a good ruler. As far as my mind is concerned, I’ve never really lived on Antar. I only visited there for a year,” she stated.
The Head Stewards whispered to each other and nodded at each other. “We have decided to consider your suggestion very carefully. We will give you all an answer before the coronation ceremony begins tomorrow. For now everyone is dismissed.”
As everyone started to clear the room, I couldn’t move. That someone might try to take Max away from me had never crossed my mind. I felt someone’s hand on my shoulder and I looked up to see Michael’s face. In his eyes I saw that he too was worried that this might happen.
Kyle and Brody walked up and Kyle had a look of rage on his face while Brody had a look of sympathy. Isabel kneeled beside me and hugged me. Michael kneeled beside me and told me, “No matter what they decide, Liz, I won’t let them take Max away from you. If we have to start a new war, they won’t take him away from you, I promise.”
Everyone agreed with Michael. I looked at them with tears in my eyes. “Thank you all so much. I just never thought I might loose him too, especially now that the war is over. Losing him now would tip me over the edge.”
* * * * * * * * * *
I was a nervous wreck the whole evening. Maria and Serena, along with the rest of the group, were outraged at the news. Even though we didn’t tell Max anything, he could tell I was upset and let me hold him without fussing most of the evening. I didn’t sleep that night for crying. I tried to be quiet so as not to disturb Isabel but I think she was awake anyway.
The next morning, as we all dressed in our best clothes that we had brought with us, I couldn’t help but move slowly because of my nervousness. I hoped I could keep up a brave face for Max who had no idea why everyone was so down. I came out of the hotel room and started to head down the hall to the elevator when Michael caught up with me.
“Liz, how do I look?” he asked. He was nervous too.
I looked him over and brushed some lint off of his suit. “You look good, Michael. I am proud of you for that suggestion yesterday. Thank you for standing up for me. I think you’ll make a great king.”
He gave me half a smile. “I didn’t want to loose him either, Liz. You look great! Is that a new dress?” he asked.
I smiled at that. “Yes it is, actually. Thank you for noticing.”
We talked as we went downstairs and I realized that my nervousness had receded somewhat. We all rode in the limo to the United Reps Building, and as we pulled up and climbed out I hugged Max quickly. He looked into my eyes and asked me what was wrong.
“I just love you so much. Remember that no matter what happens ok?” I told him.
“I love you too, momma,” he said. How I had taken that word “momma” for granted!
We walked into the building and into the summit room amidst cameras flashing and reporters crying for our attention. The room had been rearranged for the ceremony and I was impressed with the decorations that were put up in so short a time. We all took our seats at the appropriate section in front of the table where we usually sat.
The Head Stewards called everyone to order and the Steward of Antar looked at me. “Before the ceremony begins, we would like to let you all know that we talked over the matter discussed yesterday afternoon, not only with each other but also with as many of you as we could get to, and we have decided that the arrangements suggested yesterday of an Antarian tutor would be acceptable for now. Max may stay with you, Queen Liz,” he said.
I cried with relief and everyone hugged me or patted my back or hand. There was cheering all over the room. The Stewards calmed everyone down again and asked Michael to approach them. He stood and walked over to where they were both standing and kneeled before them. The Head Steward of Antar held his hands in a circular shape above Michael’s head and a crown appeared in them. It was not made of any kind of material I had ever seen since it seemed to glow of its own power. There were 6 points on it and a big one in the middle that could only be described as stars.
“These 6 points represent the planet Antar and its 5 moons. The star in the middle represents you as long as you are in power over our planet. With this crown I declare that we have chosen you as our king. You are now King Michael Rath of the planet Antar and its moons,” the Steward stated.
The Head Steward of Earth stepped forward and placed in Michael’s right hand a golden scepter with silver etchings and embedded jewels. It looked heavy. “In giving you this scepter, I show that the planet Earth has declared you its king. Long live King Michael Rath,” she recited.
They both motioned for Michael to stand and then they kneeled before him and said at the same time, “You are now king over the Antarian-Earth Empire. The lives of our two planets are in your hands.”
Now came my part, which I had been dreading. I was so afraid I would goof up. I stood up and came forward to stand in front of Michael. I removed the crown from my head and kneeled in front of him and held it up to him. “As I served my husband and king before you, so I serve you now. With this declaration, I give up all claims to the throne that belongs to you. Forever more I shall be subordinate to you.”
Michael took the crown from my hands and placed it back on my head. “I accept your declaration of loyalty and hereby allow you to keep the title of queen.”
I bowed my head and returned to my seat. Then everyone in the room stood and called, “Long live King Michael Rath.”
* * * * * * * * * * *
Later that night, we were celebrating all the achievements of the summit meeting at a restaurant. Max still didn’t know exactly what was going on, but he sensed that whatever had been troubling everyone had somehow worked itself out and he was having a great time.
“So what do the Antarian doctors say about when you’ll have the baby, Maria?” I asked her. “I mean, you were completely human at one time but now that you have been transformed as we call it, will the baby be born at the end of the month or what?”
Maria shrugged. “Actually, the human doctor said that it looks like I’m 3 months pregnant according to how far along the baby had developed but that was two weeks ago and the Antarian doctor I saw three days ago said that I was right on schedule for delivery at the end of the month. I don’t think I’m big enough to deliver in two weeks or less. I guess it’s just going to be a surprise the whole way around.”
I looked at everyone at the table and cleared my throat. “Well, maybe when we get back to Roswell we can get someone to check you out again. Meanwhile, I’ve got a baby to think about too.”
Serena smiled at me. “Isn’t it great that you can have a child that’s yours and Max’s? I’m so happy for you. Let me know if you need a surrogate mother because I’d like to volunteer.”
“That’s so sweet of you, Serena!” Maria declared.
The rest of the group agreed and I forced a smile at Serena. “Thank you, Serena, I’ll keep that in mind.”
Beth
Part 9
The next morning the meeting reconvened in the summit room. The Head Steward of Earth called the third session to order and declared that the morning’s topic would be an in depth discussion of the reconstruction projects as they had decided to switch them from the afternoon session.
The damaged parts of the White House had been rebuilt, although everyone wondered what to do with it now. There was no President even though other countries still had their leaders. The only leader the US had was Michael who declared he was not moving to Washington. He suggested that a new President be elected. Each country would have its own leader and then two leaders would be appointed for each continent. They would in turn report to the Head Steward of Earth who would report to me, Isabel, Brody, Kyle, Maria, Sean, or Serena. We would in turn report to Michael.
Everyone liked these ideas and decided to follow this plan for Antar as well. This would help keep order on the two planets without overwhelming one person. Roswell, New Mexico was declared the capital of the Antarian-Earth Empire as that was where our group with Michael wanted to stay.
Other projects on both planets were discussed, and I felt sorry for Little Max who had to sit through all this. We finally broke for lunch at 1:30 and Michael, Isabel and I caught up with the rest of our entourage. Maria declared that if she had to listen to one more building project she was going to scream.
“I know there’s a lot of work to be done, but do we have to go over each building one at a time and what has to be done to it?” she asked.
“It is rather boring but it’s necessary. Maybe you could take Max and go shopping or something this afternoon,” Isabel suggested.
“That’s a good idea. Why don’t you, Maria?” I agreed.
“Oh, thank you. I will,” Maria sighed.
“I think I’ll come with you guys if you don’t mind,” Serena said.
“Not without me you don’t,” Sean told her.
“Great so all you guys are leaving?” Michael asked.
“I’ll stay, I’m finding this stuff kind of fascinating,” Brody said.
“So will I, as long as Serena and Sean promise to keep a good eye on Maria,” Kyle said.
So we ate lunch and half the group left and said they would meet us back at the hotel around 5:30. The rest of us went back inside the summit room and I stifled a yawn. Building projects weren’t exactly my forte either. As I sat down, however, I realized that the Head Steward of Antar was putting away his notes on the reconstruction projects. I smiled at the thought of Maria leaving to take Max and the others shopping to avoid a boring subject that was finished.
After calling everyone to order, the Head Steward of Antar turned his head to me. “Our next topic is something that has been on the minds of all your subjects, Queen Liz, but especially those on Antar. We would like to discuss the future of the Crown Prince Jeffrey Maxwell. More specifically, we’d like to discuss his education.”
I suddenly felt like a deer at a river that has just heard a rustle in the forest. My ears perked up and I was very wary of what was coming next. “What exactly did you have in mind to discuss?” I heard myself ask.
“When were you planning to begin his formal education?” he asked.
“He knows how to read and write his name already. He’s extremely smart and learns quickly,” I began.
The Head Steward held up his hand for me to stop. “You’ve done well, but the boy is of schooling age and his training should begin as soon as possible. I should mention that his training needs to be done on Antar not Earth.”
I jumped up out of my seat. “You can’t take my son away to Antar! Earth is the only home he knows!” I declared.
“Exactly my point. He will be ruling both planets but how can he do so when the only home he’s ever known or knows anything about is Earth? No human teacher is going to be able to teach him what he needs to learn about Antar. How will he rule a planet he’s never even seen? We would help you move or if you would like to stay, we can take good care of him,” he explained.
“Never will I allow Max to go to Antar without me and I can’t go. Roswell is my home and my son’s home,” I said.
He looked at me dead on and said the words that stung every time they were said. “Remember, Your Majesty, he is not really your son. You have done a good job of raising him but the truth is he is an orphan. His parents are dead and his education must be started.”
I collapsed back into my chair as if he had slapped me. Michael came to my rescue. He got to his feet and returned the Steward’s look. “You had better be glad for your sake that the boy wasn’t present to hear that. Your job would have been over at this very minute. King Max himself put in the law that no one other than Liz, Isabel, me, or himself were to ever tell Jeffrey Maxwell that Liz is not his mother. That is a law that will be strictly enforced and anyone that breaks that law will be punished. As for Max being of schooling age, I agree but it doesn’t make sense to take him away from Earth now. The only mother he’s ever known is still grieving for her husband and he too is still grieving for his father. The only way Liz will be able to really get through this is with the help of her loved ones who live here. You cannot take a boy of Max’s age away from his mother; it would devastate him,” he said clearly.
“What would you suggest then? His training is critical to his future reign and it needs to begin early,” the Steward said, clearly becoming exasperated.
Michael thought about it a moment before answering him. His suggestion impressed me. “I suggest that the boy begin his training here on Earth with a tutor from Antar. That way, he has a teacher that can really explain what Antar is like and still live in the home he knows and has thrived in. Then if at some point in the future he wants to move to Antar, he will be helped to do so. Meanwhile, we can bring him to Antar for vacations and such,” he said.
There were murmurs around the room. It was obvious to me that Michael had a good head on his shoulders to come up with such a good suggestion so quickly. I couldn’t breathe as I waited for the Stewards to answer. Seeing that they were starting to sway, Isabel spoke up next.
“I would just like to point out that just because Michael has most of his memories of his previous life on Antar, I chose not to get my memories back and yet many people still have told me that I am a good ruler. As far as my mind is concerned, I’ve never really lived on Antar. I only visited there for a year,” she stated.
The Head Stewards whispered to each other and nodded at each other. “We have decided to consider your suggestion very carefully. We will give you all an answer before the coronation ceremony begins tomorrow. For now everyone is dismissed.”
As everyone started to clear the room, I couldn’t move. That someone might try to take Max away from me had never crossed my mind. I felt someone’s hand on my shoulder and I looked up to see Michael’s face. In his eyes I saw that he too was worried that this might happen.
Kyle and Brody walked up and Kyle had a look of rage on his face while Brody had a look of sympathy. Isabel kneeled beside me and hugged me. Michael kneeled beside me and told me, “No matter what they decide, Liz, I won’t let them take Max away from you. If we have to start a new war, they won’t take him away from you, I promise.”
Everyone agreed with Michael. I looked at them with tears in my eyes. “Thank you all so much. I just never thought I might loose him too, especially now that the war is over. Losing him now would tip me over the edge.”
* * * * * * * * * *
I was a nervous wreck the whole evening. Maria and Serena, along with the rest of the group, were outraged at the news. Even though we didn’t tell Max anything, he could tell I was upset and let me hold him without fussing most of the evening. I didn’t sleep that night for crying. I tried to be quiet so as not to disturb Isabel but I think she was awake anyway.
The next morning, as we all dressed in our best clothes that we had brought with us, I couldn’t help but move slowly because of my nervousness. I hoped I could keep up a brave face for Max who had no idea why everyone was so down. I came out of the hotel room and started to head down the hall to the elevator when Michael caught up with me.
“Liz, how do I look?” he asked. He was nervous too.
I looked him over and brushed some lint off of his suit. “You look good, Michael. I am proud of you for that suggestion yesterday. Thank you for standing up for me. I think you’ll make a great king.”
He gave me half a smile. “I didn’t want to loose him either, Liz. You look great! Is that a new dress?” he asked.
I smiled at that. “Yes it is, actually. Thank you for noticing.”
We talked as we went downstairs and I realized that my nervousness had receded somewhat. We all rode in the limo to the United Reps Building, and as we pulled up and climbed out I hugged Max quickly. He looked into my eyes and asked me what was wrong.
“I just love you so much. Remember that no matter what happens ok?” I told him.
“I love you too, momma,” he said. How I had taken that word “momma” for granted!
We walked into the building and into the summit room amidst cameras flashing and reporters crying for our attention. The room had been rearranged for the ceremony and I was impressed with the decorations that were put up in so short a time. We all took our seats at the appropriate section in front of the table where we usually sat.
The Head Stewards called everyone to order and the Steward of Antar looked at me. “Before the ceremony begins, we would like to let you all know that we talked over the matter discussed yesterday afternoon, not only with each other but also with as many of you as we could get to, and we have decided that the arrangements suggested yesterday of an Antarian tutor would be acceptable for now. Max may stay with you, Queen Liz,” he said.
I cried with relief and everyone hugged me or patted my back or hand. There was cheering all over the room. The Stewards calmed everyone down again and asked Michael to approach them. He stood and walked over to where they were both standing and kneeled before them. The Head Steward of Antar held his hands in a circular shape above Michael’s head and a crown appeared in them. It was not made of any kind of material I had ever seen since it seemed to glow of its own power. There were 6 points on it and a big one in the middle that could only be described as stars.
“These 6 points represent the planet Antar and its 5 moons. The star in the middle represents you as long as you are in power over our planet. With this crown I declare that we have chosen you as our king. You are now King Michael Rath of the planet Antar and its moons,” the Steward stated.
The Head Steward of Earth stepped forward and placed in Michael’s right hand a golden scepter with silver etchings and embedded jewels. It looked heavy. “In giving you this scepter, I show that the planet Earth has declared you its king. Long live King Michael Rath,” she recited.
They both motioned for Michael to stand and then they kneeled before him and said at the same time, “You are now king over the Antarian-Earth Empire. The lives of our two planets are in your hands.”
Now came my part, which I had been dreading. I was so afraid I would goof up. I stood up and came forward to stand in front of Michael. I removed the crown from my head and kneeled in front of him and held it up to him. “As I served my husband and king before you, so I serve you now. With this declaration, I give up all claims to the throne that belongs to you. Forever more I shall be subordinate to you.”
Michael took the crown from my hands and placed it back on my head. “I accept your declaration of loyalty and hereby allow you to keep the title of queen.”
I bowed my head and returned to my seat. Then everyone in the room stood and called, “Long live King Michael Rath.”
* * * * * * * * * * *
Later that night, we were celebrating all the achievements of the summit meeting at a restaurant. Max still didn’t know exactly what was going on, but he sensed that whatever had been troubling everyone had somehow worked itself out and he was having a great time.
“So what do the Antarian doctors say about when you’ll have the baby, Maria?” I asked her. “I mean, you were completely human at one time but now that you have been transformed as we call it, will the baby be born at the end of the month or what?”
Maria shrugged. “Actually, the human doctor said that it looks like I’m 3 months pregnant according to how far along the baby had developed but that was two weeks ago and the Antarian doctor I saw three days ago said that I was right on schedule for delivery at the end of the month. I don’t think I’m big enough to deliver in two weeks or less. I guess it’s just going to be a surprise the whole way around.”
I looked at everyone at the table and cleared my throat. “Well, maybe when we get back to Roswell we can get someone to check you out again. Meanwhile, I’ve got a baby to think about too.”
Serena smiled at me. “Isn’t it great that you can have a child that’s yours and Max’s? I’m so happy for you. Let me know if you need a surrogate mother because I’d like to volunteer.”
“That’s so sweet of you, Serena!” Maria declared.
The rest of the group agreed and I forced a smile at Serena. “Thank you, Serena, I’ll keep that in mind.”
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!
-
littleroswell
- Roswell Fanatic
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 7:45 am
- Location: Georgia, USA
Ok, guys here is part 10. Enjoy!!
Beth
Part 10
We flew home the next day without event. As we all went our separate ways, Michael said he’d come by the Crashdown in a couple of hours to get it ready for reopening. I thanked him and then took Max home and went upstairs to take a nap. I felt better after the nap, but something was still bothering me and I knew what it was.
“I don’t want someone else to have my baby. I want to carry it myself,” I said aloud to no one.
“Mommy, who are you talking to?” Max asked, coming from his room.
I scooped him up in my arms and hugged him. “I’m just talking to myself, my boy. It helps me to think out loud sometimes. How would you like to spend some time here with Uncle Michael helping him while mommy goes to talk to Grandpa Jim this evening?” I asked him.
“Ok, that’d be fun! Will you tell Grandpa Jim that I missed him while we were gone?” he asked.
I smiled at him. “Yes, I will. Now let’s go downstairs and get something to eat, I’m starving.”
I fixed us some grilled cheese sandwiches and chocolate milk. I was washing the dishes when there was a knock on the back door. I went to it and opened it to find Michael standing there. I moved aside for him to come in.
“Should I bow before the new king?” I teased.
Michael grinned. “Don’t you dare! I’ve had enough of that for a long time. Something smells good; what have you been cooking?” he asked.
Embarrassed that I hadn’t thought to fix him something to eat too, I tried to cover it up. “Grilled cheese sandwiches. Would you like one? I can whip one up in a second.”
“Well, I don’t want you to have to go to any trouble,” he protested.
“No it’s no trouble at all. I’m sorry I didn’t think to fix you one while I was at it. Do you want one or two?” I asked him. I pulled out the bread and cheese. I put my hand over the grill and felt that it had gone cold and frowned.
“Two would be great,” he answered.
“Two grilled cheese sandwiches coming up,” I said. I decided to do things the alien way. I sliced the cheese and put it on the bread, added Tabasco sauce, waved my hand over it and, “Voila! Your order, sir,” I said putting the plate of sandwiches in front of him.
“Thanks,” he said, taking a big bite of one of them. “So what all has to be done before opening for breakfast tomorrow?” he asked.
We discussed a list of things that needed to be done and talked about how the meeting went. “Michael, I want to thank you again for standing up for Max and I in New York. It really meant a lot to me. I need to ask a favor. Would you watch Max for a little bit? I want to go and check on Jim and talk to him for a little bit, and if I end up being late, I don’t want Max to be up late,” I asked him.
“Sure, no problem. Go talk to Jim and I’ll get started around here and keep an eye on the crown prince,” he said good-naturedly, taking another big mouthful of his fourth sandwich.
I kissed his cheek and grabbed my sweater. “Thanks, Michael. I don’t know how I’ll ever pay you back for everything you’ve done for us. I’ll be back soon.”
“Take your time,” he called after me.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“Liz, this is a pleasant surprise. Come on in and tell me how the summit meeting went,” Jim said when he opened the door.
I stepped inside and gave him a hug. “It went pretty well. Michael’s coronation went well. There were several surprises though. One of them is the reason I’m here. I don’t know why, but I felt that I needed to talk to you about it.”
He motioned for me to sit down and I sat in the rocking chair that faced the couch. He sat down opposite me, and I noticed how much he had changed and at the same time, how little he had changed in the time I had known him. He naturally looked older, but he looked tired too. Amy’s death had taken its toll on him. I told him about the Antarian Steward wanting to take Max away from me to begin his training on Antar and Michael’s solution that was accepted. Then I told him about the baby. I told him what the Antarians said about my options.
Jim listened intently. When I was finished, he looked at me. “Obviously you want to keep the baby. I’m also afraid that you want to carry this child yourself,” he said.
I looked him right in the eye. “Yes, Jim, I do. This child is a product of Max and me and our love. It doesn’t seem right to let someone else carry it. I know what the risks are, and I was willing to go through a war for our love. I’m not afraid of dying anymore. I don’t mind going through whatever I have to for the chance to have this child myself.”
“Are you willing to make Little Max go through it too? This is a big decision that mostly affects you, but it also affects this child and Max. What would happen to him if you didn’t make it having this child? Would the Antarians still allow him to live here on earth? Would they take him away to a planet he’s never seen and would he be able to see his family everyday? Liz, you need to think about this,” Jim said.
“I have thought about it. I have done nothing but think about it since they told me about the embryo. With Michael now the official king, I’m sure he can watch out for Max. He could probably even stay here for a few years with Michael or Isabel since he’ll have that tutor. I want to have this baby,” I said emphatically.
Jim looked in my eyes for a minute and I had no idea what he was looking for, but he seemed to have either found it or have given up. “You’re so young to have so much pain inside you. I hope someday you’ll find a way to release it before it destroys you. You know I’ll support you whatever your decision, Liz. You all have come to be my kids; not just Kyle and Maria.”
I hugged him. “Thank you, Jim, for listening and for supporting me on this. You’ll really be a grandpa when Maria has her baby.”
I said my goodbyes and left to go back to the Crashdown. Looking at my watch, I was amazed at how long I had been gone. It was almost 10:00. When I walked in the door, I found Michael listening to a CD and sweeping the floor. I stopped to watch him for a few minutes, trying to keep quiet so I wouldn’t be detected. When he started dancing with the broom, however, I couldn’t help laughing at him.
Michael whirled around, embarrassed at being caught. When he saw that it was just me, though, he grinned and danced over to me with the broom. He looked at the broom. “I hope you don’t mind if I dance with someone else.” He looked back at me, and his grin widened as he threw the broom aside. “It said it didn’t care. Can I have this dance?” he asked bowing.
I laughed and grinned back at him. “Why I’d be delighted!” I replied and we danced to the fast beat of the song. He twirled me around, and we laughed until we couldn’t breathe.
Then the song ended and we held onto each other for support while we laughed. The next song started to play and it was a slow one. Michael looked at me and smiled. He took my hand and put his other arm around my waist. I didn’t protest as he danced me around the room. I had no idea he was such a good dancer. I giggled at the memory of our Junior Prom when he had taken dancing lessons and Maria had thought he was cheating on her. He asked what I was laughing at and I told him and he grinned again. Then we danced in silence for a few minutes.
I started to feel uncomfortable and awkward all of a sudden. I looked at Michael and saw that he felt the same way. I pulled away from him and felt my cheeks redden. “We need to finish cleaning up and go to bed.” Realizing what I had said, my blush just deepened and I tried to correct myself. “I mean it’s getting late and I have to get up early to open and . . .”
“You’re right. I’ll go fill the bucket with cleaner and water, if you want to grab the mop. I’ll mop if you want to make sure the tables are ready,” he said. He walked to the kitchen and I heard the water come on in the back.
We let the music play as we finished cleaning up and preparing for the next day. When we had finished, Michael took the bucket and mop out the back door and emptied the bucket and wrung out the mop. I finished wiping down the grill that I had used earlier.
“Well, I suppose I’ll be heading home. I’ll see you tomorrow, Liz,” Michael said from behind me.
“Good night, Michael,” I said to him as he headed for the door.
“Good night, Liz.”
* * * * * * * * * * *
The next two weeks went by quickly, and Maria blew up and suddenly went into labor at the Crashdown. I called Kyle who was still working on the baby’s room and told him to meet us at the hospital. Then I asked Michael to watch Max while I rushed to get Maria to the hospital before the baby was born. Isabel and Serena said they’d cover the tables and Brody said he’d drive us.
We arrived at the hospital in the nick of time, and the Antarian and human doctors rolled Maria in a wheelchair to the delivery room. They said to let the nurse know the minute the father got there so that he could help coach her in the delivery room. Maria begged them to let me come back with her until he got there. They weren’t sure that was a good idea but agreed. I made sure that Brody would take care of Kyle once he arrived and rushed with them back to the delivery room.
The doctor’s put some scrubs on me and gloves and a hair net. I helped keep Maria breathing like they had shown her when she found out she was pregnant. Unsure of how soon the baby would be born, the doctors had ordered her to classes the next day after her diagnosis as a mother to be.
“Liz, thank you so much for being in here with me. I wish Kyle would hurry up and get here. I wonder what’s taking him so long,” Maria panted.
“It’s no problem, Maria, now concentrate; it’s almost time to push,” I ordered.
“No, not without Kyle here!” she protested.
At that minute a nurse came rushing in pushing Kyle in a wheelchair. Maria looked at them and asked, “What’s wrong with you?”
Kyle blushed and looked upset. “I was on a ladder when the phone rang. I had the cordless with me and just answered it while still on the ladder. When Liz told me that it was time for the baby, I told her I’d be right there and hung up. I tried to hurry and fell off the ladder and sprained my ankle. I don’t know how, but somehow I got here and now it hurts like the devil.”
Maria laughed at his story until another contraction hit her. The doctor looked at Kyle and at me. “Ok, so do you want either of them to leave now, Maria? It’s time to start pushing.”
“No way. Kyle is my husband and Liz is my best friend. I don’t know what I’d do without either of them. Please let them stay,” she said.
Kyle and I smiled at each other. We had all been through so much and this was something great that we could share. The doctors told her to push, and we coached her through the rest of the delivery. Finally, she gave one last push and there was a tiny, screaming infant in the doctor’s arms.
The nurse took the baby and cleaned it up. The doctor smiled at a very tired Maria. “Congratulations, mom. You have a baby girl.”
Maria smiled and cried, and Kyle wheeled himself over and propped himself up enough to hug his wife. I smiled for them and felt tears run down my own face for the two of them. The doctor placed the small girl in Maria’s arms and Maria held it like a natural.
She looked up at Kyle, who leaned over and kissed her and then the top of the baby’s head. Then she turned and looked at me. “Liz, come over here and see my daughter. Isn’t she beautiful?”
I walked over and took the tiny child from her and held her to me. She had Maria’s eyes and Kyle’s mouth. “She’s perfect, Maria,” I whispered. I placed her in Kyle’s arms, and she looked up at him. He held her like he was holding a delicate piece of china.
“Liz, I know that we agreed that we would never do anything so corny as name our children after each other, but after today, with you having been such a great friend, I want to name my daughter Amy Elizabeth. What do you think, Kyle?” she asked.
Kyle looked up at his wife and then at me with a smile on his face. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he answered.
I thought about protesting, but instead, I decided to just let it alone. “Thanks you guys. I’m really touched. Now I think I’ll give you three some privacy,” I told them.
As I left the room, there was no doubt in my mind that I was going to carry my own child. I went and told Brody the good news about the newest little Valenti. He said that no one could find Jim but that he would go and look for him. I called the Crashdown to report the new arrival to Michael, Isabel, Serena, and Max.
I told Michael everything that had happened since we had left the Crashdown. “So how are you holding up? Is Max driving you crazy yet?” I asked.
“No, not at all. We’ve been having a great time. How are you doing? I know you have to be thinking about your own child about now,” he responded.
I was stunned into silence. How could he know that that is what I would be thinking about at a time like this? “Michael, I want to have my baby, and I want to be the one to carry it. I want to know what it feels like to be pregnant and then have that tiny creature that has been living inside of you come into the world and for me to have to take care of it. I want to go through it all, and I don’t want to live it through someone else.”
He sighed. “I thought you might feel this way. Is there anything I can do to try to convince you to let someone else have the baby for you?” he asked.
“No, I’ve made up my mind.”
“I thought so. Ok, Liz, if that’s what you want, I for one will support you and help you as much as I can. I do feel though that you should keep an open mind in the future for remarriage because raising two kids alone is a tough job. I also don’t want you to rush into this. You are going to talk to the scientists that helped create the embryo and as many doctors to get as much information as possible on how to take care of yourself and how to improve your chances for success. Let’s do this right ok?” he said.
I leaned against the wall and smiled into the phone. “Thank you, Michael Guerrin. You are a great friend.”
Beth
Part 10
We flew home the next day without event. As we all went our separate ways, Michael said he’d come by the Crashdown in a couple of hours to get it ready for reopening. I thanked him and then took Max home and went upstairs to take a nap. I felt better after the nap, but something was still bothering me and I knew what it was.
“I don’t want someone else to have my baby. I want to carry it myself,” I said aloud to no one.
“Mommy, who are you talking to?” Max asked, coming from his room.
I scooped him up in my arms and hugged him. “I’m just talking to myself, my boy. It helps me to think out loud sometimes. How would you like to spend some time here with Uncle Michael helping him while mommy goes to talk to Grandpa Jim this evening?” I asked him.
“Ok, that’d be fun! Will you tell Grandpa Jim that I missed him while we were gone?” he asked.
I smiled at him. “Yes, I will. Now let’s go downstairs and get something to eat, I’m starving.”
I fixed us some grilled cheese sandwiches and chocolate milk. I was washing the dishes when there was a knock on the back door. I went to it and opened it to find Michael standing there. I moved aside for him to come in.
“Should I bow before the new king?” I teased.
Michael grinned. “Don’t you dare! I’ve had enough of that for a long time. Something smells good; what have you been cooking?” he asked.
Embarrassed that I hadn’t thought to fix him something to eat too, I tried to cover it up. “Grilled cheese sandwiches. Would you like one? I can whip one up in a second.”
“Well, I don’t want you to have to go to any trouble,” he protested.
“No it’s no trouble at all. I’m sorry I didn’t think to fix you one while I was at it. Do you want one or two?” I asked him. I pulled out the bread and cheese. I put my hand over the grill and felt that it had gone cold and frowned.
“Two would be great,” he answered.
“Two grilled cheese sandwiches coming up,” I said. I decided to do things the alien way. I sliced the cheese and put it on the bread, added Tabasco sauce, waved my hand over it and, “Voila! Your order, sir,” I said putting the plate of sandwiches in front of him.
“Thanks,” he said, taking a big bite of one of them. “So what all has to be done before opening for breakfast tomorrow?” he asked.
We discussed a list of things that needed to be done and talked about how the meeting went. “Michael, I want to thank you again for standing up for Max and I in New York. It really meant a lot to me. I need to ask a favor. Would you watch Max for a little bit? I want to go and check on Jim and talk to him for a little bit, and if I end up being late, I don’t want Max to be up late,” I asked him.
“Sure, no problem. Go talk to Jim and I’ll get started around here and keep an eye on the crown prince,” he said good-naturedly, taking another big mouthful of his fourth sandwich.
I kissed his cheek and grabbed my sweater. “Thanks, Michael. I don’t know how I’ll ever pay you back for everything you’ve done for us. I’ll be back soon.”
“Take your time,” he called after me.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“Liz, this is a pleasant surprise. Come on in and tell me how the summit meeting went,” Jim said when he opened the door.
I stepped inside and gave him a hug. “It went pretty well. Michael’s coronation went well. There were several surprises though. One of them is the reason I’m here. I don’t know why, but I felt that I needed to talk to you about it.”
He motioned for me to sit down and I sat in the rocking chair that faced the couch. He sat down opposite me, and I noticed how much he had changed and at the same time, how little he had changed in the time I had known him. He naturally looked older, but he looked tired too. Amy’s death had taken its toll on him. I told him about the Antarian Steward wanting to take Max away from me to begin his training on Antar and Michael’s solution that was accepted. Then I told him about the baby. I told him what the Antarians said about my options.
Jim listened intently. When I was finished, he looked at me. “Obviously you want to keep the baby. I’m also afraid that you want to carry this child yourself,” he said.
I looked him right in the eye. “Yes, Jim, I do. This child is a product of Max and me and our love. It doesn’t seem right to let someone else carry it. I know what the risks are, and I was willing to go through a war for our love. I’m not afraid of dying anymore. I don’t mind going through whatever I have to for the chance to have this child myself.”
“Are you willing to make Little Max go through it too? This is a big decision that mostly affects you, but it also affects this child and Max. What would happen to him if you didn’t make it having this child? Would the Antarians still allow him to live here on earth? Would they take him away to a planet he’s never seen and would he be able to see his family everyday? Liz, you need to think about this,” Jim said.
“I have thought about it. I have done nothing but think about it since they told me about the embryo. With Michael now the official king, I’m sure he can watch out for Max. He could probably even stay here for a few years with Michael or Isabel since he’ll have that tutor. I want to have this baby,” I said emphatically.
Jim looked in my eyes for a minute and I had no idea what he was looking for, but he seemed to have either found it or have given up. “You’re so young to have so much pain inside you. I hope someday you’ll find a way to release it before it destroys you. You know I’ll support you whatever your decision, Liz. You all have come to be my kids; not just Kyle and Maria.”
I hugged him. “Thank you, Jim, for listening and for supporting me on this. You’ll really be a grandpa when Maria has her baby.”
I said my goodbyes and left to go back to the Crashdown. Looking at my watch, I was amazed at how long I had been gone. It was almost 10:00. When I walked in the door, I found Michael listening to a CD and sweeping the floor. I stopped to watch him for a few minutes, trying to keep quiet so I wouldn’t be detected. When he started dancing with the broom, however, I couldn’t help laughing at him.
Michael whirled around, embarrassed at being caught. When he saw that it was just me, though, he grinned and danced over to me with the broom. He looked at the broom. “I hope you don’t mind if I dance with someone else.” He looked back at me, and his grin widened as he threw the broom aside. “It said it didn’t care. Can I have this dance?” he asked bowing.
I laughed and grinned back at him. “Why I’d be delighted!” I replied and we danced to the fast beat of the song. He twirled me around, and we laughed until we couldn’t breathe.
Then the song ended and we held onto each other for support while we laughed. The next song started to play and it was a slow one. Michael looked at me and smiled. He took my hand and put his other arm around my waist. I didn’t protest as he danced me around the room. I had no idea he was such a good dancer. I giggled at the memory of our Junior Prom when he had taken dancing lessons and Maria had thought he was cheating on her. He asked what I was laughing at and I told him and he grinned again. Then we danced in silence for a few minutes.
I started to feel uncomfortable and awkward all of a sudden. I looked at Michael and saw that he felt the same way. I pulled away from him and felt my cheeks redden. “We need to finish cleaning up and go to bed.” Realizing what I had said, my blush just deepened and I tried to correct myself. “I mean it’s getting late and I have to get up early to open and . . .”
“You’re right. I’ll go fill the bucket with cleaner and water, if you want to grab the mop. I’ll mop if you want to make sure the tables are ready,” he said. He walked to the kitchen and I heard the water come on in the back.
We let the music play as we finished cleaning up and preparing for the next day. When we had finished, Michael took the bucket and mop out the back door and emptied the bucket and wrung out the mop. I finished wiping down the grill that I had used earlier.
“Well, I suppose I’ll be heading home. I’ll see you tomorrow, Liz,” Michael said from behind me.
“Good night, Michael,” I said to him as he headed for the door.
“Good night, Liz.”
* * * * * * * * * * *
The next two weeks went by quickly, and Maria blew up and suddenly went into labor at the Crashdown. I called Kyle who was still working on the baby’s room and told him to meet us at the hospital. Then I asked Michael to watch Max while I rushed to get Maria to the hospital before the baby was born. Isabel and Serena said they’d cover the tables and Brody said he’d drive us.
We arrived at the hospital in the nick of time, and the Antarian and human doctors rolled Maria in a wheelchair to the delivery room. They said to let the nurse know the minute the father got there so that he could help coach her in the delivery room. Maria begged them to let me come back with her until he got there. They weren’t sure that was a good idea but agreed. I made sure that Brody would take care of Kyle once he arrived and rushed with them back to the delivery room.
The doctor’s put some scrubs on me and gloves and a hair net. I helped keep Maria breathing like they had shown her when she found out she was pregnant. Unsure of how soon the baby would be born, the doctors had ordered her to classes the next day after her diagnosis as a mother to be.
“Liz, thank you so much for being in here with me. I wish Kyle would hurry up and get here. I wonder what’s taking him so long,” Maria panted.
“It’s no problem, Maria, now concentrate; it’s almost time to push,” I ordered.
“No, not without Kyle here!” she protested.
At that minute a nurse came rushing in pushing Kyle in a wheelchair. Maria looked at them and asked, “What’s wrong with you?”
Kyle blushed and looked upset. “I was on a ladder when the phone rang. I had the cordless with me and just answered it while still on the ladder. When Liz told me that it was time for the baby, I told her I’d be right there and hung up. I tried to hurry and fell off the ladder and sprained my ankle. I don’t know how, but somehow I got here and now it hurts like the devil.”
Maria laughed at his story until another contraction hit her. The doctor looked at Kyle and at me. “Ok, so do you want either of them to leave now, Maria? It’s time to start pushing.”
“No way. Kyle is my husband and Liz is my best friend. I don’t know what I’d do without either of them. Please let them stay,” she said.
Kyle and I smiled at each other. We had all been through so much and this was something great that we could share. The doctors told her to push, and we coached her through the rest of the delivery. Finally, she gave one last push and there was a tiny, screaming infant in the doctor’s arms.
The nurse took the baby and cleaned it up. The doctor smiled at a very tired Maria. “Congratulations, mom. You have a baby girl.”
Maria smiled and cried, and Kyle wheeled himself over and propped himself up enough to hug his wife. I smiled for them and felt tears run down my own face for the two of them. The doctor placed the small girl in Maria’s arms and Maria held it like a natural.
She looked up at Kyle, who leaned over and kissed her and then the top of the baby’s head. Then she turned and looked at me. “Liz, come over here and see my daughter. Isn’t she beautiful?”
I walked over and took the tiny child from her and held her to me. She had Maria’s eyes and Kyle’s mouth. “She’s perfect, Maria,” I whispered. I placed her in Kyle’s arms, and she looked up at him. He held her like he was holding a delicate piece of china.
“Liz, I know that we agreed that we would never do anything so corny as name our children after each other, but after today, with you having been such a great friend, I want to name my daughter Amy Elizabeth. What do you think, Kyle?” she asked.
Kyle looked up at his wife and then at me with a smile on his face. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he answered.
I thought about protesting, but instead, I decided to just let it alone. “Thanks you guys. I’m really touched. Now I think I’ll give you three some privacy,” I told them.
As I left the room, there was no doubt in my mind that I was going to carry my own child. I went and told Brody the good news about the newest little Valenti. He said that no one could find Jim but that he would go and look for him. I called the Crashdown to report the new arrival to Michael, Isabel, Serena, and Max.
I told Michael everything that had happened since we had left the Crashdown. “So how are you holding up? Is Max driving you crazy yet?” I asked.
“No, not at all. We’ve been having a great time. How are you doing? I know you have to be thinking about your own child about now,” he responded.
I was stunned into silence. How could he know that that is what I would be thinking about at a time like this? “Michael, I want to have my baby, and I want to be the one to carry it. I want to know what it feels like to be pregnant and then have that tiny creature that has been living inside of you come into the world and for me to have to take care of it. I want to go through it all, and I don’t want to live it through someone else.”
He sighed. “I thought you might feel this way. Is there anything I can do to try to convince you to let someone else have the baby for you?” he asked.
“No, I’ve made up my mind.”
“I thought so. Ok, Liz, if that’s what you want, I for one will support you and help you as much as I can. I do feel though that you should keep an open mind in the future for remarriage because raising two kids alone is a tough job. I also don’t want you to rush into this. You are going to talk to the scientists that helped create the embryo and as many doctors to get as much information as possible on how to take care of yourself and how to improve your chances for success. Let’s do this right ok?” he said.
I leaned against the wall and smiled into the phone. “Thank you, Michael Guerrin. You are a great friend.”
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!
-
littleroswell
- Roswell Fanatic
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 7:45 am
- Location: Georgia, USA
Ok, guys here is part 12! Let me know what you think!
Beth
Part 12
When I left the hospital with Michael, I was put under strict orders to remain in bed for the next 10 days. I wasn’t to get up for any reason other than to go to the bathroom. I was to take baths, not showers because I wasn’t supposed to stand for longer than 5 minutes at a time. They wheeled me in a wheelchair to the car and Michael helped me into the car.
At first, the thought of staying in bed for a couple of days seemed too good to be true, but by the end of day 3, I was itching to go downstairs and see what was going on. Isabel, Maria, and Serena helped by running my bath water and getting it ready for me to get in before I got out of bed and Michael had brought me a store of books and movies to read and watch. Everyone came up to visit at least once a day, and Max came up and sat with me sometimes, but even he got bored fast.
By day five, I was going stir crazy. I heard all the sounds from downstairs in the kitchen and café. I put down the book I had been trying to read and slowly got up from the bed. I put on my robe and walked to the door. I peeked out to see if anyone was out there but the hallway was clear. I walked to the stairs and went down to the back room behind the kitchen. I had just sighed with relief at not being caught out of bed when the door from the kitchen opened.
“Elizabeth Parker Evans, what are you doing out of bed?!” Maria scolded me. “Michael, get in here!” she called to the kitchen.
“Maria, please! I’m going crazy sitting up in that room all day. I’ll never make it for 10 days,” I pleaded with her.
Michael came into the room from the kitchen. He took one look at me and gave me a scolding look. “Liz, what are you doing up? Are you hungry? I thought we told you to just ring the downstairs line when you need something.”
“But Michael, I just wanted to come down here and sit for a while. I can’t take sitting up there by myself anymore. Please, can’t I just lie down here on the couch?” I begged him.
He came over to me and bent over and looked me right in the face with an understanding smile. For a minute, I thought he was going to give in. “Liz, you promised me that you were going to do what the doctors told you to do while you were pregnant. Are we already disobeying orders?” he said.
I sighed and stood up. “Ok, ok, I’ll go back upstairs but can I at least get dressed? I’m tired of being in my pajamas.”
Michael scooped me up into his arms and carried me over to the stairs. “Come on, Maria, let’s help the queen back to her royal chambers, and you can help her with her royal robes,” he called over his shoulder.
Maria giggled and followed obediently behind us. I protested being carried like an invalid, but Michael paid no attention. He lowered me onto the bed in my room and, Maria went over to the closet to find me something comfortable to wear.
“Now, I don’t want to see you out of that bed again. Do you hear me, young lady?” Michael said. “Maria, can you stay up here with her for a while? I guess we’ll have to all take turns keeping her occupied while she’s bedridden.” Maria called out that she would stay with me for a while, but she’d have to go get the baby. “I’ll get her and bring her up. I’ll be up to take the next watch when I get off in a little while. Anything else you two need?” he asked us.
We asked for some sandwiches and something to drink and Michael left, closing the door behind him. Maria pulled out several outfits, and I picked out what I wanted to wear out of them. Then she handed me the clothes and turned around while letting me dress myself. There was a knock on the door as I finished dressing. I told Maria she could turn around and called for whoever was outside the door to come in.
“I brought Beth up for you, Maria,” Serena said, handing the small child to Maria. “She’s been so quiet. She’s such a good girl.”
“Thanks, Serena,” Maria said, proud of her daughter. “She’s growing so fast. Technically she might be only a few months old, but the doctors say she’ll be walking soon and talking. Can you believe that? Not even a year and already talking and walking. I guess it’s that Antarian influence. Serena, you want to sit up here with Liz and I?” she asked.
Serena shook her head. “I wish I could, but I promised I’d go help Isabel over at the mall and I’m late already. I will come by later though.”
Serena left and Maria turned to me. “Ok, what do you want to do?” she asked me.
“We could play cards,” I suggested.
Maria smiled. “That’s a good idea. Here, take little Beth and I’ll get them. Where are they?” she asked.
“In the top drawer of the night stand. They should be right there,” I told her.
She walked around to the other side of the bed, and I took the baby from her and held the little girl, cooing at her. Maria opened the drawer and pulled out the deck of cards. As she closed the drawer, she looked at the turned over pictures and put her hand to them to turn them upright. I stopped her by covering her hand with mine.
“Liz, why are these pictures turned over?” she asked.
“Because I can’t stand to look at them anymore. They’re pictures of my parents, the Evans, and one of Max and I on our wedding day. It’s just too hard to look at them. I miss them all so much,” I told her as tears ran down my face.
Maria sighed and looked at me. “Liz, I know it’s hard, but you have to remember the happy times you had together. I miss my mother terribly along with everyone else, but you are carrying Max’s child. That’s something happy that came out of all of this mess. After Alex died, I thought I had taken his death hard, but then when I thought about it, you were so obsessed with finding out the truth of what happened to him and then there just suddenly weren’t any pictures of him around. I realized that everyone grieves in different ways. I just don’t want you to bury yourself with the dead.”
She tried again to turn the pictures upright, but I kept my hand firm. “Maria, you are my best friend and I love you, but if you touch those pictures again, I’ll kill you,” I told her.
Her eyes grew wide and I think she believed me. At any rate, she let go of the picture she had her hand on and came over to sit on the bed. She was shaking as she dealt the cards for our game. I wanted to say something to put her back at ease but I just couldn’t. I had the right to grieve the way I wanted to, needed to. We played cards for the next hour or so, taking turns holding the young child. The air between us, however, was a little strained. I hated it but I didn’t know what to say.
After finishing a game of poker, little Beth started crying in my arms. Maria reached for her and took her from me. There was a knock on the half-open door and Max walked in with Zelda right behind him. He was carrying Sydney, and he placed the kitten on the bed at my feet as the cat squirmed to get down.
“We thought we’d come see how you’re doing in here and relieve Maria,” Zelda told us.
Maria smiled gratefully at the older woman. “Thank you, Zelda; your timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Little Beth needs to be fed, burped, and put down for her nap.”
She got up from the bed and put the cards back in the drawer she had retrieved them from and started to head for the door. I called her name as she reached it and started to leave. She turned around and looked at me.
“I’m sorry, Maria, will you forgive me?” I asked her sincerely.
She smiled, but it wasn’t a carefree-Maria-smile. “Of course, Liz. Just remember that I care about you and don’t want to see you do anything that would hurt you or the baby,” she said as she left the room.
I sighed. We’d be ok; Maria and I were never upset with each other for long. Besides, her heart was in the right place. I felt Max settle on the bed next to me, and I smiled at my son.
“What baby?” he asked me, looking into my eyes.
This was the moment I had been dreading. I had worried about how this baby would affect Max. Now I realized I couldn’t put off telling him any longer. I took a deep breath and looked at Zelda who smiled at me encouragingly. I looked back at my son and thought about my words.
“Well, Max, that is something I’ve been wanting to tell you about for a while, but I wasn’t sure how. What do you think about the idea of having a baby around?” I asked him carefully.
“Like Maria’s baby Beth?” he asked his eyes lighting up.
I nodded slowly. “Sort of. Max, what do you think about having a little brother or sister around?” I finally asked.
His smiled changed to a thoughtful expression, and he looked down at his hands as if pondering deeply at this idea. Then he looked up and I was a little worried as I looked into those crystal blue eyes of his. Then he smiled brightly. I was so worried that he would burst into tears that when he smiled, I couldn’t help but hold my breath.
“Do you mean it? I can really have a brother or sister?” he practically yelled.
I grinned at him, relief flooding through me. “I mean it, Max. Mommy has a baby growing inside her. Hopefully it will be here in the next few months.”
He stood up and danced around the room. “I’m gonna be a big brother! Yippee!” he called.
I watched him jump around the room and smiled at the sight. I was so glad to see that he was happy about this. It was one less thing to weigh on my mind. I wondered what the baby would be. I thought about it for a minute, and then Max came over and he and Zelda told me what was going on in his lessons.
* * * * * * * * * * *
I leaned over the toilet and heaved up everything that I had tried to eat for breakfast and then some. Maria held my hair as my stomach finished turning itself inside out. I flushed the toilet and sat back against the wall and took a couple of deep breaths, trying to settle myself down. My hands shook and my breath came in gasps from the exertion.
Maria grinned at me. “Yup, I’d say you’re pregnant alright,” she teased. “How do you feel now?”
I rolled my eyes. “Like my body has turned against me and is trying to finish off what the war couldn’t. How long will this go on?” I asked.
She shrugged. “With me it was only two weeks, but this child is different from Beth. As far as her genes are concerned, Beth is completely Antarian. The child you carry is half human because of those scientists taking your eggs before your transformation. What have the doctors said?”
I pulled myself up to the sink and tried to wash off my face. I rinsed my mouth out trying to get rid of the nauseating taste in my mouth. I sat back on the floor again and looked at Maria. “I have an appointment with the Antarian doctor today. I don’t think they know how long it will be either. Hopefully, today will shed some light on that question.”
There was a knock on the bedroom door, and I called out for the person on the other side to identify themselves. Michael called out his name, and I called back for him to come in. The door opened and Michael’s face appeared around the doorway. He came fully into the doorway, and I saw that he had a tray of food in his hands.
“I didn’t know if you had eaten breakfast yet so I brought some food up,” he said.
At the mention and smell of food, my stomach heaved again, and I lunged for the toilet. Maria reached for my hair to pull it back again. I heard her tell Michael to get rid of that tray. I heard it clatter in the hallway, and I sat back again as my stomach churned. Michael’s face reappeared in the doorway, and he looked at me apologetically.
“I’m sorry, Liz, I didn’t know you were at that stage,” he said.
I tried to catch my breath as I answered, “That’s ok, Michael.”
There was a sudden cry from downstairs and Maria jumped up. “That’s Beth. I’ve got to go down and check on her.”
After she had fled to check on her daughter, Michael went over to the sink and turned on the faucet and grabbed the washcloth from the cabinet above the toilet. He took the wet cloth and rung it out so that it was just damp and cool. Then he came over and kneeled in front of me, placing it on my forehead.
“Here, that might help some,” he said.
I took it from him and smiled gratefully. “Thanks. You seem to always know exactly what to do for me to feel better.”
Michael looked uncomfortable at that and changed the subject. “That little Beth is growing fast. She’s walking already, and she’s saying small words. She may only be seven months old technically, but she’s closer to two years old in her development. I wonder if your child will be like that.”
I studied him for a minute. Making my decision I told him, “Michael, I have a doctor’s appointment today, and I had asked Sean and Serena to take me. Even though they agreed to I think that it’s made them uncomfortable, especially Sean. Would you . . . would you take me?”
Michael looked at me for a minute and then nodded. “Yeah, I’ll take you. When is your appointment?” he asked.
“At 10:30,” I answered.
He looked at his watch. “Well, you’d better get a shower and get dressed then because it’s already 9:30. Is Zelda going to watch Max while you’re at the doctor?” he asked.
I started to get up from the floor, and Michael stood and helped me up. “Yeah, I really don’t know what I did before she came. She’s great and Max absolutely adores her. I’ve come to depend on her so much.”
“Well, I’ll go so you can get dressed, but don’t take too long. I’ll be checking on the stock down in the basement when you’re ready.”
Beth
Part 12
When I left the hospital with Michael, I was put under strict orders to remain in bed for the next 10 days. I wasn’t to get up for any reason other than to go to the bathroom. I was to take baths, not showers because I wasn’t supposed to stand for longer than 5 minutes at a time. They wheeled me in a wheelchair to the car and Michael helped me into the car.
At first, the thought of staying in bed for a couple of days seemed too good to be true, but by the end of day 3, I was itching to go downstairs and see what was going on. Isabel, Maria, and Serena helped by running my bath water and getting it ready for me to get in before I got out of bed and Michael had brought me a store of books and movies to read and watch. Everyone came up to visit at least once a day, and Max came up and sat with me sometimes, but even he got bored fast.
By day five, I was going stir crazy. I heard all the sounds from downstairs in the kitchen and café. I put down the book I had been trying to read and slowly got up from the bed. I put on my robe and walked to the door. I peeked out to see if anyone was out there but the hallway was clear. I walked to the stairs and went down to the back room behind the kitchen. I had just sighed with relief at not being caught out of bed when the door from the kitchen opened.
“Elizabeth Parker Evans, what are you doing out of bed?!” Maria scolded me. “Michael, get in here!” she called to the kitchen.
“Maria, please! I’m going crazy sitting up in that room all day. I’ll never make it for 10 days,” I pleaded with her.
Michael came into the room from the kitchen. He took one look at me and gave me a scolding look. “Liz, what are you doing up? Are you hungry? I thought we told you to just ring the downstairs line when you need something.”
“But Michael, I just wanted to come down here and sit for a while. I can’t take sitting up there by myself anymore. Please, can’t I just lie down here on the couch?” I begged him.
He came over to me and bent over and looked me right in the face with an understanding smile. For a minute, I thought he was going to give in. “Liz, you promised me that you were going to do what the doctors told you to do while you were pregnant. Are we already disobeying orders?” he said.
I sighed and stood up. “Ok, ok, I’ll go back upstairs but can I at least get dressed? I’m tired of being in my pajamas.”
Michael scooped me up into his arms and carried me over to the stairs. “Come on, Maria, let’s help the queen back to her royal chambers, and you can help her with her royal robes,” he called over his shoulder.
Maria giggled and followed obediently behind us. I protested being carried like an invalid, but Michael paid no attention. He lowered me onto the bed in my room and, Maria went over to the closet to find me something comfortable to wear.
“Now, I don’t want to see you out of that bed again. Do you hear me, young lady?” Michael said. “Maria, can you stay up here with her for a while? I guess we’ll have to all take turns keeping her occupied while she’s bedridden.” Maria called out that she would stay with me for a while, but she’d have to go get the baby. “I’ll get her and bring her up. I’ll be up to take the next watch when I get off in a little while. Anything else you two need?” he asked us.
We asked for some sandwiches and something to drink and Michael left, closing the door behind him. Maria pulled out several outfits, and I picked out what I wanted to wear out of them. Then she handed me the clothes and turned around while letting me dress myself. There was a knock on the door as I finished dressing. I told Maria she could turn around and called for whoever was outside the door to come in.
“I brought Beth up for you, Maria,” Serena said, handing the small child to Maria. “She’s been so quiet. She’s such a good girl.”
“Thanks, Serena,” Maria said, proud of her daughter. “She’s growing so fast. Technically she might be only a few months old, but the doctors say she’ll be walking soon and talking. Can you believe that? Not even a year and already talking and walking. I guess it’s that Antarian influence. Serena, you want to sit up here with Liz and I?” she asked.
Serena shook her head. “I wish I could, but I promised I’d go help Isabel over at the mall and I’m late already. I will come by later though.”
Serena left and Maria turned to me. “Ok, what do you want to do?” she asked me.
“We could play cards,” I suggested.
Maria smiled. “That’s a good idea. Here, take little Beth and I’ll get them. Where are they?” she asked.
“In the top drawer of the night stand. They should be right there,” I told her.
She walked around to the other side of the bed, and I took the baby from her and held the little girl, cooing at her. Maria opened the drawer and pulled out the deck of cards. As she closed the drawer, she looked at the turned over pictures and put her hand to them to turn them upright. I stopped her by covering her hand with mine.
“Liz, why are these pictures turned over?” she asked.
“Because I can’t stand to look at them anymore. They’re pictures of my parents, the Evans, and one of Max and I on our wedding day. It’s just too hard to look at them. I miss them all so much,” I told her as tears ran down my face.
Maria sighed and looked at me. “Liz, I know it’s hard, but you have to remember the happy times you had together. I miss my mother terribly along with everyone else, but you are carrying Max’s child. That’s something happy that came out of all of this mess. After Alex died, I thought I had taken his death hard, but then when I thought about it, you were so obsessed with finding out the truth of what happened to him and then there just suddenly weren’t any pictures of him around. I realized that everyone grieves in different ways. I just don’t want you to bury yourself with the dead.”
She tried again to turn the pictures upright, but I kept my hand firm. “Maria, you are my best friend and I love you, but if you touch those pictures again, I’ll kill you,” I told her.
Her eyes grew wide and I think she believed me. At any rate, she let go of the picture she had her hand on and came over to sit on the bed. She was shaking as she dealt the cards for our game. I wanted to say something to put her back at ease but I just couldn’t. I had the right to grieve the way I wanted to, needed to. We played cards for the next hour or so, taking turns holding the young child. The air between us, however, was a little strained. I hated it but I didn’t know what to say.
After finishing a game of poker, little Beth started crying in my arms. Maria reached for her and took her from me. There was a knock on the half-open door and Max walked in with Zelda right behind him. He was carrying Sydney, and he placed the kitten on the bed at my feet as the cat squirmed to get down.
“We thought we’d come see how you’re doing in here and relieve Maria,” Zelda told us.
Maria smiled gratefully at the older woman. “Thank you, Zelda; your timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Little Beth needs to be fed, burped, and put down for her nap.”
She got up from the bed and put the cards back in the drawer she had retrieved them from and started to head for the door. I called her name as she reached it and started to leave. She turned around and looked at me.
“I’m sorry, Maria, will you forgive me?” I asked her sincerely.
She smiled, but it wasn’t a carefree-Maria-smile. “Of course, Liz. Just remember that I care about you and don’t want to see you do anything that would hurt you or the baby,” she said as she left the room.
I sighed. We’d be ok; Maria and I were never upset with each other for long. Besides, her heart was in the right place. I felt Max settle on the bed next to me, and I smiled at my son.
“What baby?” he asked me, looking into my eyes.
This was the moment I had been dreading. I had worried about how this baby would affect Max. Now I realized I couldn’t put off telling him any longer. I took a deep breath and looked at Zelda who smiled at me encouragingly. I looked back at my son and thought about my words.
“Well, Max, that is something I’ve been wanting to tell you about for a while, but I wasn’t sure how. What do you think about the idea of having a baby around?” I asked him carefully.
“Like Maria’s baby Beth?” he asked his eyes lighting up.
I nodded slowly. “Sort of. Max, what do you think about having a little brother or sister around?” I finally asked.
His smiled changed to a thoughtful expression, and he looked down at his hands as if pondering deeply at this idea. Then he looked up and I was a little worried as I looked into those crystal blue eyes of his. Then he smiled brightly. I was so worried that he would burst into tears that when he smiled, I couldn’t help but hold my breath.
“Do you mean it? I can really have a brother or sister?” he practically yelled.
I grinned at him, relief flooding through me. “I mean it, Max. Mommy has a baby growing inside her. Hopefully it will be here in the next few months.”
He stood up and danced around the room. “I’m gonna be a big brother! Yippee!” he called.
I watched him jump around the room and smiled at the sight. I was so glad to see that he was happy about this. It was one less thing to weigh on my mind. I wondered what the baby would be. I thought about it for a minute, and then Max came over and he and Zelda told me what was going on in his lessons.
* * * * * * * * * * *
I leaned over the toilet and heaved up everything that I had tried to eat for breakfast and then some. Maria held my hair as my stomach finished turning itself inside out. I flushed the toilet and sat back against the wall and took a couple of deep breaths, trying to settle myself down. My hands shook and my breath came in gasps from the exertion.
Maria grinned at me. “Yup, I’d say you’re pregnant alright,” she teased. “How do you feel now?”
I rolled my eyes. “Like my body has turned against me and is trying to finish off what the war couldn’t. How long will this go on?” I asked.
She shrugged. “With me it was only two weeks, but this child is different from Beth. As far as her genes are concerned, Beth is completely Antarian. The child you carry is half human because of those scientists taking your eggs before your transformation. What have the doctors said?”
I pulled myself up to the sink and tried to wash off my face. I rinsed my mouth out trying to get rid of the nauseating taste in my mouth. I sat back on the floor again and looked at Maria. “I have an appointment with the Antarian doctor today. I don’t think they know how long it will be either. Hopefully, today will shed some light on that question.”
There was a knock on the bedroom door, and I called out for the person on the other side to identify themselves. Michael called out his name, and I called back for him to come in. The door opened and Michael’s face appeared around the doorway. He came fully into the doorway, and I saw that he had a tray of food in his hands.
“I didn’t know if you had eaten breakfast yet so I brought some food up,” he said.
At the mention and smell of food, my stomach heaved again, and I lunged for the toilet. Maria reached for my hair to pull it back again. I heard her tell Michael to get rid of that tray. I heard it clatter in the hallway, and I sat back again as my stomach churned. Michael’s face reappeared in the doorway, and he looked at me apologetically.
“I’m sorry, Liz, I didn’t know you were at that stage,” he said.
I tried to catch my breath as I answered, “That’s ok, Michael.”
There was a sudden cry from downstairs and Maria jumped up. “That’s Beth. I’ve got to go down and check on her.”
After she had fled to check on her daughter, Michael went over to the sink and turned on the faucet and grabbed the washcloth from the cabinet above the toilet. He took the wet cloth and rung it out so that it was just damp and cool. Then he came over and kneeled in front of me, placing it on my forehead.
“Here, that might help some,” he said.
I took it from him and smiled gratefully. “Thanks. You seem to always know exactly what to do for me to feel better.”
Michael looked uncomfortable at that and changed the subject. “That little Beth is growing fast. She’s walking already, and she’s saying small words. She may only be seven months old technically, but she’s closer to two years old in her development. I wonder if your child will be like that.”
I studied him for a minute. Making my decision I told him, “Michael, I have a doctor’s appointment today, and I had asked Sean and Serena to take me. Even though they agreed to I think that it’s made them uncomfortable, especially Sean. Would you . . . would you take me?”
Michael looked at me for a minute and then nodded. “Yeah, I’ll take you. When is your appointment?” he asked.
“At 10:30,” I answered.
He looked at his watch. “Well, you’d better get a shower and get dressed then because it’s already 9:30. Is Zelda going to watch Max while you’re at the doctor?” he asked.
I started to get up from the floor, and Michael stood and helped me up. “Yeah, I really don’t know what I did before she came. She’s great and Max absolutely adores her. I’ve come to depend on her so much.”
“Well, I’ll go so you can get dressed, but don’t take too long. I’ll be checking on the stock down in the basement when you’re ready.”
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!